# BenchmarkONE > Sales & Marketing Software --- ## Pages - [BenchmarkONE Pricing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/pricing/): SEE ALL PLAN FEATURES A fraction of the cost "When I did a demo of BenchmarkONE and saw how similar the interface was to Hubspot - at a fraction of the - [Dec 2023 Promo - 50% off first two months](https://www.benchmarkone.com/december-savings/): Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - [Homepage 2022 - B](https://www.benchmarkone.com/home-b/): BenchmarkONE helps businesses grow with sales and marketing software. We're the all-in-one solution for CRM, email marketing, and marketing automation - built for the way you work. Reach customers and drive revenue with our easy-to-use SaaS platform. - [Homepage June 2022](https://www.benchmarkone.com/): BenchmarkONE helps businesses grow with sales and marketing software. We're the all-in-one solution for CRM, email marketing, and marketing automation - built for the way you work. Reach customers and drive revenue with our easy-to-use SaaS platform. - [Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/marketing-automation-info/): Marketing Automation What Your Small Business Should Know about Leveraging Marketing Automation to Grow Read on for an in-depth guide on what marketing - [Homepage 2022](https://www.benchmarkone.com/homepage-2022/): BenchmarkONE helps businesses grow with sales and marketing software. We're the all-in-one solution for CRM, email marketing, and marketing automation - built for the way you work. Reach customers and drive revenue with our easy-to-use SaaS platform. - [MASA](https://www.benchmarkone.com/k12/masa-request/): HELLO, MASA MEMBER! 👋 Ignite K12 Relationships Keep Students, Parents and Alumni in the Loop with Email Newsletter Software Built for Schools Sign up for - [NSPRA](https://www.benchmarkone.com/k12/nspra-request/): HELLO, NSPRA ATTENDEE! 👋 Ignite K12 Relationships Keep Students, Parents and Alumni in the Loop with Email Newsletter Software Built for Schools Sign up - [K12 Edition Video Overview](https://www.benchmarkone.com/k12-edition-video-overview/): K12 Edition Quick Tour Learn how easy it is to stay connected to students, parents and staff with BenchmarkONE Stay Connected K12 Email Newsletters & - [Allen Carr’s Easyway](https://www.benchmarkone.com/allen-carrs-easyway/): Case Study Quit smoking program scraps Zoho for an integrated CRM and email marketing solution Read Story NAME Allen Carr's Easyway INDUSTRY Quit Smoking - [test page](https://www.benchmarkone.com/test-page/): Testing 123. - [35 Articles That Will Help](https://www.benchmarkone.com/how-to-increase-sales/): 35 Articles On How to Increase Sales Automation + CRM Email + Outreach Sales Enablement + Tools Sales Process + Funnel KPIs + Performance Management + - [Alabama Sawyer Case Study](https://www.benchmarkone.com/alabama-sawyer-case-study/): Case Study Sustainable Woodworking Shop Ditched HubSpot for a Better Small Business Solution Read Story NAME Alabama Sawyer INDUSTRY Home Goods / - [/agencies/pricing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/agencies-pricing/): - [Free CRM Comparison Guide](https://www.benchmarkone.com/free-crm-comparison-guide/): Compare BenchmarkONE's free plan against other CRM software plans to determine which is best for your small business needs. Increase Sales with - [Homepage - Feb Test](https://www.benchmarkone.com/alt-feb/): BenchmarkONE helps businesses grow with sales and marketing software. We're the all-in-one solution for CRM, email marketing, and marketing automation - built for the way you work. Reach customers and drive revenue with our easy-to-use SaaS platform. - [Talk to Sales](https://www.benchmarkone.com/talk-to-sales/): Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - [Small Business CRM](https://www.benchmarkone.com/product-tour/small-business-crm/): Track deals, build prospect lists and find hot prospects with lead scoring. BenchmarkONE's CRM for small business helps drive your bottom line. - [Homepage - Alt](https://www.benchmarkone.com/alt/): BenchmarkONE helps businesses grow with sales and marketing software. We're the all-in-one solution for CRM, email marketing, and marketing automation - built for the way you work. Reach customers and drive revenue with our easy-to-use SaaS platform. - [Copy of: Contact Us](https://www.benchmarkone.com/contact-us-2/): Contact Us Have a question? Drop us a line and a friendly BenchmarkONEer will respond in no time. Prefer Snail Mail? 439 S. Kirkwood Road Suite 215 St. - [Product Tour](https://www.benchmarkone.com/product-tour/): Simple Sales & Marketing Software All-in-one and right-sized for small and growing businesses CRM & Sales Stay Organized with BenchmarkONE's CRM You've - [Contact Us country](https://www.benchmarkone.com/contact-us-country/): Contact Us Have a question? Drop us a line and a friendly BenchmarkONEer will respond in no time. Prefer Snail Mail? 439 S. Kirkwood Road Suite 215 St. - [BenchmarkONE Outlook Add-In](https://www.benchmarkone.com/outlook-add-in/): BenchmarkONE Outlook Add-In Increase productivity and improve communication with the power of BenchmarkONE in your Outlook inbox Custom Install - [Free Trial: Core Plan](https://www.benchmarkone.com/free-trial-core/): Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - [Free Trial: Lite Plan](https://www.benchmarkone.com/free-trial-lite/): Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - [K12: Live Demo](https://www.benchmarkone.com/k12/live-demo/): Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - [K12 Pricing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/k12/pricing/): K12 Communication Made Simple At a price that's nice. "Game Changing Support" The support, combined with unique features like dynamic content, allowing us - [BenchmarkONE](https://www.benchmarkone.com/benchmarkone/): Welcome to the Partner Resource Center Here you’ll find brand guidelines, co-brandable resources and guides to make your job easier and to keep your - [K12 Edition](https://www.benchmarkone.com/k12/): Email Newsletter Software Built for Schools Easily keep your school district connected when it matters the most. Request a Live Demo With BenchmarkONE K12 - [K12 Edition Splash Page](https://www.benchmarkone.com/k12-splash/): COMING SOON Ignite K12 Relationships Keep Parents, Staff and Community in the Loop with Email Newsletter Software Built for Schools Join the VIP List for - [Email Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/product-tour/email-marketing/): Powerful Email Marketing Tools for More Personalized Messaging Putting your signature style on an email shouldn't be tough. Whether you're a technical - [Terms of Service](https://www.benchmarkone.com/terms-of-service/): Terms of Service These terms of service (the "Terms") govern your access to and use of BenchmarkONE ("we" or "our") websites and services (the - [Services and Integrations](https://www.benchmarkone.com/services-and-integrations/): Services and Integrations We know you don't work in a bubble, so we make it simple to access developer tools, apps and services. Bring your sales and - [Landing Pages and Popups](https://www.benchmarkone.com/product-tour/landing-pages-and-popups/): Optimization & Conversion Tools Generate more leads from your website and convert them into customers with landing pages and pop-up forms. Convert - [Free Trial](https://www.benchmarkone.com/free-trial/): Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - [Post #23697](https://www.benchmarkone.com/post-23697/): Say so long to spreadsheets with a Small Business CRM Why Invest in a Small Business CRM? It's time to stop relying on never-ending Excel spreadsheets, or - [Status](https://www.benchmarkone.com/status/): BenchmarkONE Status November 21, 2023 7:00 am CT The BenchmarkONE platform is fully operational. The contact search issue has been resolved. All contacts - [Infusionsoft Comparison](https://www.benchmarkone.com/infusionsoft-compare/): Why Choose BenchmarkONE Over Infusionsoft? Features don’t solve problems – people do. We’ve simplified sales and marketing software for small business - [Agency Interactive Tour](https://www.benchmarkone.com/agencies/interactive-tour/): Take a Tour Converting Leads to Customers is Easy with BenchmarkONE Apply to Become an Agency Partner Drive leads, conversions and revenue for your - [Agency Pricing Request](https://www.benchmarkone.com/agencies/pricing/): Ready to drive more retainer business? BenchmarkONE helps agencies convert & retain more prospects into customers so they can provide more value while - [All-in-One CRM Comparison Guide](https://www.benchmarkone.com/all-in-one-crm-comparison-guide/): All-in-One CRM Comparison Guide On the hunt for a better way to organize your contacts, manage your sales process and track your sales reps’ activity? A - [Agency Blog](https://www.benchmarkone.com/agencies/agency-blog/): The Agency Blog Must-read tips to take your agency from skilled to stellar from the BenchmarkONE team and other agency experts - [Agency: Live Demo](https://www.benchmarkone.com/agencies/apply-now/): Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - [Agency Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/agencies/agency-customers/): When you win, we win. Helping businesses grow is our passion. We've got hundreds of happy agency partners who use and love BenchmarkONE. But you don't - [Agency Resources](https://www.benchmarkone.com/agencies/agency-resources/): Agency Resources Turn your agency into a marketing powerhouse and attract more clients with our downloadable resources and guides. Agency Growth Roundup - [Agencies Home](https://www.benchmarkone.com/agencies/): Scale Your Agency. Partner with BenchmarkONE. Hello, friend. We're here to help your agency cut through the clutter of bulky tools and complex programs. - [Blank Page](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blank-page-3/): asdfasdfasdfasdfadf - [CRM for Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/crm-for-small-business/): The Definitive Guide to CRM for Small Business   Every small business should have a CRM, but how do you choose the right one, implement it into your - [Small Business Marketing Guide](https://www.benchmarkone.com/small-business-marketing-guide/): The Ultimate Guide to Small Business Marketing   As a small business, your marketing budget is probably tight. It's important to get the best results - [Contact Management Software](https://www.benchmarkone.com/contact-management-software/): - [CRM Software](https://www.benchmarkone.com/crm-software/): The Ultimate Guide to CRM Software - [AdWords Hubspot Marketing Stack](https://www.benchmarkone.com/hubspot-marketing-stack/): - [Build Your Marketing Stack](https://www.benchmarkone.com/build-your-marketing-stack/): - [Solutions: Agencies](https://www.benchmarkone.com/agency-solution/): An extra edge for agencies Marketing agencies love BenchmarkONE's simple sales and marketing platform for their clients. Get a Live Demo Strategize - [test demo page](https://www.benchmarkone.com/test-demo-page/): - [Partner Onboarding](https://www.benchmarkone.com/partner-onboarding/): Getting started doesn’t have to be a headache! We’ve compiled a list of five easy steps to help jump start your BenchmarkONE success. - [Nonprofits](https://www.benchmarkone.com/nonprofits/): - [Onboarding Page](https://www.benchmarkone.com/onboarding-page/): - [Solutions](https://www.benchmarkone.com/solutions/): SMB Solutions Small-to-mid size businesses in every industry are leveraging BenchmarkONE to capture leads, and convert them into new and repeat - [About](https://www.benchmarkone.com/about/): BenchmarkONE cares about one thing; helping small businesses grow. Our team is passionate, loyal and loves helping small biz do sales and marketing better. - [Alternative Hubspot Marketing Stack](https://www.benchmarkone.com/alternative-hubspot-marketing-stack/): Build Your Own Marketing Stack Looking for affordable alternatives to Hubspot? Use our Marketing Stack builder to select your marketing tools and compare. - [Higher Education](https://www.benchmarkone.com/higher-education/): - [Financial Services](https://www.benchmarkone.com/financial-services/): - [SaaS](https://www.benchmarkone.com/saas-tools/): SaaS companies love BenchmarkONE as a simple and affordable sales and marketing platform for generating leads and winning more clients. - [Health and Fitness](https://www.benchmarkone.com/health-fitness/): - [Consultants](https://www.benchmarkone.com/consultants/): - [Test Form Page](https://www.benchmarkone.com/test-form-page/): - [Live Demo - June 2017](https://www.benchmarkone.com/live-demo/): Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - [Lead Generation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/lead-generation/): Looking for a Mailchimp alternative? Look no further than BenchmarkONE - all in one marketing and sales software for small businesses. - [Comparisons](https://www.benchmarkone.com/comparisons/): - [Contact Us](https://www.benchmarkone.com/contact-us/): Contact Us Have a question? Drop us a line and a friendly BenchmarkONEer will respond in no time. Prefer Snail Mail? 3636 S. Geyer Road, Suite 100, St - [Salesforce Alternative](https://www.benchmarkone.com/salesforce-alternative/): BenchmarkONE is a Salesforce alternative that combines CRM functionality and marketing automation in one, easy-to-use software package. - [Mailchimp Alternative](https://www.benchmarkone.com/mailchimp-alternative/): Looking for a Mailchimp alternative? Look no further than BenchmarkONE - all in one marketing and sales software for small businesses. - [Hatchbuck Partner Tools and Resources](https://www.benchmarkone.com/hatchbuck-partner-tools-resources/): - [Lead Gen 101 - Small Business Marketing Ebook](https://www.benchmarkone.com/lead-gen-101-small-business-marketing-ebook/): - [Email Alternative for Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/email-alternative/): - [Hubspot Alternative](https://www.benchmarkone.com/hubspot-alternative/): - [Unsubscribe](https://www.benchmarkone.com/unsubscribe/): - [Sitemap](https://www.benchmarkone.com/sitemap/): - [QT: Landing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/quick-tour-lp/): - [Onboarding - Day 3](https://www.benchmarkone.com/onboarding-day-3/): - [Onboarding - Day 2](https://www.benchmarkone.com/onboarding-day-2/): - [Onboarding - Day 1](https://www.benchmarkone.com/onboarding-day-1/): - [Hatchbuck Incubator Program](https://www.benchmarkone.com/hip/): - [Monthly Blog Digest - LP](https://www.benchmarkone.com/monthly-blog-digest-lp/): - [Privacy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/privacy/): - [Careers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/careers/): Careers at BenchmarkONE Now's Your Chance to Be Part of Something Big BenchmarkONE is on a mission to change the way smaller businesses engage with their - [Small Business Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/small-business-marketing/): BenchmarkONE loves small business marketing and wants to help every small business master their niche. Learn more about marketing for small business here. - [Small Business CRM](https://www.benchmarkone.com/small-business-crm/): A CRM for small business not only helps keep leads and contacts organized; it also helps prioritize potential customers. Learn More. - [Marketing Software](https://www.benchmarkone.com/marketing-software/): Marketing software is a given for today's small business. Sending the right email to a prospect at the right time can make or break sales. Learn More. - [Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/product-tour/marketing-automation/): BenchmarkONE makes marketing software and marketing automation easier than ever for small business. Automate follow-up, emails and campaigns. - [Live Demo](https://www.benchmarkone.com/personal-demo/): Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - [Partners](https://www.benchmarkone.com/partners/): Become a BenchmarkONE Partner and starting providing your customers with a world-class marketing automation system. - [Resources](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/): Download small business marketing guides, whitepapers or catch a recorded webinar to solve your marketing problems. - [Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/): Hear it straight from our customers. Learn how BenchmarkONE helps small businesses in many industries be smarter marketers and more. - [Product Tour OLD](https://www.benchmarkone.com/product-tour-old/): BenchmarkONE includes a CRM for small business, marketing software with automation and email marketing in one convenient package. - [Blog](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/): The BenchmarkONE blog is a go-to resources for small businesses looking for the latest in small business marketing, sales, technology and more. --- ## Posts - [New Gmail and Yahoo Spam Prevention Requirements and How Email Marketers Can Prepare](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/gmail-and-yahoo-spam-prevention-requirements/): There are new Gmail and Yahoo spam prevention requirements that every email marketer should know about. Here's your breakdown. - [6 Tips to Help You Thrive as a SaaS Salesperson During a Recession](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/thrive-saas-sales/): 6 Tips to Help You Thrive as a SaaS Salesperson During a Recession Did you know that during the economic downturn of 2020, caused by the pandemic, nearly - [How to Build a Creative Agency from Scratch](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/build-creative-agency-from-scratch/): Starting your own agency is not easy. Here’s how you can get your creative agency off the ground in 7 easy steps. - [42 Best Sales Prospecting Tools for Sales Teams in 2023](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/42-best-sales-prospecting-tools/): Prospecting tools make sales prospecting easier & faster. Check out this massive list of sales prospecting tools. - [How to Create Team Goals that are Measurable](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-create-team-goals-that-are-measurable/): Ensuring your company is moving onward and upward comes down to establishing the right team goals. Here's how to do it. - [Small Business Trends on the 2023 Horizon](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-trends-2023/): Wondering what to expect this year for your small business? Here are some trends to be on the lookout for and to start preparing for. - [What is Upselling and How Marketing Automation Can Help You Use It](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-is-upselling/): Upselling is a powerful and effective marketing technique through which you target a customer who is already prepared to buy from you. - [6 Tips to Get Your Small Business Through a Recession](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-to-get-your-small-business-through-a-recession/): The impending recession has a lot of businesses scared for the future. But here are some tips to ensure your small business survives. - [Retargeting Ads: Why and How You Should Be Doing it (and Tools to Help)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tools-for-retargeting-ads/): These tools are designed specifically to help campaign managers and business owners get the most conversions out of their retargeted ads. - [Why a Collaborative Worker is Your Most Valuable Agency Asset](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/collaborative-worker-agency-asset/): A collaborative worker is your most valuable agency asset. Here's what defines a collaborative work environment, and why your agency needs it. - [The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need For Content Creation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-for-content-creation/): Knowing exactly how to go about creating content requires a lot of moving parts and processes. Check out our ultimate guide for content creation. - [14 Ways Your Small Business Can Attract B2B Clients](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/attract-more-b2b-clients/): Here are 14 marketing tips for small business owners that will get your prospective customers lining up to do business with you. - [The 5 Best Online Marketing Tactics for 2023](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-online-marketing-tactics-2017/): Don't waste your marketing in 2023. Use these online marketing tactics to find the results you're after and make 2023 your best yet. - [6 Underutilized Instagram Features for Small Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/underutilized-instagram-features/): There are Instagram features that you should be using and probably aren't. Here are six underutilized features for your small business. - [What is a Value Proposition and How Your Small Business Can Put One Together](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-value-proposition/): Have you given your small business's value proposition a lot of thought? It might be time to define or refine it. Here's how. - [Google Helpful Content Update: What it Means and What to Know](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-helpful-content-update/): What is Google Helpful Content and what does this update mean for your business and your content marketing? Read on to find out. - [4 Shifts Your Small Business Needs to Prepare for This Holiday Season](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/shifts-to-prepare-for-this-holiday-season/): This season the holidays may look a little different. Is your small business prepared for the shifts that will ultimately affect sales? - [The Forgotten Content Distribution Tactic: Content Syndication](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-syndication/): Effectively distributing your content is essential to ensure the right people see it. Here's why content syndication is important. - [How to Boost Your Freelance Marketing Career After Being Laid Off](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-boost-your-freelance-marketing-career/): Are you thinking of a freelance marketing career amidst big tech layoffs? Becoming a freelancer just got easier with our helpful guide. - [The 6 Types of Marketing Funnels You Need to Know](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-funnels/): There are numerous marketing funnels your business could be using. Here are six you should know about (and how to use them). - [6 Ways to Get More From Your Webinars](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/get-more-from-your-webinars/): Your webinars can still come in handy long after their broadcast. Here are six ways to use your webinars and get more out of them. - [5 Video Marketing Trends for 2023 and How Small Businesses Can Use Them](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-video-marketing-trends-for-2023-and-how-small-businesses-can-use-them/): Video has been one of the fastest-growing marketing trends in recent years. The number of people who watched digital videos increased by 3.2% to 244.4 - [How to Get Started with Your Holiday Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/holiday-marketing/): It's time to get started with your holiday marketing strategy. We know there's a lot on your plate, but here's a simple guide to follow. - [How to Recession-Proof Your Agency](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/recession-proof-agency/): There has been talk of a looming recession. Is your agency ready to weather the storm? Here are some tips to recession-proof your agency. - [The Small Business Guide to Advertising on Instagram](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guide-to-advertising-on-instagram/): Instagram lets small businesses expand their reach and compete in a massive digital arena. Here's a guide to Instagram advertising. - [How Instagram is Changing and What it Means for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-instagram-is-changing/): Instagram is changing and these changes effect how small businesses use the platform. Here are some of the changes and what they mean. - [How to Create Your Small Business Marketing Plan](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-plan/): Where do you begin when putting together your small business marketing plan? We've outlined all the steps you need to take in this guide. - [Something's Not Right: How to Detect a Problem With Your Agency and Fix It](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-detect-a-problem-with-your-agency/): If there are problems within your agency that go undetected, you could be closing your doors sooner rather than later. - [Is HubSpot’s CRM Really Free?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-hubspots-crm-really-free/): Is HubSpot's free CRM really free? Let's take a closer look to determine if signing up for HubSpot's free CRM is actually worth it. - [A Guide to Agency Partnerships](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-partnerships/): Agency partnerships can be extremely beneficial. Here's a guide to growing partnerships so your agency can thrive. - [Email Sequences: HubSpot vs. BenchmarkONE](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-sequences-hubspot-vs-benchmarkone/): What are email sequences? Let's dive into email sequences and learn how BenchmarkONE's email sequences differ from HubSpot's. - [Is Now a Bad Time for Your Agency to Do Pro Bono Work?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-pro-bono-work/): There are benefits to doing pro bono work. But, is now a good time for your agency to be offering it? Here are some benefits. - [Are Your Employees Unhappy?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/are-your-employees-unhappy/): The last thing your small business needs is employees quitting. Here's how to know if your employees are unhappy, and what to do about it. - [20 Unexpected Ways to Get More Agency Clients This Year](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/get-more-agency-clients/): Win new clients for your marketing agency by leveraging these top 15 unique prospecting tactics. Check them out! - [How to Grow Your Small Business and Make it Successful](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/proven-ways-to-grow-your-business/): Growth should be a part of every businesses' ongoing strategy. Here are some tips on how to grow your small business. - [What is a Fractional CMO and Does Your Business Need One?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-is-a-fractional-cmo/): What is a fractional CMO? Does your small business need one? We list the benefits (and cons) of having one in this article. - [Sales Enablement: What it is, How to Practice it, and How to Measure Success](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/measure-sales-enablement-success/): Creating sales enablement content is essential for your sales team. Here's how to do it and measure the success. - [How to Make Your Next Campaign Successful](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-make-your-next-campaign-successful/): There's a lot that can go wrong with your email campaigns. Make sure your next campaign is successful with these four tips. - [7 Kinds of Software Every Small Business Needs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/software-every-small-business-needs/): Does your small business have the software stack it needs to get everything done and remain competitive? Here are some suggestions. - [6 Marketing Tactics You Need to Stop Doing (and What to do Instead)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-tactics-you-need-to-stop-doing/): You need to stop doing these six marketing tactics. And instead, check out some strategies that actually work. - [How to Audit Your Website for Local SEO](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/local-seo/): Small businesses can benefit from incorporating local SEO into their strategy. Here's how to audit your website for local SEO. - [The 6 Most Common Things That Kill an Agency](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/things-that-kill-an-agency/): We're in a recession and you may be worried about the wellbeing of your agency. Here are six most common things that kill an agency. - [Customer Churn: What is it and How Can You Avoid It?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-churn/): There’s an easy way to explain customer churn: it’s when your customers stop buying from you. Depending on the nature of your company, when a customer - [How to Do Social Testing For a Results-Oriented Social Media Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-do-social-testing/): Learn how to do social testing so you can develop a results-oriented social media strategy and reach your target audience effectively. - [How SEO Plays a Part in Each of Your Marketing Channels](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-marketing-channels-that-need-to-be-included-in-your-seo-strategy/): Explore the different marketing channels that can help your website to rank higher and the role SEO plays in each of these mediums. - [The Importance of Having a Clear Brand Message (and How to Achieve it)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/clear-brand-message/): Having a clear and defined brand message is essential for any small business's growth. Here's how to get your brand message across. - [12 Essential Small Business Marketing Strategies](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/essential-small-business-marketing-strategies/): Spend less time fussing with other solutions and have more time to devote to what you do best with these small business marketing strategies. - [What Marketing Strategy to Choose for Online Business in 2022](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-marketing-strategy-to-choose/): The marketing strategy your online business uses has to be one that brings in high-quality leads and high conversions. - [4 Qualities SMBs Should Look For When Vetting Content Marketing Agencies](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/vetting-content-marketing-agencies/): Be on the lookout for any red flags, and trust your gut when it comes to vetting content marketing agencies for your SMB. - [8 SEO Strategies for Driving Traffic to Your Website (with Examples)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-strategies-for-driving-traffic-to-your-website/): You don't have to spend your whole marketing budget to see results from your SEO strategy. Here are 8 SEO strategies that will yield return. - [6 Must-Have Features for Your Agency's Website](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/must-have-features-for-your-agencys-website/): Is your agency website up to snuff? Here are some must-have features your agency website should absolutely have. - [16 Must-Follow Marketing Thought Leaders](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-thought-leaders/): With the time constraints of running a business, it's tough to filter through content for guidance. Here are 9 of the best marketing thought leaders. - [Marketing and Sales Funnels: What’s the Difference?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-and-sales-funnels/): What exactly is the difference, if anything, between marketing and sales funnels? We dive into that and more in this blog post. - [5 Ways a CRM Brings Sales and Marketing Together](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-brings-sales-and-marketing-together/): It's crucial that your sales and marketing team are aligned and on the same page. Here's how a CRM can bring the two teams together. - [How to Tackle Imposter Syndrome as an Agency Owner](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-tackle-imposter-syndrome-as-an-agency-owner/): Even agency owners can experience doubt and imposter syndrome. Here are some helpful tips for tackling it and understanding your worth. - [The Art of Using Instagram Stories for Brand Awareness](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-art-of-using-instagram-stories-for-brand-awareness/): With over 500 million active users that use Instagram Stories daily, brands who ignore Instagram Stories for brand awareness are missing out. - [It’s Time to Get Familiar With Lead Attribution](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lead-attribution/): What is lead attribution? Why is it important to know where your leads are coming from? What tools should you use? - [5 Inbound Marketing Services Your Agency Should Offer](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-services-your-agency-should-offer/): Is your agency as competitive as it should be? Here are some inbound marketing services you should be offering. - [How to Measure Reach on Social Media](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-measure-social-reach/): Having an active social media presence is great for your brand. But how do you accurately measure social reach? - [Biggest Mistakes You Can Make With Your 2022 Marketing Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/biggest-marketing-strategy-mistakes/): Make 2022 the year your marketing strategy blows it out of the water. Here are some of the biggest marketing mistages to avoid. - [How AI Is Impacting Content Generation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ai-content-generation/): Generating unique content gets harder and harder every year. But AI developments and tools can make it easier. - [6 Small Business Lead Generation Tools to Use in 2022](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-lead-generation-tools/): Are your leads drying up? HerMaybe it's time to try something new. Here are six small business lead generation tools to try this year. - [Customer Data Privacy In Digital Marketing: What You Need to Know](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-data-privacy/): When using digital tools to spread your message, there’s one important thing to keep in mind: data privacy. - [End of the Year Data Refresh: How to Get Ready for the Next School Year With BenchmarkONE’s K12 Edition](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/end-of-the-year-data-refresh/): The end of the year is the perfect time to perform a data refresh for your K12 school's database. Here are some tips. - [Steps for a Collaborative and Seamless Sales and Marketing Process](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/collaborative-and-seamless-sales-and-marketing-process/): Bringing your sales and marketing teams together is important for your strategy. Here's a simple-to-follow process. - [Increase Your Conversion Using Personalized Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/increase-your-conversion-using-personalized-marketing/): If you want to learn more about achieving the highest website conversion rates using personalized marketing, this article is right for you. - [How to Secure Financing for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-secure-financing-for-your-small-business/): Business finance should be at the top of mind for any small business owners. Here's why and how to secure financing for your small biz. - [10 Tips To Write Effective Subject Lines For Email Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/effective-subject-lines-for-email-marketing/): In this article, we will talk about optimizing one of the most important aspects of email marketing strategies, i.e. subject lines. - [What is Brand Awareness? Everything You Need to Know.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/brand-awareness/): If you want more people to know about your brand, then you have to fully understand what brand awareness is and what it demands. - [The Basics of Small Business Branding](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-branding/): Trying to gain more visibility on a limited budget? Adopting a strategy for your small business branding is essential for profitability. - [Marketing Research Methods: What is Content Testing And How to Do It Right?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-testing-market-research/): How do you approach content testing? We cover the main tactics for testing your content to improve business results. - [Looking for a Mentor? Here's How to Spot a Good One](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/looking-for-a-mentor-heres-how-to-spot-a-good-one/): A trusted advisor can give you the guidance you need to develop as a leader and succeed in your career. Here's how to find a good mentor. - [What Small Businesses Can Learn From Peloton](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-small-businesses-can-learn-from-peloton/): Even the most successful businesses face ups & downs. What can you learn from Peloton as a small business owner? Read on to find out. - [20+ Best Lead Generation Tools To Use In 2022](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-lead-generation-tools/): Generating leads month after month is never easy. Here are 20+ of the best lead generation tools to add to your toolkit. - [Four Business Trends That Will Define 2022](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/business-trends-2022/): Business trends come and go, but it is essential to keep up with changes in your industry if you want to be an industry expert & leader. - [Essential Case Study Questions to Ask Your Best Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/case-study-questions/): The case study questions you ask will vary with your industry and target customer, but here are some essential ones to start with. - [The Best Email Marketing Tools of 2022](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-email-marketing-tools/): Like all digital marketing channels, email marketing is not immune to change, and the right email marketing tools make all the difference. - [How To Create a Sustainable Instagram Content Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/instagram-content-strategy/): So, in today's article, we will demonstrate how to put together a killer Instagram content strategy to set you on the path to success. - [How to Build a Digital Marketing Team for Your Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/build-digital-marketing-team/): Building a digital marketing team is essential for generating new leads, boosting sales, and nurturing customer relationships. - [8 Marketing Challenges and How to Overcome Them](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/overcome-marketing-challenges/): Digital marketing challenges that agencies face can cause stagnation. Here are some common challenges today’s marketers are facing and how to overcome them. - [How to Grow Your School District's Email List with Online Forms](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/grow-school-district-email-list/): In this article, we’ll show you how to build your school district's email list and why doing so is extremely important. - [The Top 9 Best CRMs For Agencies](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-crm-for-agencies/): When it comes to a CRM, every agency has its own unique needs. Here's a roundup of the best CRM solutions for agencies. - [8 Tips for Community Management](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-tips-for-community-management/): Community management is everything you do to build lasting relationships with your customers, potential customers, and brand followers. - [Master These Three KPIs to Grow Your Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/master-these-three-kpis-to-grow-your-business/): KPIs – key performance indicators – are measures that you select to monitor the quality of your marketing efforts. - [Your 2022 Hiring Guide](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hiring-guide/): The job landscape has changed greatly in the last few years, and The Great Resignation hasn't helped. Here's a hiring guide for 2022. - [7 Most Common Link Building Mistakes You Might be Doing and How to Avoid them this Year](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/link-building-mistakes/): Having a link building strategey is a big part of increasing your SEO. But, are you making these seven mistakes? - [4 Obstacles and Solutions for Better Sales and Marketing Alignment](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/better-sales-and-marketing-alignment/): It's imperative that your sales and marketing teams work together. Here are some obstacles and solutions for better alignment. - [How to Advertise Your Small Business on Facebook](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/quick-guide-facebook-advertising/): Before you create graphics and choose between ad types, it’s important to know what you want to accomplish with Facebook advertising. - [The Ultimate Guide to Content Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-content-marketing/): Getting started with content marketing isn't easy and neither is revamping your strategy. Here's a content marketing guide to help. - [Small Business Guide to Target Markets](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-steps-narrow-target-market-get-best-results/): Your marketing efforts are only successful if you're familiar with your target market and your core audience. - [Should Your Small Business Be on TikTok?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-tiktok/): It can seem like everyone is on TikTok. But does that mean your small business should be, too? Here's what to consider before joining TikTok. - [7 Selling Styles That Sales Reps Can Use to Close More Deals and Exceed The Quota](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/selling-styles-to-close-more-deals/): There's an art to selling, and it's all about the approach you choose. Here are seven selling styles that can help you close more deals. - [How to Distribute Your Content Effectively](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-distribute-content/): Your content journey isn't done once you hit publish. Here is how to distribute your content effectively so more people see it. - [8 Common Social Media Marketing Mistakes to Steer Clear of This 2022](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-marketing-mistakes/): New year, new social media marketing stratetgy, right? Before you get your strategy underway, here are some mistakes NOT to make. - [Internal Linking Tree: What is it, Why You Need One, and How to Create It](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/internal-linking-tree/): Mastering the art of internal linking can do wonders for your SEO strategy. At Benchmarkone, we use an internal linking tree. - [How to Put Together a Webinar Deck](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-put-together-a-webinar-deck/): When planning a webinar, there's one important component you don't want to breeze through: the webinar deck. - [4 Social Media Trends for 2022](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-trends/): 2022 is officially underway and there are some social media trends that are happening this year you don't want to miss out on. - [Google Cookie Cutting: How You Can Prepare](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-cookie-cutting-how-you-can-prepare/): A tide of cookieless internet is sweeping across the digital marketing industry. Mozilla Firefox and Safari web browser have already phased out cookies. - [How to Create a Sales Funnel and Fill it With High-Quality Content](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-sales-funnel/): Your sales funnel should be chock full of high-quality, valuable content. Here's a breakdown of how to bring the two together. - [Get More Hours In Your Day: How Marketing Automation Turns Back Time](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-marketing-automation-saves-time/): Marketing automation saves you time. In fact, the right tool can save you a whole day's worth of work. Check out our breakdown. - [How To Ace Your Live Streams: A Checklist](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ace-your-live-streams/): Thinking about using live streams in your marketing but aren't sure how to go about doing it? Here are some tips. - [What are Unified Communications and How Do They Improve Collaboration in Your Small Business?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/unified-communications/): Have you heard the term "unified communications" before? Here's what they are and why they make life at your small business easier. - [What is Your Target Audience and How to Find Them Online](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/target-audience/): Step one of any marketing strategy is to first identify your target audience. Here's how to do that so you can reach them online. - [The Basics of Running a Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/basics-of-running-a-small-business/): Looking to start your own business? That's great! But before you do, you have to consider all the basics of running a small business. - [Partnership Outreach Email Mistakes You Need To Stop Making](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/partnership-outreach-email-mistakes/): If you're looking to expand your partnerships, that's great! But here are a few things that you should absolutely avoid doing. - [Remote Work Is Here to Stay — Why Your Company Should Get On Board and Tips for Going Remote](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/working-remote-or-remotely-working/): Working remotely is a fast-growing trend in the modern workforce. But it does take a healthy dose of self-discipline. Here are some tips. - [The 10 Most Important Web Metrics to Monitor for Your Business Website](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/web-metrics-to-monitor/): When you're examining the success of your website, there are specific web metrics you need to check in on. Here are 10 to look out for. - [Why Agencies Need to Prioritize Their Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agencies-prioritize-marketing/): In order for agencies to succeed, they need to prioritize their marketing initiatives, instead of placing them on the backburner. - [How Marketing Automation Can Improve Marketing Productivity](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-improve-marketing-productivity/): Marketing automation offers a ton of benefits for your strategy. It's also a great way to make your marketing productivity soar. - [The Company Culture Guide for Your Remote Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/remote-business-company-culture-guide/): The pandemic has shifted a lot of companies to a remote model. But when everyone isn't in the same place, how do you instill company culture? - [How to Maintain Transparency in Agency-Client Relationships](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/transparency-agency-client-relationships/): When it comes to agency-client relationships, transparency is the best policy. Here's how to maintain transparency and why it's effective. - [Employee Advocacy on Social Media: What It Is and Why It Matters](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-advocacy-social-media/): Employee advocacy matters for the success of your brand. When employees advocate through social media, great things can happen. - [Your Guide to Writing an Effective Creative Brief](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-brief-guide/): Navigating putting together a creative brief isn't so straightforward. Here are some tips any agency can use. - [9 Tips to Help Your Small Business Stand Out In Customer Service](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-customer-service/): In today's competitive marketplace, your small business needs to have stellar customer service to stand out. - [5 Ways To Generate Leads Using Facebook](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/generate-leads-using-facebook/): Facebook is more than just a social media platform. If you use it the right way, you can generate high quality leads. - [Social Customer Care 101: 6 Tips to Follow](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-customer-care/): Customer service goes beyond your typical channels. Here's why social customer care is a big contributor to successful customer relationships. - [10 Marketing Automation Mistakes You Might Be Making (And How to Avoid Them)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-mistakes/): When it comes to marketing automation, you could be making mistakes and not even know. Here are six that you'll want to stay clear of. - [6 Marketing Trends to Look Out for in 2022](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-trends/): When it comes to marketing, trends come and go quickly. It's important to know what's on the horizon so you can prepare your 2022 strategy. - [How to Get High-Quality Insights to Enhance Your Blog Content](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/high-quality-insights-blog-content/): Adding influencer insights to your blog content is a great way to increase the quality of your content and get more eyes on it. - [6 Tools K12 Communicators Should Be Using](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tools-k12-communicators/): K12 communicators are essentially Jacks of all trades. Here are some marketing tools that will help them get their jobs done right. - [6 Customer Service Metrics That Actually Matter](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-service-metrics/): When tracking the success of your customer service, there are metrics that matter more than others. Here are six you should know about. - [6 Things You Can Do to Better Support Agency Clients Right Now](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-better-support-agency-clients/): Times are still very rough, and your clients are going through a lot. Here are some specific ways you can better support agency clients. - [How to Onboard New Clients the Right Way](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-onboard-clients/): Setting clients up for success starts with your first call. Don't miss these tips on how to onboard your clients the right way. - [Step-by-Step Guide for Building Nurturing Drip Campaigns that Convert](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/building-drip-campaigns/): Nurturing drip campaigns are the key to increasing your revenue and building a healthy inbound marketing funnel. - [Social Media Ads: Specs You Need to Know](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-ads-specs/): When it comes to social media ad specs, there's a lot of different sizes, formats, and guidelines to keep track of. - [How to Put Together a Winning Sales Pitch](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-10-minute-sales-pitch/): Your sales pitch has to cover a lot of ground but in a short amount of time. Here's your guide for how to put a winning sales pitch together. - [How to Measure the Success of Your SEO Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/measure-success-seo-strategy/): Are you measuring the success of your SEO strategy? Here are some metrics to look at to ensure your efforts are landing. - [How Marketing Compliance Fits Into Your Marketing Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-compliance/): Marketing compliance may not even be on your radar, but it matters greatly for an effective strategy that builds trust with your audience. - [5 Emerging Business Trends Small Businesses Need to Pay Attention To](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/emerging-business-trends-small-businesses/): Small businesses need to constantly adapt to remain successful, especially in the wake of Covid-19. Here are five important trends to take note of. - [6 Tips to Scale Knowledge Base Content That Truly Helps Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/scale-knowledge-base-content/): Your knowledge base content should be helpful, informative, and easy to sift through. Here are some tips for scaling it appropriately. - [Step-By-Step Guide for Creating a Monthly Social Media Calendar](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/monthly-social-media-calendar/): Before you get into the nitty-gritty of social media calendar planning, it pays to revisit your overarching plan. - [5 Skills Every Digital Marketer Needs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/digital-marketing-skills-2/): Here are five digital marketing skills needed if you want to be the best digital marketer within your industry. - [Is SEO Worth It for Startups and Small Businesses?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-startups-small-businesses/): Is SEO worth it for startups and small businesses? Here is why SEO for business is always a good strategy to grow your online presence and reach a wider audience. - [How to Be a DIY Marketer](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-be-a-diy-marketer/): Being a small business owner means you have a lot of hats on your hat rack (including digital marketer). As an entrepreneur, you’re already a natural - [The Omnichannel Marketing Guide for Small Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/omnichannel-marketing-guide-for-small-businesses/): What is omnichannel marketing? Why does an omnichannel approach to your marketing strategy yield better results? - [The Small Business Guide to Understanding Instagram Insights](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/instagram-insights/): Have you dived into the tons of insights Instagram offers small businesses? This blog post breaks down all the data you have access to. - [Time to Scrub Your Email List: Preparing for iOS 15](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/preparing-for-ios-15/): With Apple’s iOS 15 update around the corner, now is the perfect time to take a look at your email list and do a bit of clean-up. - [Content and Marketing Automation: How Both Strategies Fuel One Another](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-and-marketing-automation/): Content and marketing automation go hand-in-hand. Let's discuss how content is the fuel to your automation efforts. - [HTML vs. Plain Text Emails](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/html-vs-plain-text-emails/): What's the difference between HTML and plain text emails? What are the benefits and pitfalls of each? Which should you use? - [Tips For More Effectively Qualifying Your Sales Leads](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-tips-effectively-qualifying-sales-leads/): When it comes to gathering sales leads, it’s about quality over quantity. Here are some tips for way qualifying leads the right way. - [Creative Customer Retention Strategies that Really Work](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-creative-customer-retention-strategies/): Customer retention is a fickle beast. If you aren't keeping your clients happy, you'll lose them. Check out these helpful tips. - [The 2021 Life Jacket for Cyber Attacks At Small Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cyber-attacks-small-businesses/): It’s never been more important to safeguard your small business against cyber attacks. Here’s how to do it and how to respond to a breach. - [7 Easy Ways to Diversify Your Content Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/diversify-your-content-strategy/): An effective content stratgy is one that uses many different forms and approaches. Here's how to diversify your content strategy. - [SEO Myths That Will Probably Kill Your Rankings in 2021](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-myths/): Nothing can kill your SEO strategy more than believing in misinformation. Here are some SEO myths you should know about. - [6 Reasons Your Small Business Should Monitor Reviews](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/monitor-reviews/): Does your small business monitor reviews? Doing so can help you connect with your customers and enhance your marketing. - [9 Content Marketing Performance Metrics to Start Tracking](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-performance-metrics/): Your marketing is only as good as your content marketing. Here are eight content marketing performance metrics to start tracking. - [Which Organizational Structure is Better for Your Business?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/which-organizational-structure-is-better-for-your-business/): The organization structure of a company plays a huge part in whether or not it's successful. Here are examples of organizational structures. - [12 Ways to Grow your Social Media Audience in 2021](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/grow-your-social-media-audience/): This year is all about expanding your social networks. Here are 12 ways you can grow your social media audience in 2021. - [Sales and Marketing Performance Metrics and Why You Should Track Them](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-and-marketing-performance-metrics/): If you’re working to grow your business, don’t shy away from performance metrics. They're the clearest indication of the health of your growth strategy. - [Summer Marketing Tips for K12 Communicators](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/k12-summer-marketing-tips/): When you're a K12 communicator, your job doesn't take a summer vacation. Here are marketing tips to keep you sharp for the next school year. - [Things Agencies Should Keep in Mind with the iOS Update](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agencies-ios-update/): It’s that time again: time to ask yourself if your marketing agency is ready for the next iOS update! Here are some things to keep in mind. - [When to Tackle a Marketing Project In-House and When to Outsource](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-in-house-outsource/): Not sure if that marketing project should be brought in-house? Here's what to consider before deciding whether or not to outsource. - [5 Keys to Success Prior to CRM Implementation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-implementation/): We highly recommend using a CRM. However, in order to see the most success, check out these five keys to success prior to implementation. - [How Support Automation Sustains Customer Relationships](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/support-automation/): Keeping your customers and leads happy directly impacts your business. That's why having a support automation tool is in your best interest. - [The Importance of Customer Nurturing Campaigns In 2021](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-nurturing-campaigns/): Ease your prospects towareds a sale by leveraging customer nurturing campaigns. Here are some great practices for this year. - [Should Your Agency Ditch Time-Tracking For Good?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-time-tracking/): Agencies typically bill clients based on a time-tracking model, however is it time for agencies to ditch time-tracking and try something new? - [How to Choose a CRM for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-crm/): Small businesses have a lot to gain from a CRM. Here's how to choose one, and some to consider in your vetting process. - [How to Measure Customer Lifetime Value to Identify Your Best Relationships](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/calculating-customer-lifetime-value/): Are you missing the answer to the most important question a small business owner should be asking themselves: What is our customer lifetime value? - [When to Gate Your Content](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/when-to-gate-your-content/): How do do you know when content crosses the threshold from being ungated to gated? Here's how you can tell. - [10 Software Tools to Add to Your Arsenal in 2021](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/software-tools/): Looking to up your arsenal of marketing tools for 2021? Here are ten software tools you should check out and consider. - [How Chatbots Increase Top-of-the-funnel Conversion Rate](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/chatbots-increase-conversion-rate/): Is your company using chatbots on their site to increase conversions? If not, this blog post will have you ready to start! - [4 Best Marketing Tools for Agencies](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-tools-agencies/): To run a successful agency, you need to be ahead of the trends and aware of all the right marketing tools that will give you an edge. - [How to Make Assembling Your eNewsletter a Cinch: A Lesson for K12 Communicators](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/assembling-your-enewsletter-k12-communicators/): Putting together a K12 eNewsletter involves a lot of steps. However, there are hacks and tricks to help make the process painless. - [25 Articles On Everything You Need to Know About PPC and Online Ads](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ppc-and-online-ads/): We gathered our greatest articles that touch on everything you need to know about PPC and online ads. Check them out! - [No Budget? No Problem. Here are Eight Marketing Tools That Are Totally Free.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/free-marketing-tools/): Do you feel like you're limited by your small budget? Well rest assured. Here are eight marketing tools that are totally free. - [How to Make Your Agency Indispensable](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-indispensable/): When you operate an agency, your success depends on retaining business. Here's how to make your agency indispensable. - [Five Marketing and Sales Pitfalls that Can Be Avoided with Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-and-sales-pitfalls-avoided-with-marketing-automation/): Marketing and sales mistakes happen, but what if we told you there are a bunch that marketing automation can help you avoid? - [Which Should Your Small Business Prioritize? Blogging or Podcasting?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/blogging-or-podcasting/): If you're looking to generate leads and work on your brand awareness, which marketing tactic is best: blogging or podcasting? - [How to Make Your Brand’s Authenticity Shine](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/brand-authenticity/): Effective marketing is all about connecting with your consumers. Here are some tips, and examles, for achieving brand authenticy. - [How to Manage Your K12 School Newsletter Contact List](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/k12-school-newsletter-contact-list/): For K12 communicators, effective email outreach is essential. And that starts with appropriately managing their k12 newsletter contact list. - [13 Ways to Improve Your Sales Outreach Emails Today](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-outreach-emails-today/): It's time to examine your sales approach and make some changes for the better. Here are 13 ways you can improve your sales outreach emails. - [15 Small Business Marketing Strategies to Help With Growth](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-strategies-2/): IF you're in need of small business marketing strategies that are proven to help you grow, then look no further. - [5 LinkedIn Ad Mistakes You Don't Want to Make](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/linkedin-ad-mistakes/): LinkedIn is a strong, professional platform, making it a valuable lead source. Which is why you don't want to make these ad mistakes. - [9 Influencer Marketing Pitfalls That Cost Time And Money](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/influencer-marketing-pitfalls/): Utilizing influencer marketing can be a great strategy, but there are some major pitfalls you have to avoid to see real success. - [9 K12 Email Marketing Tips To Ensure Your Emails Get Read](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/k12-email-marketing-tips/): The educational sector comes with its fair share of email obstacles. Here are some K12 email marketing tips to ensure your emails get read. - [Don't be a Content Marketing Fool: 20 Articles to Help You Create Better Content](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/articles-to-help-you-create-better-content/): We could all use help putting together high-quality, unique contnet. Here are 20 articles that will help you create better content. - [7 Marketing Trends That Will Impact Content Strategies in 2021](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-trends-that-will-impact-content-strategies/): Being aware of industry trends keeps your marketing and content fresh and relevant. Here are seven marketing trends that will affect content. - [The Best Untapped Marketing Tactics for Small Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/untapped-marketing-tactics-small-businesses/): We've got some of the best untapped marketing tactics for small business to try this year. Take a look and try some today! - [How Small Businesses Can Collaborate to Promote Mutual Growth](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-small-businesses-can-collaborate-to-promote-mutual-growth/): When you pair teamwork with strategy, the result can be amazing. Here're some tactics that lead to small business growth. - [How to Shorten the Lead Cycle with Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/shorten-the-lead-cycle-marketing-automation/): A shortened lead cycle means you can close more deals more quickly. Did you know that marketing automation can help in more ways than one? - [Marketing Automation for K12 Communicators: It Just Makes Sense](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-k12-communicators/): For K12 communicators, finding a simple solution for sending email outreach to their various constituents is very important. - [The Qualitative and Quantitative Metrics You Should Measure for Your Inbound Marketing Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/qualitative-quantitative-metrics-inbound-marketing-strategy/): There's a lot of ways to track success from your inbound marketing strategy. Here are some qualitative and quantitative metrics. - [Is It Luck or Is It Strategy? The Key to Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-key-to-marketing-automation/): Brands that are killing it with their marketing automation aren't just getting lucky. Here's the key to successful marketing automation. - [How Small Businesses Can Generate Leads with LinkedIn](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/generate-leads-with-linkedin/): Small businesses need to generate leads in as many places as possible. And with 675 million monthly users, LinkedIn can open a lot of doors. - [Social Media Tips to Help You Strike Gold](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-tips/): There're small things you can do that will lead to a big impact on social media. Here are some things you can do to strike luck on social media. - [Betting Big: 3 Keys To Employee Retention in Times of COVID-19](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-retention-covid-19/): Retaining skilled employees will help you stay afloat during these trying times. Here’s how to improve employee retention during COVID-19. - [The Small Business Guide to Paid Advertising](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-guide-paid-advertising/): A strategy like paid advertising can be overwhelming, confusing, and challenging to manage — particularly if it’s not your area of expertise. - [Fall in Love with Marketing All Over Again With These Fresh Strategies](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/fresh-marketing-strategies/): Have you lost that lovin feeling with marketing? Maybe it's time to spice things up a bit. Here are some fresh marketing strategies to try. - [How to Prioritize SEO in Your Content Creation Process](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/prioritize-seo-in-your-content-creation/): When you're creating content, it's important think of SEO at every stage of creation. Here are some tips to ensure you do. - [Marketing Automation and CRM: a Match Made in Heaven](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-and-crm-match-made-in-heaven/): Few things go together as well as marketing automation and CRM. They're a match made in heaven, which is why an all-in-one solution is key. - [HubSpot vs. WordPress - Which is a Better Fit for Agencies?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hubspot-vs-wordpress-for-agencies/): When it comes to content management for agencies, which is the better solution, HubSpot or WordPress? Here are the pros and cons of each. - [Benchmark Acquires Popular Contact Management App, Contacts+](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benchmark-acquires-contact-management-app-contacts/): We're pleased to announce that Benchmark has added a contact management app to our family of sales and marketing software - Contacts+. - [5 New Sales Tactics to Try This Year](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/new-sales-tactics/): There's a lot to make up for from 2020. This year, try some new sales tactics that are sure to turn things around. - [How the COVID Vaccine Will Affect Your Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-the-covid-vaccine-will-affect-your-business/): Everyone is talking about the COVID vaccine and when things will "go back to normal." But what does the COVID vaccine mean for business? - [10 Awesome Social Media Tools to Try This Year](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-tools-to-try-this-year/): Make your social game stellar this year. Here are ten social media tools we highly recommend incorporating into your strategy this year. - [20 Articles On CRMs: What They are and How They Benefit your Marketing and Sales Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/articles-on-crms/): Looking for tons of intel on CRMs? Look no further. We collected all our articles on CRMs, breaking down what they and everything in between. - [Small Steps K12 Schools Can Take To Go Digital](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/k12-schools-go-digital/): The world has gone digital. But K12 school districts are behind the curve. Here's a simple guide for how to go digital. - [Everything You Need to Know About Sales Prospecting](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-prospecting/): Successful sales comes down to how well you prospect. Here's everything you need to know about effective sales prospecting. - [6 Tips for Generating and Converting More Leads This Year](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/generating-and-converting-more-leads-this-year/): 2020 left us with a lot to make up for. To make 2021 the year of success, here are some key tips for generating and converting more leads. - [6 Great SEO Tools to Try in 2021](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-tools-2021/): Braving a pretty brutal storm can definitely give you some perspective. It shows you what really matters and convinces us that we should spend our time a - [The School Communicator’s Guide to an Email Marketing Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/school-communicators-guide-to-email-marketing/): So much goes into an effective email marketing strategy. And for k12 communicators, it can be an overwhelming indeavor to accomplish. - [How to Build a New Sales Pipeline During a Pandemic](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/new-sales-pipeline/): Selling during a pandemic is hard. But building out your sales pipeline can help ensure you're doing everything you can to meet sales goals. - [Client Retention vs. Customer Acquisition: Which Should You Focus On More?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/client-retention-vs-customer-acquisition/): Let's do a deep dive into the differences between client retention and customer acquisition, including why both are important. - [How BenchmarkONE's Free Plan is Better Than HubSpot's](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benchmarkone-free-plan/): BenchmarkONE just released a new, free plan. Let's discuss why it's a better solution for small businesses than HubSpot's free tools. - [Embrace Your Niche for More Impactful Content Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-niche/): Your content marketing strategy should be built on sharing your unique insights. Here's how embracing your niche leads to great content. - [Small Business Remote Work: How to Embrace It](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-remote-work/): With the pandemic, small businesses have shifted to a remote work environment. But have you truly embraced it? Here's how you can. - [PRESS RELEASE: BenchmarkONE Launches The Free Forever Plan](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benchmarkone-free-forever-plan/): BenchmarkONE, a leading SaaS provider of sales and marketing solutions for SMBs, announces the launch of the Free Forever plan. - [What Should My 2021 Small Business Marketing Goals Be?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/2021-small-business-marketing-goals/): Start 2021 off right so you can crush it the rest of the year. Here are seven small business marketing goals and how you can achieve them. - [How to Prioritize Email Newsletters and Send Them Consistently](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/prioritize-email-newsletters/): Neglecting your email newsletters means you're missing out on opportunities to nurture, engage, and stay top of mind with your customers. - [How To Perform Website Maintenance: A Small Business Guide](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/website-maintenance-small-business-guide/): Routinely performing website maintenance is crucial so it ranks well in search results and provides an optimal experience for your users. - [Mobile SEO and 6 Things You Need to Know](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/mobile-seo/): More and more people are using their mobile devices when searching online. Here are some things you need to know for mobile SEO. - [Achieve Work-Life Balance with a CRM and Sales Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/work-life-balance-crm-sales-automation/): Using a CRM and sales automation tool affords you tons of conveniences so you can finally achieve that work-life balance you've been after. - [How to Use Content In Your Recruitment Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-recruitment-strategy/): It's the end of the year, which means you're focusing on your recruitment strategy. Use content to help bring in the best candidates in 2021. - [6 Tips For Actually Unplugging This Holiday Season](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/actually-unplugging-this-holiday-season/): You know how important being present during the holidays is. But do you practice it? Here's how to actually unplug for the holidays. - [5 Things Your Marketing Campaign Could Be Missing if Engagement is Low](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-campaign-engagement/): Low marketing campaign performance is extremely frustrating. Here are five things your campaigns could be missing if engagement is low. - [6 Tips for Increasing Engagement With Your K12 Newsletter](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/increasing-engagement-k12-newsletter/): It's no good to send a newsletter if no one is reading it. In the k12 sector, increasing newsletter engagement is especially important. - [The Value of Writing for Humans in an SEO-Driven World](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/writing-for-humans-in-an-seo-driven-world/): Writing content with SEO in mind is best practice. However, it's still important to write your conent for the humans who will be reading it. - [How a CRM Helps Your Company Grow](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-company-grow/): Your CRM can do wonders for your company, in various different areas. Read our blog post for more on how a CRM leads to company growth. - [When Should Your SaaS Company Update Its Software Packages?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/when-to-update-software-packages/): Are you potentially ignoring glaring signs that its time to update your software packages? Here's when you know it's time. - [7 Writing Tips for Non-Writers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/writing-tips-for-non-writers/): Not everyone is a writer. But your content marketing strategy relies on it, so you have to become one. Here are some writing tips to follow. - [How Content Leads to Brand Awareness](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-brand-awareness/): It's important to get your brand out there but you don't want to spend a ton of money to do so. Here's how content leads to brand awareness. - [The Right Way to Do Keyword Research](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/keyword-research/): Flawless keyword research requires knowing what tools and platforms are out there to assist you. Here's how to do keyword research right. - [How to Make Sure Your First Sales Hire Is an A-Player](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/first-sales-hire/): Buidling a sales team? You have to start somewhere. Here's how to ensure your first sales hire is a good one. - [How to Create a Company Blog That's A Go-To Resource](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/company-blog-go-to-resource/): Your company blog is invaluable to your content strategy, as well as your brand awareness and thought leadership. - [Why Should You Be Using a Marketing Automation Tool? BenchmarkONE Users Weigh In.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/why-should-you-be-using-a-marketing-automation-tool/): We surveyed our users on what they like most about BenchmarkONE. Here's what they said about why you should be using marketing automation. - [12 Tips for Upping Your K12 eNewsletter Game](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/k12-e-newsletter/): ENewsletters are important for k12 organizations. Make sure that when you send your k12 eNewsletter, you follow these tips to up your game. - [What Will Typical Workplaces Look Like In 2021?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/typical-workplaces-2021/): This year has has changed everything. Many of us are asking, "What will a typical workplace look like in 2021?" - [How to Write a Social Media Proposal](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-write-a-social-media-proposal/): Looking to land that next client for your social media firm? Here's how to put together a social media proposal. - [5 Tips for Combating Declining SEO Rankings](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/declining-seo-rankings/): It's never fun to see that your content is no longer ranking in search results. Here are five ways you can combat declining SEO rankings. - [How to Create a Winning Sales Process Using Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-process/): With COVID doing more than throwing a wrench in our business plans, it's essential that you look at your sales process and make adjustments. - [4 Creative Ways to Use Your CRM to Skyrocket Customer Satisfaction](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-customer-satisfaction/): Your CRM can help you company achieve a lot of different things. But did you know that it can contribute to increased customer satisfaction? - [8 Best Marketing Automation Software Programs for Small Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-marketing-automation-software-small-businesses/): Lead nurture and generation is imperative for small businesses. Which makes having a marketing automation tool imperative, as well. - [Email and CRM: Where Marketing Automation Meets Personal Sales Follow-Ups](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-crm-marketing-automation/): Having access to both a CRM and email capabilities allows you to automate your marketing and provide leads with personal follow-up. - [16 Articles to Help With Lead Generation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/16-articles-to-help-with-lead-generation/): When it comes to lead generation, we all could use more help. Here are sixteen articles from our blog all about lead generation tips. - [How to Use a CRM to Better Run Your Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/use-a-crm-to-run-your-business/): A CRM is an invaluable tool. In fact, it can contribute to every aspect of your business. Read on to learn how. - [How Meta Tags Can Dramatically Boost Your Site's SEO](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/meta-tags-seo/): SEO is a complicated business. There are a lot of components that have to be considered for an effective SEO strategy, included meta tags. - [What Should You Be Tracking for Content Marketing ROI?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-roi-2/): Sometimes it can be hard to determine if your content marketing efforts are actually working. Here's the ROI you should be tracking. - [Five Easy-To-Use Chatbot Tools of 2020](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/chatbot-tools-of-2020/): Chatbots offer more than just trust and less wait time for customers and businesses. Here are some chatbot tools you should look into. - [14 Articles To Help You DIY Your SEO](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/articles-to-help-you-diy-seo/): Implementing an SEO strategy on your own can seem daunting, but it's totally doable. Here are some articles that will help you DIY your SEO. - [How to Use CRM Software to Perfect Your Sales Pitch](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-use-crm-software-to-perfect-your-sales-pitch/): A lot goes into an effective sales pitch, and you have to make sure you nail it. Having a CRM can help in more ways than one. - [5 Proven Strategies To Create More Opportunities For Small Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/strategies-to-create-more-opportunities-for-small-businesses/): It's always a smart move for small business owners to look for more opportunities. Here are some tactical strategies that will help. - [5 Benefits of Influencer Marketing For Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benefits-of-influencer-marketing/): There are various different marketing strategies out there to try, but influencer marketing is one small businesses should prioritize. - [Tips For Surveying Parents and Getting Quality Feedback](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-surveying-parents/): When you need to get quality feedback for your k12 institution, how do you do it? The answer lies in surveying parents. Here's some must-try tips. - [7 Tips To Improve Your SMB Social Media Presence](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/smb-social-media/): Social media is an important tactic for most companies, but especially SMBs. Here are seven tips SMBs can use to increase their social media presence. - [How to Use Tagging to Better Segment Your Contacts](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-use-tagging-to-better-segment-your-contacts/): Use tagging to segment your contacts and you'll be an email personalization pro. Here are some tips for tagging, and the various ways you can do it. - [Embrace Your Small Business Brand Individualism](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-brand-individualism/): In order to make your small business stand out, you need to embrace the individualism of your brand. Here's some tips on how to accomplish it. - [What Marketing Automation Can Do For School Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-school-marketing/): School marketers could get a lot out of a marketing automation tool. Here's eight benefits marketing automation affords them. - [20+ CRM Stats You Need to Know for 2021](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-stats-2021/): It's important to know what is happening in the CRM world so you can stay up to speed and competitive. Here are 20+ CRM stats for 2021. - [What Dynamic Content Can Do for Your Email Marketing Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/dynamic-content-email-marketing-strategy/): Dynamic content is the most effective tool for personalization. Yet, it's the least-used email marketing tactic. That needs to change. - [7 Articles To Get Your Content Seen This Year](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/get-your-content-seen/): We’ve written a few blog posts that share tips for effective content distribution, so you don’t have to continue beating your head against a wall. - [BenchmarkONE’s Latest Feature: Outlook Add-in](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/outlook-add-in/): New feature alert: Outlook Add-in! With BenchmarkONE's Outlook Add-in, users can seamlessly connect their Outlook account for increased effeciency. - [Branding Your SMB On a Budget](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/branding-smb-on-a-budget/): Branding is a huge part of establishing your SMB, but you may not have all the financial resources in the world. Here's how to brand your SMB on a budget. - [How to Write Instagram Captions That Shine](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-write-instagram-captions/): Instagram is an important platform for businesses for various reasons. Which is why we have some tips for keeing your Instagram captions engaging. - [How Social Media Impacts Small Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-social-media-impacts-small-businesses/): There are tons of benefits to having a social media strategy. But did you know that social media can impact your entire small business? - [How Long Should My Emails Be?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-long-should-my-emails-be/): There's a lot of tricks to the email marketing trade. But knowing how long your emails should be isn't a trick, it's an art. - [3 Types of Content People Want to Consume](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/types-of-content-people-want-to-consume/): When it comes to content, you should always be creating it and distributing it. But, there are three specific types people love to engage with the most. - [Mobile-Optimization Basics for Email](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/mobile-optimization-basics-for-email/): Tons of people check their email on their mobile devices. That's why mobile-optimization is crucial when sending your emails. - [Why Transparency Matters and How Not To Be Afraid Of It](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/why-transparency-matters-and-how-not-to-be-afraid-of-it/): When it comes to your marketing and branding your company, transparency matters. Here's why and how to be transparent in your messaging. - [The 8 Best Free PPC Tools](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-best-free-ppc-tools/): A PPC strategy can get expensive. To keep costs low, researching free tools is imperative. Here are eight free PPC tools that we recommend. - [How To Be An Agile Worker](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-be-an-agile-worker/): Being flexible is an art form, especially in the workforce. Here's how to embrace change so you can become an agile worker and a team player. - [4 Content Marketing Tips from Grammarly’s Multi-Million Dollar SaaS Growth Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-tips-from-grammarlys-growth-strategy/): When it comes to content marketing, Grammarly knows what they're doing. Let's examine their content marketing strategy and why it's effective. - [How to Communicate Back to School Protocols](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/back-to-school-protocols/): Heading back to school this year is going to look a little different. Here's some tips for communicating new protocols so you can maintain safety. - [The Ultimate Guide to Outlining Your Small Business Marketing Budget](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-budget-2/): There's a lot to consider when deciding what to spend your money on. Here's the ultimate guide to outlining your small business marketing budget. - [What Matters More, Inbound or Outbound Sales?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-matters-more-inbound-or-outbound-sales/): When it comes to sales, there are two methods that are tried-and-true: outbound and inbound. But which matters more for your strategy? - [The Importance of Employer Branding](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-importance-of-employer-branding/): Branding your company is obviously important. But your employer branding is just as important. It can help your company grow in a number of ways. - [Are You Using the Right Content for Lead Generation?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-right-content-for-lead-generation/): There are different ways you can generate leads, but one of the most reliable methods is using content. Are you using the right content for lead generation? - [The Fine Art of the Apology Email](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-fine-art-of-the-apology-email/): Realizing you made an error when sending out an email to your subscribers is a major facepalm moment. Here's how to put together the best apology email. - [Marketing vs. Public Relations](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-vs-public-relations/): Marketing and public relations are closely tied. In fact, each strategy relies on the other for optimal results. Here is how they are different. - [Why Your Sales Team Should Invest in Building a Personal Brand](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/building-a-personal-brand/): Since your sales team seeks out potential new clients, they're often the faces of your company. Here's why having them build a personal brand is a must. - [6 Social Media Trends for 2020](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-trends-2020/): Just when you have a handle on social media algorithms, features, and updates, something changes. Here are social media trends to have an eye on this year. - [7 Habits of Uber Productive People](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/habits-of-productive-people/): There are certain people who can get a ton done in one day. What do those people have in common? Here are some habits of uber productive people. - [EU-US Privacy Shield - What You Need To Know](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/privacy-shield-what-you-need-to-know/): There's a lot going on with the recent news regarding the EU-US Privacy Shield. Here's what you need to know and how it affects you. - [How to Create a Work Family](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-create-a-work-family/): We probably spend most of our time at the office. That's why it's important to like who you work with. Here's how to create a work family. - [BenchmarkONE’s Latest Feature: K12 Edition](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benchmarkones-latest-feature-k12-edition/): We just launched our K12 Edition, built specifically for K12 communicators and recruiters. Check out it's features and functionalities! - [PRESS RELEASE: Benchmark Email Launches BenchmarkONE K12 Edition for School Communicators](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benchmarkone-k12-edition/): Benchmark Email, a leading software as a service provider of sales and marketing solutions, today announces the launch of the BenchmarkONE K12 Edition. - [Deliver Your Message To Your Target Audience On Multiple Platforms Using Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/deliver-your-message-to-your-target-audience-on-multiple-platforms-using-marketing-automation/): Marketing automation spares cross channel marketers from having to complete remedial tasks and makes it easier to streamline execution. - [4 AdWords Tips Your Small Business Can't Live Without](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/adwords-tips-for-small-businesses/): Google AdWords can be confusing, and clearing up that confusion can be a major time suck. Here are some Google AdWords tips for small businesses. - [How to Run Your Blog Like an Industry Publication](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-run-your-blog-like-an-industry-publication/): Publishing content on your blog isn't enough. If you want your audience to consider your blog a trusted industry publication, here's what you should do. - [How to Boost Your Marketing Efforts With Reputation Management](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/boost-your-marketing-efforts-with-reputation-management/): Reputation management and marketing strategies can enhance the results of your campaigns. Here's how to use reputation management in your marketing. - [Product Life Cycle Stages](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/product-life-cycle-stages/): In order to release a product successfuly, you have to be knowledgeable of the various stages of the product life cycle. Read this blog post for more. - [PRESS RELEASE: BenchmarkONE Launches New Features: Dynamic Content and Teams](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/press-release-benchmarkone-launches-new-features-dynamic-content-and-teams/): St. Louis, MO - July 1, 2020 - BenchmarkONE, a leading software as a service provider of sales and marketing solutions, today announces the launch of two - [New! Dynamic Content and Teams](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/new-dynamic-content-and-teams/): Our newest features, Dynamic Content and Teams, were made with the intent of making our users' lives easier, and their marketing more efficient. - [How and Why You Should Build Your Partnerships](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-and-why-you-should-build-partnerships/): Part of marketing is maintaining strong relationships with like-minded brands. Here's how and why you should build brand partnerships. - [8 Marketing Publications To Read](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-publications-to-read/): Staying up to speed on the latest trends, tips, and tools is essential for marketing professionals. Here are eight marketing publications to bookmark. - [How to Become a Guest-Contributor](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-become-a-guest-contributor/): A robust content marketing strategy includes having a plan for upping your guest content. Here's how to become a guest-contributor. - [7 Unique Social Media Ideas to Engage Your Audience](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-ideas-to-engage-your-audience/): Looking to get creative on social media? Here are seven social media ideas that will help you get creative and engage your audience. - [Make Room in Your Budget for Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/budget-for-marketing-automation/): Don't dismiss signing up for a marketing automation tool due to costs. There are numerous ways you can make room in your budget. Here are three. - [4 Inspirational TED Talks for Marketers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-inspirational-ted-talks-for-marketers/): Everyone could use a little inspriation now and then. It helps avoid burnout and fatigue. Here are four inspirational TED Talks just for marketers. - [Bottom-of-the-Funnel Content Breakdown](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/bottom-of-the-funnel-content-breakdown/): Content looks different at each stage of the funnel. In this blog post, we break down what content looks like at the bottom-of-the-funnel. - [How to Be a Team Player While Working Remote](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-be-a-team-player-while-working-remote/): Working remote has it's obstacles. But no matter how difficult it can be, it's important to prioritize being there for your team. - [Tips for Increasing Parent Digital Engagement](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-increasing-parent-digital-engagement/): For K12 educators and communicators, increasing parent digital engagement means having more informed, and happy parents. But how do you pull it off? - [Middle-of-the-Funnel Content Breakdown](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/middle-of-the-funnel-content-breakdown/): For part two of our three-part series, we’re diving into middle-of-the-funnel content with a look at why it matters and how to use it. - [Tips for an Effective Brainstorming Session](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-an-effective-brainstorming-session/): Not every brainstorming session results in great ideas for your marketing or content marketing strategy. But here are some tips that will ensure yours do. - [Guide to Sales Enablement, From a Sales Rep](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guide-to-sales-enablement-from-a-sales-rep/): Sales enablement is one of the main functions of your marketing team. Here are some tips from a sales rep on how to enable your sales team. - [Top-of-the-Funnel Content Breakdown](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-of-the-funnel-content-breakdown/): Using content is what inbound marketing is all about. Here's the type of content you should be using at the top of the funnel. - [The Importance of a Social Media Strategy for K12 Schools](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-importance-of-a-social-media-strategy-for-k12-schools/): Social media is a strategy every institution should use, include schools. Here are some compelling benefits K12 schools can see. - [7 Top Video Editing Software Programs for Newbies to Pros](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/video-editing-software-programs/): There are plenty of video editing programs out there suitable for beginners and those with experience that won’t cost an arm and a leg, to boot. - [How to Grow Your Social Media Following Organically](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-grow-your-social-media-following-organically/): Everyone wants to grow their social media. It means you have a larger network of potential prospects. Here's how to generate organic social media growth. - [How Often is Too Often for School Communicators to Send Emails?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-often-is-too-often-for-school-communicators-to-send-emails/): The role of a parent is to help nurture and care for their child. It’s the parent’s job to ensure their children grow into well-functioning and - [Live Chat and Marketing Automation: A Perfect Concoction to Capture Qualified Data](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/live-chat-and-marketing-automation/): Capturing qualified data demands the perfect formula. And you can find that by bringing together live chat and marketing automation. - [5 Key Stages of Market Research](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/key-stages-of-market-research/): It would be simple if market research wasn’t needed. But a business cannot be successful if it doesn’t adequately reach and cater to its ideal customer. - [How to Build a Landing Page Using Our Landing Page Builder](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-build-a-landing-page-using-our-landing-page-builder/): Among B2B companies, 68% use strategic landing pages to acquire new leads, with more landing pages directly correlating to more conversions. - [8 Content Marketing Blogs to Follow](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-blogs-to-follow/): Content marketing is a constantly evolving industry. To help you stay afloat, we recommend keeping up to date with a variety of content marketing blogs. - [5 Best Keap Alternatives for Small Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-best-keap-alternatives-for-small-businesses/): Having options when it comes to your marketing automation solutions is crucial. Here are some great Keap alternatives to consider. - [10 Tools to Help Content Marketers Publish and Promote More Content](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tools-to-help-publish-and-promote-more-content/): Content marketers have a lot to juggle and a lot of content to manage. Here are some tools that will help them publish and promote more content. - [SaaS leader Hatchbuck Announces Rebrand to BenchmarkONE](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/saas-leader-hatchbuck-announces-rebrand-to-benchmarkone/): We have some very exciting news to share! Hatchbuck has officially rebranded to BenchmarkONE. Read on to learn what this means for our customers. - [5 Tips For Successful Sales Forecasting](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-successful-sales-forecasting/): Every business would flounder without a steady stream of sales. Effective sales forecasting is crucial for success and ensuring your meeting your goals. - [8 Ways to Provide Your Clients With More Value](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ways-to-provide-your-clients-with-more-value/): Client service is more than just touching base with them from time to time. There's a lot that goes into providing your clients with more value. - [Detailed Guide on YouTube Video SEO: How to Rank Your Videos on Google](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/detailed-guide-on-youtube-video-seo/): YouTube is the second largest search platform after Google. Let's explore best practices for video SEO so your YouTube videos will rank in search results. - [Inbound Marketing 101: Part Three - The Tools You Need](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-the-tools-you-need/): In part three of our inbound marketing 101 series, we'll be discussing the various tools you'll need to implement your inbound strategy. - [Use a Marketing Automation Tool That Gives You Freedom](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/use-a-marketing-automation-tool-that-gives-you-freedom-2/): Using a marketing automation software that works with other content management systems is the best option for small businesses. - [8 Important Image SEO Tips for Digital Marketers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/image-seo-tips-for-digital-marketers/): To create more well-rounded and compelling content, marketers need to spend time thinking about image SEO so their images are optimized for search results. - [Big Changes Coming Soon: Hatchbuck Rebranding to BenchmarkONE](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-rebranding-to-benchmarkone/): Hatchbuck is excited to announce that we will be rebranding to BenchmarkONE. Stay tuned for the official announcement in early May. - [Inbound Marketing 101: Part Two - How to Implement It](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-how-to-implement-it/): In the second installment of our inbound marketing 101 series, we discuss implementation. Here are steps on how to effective implement an inbound strategy. - [Tips for Working From Home With Kids](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-working-from-home-with-kids/): Working from home comes with some learning curves. But when you're working from home and parenting at the same time, you can use all the help you can get. - [How To Use Popups To Get Quality Leads](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-use-popups-to-get-quality-leads/): When done effectively, popups can help you score quality leads and a considerable amount of conversions. Here's how to use popups to get quality leads. - [What We Learned While Working Remote](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-we-learned-working-remote/): To do our part in distancing ourselves and ensure we keep each other safe and healthy, our entire team has been working remote. Here's what we've learned. - [How to Build a Content Marketing Team for Your Blog](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-build-a-content-marketing-team/): Every high-quality blog has a team behind it. In this blog post, we'll outline how to build a content marketing team to fuel your blog. - [Inbound Marketing 101: Part One - What Is It?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-what-is-it/): Inbound marketing is a widely used marketing tactic that focuses on bringing your prospects to you. Read to learn more about what it is and how to use it. - [6 Tips for Getting Free Press For Your B2B Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-getting-free-press/): Times aren’t exactly easy peasy right now. A lot of us have to scale back in any way possible. Here are some tips for getting free press for your business. - [Why Your Business Needs Storytelling](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/why-your-business-needs-storytelling/): Storyteling is an artform with a precise equation. And in this blog post, we'll examine what that is, and how your brand can tell your story. - [How to Help Small Businesses Get Through Tough Times](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-help-small-businesses-get-through-tough-times/): Right now, small businesses are suffering. They’re unsure what the future holds and if they’ll get through this pandemic. Here's how you can help. - [9 Ways to Prepare for Hosting a Webinar](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hosting-a-webinar/): There are a number of things you should do to plan for hosting a webinar Let’s dive right into what those nine things are. - [The 5 Best Tools For Scheduling Remote Meetings](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tools-for-scheduling-remote-meetings/): Here are some of the best tools for scheduling remote meetings so you can continue to get work done and keep your team aligned while working from home. - [How to Adapt a Mentality of Helping Over Selling](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/helping-over-selling/): By focusing on helping instead of selling, you’ll find that you’ll not only put your customers first but see benefits for your own company as well. - [4 Common Small Business Problems and How to Solve Them](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/common-small-business-problems/): For small business, it’s crucial to avoid the big problems and have a plan of action for the smaller, more common ones. Here are four of them. - [What Facebook Groups Can Do For Your Business (and How to Create Them)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-facebook-groups-can-do-for-your-business/): If your business needs more ways to benefit from Facebook groups, there are ways you can capitalize on and use it in a more meaningful way. - [Tools To Help Teams Work Remotely During the COVID-19 Outbreak](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tools-to-help-teams-work-remotely-during-covid-19-outbreak/): A lot of businesses have instilled a work from home or work remote policy as our nation tries to suppress the spread of COVID-19. - [Your Guide to Conversational Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guide-to-conversational-marketing/): Conversational marketing is one of the most effective marketing strategies for moving buyers through the sales funnel. - [What Businesses Should Do About the COVID-19 Outbreak](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/covid-19-and-businesses/): Head to the Benchmark Email blog for business tips on how to deal with COVID-19 and how to communicate with customers about it. - [5 Marketing Attribution Tools that are Perfect for Small Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-attribution-tools-for-small-businesses/): Marketing attribution tools aren’t exactly uncommon, but many are geared towards huge enterprises. Here are some great solutions for small businesses. - [8 Ways to Reuse Old Blog Posts](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-ways-to-reuse-old-blog-posts/): Its okay to reuse old blog posts. But you have to figure out how to do so without simply self-plagiarizing and republishing the same exact content. - [10 Elements of the Perfect Office Space](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-perfect-office-space/): Designing your office space is a process. Here are some things you can focus on that can create the perfect office space. - [What to Do When You Lose a Big Client](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-to-do-when-you-lose-a-big-client/): Every B2B business, whether you’re a marketing agency or any other small business that works with multiple B2B clients, has experienced that dreaded - [5 Expert Tips for Optimizing Your Content](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-expert-tips-for-optimizing-content/): Regardless of your business or industry, whether or not you're optimizing content correctly plays a role in your ability to compete and convert online. - [Top Customer Experience Software for Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-experience-software-for-small-business/): How you interact with your customers matters for overall satisfaction and relationship growth. That's why having a customer experience software is a must. - [4 Deadly Small Business Mistakes You Must Avoid](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-mistakes/): We all make mistakes. But some can be deadly. Here are four small business mistakes that could cost you, and how you can avoid making them. - [How We’re Different than HubSpot](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-were-different-than-hubspot/): When evaluating a marketing automation tool, there are other options besides HubSpot. Here is how our tool is different and why you should consider it. - [Why You Should Have Customer Success Workshops](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/why-you-should-have-customer-success-workshops/): Customer success workshops offer your users a way to reach you in real time regarding any questions or issues they may have. - [10 Blog Metrics You Should be Using to Track Success](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/blog-metrics-to-track-success/): Your company blog is one of your most valuable marketing assets. But that value is totally missed if you don't track the right metrics. - [How to Build an Effective Sales Team](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-build-an-effective-sales-team/): Your sales team needs to be comprised of driven and motivated individuals in order to thrive. Here's how you can build an effective sales team. - [Don't Let the Sun Set On Your Emails: Create A Sunset Policy.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/create-a-sunset-policy/): A sunset policy is a plan for managing leads who are no longer engaging with or opening your email messaging. Here's how to put a policy in place. - [How to Align Sales and Marketing Teams for Content Creation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-align-sales-and-marketing-for-content-creation/): Sales and marketing teams need to align in order to ensure the content creation process is as informed and successful as possible. - [A Knowledge Base: The Sales Enablement Tool Your Business Needs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/a-knowledge-base-the-sales-enablement-tool-your-business-needs/): A knowledge base tells your customers, your industry, and search engines that you’re an authority in your field. It’s also useful for sales enablement. - [How to Achieve A Happy Balance Between Content Creation and Curation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-creation-and-curation/): Sharing the content you create is imperative. But, including curated content in your distribution and content creation strategy is beneficial as well. - [Interactive Survey Videos: The Key to Consumer Insights](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/interactive-survey-videos/): Interactive survey videos are the key to consumer insights. Here's why, and how to put one together and gain helpful information. - [BenchmarkONE’s Latest Feature: Gmail Integration](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-gmail-integration/): Check out our latest feature - our Gmail integration! Create new BenchmarkONE contacts from your Gmail inbox, keeping tabs on your prospects and customers. - [Avoid Employee Turnover with These 8 Tactics](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/avoid-employee-turnover/): When employees leave it's defeating, upsetting, and expensive. Here are eight ways to avoid employee turnover at your company. - [The State of K12 School District Newsletters](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/k12-school-district-newsletters/): We surveyed K12 school communicators about the ins-and-outs of their school district newsletters. Here’s what you need to know. - [6 Ways to Distribute Your Content (That You Haven't Already Tried)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-ways-to-distribute-your-content/): You know its important to share your published content. But here are some ways to distribute it that you havent already tried. - [Lead Nurture for Beginners: Everything You Need to Know](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lead-nurture-for-beginners/): There’s a lot to be gained from effective lead nurture, but doing it right can be overwhelming. Here's everything you need to nurture your leads correctly. - [4 Factors That Will Affect Marketing Automation In 2020](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-factors-that-will-affect-marketing-automation-in-2020/): Marketing automation will be changing this year, and here are the four factors that will be resposible. - [Guide to the 6 Best Project Management Tools for SMB Entrepreneurs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-project-management-tools/): How we manage our time and delegate tasks makes all the difference. Here are six of the best project management tools for entrepreneurs. - [Bad CRM Data: The Silent Killer of Your Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/bad-crm-data/): If your CRM isn't giving you the real insights you need to better know your customers, you're in trouble. Here's how to avoid bad CRM data. - [How to Make it into Google's Prized Featured Snippet Position](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/googles-prized-featured-snippet-position/): Nailing the featured snippet spot on the search page is pure SEO gold. Here are the different kinds of snippets and how to ensure your content places there. - [The Value of Pillar Posts](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-value-of-pillar-posts/): Pillar posts are necessary for an effective content marketing and SEO strategy. Here's how to put them together and use them correctly. - [How to Put Together an Editorial Calendar: A Step-by-Step Guide](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-put-together-an-editorial-calendar/): Content marketing is essential, and you need to put together an editorial calendar to help you track, publish, and distribute your content. - [Best Practices for Landing Page SEO](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-practices-for-landing-page-seo/): Landing pages that are created for long-term campaigns are the ones that best benefit from implementing an SEO strategy. If your page is going to be - [5 Hobbies That Will Make You a Better Entrepreneur](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-hobbies-that-will-make-you-a-better-entrepreneur/): The life of a leader is an exhausting one. Your days are filled with judgment calls, pep-talks, and hours of overtime. It’s easy to scoff at picking up a - [7 Digital Marketing Trends We're Looking Forward to in 2020](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/digital-marketing-trends-2020/): Digital marketing is constantly evolving and it's key to stay in the know of the latest developments. Here are seven digital marketing trends for 2020. - [How to Enhance Inbound Marketing with Social Media](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/enhance-inbound-marketing-with-social/): Social media and inbound marketing go hand-in-hand. Read this article to learn what to post on social in order to increase your inbound marketing strategy. - [BenchmarkONE's Latest Feature: Landing Pages and Popups](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/landing-page-and-popups-builder/): Landing pages and popups builder is here! Use these features to generate more leads and create targeted communication for a more seamless sales process. - [The Art of Passive Selling](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-art-of-passive-selling/): Aggressive selling tactics are not the way to appeal to your audience. If you want to be more effective, you have to use the approach of passive selling. - [10 Hatchbuck Family Food Recipes to Get You In The Holiday Spirit](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-family-holiday-food-recipes/): From our families to yours, here are ten holiday food recipes to enjoy this time of year while you make memories and spend time with loved ones. - [4 Simple but Effective Automated Marketing Strategies to Try Today](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-effective-automated-marketing-strategies/): Automated marketing strategies can turn a tedious process into a simple one. Here are four marketing automation strategies to get started on today. - [What is Technical SEO and Why Your Site Needs It](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-is-technical-seo/): In regards to SEO, keywords and link building often get the spotlight. But a techinical SEO strategy is just as important, if you know how to use it. - [How to Set Up Views and Filters in Google Analytics – And Why You Should](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/views-and-filters-google-analytics/): Google Analytics is a great resource, when you know where to look. Here's how to set up filters and views so you can prioritize your data and track success. - [How to Get Your Internal SMEs to Write for Your Blog](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/get-your-smes-to-write-for-your-blog/): Every member of your team is a SME. And having them write for your blog is extremely beneficial for your content sratety. Here's how to do it. - [Why Customer Satisfaction Matters and Five Effective Ways to Measure It](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/why-customer-satisfaction-matters/): When you don't make an effort to keep your customers happy, then expect to lose their business. And if you're losing business, you're losing money. - [6 Signs Your Company Culture is a Bummer](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-signs-your-company-culture-is-a-bummer/): Company culture matters to employees. But identifying the signs of a negative company culture isn't always easy. Here are six you shouldn't ignore. - [6 Blogging Mistakes that Could be Killing Your Progress](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-blogging-mistakes-that-could-be-killing-your-progress/): Maintaining a company blog has numerous benefits, but only if you are going about it the right way. Here's some common blogging mistakes to be aware of. - [Should Your Sales Team Be Using Phone or Email Follow Up?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/should-sales-be-using-phone-or-email-follow-up/): Knowing how to speak to your prospects, and how to follow-up with them, matters. Should you use email or phone for your sales follow-up? - [The State of Agencies 2020](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/state-of-agencies-2020/): We've gone deep into industry research to discover as much as we can about the state of agencies today. See how agencies are evolving for 2020. - [How to Make Sure Your Content Is Optimized For Voice Search](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-optimize-your-content-for-search/): In 2020, 50% of searches will be done by voice. Making sure your content is optimized for voice search is crucial for your marketing strategy. - [30 Email Marketing Stats You Need to Know for Your 2020 Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/30-email-marketing-stats-you-need-to-know-for-your-2020-strategy/): We looked into research on email marketing trends and accumulated 30 compelling stats you should keep in mind for your 2020 strategy. - [7 Best Customer Thanksgiving Email Templates to Inspire You](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-best-customer-thanksgiving-email-templates-to-inspire-you/): Make your email nuture fun and engaging for the holidays. Here are seven of the best customer Thanksgiving email templates that will inspire you. - [12 Best Marketing Automation Software for Agencies](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-best-marketing-automation-software-for-agencies/): Explore 12 marketing automation software solutions for agencies and make marketing automation a core offering for your clients. - [4 Best HubSpot Alternatives for Small Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-best-hubspot-alternatives-for-small-businesses/): Looking for a good HubSpot alternative for your small business? We’ve got a few recommendations. HubSpot is a comprehensive inbound marketing platform and - [6 Creative Sales Promotions For This Holiday Season](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-creative-sales-promotions-for-this-holiday-season/): When the millionth red-and-green holiday promo makes its way into your inbox, it becomes difficult to think creatively about how your business might - [How to Manage Social Media Without Overloading Your Schedule](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-manage-social-media-without-overloading-your-schedule/): Social media isn't an option for businesses. To stay relevant and competitive, and connect more with your audience, businesses must be active on social. - [5 Ethical Ways to Get More Backlinks](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ethical-ways-to-get-more-backlinks/): Getting high-quality backlinks is very challenging. That’s because a link from another website is like an endorsement, and the higher quality the website, - [4 Proven Ways to Eradicate Burnout](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-proven-ways-to-eradicate-burnout/): Experiencing burnout can have extreme repercussions. It can lead to physical and emotional issues and greatly affect your personal life. I’m talking about - [5 Types of Video Content People Actually Want to Watch](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-types-of-video-content-people-actually-want-to-watch/): Did you know that 53% of customers engage with a brand after watching one of their videos on social? Video marketing has, without question, become one of - [5 High-Converting Landing Pages and How You Can Create Your Own](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-high-converting-landing-pages-and-how-you-can-create-your-own/): Landing pages are an important part of digital marketing, but they’re not worth their weight in pixels if they can’t help convert visitors into customers. - [5 Best Customer Retention Tips for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-best-customer-retention-tips-for-your-small-business/): Online business has spurred highly competitive markets. Consumerism is fast-paced, and buyer expectations are high. That means a small business needs to - [Everything You Need to Know about Internal Link Building](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-internal-link-building/): When it comes to linking and SEO, backlinks get a lot of attention (and for good reason), but you can’t ignore the importance of internal link building - [5 Reasons Your B2B Small Business Needs to Run Pricing Tests](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-reasons-your-b2b-small-business-needs-to-run-pricing-tests/): Every online marketer loves a good A/B test. It’s almost fun to tweak a call to action, video, or a chunk of copy and meticulously study the results. The - [7 Ways to Boost Your Mobile Conversions](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-ways-to-boost-your-mobile-conversions/): The number of mobile users around the world is increasing. More than half of all online activities now take place on a phone. Businesses focusing on their - [All of the Google Tools Your SEO Strategy Needs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-seo-tools/): There are a wide range of Google tools available to help you optimize your SEO strategy, and plenty of the best ones offer basic features for free. - [5 Reasons Your Business Needs Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-in-2020/): Marketing automation helps increase retention rate and generate more revenue. Why not let 2020 be the year that you bring your business to the next level? - [5 Reliable Sales Hacks to Close More Deals](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-hacks-to-close-more-deals/): These are just a handful of the many different sales hacks successful salespeople use to close more deals and improve their bottom line. - [4 Sales Training Resources That Aren't Cheesy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-training-resources/): It’s easy to get complacent in sales. Here are four well-known movers and shakers in the sales training industry to fill your head with excellent ideas. - [Are Hashtags on Social Media Still Effective?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hashtags-on-social-media/): Which social media platforms still use hashtags and how can you properly incorporate them into your marketing campaigns? Let’s take a look. - [5 Ways a Project Management Tool Will Be a Game Changer for Your Team](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/value-of-project-management-tool/): Project management tools are designed to help busy professionals plan, execute and manage multiple projects in one central dashboard. - [6 Sales KPIs Your Small Business Can't Ignore](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-sales-kpis/): Running a small business is a lot like running a marathon. To get to the finish line successfully (which, in this case, is coming out in the black each - [Subdomains vs. Subdirectories: Which is Better for SEO?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/subdomains-versus-subdirectories/): A comprehensive, well-executed SEO strategy is going to do good things for your online presence, whether you go with subdirectories or subdomains. - [Everything You Need to Know about SEO for Voice Search](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-for-voice-search/): As you do for standard SEO, make sure to stay up to date on these best practices for SEO for voice search to keep your site in the top results. - [5 Revenue-Boosting Ideas for Agencies Looking to Do More For Their SMB Clients](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-small-business-clients/): Marketing agencies need to do more than just spread the word about clients. Expanding on existing revenue streams and developing new ones can offer results where it matters most. - [Have Your Best Q4 Yet with These Important B2B Marketing Statistics for 2019](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/b2b-marketing-statistics-2019/): These B2B statistics aren’t a guarantee of what will or won’t work for you, but they're incredibly useful for seeing what others in the industry are doing. - [How to Fire Employees with Kindness and Empathy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-fire-employees/): Firing employees is never fun, but it’s par for the course – especially as your business grows. Here's how to make the process as painless as possible. - [The Real Cost of Skipping SEO](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cost-of-skipping-seo/): The value of a strong SEO strategy cannot be overstated. Here are a few of the risks you take if you skip SEO as part of your marketing equation. - [10 Best Email Marketing Tools for Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-tools-for-small-business/): Your small business needs email marketing to build relationships, sell, and grow. Do your research, and you’ll find the best tool for you. - [The 7 Best Live Chat Tools for Marketing Agencies](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/live-chat-tools-marketing-agencies/): Live chat tools are inexpensive, easy to set up, and customer-focused. But, before you decide on one, it’s good to test drive a few. - [Where to Look When Your Creative Blog Ideas Dry Up](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-blog-ideas/): Even if you’re an expert in your field, there’s only so much you can write about before you feel like the well of blog ideas has just run dry. - [5 Digital Marketing Trends Your Business Can’t Afford to Ignore in 2019](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/2019-digital-marketing-trends/): The digital landscape is ever-changing. The only way to remain profitable in today’s world is to follow these trends and adapt your approach accordingly. - [Maximize Your Email Campaign Results with Powerful Copy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/powerful-email-copy/): Powerful email copy results in captivating the audience, engaging them and helping you attain your conversion goals. Learn more from EmailMonks. - [How to Write a Marketing Blog that Ranks on Google](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-write-a-marketing-blog-for-google-rankings/): Writing a blog post is easy. Writing a blog post that performs well in Google rankings, though? That’s another story. Your goal with all marketing blog - [How Should I Prioritize the Marketing Budget for My Small Business?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-budget/): Each of the steps in this article will be integral in helping you prioritize your small business marketing budget to get the most value out of your efforts. - [Leading CRM and Email Marketing SaaS Providers, Hatchbuck, Benchmark, Merge](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/leading-crm-and-email-marketing-saas-providers-hatchbuck-benchmark-merge/): The combined company, Benchmark, will enable businesses to flourish with powerfully simple sales and marketing tools. - [Which Paid Ads are Best for Your Business or Agency Clients?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/which-paid-advertising-is-best/): Paid advertising is the best way to build brand awareness and get the word out about a new business, product or service. - [5 Marketing Strategies to Help Grow Your Agency Retainer Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/grow-agency-retainer-business/): If you’re doing great work and offering your clients respect and transparency, you shouldn’t have any trouble growing your agency retainer business. - [The Anatomy of a Perfectly Built Sales Pipeline](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/perfectly-built-sales-pipeline/): Studies show that if your business has a well-defined sales process, you’ll see higher revenue growth than those that don’t. - [The Key to Updating Evergreen Content](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/updating-evergreen-content/): With the help of these five simple tips, you can easily breathe more life (and more marketability) into your evergreen content. - [How To Surprise and Delight Clients at Every Stage of the Funnel](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/surprise-and-delight-clients/): Not only is it easier than you think to surprise and delight clients, it can (and should) be done at every stage of the marketing funnel. - [10 Affiliate Marketing Softwares That are Worth Your Time](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/affiliate-marketing-software/): It’s important to take time to plan what you’d like to see in your affiliate marketing software — features, reporting, and ease of use — before diving in. - [5 Best Cold Outreach Templates for LinkedIn](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cold-outreach-templates-linkedin/): Are you taking advantage of your network? No matter what you’re selling, you should have no trouble finding an expansive pool of untapped leads on LinkedIn. - [The Value of Webpage Tracking in Your B2B Marketing Funnel](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/webpage-tracking/): Effective B2B marketing today is all about personalization. Clients want to be acknowledged — and they want their needs to be acknowledged, too. That - [How to Create B2B Goals in Google Analytics](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-analytics-goals/): Use these helpful tips to set up Google Analytics goals and start getting more insightful data out of your digital measurements. - [3 Ways Customer Surveys Can Improve Your Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/improve-business-with-customer-surveys/): Customer survey data is an invaluable tool for making business decisions, better understanding customer pain points, and achieving innovation. - [How to Handle a Company PR Crisis Like a Champ](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-handle-pr-crisis/): It happens to the best of us. You’re going along with daily operations as usual, and then someone makes a mistake, or there’s an unfortunate - [10 Email Marketing Influencers You Need to Be Following](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-influencers/): Email marketing is a constant whirlwind of change. Trends in visuals and copy are always moving forward at lightning speed, and it seems like every day - [How to Measure the ROI of Inbound Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/roi-of-inbound-marketing/): Learn more about the KPIs that really count when it comes to your inbound marketing efforts. - [8 Best Practices for Rolling out a New Tool or Process](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-best-practices-for-rolling-out-a-new-tool-or-process/): With a plan in place, you can greatly reduce the challenges that you’ll face and help ensure an efficient roll out of new tools and processes. - [Using Surveys at Every Stage of the Buying Funnel](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/using-marketing-surveys-effectively/): The key to getting actionable insight out of surveys is designing them in such a way that your visitors are inspired to not just click but to complete them. - [How to Get the Most Out of Every Blog Post You Create](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/leveraging-existing-blog-posts/): Once you write a blog post that makes a big splash, you might be tempted to leave it. What that really tells you is that content is ripe for improvement. - [7 Creative Ways Your Agency Can Close More Business Before the End of the Month](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/close-more-agency-business/): If you want to be proactive, there are a few creative tactics you can use to close more agency business in the weeks that remain. - [7 Ways SMBs Can Tell If They've Partnered With The Right PPC Firm](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/finding-the-right-ppc-firm/): Pay-per-click ads are a great way to drive more awareness for your brand and more traffic to your site. And if you’re working with the right PPC firm, you - [5 Off-The-Wall Strategies for Marketing Your Agency](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-your-agency/): Your agency does amazing, creative work for your clients, right? You pride yourself on the team you’ve built and the lead-generating, eye-catching content - [7 Steps to Creating a Successful Account-Based Marketing Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creating-account-based-marketing-strategy/): In today’s marketing climate, more and more B2B companies are transitioning to using account-based marketing (ABM) to attract and convert prospects into - [Is Your Business Ready To Go Global?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/business-going-global/): Getting your business ready to take on global clients takes some thought and preparation, but there’s no better way to expand your horizons. - [5 Ways to Boost Profits Using Technology](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/boost-profits-using-technology/): Technology has revolutionized the way businesses operate and opened doors of opportunity to smaller businesses, enabling them to compete on a larger scale. - [5 Vital Email Deliverability Tips for 2019](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-deliverability-tips/): It's 2019, and it's harder than ever to make it to the inbox. So, why is email deliverability such a problem, and why now? - [Freelancers: 5 Tips For Managing Your Sales Pipeline and Getting More Done](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/managing-freelance-sales-pipeline/): The most talked-about benefit of freelancing is the joy of being your own boss. The thing that doesn’t get discussed? The “feast or famine” lifestyle that - [How to Find and Hire the Right Marketing Agency for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-agency-for-small-business/): A good marketing agency can take a lot of unknowns off your plate. But how do you find the right agency to hire for your small business? - [3 Tips for More Creative Email Autoresponders](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-email-autoresponders/): It’s time to can those canned responses and get to work with engagement-driving, relationship-building creative email autoresponders. - [How to Automate Your Agency’s Sales Pipeline](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/automate-agency-sales-pipeline/): Here are a few suggestions for automating your agency's sales pipeline or expanding your existing automation to maximize savings and increase sales. - [The 30-Day Guide to Building a Stellar B2B Website](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/building-b2b-website/): Put in the effort and in just 30 days you can have a completely functional B2B website that’s totally optimized to convert. - [The Best Payment Processing Software for SMBs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-payment-processing-software-for-smbs/): There are a lot of robust payment processing software options on the market. Here are the best four options for SMBs. - [How Top Marketing Agencies Prove ROI to B2B Clients](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-top-marketing-agencies-prove-roi-to-b2b-clients/): Showing your clients the return on investment of your service offering is the single most important thing the best marketing agencies do to thrive. - [4 Tips for Launching Your Own Consulting Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/launching-your-own-consulting-business/): Starting your own consulting business is an exciting venture. Just remember to spend time developing your brand, process, and network before you dive in. - [How to Choose a Sales Automation Tool in 3 Simple Steps](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/choose-a-sales-automation-tool/): When choosing a sales automation tool, think through your specific business needs. Take stock of the automations you need in place and go from there. - [How to Effectively Market Your Brand on Social Media in 2019](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-effectively-market-your-brand-on-social-media-in-2019/): Social media is constantly evolving. What was once a steady stream of cat memes is now a tried-and-true marketing channel and a bona fide brand awareness - [SMB Owners: Should You Hire a Freelancer or an Agency?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hiring-freelancer-versus-agency/): Navigating the marketing landscape can be a real hassle. Do you focus on digital ads or print? Radio or TV? Would a social media campaign be worth your - [In-Office Perks Your Employees – And Your Bottom Line – Will Love](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/in-office-perks/): Winning the war on talent isn’t easy. Not only do you have to spend time and money to recruit good employees, but you also have to make an ongoing effort - [6 Tips for Determining Your Agency's Ideal Client](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/determining-ideal-agency-client/): Determining your ideal agency client can be a daunting, self-reflective task, but it is critical to the growth of your business. - [The Easiest to Use All-in-One CRM Platforms of 2019, According to G2](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/easiest-to-use-all-in-one-crm/): The results are in: G2 has determined the easiest to use all-in-one CRMs of 2019, and BenchmarkONE is a Small Business Leader! - [5 Ways to Save Time on Social Media](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/save-time-on-social-media/): To make the most out of your efforts and ensure that your time and budget are optimized, here are a few expert tips for saving time on social media. - [How to Ask for Customer Referrals (and Actually Get Them)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-get-customer-referrals/): Customer referrals remain one of, if not the most effective customer acquisition tactic. If you're not asking for referrals, you're missing out. - [5 Ways a CRM Can Improve the Customer Experience](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-improve-customer-experience/): Used correctly, a CRM can help you leverage valuable insights to create and deliver incredible customer experiences that will keep people coming back. - [How to Get Found on The Web](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-get-found-on-the-web/): Between new competition and search engines updating their algorithms daily, it takes a lot to keep companies on the map. Here's how to get found on the web. - [6 Signs a Lead Generation Agency Is the Real Deal](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lead-generation-agency/): Choosing a lead generation agency can be a bit of a daunting task. Even a well-reviewed, reputable company may not be a good fit for your organization. - [How to Write B2B Emails That Convert](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/b2b-emails-that-convert/): Improving your B2B email conversions doesn’t happen by accident. It takes a dedicated strategy that helps you connect your actions to the end result. - [Agency Owners: How to Properly Prepare Your Business For Exit](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/prepare-agency-for-exit/): Selling an agency like yours isn’t something to rush into. In fact, it’s smart to have a well-considered exit strategy in place. - [6 SMB Organization Tools to Help You Work Smarter, Not Harder](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/smb-organization-tools/): There are plenty of tools, apps and software solutions that have been specifically created to help people optimize their daily routines. - [5 Secrets to Selling to C-Suite Execs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/selling-to-c-suite/): People at the executive level are busy. The last thing they want is a schmoozy salesperson wasting what little precious time they have. - [6 Creative Sales Emails That Get a Response Every Time](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-sales-emails/): Gone are the days when a generic sales email could achieve your goals. If you want responses, you need to get creative to get your recipient’s attention. - [The Account Manager Job Description to Find the Perfect Candidate](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/account-manager-job-description/): The task of hiring an account manager is a challenge, but with a streamlined process and attention to detail, it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. - [Why Your Bounce Rate Is High & How to Lower It](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-lower-bounce-rate/): It’s difficult to determine a ‘good’ bounce rate for a website. However, if this number starts to increase, you should definitely look into the reasons. - [5 Tips for Staying Focused and On Task When You're Building a Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/staying-focused-while-building-a-business/): As an entrepreneur, how do you stay focused on your current strategy when there are so many ideas and opportunities and so little time? - [4 Tips For Filling Your Agency Sales Pipeline Before Summer](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/fill-agency-sales-pipeline/): Creative agencies see a bit of a summertime slump as companies spend less time marketing while team members head out to catch some rays. Let's change that. - [Should You Publish Your Agency Rates on Your Website?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/should-you-publish-your-agency-rates/): Determining whether or not to publish your agency’s rates on your website isn’t a straightforward decision. There are pros and cons to going public. - [7 Tips for Staying the Course When Entrepreneurship Gets Tough](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/entrepreneurship-struggles/): How do you stay strong when times get tough? Here are some battle-tested ways to steel yourself against the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. - [6 of the Best Ways to Source Blog Topic Ideas](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/source-blog-topic-ideas/): The next time you're staring blankly at your computer, consider putting these ideas into play to create new content that brings more traffic and engagement. - [The Benefits of Hiring a Marketing Automation Consultant](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hiring-marketing-automation-consultant/): Hiring a marketing automation consultant can help you to set up a new platform or streamline any existing automation you have in place. - [How to Optimize Your Webpage for Semantic Search](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/optimize-for-semantic-search/): By implementing these tactics, business owners can take a clear and impactful step towards improving the semantic optimization of their webpages. - [Everything You Need to Know About Advertising on Bing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/bing-ads/): We can’t cover every single aspect of Bing ads in a single blog post. But, we can give you enough information to decide whether to give Bing Ads a try. - [6 Elements of a Perfect Elevator Pitch for Entrepreneurs and SMBs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/perfect-elevator-pitch/): Summarizing your life’s work into a statement that is concise and compelling can be difficult, especially if you’re coming up with it off the cuff. - [5 Tips for Growing Your Social Channels Organically](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/grow-social-channels-organically/): Growing your social media channels organically can be a hugely frustrating task. But with a bit of time a human touch, it is possible. - [Dialing in The Three R's of Growth: Retention, Referrals and Reviews](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/three-growth-principles/): Use these strategies to maximize your firm’s growth by fine-tuning your referral, review, and retention practices. - [The Ultimate New Employee Onboarding Checklist](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-onboarding-checklist/): Studies show that the more you invest in making new employees feel connected during the first year, the more likely they’ll be to stay on for the long haul. - [How to Drive Engagement and Conversions Through Content Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-drive-engagement-and-conversions-through-content-marketing/): More than 80% of people have purchased a product or service as a result of consuming business content, according to a study by Clutch. People in different - [The 9 Best Free HTML and CSS Resources to Help You Build Better Emails](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-best-free-html-and-css-resources/): Once upon a time, email marketing was limited to what you could do with plain text and perhaps a few images. But email has changed a lot since then. - [5 Places You Should Be Repurposing Your Blog Content That You Haven't Thought Of](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/repurposing-blog-content/): Are you staring at a blank screen, stumped about the topic of your next blog post? Facing writer’s block and struggling to come up with new content? - [4 Marketing Strategies That Are Way Better Than Bulk Emails](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-strategies-better-than-bulk-emails/): Today, people don’t want to be blindly marketed to. Say goodbye to bulk emails, and hello to email marketing strategies that actually work. - [7 Ways to Be More Creative With Your Employee Appreciation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-employee-appreciation/): With unemployment at 4%, it’s essential to make sure your employees feel appreciated and stay engaged. In this hyper-competitive market for talent, you - [The Anatomy of a Perfect Marketing Webinar](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-anatomy-of-a-perfect-marketing-webinar/): We talk a lot about the value of webinars – and for good reason. Why? Here are some of the best things about webinars, in our opinion: They get you - [5 Tips to Decide if a Partner Program Is Right for Your Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/partner-program/): You’ve heard of your competitors using partner programs. But is it right for your business? Regardless of the size of your business, finding workable - [4 Important Stats about the Best Times to Send Emails](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-times-to-send-emails/): Continuous experimentation on time and day for sending is one piece of the successful email marketing puzzle. - [How To Set 5, 10 and 15-Year Goals For Your Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/set-goals-for-your-business/): It’s hard to know what the future has in store for any of us, but putting together a plan will ensure that you’ve got the long-game in mind. - [How to Create a Winning Marketing Automation Proposal in Under 30 Minutes](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-create-a-marketing-automation-proposal/): Marketing automation proposals can be an incredibly effective way to attract and win new agency business. Here's how to create the perfect template. - [6 Simple Strategies for More Thorough Market Research](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-market-research/): In today’s marketplace, the buyer holds all the power. Developing and adapting your marketing strategies to match the needs, desires and expectations of - [Does Your Marketing Agency Have a Client Retention Problem?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-client-retention/): Even if you don’t have a client retention issue, it’s not a bad idea to examine how you come across to your clients and whether that image can be improved. - [5 Marketing Agencies That Are Killing the Social Media Game](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-agencies-social-media/): To get you thinking about the role social will play in your own growth strategy, take a tip from these agencies killing social media. - [How Much Should You Tell Your Employees?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-much-should-you-tell-your-employees/): Transparency, like most things, is best done in moderation. - [5 Email Nurturing Tips That Will Improve Your Open Rates](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-nurturing-tips-to-improve-open-rates/): When your email marketing isn’t optimized, your open rates can take a nosedive. Let’s prevent that with a few simple ideas you can implement immediately. - [You May Be A Leader, But Do You Have What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/leader-or-entrepreneur/): The conventional wisdom is that people who thrive in the corporate world can’t make it as entrepreneurs. As the thinking goes, they’re too dependent on - [5 Ways to Re-Engage Dormant Clients](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-to-re-engage-dormant-clients/): Existing clientele is one of the most valuable assets your business can have. But what happens when those awesome customers stop calling? - [7 Elements of a Brilliant HTML Email Template](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-elements-of-a-brilliant-html-email-template/): You’ve heard it a thousand times before: your email marketing campaign is only as good as the copy you write. But we’re here to share something else. If - [How to Convert Webinar Leads into Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/convert-webinar-leads-into-customers/): Gathering webinar leads won’t amount to much of anything if you’re not actually turning those leads into paying customers. - [Should You Outsource Business Development for Your Agency?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-business-development/): For some agencies, offloading the heavy lifting of business development to seasoned pros is the way to go. For others, keeping things in-house is best. - [5 B2B Marketing Automation Tips](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-b2b-marketing-automation-tips/): Are you among the 55% of B2B companies currently using marketing automation? You should be. After all, marketing automation has been proven to deliver a - [5 Tips for Building a Phenomenal Virtual Team](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/building-virtual-team/): Virtual teams can add tremendous value to a business – whether it’s just one department or an entire company that’s working remotely. - [4 Benefits of Paid Advertising on Twitter](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benefits-of-twitter-advertising/): No topic (except maybe politics) is as divisive as Twitter. Some feel that Twitter is an invaluable resource, naturally encouraging faster responses and - [Required Reading from the 11 Most Influential CRM Blogs for B2Bs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/required-reading-from-crm-blogs-for-b2bs/): Sales and marketing technology changes quickly. So how do you know when to invest in new technology, or when to change your process, or when to wait out a - [How Often Should Your B2B Business Hold Meetings?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/b2b-meetings/): Let’s talk about meetings. And while we’re at it, let’s talk about meeting fatigue. Nearly two-thirds of professionals lose time every week due to - [3 Secrets to Earning 5-Star Customer Reviews](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-star-customer-reviews/): When it comes to marketing your business, there’s nothing more helpful (or more detrimental) than a customer review. In 2017, a Bright Local survey found - [7 Ways to Make Local Search Work for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/local-search-small-business/): Local search is a vital marketing tool for small businesses, especially those with a brick-and-mortar presence. Use these tips to do it the right way. - [6 of the Best B2B Marketing Videos We've Ever Seen (And How You Can Make Your Own)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-b2b-marketing-videos/): If there’s one problem with most B2B marketing videos, it’s that they’re boring. Sometimes painfully so. Let's change that. - [Crummy Leads, Crummy Clients: How to Find Better Business for Your Agency](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/find-better-business-for-your-agency/): There’s nothing more frustrating than working with clients who don’t value your agency or aren't a good fit. Here are four ways to attract better business. - [6 Characteristics of an All-Star Sales Manager](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/characteristics-great-sales-manager/): While this isn’t an all-inclusive list of what your next sales manager should be, it will help you make the best decision for your company. - [6 Ways Your Marketing Agency Can Capitalize on March Madness](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-agency-march-madness/): March Madness is one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year, and incorporating it into your marketing strategies can energize your message. - [How to Win More Agency Clients Without Spending a Dime](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/win-more-agency-clients-without-spending-money/): Before you spend your hard-earned money on expensive lead generation channels, take a look at this one underutilized, unbelievably valuable resource. - [Product Update: New Sales and Marketing Dashboards Have Landed](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-and-marketing-dashboards/): Get a fresh look at your business with Hatchbuck’s new sales and marketing dashboards. With a more robust view of your most important metrics, you'll know - [7 Time Management Tips and Tools for Your Agency](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-time-management-tips-and-tools-for-your-agency/): Time management is important for any business, but it’s especially important in the agency world where time is money. - [The 6 Most Important Tidbits from Litmus’ 2019 State of Email Report](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/analysis-litmus-2019-state-of-email/): Did you read Litmus’ full annual State of Email report? It’s 56 pages of pure email marketing gold, but we know that time doesn’t grow on trees for agency - [5 Ways You May Be Sabotaging Your B2B Sales](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sabotaging-b2b-sales/): If you’re struggling to close deals, take an in-depth look at your sales process and see if any of the following B2B sales traps might be to blame. - [How SEO Drives B2B Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-seo-drives-b2b-marketing/): B2B marketing is about engagement. From channel partnerships to word of mouth, you need to engage your audience to positively impact your sales. To earn - [The Pros and Cons of Search vs. Display Ad Campaigns](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/search-vs-display-ad-campaigns/): Ultimately, the right mix of display and search ads can help you reach more potential customers within the constraints of your marketing budget. - [How to Measure and Improve Employee Satisfaction as Your Business Grows](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/measure-and-improve-employee-satisfaction/): Measuring employee satisfaction can make a big difference, enabling you to continue building on what you’re doing well and to shore up any weak spots in your culture. - [Are Freelancers Right For Your Agency? 9 Questions to Ask Yourself First](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/freelancers-for-agency-work/): Before your agency dives into the world of freelancers, make sure you’ve done your due diligence. - [5 Time Management Strategies for Busy Marketers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-time-management-strategies-marketers/): The goal of any good marketer is to deliver exceptional value, both to the customer as well as to the company, and that means making the most of your time. - [5 Important Traits and Habits Entrepreneurs Need in 2019](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/important-traits-habits-entrepreneurs/): Most entrepreneurs have too many things to do and not enough time to do them. Focus on the activities that truly have an impact. - [5 TED Talks Your Customer Service Team Needs to Watch](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ted-talks-for-your-customer-service-team/): Customer service is all about humanity. Nowhere will you find more humany and better advice than TED Talks. - [Why Businesses are Leaving Facebook – And Whether You Should Too](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/why-businesses-are-leaving-facebook/): With limited ad reach and concerns about data security, small business owners around the country are asking, “Is Facebook right for my business anymore?” - [5 Unmistakeable Benefits of Being a Solo Entrepreneur](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benefits-of-being-a-solo-entrepreneur/): Going at it alone might be the best fit for your goals and personality. Here are five advantages of being a solo entrepreneur. - [7 Tips for Nailing Your Agency's Next RFP](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-tips-for-nailing-your-agencys-next-rfp/): The moment has come: your dream client has submitted an RFP (request for proposal). Now all you have to do is win them over, close the deal, and make - [6 Ways Your Marketing Emails Can Strike an Emotion](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-emails-emotion/): It’s time to put products and features aside and tap into the power of creative storytelling in your next email campaign. - [5 Tips for Better Follow-Up Calls](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/follow-up-calls/): Good follow-up conversations can go a long way toward improved customer satisfaction and sustainable business growth. - [How to Identify Agency Partners That Align With Your Business Goals](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/identify-agency-partners/): Not every agency partner will be a fit for your business. Use these factors to find the right one for your marketing needs. - [5 Signs Your Employer Brand Could Use an Overhaul](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employer-brand/): In today’s congested business landscape, brand is everything. It’s what represents the promises you’ve made to your customers. But what many business - [Why You Should Do a Content Refresh Right Now](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-refresh/): Looking for a way to dramatically up your content marketing game without adding a single item to your editorial calendar? The answer is a content refresh. - [5 Top Agency Blogs You Should Be Reading](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-agency-blogs/): Regardless of how much experience you and your employees have, there’s always someone out there who can teach you something new. - [5 Things To Do The First Day You Start a Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/start-a-business/): If you take things step by step, it’ll be easy to get off to a running start. Here are five things to do on your first day in business. - [Should You Try Google’s Responsive Search Ads?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-responsive-search-ads/): Google’s machine learning powers their new responsive search ads. This means that customer searches can have more efficient responses when advertisers - [10 Best Adobe Creative Cloud Resources for Beginners](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-best-adobe-creative-cloud-resources-for-beginners/): Adobe Creative Cloud is the cornerstone of any creative person’s digital toolkit. It’s the gold standard in professional design software. - [10 Free Team Building Activities Worth Your Time](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/team-building-activities/): With the right activity and a positive attitude (bear with us), team building activities can actually improve your workplace morale and tighten your team. - [5 Critical Management Skills for Running a Killer Team](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/management-skills/): By practicing these five critical management skills, you'll better be able to manage your team and ultimately your organization as a whole. - [Introduction to Google Search Console](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/intro-to-google-search-console/): If you're trying to drive new and repeat visitors to your website, Google Search Console is the hidden treasure that your business needs. - [6 Ways to Help Your Sales Team Be Aggressive but Not Pushy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-team-tips/): How can they reconcile these two seemingly incongruous traits: the aggressive sale without the uncomfortable pushiness? - [An Eye on the Future: How to Hire Employees for Your Startup](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hire-good-employees-for-your-startup/): The more you put into planning and process, the better your job candidates can align their careers with your business’s mission, vision, and values. - [8 CRM Stats That Will Help You Get Company Buy-In](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-stats-to-get-company-buy-in/): It’s a no-brainer that a good customer relationship management (CRM) software can redefine your business. It boosts efficiency, saves money, improves your - [The 22 Best Wordpress Themes of 2018](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-wordpress-themes-2018/): You don’t have to hire an expensive programmer, or spend hours learning code, to create a unique website with a gorgeous page layout. - [7 2019 Tech Trends to Take Note of](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/2019-tech-trends/): With 2019 comes another year of technology innovations for business, and we have a lot to look forward to. - [Our Favorite Marketing Trends of 2018 (and What We're Looking Forward to in 2019)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-trends-2018/): At the start of a new year, it’s important to look back on the trends of 2018 to see which ones were truly the best of the best. - [7 Tips for Setting Your Marketing Agency Up For Success in 2019](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/setting-your-marketing-agency-up-for-success-in-2019/): It doesn’t matter if you’re a year-end planner or procrastinator; here are some things that will help set your marketing agency up for success in 2019. - [The 2019 Guide to Top-Quality Content](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guide-to-top-quality-content/): The more relevant, top-quality content you create, the greater the likelihood of you being seen by the right people and sought out when you’re needed. - [4 Simple Steps for Establishing Your Business’s 2019 Goals](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/establishing-2019-business-goals/): In business, execution is everything. Setting the right goals and tracking your progress in meeting them can help you get more. - [How to Build Your Small Business Email List Like the Big Guys](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-email-list/): Attracting subscribers to your small business email list takes a combination of great creative, marketing prowess, technical know-how, and a dash of luck. - [4 Killer Closing Strategies to Skyrocket Sales](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/closing-strategies-to-skyrocket-sales/): Whether you’re a sales newbie or you’re just looking for ways to up your game and improve your results, check out these four proven closing strategies. - [Year in Review: The Top 5 Hatchbuck Blog Posts of 2018](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/2018-year-in-review/): Don't miss our 2018 list of the most popular articles from the BenchmarkONE blog. See you next year! - [The True Cost of a Bad Hire (and How You Can Avoid Them)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-true-cost-of-a-bad-hire/): By employing these tips, you can improve your chances of getting it right the first time, every time, and save your company from the high cost of bad hires. - [7 Best Email Marketing Tools for Agencies](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-email-marketing-tools-for-agencies/): Whether your email marketing process is sophisticated or not, you’ll likely need tools to help you. Choosing the right one is tricky. - [8 Tips for Automating Your New Customer Onboarding Experience with BenchmarkONE](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/automating-customer-onboarding-with-hatchbuck/): One of the best ways to ensure that nothing slips between the cracks is to use BenchmarkONE to automate new client onboarding. - [The Pros and Cons of Attending Marketing Conferences](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/pros-and-cons-marketing-conferences/): Weigh the pros and cons to decide whether attending a marketing conference is the right choice for you, and go in with a plan to maximize the insights and connections you make. - [Free UX Tools To Help You Design a Better Marketing Experience](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/free-ux-tools-to-help-you-design-a-better-marketing-experience/): User experience (UX) design is complicated. So complicated, in fact, that there are entire job roles dedicated to it. But you don’t have to have a degree - [6 December Tasks to Get Your Business Humming in January](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/december-tasks-for-productive-january/): Every business is a little different, but here are the six tasks we believe you should prioritize now so that your business runs smoothly in the new year. - [6 Creative Ways to Use Your CRM for More Than Sales](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-for-more-than-sales/): Whatever your business size or industry, the right CRM tool can help make the entire operation more efficient. - [9 Tips for Effective, Purposeful, Non-Cheesy Holiday Emails](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/effective-holiday-emails/): If your holiday emails have purpose and stay on brand, it is possible to spread some cheer without the cheese. - [7 Quotes to Get You Inspired to Sell](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/quotes-to-inspire-sales/): Reading inspirational quotes on sales can help you connect to the wisdom of sellers who’ve come before you. - [4 Rules for Staying in Touch with Your Email List Year-Round](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/stay-in-touch-with-email-list/): We understand: it’s hard to keep your email marketing momentum going when there are so many other things to do. - [How Much Holiday Cheer Is Too Much In Your Advertising?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/holiday-marketing-tips/): As important as it is to lean into the holiday season, it’s just as important to temper it. But it’s not for the reasons you might expect. - [Web Design For Beginners: Vital Elements of a One-Page “Website”](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/vital-elements-of-a-one-page-website/): Website design was once the exclusive domain of coders and web aficionados. But as the rise of drag-and-drop website builders came about, it opened the - [5 Signs Your Business is in Danger of Failure](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-signs-failing-business/): Often, when a business fails, owners are surprised, but usually there are many clues leading up to a business closing. - [6 Mistakes Employers Make Around the Holidays](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-mistakes-employers-make-around-the-holidays/): Be diligent around the holidays, and your employees will be less likely to spend their days off looking for another job. - [Stealth Mode Social: What You Can Learn By Spying On Your Competitors on Social Media](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/spying-on-competitors-social-media/): Spying on your competitors on social media can provide an immense amount of information, giving you data beyond a simple number of who has more followers. - [Can You Ever Win Unsubscribed Prospects Back?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/can-you-ever-win-unsubscribed-prospects-back/): Before you start out on a manic quest to win back your unsubscribed prospects back, it helps to know what’s normal. - [B2B Small Business Marketing Automation Hacks Your Business Needs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-automation-hacks/): Whether you’re a marketing automation newbie or you’re looking for some serious growth hacking tips to skyrocket your small business, we've got you covered. - [7 Ways to Use Google’s Keyword Planner That You Haven’t Thought Of](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-keyword-planner/): No matter how you use Google Keyword Planner, its benefits can help marketers at organizations of all sizes get the most bang for their buck. - [5 Guaranteed Ways to Generate Leads with Social Media](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-guaranteed-ways-to-generate-leads-with-social-media/): With a solid social media lead strategy, you’ll tap into a highly effective pool of prospects that can change the face of your business forever. - [5 Ways to Show Your Team You’re Thankful](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/show-your-team-youre-thankful/): We all like being appreciated, and with a competitive job market, it’s more important than ever to let them know you care. - [Why Drip Campaigns are the Overlooked Timesaver Your Business Needs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/value-of-drip-campaigns/): Drip campaigns use targeted email lists and content that’s tailored to the needs or interests of contacts to send the right message at the right time. - [6 Common Grammatical Errors and Why They Make Your Business Look Unprofessional](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/common-grammatical-errors/): Although we think grammar flubs are forgivable in casual conversation, there’s no excuse for these six most common grammatical errors in the business world. - [5 Office Tasks That Should Be Automated](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/office-task-automation/): Streamlining workflows by automating routine, repetitive manual tasks can dramatically boost productivity and efficiency. - [Here are the 7 Best Marketing Software Alternatives to HubSpot](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-best-marketing-software-alternatives-to-hubspot/): Before committing to a long-term contract, here are a few marketing software alternatives to HubSpot to help you build a more effective marketing stack. - [This One Tool Will Change the Way You Design Forever](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/this-one-tool-will-change-the-way-you-design-forever/): If you’ve ever right-clicked a webpage, noticed “Inspect” at the bottom of the menu, and clicked, you’ve invariably had one of these three reactions... - [5 Ways to Figure Out What Your Audience Really Wants to Read](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/figure-out-what-your-audience-wants-to-read/): There’s not always a secret strategy for finding out what people want to read. Sometimes, all you have to do is ask. - [12 Google Apps Hacks That Will Make Your Life Easier](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-apps-hacks/): Google’s apps are better than just free software. And odds are you’re not taking advantage of them the way you should be. - [9 Ways to Use Video In Your Inbound Marketing Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-video/): Adding video to your inbound marketing strategy in fresh and inspiring ways will help improve your engagement as this medium continues to gain popularity. - [How to Effectively Capture Leads From Your Content](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/capture-leads-from-content/): When done well, your digital content can serve as a marketer that never sleeps, and a salesperson that never stops selling. - [5 Tools to Boost Your Company’s Efficiency](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tools-for-company-efficiency/): These tools should help you streamline your operations, optimize time and effort, and boost company efficiency to make your company successful. - [3 Steps to Stronger Employee Engagement](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/stronger-employee-engagement/): If you’re finding your own employees are disengaged to the point they may be driving business away, it’s time to take action. - [Must-Have Tricks for Increasing Conversion with Landing Page “Thank You” Pages](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/thank-you-pages/): There’s little on your site that can cement your relationship with your visitors like your Thank You pages. - [The Ultimate SEO Checklist For Your Website](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-checklist-for-your-website/): We’ve created the ultimate SEO checklist for your website to help you have a successful site audit and to make sure your site is getting the best results. - [Best Practices for Using Tags in Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-practices-marketing-automation-tags/): The truth is, like any part of your marketing, tagging should be planned, tested, and optimized to fit your business objectives. - [6 CRM Features Your Business Should Be Using But Probably Isn't](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-features-you-should-be-using/): If you’re using your CRM the same way you’d use an Excel spreadsheet, we have a message for you: you can do so much more! - [A Positive Strategy for Managing Disagreements in the Workplace](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/disagreements-in-the-workplace/): Workplace disagreements are par for the course. By knowing how to approach them, you’ll be able to manage emotions and facilitate healthy conversations. - [8 Marketing Automation Stats That Will Help You Get Company Buy-In](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-stats-to-get-company-buy-in/): There’s no doubt that your company can benefit from marketing automation if you haven’t yet integrated it. These stats will prove it. - [7 Tips For More Effective Website Chatbots](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/effective-website-chatbots/): When people visit your website, they don’t want to play games with your fun new toy. They want answers. Here are a few tips for more effective website chatbots. - [What's Included in an All-in-One CRM?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/all-in-one-crm/): Balancing functionality with price will help you pick the all-in-one CRM that will work best for your unique use case. - [4 Actionable Strategies to Spark Up Cold Leads](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/strategies-for-cold-leads/): While you should focus most of your efforts on hot leads that are more likely to convert, there’s still plenty of opportunity with the leads that have cooled. - [Are You Making These 5 Blogging Mistakes?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/blogging-mistakes/): By knowing which blogging mistakes to avoid and how to approach content properly, you’ll achieve consistent results, both in terms of traffic and leads. - [3 Reasons Your Emails Are Being Filtered to the Junk Folder](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/emails-junk-folder/): The benefits of knowing exactly how and why your emails ended up in the junk folder are fairly obvious, but the choice to execute these changes is up to you. - [7 Books to Read Before You Build Your Next Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/entrepreneurship-books/): Not sure what book you should read next? Here are some books that will help you get your next business off to a strong start. - [8 Tips for Being More Productive When You Work From Home](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/work-from-home-productivity/): It takes emotional strength to work from home, as well as diligent self-control and the ability to hold yourself accountable. - [Boost Productivity with These 5 Sales AI Tools](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-ai-tools/): Let’s dive into the different ways you can implement both automated and augmented sales AI solutions in your organization. - [The Ultimate Guide to Lead Scoring (In Marketing Automation)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guide-to-lead-scoring/): A properly calibrated CRM can make short work of the extra effort you put into figuring out when each lead is ready to become a customer - [6 Ways to Prepare Your Sales Team for a Productive Q4](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/prepare-sales-team-q4/): There are ways to push through the holiday-season slog and keep your Q4 energized, positive and winnable for your sales team. - [Why You Should Invest in Design (and How to Fund It)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/invest-in-design/): Investing in design may not be at the top of your list, but it should be. Branding can make a world of difference in attracting new customers. - [8 Tips for the Ultimate Instagram Ad — And How to Measure the Results](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-instagram-ads/): There’s no single recipe for the ultimate Instagram ad, but like most successful products and art, you’ll know it when you see it. - [The 7 Best Blogs On Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-marketing-automation-blogs/): If you’re left scratching your head about where to begin with automation, you’re not alone! Here are the 7 best marketing automation blogs on the internet. - [Your Three-Step Approach to Account-Based Marketing Success](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/your-three-step-approach-to-account-based-marketing-success/): B2B marketers are embracing ABM, in part because they're dissatisfied with their current lead gen efforts. But ABM success relies on a careful approach. - [The Pros and Cons of Social Media Contests](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-social-media-contests/): Social media contests can be beneficial in gaining new followers and sales, but it’s important to execute the contest correctly. - [The 6 Best Infographic Tools for Non-Designers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-infographic-tools/): If your budget is limited, creating a compelling infographic may seem outside your comfort zone. Here are the best infographic tools for entrepreneurs. - [How to Recover from Negative Reviews](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/recover-from-negative-reviews/): Negative reviews are never fun, but they’re par for the course in business. If you approach them correctly, you can end up with positive results. - [Content and Lead Generation: The True Story](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-lead-generation/): Using content to generate leads takes more than publishing content and praying for contacts. - [Everything You Need to Know About Google's Custom Intent Audiences](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-custom-intent-audiences/): Google’s Custom Intent Audiences bring a whole new level of granularity to your targeting. - [5 Customer Retention Strategies that Really Work](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-retention-strategies/): With the value of an existing customer far greater than that of a new one, it’s clear that customer retention strategies must be a priority for businesses. - [9 Tools for Better Market Research](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-tools-for-better-market-research/): With the growing demand for personalization, it’s never been more important to leverage market research in your marketing efforts. - [11 Tips and Examples for Bringing New Life to Your Newsletter Emails](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/better-newsletter-emails/): Nobody wants their newsletter emails to be a snoozefest. Use these tips to revitalize your emails and get better results. - [The Complete Guide to UTM Parameters](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guide-to-utm-parameters/): By the end of this post, you’ll be able to start using UTMs in your marketing campaigns to zoom in on what’s working in your marketing and what’s not. - [22 Best WordPress Plugins For Marketers (And They're Free!)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-wordpress-marketing-plugins/): We’ve vetted the plethora of WordPress marketing plugins out there and condensed them into a handy list of the top free ones for 2018. - [4 Reasons You Should Invest in Employee Learning](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-learning/): Employee learning can be expensive, but it pays off in the long run. You’ll cultivate smarter, more efficient employees and create a better work culture. - [5 Ways to Be a Better Listener](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/better-listening-skills/): One of the most powerful tools for influencing others is to say less and listen more. Here’s how to be a better listener. - [8 Signs Your Brand Is Outdated](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/outdated-brand/): Before you make the leap, it’s important to consider whether your brand is truly outdated, or if it just needs a refresh. - [6 Tips For Making the Most of Your CRM in Your Marketing Efforts](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-marketing/): Your CRM is a marketing goldmine of information that can teach you how to better serve your current and future customers. - [9 Ways to Deliver More Effective Feedback As A Leader](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/deliver-effective-feedback/): Effective feedback paves the way for more open lines of communication and can solve issues that might otherwise become massive problems for your company. - [How to Tie Google Analytics into Your PPC Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tie-google-analytics-into-ppc-strategy/): With the wealth of features Google Analytics provides, it’s easy to overlook what’s really important for your PPC strategy. - [12 Podcasts That Will Make Your Commute More Productive](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/podcasts-for-productivity/): Listening to a podcast is a hands-free approach to travel even in the most crowded of circumstances. - [How the GDPR Makes ABM a Great Marketing Option](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/gdpr-account-based-marketing/): One thing’s for sure: the GDPR is not a bad thing. It made lazy marketing a little harder, and more rewarding efforts start to look more promising. - [9 Essential Sales Tools For Solopreneurs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-tools-for-solopreneurs/): We’ve researched a variety of sales tools for solopreneurs to give you a solid list of options for streamlining your sales process and closing more deals. - [The Power of Automation to Supercharge Your Marketing Efforts](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/automation-supercharge-marketing/): The bottom line: if you aren’t using automation yet to supercharge your marketing efforts, you risk falling behind savvier competitors. - [7 Tips to Create a CTA That Really Converts](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cta-tips/): These seven tips should help you craft compelling CTAs that are more likely to convince and convert your target audience on a consistent basis. - [10 Tips for a Perfect Retargeting Campaign](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/retargeting/): Retargeting might be one thing you can do right now to get incredible results. Here are our top 10 tips for crushing it with your next remarketing campaign. - [The Value of a CRM & Automation in Account-Based Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-account-based-marketing/): A CRM helps you identify the ideal customers for account-based marketing while marketing automation tools helps you execute an ABM strategy efficiently. - [The Differences Between Proactive and Pushy Emails](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-etiquette/): Walking the line between proactive and pushy in your email marketing can feel like walking a tightrope blindfolded. - [6 Creative Employee Incentives From Thriving Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-employee-incentives/): Once your organization has found the right talent for your team, how do you keep them? While all businesses these days offer the standard holiday pay, - [The Ultimate Guide to Writing Killer Headlines](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/writing-headlines/): What’s the secret to writing eye-catching headlines? There’s no magic formula, but there are certain tried-and-true tricks of the trade. - [Show Me The Money: How To Measure Content Marketing ROI](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-roi/): Measuring content marketing ROI lets you easily see how much your brand earns in comparison to how much it spends on content marketing. - [The Top 7 Must-Have B2B Sales and Marketing Tools for Entrepreneurs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/b2b-sales-and-marketing-tools/): These are the best B2B sales and marketing tools to align your teams, show off a professional front and keep things under financial control. - [5 B2B Lead Generation Hacks You Can Use This Summer](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lead-generation-hacks/): These lead generation hacks are straightforward enough that even the most unmotivated marketers can see ROI without having to put forth a ton of effort. - [What is Multi-Channel Attribution and Why is It So Important?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/multi-channel-attribution/): If you want to spend money wisely – and make it efficiently – establishing a unique and comprehensive multi-channel attribution model is a critical step. - [9 Non-Newsletter Emails to Keep Your Subscribers Guessing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/non-newsletter-emails/): BenchmarkONE's Jonathan Herrick looks at nine non-newsletter emails you should consider sending to your database to keep your subscribers engaged and ensure your brand remains in the forefront. - [What is Growth Marketing?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/growth-marketing/): Growth marketing is about more than just raising awareness of your brand. It’s about converting and retaining customers. - [5 Marketing Automation Hacks Every Salesperson Should Be Using](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-marketing-automation-hacks-for-salespeople/): Though it’s not a cure-all, marketing automation certainly plays an essential role in the sales processes of today’s most savvy businesses. - [6 Bullet-Proof Tips For Email Drip Campaigns that Convert](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-drip-campaigns/): Email drip campaigns are a marketer’s dream: they’re automated, perfectly tailored to a specific audience, and tend to have far greater ROI than - [5 Must-Read Graphic Design Tips for Non-Designers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/graphic-design-tips/): With a handy program and just a little graphic design know-how, you’ll be creating impressive visuals for your brand or business in no time. - [Want Your Own Chatbot? Don't Move Forward Without Taking These 3 Steps](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/entrepreneur-want-your-own-chatbot/): The buzz died down, but chatbots are still an amazing tool. - [5 Strategies for Onboarding Your New Employees Like a Pro](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-onboarding-new-employees-like-a-pro/): If your onboarding process leaves much to be desired, here are a few tips to help turn things around. - [4 Psychology-Backed Strategies for Dealing with Difficult Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-psychology-backed-strategies-dealing-with-difficult-customers/): There’s no magic formula for appeasing difficult customers and resolving all issues, but these tips can improve the chances of a positive outcome. - [5 Tips For More-Personalized, Less Batch and Blast Emails](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-for-more-personalized-less-batch-and-blast-emails/): Still using batch and blast emails? While this “spray and pray” approach may seem like a massive time-saver upfront, you’re really losing in the long term. - [8 Reasons Every Entrepreneur Should Follow The One-Minute Rule](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-reasons-every-entrepreneur-should-follow-the-one-minute-rule/): It’s incredible to see that just by introducing one tiny habit into your life, you can make immense changes. - [The Top 10 Most Affordable Video Marketing Tools of 2018](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-10-most-affordable-video-marketing-tools-of-2018/): How can you stay in the video game without breaking the bank on video marketing tools and apps? These ten budget-friendly tools are designed for just that. - [5 Tips for Livening Up Your Company Culture](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-livening-up-company-culture/): No matter what type of time and resources you have, it's not difficult to cultivate superb company culture. Here are five tips for doing just that. - [6 Tips for Using Video in Your Email Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-tips-for-using-video-in-your-email-marketing/): Create great video and email content, employ these six tips, and you’re sure to stay ahead of your competitors. - [Get Personal Content with These 12 Target Market KPIs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/get-personal-content-12-target-market-kpis/): It’s no secret that in today’s ever-changing market, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are more important than ever. KPIs are essential to every business - [How to Create a Referral Program for Your B2B Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-create-a-referral-program-for-your-b2b-business/): There’s an incredible domino effect with referral programs, and all it takes is a bit of honesty and directness from you to stoke the fire of word-of-mouth networking. - [Is Your Marketing Stack Helping or Hurting You?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-your-marketing-stack-helping-hurting-you/): By the end, you can reorganize your marketing stack – maybe even combine certain elements – to create a smoother, more efficient stack that makes your life and work easier. - [6 Signs You Have a Great PPC Manager (And How to Gauge Their Results)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-signs-you-have-a-great-ppc-manager-and-how-to-gauge-their-results/): In the end, your PPC manager should be an extension of your marketing team, passionate about helping your team to achieve its business goals. - [The Value of Work-From-Home Days For Your Employees](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-value-of-work-from-home-days-for-your-employees/): Once you have the right systems in place, work-from-home days can become a compelling option for your organization on many levels. - [48 Ways to Automate Your Workflow with BenchmarkONE and Zapier](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/automate-your-workflow/): With so much on your plate, every second counts. That's why we love the simple task automation tool, Zapier. With Zapier, you can easily automate pesky, - [3 Misconceptions About Account-Based Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/account-based-marketing-benefits/): Account-based marketing isn't just about sales, but rather the integration of sales and marketing. - [The Value of Marketing Automation in Account-Based Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-value-of-marketing-automation-in-account-based-marketing/): Here are a few ways marketing automation can improve your ABM game, and let you discover a whole new world of value. - [How to Use Automation to Fortify Your Account-Based Marketing Efforts](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/use-automation-fortify-account-based-marketing-efforts/): Without automation, ABM becomes a scattered process of spray and pray. Marketing automation allows your team to provide personalized, immediate outreach with valuable content. - [5 Ways To Optimize Your Website From The Ground Up](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-optimize-website-from-ground-up/): This isn’t 2001, friends. It’s not enough just to make a website. You’ve got to make that website work. - [6 Time Management Tips to Skyrocket Your Productivity](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-time-management-tips-skyrocket-productivity/): These time management tips should help you master your daily schedule, maximize productivity and bring your business to the next level. - [New Ways To Integrate Hatchbuck With Other Apps You Love](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-zapier-api-integration/): It’s an exciting day in Hatchbuckland. We’ve listened to your feedback and have been hard at work making updates to our previously inbound-only API. Today - [The Beginner's Guide to Facebook Analytics](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/beginner-guide-facebook-analytics/): Facebook offers data through three sectors: Page Insights, Audience Insights and Ads Manager. All three are important to understand, but not all three are equally important. - [5 Steps to Building a Collaborative Virtual Team](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-steps-building-collaborative-virtual-team/): A virtual team has the potential to add tremendous value to your company. Of course, as with anything, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do things. - [14 Best Landing Page Builders for 2020](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/14-best-landing-page-builders/): Just about anyone can get traffic to their website these days. But turning that traffic into paying customers? That’s a whole different game, and that - [6 Ways to Foster a Culture of Autonomy In Your Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-ways-foster-culture-of-autonomy/): A culture of autonomy is a must for modern businesses. Employees need to feel respected and trusted to do their work to the best of their ability. - [5 Reasons to Ditch the Spreadsheets and Switch to a CRM](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-reasons-to-ditch-the-spreadsheets-and-switch-to-a-crm/): Using a CRM, you can access whatever data you need, knowing it’s up-to-date and accurate, to effectively forecast, plan and strategize for your company’s future. - [The Future of Marketing Is Video: Here’s How to Get Started](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/video-marketing-future-get-started/): You may already have some of the tools you need to get started with video marketing for your business. - [5 Weekend Activities That Will Make You A Better Leader](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-weekend-activities-that-will-make-you-a-better-leader/): Even when you’re far from the office, how you spend your time can have a tremendous influence on your growth as a leader. - [6 Easy Ways to Get Your Google Ads Rejected](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-easy-ways-get-google-ads-rejected/): We’ve compiled six easy ways to get your Google ads rejected, so you know what not to do when preparing your campaign. - [6 Ways to Incentivize Your Customers To Refer You](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-ways-incentivize-customer-referrals/): The trick with referrals is to get in the habit of asking. The more people you ask, the more chance of word getting out about your business. - [How Does Website Structure Impact Your Content Marketing Efforts?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-does-website-structure-impact-content-marketing/): To improve the results of your content marketing efforts, you have to ensure that the visitors you bring to your website always get a nice reception and have all pertinent information at their fingertips. - [5 Signs Your Marketing Isn’t Connecting With Your Audience](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-signs-marketing-not-connecting-with-audience/): Connecting with your target audience through marketing is part art and part science, but you can’t have one without the other. - [5 Email Marketing Mistakes to Avoid Like the Plague](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-email-marketing-mistakes-avoid-like-plague/): With a solid email marketing strategy, businesses can nurture leads to conversion and stay top-of-mind with existing customers. But what makes a great email marketing strategy? - [How Marketing Automation Can Increase and Benefits Sales](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-marketing-automation-increase-sales/): Marketing automation is an excellent tool for your marketing team, but it can also be highly beneficial for your sales department as well. - [33 Quotes to Reignite Your Marketing Spark](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/33-quotes-to-reignite-your-marketing-spark/): You’ve been slogging through your blog posts, trudging through your advertising analytics, and basically running social media on autopilot. In other - [5 Steps to Outstanding Leadership](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-steps-outstanding-leadership/): For many business owners, leadership isn’t something that comes naturally, but it’s essential if you are to drive your company forward. - [The Benefits and Pitfalls of Earned, Owned and Paid Website Traffic](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-benefits-and-pitfalls-of-earned-owned-and-paid-website-traffic/): These types of website traffic rely on one another, and you can create campaigns that integrate all three elements to promote your brand. But when taken in isolation, they each present clear pros and cons. - [Agency Overload: 5 Tips for Differentiating Your Marketing Agency From the Pack](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-differentiating-marketing-agency-from-pack/): As a marketer, you know how important differentiation is to your business. So how do you differentiate your marketing agency in a seemingly saturated industry? - [8 Elements of a Stellar Blog Post](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-elements-of-a-stellar-blog-post/): Keep it simple, keep it informative, and your readers will keep coming back to your blog for more. - [Are Company Retreats Right for Your Business?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/are-company-retreats-right-for-your-business/): Just as you evaluate the cost-benefit equation with other investments you make in your team, it’s important to do so with company retreats. - [How To Break Through Three Top Obstacles To Getting to $1 Million](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-break-through-three-top-obstacles-to-getting-to-1-million/): By giving yourself time to recharge, you’ll be surprised at how much better your decisions are—and how much more quickly your business grows. - [Should You Buy Social Media Followers for Your B2B Business?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/should-you-buy-social-media-followers-for-your-b2b-business/): The notion of buying social media followers for your business seems too taboo to even put in writing. - [5 Ways to Rebound from a Missed Sales Opportunity](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-to-rebound-from-a-missed-sales-opportunity/): Let’s take a look at five tips that will help you bounce back after experiencing a tough sales loss. - [3 Pitfalls of AI Technology No One Is Talking About](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/pitfalls-of-ai-technology-no-one-talking-about/): AI is here to stay, and it can be immensely helpful across a range of industries. It also has a number of potential pitfalls. - [9 Signs Your Customer Service Needs a Reboot](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-signs-customer-service-needs-reboot/): If you’re not looking at your customer service data, you’re missing a critical part of modern business – one that can say more about your company than just your front-facing employees. - [What Is the Difference Between Leads and Prospects?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-leads-and-prospects/): In your sales and marketing, leads and prospects are two different categories of people -- who require two different types of communication. - [4 CRM Hacks Every Entrepreneur Should Be Using](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-hacks-every-entrepreneur-should-be-using/): These CRM hacks will help any entrepreneur improve customer service. - [Is Your Business Prepared for GDPR?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-your-business-prepared-for-gdpr/): In case you haven’t heard, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the first significant change in data privacy requirements in over 20 years -- - [12 B.S. PPC Metrics That Are A Complete Waste Of Time (And What To Measure Instead)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/12-ppc-metrics-that-are-a-complete-waste-of-time-and-what-to-measure-instead/): It’s easy to get bogged down by the weight of 1,000 PPC metrics. Here's why you shouldn't. - [4 Emerging Technologies B2B Entrepreneurs Should Know About](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-emerging-technologies-b2b-entrepreneurs-should-know-about/): While B2B entrepreneurs have always geeked out about new ventures, today’s entrepreneurs get to geek out about both new ventures and mind-blowing - [Is Your Blog Making You Money Or Wasting Your Time?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-your-blog-making-you-money-or-wasting-your-time/): For those businesses with a limited marketing budget or lack of direction, blogging can sometimes feel like a shot in the dark. - [How to Use Pivot Tables To Gain Insights From Your Marketing Data](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/use-pivot-tables-gain-insights-marketing-data/): How can pivot tables give you insight into your business? There are a myriad of ways, but it depends on the type of information you’re working with. - [The Startup Playbook for Account-Based Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/playbook-account-based-marketing/): If you’re ready to take the leap into account based marketing, here are some tips to create the best strategy to boost engagement and, ultimately, sales for your startup. - [Even Cold Emails Can Warm Up Your Audience](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/even-cold-emails-can-warm-up-your-audience/): If you arouse curiosity with your subject line, hook them with your intro and use a bit of humor in your copy, you can warm your audience up and boost your cold emails. - [4 Ways Founders Can Go Back To School Without Spending an Arm and a Leg](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-ways-founders-can-go-back-to-school-without-spending-an-arm-and-a-leg/): Do you ever wish you could go back to school, now that you really know you need to understand to run your business successfully? Many entrepreneurs do. - [5 Ways To Generate B2B Leads With LinkedIn](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-to-generate-b2b-leads-with-linkedin/): LinkedIn can be an effective way to capture B2B leads for your business without having to spend an arm and a leg. Find out how. - [5 Tips For Fine Tuning Your Marketing Agency's Offerings This Year](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-for-fine-tuning-your-marketing-agencys-offerings-this-year/): Dedicate some time this year to analyzing, ideating, and refining your existing offerings to position your marketing agency for success in 2018. - [The One Word That Will Change The Way You Lead](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-one-word-that-will-change-the-way-you-lead-love/): When others around you “feel the love,” you’ll create positive energy around your business—and that’ll fuel its growth in surprising ways. - [6 Ways to Save on Marketing Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-ways-to-save-on-marketing-your-small-business/): A guest post by Meredith Wood, Editor in Chief at Fundera. Major corporations spend a lot of money on marketing. From seven-figure advertising budgets to - [The Power of Email + Emojis = ❤️ & ?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-power-of-email-and-emojis/): In an inbox bursting with email, emojis can help your subject line stand out from the crowd. - [Are Facebook Groups Beneficial or a Waste of Time for Your B2B Business?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/are-facebook-groups-beneficial-or-a-waste-of-time-for-your-b2b-business/): Marketing yourself successfully in Facebook groups is every bit as artful as relationship-building in real life. if you’re ready to take the leap, here’s how to get the most out of Facebook group marketing. - [How To Create Animated Display Ads With Adobe Creative Cloud](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-create-an-animated-display-ad-with-adobe-creative-cloud/): Animated display ads are an effective, attention-grabbing new trend in online marketing. With the right animation, your brand can attract more eyes and drive more leads. - [5 Must-Have Lead Generation Tools For Your Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-must-have-lead-gen-tools-for-your-business/): Don’t let lead generation sit on the backburner. It’s extremely important for your business’s bottom line, and these tools will help you get on track, - [3 Ways to Be a Better Leader While Also Being a Boss](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-ways-be-better-leader-while-also-being-a-boss/): If you’re caught up in letting your employees know that you are the boss day in and day out, it will be hard to work effectively with your team. - [2 Solutions for Employee-Related CRM Data Leaks](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/2-solutions-for-employee-related-crm-data-leaks/): When appropriately utilized, CRM data can help your salespeople realize streamlined, transparent habits that lead to real revenue growth. - [Is An Agile Marketing Process Right For Your Team?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-an-agile-marketing-process-right-for-your-team/): An agile marketing process is a terrific option for teams that want to be adaptable, innovative, and data-driven while successfully knocking out projects in an abbreviated timeframe. - [6 Simple Ways to Eliminate Meetings (And Replace them Effectively)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-simple-ways-to-eliminate-meetings-and-replace-them-effectively/): We falsely believe that meetings are a necessary evil – something we have to put up with because that’s the way things are done and have always been done. - [The Top-Secret Sales and Marketing Playbook that Grew BenchmarkONE by 2000%](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-marketing-playbook-that-grew-hatchbuck/): We’re peeling back the curtain to show you how we’ve grown exponentially using our own all-in-one CRM and marketing software - BenchmarkONE. - [Do You Need The Right Personality To Create a Million-Dollar, One-Person Business?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/do-you-need-right-personality-create-million-dollar-business/): There is no “million-dollar personality” that entrepreneurs have and others lack. But there are a variety of other common factors that make them successful. - [5 Wellness Tips That Will Make You a Better Entrepreneur](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-wellness-tips-that-will-make-you-a-better-entrepreneur/): Pushing yourself to the limits of your energy all of the time will lead to burn out, mentally, emotionally and physically. Use these wellness tips to prevent that. - [Online Advertising: When to Hedge Your Bets and When to Double Down](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/online-advertising-when-to-hedge-your-bets-and-when-to-double-down/): It’s tremendously easy to launch an online campaign nowadays, but nowhere near as easy to determine how to allocate and manage your advertising budget. - [Crafting Your Brand? Here Are 3 Things You Haven’t Thought About](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crafting-brand-3-things-havent-thought/): Everyone’s talking about branding for a good reason: Your brand is the identity of your company. It’s what sets you apart from your competitors. - [Is a Podcast Right for Your B2B Business?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-podcast-right-for-b2b-business/): If you’re looking for an innovative way to connect with your audience, it may be time to give a podcast a shot. - [Signs Your Business Desperately Needs a CRM](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-signs-business-needs-crm/): If you’re still using spreadsheets, folders crammed with paper records or saved emails to keep track of your customer interactions, you need a CRM. - [How to Set Up a Facebook Pixel and Effective Ad Conversions](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-set-up-facebook-pixel-ad-conversions/): If you’ve ever wanted to be a fly on the wall while your customers are visiting your website, the Facebook pixel is your ticket. - [5 Time-Saving Features of Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-time-saving-features-of-marketing-automation/): Feel like there isn’t enough time each day to follow-up with your contacts and generate new leads at the same time? It’s time you considered marketing - [How Being Generous Can Get You to $1 Million in Revenue](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-being-generous-can-get-you-to-1-million-in-revenue/): Even if you’re not Bill Gates, you can have a real impact with your charitable donations. - [4 Key Steps for Managing Business Owner Burnout](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/key-steps-managing-business-owner-burnout/): Whatever the reason, business owner burnout can lead to everything from physical and emotional exhaustion to depression and detachment to stress, anxiety, lack of sleep and more. - [3 Tips for Choosing the Right Office Space](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-choosing-right-office-space/): Whether you rent or buy your office space, choosing it is a big commitment. Fortunately, many communities offer plenty of great options. - [6 Elements of an Effective Ebook](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-elements-of-an-effective-ebook/): The internet is full of tips, tricks, and strategies for writing an ebook. But what’s the point in completing an ebook if it isn't any good? How can you - [5 Easy Ways Entrepreneurs Can Reduce Stress and Recharge Daily](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/easy-ways-entrepreneurs-can-reduce-stress-and-recharge-daily/): Give yourself a much-needed boost with these simple activities that will charge your internal battery and reduce stress every day. - [The Art Of The Non-Pitch: Why You Should Never Ask For Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-art-of-the-non-pitch-why-you-should-never-ask-for-business/): Modern sales aren’t just about cunning and a smile (though there is some of that), but also about nurturing your customers into understanding why your product is a good fit for them. - [Intro to PPC, Part 3: Measuring the ROI of PPC](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/intro-to-ppc-part-3-measuring-the-roi-of-ppc/): This is the final part of Hatchbuck’s introduction to PPC series. Be sure to read parts one and two first. You’ve got your keywords set, your landing - [The Productivity-Sucking Tasks That Founders Should Be Outsourcing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/productivity-sucking-tasks-founders-should-be-outsourcing/): If you’re wondering what projects and tasks you should let go of, here are the top 6 productivity-sucking tasks that you need to outsource today. - [6 Reasons Your Business Needs to Invest in Content Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-reasons-your-business-needs-to-invest-in-content-marketing/): B2B decision makers don't rely on emotions and showy ads to make purchases. They look for info in the form of case studies, white papers, and ebooks to - [Getting Personal: 3 Steps to Personalizing Your Automated Email Campaigns](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/getting-personal-3-steps-to-personalizing-your-automated-email-campaigns/): The following steps will help you design and implement an automated, personalized email strategy that resonates with prospects. - [Tuning in or Tuning Out? How to Make March Madness a Win with Employees](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tuning-in-or-tuning-out-how-to-make-march-madness-a-win-with-employees/): A guest blog from Kim Harris of TSheets by QuickBooks. The first NCAA-sponsored men’s basketball championship took place in 1939, back when the - [Introduction to PPC, Part 2: Converting Leads with Landing Pages](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ppc-converting-leads-with-landing-pages/): Once you drive new leads to your site from PPC advertising, you have to be able to convert them. That's where landing pages come in - [Are Chatbots Right For Your Business?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-to-decide-if-chatbots-are-right-for-your-business/): By using these five tips to decide if a chatbot is right for you, your business will be in better position to take advantage of the power of online conversations. - [5 Ways to Tweak Your Facebook Strategy for the News Feed Changes](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-tweak-facebook-strategy-for-news-feed-changes/): The world’s most famous social network is getting personal. Facebook announced early this year that it would change its algorithm to prioritize posts from friends and family. - [Is Blogging Still a Good B2B Inbound Marketing Strategy?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-blogging-still-a-good-b2b-inbound-marketing-strategy/): Is blogging still a good strategy for your business? As with most inbound marketing questions, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. - [5 Tips for Building a Flexible Workforce](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-building-flexible-workforce/): The advantage of a flexible workforce is you don’t have the responsibility that comes with adding full-time, permanent employees to payroll. - [The Robots are Coming: Top Tech Trends to Watch for in 2018](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/robots-coming-top-tech-trends-2018/): We are entering an unprecedented era blending human with tech and crafting tech to become more human-like. Here are the top tech trends to watch for in 2018. - [How to Not Waste Money: An Introduction to PPC Advertising](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/introduction-to-ppc-advertising/): PPC advertising is a strategic endeavor that can yield big results over time, but only once you’ve mastered the craft. Here are a few pointers to get you started. - [How To Make Sure Your Content Stays Compelling](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/make-sure-content-stays-compelling/): Your content strategy requires maintenance to ensure it doesn’t grow dull. Keep these tips in mind to keep your content readership alive. - [SCORE: How to Create More Effective Email Sign-Offs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-create-more-effective-email-sign-offs/): When signing off an email, first and foremost, be relatable. If your emails are detached and disinterested, what will you be like as a partner or vendor? - [What is ABM? An Introduction to Account-Based Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/introduction-account-based-marketing/): With better access to data and insights and the ever-increasing need for personalization among consumers, account-based marketing is becoming super effective. - [Hatchbuck Recognized as a 2018 Top Rated Marketing Automation Software by TrustRadius](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-recognized-2018-top-rated-marketing-automation-software-trustradius/): Reviewers have spoken, and TrustRadius has awarded Hatchbuck as a 2018 Top Rated Marketing Automation Software by TrustRadius The TrustRadius Top Rated - [Five Questions to Ask Customers Before You Onboard Them](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/five-questions-to-ask-customers-before-you-onboard-them/): It’s possible to build a customer base made up of gems if you ask prospects the right qualifying questions before you onboard them. Here’s what to ask. - [4 Ways to Create More Meaningful Connections on Social Media](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-ways-meaningful-connections-social-media/): Here are four simple things you can start doing today that will help you make more meaningful connections via your social channels. - [5 Simple Ways to Incorporate Video into Your Marketing Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-simple-ways-incorporate-video-marketing-strategy/): If you want to reach your audience and connect with them in a meaningful way, you need to start investing in video content. - [4 Tips for Promoting Positive Work Culture in a Small Office](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-tips-promoting-positive-work-culture-small-office/): As a small business leader, you’re uniquely positioned to create a positive work culture. We’ve put together four of the simplest ways to build and maintain a healthy, happy company culture. - [3 Memorable Networking Introductions to Stand Out From the Crowd](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-memorable-networking-introductions-stand-crowd/): Being prepared with some memorable networking approaches can help you build confidence and make the connections you need to grow your business. - [5 Reasons Sales Automation Is So Important for Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-reasons-sales-automation-important-small-business/): As a business owner or sales manager, your job is to ensure salespeople are using their time doing what they do best: generating sales. - [5 Ways to Make Your Digital Marketing More Mobile-Friendly](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-to-make-your-digital-marketing-more-mobile-friendly/): If your digital marketing efforts haven’t yet adapted to our increasingly mobile world, you are undoubtedly missing out on revenue as a result. - [How to Minimize the Cost of Customer Acquisition](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-minimize-the-cost-of-customer-acquisition/): In order to accelerate growth, you need to hit that gold balance of keeping expenses low while increasing revenue. Here are a few ways you can impact expenses by cutting your customer acquisition costs. - [Integration Spotlight: Hatchbuck + Unbounce](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/integration-spotlight-hatchbuck-unbounce/): Unbounce is an easy-to-use landing page builder and conversion tool that integrates easily with other tools (like BenchmarkONE) through Zapier. - [How Solo Entrepreneurs Are Using Their CRM To Break $1 Million in Revenue](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/solo-entrepreneurs-using-crm-break-one-million-revenue/): Instead of always having to rely on pay-per-click or other types of advertising, solo entrepreneurs can reach out directly to followers through an email list or CRM. - [Become a Better Leader in Four Simple Steps](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/become-a-better-leader-in-four-simple-steps/): The more you can keep improving at motivating and inspiring others to do their best work, the more of an edge you’ll have in today’s business environment. - [5 Marketing Tasks You Should Absolutely Be Automating](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-marketing-tasks-automating/): Marketing automation can save you an enormous amount of time, especially if you’re a small business owner who needs to put as many things on autopilot as possible. - [The Most Important PPC Trends to Be Aware of in 2018](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ppc-trends-2018/): The pay-per-click industry saw lots of serious changes in 2017, and experts are forecasting more in 2018. What areas should you keep aware of? The - [5 Productivity Hacks To Help You Actually Finish Your To-Do List](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-productivity-hacks-help-actually-finish-list/): These five productivity hacks will help your confidence grow and actually enable you to finish all the items on your to-do list without undue stress or anxiety. - [5 Small Business Goals to Make 2018 More Profitable](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-goals-make-2018-profitable/): Setting smart small business goals and honing in on them will improve your odds of accomplishing what you set out to do in 2018 and beyond. - [The Most Common SEO Mistakes of 2017](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/common-seo-mistakes-2017/): As we make our way through 2018, it’s time for a refresher course in the best SEO practices—and the worst mistakes from 2017. - [4 Best Sales Voicemails for Closing a Deal](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-best-sales-voicemails-closing-deal/): Smart salespeople use voicemail to their advantage by using them to strategically hook prospects and plant the seeds for a future conversation. - [5 Reasons Your Agency Clients Need a CRM](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/reasons-agency-clients-need-crm/): A CRM is designed to help your clients manage and conquer business challenges. Not sold on it? Here are four reasons why your agency clients need one now. - [10 Indispensable Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-indispensable-traits-of-successful-entrepreneurs/): If you’re considering stepping into the startup world, think about what the most successful entrepreneurs do and follow suit. - [5 Inbound Marketing Buzzwords You Need to Stop Using](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-buzzwords-stop-using/): It’s not just our internationally collective overdose of content that’s the problem. It’s a lot of buzzwords. The marketing universe is filled with them. - [7 Simple Ways To Boost Your Confidence Before A Presentation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/simple-ways-boost-confidence-before-presentation/): Public speaking nerves can range from a few butterflies to an all-out panic attack, but there are ways you can boost your confidence before a presentation. - [9 Ways to Demonstrate Employee Appreciation Without Spending a Dime](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/demonstrate-employee-appreciation-without-spending-money/): You know what they say: You can’t buy loyalty. You can buy an employee’s time, physical presence, and limited obedience, but you have to earn loyalty as - [5 Time-Saving CRM Hacks Every Sales Manager Should Know About](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-time-saving-crm-hacks-every-sales-manager-know/): The beauty of a CRM system is that it’s designed to help make the job of managing a sales team easy and efficient. These CRM hacks will help you make the most of what little time you have. - [How to Get More Followers on Instagram](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/get-more-followers-instagram/): Unless you’re famous, gaining a decent following on Instagram can be challenging. It takes time and consistent effort to build that following. - [7 Simple Steps to Identify an Ideal Partner for Your Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-ways-identify-ideal-business-partner/): Every business is looking for new ways to grow sales and reach more customers.However, finding ways to identify an ideal business partner can be a struggle. - [7 Creative Ways to Grow Your Email List](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-ways-grow-email-list/): With the right tools and approach, growing your email list doesn’t have to be a burden anymore. Let’s take a look at seven creative ways to get more subscribers and start generating more valuable leads. - [6 Signs It’s Time To Quit Your Job](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-signs-time-quit-job/): Leaving your job isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly. There are financial responsibilities, familial obligations, and fear of the unknown that - [3 Ways To Max Out Revenues In A Service Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/max-out-revenues-service-business/): There are several ways that owners of service businesses can scale their revenues without simply multiplying the hours they work. - [The Essential Elements of a Brand Style Guide](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/elements-brand-style-guide/): A brand style guide keeps everyone inside and outside of your organization informed about what your brand means and what it looks like. - [How to Run a B2B Influencer Marketing Campaign with a Small Team](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-run-a-b2b-influencer-marketing-campaign-with-a-small-team/): Just like with any marketing initiative, the first step to launching a successful B2B influencer campaign is defining what you want to achieve. - [5 Simple Tips For Flawless Customer Retention](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-flawless-customer-retention/): There is one golden rule of sales: selling to returning customers is a heck of a lot easier than selling to new ones. Returning customers, by definition, - [Hatchbuck Now Integrates With 1,000 Other Products](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-zapier-1000-integrations/): BenchmarkONE now connects to 1,000 other web tools, thanks to our Zapier integration. - [5 Elements of a Strong Company Culture That You May Be Overlooking](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-elements-strong-company-culture-may-overlooking/): If you ticked off something about the relaxed dress code, team bowling nights and a flexible work schedule, that’s a start. But company culture goes way beyond Casual Friday. - [A Complete Guide to Sharing Content](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/complete-guide-sharing-content/): You may have written content specifically to be shared, and may be testing different content strategies, but the fundamental building block to all that is understanding how sharing works across all platforms. - [7 Common Mistakes That Are Destroying Your PPC Ad Conversion](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/common-mistakes-destryoing-ppc-ad-conversion/): Take a step back, reassess your approach and move forward more strategically keeping the this advice in mind. Over time, you'll begin to see your PPC ad conversion results take a turn for the better. - [The Top 5 Things Millennials Want in the Workplace](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-5-things-millennials-want-workplace/): Love it or hate it, millennials are the future, and they’re the pool from which companies need to select the bright young minds with the latest, in-demand skills. - [7 Q1 Initiatives Your Marketing Agency Can Use To Attract New Business Year Round](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-q1-initiatives-marketing-agency-can-use-attract-new-business/): Want to rev up your revenue in 2018? Here’s what your marketing agency can do to achieve big time results in Q1. - [The Importance of Analyzing Competitor PPC Strategies](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/importance-analyzing-competitors-ppc-strategies/): Find the patterns, observe competitors' mistakes, and adopt their good ideas. All this information can help you to create your own PPC campaign and save your own time and money. - [A Small Business Owner’s Guide to New Year’s Resolutions](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-owners-guide-new-years-resolutions/): Focusing on making high-level New Year's resolutions that will truly help your business thrive, rather than to-dos like cleaning out your email inbox, can make a real difference in a period of uncertainty. - [6 Reasons Your Small Business Must Utilize Email Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-reasons-small-business-must-utilize-email-marketing/): We’re programmed to do something with an email. If you’re not already using email marketing as part of your marketing mix -- it’s time get started. - [10 Characteristics of Steadfast Leaders](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/characteristics-steadfast-leaders/): While leaders can be exceptionally different when compared at face value, there are a number of similar traits which dynamic leaders have in common. - [6 Tips for Creating an Airtight Privacy Policy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-creating-airtight-privacy-policy/): Laws affecting online business owners differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but one thing is abundantly clear: Everyone with a website who’s collecting information from their visitors needs a privacy policy. - [7 Ways Marketing Automation Can Save Your Agency Time](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-ways-marketing-automation-can-save-agency-time/): Whether it’s for your agency, or for your client’s business, implementing a marketing automation software can help you save time and money. - [8 Steps To Achieving Your Business's New Year’s Resolutions More Quickly](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-steps-achieving-businesss-new-years-resolutions-quickly/): New Year’s resolutions tend to get a bad rap people make them and then fail to get past January before they give up on them altogether. - [7 Strategies to Increase Your Email Engagement Rate](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/strategies-increase-email-engagement-rate/): The more effort you put in on the forefront, the better your email engagement rate will be. Here are seven strategies to help you get people clicking. - [5 Best Books for Servant Leaders](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-books-for-servant-leaders/): Here are five books to help you explore the idea of servant leadership, so you can achieve your personal best as a leader in 2018. - [6 Networking Apps Every Salesperson Needs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-networking-apps-every-salesperson-needs/): These networking apps can help salespeople in a variety of ways, particularly with smoother conversations and broader opportunities. - [Is It Time To Reevaluate Your Small Business Budget?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/time-reevaluate-small-business-budget/): Without a well-planned small business budget, your ship can quickly veer off course and into choppy and unchartered waters. - [10 Helpful Apps to Streamline Your Freelance Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-apps-streamline-freelance-business/): If there’s anything you can do to save more time, you’ll do it. Here's a list of our favorite apps that will help you streamline your freelance business. - [How to Encourage Employee Work-Life Balance During the Holidays](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/encourage-employee-work-life-balance-during-holidays/): How can you encourage your employees to take leave during the holidays to fit in with your work schedule and make their work-life balance a priority? - [The Overwhelming Importance of an Annual Digital Marketing Budget](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/importance-annual-digital-marketing-budget/): To alleviate some of the annual budget burden, we’ve compiled a comprehensive digital marketing budget worksheet for you to use in your planning. - [Is Your Thinking Scalable Enough?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/entrepreneur-thinking-scalable/): Thanks to digital technology and the growth of inexpensive marketing automation tools, it is very possible to scale your revenue without adding employees. - [Out of the Box Holiday Gift Ideas for Employees and Clients](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-client-holiday-gift-ideas/): Here are our top out of the box holiday gift ideas that will show you care without blowing your budget. - [4 Important Skills For Digital Marketers in 2018](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-skills-digital-marketer-2018/): In 2018, a wise digital marketer will understand what areas to keep on top of and what’s worth studying up on in the coming 12 months. - [The Ultimate Guide to Holiday Emails](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ultimate-guide-holiday-emails/): It’s a busy time of year for everyone—including your customers—so trying to catch their attention with holiday emails can be a struggle. - [8 Elements You Should Look For On Every Resume](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-elements-look-every-resume/): Resumes tell stories. And unless you know how to read them properly, you’re missing out on half of what they have to say. - [6 Tips To Improve Your Holiday Messaging](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-tips-improve-holiday-messaging/): One way to stand out amongst your competitors is through your content. So, ‘tis the season...to improve your holiday messaging. - [7 Ways to Throw a Successful Company Holiday Party](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-ways-throw-successful-company-holiday-party/): Every office is different, and there’s no particular right way or wrong way to tackle it – just do what is best for your team and your office environment. - [3 Ways Artificial Intelligence Can Boost CRM Initiatives](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/artificial-intelligence-boost-crm-initiatives-2017-12/): Here are three areas where business decision-makers can leverage Artificial Intelligence within their CRM platforms to great effect. - [12 Ways to Prevent Your Sales Reps From Burning Out](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/12-ways-to-prevent-your-sales-reps-from-burning-out/): It is crucial to identify causes and create strategies to prevent burnout before it happens. While no one is immune, these tips will go a long way. - [6 Impressive Ways To Follow Up After an Agency Pitch](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/follow-up-after-agency-pitch/): After your agency pitch, be patient, but proactive and prompt. Allow time for the prospect to respond, but stay on top of it. - [3 Time Management Tools Specifically Made For Your Sales Team](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/time-management-tools-sales-team/): If you’d like to upgrade your current processes, consider offering a few of these time management tools to your sales team. - [5 Tips for Beating End-Of-Year Customer Churn](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/end-of-year-customer-churn/): It’s the end of the year, and your customers are busier than ever. They might not even remember signing up for your service—and if they do, it’s possible - [6 Strategies To Help You Brainstorm Better](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/strategies-help-brainstorm-better/): Brainstorming sessions often end with half-baked ideas, few action items, and team members who resent the interruption.This is not the outcome you want. - [4 Small Business Websites That Get It Right - And How You Can, Too](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-websites/): We combed the web and found four stellar small business websites - along with commentary on what makes them great and how you can achieve similar results. - [4 Platforms You Can Use to Give Back Year Round](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-tools-to-give-back-year-round/): With these four nonprofit tools, you (and your employees) can make charitable giving a priority throughout the entire year. - [5 Questions to Ask When Evaluating a CRM](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-questions-ask-evaluating-crm/): You may have already reached the realization that a CRM can benefit your business in a number of ways, but the decision to adopt new technology is only - [What Do People Really Think About Your Small Business Brand?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/opinion-small-business-brand/): Your small business doesn’t need to be a worldwide name to have a strong brand. And there’s more to your brand than just a logo and catchy tagline. - [7 Tips for Giving Your Team Holiday Paid Time Off While Keeping the Ship Afloat](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-tips-managing-holiday-paid-time-off/): No one wants to be a Scrooge and tell team members they can’t take paid time off to enjoy the holidays, but in a small business, it can get tricky. - [What is Marketing Automation and Why Should You Care?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-why-should-i-care/): Marketing automation facilitates a more productive environment, which contributes to better performance, more revenue and greater growth potential. - [The Social Media Reports You Should Be Running](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-reports-should-be-running/): Before you set out to create your social media reports (and, in fact, before you even launch your campaign), know your objectives. - [4 Prudent Financial Tips for Modern Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-prudent-financial-tips-for-modern-businesses/): There are many ways to keep your business budget in check. Here are some frugal financial tips you can put to work for you today. - [15 Design Blogs To Inspire Your Marketing Agency](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/15-design-blogs-inspire-marketing-agency/): You never know when a design blog like one of these will light a spark that helps you to produce some of the best client work you’ve ever created. - [How to Master Your Unique Value Proposition](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/master-unique-value-proposition/): If customers are flooding in, chances are you’ve nailed your unique value proposition. If not, it may be time to take a second look at what you're offering. - [5 Tips for Next-Level PowerPoint Presentations](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-for-powerpoint-presentations/): Quick: Can you remember the last amazing PowerPoint presentation you watched? If the answer is no, that’s not surprising. - [3 Key Pillars of a Solid Inbound Marketing Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-key-pillars-solid-inbound-marketing-strategy/): Here are a few specific ways to leverage an inbound marketing strategy and generate quality leads and conversions for your business. - [Increase Your Agency's Prices With These 5 Tips](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-increase-agency-prices-deliverables/): Increasing the prices for your agency services can be overwhelming, especially working through the transition with current clients who might be at a rate - [6 Organization Tips To Finish The Year Strong](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/organization-tips-finish-year-strong/): Organization is wildly important when finishing out the year. Keeping things together also helps avoid a massive proverbial holiday hangover. - [7 TED Talks to Help You Seize The Day](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-ted-talks-help-seize-day/): TED Talks have become transcendent. They inspire people in tech, the arts, business, politics and science; they speak to people stuck in desk jobs or - [5 Ways To Avoid Distraction in a Crowded Workplace](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-to-avoid-distraction-in-a-crowded-workplace/): You can't always control your workplace. Here are three ways to get things done when it feels like you’re conducting business in a busy airport terminal. - [4 Ways to Determine Your Strongest Customer Acquisition Channels](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-ways-to-determine-your-strongest-customer-acquisition-channels/): You want to save money on customer acquisition channels that aren’t working, and double down on channels that are. But it’s not quite so simple - [6 Signs It’s Time To Start Your Own Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-signs-time-start-business/): How do you know it’s time to put in your two weeks notice and start hustling? Here are six signs you're ready to start a business. - [9 Ways Your Agency Can Save Money In Q4](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-ways-agency-save-money-q4/): Q4 is here, and there’s no better time to reevaluate how your agency can save money. We’re here to offer you tips to help boost that bottom line. - [5 Ways Your Small Business Can Create Content on a Budget](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-content-budget/): It’s not enough to create a lot of content. You’ve got to create good content for it to be shared. But how can you do that on a small business budget? - [Are You A Servant Leader?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/servant-leader/): The strongest and most successful companies are built on the backs of servant leaders, those who encourage others, establish trust and stay accountable. - [9 Email Fixes That Will Improve Your Click-Through Rate](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-email-fixes-improve-click-through-rate/): With these 9 easy fixes, you can improve your click-through rate and be sure your email rises to the top of the inbox. - [How are Chatbots Impacting the Customer Experience?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/chatbots-impacting-customer-experience/): Let’s take a closer look at the rise of chatbots and what the future looks like from a consumer relations standpoint. - [What is NPS and How Oten Should Your Small Business Measure It?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-measure-nps/): NPS is a simple way to get customer feedback on their brand experience, and how likely they are to recommend your organization to friends and colleagues. - [Do You Think Like A Million-Dollar Business Owner?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/think-like-million-dollar-business-owner/): Running your own business is an exciting journey that comes with unmatched freedom and independence—but it’s got its challenges, too. - [Nail Your Next Marketing Video With These 6 Steps](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-video-tips/): Once you’ve acquired all the technical tools, keep these tips in mind so that your perfectly filmed marketing video is perfectly positioned as well. - [6 Tips for Writing a Phenomenal Headline](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-tips-writing-phenomenal-headline/): These headline recommendations aren’t exactly rocket science, but applying them requires the discipline to use them every time. - [Entrepreneur: 4 Ways You're Misusing Your CRM Data](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ways-misusing-crm-data/): Using your CRM data the right way can help boost revenue and deepen customer relationships. Here are four mistakes to avoid when it comes to utilizing that data. - [3 Companies That Are Actually Putting Their Core Values into Practice](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-companies-putting-core-values-practice/): Core values act as a guide when the right thing to do isn’t exactly clear. They can help a company stand out when they actually follow through. - [The Invaluable Benefits of a Mobile CRM](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/invaluable-benefits-mobile-crm/): In addition to equipping your sales team with the data they need to close deals, a mobile CRM can afford your organization numerous benefits. - [The Top 5 Reasons Your Employees Don't Like You](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-reasons-employees-dislike-you/): It’s easy to get caught up in your own responsibilities and projects, but a large part of being a good manager is paying attention to your team’s needs. - [The Elements of an Effective Mobile Ad](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/elements-effective-mobile-ad/): As we’re all aware, the mobile phone is practically a human appendage. That said, it makes sense to make sure your mobile ads are resonating with users. - [6 Tips for Being a Better Negotiator](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-negotiating/): Contrary to what some people will argue, negotiating is not simply about winners and losers. It’s about building relationships. - [10 Essential Tips For Upping Your Social Media Game](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-essential-tips-social-media/): In a time when when national debates are sprung from a single tweet—it’s clear that social media is a powerful tool for businesses. - [Smart Insights: 4 Steps to Creating an Effective Product Tour](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-steps-creating-effective-product-tour/): Simplicity in structure has benefits beyond the sales and marketing process — it also directly impacts visitors on a product tour who are further along in the sales process. - [Is Stress Sabotaging Your Small Business Success?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/stress-small-business/): Many people go into business for themselves to escape the stress of a traditional job. But sometimes self-employment can bring its own set of worries. - [Should Your Small Business Be Concerned About AI?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-ai/): What exactly is artificial intelligence (AI)? No, it's not the plot of Alien: Covenant. And it has nothing to do with the argument or exploration into - [5 Tips For Finding Your Big Idea](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-for-finding-your-big-idea/): Remember when everyone’s dream was to go to space or become president? Now it’s to start their own company and be a true entrepreneur. - [5 Tips for Coming Up with Creative Blog Topics](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-blog-topics/): There are proven strategies that will help you come up with creative blog topics to engage your audience (without wasting tons of time in the process). - [The Pros and Cons of Company Events](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-pros-cons-company-events/): Here are some ideas on how to plan company events that enhance your culture and don’t create stress and feelings of obligation. - [5 Reasons Your Website Needs Multiple Landing Pages Now](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-reasons-website-needs-multiple-landing-pages/): If you want to make the most of your website, you’ve got to add layers, and one of the best ways to do that is to include multiple landing pages - [Emotion in the Workplace: How Do You Handle Different Employee Personalities?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/emotion-in-the-workplace/): While many of us pride ourselves in being coolly logical, it’s hard to escape the fact that we human beings are emotional creatures. - [Does Your Small Business Need Help With SEO?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-help-seo/): One of the more important questions to ask yourself today as a small business owner is: do I need help with SEO? - [Business.com: Prevent Data Decay From Ruining Your CRM System](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/prevent-data-decay-from-ruining-your-crm/): A CRM system is only as good as its data, and most systems don't account for rot. Keeping data fresh means starting with more shelf-stable information. - [5 Ways Your Agency Can Appeal to Tight-Budgeted Small Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-agency-can-appeal-small-businesses/): Small businesses must focus solely on the tasks that move the revenue needle, which means they'll rely on an agency to be an extension of their business. - [5 Inspiring Steve Jobs Quotes Every Entrepreneur Should Read](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-inspiring-steve-jobs-quotes/): As entrepreneurship transforms the global economy, many people have revisited Steve Jobs' insights, seeking understanding and inspiration. - [How To Break $1 Million in a One-Person Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/break-million-one-person-business/): The nice thing about running a high revenue one-person business is it gives you plenty of options—and we can all use more of those. - [Back to Marketing Basics: Core Tips To Make Your Business Grow](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-basics-make-business-grow/): Listen up, business owners. You’re going back to school. The subject? Marketing 101. Specifically, marketing utilities. Today’s marketing advice largely - [5 Fundamental Questions For Qualifying Your Ideal Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-questions-qualify-ideal-customers/): Make sure you’re asking these five important questions to qualify your ideal customers before going in for the hard sell. - [The Major Benefits of Creating Gated Content](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-benefits-gated-content/): Feeling hesitant about producing gated content? We’ll bet you’re a bit more excited about the idea after reviewing a few of the benefits. - [5 Tips For More Effective, Unique Sales Emails](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-effective-sales-emails/): Your business' sales emails are only as effective as the strategy you use to develop them. These tips will help you convert customers faster through email. - [Should Your Small Business Invest in AI?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-invest-ai/): AI can help in any number of ways: virtual assistants, machine learning, accounting, customer support, chatbots, speech recognition, marketing and sales. - [5 Questions To Determine If You Should Be Marketing to Local, Domestic or International Prospects](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-questions-marketing-local-domestic-international/): While parsing data can lead to new insights that ultimately inspire domestic or international expansion, you have to be careful. - [5 Ways to Create Super-Effective Emails with Buyer Personas](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-with-buyer-personas/): If you’ve developed buyer personas, don’t make the mistake of shoving them in your desk drawer and expecting them to magically work for you. - [10 Quick Tips For Starting Your Own Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-tips-starting-business/): If you think you’re ready to start your own small business, here’s a quick checklist to run through before taking the plunge. - [22 Unforgettable Email Sign-Offs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/22-unforgettable-email-sign-offs/): Here's a list of flawless email signatures, sign-offs and farewells that we guarantee will resonate with anyone who has a sense of humor or humanity. - [9 Leadership Exercises To Help Your Confidence](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-leadership-exercises-to-help-your-confidence/): We have a secret to share with you. Not everyone is born with the confidence to get up in front of a room full of people and inspire. Not everyone is born - [The 6 Most Valuable Mobile Apps Your Small Business Needs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/most-valuable-mobile-apps-small-business/): There comes a point in every small business owner’s life when they realize the company has gotten too big for them to handle alone. Enter: mobile apps. - [7 Elements of Exceptional Mobile-Friendly Website Design](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/elements-mobile-friendly-website-design/): Irrespective of how your site is built and what its function is—there are universal design elements to ensure you have a mobile-friendly website design. - [How To Build a Small Business - Without Wrecking Your Credit](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/build-small-business-without-wrecking-credit/): Here are several steps you can take to increase your small business capital without putting yourself and your credit at too much risk. - [4 Tips For Creating Effective Marketing Videos](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-tips-effective-marketing-videos/): Viral videos. It’s becoming a trend for brands looking to win in content marketing. This is not surprising, as over 79 percent of senior marketers say - [5 Must-Have Elements For A Valuable Ebook](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-elements-valuable-ebook/): Writing an ebook takes time. Writing a valuable e-book takes time and effort. Nothing good ever came easy, and ebooks can do a great deal for your business. - [6 Ways To Make The Most of Mobile Advertising on a Small Business Budget](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/mobile-advertising-small-business-budget/): Consumers are predominantly using mobile devices to make decisions, so how can you afford mobile advertising on a small business budget? - [How To Make Your Value Proposition Stronger Than Your Competitors'](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/make-value-proposition-stronger/): For your own small business, your value proposition could be a vast selection of products or lower prices. But to sell it, you’ve got to market it. - [The Important Social Media Stats You Might Be Overlooking](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/important-social-media-stats/): In the mix of too much digital information, the important social media stats are being lost. Here are 4 social media statistics you might be overlooking. - [10 Traits of a Wildly Successful Salesperson](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-traits-successful-salesperson/): Not everyone is cut out for sales, but if you possess even some of these traits, you’re on the path to being a successful salesperson. - [Press Release: Inc. Magazine Names Hatchbuck No. #704 On 2017 Inc. 5000 List](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/press-release-hatchbuck-2017-inc-5000-list/): ST. LOUIS, Aug. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. magazine ranked St. Louis technology company Hatchbuck no. 704 on its 36th annual Inc. 5000 list, the most - [4 Ways to Avoid Sounding Pushy on a Sales Call](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-ways-avoid-sounding-pushy-sales-call/): Have you ever gotten a call from a telemarketer who talks right over you when you say you’re busy? Then you know what being on the receiving end of a bad - [9 Tips For Keeping Your Emails Out Of The Spam Folder](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/keeping-emails-out-of-spam-folder/): There are proven ways to keep your emails out of spam folders across the web. Here are seven of the best strategies for doing just that. - [The Top 5 PPC Mistakes and How to Avoid Them](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-5-ppc-mistakes-avoid/): With error comes a waste of budget without getting customers. So, it’s important to understand these PPC mistakes and how to avoid them. - [4 Tips for Avoiding Burnout in the Workplace](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/avoiding-burnout-in-the-workplace/): Running your own business—free of the hassles of working in corporate America —is supposed to be exciting and energizing. So why the burnout? - [5 Ways You Need to Market Differently to B2B Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/market-b2b-customers/): While you might think a B2C marketing approach will appeal to anyone with a pair of eyeballs, in fact, B2B customers often make decisions very differently. - [6 Reasons You Need to Make SEO a Priority in Your Editorial Calendar](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-editorial-calendar/): When you’re investing time and resources into content creation, you want to maximize your ROI. SEO is crucial for getting the most bang for your buck. - [What Type of Digital Marketing Ads Are Best For Your Small Business?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/digital-marketing-ads-small-business/): If your marketing team is made up of one - you - the smart approach is to assess the pros and cons of digital marketing ads before pulling the trigger. - [Do Competitions Really Fuel Company Culture?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/competitions-fuel-company-culture/): Many of us love contests—and they can be a highly effective way to motivate employees in businesses of all sizes. That’s why so many companies offer - [9 E-commerce Email Promotions To Boost Sales This Month](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/e-commerce-email-promotions-boost-sales/): In the world of e-commerce, email promotions and discounts are a must when looking to boost sales quickly. Use these 9 campaigns to get results ASAP. - [5 Tips for More Productive Workplace Discussions](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/productive-workplace-discussions/): Although most of us tend to wing it when it comes to workplace discussions, putting in some forethought can go a long way. - [4 Tips For Seamless Mobile App Onboarding](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/mobile-app-onboarding/): Onboarding is the process of introducing a user to your application. If it’s a pain, you run the risk of pushing that user into the arms of a competitor. - [4 Indications That PPC is Necessary for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-needs-ppc/): Depending on your industry, size and reliance on digital ads for new leads, you may not have the time, money or resources to dig into the vast world of PPC. - [Should Your Small Business Be Using Emojis?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-using-emojis/): Emojis have invaded our emails and texts. So should your small business be using emojis? The quick answer: yes, no and maybe. - [Resource: Build Your Own Marketing Stack](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/resource-build-marketing-stack/): We've made it our mission at Hatchbuck to help small businesses succeed. We're constantly improving and refining our offerings to make sure that our - [Business.com: 3 Ways to Build Your Small Business's Brand Locally](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-ways-to-build-small-business-brand-locally/): Becoming valued locally doesn't happen overnight. You can't develop a clear local identity without putting in the work and being strategic in those efforts. - [A Guide To Finding The Right Freelance Talent For Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/freelance-talent-small-business/): Many small business owners know they need to outsource more projects to freelancers so they can focus on the work they do best. But often, they don’t know - [The Characteristics of a Spectacular Social Media Manager](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/characteristics-social-media-manager/): If you’re ready to hire a social media manager, you’ve likely reached the realization that social media is important, but it’s too time-consuming to manage. - [4 Tips For Improving Your Blog With Expert Keyword Research](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-tips-keyword-research/): Want to know how we decided to write a blog post about keyword research? You guessed it. We did extensive keyword research. - [Entrepreneur: What to Do When Your Ideal Customer Isn't Who You Expected](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/entrepreneur-ideal-customer/): To truly grow your business and keep customers coming back, you need to intimately know who your “radical buyer” is. Read more on Entrepreneur. - [PRESS RELEASE: Hatchbuck Releases New Mobile Version to Empower Small Business Owners](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/press-release-hatchbuck-releases-new-mobile-version-empower-small-business-owners/): This press release was originally published on PRNewswire. ST. LOUIS / July 18, 2017 -- Hatchbuck, an innovative and easy-to-use sales and marketing - [Manage Contact on the Fly with Hatchbuck Mobile](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-mobile/): Here at Hatchbuck, we understand that it’s an increasingly mobile world out there. We know you’re constantly hustling to attract new business and that a - [A Beginner's Guide To Customer Journeys](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/beginners-guide-customer-journeys/): Mapping customer journeys helps mitigate bad customer experiences and cut a clear path toward positive interactions between your business and customers. - [VIDEO: 5 Small Business Marketing Strategies You Can Implement Today](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-video/): Looking for quick tips to improve your small business marketing strategy ASAP? Steup up your marketing game with these five steps. - [Tweak Your Biz: How to Ditch Archaic and Ineffective Sales and Marketing Tactics](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-ditch-archaic-and-ineffective-sales-and-marketing-tactics/): If you still think conducting cold calls is a great way to build your business, think again. - [6 Ways To Tweak Your Small Business Marketing Strategy This Summer](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/summer-small-business-marketing-strategy/): For small business owners, summertime can mean different things. Make the most of the slow summer months by tweaking your small business marketing strategy. - [5 Ways To Deliver Bad News To Your Team (And Keep Company Morale High)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/keep-company-morale-high/): No one likes being the bearer of bad news, but often you have to play that role as a business owner. So, how can you break bad news and keep morale high? - [The Secret To Building A Robust Sales Team](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/secret-building-robust-sales-team/): The businesses succeeding with inbound marketing have stellar marketing and sales teams that are humming along together to drive new leads and close deals. - [5 Cheap Hobbies You Can Adopt To Maintain Your Sanity (AND Be a Better Leader)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cheap-hobbies-better-leader/): Every year when summer rolls around, it’s easy to be hit with summer fever, restlessness or stress when business is slow. Hobbies are the perfect solution - [How To Integrate Your Content Into One Editorial Calendar](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-editorial-calendar/): You don’t have to be a content strategist to put together a well-planned editorial calendar. Create a plan to maximize your content marketing efforts. - [4 Reasons Your Small Business Needs Paid Advertising](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-paid-advertising/): Putting even a little bit of cash towards paid advertising can go a long way towards generating business and growing your customer base - [Make Your Summer Business Travel More Productive With These 6 Tips](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/make-business-travel-productive/): Prevent stress, poor sleep and getting behind on work with these five tips to overcome travel challenges and make the most of your business trips. - [GoSmallBiz: Put Your Small Business’s Content Marketing on Steroids With a Blog](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/gosmallbiz-put-small-businesss-content-marketing-steroids-blog/): Think of your blog as a platform where you can regularly share insights, demonstrate your brand’s personality, and foster relationships. - [7 Must-Have Qualities of a Stellar Customer Service Rep](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/qualities-customer-service-rep/): Exceptional customer service is vital to your business's success. Finding customer service reps with the right skills is the first step to getting there. - [5 Ingredients For Eye-Catching Infographic Design](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/infographic-design-tips/): In order to stand out, you need to create compelling graphics that serve a purpose and have a meaning. The best avenue to do this? Infographics. - [4 Website Tips For A Seamless User Experience](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/website-tips-user-experience/): Most user experience boils down to design. Make your website a place where customers can find the information they want quickly and painlessly - [6 Tips For Maximizing Your Budget As A Solopreneur](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/maximize-budget-solopreneur/): Not only is it necessary to safeguard your cash flow when you start out as a solopreneur, but it's important to maximize the time you have to make money. - [11 Free Music Apps That Will Bring A Little Life To Your Office](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/11-free-music-apps-office/): Good music can be an effective productivity enhancer. Here’s a selection of free music apps to boost focus and morale in your office. - [6 Ways To Ensure Your Blog Post Is Search Engine Optimized](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/blog-post-search-engine-optimized/): Ensure that your content is in the top results for your ideal buyers by making sure it is always search engine optimized. - [Elevate the Buyer Persona and Embrace the Radical Buyer](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/smart-insights-buyer-persona/): The truth is that no matter how hard you work to market your product, you're not going to see success selling to the wrong buyer persona. - [The Anatomy of a Perfect PPC Campaign Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ppc-campaign-strategy/): In order for a PPC campaign strategy to be effective, it needs to attract people to actually click on it. Use these tips to build a campaign that converts. - [Is Performance-Based Pay A Successful Motivator?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/performance-based-pay-successful-motivator/): Performance-based pay can come across to employees as an attempt to offset their work-life balance. Here are some creative alternatives. - [6 Traits Of Successful Dads That Make Successful Leaders](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-traits-fathers-day/): While fatherhood and small business ownership including many layers, these six traits will guarantee success in both roles. - [The 6 Best Small Business Loan Options For A Cash Flow Emergency](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-loan-options/): Cash flow emergencies can be a sink or swim situation for a small business owner. Here are the best small business loan options to prevent failure. - [How to Grow Your Facebook Following When You Have Fewer than 100 Likes](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/grow-facebook-following/): If you want to grow your Facebook following on a shoestring budget and are just starting out, these growth tips are for you. - [Is It Time To Re-Evaluate Your Sales Funnel?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/evaluate-sales-funnel/): The way people buy is no longer a simple path from awareness to prospect to sale — it’s much more complex. So, how can you “refresh” your sales funnel? - [5 Ways To Grow Your Email List With Webinars](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/grow-email-list-with-webinars/): While the concept may sound intimidating, if growing your email list is a priority, webinars are absolutely worth the investment. - [10 Interview Questions That Will Unlock Any Candidate's True Colors](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-best-interview-questions/): Finding and filtering out the best applicants can be incredibly hard and time-consuming. Make sure you're asking the right interview questions. - [5 Ways To Make The Most Of PPC On A Small Business Budget](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ppc-small-business-budget/): If you’re willing to put the extra time into your PPC strategy, you can certainly make the most of pay-per-click advertising on a small business budget. - [The First 6 Tools Every New Small Business Should Sign Up For](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/first-6-tools-small-business/): A guest post by Dustin Ray, Business Development at Incfile. If you've taken the leap to start your own business, now is the time to dive right into the - [How to Repurpose Old Content This Summer (And Why You Should)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-repurpose-old-content-this-summer-and-why-you-should/): What's one of the easiest ways to maximize your time and money? Repurpose old content into new assets. Try these strategies to make it work. - [Improve Your Local Networking Game With These 10 Tips](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/local-networking-tips/): Local networking is important whether you run a small or big business, brick and mortar office or an online shop. - [Want Free PR For Your Marketing Agency? Try These 5 Tactics](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/free-pr-marketing-agency/): When you’re a marketing agency juggling multiple clients and their extensive project plans, it’s easy to forget every week that you should still be - [5 Ways to Follow Up with An Unresponsive Client—Without Being Annoying](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-follow-up-unresponsive-client/): An unresponsive client can put entire projects on hold. So how do you get the attention you need—without becoming a pest? Use these strategies. - [Your Small Business Needs To Be Measuring These Inbound Marketing Metrics](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/important-inbound-marketing-metrics/): Unless you’re measuring the right inbound marketing metrics, you won’t have a clue whether your efforts are actually bringing in new leads or customers. - [The Top 4 Reasons Recipients Unsubscribe (And How to Prevent It)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-reasons-recipients-unsubscribe/): If you build an email list and then miss the mark on your strategy, people will unsubscribe. These are the main reasons why and how to prevent it. - [The 7 Best Time Management Tools For Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/time-management-tools-small-business/): Our brains aren’t designed to deliver peak performance while multitasking. Luckily there are plenty of time management tools to help. - [5 Things To Do Before 10 AM To Make Your Day More Productive](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-productive/): If you’re looking to become a more productive leader, a purposeful morning routine can be a powerful tool in your arsenal. Here are five places to start. - [How to Write an Effective Knowledge Base Article For Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/write-effective-knowledge-base-article/): A key element of customer service is having a comprehensive knowledge base that customers can reference for a quick fix or when your team is unavailable. - [Which Social Media Platform Is Right For Your Small Business?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/choose-social-media-platform-small-business/): The best way to build a fantastic web presence for your small business is mastering one social media platform, rather than using multiple sparingly. - [How To Ensure CRM User Adoption In Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-ensure-crm-user-adoption/): If you’re still using spreadsheets to manage your customers, it's time to find a CRM. These tips will help ensure CRM user adoption in your small business. - [4 Services Your Agency Should Never Offer](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-services-never-offer/): Clients are always debating the value of a smaller agency over large ones with more capabilities. That doesn't mean your agency should offer new services. - [3 Free Employee Perks Your Small Business Can Offer To Compete With The Big Guys](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/free-employee-perks-small-business/): 72% of small business employees say an improvement in benefits would raise their happiness level. Here are free perks that will make them feel the love. - [How Soon Is Too Soon To Hire Your Next Employee?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/too-soon-hire-next-employee/): Just 18% of small businesses plan to hire in 2017, down 7% from last fall. Against this backdrop, how do you decide if it's time to make your next hire? - [Are Your Marketing Emails Missing One Of These Five Ingredients?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-emails-missing-ingredients/): Crafting the perfect email marketing strategy is like baking a cake: what determines the success of either is science. Are you missing ingredients? - [8 Strategies For Stronger Brand Security On Social Media](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-brand-security/): Since the onset of social media marketing more than a decade ago, sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram have been a great channel for - [5 Effortless Ways to Be a More Creative Leader](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-creative-leader/): Many leaders who inspire us are known for their creativity. Becoming a more creative leader starts with feeding your creative mind. - [4 Leadership Development Activities Your Small Business Needs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/leadership-development-activities-small-business/): It would be an oversight to assume small businesses don’t need to cultivate leaders the same way large ones do. Try these leadership development activities. - [How To Implement The 9-Word Email In Your Marketing Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/implement-9-word-email-marketing/): If done well, the 9-word email works like magic. There are always potential customers among your stale leads. The strategy is a quick path to re-engagement. - [How To Determine If Mobile Advertising Is Right For Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/mobile-advertising-small-business/): Mobile is likely an easier path to reach your customer than desktop. It’s not only where customers are searching, but it’s where they’re purchasing, too. - [The 9 Best Sites for Free (Or Almost Free) Stock Photos](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-sites-free-cheap-stock-photos/): It’s no secret that stock photos can break the bank for a small business. But times are changing, and there are plenty of free or almost free photo sites. - [5 Reasons You Should Encourage Your Employees To Take Vacations](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/encourage-employee-vacations/): When your team is buried in work, the last thing on your mind is to encourage employee vacations. But if you don't, your employees could burn out. - [The Secret to Effective Online Forms](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/effective-online-forms/): "You can't build a great building on a weak foundation. You must have a solid foundation if you're going to have a strong superstructure." - Gordon B. - [Is Your Agency Focusing Too Hard On Your Clients And Trivializing Your Own Initiatives?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-your-agency-focusing-too-hard-on-clients-trivializing-your-initiatives/): Over-servicing your agency clients could mean you’re giving away services that you should be charging for and slowing the development of your own brand, - [Why Small Business Owners Should Write Personal Blogs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-owners-personal-blogs/): Personal blogs are a powerful tool for small business owners. In a world full of impersonal company blogs, a personal one can be attractive to customers. - [5 Lessons From Wildly Successful Business Leaders](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lessons-from-successful-business-owners/): These lessons from successful business owners like Bill Gates and Richard Branson will help educate and inspire you to grow your small business. - [Everything Your Small Business Needs To Know About Cybersecurity](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-cybersecurity/): If your small business doesn’t have cybersecurity processes in place, you’re currently at risk. Take these steps to protect your business from threats. - [Here's How To Make The Most of Your Website's 'About' Page](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/improve-website-about-page/): Your “About” page should ultimately be about your readers and what you can do for them and how your business is suited to fit their needs. - [3 Keys to Writing Killer Google AdWords Copy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/writing-killer-google-adwords-copy/): Whether focusing on pay-per-click advertising (PPC) or search engine optimization (SEO), Google is a marketing channel your business must be focused on - [6 Tips for a More Organized Small Business CRM](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/organized-small-business-crm/): Just like keeping a tidy desk or computer, a well-organized CRM system can be an invaluable foundation for a small business. - [Want to Grow Your Small Business? Take A Page From The Big Business Playbook](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/grow-small-business/): Sometimes, to compete with the big guys, you have to play like a big guy. Use these tips to grow your small business like big businesses do. - [How to Manage a Team of Copywriters Without Stifling Creativity](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/manage-copywriters-without-stifling-creativity/): How do you nurture your copywriter's creativity while requesting content that generates leads and sales? Here are some strategies that work. - [6 Social Listening Tools for PR, Marketing and Competitive Analysis](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-listening-tools/): Social listening tools will allow you to track keywords, phrases and brands that will provide insight you can leverage for your small business. - [6 Takeaways From Organizations With Phenomenal Company Culture](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/phenomenal-company-culture/): Company culture is about much more than free beer and fancy in-office gyms. Top organizations see their culture as a major contributor to their success. - [9 Reasons to Get Rid of the Annual Performance Review](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/annual-performance-review/): There are plenty of benefits associated with regular employee reviews. But traditional annual performance reviews leave a lot to be desired. - [5 Reasons Clickbait Is The Worst (And How It Will Negatively Impact Your Business)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-reasons-clickbait-negatively-impacts-business/): Clickbait is (thankfully) dying. Find out how using the old bait and switch could be negatively impacting your small business in a big way. - [The Science Behind a High Converting Landing Page](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/science-behind-high-converting-landing-page/): If you spent time and money creating a compelling offer for new prospects, you want to maximize the number of conversions from this offer. But what is the - [Try These Creative Incentives to Motivate Your Sales Team](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-incentives-motivate-sales-team/): How do you keep your sales team motivated and excited to sell? For small businesses, incentives can't always be monetary. Try these creative ideas instead. - [PRESS RELEASE: Hatchbuck Reveals a Bold New Brand Inspired by Self-Made Business Owners](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/press-release-hatchbuck-new-brand/): Alongside the new software version, BenchmarkONE releases a bold new brand inspired by the small business owner. - [PRESS RELEASE: Hatchbuck Empowers Small Business Owners with Version 4.0](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/press-release-hatchbuck-version-4-0/): This press release was originally published on PR Newswire. ST. LOUIS, April 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hatchbuck, an innovative and easy-to-use sales and - [Hatchbuck Version 4.0: What’s New?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-new-features-version-4-0/): BenchmarkONE Version 4.0 is here! Read about our new and improved features and how BenchmarkONE helps small businesses streamline sales and marketing processes. - [Why The Rebrand? Meet The New Hatchbuck.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-rebrand/): BenchmarkONE v4.0 is here along with our totally re-designed brand. Learn more about our research, our radical buyer and the new face of BenchmarkONE. - [Is Inbound Marketing Right For Your Small Business?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-small-business/): Inbound marketing may not be the right strategy for every business, but is it the right strategy for yours? Find out with a few simple questions. - [Here's Why Employee Trust Is So Important In A Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-trust-small-business/): Employee trust is a foundational piece of any successful business. In order to keep employees engaged, make sure you’re all on the same page. - [Rethinking The Sales Funnel With CRM](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-funnel-crm/): A CRM will allow you to provide relevant content to leads, gauge which prospects are likely to become customers and bring leads into the sales funnel. - [5 Tips To Improve Your Email Open Rates Right Away](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-to-improve-your-email-open-rates-right-away/): Even in the industries partial to email marketing, open rates only reach an average of roughly 26 percent. Most fall below 20. It's time to change that. - [4 Tricks For Creating More Shareable Content](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tricks-for-shareable-content/): No longer are likes and clicks the most important metrics for engagement. Sharing indicates successful content. Here are tips for more shareable content. - [5 Ways To Guarantee Your Readers Trust Your Content](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guarantee-readers-trust-content/): With talk of “fake news” in the headlines constantly, it’s easy to get the jitters about publishing anything. Fortunately, if you publish credible, - [Foods To Make You More Productive and Keep You Energized All Day](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/foods-for-productivity-and-energy/): The food you eat while you’re in the office likely isn't a primary concern—but a few changes to your workplace diet can have huge effects on productivity. - [Small Business Guide to Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/quick-guide-small-business-marketing-automation/): Eventually, your small business will grow enough that you’ll no longer be able to manage it using spreadsheets. That’s where marketing automation comes in. - [Photo Series Part 3: How to Crop Your Photos Into Eye-Catching Images](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cropping-photos-how-to/): Even if your original snapped photo isn’t exceptional, cropping your photos often allows you to create a composition that is interesting to your viewer. - [8 Simon Sinek Quotes That Will Change The Way You Do Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/simon-sinek-quotes-will-change-your-business/): Here are just a few slices of Simon Sinek’s wisdom that will hopefully inspire you to innovate, improve and change your business to achieve better results. - [7 Simple Ways to Lose a Lead](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-ways-to-lose-a-lead/): As a small business, attracting leads isn’t easy. The last thing you want to do is lose leads over a silly mistake. Avoid these 7 marketing blunders. - [The Importance of Hiring the Right Team for Your Small Business (And How to Do It)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hiring-the-right-team-for-small-business/): Hiring people who are naturally motivated to contribute and serve your customers well will make your life as a small business owner much easier. - [5 Reasons To Jump On The Video Marketing Bandwagon In 2017](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-reasons-to-use-video-marketing-2017/): There’s a reason video is popular. It delivers. Reach, conversions and engagement are just a few of the benefits marketers can capture from video marketing. - [Photo Series Part 2: Photo Editing Tools & Tips for Non-Creatives](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/photo-editing-tools-2/): It doesn’t take a professional to master the world of photography. All you need are photo editing tools, and you too can create professional photos. - [A Step-By-Step Guide To Marketing Your Small Business On Instagram](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guide-to-instagram-marketing/): If done well, Instagram marketing can build your brand, generate new leads and boost revenue at little or no cost to your small business. - [Avoid The Hump Day Blues: 4 Simple Ways To Boost Workplace Engagement](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/boost-workplace-engagement/): By mid-week, you and your employees are probably ready for the weekend.So how can you set up your work space to make the hump day blues a thing of the past? - [Follow These Steps For Successful Website Forms](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/successful-website-forms/): Website forms are arguably the most important element of your website design. Use these steps to make sure you're using them effectively. - [Photo Series Part 1: How to Take Professional Quality Photos with Your iPhone](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/professional-photos-iphone/): Images are critical to your small business marketing strategy. And you don't need a fancy camera to take professional quality photos. Enter: Apple iPhone. - [64 Small Business Tools To Prevent Marketing Madness](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-tools/): There are plenty of inexpensive and effective small business marketing tools out there to help you optimize your efforts and compete with the big guys - [Watch These 6 TED Talks to Improve Your Focus and Productivity](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ted-talks-focus-productivity/): There’s no better source of inspiration than TED Talks. In 18 minutes or less, you can soak up great insights from some of the top minds around the globe. - [Social Media 101: Your Actionable Guide to Getting Started](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-marketing-101/): If you're still skeptical about the value of social media for your small business, let us break it down for you with these easy steps to get started. - [5 Tips For Getting Your Small Business Active In The Community](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-philanthropy/): We’ve put together a list of simple ways to get more involved outside of the office for the good of your community (and your small business). - [11 Instagram Accounts To Follow For Small Business Inspiration](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/instagram-inspiration-small-business/): If you’re not quite ready to hit the ground running with your Instagram account, take some pointers (and inspiration) from these influencers. - [7 Questions To Ask Before Hiring Your Next PPC Firm](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hiring-ppc-firm/): Before you sign on the dotted line, be sure to ask the following important seven questions of every PPC firm you interview for the job. - [5 Email Marketing Strategies You Can Use For Your Agency’s Clients Right Now](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-email-marketing/): When your agency’s clients come to you with 10% open rates, you’ve got to turn that around. These email marketing strategies will help. - [7 Ways To Convert Your Blog Traffic From Readers Into Leads](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/convert-blog-traffic-leads/): What are you doing with your valuable blog traffic? Are you capturing new leads, or losing out on potential customers as they bounce from your website? - [5 Brands Spicing Up Social Media (That Aren't Taco Bell)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/brands-spicing-up-social-media/): There are brands doing impressive work and running clever, responsive campaigns across all social media platforms. And we're not talking about Wendy's. - [5 AdWords Metrics Every Business Should Be Tracking](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/adwords-metrics-business-should-track/): If you find yourself with limited resources and budget, you want to maximize the effectiveness of your campaigns by focusing on the right AdWords metrics. - [Just Say No: How to Maintain Work-Life Balance as a Small Business Owner](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/work-life-balance-small-business/): A warning to small business owners: If you can't find work-life balance, you'll burn out while burning the midnight oil. Use these tips to stay on track. - [Take Your Social Media From Stale To Stellar With These 7 Tips](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-social-media-tips/): If you’re trying to catch the attention of your customers through social media, get creative. Your competition is vying for customer mindshare, too. - [Ready to Elevate Your Email Game? You Need These Free Templates.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/free-email-templates-online/): There are a plethora of free, customizable email templates just waiting to be sent and tested, and we’ve compiled a list of some of the best of them. - [Capture Your First 1000 Email Subscribers With These Five Steps](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/1000-email-subscribers-in-five-steps/): Before you can get a return on your email marketing investment, you need to have subscribers who actually want to hear from you. - [Have You Lost Sight Of Your Company's Core Values?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/company-values/): By spelling out what your company stands for in a list of core values, you can make it clear how you expect your team to behave at work. - [16 Skills That Make You A Proficient Digital Marketer](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/digital-marketing-skills/): For many people, digital marketing is a dream job. With the onset of many technology company perks and telecommuting jobs, digital marketing experts can - [8 Writing Tools To Make You A Modern Day Shakespeare](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/free-low-cost-writing-tools/): If English wasn’t your favorite subject, don’t despair. There are plenty of free and low-cost writing tools to make it easier to get your point across. - [Turn Your Content Into a Cash Cow with These 6 Lead Generation Tools](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-lead-generation-tools/): Rather than a "publish and pray" strategy, make sure that you're equipped with lead generation tools to capture new inbound leads. - [Dear LinkedIn, I've Lost That Loving Feeling.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/dear-linkedin-ive-lost-loving-feeling/): Instead of a social soulmate, LinkedIn now more closely resembles a dramatic high school sweetheart: stuck in the past and not sure what the future holds. - [DANGER: Email Marketing Mistakes Ahead](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-mistakes/): If you’re feeling uninspired or your emails need a refresh, get back to basics so you're not committing one of these unforgivable email marketing mistakes. - [Read These 10 Financial Blogs To Help Your Small Business Succeed](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-financial-blogs/): Can’t seem to finish the bestsellers on your nightstand? Don’t sweat it. Here are 10 financial blogs to polish your skills for small business success. - [Benefit From CRM Automation Without Losing The Human Touch](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benefit-from-crm-automation/): CRM automation is exploding as a way for businesses to foster relationships and fuel growth more efficiently. And that doesn't mean you lose a human touch. - [Employee Engagement Tips That Will Help You Crush Your Productivity Goals](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-engagement-tips/): How do you define employee engagement? Are employees engaged when they regularly show up for work daily or when they go above and beyond a job description? - [7 Indispensable Subscription Services For Small Business Owners](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/subscription-services-small-business/): You’ll be surprised at how many hours you can preserve every week if you invest in time-saving, inexpensive subscription services to lighten your load. - [7 Must-Have Tools For Starting A Blog](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/must-have-blog-tools/): Blogging continues to gets easier for small businesses. Thanks to a variety of free and low-cost blog tools, you can start building an audience today. - [The Quick Guide to Influencer Marketing For Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/quick-guide-influencer-marketing/): You’ve likely tried pay-per-click advertising, social media and perhaps content marketing. But have you considered influencer marketing? - [5 Tried & True Tools To Amp Up Your Marketing Productivity](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-productivity-tools/): Whether you’re a one-person army or an enterprise-level marketing team, there’s one thing we all have in common: the need to be productive all week. - [10 Tips for Generating More Leads in 2017](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/generate-leads/): We're sharing 10 creative ways to generate leads from your marketing efforts and build up your small business's sales pipeline this year. - [19 Killer Social Media Tools To Save You Time (And Get Results)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-tools-to-save-time/): As a small business, you want to automate as much of your content as possible without losing the personal touch. These social media tools will help. - [In Defense of Snacks: 5 Office Perks Every Small Business Needs (and Why)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/office-perks-every-small-business-needs/): You probably can't offer on-site acupuncture like Twitter does, but here are office perks small businesses can provide employees that won’t break the bank. - [The Key To Achieving Both Personalization and Scale](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-crm-personalization-scale/): The larger a business grows, the harder it is to scale personalization. Lucky for you, a small business CRM can help you achieve both. - [Simple, Yet Powerful Secrets For Building A Small Business Marketing Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-secrets/): If you want your business to flourish, you need to have a systematic approach in place for your small business marketing strategy. - [Boost Morale (and Set Ground Rules) With Pets In The Workplace](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/boost-morale-office-pets/): There’s no shortage of research showing the benefits of having a pet. Pets calm us, lower our stress level and blood pressure, and help us to be more - [Kiss These Three Cringeworthy Marketing Trends Goodbye in 2017](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cringeworthy-marketing-trends/): There are a number of digital marketing trends that have cropped up throughout the last year that we’re hoping to see hit the road in 2017. - [5 Things You Can Do Every Day To Be A Better Leader](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-better-leader/): Your abilities as a leader may be something you’re not particularly conscious of day-to-day but rest assured your employees are. - [Surefire Strategies for Increasing Website Traffic Immediately](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/strategies-driving-website-traffic/): Social media matters to your business now more than ever. Since all internet users have an average of 5.54 social media accounts, if your customers are - [Tips For Improving Your Small Business Finances In The New Year](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-improving-small-business-finances/): Before you start making plans and building strategies, you need to ensure that your small business finances are in order. - [Hatchbuck Secures $4 Million In Series A Funding To Fuel Growth And Innovation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-secures-4-million-series-funding-fuel-growth-innovation/): ST. LOUIS, MO - January 17, 2017 – Hatchbuck, an innovative and easy-to-use sales and marketing software for small businesses, today announced the - [Are You Sacrificing Customer Service for Performance?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sacrificing-customer-service-for-performance/): Successful businesses are great at two things: excelling at customer service to drive repeat business and generating new sales. But for many businesses, - [How To Easily Build An Employer Brand That Attracts Job Candidates](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/build-employer-brand-attracts-job-candidates/): Sales pay the bills, but in order to keep your small business growing, you need to make sure your employer brand is attractive to prospective employees. - [The Best Guerilla Marketing Tactics for Small Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guerilla-marketing-small-business/): Use these guerrilla marketing tactics (not to be confused with gorilla) to drive big time buzz on a small business budget. - [Email Elements You Should Be A/B Testing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-email-elements-split-testing/): Split testing is a continuous process that can deliver astounding results to your email campaigns. It will take time and creativity so we're here to help. - [7 Lessons From the Titans of Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-lessons-titans-marketing/): Learning from the best is the way to become the best. Here are 7 lessons from some of the greatest marketing leaders ever. - [5 Steps to Re-Engage Lost or Angry Customers Using Email](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/reengage-lost-angry-customers-using-email/): You will always lose customers. The question is, what are you going to do about it? The first step is to learn and improve. The second is to re-engage. - [CRM and The Big Impact of Small Data](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-big-impact-small-data/): When it comes to the importance of using data in marketing and sales, it's a bit like the late, great Leonard Cohen might say: "everybody knows." What is - [Interview: The Importance of Branding For Small Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/branding-small-businesses-dorie-clark/): Dorie Clark is the author of Stand Out and Reinventing You, and is an adjunct professor at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. We had a chance to - [Four Content Marketing Predictions for 2017](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-predictions-2017/): There's been a paradigm shift in the past several years away from noisy, distracting ads. A shift towards content. Customers want value and engagement - [6 Ways to Recharge Your Leadership Skills for the New Year](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/recharge-leadership-skills-new-year/): To make the most of whatever changes are in store for 2017, small business owners will need to bring their “A game” as leaders. Here are six ways to - [5 Email Marketing Trends for 2017](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-trends-2017/): Email marketing generates an ROI like no other digital channel. It has become a driving force behind content marketing and many other marketing strategies. - [2017 Marketing Trends for Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/2017-marketing-trends-small-business/): To help you stay ahead of the curve and max out the opportunities available to you, here are the top marketing trends to keep an eye on in 2017. - [Is Your Content Marketing On The Right Track?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-2017/): Small businesses may be creating and pushing out content, but if they don’t have the resources to put together a cohesive content marketing strategy,. - [3 Ways Agencies Can Help Small Business Clients Establish Marketing Goals and Find Ideal Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agencies-help-small-business-marketing-goals/): Marketing agencies should use these tips to establish and achieve marketing goals that make a positive impact on small business clients. - [4 Ways to Incorporate CRM Into Your Social Media Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/incorporate-crm-social-media-strategy/): A robust social media presence falls completely flat without access to an equally robust collection of customer data in a CRM. - [5 SEO Tips for Marketing Agencies](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-tips-marketing-agencies/): Here are five efficient things your marketing agency can do right now to boost your SEO results and attract more clients. - [5 Lessons Small Businesses Can Learn From Amazon](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-lessons-amazon/): The lessons small businesses can learn from Amazon could fill an entire textbook and then some. Here are five of the most important lessons to take away. - [Why Team Lunches Need To Be A Part of Your Work Culture](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/team-lunches-small-business-culture/): There are all sorts of ways to build bonds among team members. Some businesses go to extremes to do it—luxurious weekend retreats, city-wide scavenger - [Your Simple Cheat Sheet for Better Email Subject Lines](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/simple-cheat-sheet-better-email-subject-lines/): Email subject lines are the most important part of your email copy. They’re a first impression and determine whether your email gets opened or not. No - ['Tis The Season…To Spend Wisely](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-holiday-spend-wisely/): Spending strategically means you can operate more efficiently, get your business in front of more people, build a strong brand reputation and grow sales. - [Free and Low-Cost Client Gifts To Show Your Appreciation This Holiday Season](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/free-low-cost-holiday-client-gifts/): You love your clients. And while you might intend to show your gratitude for their business year round, if time has gotten away from you, the holiday - [8 Design Tips for More Effective Emails](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-effective-email-design/): Great email design follows usability best practices and makes it easier for prospects to convert. Use these tips to create more effective emails. - [4 Ways to Capitalize on Social Media This Holiday Season](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-holiday-season/): Social media is a great way to connect with customers, showcase your company’s culture, and offer exclusive specials before budgets reset in the New Year. - [You’ve Invested in Marketing Automation, But Can Your Small Business Stay Authentic?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-small-business/): Misuse of marketing automation can cause you problems. One of the biggest? It can make you come across as insincere and inauthentic to your audience. - [How to Increase Customer Lifetime Value With Onboarding Emails](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-lifetime-value-onboarding-emails/): Onboarding emails are a critical part of increasing customer lifetime value. In fact, the onboarding emails ARE your onboarding strategy. - [5 Reasons To Be Authentic This Holiday Season](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/authentic-holiday-season/): Before your small business starts holiday outreach, make sure that you're being authentic. Here are a few tips to stay authentic this holiday season. - [How to Make the Most of the Holiday Downtime for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-holiday-downtime/): It's that time of year again! Here are a few ways to take advantage—yes, advantage—of the B2B small business holiday (and post-holiday) downtime. - [5 Shows To Watch For Small Business Inspiration](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-shows-small-business-inspiration/): Looking for ideas on what to watch tonight? Here are five shows that will help you overcome obstacles you find in your small business and reach new heights. - [Get More Engagement With These 10 Holiday Email Marketing Tips](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-holiday-email-marketing-tips/): Use these holiday email marketing tips to cut through the clutter, drown out the noise, win customer attention and end the year on a high note. - [Will Your Small Business Finish the Year On a High Note?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/end-year-small-business-productivity/): It's officially December which means it's time for your small business to sink or swim before the new year. Use these tips to ensure productivity in 2017. - [List Segmentation Tips to Drive More Sales](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/list-segmentation-drive-sales/): Not all customers are the same. We all differ as human beings and have different needs, habits and motivations. That's where list segmentation comes in. - [It’s Time For Your Annual Sales and Marketing Checkup](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/annual-sales-marketing-checkup/): Just like your annual health exam, an annual sales and marketing checkup is a great way to make sure your business is healthy and meeting its goals. - [Want To Turn Lost Leads Into Revenue?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/want-to-turn-lost-leads-into-revenue/): When leads are lost, don’t fret. You can still take steps to get them back onboard and into your lead nurturing process once again. - [7 Considerations When Choosing Sales and Marketing Software](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/considerations-choosing-sales-marketing-software/): If you’re evaluating sales and marketing software, it’s going to be difficult to rely on a simple good, better, or best rating - [The Value of Leveraging Small Business Partnerships](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-partnerships/): Strategic partnerships can be a pivotal factor for growth and success, and a win for everyone involved. Here's how to get started on the right track. - [The Fixings for a Perfect Small Business Marketing Stack](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-fixings-for-a-perfect-small-business-marketing-stack/): Like your Thanksgiving meal, your small business marketing stack should include a complete suite of tools to help you pull off every part of your strategy. - [What You Can Do to Prepare for Small Business Saturday](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-saturday/): You don’t have to be a traditional brick & mortar B2C retail shop to harness the Small Business Saturday buzz for your B2B. - [10 Ways Your Small Business Can Give Back To The Community This Thanksgiving](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-ways-small-business-thanksgiving-outreach/): Being a good corporate citizen (regularly, if possible, not just around Thanksgiving) should really be a part of your business’ DNA. - [Customer Loyalty: 6 Effortless Ways to WOW Your Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-loyalty/): Create a loyal customer base by delivering a customer experience that is so good, they’ll fall in love with your brand and your product or service. - [Best Software for Your Marketing Agency, According to an Expert Owner](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-software-marketing-agency/): The best software for your marketing agency helps you get more done in less time without busting your budget. Here's a list of free or affordable tools. - [7 Free and Easy Small Business PR Tactics](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/free-small-business-pr/): Public relations is crucial to the success of every business, big or small. Small businesses just have to take a more DIY approach to PR. - [GetApp Recognizes Hatchbuck as Marketing Automation Category Leader](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/getapp-recognizes-hatchbuck-marketing-automation-category-leader/): SAINT LOUIS, MO, 11-14-16. Small business sales and marketing software provider, Hatchbuck, is excited to announce their ranking as a Category Leader on - [Is Your Small Business Suffering a Holiday Slowdown? This Might Help.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-holiday-slowdown/): Just because your business may slow to a crawl this time of year doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. Let’s talk about steps to improving holiday sales. - [Sales: A Delicate Balancing Act](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-balancing-act/): In a small business, you need a healthy balance: You need to win sales now while building a sales success machine for the long term - [12 Blogs Your Marketing Agency Should Be Following](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/12-blogs-marketing-agency/): As a marketing agency, the only way to stay relevant is to read. Check out these blogs to stay on top of trends for your small business clients. - [Finding a Sales Process That Works For Your Team (And Your Customers)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-process-that-works/): There’s really no one “right” sales process. It’s based instead on your market, internal dynamics of your company and the needs of your team and customers. - [The Dos and Don'ts of Effective Business Networking](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-dos-and-donts-of-effective-business-networking/): Small business is all about networking – building relationships and, in turn, building opportunities. Follow these rules for your next networking event. - [How to Use WordPress as a Landing Page Builder](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/wordpress-landing-page-builder/): Among its other capabilities, WordPress can be a useful and efficient landing page builder for your small business. Use these tips to get started. - [4 Keys to Expanding Your Company Overseas](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-keys-to-expanding-your-company-overseas/): Expanding your company overseas isn’t as simple as expanding to the next city over. Follow these tips to make your overseas growth run smoothly. - [5 Tips to Prevent Conversion Funnel Hocus Pocus](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/prevent-conversion-funnel-hocus-pocus/): Before you get bogged down with a bunch of conversion funnel hocus pocus, follow these five stages to build an effective, high-converting funnel. - [The Small Business Owner’s Guide To Email Marketing Success: Part 5](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-small-business-owners-guide-to-email-marketing-success-part-5/): Lost customers are an inevitable part of business. Here are some steps you can take as you work to win them back and how you can write a win-back email. - [The Small Business Owner’s Guide To Email Marketing Success: Part 4](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-owners-guide-email-marketing-success-part-4/): You need to deliver a positive customer experience before you start asking for referrals, but once you do, here's what a great referral email looks like. - [The Small Business Owner’s Guide To Email Marketing Success: Part 3](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-small-business-owners-guide-to-email-marketing-success-part-3/): Returning customers spend 20% more than first-time customers. Here's how to stay top of mind and leverage the upsell email for increased sales. - [The Small Business Owner’s Guide To Email Marketing Success: Part 2](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-owners-guide-email-marketing-success-part-2/): Today, let’s talk about using a lead nurturing email to engage prospects and build momentum that drives subscribers toward the sale - [The Small Business Owner’s Guide To Email Marketing Success: Part 1](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-owners-guide-email-marketing-success-part-1/): The introductory email may be the first one-to-one action a potential customer has with your brand - so you better nail it. - [The Small Business Owner’s Guide To Email Marketing Success: Introduction](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/intro-small-business-owners-guide-email-marketing/): Email marketing offers a multitude of advantages and should play a huge role in your small business strategy.This series will help you do it the right way. - [10 Top-Notch Twitter Handles Your Agency Should Follow](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-twitter-handles-marketing-agency-should-follow/): Twitter is the perfect place to keep a pulse on the world of digital marketing. Here’s a list of thought leaders, experts and digital strategists to follow. - [Building Trust Through Social Engagement](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/building-trust-social-engagement/): Looking to build brand awareness and consumer trust via social engagement, but not sure where to start? These tactics will help you get started. - [How to Create a Killer Mission Statement – And Use It to Grow Your Company](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/create-mission-statement-small-business/): Committing your purpose to paper in a formal mission statement can be a valuable way to align your team and attract the right employees in the future. - [Trick Question: Should Social Media Be a Brand Awareness or Acquisition Channel?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-brand-awareness-acquisition/): Social media should be seen as both a brand awareness and acquisition channel, and metrics should be associated accordingly. - [4 Ideas for Generating Leads Through Content Marketing  ](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/generating-leads-content-marketing/): When it comes to online lead generation for your small business, content marketing still ranks as one of the most effective tools. - [The 8 Best Leadership Blogs for Small Business Owners](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-leadership-blogs-small-business/): Reading is one of the best tools to help you strengthen your leadership muscles. Here are some blogs that will help you stay inspired and keep growing. - [How to Nurture Leads The Right Way](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/nurture-leads/): It takes more than investing in a lead nurturing tool to nurture cold leads into sales-ready prospects. You need a solid lead nurturing strategy as well. - [How To Avoid The Biggest Small Business Marketing Pitfalls](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-mistakes/): With all the latest marketing options available to your business it can be confusing, overwhelming and become a major resource drain. - [How to Effectively Leverage Social Media With Limited Time](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/leverage-social-media-limited-time/): Have your small business social accounts been forgotten? If so, don’t get discouraged. You don't have to devote a lot of time to social to be successful. - [Are You Failing At Content Marketing?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/failing-content-marketing/): You may have jumped on the content marketing bandwagon like your peers, but now you're disappointed with the results. So what can you do about it? - [These Are the Main Reasons Your Marketing Emails Aren’t Converting](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-emails-arent-converting/): But with every email campaign you send out, you could be missing out on conversions. Which means you’re ultimately leaving money on the table. - [Gartner Recognizes Hatchbuck as a CRM FrontRunner](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/gartner-recognizes-hatchbuck-crm-frontrunner/): SAINT LOUIS, MO, 10-4-16. Small business sales and marketing software provider, Hatchbuck, is excited to announce their ranking on the 2016 FrontRunners - [Don’t Forget These 4 Simple Email Nurturing Strategies to Improve Customer Loyalty](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-nurturing-strategies/): Keeping customers engaged with your brand post-sale is a vital part of scaling revenue - if you aren’t keeping in touch, you’re leaving money on the table. - [4 Tried and True Strategies to Grow Your Email List Effectively](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-ways-grow-email-list/): The struggle is real. We’ve got four fresh ideas for building what could be your most valuable marketing resource - your email list. - [Marketing Agencies: Here are 100 Ideas To Develop Your Blog](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-agencies-blog/): A blog can be one of the best inbound marketing tools for marketing agencies. Here are 100 simple content ideas to get you started. - [The Basics of Setting Up an Effective Facebook Business Page](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/facebook-business-page/): A Facebook business page can be a great, free asset for small businesses. It holds a lot of potential to reach your target audience when executed correctly. - [Tools Your Small Business Can Use to Evaluate Employee Personalities](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tools-evaluate-employee-personalities/): Assessing employee personalities can help you sniff out the strengths and weaknesses of your team, so you can put everyone in a position to shine. - [8 Invaluable Lessons Small Business Owners Can Learn from Mark Cuban](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lessons-from-mark-cuban/): Mark Cuban is an influencer in the entrepreneurship space and one of the world’s savviest business leaders. Small business owners should follow his lead. - [5 Keys to Delivering a Stellar Customer Experience Online](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-keys-delivering-stellar-customer-experience-online/): The other night I went out to dinner (at a restaurant that shall remain nameless) and was totally underwhelmed by my customer experience. Crabby waitress, - [With Inbound Marketing, The Little Guys Can Compete With The Big Boys](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-agency/): Inbound marketing can be an incredible asset for agencies when executed successful. Jon Frank of Gorilla76 shares insights on how to leverage inbound. - [No HR Department? Use These Resources to Fill in The Gaps.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/human-resources-tools/): With the right systems and tools at your disposal, human resources can be an asset to your small business without taking too much of your precious time. - [Effective Lead Nurturing: Your Business Can’t Succeed Without It](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/effective-lead-nurturing/): While lead generation is key to driving leads to your digital doorstep, lead nurturing is fundamental if you want to convert those leads into customers. - [Social Etiquette For Approaching Influencers and Winning Brand Advocates](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/influencer-marketing/): As consumers change the way they engage with brands, there has been a huge shift to influencer marketing. Follow these tips to build trust with influencers. - [Create Branded Small Business Videos on Your iPhone for Cheap](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/branded-videos-iphone/): Videos are a great compliment to a content marketing strategy and make your brand voice come alive through voice and action. - [Why Your Online Marketing Needs An Offline Boost](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/online-marketing-needs-offline-boost/): Despite being an often overlooked medium, traditional offline marketing is not dead. At its best, it can be a valuable asset to your small business. - [3 Marketing Podcasts (+ Episodes) Every Small Business Owner Should Listen To](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-marketing-podcasts-episodes-every-small-business-owner-should-listen-to/): There's no doubt about it: podcasting is back in full force. Check out our list of three must-listen marketing podcasts for small businesses. - [7 Ways to Use Social Proof in Your Email Campaigns](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-proof-email-campaigns/): Crowd mentality is stronger than ever. If you haven’t leveraged social proof in your email marketing campaigns yet, you should start doing it right now. - [How To Create and Nurture Leaders In Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/nurture-leaders-small-business/): Where do you find people with the capability to excel as leaders? Often, they may be hiding in plain sight as part of your existing small business team. - [Four Ways to Make Sure Your Website Attracts the Talent You Need](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/website-attract-talent/): It can be challenging in any job market for small businesses to compete for talent with bigger companies. Your website can and should be your secret sauce. - [3 Reasons Growing Businesses Need Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/growing-business-marketing-automation/): Marketing automation allows you to save time, engage with and convert more customers, and to go toe-to-toe with your larger competitors. - [Crisis Control: How to Respond to Negativity on Social Media](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/negativity-social-media/): It’s hard to get attacked on social media without reacting emotionally. Before you respond defensively, step back and consider other ways to handle it. - [Effortless Office Updates for Working with Remote Employees](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/office-updates-remote-employees/): With the rapid growth of remote employees, the traditional office (fluorescent lights and cubicles) has become a thing of the past. - [Rethink Labor Day With These Employee Engagement Tactics](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/labor-day-employee-engagement/): A lot of things have changed since the original Labor Day in 1882. But one thing hasn’t: employees still desire to be appreciated above all else. - [How to Use IFTTT Recipes To Close More Sales](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ifttt-recipes-sales/): Time is money. Luckily apps like IFTTT exist to automate sales processes. We’ve gathered a few IFTTT recipes to help you crush your quotas this month. - [How to Turn Your Employees Into Your Biggest Advocates on Social Media](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/biggest-advocates-social-media/): Inspire your team to advocate for your small business on social media to build a positive online presence and build a strong company culture. - [How to Navigate the 3 Challenges of B2B Social Selling](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/b2b-social-selling/): Think of B2B social selling like manning a ship. With the right strategies, you can overcome common challenges to make your online selling smooth sailing. - [4 Ways to Host a Can't-Miss Webinar](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cant-miss-webinar/): Webinars are an essential tool for establishing your industry authority. The ideal webinar will also lead to significant conversions. - [How Does Your Email Marketing Stack Up?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-stack/): So you’re leveraging email to stay in touch with prospects and customers. But how do you know if your email marketing campaigns are truly impacting sales? - [The 3 Non-Negotiables For Building Your Small Business Social Media Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-social-media/): As a small business owner, social media can be an invaluable resource if executed directly. Don't ignore these three basics when building a strategy. - [5 Reasons You Don’t Need a Sales Process](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-reasons-sales-process/): If you're not interested in scaling, increasing revenue or capturing more leads, then you definitely don't need a sales process. - [It's Not Business Unless It's Personal: Tips to Improve the Customer Journey](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/personalized-customer-journey/): Just because your business is digital doesn't mean it can be impersonal. Here are three reasons to use a personal touch to improve the customer journey. - [Conquer Small Business Automation With These 12 Tools & Apps](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-automation/): New technology makes it easier for small business owners to automate time-consuming tasks. We recommend these 12 tools to automate your business. . - [Nail Your Small Business Financial Model with These Simple Tips](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-financial-model/): When building a small business financial model, it's important to look at the past and future for perspective. Use these tips to put a solid plan in place. - [Generate More Leads with These Expert Email Newsletter Tips](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/generate-leads-email-newsletter/): When building your small business marketing strategy, don't overlook the value of an email newsletter to connect with your customers and prospects. - [3 Reasons to Update Email Marketing with Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-reasons-to-update-email-marketing-with-marketing-automation/): It's easy to overlook email marketing for newer technologies, but it is still a powerful and effective marketing tool for turning contacts into customers. - [This 3 Letter Word Is Your Key To Sales Persuasion](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-sales-persuasion/): As a small business, you have to target the right audience and convince them to buy your product. Use these strategies to improve your sales persuasion. - [5 Signs Your Small Business is Ready for Sales and Marketing Software](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-sales-marketing-software/): Incorporating CRM, email and marketing automation into one software platform helps businesses to reach more new customers and drive repeat sales. - [3 Simple Tests to Increase Landing Page Conversions](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-tests-increase-landing-page-conversions/): Make sure that you are optimizing all landing pages to maximize lead capture. Use these 3 simple tests to increase your landing page conversions. - [Past Customers: An Overlooked Resource for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/past-customers-overlooked-resource-for-small-business/): Repeat customers spend about 67% more than new ones. Consider reaching out to former customers to improve your small business sales. - [The 7 Habits of Ultra-Productive Leaders](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/productive-small-business-leaders/): Small business leaders need to be hyper productive to get everything done in a day. Use these 7 tips to become a more efficient leader. - [Considering Google AdWords? Read This First.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/considering-google-adwords-read-first/): Google AdWords can be an effective tool to boost lead generation for your small business if used correctly. Read our tips on building successful campaigns! - [What Customers Want: The Dos and Don’ts of an Effective Customer Survey](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/golden-rules-customer-surveys/): Customer surveys are a great source of objective information for small business owners. They'll tell you what you're nailing and what you need to improve. - [7 of the Best Sales Automation Tools for Your Small Business, According to Sales Experts on Quora](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-best-sales-automation-tools-small-business/): This list of sales automation tools from sales experts on Quora will improve your small business technology stack this year. - [10 TED Talks to Motivate and Educate Small Business Owners](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ted-talks-for-small-business-owners/): These 10 TED talks from influencers like Shonda Rhimes will motivate you, get your mind right, and provide valuable info for small business owners. - [How Your Small Business Can Create a Culture of Engagement](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-engagement-culture/): Creating a strong employee engagement culture is a must for small businesses. Better engagement can lead to better retention, happier employees & more. - [Building Your Small Business Brand This Summer](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-brand/): A brand is a nebulous thing, it’s both concrete—your logo, your colors, the look of your website, the feel of your store—and intangible: ideas and - [What You Need to Know About Google’s ‘Zero Moment of Truth” — And How it Affects Your Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/googles-zero-moment-of-truth/): There's a new step in the purchasing funnel - Google calls it the "Zero Moment of Truth." Learn how it impacts your customers and their buying behavior. - [How to Get Organized This Summer So You Can Hit the Ground Running this Fall](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-get-organized/): Here are a few tips on how to get organized this summer. Tie up loose ends now so you can hit the ground running as business picks up in the fall. - [Seven Summer Marketing Trends to Watch and Test in 2016](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seven-summer-marketing-trends/): When it comes to marketing, it pays to keep an open mind. Here are seven summer marketing trends to get you out of the summer slump. - [6 Must-Have Online Marketing Tools for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/online-marketing-tools-for-small-business/): Here are 6 marketing tools you can use without the help of an expert - perfect for small businesses that need a marketing boost. - [How to do Market Research on a Small Business Budget](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/market-research-on-a-small-business-budget/): As a small business owner, you’re continually looking for ways to grow your business. What better way to do so than to launch new products and services? - [10 Dos and Don’ts for Writing Email Subject Lines that Work](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-subject-lines-that-work/): With so many people and businesses clamoring for attention through email, how can you make sure that your email subject lines work? - [Comprehensive List of 33 Marketing Automation Terms to Make You a Pro](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-atuomation-terms/): Marketing automation is a whole new territory for many - we hope this list of marketing automation terms gets you a little closer to becoming an expert. - [How to Write Powerful Words That Help Your Product Sell Like Hotcakes](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-copy-that-sells/): Copywriting is the art and science of selling through the written word. Here's how to write marketing copy that will entice your audience to buy from you. - [This Simple Contact Management Tip Will Enhance Customer Relationships](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/contact-management/): Contact management is more than keeping your friends and family stored online. In our latest article, we'll explore contact management and then some. - [What to Expect When Using Marketing Automation Software](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sign-up-for-marketing-automation-software/): To help get you up to speed quickly on your research, here are some things to expect when you sign up for a marketing automation: - [12 Actionable Marketing Tips for Marketing Agencies](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-tips-for-marketing-agencies/): New agencies crop up every day - do you stand out from the pack? Check out our best marketing tips for marketing agencies. - [Automated Marketing: 3 Ways to Get Up Close & Personal](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/automated-marketing-gets-personal/): Skeptical about marketing automation? Here are 3 ways automated marketing creates that personalized experience that will bring you more customers. - [Top 20 Small Business Marketing Blogs to Follow to Boost Your Marketing Smarts](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-blogs/): Separate the fluff from the actionable advice you can really use to grow your business. with these top 20 small business marketing blogs. - [5 Reasons Your Agency Should Leverage YouTube Videos for Your Small Business Clients](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/youtube-videos/): Every day, millions of people worldwide contribute to billions of daily views on YouTube. Through simple subscriptions, social media link shares and viral - [How to Get New Top of Funnel Leads to Swipe Right](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-get-top-of-funnel-leads/): Since a Tinder-like app doesn’t exactly exist for small business owners, you have to come up with other ways to find and attract new top of funnel leads. - [Getting the Help You Need Doesn't Cost, It Pays](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-help/): Asking for small business help can be tough for owners, but you have to let go of the reins sometimes if you want to grow. - [The Right (Social Media) Tool For The Job](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-tool/): Even though you are focused on marketing, you many have overlooked certain social media “tools” that could add some real juice to your marketing results. - [How to Turn Small New Leads into Big Opportunities](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/new-leads-into-opportunity/): By blowing off small, new leads to jobs that don’t look financially exciting at the outset, you may be missing out bigger and better opportunities - [How to Host the Best BBQ Ever with Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-efficiency/): Ready to gather up your friends and family and put a sizzle on the grill - but wish everything could come together automagically? If your backyard - [4 Website Conversion Tips You Can't Ignore](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/website-conversion-tips/): These 4 website conversion tips will help you entice visitors to stay on your website, give up their contact information, and leave them wanting more. - [The Biggest Digital Barriers to Small Business Growth (and How to Overcome Them)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/digital-barriers/): Domain registrar and website hosting company GoDaddy recently teamed up with Alignable, a social media network for small local businesses, to survey more - [Advice for Beating the Summer Slowdown](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/summer-slowdown/): Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…maybe not when you’re a small business owner facing the screeching halt of a summer slowdown - [More Than Just a Pretty Face: How to Build a Website for Conversion](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/build-a-website-for-conversion/): Want to generate more sales from your website? Website conversion is the art and science of persuading visitors to take the next step toward the sale. - [8 Ways Small Business Owners Can Manage Stress](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-ways-small-business-owners-can-manage-stress/): As a small business owner, you know all too well about stress. There’s the stress of paying the bills; the stress of finding new customers; the stress of - [20 Inspirational Business Quotes to Hang On Your Mirror](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inspirational-business-quotes/): We hope there’s at least one inspirational business quote here that resonates with you as you start your day or as you wind down at night. - [How a Systems Thinking Approach Can Improve the Customer Experience](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-experience-systems-thinking/): Systems thinking is a way of learning how people, processes, and technology can interact for successful outcomes - primarily a better customer experience - [3 Lead Nurturing Fails – And How to Avoid Them](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lead-nurturing-fails/): Here are 3 common lead nurturing fails small businesses make and how you can avoid them in your email marketing campaigns. - [How to Find a CoFounder that Will Unlock New Opportunities for Your Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-find-a-cofounder/): Building a business is hard no matter what, but it’s often tougher on your own. Learn how to find a cofounder that will take your business further. - [9.5 Gifts to Avoid (at all costs) This Father's Day](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-5-gifts-avoid-costs-fathers-day/): Millions of dads everywhere will be celebrating their special day Sunday, chillin, barbequing, and opening their gifts. Father’s Day is a time to let the - [No Helpdesk? Digital Dragonfly Shares Small Business Tech Insights](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-tech/): No help desk? Digital Dragonfly shares their advice for managing your small business tech - from tools and systems to process and workflow. - [5 Secrets to Solving Your Small Business Hiring Problem - Hatchbuck](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-hiring/): For small business, hiring ranks third on the list of greatest obstacles to growing. Here are 5 tips on how you can find better talent. - [3 Ways Inbound Marketing Can Fuel Your Automation Engine](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-automation-fuel/): You've embraced marketing automation to manage daily tasks, but your work isn't done yet. Marketing automation is an engine, inbound marketing is the fuel. - [Quick Guide to Creating Scrappy Tutorial Videos Like BuzzFeed’s Tasty Videos](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/buzzfeed-tasty-video-tutorial/): Want to engage a bigger audience on Facebook? Check out our quick guide for creating a fast-motion video tutorial - just like a Buzzfeed Tasty video. - [Website Visitors Not Ready To Buy? Do This.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/convert-website-visitors/): Most visitors to your website won’t do business with you after their first visit. To convert website visitors, you've got to keep them coming back. - [How to Cultivate, Appreciate and Grow Your Brand Ambassadors](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/brand-ambassadors/): Here’s how your small business can grow your cadre of brand ambassadors to make sure they feel appreciated and spread the word about your brand. - [Personas and Segmentation: A Winning Team for Agencies (who want to keep their clients)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/personas-segmentation/): When a small business comes to your agency for marketing help, they want to see their investment in your services turn into real revenue. So how can you make sure your clients get the most out of every dollar they spend with your agency? - [6 Marketing Tools That Make Marketing Less Expensive - and More Effective](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-marketing-tools/): If you’re ready to move away from traditional marketing methods and add modern marketing to the mix, here are 6 marketing tools to consider: - [6 Budget Tips for Bootstrapping Your Business on a Shoestring and a Dream](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/budget-tips/): Here’s a look at six budget tips designed to help you successfully run your small business on a shoestring and a dream. - [The Unexpected Way Your Business Can Boost Sales](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/boost-sales/): Too many business owners are so focused on selling "right now," they forget something very important – maximizing lifetime customer value to boost sales. - [Is Your Business Throwing Great Leads Out the Window?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/business-leads/): No matter how many great leads you get, they won’t help you if your team is dropping the ball when comes to converting them to paying customers. Here are some common mistakes small business owners make and how to avoid them. - [How to Bridge the Sales and Marketing Gap with Lead Nurturing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/bridge-sales-marketing-gap-lead-nurturing/): When you think of famous battles, you think of the North vs. the South; West Side Story’s rival gangs of the Sharks vs. the Jets; East Side vs. West Side - [What Happened to a Print Shop that Embraced Inbound Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/advantages-of-marketing-automation/): Victor Clarke transformed his commercial printing firm to an inbound marketing firm using the advantages of marketing automation. - [61 Leadership Quotes to 'Keep On Keeping On'](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/61-leadership-quotes/): Being a leader may be hard some days, but keep leading on with these 30 leadership quotes to live by. - [15 Do’s and Don’ts of Working on Vacation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/15-dos-donts-working-vacation-2/): This blog post is for all of you who want to take a vacation, but aren’t really sure how you can possibly do so and NOT spend the whole time working and - [Complexity died with the Blackberry. Long live the simple CRM.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/simple-crm/): Steve Jobs once said that “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” and when it comes to Apple products, it’s so true. Remember when all of the tiny - [7 Surprising Sales Lessons from a Fenway Park Hot Dog Vendor](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/surprising-sales-lessons/): The guys and gals in yellow jerseys you see at the ballpark selling beer, hot dogs, popcorn, water, cotton candy - they really hustle. Their paycheck - [Don’t Miss Bill Gates’ 2016 Summer Reading Recommendations for Entrepreneurs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/dont-miss-bill-gates-2016-summer-reading-list/): Each year Bill Gates -- Seattle’s infamous billionaire who founded Microsoft — releases his must-read books for the summer. As the world’s wealthiest - [5 Marketing Lessons Learned from the St. Louis Blues](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-marketing-lessons-st-louis-blues/): St. Louis (Hatchbuck’s HQ) is ranked as one of the best sports cities in America, according to the Wall Street Journal. So it’s no surprise that diehard - [10 Fascinating Follow-Up Stats That Can Impact Your Bottom Line](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-follow-up-stats-that-can-impact-your-bottom-line/): These 10 follow-up stats can help you be more effective at turning your lead pipeline into revenue for your business. - [The 6 Cardinal Sins of Website Design](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-cardinal-sins-website-design/): Avoid these 6 sins of website design, and you’ll have no trouble landing those sought-after conversions. - [5 Tips That Will Supercharge Your Sales and Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-and-marketing-tips/): When it comes to sales and marketing, the thought of “selling” stresses you out. So shouldn’t your products sell themselves? - [Work Smart, Not Through Lunch](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/work-smart-not-lunch/): Enjoy your workday more, get far more accomplished, and have a real lunch break away from your desk with these productivity tips. - [Knowing How and When to Give Constructive Feedback](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/give-constructive-feedback/): Don't be afraid to tell employees what they need to hear, but be sure to keep it positive. Constructive feedback is an essential instigator of improvement. - [10 Tips You Need to Rock your Podcast](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-dos-and-donts-of-podcasts/): By delivering a natural, yet professional broadcast that focuses on a niche area -- you’ll be able to rock out your podcast and grow your subscriber base. - [The Small Business Guide To Display Retargeting](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-display-retargeting/): Display retargeting is an essential tactic in your integrated marketing campaigns. Don't lose another website visitor after they leave your website. - [Expert Interview Series: Kimbe MacMaster of Vidyard on Best Practices for Video Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/expert-interview-series-vidyard/): In the first edition of the Expert Interview Series, we dive into video marketing best practices with Kimbe MacMaster from Vidyard. - [The 10 Greatest Business Leaders of All Time](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/g-o-a-t-business-leaders/): G.O.A.T. = Greatest Of All Time. Here's our list of the most influential business leaders in recent history. - [How to Use Your Content to Reach Millennials](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-to-reach-millennials/): You can create the kind of content that connects your small business with Millennials and that they want to share on social media. Here’s how. - [Can Snapchat Help You Reach More Customers?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/can-snapchat-help-you-reach-more-customers/): Snapchat is the photo-sharing app that lets users send vanishing content to their friends and followers. These photo or video "snaps" can be viewed for up - [How to Use Email to Leverage the Promise of Video Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-video-marketing/): Are you leveraging video marketing in your emails? Learn the ins & outs of creating video for your marketing emails. - [13 Leadership Books that Every Business Owner Should Read](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/13-business-leadership-books/): Too many business owners start their businesses feeling as if they're alone; don't feel that way. Here are the top business leadership books to read. - [4 Data-Driven Strategies to Improve Your Sales Process](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/data-driven-sales-process/): Could your sales process use a little fine-tuning? These four simple data-driven strategies will significantly boost your bottom line. - [STAHP the Email Blasts! Why You Should Use Email Nurturing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/stahp-the-email-blasts/): No one wants an impersonal email blast in their inbox. Here's 5 reasons why you should adapt email nurturing and leave the blasts to the past. - [The Most Effective Ways to Motivate Your Sales Team](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-to-motivate-sales-team/): Here are five effective ways to motivate your sales team to build better relationships with prospects, turning them into customers to boost sales. - [How to Evangelize Customers: Beyond the Bottom of the Funnel](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/evangelize-your-customers-beyond-the-funnel/): Here’s how sales and marketing professionals can create go beyond the funnel to evangelize customers and boost revenue. - [Why You Shouldn't Wait to Start Developing Your Brand](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/develop-your-brand/): Don't let opportunities pass you by. Focus on brand development to paint a clear picture on who you are and who you are in business with. - [4 Marketing Software Challenges - And How to Solve Them](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/simple-marketing-software/): For many small business owners, there is one thing that is almost always more complex than it needs to be: marketing software. - [Plant Email Seeds This Spring For Customer Growth](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-list-segmentation/): Just like the plants in your garden, not every customer needs the same thing. Use these handy segmentation categories to keep your small business growing. - [You Need Millennials. Here’s How to Attract, Hire and Keep Them Happy.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hiring-millennials/): Your small business needs a Millennial. Here's your guide to effectively attract, hire, manage and retain talented Millennials. - [The Best Ways to Utilize Your Inbox](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbox-spring-cleaning/): Without the proper organization, your email inbox can look like a hoarder's living room. Never miss an important email again by using these five tips. - [How to Lead: 4 Secrets to Promoting Trust](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/trustworthy-leadership/): Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships. - [4 Questions That Will Eliminate Wasted Team Meetings](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/eliminate-wasted-team-meetings/): Take the dread out of team meetings to improve efficiency and boost morale with these 4 tips. Accomplish more in the limited time you have available. - [The Ultimate Hiring Guide for Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ultimate-hiring-guide/): Are you spread too thin? Are your employees engaged? Do you need to fill a new role? Or just need an intern? Finding strong talent that fit in with your - [How Content Once Saved the World](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-is-king/): Next time you're wondering whether to spend precious time and energy on creating valuable content... think of these 4 examples and do it. - [4 Sure Fire Ways to Reach Your Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-methods-to-stay-in-touch-with-your-customers/): A guest post from Kelly Smith at Coursefinder to help you develop brand loyalty, repeated sales, and promote word-of-mouth advertising. - [The Remarkable Ways Marketing Automation Imitates Magic](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-magic/): 4 downright remarkable things you can do to wow your customers while marketing automation works its magic in the background. - [5 Proven Call to Action Buttons Missing from Your Website](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-5-call-to-action-buttons/): These proven 5 call to action tips are vital to helping your visitors navigate through the buying process. Compel your visitors to take the next step! - [8 Things to Bring to Your Next Trade Show](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/trade-show-exhibit-checklist/): Creating a memorable trade show exhibit takes planning & preparation. Don't forget this checklist for your next event so you can focus on making connections - [Choosing Your Leadership Style? Start with The 5 Must-Have Traits](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/choose-your-leadership-style/): While there is a long list of desirable traits every leader should aspire to, learning the following five will build a solid foundation for leadership. - [8 Excel Features That Will Make Your Life Easier](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-excel-features-will-make-life-easier/): Don't get bogged down in spreadsheets. These 8 Excel features help you organize your data quickly and easily (Unless, of course, it's time to move to a CRM) - [4 Reasons Why Cold Calling is Dead](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-reasons-cold-calling-dead/): Before you pick up the phone, consider why you should give cold calling the cold shoulder and what you can do instead to boost sales for your small business - [The Number One Marketing Issue for Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-acquisition/): Customer Acquisition: learn more about your customers, nurture relationships, and acquire new customers for continuous growth - [6 Last-Minute Tips for Generating Leads on the Road](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-effective-strategies-getting-leads-events/): The last time you headed to a trade show, conference, or other event, did you come back with a stack of leads to follow-up with and a way to track ROI? - [3 Lessons Small Business Can Learn From "The Profit"](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/business-lessons-from-the-profit/): If you want to build a sustainable business, take a page from the TV show - The Profit. Stick to a formula, know your numbers, and don't go at it alone. - [Top 5 Volunteering Opportunities for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-biz-volunteering/): Keeping the local community at the heart of your business is extremely rewarding. Here's how to get your team active and volunteering in your community. - [6 Simple Ways to Automate Your Workflow With Zapier](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/automate-your-workflow-with-zapier/): Less data entry, more time for doing what you love. Automate your sales and marketing with Zapier integrations. - [5 Areas You Should Be Investing In Now](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/growing-a-small-business/): Cultivate Now, Reap the Benefits Later. Here are 5 areas you should be investing in to grow your small business. - [9 Tips to Boost Email Conversion Rates](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-tips-to-boost-email-conversion/): Make email marketing work for you and increase engagement and email conversion rates with these tips. - [Small Business Doesn't Have to Mean Horse and Buggy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/21st-century-marketing-automation-software/): 21st-century marketing automation software is affordable, versatile, and can provide a quantum leap in marketing effectiveness for your small business. - [How Building a Personal Brand Converts](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-build-a-personal-brand/): Your personal brand is how you present yourself in the office, online, and even in your personal life. How do you want to be perceived? - [Headed to a Conference? Don't Worry, Networking Doesn't Have to Be Hard.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/networking-tips/): As with most things in life, you get out what you put in while attending conferences. Here are some networking tips to arrive armed with a plan. - [How to Stop Complexity from Choking Your Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/making-the-complicated-simple/): Four key ways to make the complicated, complex world of small business both simpler and more productive. - [Springtime is The Right Time to Grow Your Customer Base](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/springtime-right-time-grow-customer-base/): Aaahh, spring. Buds on the trees, birds singing and ground ready for planting. Springtime (or anytime, for that matter) is the perfect time to plant the - [A Quick 5-Step Intro into A/B Testing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/quick-intro-to-ab-testing/): AB testing is one of the most important things you will do in email marketing. Here are the 5 easy steps to implement a successful experiment. - [Why Your Agency Should Use a Subscription Based Pricing Model](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/subscription-based-pricing/): If you think that subscription based pricing is best left to SaaS companies, you're missing out on building a healthier marketing agency. - [The Key to Small Business Success In Sales: Caring About People](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-biz-success-in-sales/): Honestly caring about your prospects and customers is the key to success in sales for your small business. - [Why WorkXO Powers Their Newest Project with Hatchbuck CRM](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/getting-started-hatchbuck-transformed-crm-process/): by Maddie Grant, Founding Partner of WorkXO We are WorkXO, a small business in the exciting process of what we call Mapping the Workplace Genome(™). We - [The Top 4 Most-Used Drag and Drop Website Builders](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/popular-drag-and-drop-website-builders/): These days, getting a new, modern website is simple and easy without breaking your budget. Check out these 3 popular drag and drop website builders. - [The Unexpected Secret to Effective Leadership: Listening](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/secret-to-effective-leadership/): You have all of the qualities of a good leader... However, there is one key difference between mediocre and effective leadership. Are you a good listener? - [Save Time with Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/save-time-with-marketing-automation/): Here are some ways marketing automation saves you time, standardizes your process and helps your business shine to convert more leads into customers. - [Be a Leader: Title or Not](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-be-a-leader-title-or-not/): How can you be a leader? Choosing to be proactive. It doesn't require a title, just taking ownership in any role in life. - [3 Ways Marketing Automation Software Makes Salespeople Happy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-software-2/): The goal of marketing automation software is to provide high-quality & organized leads, driving productivity and more revenue for the business. - [What the GIF?! How to Use Visual Content In Your Marketing Campaigns](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-with-gifs/): The best practices for using a GIF in your small business marketing campaigns. Time to have fun! - [6 Tips For Price Testing Your Subscription-Based Digital Marketing Services](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-tips-for-price-testing-your-subscription-based-service/): If you are going to offer your digital marketing services as a subscription or with a retainer fee, you first need to figure out the appropriate price. - [How to Write a Popular Blog Post - Without Writing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-write-a-popular-blog-post-without-writing/): How do you become a leading voice in your industry? For that matter, how do you even get your foot in the door? The answer is content —blog posts, eBooks, - [20½ Small Business Tips For Blogging](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-blogging/): Starting a blog is the easy first step. Here are tips for blogging valuable content your audience will want to subscribe to. - [Google Analytics Can Be Overwhelming: Start With These 5 Features](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/starting-google-analytics/): Google Analytics can be intimidating to a small business owner, but learning how to use it can open up a whole world of digital marketing. - [9 Practical Ways to Boost Website Conversions](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/boost-website-conversions/): If you have a business, you have a website - that’s a given. But is your website doing its job? A good website design is optimized to convert as many - [Brand Loyalty Isn’t Dead. How to Create a Lovemark with Your Customers.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/brand-loyalty/): Build brand loyalty by making your customers feel warm and fuzzy. - [Feeding the Masses: Build an Empire with Social Media Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/feeding-the-masses-with-social-media-marketing/): Stop shying away from your social media marketing. Get in front of your customers and potential customers to round out all your marketing campaigns. - [How I Grew Our Facebook Likes by 6400%](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/growing-smallbiz-facebook-likes/): The mysteries of Facebook... Here is my strategy that helped grow BenchmarkONE's Facebook Likes over 6400 percent! - [10 Deadly Landing Page Mistakes that are Costing You Conversions](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/landing-page-mistakes/): The landing page. It's a tried and true way to drive leads, but are you committing landing page mistakes that kill conversions? Find out more. - [The 4 Essential Steps of Building a White Paper that Converts](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/building-a-white-paper/): Coming up with things to say and bundling it all together can be difficult. Learn how to build a white paper that converts and start driving leads today! - [Be A Better Leader This Year](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/better-small-business-leadership/): The best leaders nurture talent, encourage innovation and foster creative thinking. Here's how you can start improving your leadership skills this year. - [5 Clever Ways to Reward Your Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-loyalty-program/): Repeat customers spend 67% more on a purchase than a new customer does. Here are some cost-effective, clever ways to start a customer loyalty program. - [Tips and Tricks for Using Emojis in Email Subject Lines](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-and-tricks-for-using-emojis-in-email-subject-lines/): You're seen them before and now they're finding their way into marketing messages. Boost your open rates by introducing emojis in email subject lines. - [Before You Hire an SEO Company, Try These 16 DIY Tips](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hire-seo-company/): You may think you need to hire an SEO company, however don't do it until you've read through these 16 DIY SEO tips. - [Hysterical Ideas That Are Actually Marketing Techniques for Small Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hysterical-ideas-that-are-actually-marketing-techniques-for-small-businesses/): These funny ideas can give your marketing initiatives a boost in engagement. Don't be afraid to get silly with your small business marketing techniques! - [5 of the Best Practices for Email Marketing Subject Lines to Boost Response](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-practices-for-email-subject-lines/): Email subject lines are the key to driving more opens in your email marketing activities. Take a look at these best practices and get in front of more eyes. - [Simple Tips to Make the Most of Inbound Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/simple-inbound-marketing-tips/): Inbound marketing is modern marketing! Follow these simple inbound marketing tips that will make business generation easier than you ever imagined. - [Mind Your Social Media Manners](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/mind-your-social-media-manners/): Social media is one of the most powerful inbound marketing tools that small businesses have at their fingertips. Set guidelines to strengthen your brand. - [Reclaiming Thought Leadership](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/industry-thought-leadership/): Your industry thought leadership strategy will help you look ahead to the future, driving innovation in your respective field. - [Search Engine Marketing: SEM Best Practices (And Why You Need Them)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sem-best-practices/): SEM best practices include SEO (Search Engine Optimization), keyword research and analysis, paid advertising, and organic referrals from search engines. - [What is Inbound Marketing? More Importantly, Is It Better?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-is-inbound-marketing/): What if instead of a marketing campaign that you hope finds new prospects and customers or clients, your online marketing campaign is designed to have - [Cultivate Sales With Customer Service: How To Sell More To Your Best Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cultivate-sales-with-customer-service/): How To Sell More To Your Best Customers -- Customer Service is an important sales tool in your arsenal that can help you differentiate from big competitors. - [Small Business Sales Forecasting: 4 Things to Consider Before You Plan](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-sales-forecasting/): What is Sales Forecasting? How can you adopt it for your small business? Here are the four things to consider before you plan. - [Be Yourself - Business Attire and Your Personal Brand](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/get-a-uniform/): The tried and tired business professional attire for women and men is out. Create your own uniform and personal brand! - [How Do You Prefer to Work? The 4 Office Personality Types](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/office-personality-types/): Before you can lead a team, you need to know yourself first. By knowing the 4 office personality types, you can better lead and manage your employees. - [Awww, Shucks. Feeling the Love at Hatchbuck.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-reviews-2015/): We wouldn't be BenchmarkONE without our awesome customers. We show up, work hard, and do the right thing so we can make a difference in business owners' lives. - [Establishing Yourself as an Authentic Leader](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/establishing-yourself-as-an-authentic-leader/): As a small business owner, it can feel like you are trying everything you can to grow your market share and sell products. But have you tried being your - [4 Branding Strategies for your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-branding-strategies-for-your-small-business/): Have you fully defined your brand - -and are you following through with consistency across all platforms? These tips will help you focus your branding efforts and get the results you want. - [The Most Important Online Marketing Lessons of 2015 for Small Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-online-marketing-2015/): What were the most important small business online marketing lessons for in 2015? Take a gander at this post to find out. - [Small Business Goal for 2016: Kick Some SaaS With Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-automation/): Robots and automation are among us, so what is a small business owner to do? Luckily small business marketing automation is a real thing - learn more here. - [The Pulse of Marketing Automation Platforms in 2016](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-pulse-of-marketing-automation-platforms-in-2016/): Marketing automation platforms - though still in their infancy compared to traditional tools like email marketing software - will continue to gain steady - [The 8 Disastrous Small Business Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-common-small-business-marketing-mistakes/): There is a slim line between success and failure for any small business. Eliminate these eight costly small business marketing mistakes. - [The Force Awakens: 5 Marketing Lessons Small Business Can Learn From Star Wars](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-force-awakens-small-business/): The Star Wars buzz is as big as its opening music. Join the light side and create that kind of power with your small business marketing. - [Are You Measuring What Matters? 3 Sales Performance Metrics You Aren’t Thinking About.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-performance-metrics/): Check out these 3 sales performance metrics you might not be thinking about. - [Do Your Employees Care About Your Success?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-recognition-ideas/): Promote passion and productivity in your small business workplace by knowing how to properly recognize your employees' hard work. - [Crafting Your Email Marketing Message: How to be a Good Communicator Where it Counts.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-message/): Coming up with the perfect email marketing message can be a chore for a time-strapped small business owner. Check out these examples for inspiration. - [Cut the Crap: 5 Ways to Communicate Effectively in the Workplace](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/effective-communication-in-the-workplace/): Are you speaking the same language as your employees or is it time to cut the crap? Here's how you can cultivate effective communication in the workplace. - [Your Mom (Is On Social Media)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-demographics/): All you need to know about social media demographics from millennials to baby boomers. And yes, your mom. - [What's So Great About Marketing Automation?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-sharpshooter/): Marketing automation is the star sharpshooter for your small business. So how can marketing automation improve your game? - [6 Small Business Investments to Plan on Before the Year is Out](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-investments/): For profitable small businesses, it’s all about smart spending. Consider making these small business investments before the end of the year. - [Finding a Freelancer for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/finding-a-freelancer/): Could freelancers help your business grow? Yes! Here are 10 places to find a freelancer to help get your projects done without adding to payroll. - [8 Marketing Podcasts Every Entrepreneur Needs to Hear](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-podcasts-for-entrepreneurs/): As an entrepreneur, you’re always in learning mode. These podcasts offer valuable insights into starting, running and growing a business. - [How Small Business Owners are Celebrating Thanksgiving in 2015](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-thanksgiving-2015/): So, just how does a small business owner celebrate Thanksgiving? We interviewed some of our customers to find out, take a peek. - [Don't Waste Money on the Wrong Freelancer](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/dont-waste-money-on-the-wrong-freelancer-2/): 5 techniques for hiring the right freelancer for your project I know from experience that hiring a freelancer can give small teams the agility to - [Building a Small Biz Audience Using Facebook Ads](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-biz-facebook-ads/): There are 900 million people logging into Facebook every day. Create an audience for your business using these cost-effective Facebook Ads. - [8 Popular Project Management Tools for Small Businesses Doing Mighty Things](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-popular-project-management-tools-for-small-businesses-doing-mighty-things-2/): Project management tools can help the busy small business owner delegate tasks and monitor progress - without micromanaging their team. - [4 Ways to Stop a Leaky Sales Funnel](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/leaky-sales-funnel/): Spot the leaks and patch the holes. Your sales funnel will thank you. - [3 Small Business Website Tracking Tools - and How to Use Them](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-small-biz-website-tracking-tools/): You can better understand the online behavior of your prospects and customers with the right website tracking tools. And it's not as hard as you would think - [Hatchbuck Best Practices: Email Subject Lines](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-subject-lines/): We did our research on email subject lines so you can start getting more opens. - [Buying Into Buyer Personas](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/buying-into-buyer-personas/): If your product or service is good enough, people will buy it. At least, that’s what we’d like to think. It's time to drive more sales with buyer personas. - [Online Photo Editing Tools (For the Design Pro to the Design Illiterate)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/photo-editing-tools/): For the Design Pro to the Design Illiterate, here are some photo editing tools you can use to make great looking images for your small business marketing. - [21 Great Small Business Blogs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/21-great-small-business-blogs/): Everyone is blogging about small biz so which small business blogs are actually helpful? - [Letting Go: How to Move from Micromanager to Small Business Leader](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/letting-go-small-business-leadership/): When you are passionate and invested in your business, it's hard to loosen up the reins. - [Struggling with Content Marketing Strategy? Nail it with these 5 Tips.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-content-marketing-strategy/): Be bold, be relevant, and be impressive. Here are some content marketing strategy ideas to get your small business noticed online. - [Culture Counts! 13 Ways to Create the Best Workplace](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/workplace-culture-counts/): The thing that motivates us to work the hardest is being under-appreciated. Said no one ever. Here are 13 ways to create a positive, productive workplace. - [Getting Started with Marketing Automation in 5 Easy Steps](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/getting-started-with-marketing-automation-in-5-easy-steps/): A solid foundation is the best starting point when implementing marketing automation. Follow these steps for a quick and easy transition. - [Is Halloween Tax Deductible for your Small Business?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-halloween-tax-deductible-for-your-small-business/): When it comes to Halloween goodies, how many costs are you eating? Halloween offers up spooky fun that can bring a unique and attractive atmosphere to - [When it Comes to Sales and Marketing Software, We’re Drinking Our Own Champagne](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/when-it-comes-to-sales-and-marketing-software-were-drinking-our-own-champagne/): Using BenchmarkONE, our own product, gives us an edge in developing an innovative, user-friendly product. - [Sell Them with a Story: How to Use Storytelling to Grow your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sell-them-with-a-story/): The art of storytelling can define your content marketing. Use our tips to connect to your audience and hook them with your story. - [Four Things You Didn't Know About Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/four-things-about-marketing-automation/): Everything you think you know about marketing automation is from a different crop of solutions. Now, the game has changed in favor of small business. - [Donut Mondays and Free Lunch Friday: Do Workplace Incentives Make a Difference?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/workplace-incentives/): Workplace incentives are all the rage. Large companies are able to provide most of what their employees would want. So what about us little guys? - [An Inside Look: Successful Leadership Traits](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/successful-leadership-traits/): Leaders aren't born, they're made. Here's an inside look on the successful leadership traits that engages employees to drive your business forward. - [The 4 Fundamental Ways to Improve Employee Engagement](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/improve-employee-engagement/): A whopping 87% of employees are not actively engaged in their workplaces. Improve employee engagement to create a stellar workplace environment. - [Tackling The Whole “Automation" Thing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tackling-marketing-automation-software/): Marketing automation software is the new darling in the marketing world and now it's coming to small business. How can you start automating your marketing? - [The DOs and DON'Ts of Marketing Content That Works](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-content-dos-and-donts/): These 14 content marketing rules will help put you on the pathway to success! Your blog will thank you. - [The Cost of Losing Your Good Employees (And How to Avoid It)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/losing-your-good-employees/): Losing good employees or having unengaged employees inadvertently takes from the bottom line. Check out the stats and how you can retain your best employees - [So Your Small Business is Thinking of Hiring an Intern](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-biz-internship-tips/): Internships are an excellent way to grow your business and make a positive impact. Here are a couple of things you should consider when hiring. - [The Difference Between “Selling” and “Nurturing”](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/selling-vs-nurturing/): Rushing Right In: Is it Only For Fools? When it comes to your small business sales and marketing, do you know the difference between selling and nurturing? - [Blogging on a Budget: Which Platform is Right For Your Small Business?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/blogging-on-a-budget/): We give you the best, budget-friendly blogging sites to get your content marketing strategy rolling. - [Six Quick Fixes For Improving Your Customer Service](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-service-quick-fixes/): People rarely forget a bad customer service experience. These 6 tweaks will help ensure everyone at your company is providing top-notch customer service. - [Get Personal: Say Goodbye to Batch-and-Blast and Hello to Email Personalization](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-personalization/): Your email marketing efforts are dead if you're still blasting your list. Get personal with your customers and prospects with email personalization. - [Tips For Setting Small Business PR Goals and Measuring Your Success](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-pr-tips/): If you are looking to grow your business, small business PR will expand your audience and improve your marketing efforts. - [How to Find the Right Employee for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-find-the-right-employee/): Finding the right employee for your small business has two sides: the qualities to look for in a candidate and how you attract those top candidates. - [The 140 Character Email Approach to Sparking Conversations](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-140-character-email/): Get your emails read and spark more conversations. Add the 140 character email to your email marketing best practices. - [Social Gone Small Part 3: Creating a Cult Social Media Following](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-following/): How do you engage with your social media audience enough to keep coming back to see what’s new? The answer is simple: be interesting. - [12 Awesome Examples of Small Business Content Marketing Done Right](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/awesome-content-marketing/): Learn from the best. Get ideas for your strategy with this showcase of great content marketing on social media. - [Six Essential Time Management Strategies for Small Business Owners](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/time-management-strategies/): You can’t add more hours to the day but you can manage your time more effectively. Keep your days focused on the tasks that move your business forward. - [How to Survive—And Thrive—During Slow Times](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/survive-slow-times/): Business Slow? You’ll Survive. Use this time to implement smart cash management and business practices. - [The Dreaded Finance Hat: 21 Small Business Budget Tricks](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-budget/): Quick small business budget tricks for those wearing too many hats with too little time. - [SEO Tips to Start Using Right Now](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-tips/): SEO can often be hard to keep up. Stay ahead of the curve with these basic SEO tips. - [What Our Core Values Mean to Us](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-core-values/): The leaders of Hatchbuck, Don and Jonathan, don't have to work hard to promote the Hatchbuck values because we all embody them. We were hired because we - [Social Gone Small Part 2: Social Media Content Hacks](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-content/): Show your personality and get to know your followers with these 8 social media content hacks. - [5 Keys to Effective Email Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/effective-email-marketing/): Your business needs a game plan for sending emails that not only make the cut, but also drive conversions and loyalty. Here are 5 tips for doing just that. - [What Can Your Small Business Learn from the Google Rebrand?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-rebrand/): Is your small business ready for a face lift? The recent Google rebrand provided valuable insight into making a big change. - [11 Big Content Ideas on a Small Business Budget](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-ideas/): Expand your content marketing strategy without breaking your budget. Make a big impact with these content ideas. - [How Automation Has Revolutionized Small Business Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-software/): Marketing automation software —which is used to develop, execute and track marketing campaigns--has changed the landscape for companies of all sizes. - [Social Gone Small Part 1: What Social Media Platforms Are Your Customers On](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/smallbiz-social-media-1/): Finding your niche in the realm of small business social media can be tough. Your first step is choosing the right platform to focus your efforts on. - [Crafting The Perfect Subject Line](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/perfect-subject-line/): Why is a subject line so important? A good subject line results in higher open rates leading to more clicks and more sales. - [101 #MondayMotivation Quotes for Small Business Owners](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/monday-motivation-quotes/): Owning and leading a small business has its fair share of highs and lows. For those low days, here are 101 Monday Motivation Quotes. - [7 Small Business Hiring Hacks You Can't Live Without](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/smallbiz-hiring-tips/): Finding strong talent is important for building a great team. These hiring tips will help attract top talent to work for your small business. - [7 Ways Small Businesses Can Compete with SEO Giants](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-seo/): Can your business compete with the SEO giants? Take the advantage with these cost-effective small business SEO tips. - [Supercharge Your CRM with Marketing Automation in 7 Steps](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/supercharge-your-crm/): Your CRM will perform better for your small business when you automate tasks and data entry with marketing automation. - [The Ultimate Marketing Automation Guide](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-guide/): If you are a small business ready to turn your website into a sales machine, it's time to consider marketing automation. - [6 Ways to Sharpen your CRM Data to Improve Sales and Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-ways-sharpen-crm-data-improve-sales-marketing/): Sharpening your CRM data will increase your ROI, revenues and profits, and it will reduce frustration and wasted time. - [3 Unique Trends to Watch in Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-unique-trends-watch-marketing-automation/): In today's digital landscape, marketing automation is a necessity for businesses that want to grow. Here's where we see marketing automation going: - [Ready for the Future? You'll Need an All In One CRM Software](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/all-in-one-crm-software-magic/): An all in one CRM software solution puts all the tools you need for your small business in one place. - [How to Hire the Right Employee for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hire-the-right-employee/): There are few things more crucial to the success of a company than its people. Hire the right employee for your small business with these best practices. - [5 Simple Content Marketing Tweaks for Your Small Business Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/smb-content-strategy/): Writing content can be hard and time consuming. Expand your small business content marketing strategy using these simple tweaks. - [B2B Company? Here’s 3 Reasons You Need Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/b2b-marketing-automation/): Business to business marketing automation is more than just a trend. It makes doing business easier. Here's 3 reasons you need marketing automation. - [7 Out of the Box Ways to Automate Your Small Business Operations](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/smallbiz-ops-automation/): Automation isn't just for big businesses anymore. Now, there are many affordable ways to bring automation to your small business operations. - [Email Campaigns - Simplified!](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-campaigns-simplified/): Most prospects aren’t quite ready to buy when you first connect with them. With a good email campaign, when they are ready to buy they will remember the company that did the best job of educating them. - [How To Easily Scout Sales Leads For Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/scout-sales-leads/): Check out how BenchmarkONE can improve your marketing success by nurturing sales leads into loyal customers. - [4 Quick and Easy Tips for a Tidy CRM](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-tidy-crm/): Don't let an unorganized CRM allow your prospects and customers to fall through the cracks. Tidy up your CRM with these tips. - [How to Bring Your CRM and Marketing Automation Together](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/bffs-crm-marketing-automation/): CRM and marketing automation go together like peas and carrots. Coordinate them for more conversions and better customer relationships. - [7 Surefire Ways to Get Your Small Business More Leads](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-leads/): Social media can be an effective channel to generation small business leads when done correctly. Here are some ideas to get you started. - [Making Your Website the Ultimate Sales Machine](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ultimate-sales-machine/): Capture more prospects early in the buying process turning your small business website into a sales machine. - [9 Reasons to Integrate Your CRM with Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-reasons-integrate-crm-marketing-automation/): The marketing seas are filled with tools that can help you with Customer Relationship Management (CRM). These tools store your contacts but can leave a - [Content, The Driving Force Behind Your Small Business Marketing Strategy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-strategy/): Content is a powerful driving force behind your small business marketing strategy. Learn how creating content can set you apart in the minds of your buyers. - [Is Your Social Media Strategy Consistent?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/consistent-social-media-strategy/): Defining a consistent social media strategy is a struggle for some small businesses. Here we've outlined simple steps for a consistent social media strategy - [Tap Into the Power of Your Customer’s Voice](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-voice/): Customer voice can be a powerful tool in promoting your business. Encouraging reviews online, testimonials and case studies can be the proof prospects need. - [Small Business Marketing On A Budget: 5 Low Cost-High Impact Strategies](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-strategies/): Marketing is often an afterthought for small businesses. Here are 5 low-cost, high-impact small business marketing strategies to take it to the next level. - [Need A Vacation? Here's How To Get One As A Small Business Owner](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-owner-vacation/): Are vacations for small business owners a myth? We don't think so. These quick tips will help any owner get from behind the desk to behind the sailboat. - [Be A Dad Every Day: A Letter For Father's Day](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/dad-every-day-letter-fathers-day/): Dear DAD's, As a fellow DAD, I understand what comes with the role of fatherhood. Long days, late nights, financial pressures; but there are an abundance - [3 Types of Mobile Payments Explained](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-types-mobile-payments-explained/): By Kristen Gramigna, Chief Marketing Officer at BluePay Can accepting mobile payments give your business an edge with consumers? Mobile payments give - [6 Sticky Lead Magnets to Create for Your Website](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-sticky-lead-magnets-create-website/): Want to attract more leads for your business? Solving a problem for your ideal customer makes your business irresistible to new leads. What is a Lead - [10 Fool-Proof Emails to Send to Your Audience](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-fool-proof-emails-send-audience/): Email marketing reportedly has an ROI of $40 for every $1 spent. But your traditional monthly newsletter isn’t getting the engagement it used to. What - [Mom, Here is what we think of you….](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/mom-think/): Here at Hatchbuck, family is important to who we are as a company. It starts with having awesome people (Aka Hatchbuckers) but great people aren’t just - [Celebrating the Customer this Small Business Week](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/celebrating-customer-small-business-week/): It’s National Small Business Week, and we wanted to focus on small business’s most powerful asset - their customer base. There are so many reasons to love - [Why Are 98% of Buyers Seeking Marketing Automation?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/98-buyers-seeking-marketing-automation/): Small business can't ignore marketing automation any longer. In a recent survey from Software Advice, half of small business owners are still using manual methods. Check out why they are looking to make the switch to marketing automation. - [Do You Need to Update Your Website?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/need-update-website/): Your #1 sales rep may not be who you think. In fact, 9 out of 10 people will do online research long before coming into a sales conversation with you, - [How to Make your Small Biz Look Big (Without Growing Your Footprint)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/make-small-business-look-big/): You don't need to grow your footprint to make your small business look big for buyers. Learn how design, content and more can help biz size image. - [Harness the Power of Your Customers to Build Brand Awareness for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/harness-power-customers-build-brand-awareness-small-business/): Your best customers work with you because they support what you’re doing. Use the right combination of marketing channels to the right audience, at the right time will strengthen your brand and customer relationships. - [Small Business Leadership: 5 Lessons from the Basketball Court](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-leadership-5-lessons-basketball-court/): Learn how tips from the hardwood can lead to increases in the bottom line from BenchmarkONE VP Jonathan Herrick. - [The Small Business Playmakers You Need on Your Team](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-playmakers-need-team/): Like a college basketball recruiter courting the best players to get their team to the NCAA championship, small business owners can use personas to - [In a World of Marketing Madness, Simplicity Rules](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/world-marketing-madness-simplicity-rules/): Today's multi-channel approach to marketing can feel overwhelming, but there is relief. In a complex world of marketing madness, simplicity is key. Here are five ways to simplify marketing - [Do You Have Fun With Your Social Media Strategy?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/fun-social-media-strategy/): Do you have fun with your small business social media strategy or is it a chore? Build your social media foundation around having fun for more better results. - [How to Love On Your Audience in 2015](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/love-audience-2015/): You don’t have to have a large team or an unlimited budget to show your audience the love this year. Build individual relationships through personalized email, surprise and delight your customers, align your business to an overarching mission and purpose, and add value to your audience to gain their trust. With these simple tweaks, you’ll find your audience sending the love right back atcha. - [Why You Need a Love Connection Between Email and CRM](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/need-love-connection-email-crm/): In any relationship, communication is key. The same goes for your small business tools. Getting them to "talk" can keep your business running smoothly - - [A Content Strategy Playbook for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-strategy-playbook-small-business/): Like a championship Super Bowl team, you’d never come to the game without a plan. So don’t try to just wing your content strategy. Identify your audience, brainstorm compelling topics, pin-point the right content channels, create your content and measure and repeat your way to content marketing success. - [5 Sure-Fire Lead Generation Tips for Your Blog](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-lead-generation-strategies-blog-havent-thought-yet/): When it comes to building business, blogging is a no-brainer. But, is your business blog working as hard as you do to generate fresh leads for your company? Here are 5 fool-proof lead generation strategies that can turn your blog traffic into revenue for your business... - [3 Quick Ways to Build Traffic to Your Next Blog Post](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-quick-ways-build-traffic-next-blog-post/): Ever wonder how some bloggers arrive out of nowhere and skyrocket their blog’s traffic and subscriber numbers, while some others struggle forever to move the needle? With over 164 million blogs already out there, you need to do a lot more than just write good content and present it well. You need to begin the groundwork even before you press that “Publish” button. Want to know how? Read on. - [4 Resolutions You Can Stick to with Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-resolutions-can-stick-marketing-automation/): We’re just over a week into the new year...have you broken your new year’s resolutions yet? Each year, small business owners strive to get more organized, build better relationships with their customers and prospects, create a sales and marketing process and drive sustainable growth. Marketing automation tools built for small businesses can help you achieve and stick to these four resolutions in 2015. - [The Last Minute List: 5 Ways to Give the “Perfect” Gift this Christmas](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/last-minute-list-5-ways-give-perfect-gift-christmas/): There’s only one week until Christmas and if you are like most holiday gift givers you’re probably waiting to the last minute, struggling to find that - [Entrepreneurs Share Their Secret Sauce in Hatchbuck’s #FirstBuckStory Contest](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/entrepreneurs-share-secret-sauce-hatchbucks-firstbuckstory-contest/): What does it take to be successful as an entrepreneur? 12 of our small business contestants in our First Buck Stories contest shared their achievements and advice to their fellow entrepreneurs. - [2015 Small Biz Trend - Social Media Drives Your Spending](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/2015-small-biz-trend-social-media-drives-spending/): Build conversation around your brand on social to utilize social buying buttons on social media in 2015. Learn how this new “buying” power will be able to help small businesses provide a more human experience. - [Marketing: Connecting People & Ideas](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-connecting-people-ideas/): A Guest Post by Eric McCarty of ITD Interactive Let’s whittle “marketing” down to its lowest common denominator. What is this marketing business about, - [4 Quick Tips for a Thanksgiving You Won't Forget](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-tips-make-thanksgiving-memorable/): Thanksgiving kicks of the start of the holiday season. Tomorrow many of us around this great nation will celebrate turkey day with family and loved ones - [Celebrate Achievements With Milestones](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/celebrate-achievements-milestones/): Amplify your successful small business moments with Facebook Milestones. Don't know how or what to post? We have you covered. - [What's Your #FirstBuckStory? Share it with us for a Chance to Win a $25,000 Marketing Makeover.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/whats-firstbuckstory-share-us-chance-win-25000-marketing-makeover/): For entrepreneurs and business owners, it all starts with that first buck. Maybe it was the first buck you made on your paper route as a kid that enticed - [Fall is for Community](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/fall-community/): Fall is for small business. Fall is for community. Fall is for magic and spirit and joy. Start building a community during the best season of the year! - [The White Paper - A Cornerstone of Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/white-paper-cornerstone-marketing-automation/): When it comes to marketing automation, content is key to attracting new prospects and nurturing them through the sales process. A white paper is one of - [4 Reasons Marketing Automation Helps Businesses Be More (Not Less) Human](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-for-humans/): Marketing automation software actually helps businesses be MORE human. Take a look at these 4 reasons why - [Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day!](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/happy-talk-like-pirate-day/): Avast! All ye small business owners are pirates and rebels, savvy? Throw up your jolly rogers and celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day! - [Marketing to Millennials](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-millennials/): Stuck trying to figure out how to market your small business to millennials? Observe music festivals for best practices, branch out your social channels, and creating a visual content strategy to tap into the next generational gold mine. - [Marketing Campaign Lessons from the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-lessons-als-ice-bucket-challenge/): To make your marketing campaign a success, make sure you keep it simple and have a strong, strong message like the ALS ice bucket challenge. - [Leadership, Customer Service, Small Business and Scalability](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/leadership-customer-service-small-business-scalability/): How to scale your small business to build a culture of customer service, leadership and servant leadership. - [The Hidden Superpowers of Small Biz](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hidden-superpowers-small-biz/): Fewer employees and fewer resources aren’t disadvantages, but rather superpowers that help small businesses do great things, and do them better than their larger counterparts. - [Cultivating Ripe Sales Leads: Lead Nurturing Strategies for Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-lead-nurturing/): Are you lead nurturing or lead smothering? Cultivate ripe sales leads with information at the right time and increase your chance at the sale. - [Lead Nurturing Starts with Segmentation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lead-nurturing-starts-segmentation/): Segmentation of your customers and web visitors helps send more targeted email and offers and helps nurture leads with what they care about. - [Be a Door Opener: Lead Generation Basics for Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/door-opener-lead-generation-basics-small-business/): Use these lead generation basics and e a door opener for your customers. Leveraging web forms and more helps leads become customers. - [A Dad's Life](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/dads-life/): As Father’s Day approaches, I can’t help but think of where we would be without the wisdom, support, and inspiration from our fathers. More than anyone other influence in our lives, at an early age dads shape the leadership DNA within us that enables us to mentor and grow our own families, businesses and communities. - [How to Stay In the Inbox and Out of the Spam Folder](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/stay-inbox-spam-folder/): Ready to send a bulk email to your list? Well, before you press send, we need to have “the talk.” You may have the best intention of sending helpful, informative correspondence to your contacts. But if it starts to resemble the profile of spam in anyway (even accidentally), your email reputation takes a hit. - [Modern Marketing is Inbound Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/difference-traditional-modern-marketing/): Traditionally, outbound marketing methods have worked well, but the landscape has changed. Today, Inbound marketing allows marketers to education and engage with consumers, nurturing them until they are ready to buy. - [Who’s it From? Five Questions to Ask to Increase Email Opens.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/whos-five-questions-ask-increase-email-opens/): Does your From Address shout, “Open Me, I’m Important!” or does it scream, “Proceed with Caution!”? It’s worth taking a second glance to make sure that your emails are delivered and opened. - [Content Grid: What to Send and When to Send It](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-grid-send-send/): Part of a great personalized email campaign is knowing what types of content to send throughout a campaign as your audience travels down the sales funnel. Here is a handy grid to help visualize what to send to your contacts, and when to send it. - [To Create or Curate? Content that Feeds Your Email Marketing Campaigns.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/create-curate-question/): Creating your own content is extremely valuable, but can be time consuming. Don’t be afraid to supplement the content you've created with awesome third party resources. Your audience will love seeing something fresh, inspiring, entertaining or educational, and you’ll gain a bit of good karma by sharing in today's social economy. - [Three Tips for Email Marketing that Creates Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/three-tips-email-marketing-creates-customers/): Today's consumer is desensitized to generalized batch & blast email. A more effective approach to email marketing is to create a pitch with a single call to action that speaks to a potential customer's interests and their place in the sales funnel. - [Turning the St. Louis Startup Scene into Reality](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/using-strong-local-resources-turn-st-louiss-tech-hub-aspirations-reality/): The St. Louis startup scene has been growing and growing. Hear how local resources have started making this dream a reality. - [An Easy Guide to Creating Customer Personas](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/create-customer-personas/): Personas are fictional people, but to understand their motivations and challenges, you want them to feel as real as possible. Check out the simple steps to creating an effective customer persona - workbook included! - [A Simple Introduction to Personas](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/simple-introduction-personas/): Creating personas for the main types of people in your audience helps you to address the challenges they face and understand what motivates them to buy so that you can deliver the content and messaging that helps your business to grow. - [6 Simple Ways to Get More Mileage Out of Your Blog Post](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-simple-ways-get-mileage-blog-post/): There is no better feeling than wrapping up an interesting, funny, educational, or entertaining blog post. But don't just click "publish" and forget it. With a few extra steps, your hard work will get way more mileage, reaching a bigger audience with your brand. - [Gmail Tabs Just Got More Pinteresting](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/gmail-tabs-just-got-pinteresting/): Remember when marketers everywhere panicked over Gmail’s promotions tab? Well, Google has done it again, and is taking the promotions tab one step further. - [Razor Sharp Email Nurturing - Dollar Shave Club](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-nurturing-inspiration-dollar-shave-club/): This is a great example of a personalized email campaign that compels customers to convert. Dollar Shave Club's call-to-action campaign gets right to the point and asks for the sale. Here's what Dollar Shave Club gets right, and how you can add these tips to your own call-to-action campaign. - [Spring Cleaning: Reorganize & Refresh Your Email Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/spring-clean-email-marketing/): Spring is officially here, and with that comes the promise of longer days and warmer weather! Like many of you, I have spent the last few months trying to - [Beyond Email Clicks: Why Small Biz Marketers Want to Measure More](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/measuring-clicks-isnt-enough/): Simply measuring email clicks isn't enough for small businesses that want to get ahead. Hear what BenchmarkONE suggests to get out of the vanity click game. - [Best of Small Business - Week of March 3, 2014](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-march-3-2014/): Happy Friday, Hatchbuckers! We have our weekly roundup of great small business articles for you today that focus on keeping the customer front and center - [The Ultimate Key to Email Marketing Effectiveness](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ultimate-key-email-marketing-effectiveness/): A catchy subject line that gets clicked, a sleek HTML email template that’s easy on the eyes, and an irresistible call-to-action can’t do their job if you're missing this one crucial element - [Small Business Marketers Are Losing to Dirty Data](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/clean-data/): Feel like you're fighting a losing battle to dirty data? Work smarter (not harder) to gather clean data through dynamic segmentation in your CRM. - [Warm Customers, Hot Profits](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/warm-customers-hot-profits/): Being physically warm triggers the emotional warmth that makes customers want to buy more and pay more. But, we can’t always control the temperature. So why not go straight to the source? Use your small business CRM to shine emotional warmth on prospects, increasing the likelihood that they’ll buy. - [Put the Heart Back into Marketing, Integrate Email with CRM [Infographic]](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-email-marketing-infographic/): Put the heart back into your marketing by integrating CRM and email marketing. Check out the infographic to learn more. - [How to Stock Your CRM with Fresh Leads](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/stock-crm-fresh-leads/): Catch and release is great for conservation, but when it comes to business, you’re playing for keeps. - [3 Gmail Tab Realities and How They Affect Your Small Business Email Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-gmail-tab-realities-affect-small-business-email-marketing/): Has the Gmail Tab impacted your small business emails? Learn how this newer feature can impact your email opens. - [How to Build an Unshakable Business Online](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/building-unshakable-business-online/): Keep all of those handy online platforms in your marketing mix, but don’t over-rely on their role in your business model. Instead, focus your energy on building something unshakable and owned. - [5 Unmistakable Signs of a Broken Sales and Marketing Process](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-unmistakable-signs-broken-sales-marketing-process/): Missed opportunities, dropped balls, and lack of communication are all symptoms of a sales and marketing process that needs a little love. - [Want to Influence Buyers Better Than the Super Bowl? Personalize Your Approach](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/want-influencer-buyers-better-super-bowl-personalize-approach/): For small brands, watching the big guys' ads play out on one of the biggest televised events of the year can make some envious. But in reality, your personalized, small business efforts are more effective at bringing in the Super dough. - [Working with a Lean Crew? Get Shipshape with a Better Sales and Marketing Process.](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/working-lean-crew-better-process-can-fill-gaps/): For small business owners, the goal is always growth. With an optimized sales and marketing process powered by CRM, your small business can really open its sails, growing your customer base without growing your team. - [5 Social Media Myths Small Businesses are Being Sold](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-social-media-fallacies-small-businesses-sold/): While small businesses are testing the waters of social media, many have not been able to transfer the potential of social media into real results. - [How Small Business Can Give Customers What They Want](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-can-give-customers-want/): Small business marketers can deliver the resources customers need at the moment they need them. - [Don't Get Eliminated From Inboxes This Play-off Season - 3 Email Marketing Mistakes to Avoid](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/dont-get-eliminated-from-inboxes-this-play-off-season-3-email-marketing-mistakes-to-avoid/): Email marketing can be a lot like playoff football. Or maybe I just compare the two because I see them a lot. Either way, here are some mistakes you may - [Best of Small Business - 2014, the year of the customer](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-2014-year-customer/): 2014 is the year of the customer! At least it is here at Hatchbuck, because, well, every day is about our customers! Here are some fantastic articles to - [Your 2014 Sales & Marketing Resolutions](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/your-2014-sales-marketing-resolutions/): The start of a new year is a great time to get motivated and make changes to your everyday life- which is why so many people make personal resolutions - [Best of Small Business, 2014 Marketing and Sales Trends](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-2014-marketing-sales-trends/): I don't know about you, but this year has flown by to me. It seems like I was just sitting down to write my first blog of 2013, "4 Marketing Habits to - [Happy Holidays from Hatchbuck](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/happy-holidays-hatchbuck/): This Holiday Season, Our Thoughts Turn Gratefully To Those Who Have Made Our Progress Possible. It Is In The Spirit That We Say... Thank You & Best - [Spread Holiday Cheer Through Email](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/spread-holiday-cheer-email/): Over the past couple of months, I (as well as other marketers) have encouraged you to ramp up your marketing to drive holiday sales. Hopefully the advice - [Gmail Image Change Affecting Your Email Opens](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/gmail-image-change-affecting-email-opens/): We get asked a lot how Hatchbuck (and other email marketing services) track email opens. To track an email open, we place a super-small, single pixel - [Best of Small Business - Week of December 9, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-december-9-2013/): Welcome to the end of another work week! Like many of you, I find myself constantly reading other Small Business blogs. There is a lot of great marketing - [When Email Newsletters Work](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-newsletters-work/): How many company promotion emails and newsletters do you get daily? If your inbox looks like mine-- probably A LOT. So what differentiates one from - [Best of Small Business Week of December 2, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-december-2-2013/): Happy Friday! Here are our small business article picks of the week.   1. What's Holding You Back From Online Marketing Success? by Randy Milanovic - [Inbound Marketing vs. Outbound Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-vs-outbound-marketing/): Often when meeting with clients, I am asked the question "What exactly is inbound marketing?" There tends to be confusion surrounding inbound marketing - [Make sure your Small Business Stands out this Cyber Monday](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/make-sure-your-small-business-stands-out-this-cyber-monday/): How did your Small Biz fare this Small Business Saturday? The statistics are in and it looks like it was a big day for small business! According to the - [Why you should be Thankful to work for a Small Biz](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/thankful-work-small-biz/): There are many advantages to working for a small business. With Thanksgiving in a few days and Small Business Saturday this weekend, it got us thinking - [Best of Small Business: Small Business Saturday Resources](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-november-18-2013/): Two of the BEST days of the year are fast approaching, Thanksgiving and Small Business Saturday! Did you know that 103 million Americans participate and - [Hatchbucker Highlights: STL Rent A Box](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbucker-highlights-stl-rent-box/): With ‘Small Business Saturday’ approaching we are excited to highlight one of our St. Louis clients (STL Rent A Box) on the blog! The Eco-friendly company - [Recycle your content](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/recycle-your-content/): Hey guess what! You can reuse your content and actually you should reuse your content. Creating content sometimes can seem like climbing Mount Everest to - [Best of Small Business, Week of November 11, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-november-11-2013/): Once again, Happy Friday! Here are our small business article picks of the week!   1. How Small Businesses Should Plan For Disasters by Karen E. - [Small Business Tips to Survive the Holiday Season](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-holiday-survival/): With the holidays right around the corner, you may be wondering if the season will bring your Small Business holiday joy or horror. To help prepare your - [Social Media Mistakes for your Small Biz to Avoid](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-mistakes-small-biz-avoid/): Social media can be a great way for a small business to promote and grow their brand, but there are also a lot of opportunities for mistakes. Here are 5 - [Best of Small Business, Week of November 4, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-november-4-2013/): Welcome to another beautiful fall Friday, Hatchbuckers. This week we have gathered some great articles useful to any Small Business! With the holiday's - [Create Your Own eBook](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/create-ebook/): Often times your Small Business will get a suggestion to create an eBook. Don’t feel alone if you've wandered what an eBook consists of - or how to start - [Email Campaigns Made Easy](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-campaigns-made-easy/): Getting started with email marketing campaigns can feel like a big task. Many people who get started with new email marketing software get stuck on - [Best of Small Business Week of October 28, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-october-28-2013/): At Hatchbuck, we love our Hatchbuckers (also known as customers). They keep us running and are always giving us amazing feedback on how to create a better - [Top 3 Email Horrors To Avoid This Halloween](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/avoid-3-email-email-horrors-halloween/): As Halloween approaches, I started thinking of some of the email “horrors” I see Small Businesses make every day. Top 3 Email Horrors To Avoid This - [Best of Small Business, Week of October 21, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-october-21-2013/): Welcome to another wonderful end of your work week. We all have our favorite websites we browse daily for news (besides Facebook, of course) - and mine - [[Infographic] Email Marketing vs Lead Nurturing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/infographic-email-marketing-vs-lead-nurturing/): As a growing business looking to market your products and services more effectively, one of the most important concepts to leverage is the difference - [Growing Your Small Business: A Lesson From A Pumpkin Farmer](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/growing-small-business-lesson-pumpkin-farmer/): In lieu of fall and after visiting my first pumpkin patch of the season, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite concepts from entrepreneur, author, and - [Social Media Selling for Small Biz](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-selling-for-small-biz/): Social selling or social media selling is a hot topic now. Most businesses know that they can reach a larger pool of potential customers by creating and maintaining social media profiles. Creating and maintaining the profiles are a start, but then how do you find prospects for your business? And how do you pull them into your sales funnel? - [Best of Small Business, Week of October 14, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-october-14-2013/): Happy Friday once again Hatchbuckers. Here's our weekly round up of small business articles for your reading pleasure- enjoy!   1. Today in Small - [3.5 Tips for Boosting your Email Click Through Rate (CTR)](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-5-tips-boosting-email-click-rate-ctr/): Email is one of the most effective ways to market and grow your small business. But reaching prospects and customers and getting them to take action in - [Do your Email Marketing Goals Need a Reality Check?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-goals-need-reality-check/): I absolutely love when new Hatchbuckers come on and are super motivated to get their email marketing going. However, sometimes people shoot a little too - [Best of Small Business Week of October 7, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-october-7-2013/): Happy Friday to all of our Small Business friends! This week we've compiled our favorite articles related to hiring! As a Small Business, you will be - [Unclog your Marketing Funnel](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/unclog-marketing-funnel/): Capturing website visitors is a vital part of the marketing process. While capturing the information to start with is key, after that, many people get - [Best of Small Business Week of September 30, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-september-30-2013/): Once again, it's Friday and that means it's time for our small business articles of the week! This week we found some great articles on customer service-- - [Social Spam: How To Avoid Being A Spammer Or Attracting Spammers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-spam-avoid-spammer-attracting-spammers/): There has been a lot of talk about Social Spamming recently. I stumbled across an article on Mashable, “Social Media Spam Increased 355% in First Half of - [Best of Small Business - Week of September 23](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-september-23/): All About Email Marketing Here at Hatchbuck, we believe in the power of email marketing! A study by ExactTarget found that around 77% of consumers - [Make your content more engaging](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/make-content-engaging/): Many small business we work with know that creating content is necessary for marketing their business. Almost all of them have the same gripes-- not - [Best of Small Business, Week of September 16, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-september-16-2013/): Happy Friday Hatchbuckers! Here's our small business picks of the week.   1. No, Gmails Promotions tab didn't Just Kill Email Marketing by DJ Waldow - [If Your Small Business Was a Social Media Site...](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/business-social-media-site/): People have a lot of fun comparing social media sites to actual people. It's easy to relate because each social media platform has it's own, distinct - [Best Of Small Business - Week Of September 9, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-september-9-2013/): Said to be the most wide-spread superstition in the US, Friday The 13th is once again before us. If you are like many Americans, today you will be - [Be Easy To Do Business With: A Lesson From Warby Parker](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/easy-business-lesson-warby-parker/): Let’s face it; we want things to be easy – especially when doing business. It’s like we expect our experience to be handed to us on a silver platter. All - [Take your Small Business Back to School](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/take-your-small-business-back-to-school/): Maybe it's just me, but every fall I miss that going back to school feeling. Every year feels like a new start to do something exciting. Buying new - [Best of Small Business, Week of September 2, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-september-2-2013/): It's that time again--Friday! Here's the best articles (that we found) for our small business friends and the rest of you Hatchbuckers! Enjoy!   1. - [19 Easy Ways To Celebrate Your Employees](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-can-learn-labor-day/): Held on the first day of September, Labor Day is a national holiday honoring our work force. While an extra day off is always welcome, it is important to - [Labor Day Pinspiration!](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/labor-day-pinspiration/): Happy holiday weekend to all of our hard-working friends! We know that as a Small Business, a break is hard to come by. We hope you take some time this - [How To Stay Human In A Technological World](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/importance-staying-human-technological-world/): “I Fear the Day That Technology Will Surpass Our Human Interaction...” - Albert Einstein Is it safe to say that Albert Einstein’s biggest fear is finally - [3 Things Pre-Season Football Can Teach Us about Small Business Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-things-pre-season-football-can-teach-us-about-small-business-marketing/): It's almost here. I can smell it in the air-- football season is upon us! I know that probably gets you thinking about your small business marketing - [Best of Small Business Week of August 19, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-august-19-2013/): It's that time again, Hatchbuckers-- Friday! If you need some reading for the weekend, here are our top small business articles for the week. 1. 37 Tips - [The What, Why and How of Lead Nurturing For Small Businesses](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-what-why-and-how-of-lead-nurturing-for-small-businesses/): Let’s say you are car shopping. Are you going to buy the first car you look at without searching anymore? Probably not… Chances are you going to shop - [Best of Small Business - Week of August 12, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-august-12-2013/): Hatchbuckers - Welcome to the end of another successful work week! What helps you be more productive at work? If you are anything like me, you love - [How-to: get referrals from current clients](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-get-referrals-from-current-clients/): Most likely, you have had customers refer you to an acquaintance. Many businesses thrive solely on referrals. Customers will refer you when they trust - [Reasons To Celebrate Being a Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/reasons-to-celebrate-being-a-small-business/): As a small business marketing consultant, my job on a daily basis is to help my clients use marketing strategies to GROW their businesses. That's what we - [Best of Small Business Week of August 5, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-august-5-2013-na/): Happy Friday to those of you who are taking a couple of days to wind down and to those who will be working through the weekend! Here are our favorite - [Small Business Marketing-Speak to Your Buyers' Emotions](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-speak-to-your-buyers-emotions/): For small business, 80% of purchases are driven by emotion. Learn "How To" tap into your buyers emotions with this short small business marketing video. - [Best of Small Business - Week of July 29, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-july-29-2013/): Wrapping up July week and transitioning into August all in one week made me feel like I plummeted into a new season. The kids are beginning to get ready - [Be Simple To Do Business With](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/be-simple-to-do-business-with/): I shop a lot – and one of the main things I remember about a business is whether or not it was EASY to do business with them. In fact, it sets the - [Make Your Emails Mobile Ready](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/make-your-emails-mobile-ready/): With such a huge proportion of our emails being read on mobile devices, you need to make sure that your emails are easy to read for mobile. Here are some things to keep in mind when designing your next e-mail. - [Best of Small Business-- Week of July 22, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/na-best-of-small-business/): Happy Friday, Hatchbuckers! We have our weekly roundup of "best of small business" articles this week. This week's focus is entrepreneurs and start up - [Our Favorite Social Responses To The Royal Baby](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/our-favorite-social-responses-to-the-royal-baby/): Like most of you, we have been anticipating the birth of the royal baby. If you are anything like me, you were following the news on your favorite social - [Capture and Engage with Leads on your Website](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/capture-and-engage-with-leads-on-your-website/): If you’re a small business and you’ve already invested in SEO, PPC, blogging, and social media, the next step is to engage with leads on your website. - [Use New Facebook Hashtags to Market Your #SmallBiz](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-your-smallbiz-can-use-new-facebook-hashtags-to-grow-your-audience/): It used to be, that when your friends hashtagged words in their Facebook status, you just silently cringed and thought "that's not how you do that." (just - [Best of Small Business - Week of July 15, 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-july-15-2013/): Like many of you, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. It’s a great place to reconnect and make new connections. Every now and then I stumble upon a - [Everyone In Your Business Should Be A Marketing Expert](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/everyone-in-your-business-should-be-a-marketing-expert/): Everyone IN your business is marketing FOR your business in some way. From the person answering the phone, to a sales rep – every action dealing with prospects and customers is either increasing opportunities or decreasing opportunities. - [Optimize Current Site Traffic Before Focusing on SEO](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/optimize-current-site-traffic-before-focusing-on-seo/): Many small business want to drive more traffic to their sites to ultimately get more leads. Is that wrong? no, of course not. However, a mistake that a lot of small businesses make is focusing on SEO and traffic generation and not focusing enough on the traffic that is already going to your company's site. - [Best of Small Business Week of July 8, 2012](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-july-8-2012/): It's Friday which means we have our weekly roundup of must-read small business articles to share. - [Am I Allowed to do that? How to follow the Email Marketing Laws](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/am-i-allowed-to-do-that-how-to-follow-the-email-marketing-laws/): Because BenchmarkONEers use our software to send e-mail marketing communications to their leads, we get a lot of questions about what is legal, right and acceptable. Others may not be aware that there are laws that guide the e-mail marketing space. - [The 4 Keys To Startup Success for Incubators](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-4-keys-to-startup-success-for-incubators/): According to the Harvard Business Review nearly 75% of all startups fail! From a startup perspective, I would like to share my 4 Keys to Startup Success for Incubators. - [Best of Small Business This Week](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-this-week-na/): It's Friday which means we have our "Best of Small Business" this week for you. Here are some great articles we have found to share with our readers this week. - [8 Easy Ways To Stay Top Of Mind With Prospects](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-easy-ways-to-stay-top-of-mind-with-prospects-3/): We know that in order to convert prospects to loyal customers, we must build relationships and stay in touch. Although we know we SHOULD follow-up, lack of time often prohibits us from doing so as often as we 'd like. - [Capture Emails at your Next Event](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/capture-emails-at-your-next-event/): Events can be a huge lead source, but statistics show that more than half of trade show leads are not followed up on. If you have ever worked a trade show, you can see how this is easy. People show their "interest" by dropping off their business cards, and you get your "leads" from the e-mail list that the event producer gives to everyone. T - [3 Social Infographics Every Small Business Must See](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-social-infographics-every-small-business-must-see/): 3 Social Infographics Every Small Business Must See - [Email Marketing Roundup](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-roundup-3/): Once a month, we try to compile a few articles related to email marketing or small business that we want to share with our readers. Here is this month's e-mail marketing Roundup! - [4 Must-Do’s For Selling on Social Media](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-must-dos-for-selling-on-social-media/): A recent statistic from Forbes says that 78% of sales people outperformed those not using social media. . If you want to sell on social media, there are some things you will want to do to ensure you don’t outcast yourself as the pushy sales type. - [Use Email To Retain Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/use-email-to-retain-customers/): A lot of email marketing strategy is focused on sales and nurturing leads and prospects with the ultimate goal being to convert them to customers. While this is a huge advantage that e-mail marketing gives to small business, you also don't want to forget to nurture your customers. - [What Small Businesses Can Learn During Disasters](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-small-businesses-can-learn-during-disasters/): When disaster hits, there is one thing that is inevitable-- the marketers jump on the opportunity and the public responds via social media. And it's usually not pretty. One great thing about the reach of social media is that the public can now voice our opinions when we see something that we know is wrong. However, as a small business marketer, it can now be confusing to know what is appropriate marketing-wise during a disaster. - [How Prospects Can Segment Themselves Using Hatchbuck Forms](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-prospects-can-segment-themselves-using-hatchbuck-forms/): We often preach the importance of segmenting your contacts. In order to email your prospects and customers relevant content, you must know their - [Great Subject Lines](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/great-subject-lines/): While testing e-mails that have different content inside of them can alter the actions that people take (like clicking a link, watching a video or visiting your website), you have to get the recipient to open the e-mail first. If a subject line looks uninteresting or spammy the e-mail is not going to get opened. This is why I believe that testing e-mail subject lines is the most important piece of the e-mail that should be tested when sending to a large group. - [Hatchbuck Software Overview](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-convert-more-leads-to-customers-2/): Want to know exactly how the hatchbuck software can help you retain more leads and convert more prospects to customers all while saving you time? Check out the slideshow below to see all of our features! - [Hatchbuck: Rebranding With Purpose](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-rebranding-with-purpose/): If you haven’t heard the big news, we are in the transition of rebranding our company Systematic Revenue into Hatchbuck. Here is the story of our - [hatchbuck Presentation on 1 Million Cups](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-presentation-on-1-million-cups/): Check out our founder and CEO, Don Breckenridge discuss the Hatchbuck software on 1 Million Cups this morning. His intro is at the 36:50 mark.   - [Writing Relevant Content](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/writing-relevant-content/): To many business owners, writing marketing content can seem daunting. It does take some time to sit down and write content so don't waste it writing something that everyone will delete! - [The 3 R’s of “Go Green" Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-3-rs-of-go-green-marketing/): As you may know, April 22 was Earth Day. A day growing in popularity, Earth Day aims to inspire awareness and appreciation of the planet. While committing yourself or small business to help the environment, you can transition your marketing into the same “Go Green” mentality. The 3 R’s of “Go Green” Marketing: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. - [Marketing Automation vs. E-mail Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-vs-e-mail-marketing/): If you are a small business employee or owner and are completely confused by how to get started on your e-mail marketing simply because you don't understand all of the terminology, you are not alone! Marketing automation, lead nurturing, e-mail marketing, e-mail blasts and newsletters among some of the many words you will hear in the industry. - [Tell A Business Story Worth Hearing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/telling-a-business-story-worth-hearing/): As a small business, you are not stranger to the concept of building better relationships with prospects and customers. After all, people do business with companies and people they know, like, and trust. One of the easiest ways to lay the foundation for a successful relationship is to tell a business story the prospect or customer can relate to from the beginning. - [Our Short Guide to Successful E-mail Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-get-better-email-open-rates/): There are 3 main things that every e-mail marketer needs to do: Get your Emails Opened, Optimize your Response Rates and Track, Analyze and Test. Here are our tips throughout the e-mail marketing process - [3 Foolproof Ways To Get More Referrals](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-foolproof-ways-to-get-more-referrals/): Many small businesses would like more customer referrals, but don’t necessarily know how to go about receiving them. If you are frustrated by your companies lack of referrals despite the positive feedback you consistently receive, give the following a try - 3 Foolproof Ways To Get More Referrals. - [2 Types of Questions You Probably Aren't Asking In The Sales Process](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/2-types-of-questions-you-probably-arent-asking-in-the-sales-process/): Asking the right types of questions during the sales process can be crucial to producing a high quality sell. The problem with so many sales people is that they ask low quality questions and make pitching their product/service the forefront of their conversation. - [Why NOT to create an HTML style newsletter](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/why-not-to-create-an-html-style-newsletter/): HTML style newsletters are the trendy thing in e-mail marketing. We've written articles on how and when a html- style newsletter is appropriate to use. However, there are many reasons why you should opt for a text-only style e-mail instead. - [Marketing Health Check for 2013](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-health-check-for-2013/): Creating a great product or service, hiring a few good people, and opening the doors to your business is no longer enough to sustain your business, much less grow in today’s market. - [Email Deliverability 101](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-deliverability-101/): "I’ll just hit send…" How many of us have put together an email and sent it to our list with high expectations? I would venture to say all or most of us, - [Email Marketing Roundup](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-roundup-2/): I love when we find other articles that share our thoughts about e-mail marketing strategy! Here are some really great ones that I came across this week - [10 Inspiring Small Business Quotes](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-inspiring-quotes-for-small-businesses/): 10 Inspiring Small Business Quotes - [What Small Business Should Take From Big Business Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-small-business-should-take-from-big-business-marketing/): Small businesses should not model there marketing tactics after their large rivals. However there is plenty to learn from the big guys. Some big business marketing tactics are great models for small business and some should be taken with a grain of salt. - [eBook vs White Paper](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ebook-vs-whitepaper/): You'll often hear marketing experts suggest your small business provide educational content to your prospects via eBook or White Paper. Don't feel alone if you've wandered what the difference between the two is. Here is a quick run down of the typical differences between an eBook vs White Paper. - [Sales and Marketing Email Campaign Examples](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-and-marketing-email-campaign-examples/): Many e-mail marketing software providers have different explanations of campaigns. At Systematic Revenue, we think that a campaign has multiple steps and serves a purpose-- sales and marketing. - [Top 3 Lessons A Small Business Can Learn From Paula Deen](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-3-lessons-a-small-business-can-learn-from-paula-dean/): A small business can learn a lot from Paula Deen's business mentality. - [Find the Right Sales and Marketing Software for Your Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/find-the-right-sales-and-marketing-software-for-your-small-business/): If you own a small business, the marketing options are endless and overwhelming. Using a sales and marketing software to streamline your efforts and reduce the time you spend on e-mail marketing and follow-up is becoming a necessity. - [A-B testing, How and When to do it](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/a-b-testing-how-and-when-to-do-it/): We get asked a lot about A-B testing for e-mail marketing. When you are sending to a large group, testing is a vital part of the process. - [3 Easy Ways To Keep Up With Your Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-ways-to-easily-keep-up-with-your-customers/): 3 easy ways you can keep with your customers that won't take hours of planning or take attention away from where you need it most. - [The How and Why of Lead Nurturing for Insurance Agents](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lead-nurturing-for-small-business/): What is lead nurturing, do I need to do it and how do I start? Read here to find out how and why small businesses can get a big benefit by nurturing their leads. - [Top 3 Things Your Lead Capture Form Must Do](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/optimize-your-lead-capture-form-convert-more-leads/): 9 out of 10 people research online prior to buying. What this means for your small business is that 90% of people are out researching on their own before they ever speak to you (if they ever do). Catching leads during early in their buying process can be crucial for converting them a customer over time. Chances are if you do not have an optimized lead capture form on your website (or Facebook), you are missing valuable leads that are out researching their problem that your product/service solves. - [4 Infographics Every Small Business Must See](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-infographics-every-small-business-should-see/): A small business may not have the time to sit down and keep up on industry trends via lengthy articles. Infographics are easy-to-understand, visually appealing, and can be shared instantly. - [Why Google+ is still relevant for small business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/why-google-is-still-relevant-for-small-business/): Many people and businesses have written off Google+ as their social media marketing network of choice. This is understandable, looking at how big networks like Facebook and Twitter are. - [Infuse Social Media into your current Marketing Campaigns](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/infuse-social-media-into-your-current-marketing-campaigns/): If your company does not have a social media presence, you are falling behind. Starting out with social media marketing does not need to be a big production. Many small businesses will hire a social media consultant to take over this initiative, but many others do not have the resources to do so. - [Identify Your Ideal Client For Sales Success!](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sell-to-your-ideal-client/): Every small business has an ideal client and a nightmare client. If you find yourself having a lot more nightmare clients then you might be trying to sell to everyone (the impossible). - [How Small Business can use Pinterest for Lead Generation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-small-business-can-use-pinterest-for-lead-generation/): Confused about how to generate more traffic to your website using social media? Not sure how to utilize Pinterest for your business? Here are some tips to add Pinterest followers, market your business and increase traffic. - [Give Your Customers A Sweet Deal This Valentines Day!](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/give-your-customers-a-sweet-deal-this-valentines-day/): Valentines Day typically works a couple ways for most – either you love to celebrate the holiday or consider it a day of corporate misery (Singles Awareness Day, anyone?) With all personal issues aside, there are many reasons your small business can enjoy the holiday. - [Is Marketing Automation right for my Small Business?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-marketing-automation-right-for-my-small-business/): Marketing automation can be an intimidating term to small business owners. How do you know if you need it? - [Marketing Strategy for Small Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-strategy-for-small-business/): Developing a marketing strategy and plan is key to being successful at marketing your small business. A lot of small business owners don't feel that they have the time to dedicate to marketing their business, so they don't take the time to sit down and really think about how it should be done correctly. - [5 Small Business Lessons From Pinterest Quotes](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-small-business-lessons-from-pinterest-quotes/): Motivation is important for setting a positive atmosphere for a small business and its employees. Sometimes all it takes is a short quote to have a large impact on a person or business. With that said, here are my Top 5 Small Business Lessons From Pinterest Quotes - [Increase Sales with Efficient Follow-Up](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/increase-sales-with-efficient-follow-up/): Every small business owner wants one thing-- more sales! Making your follow-up more efficient can help you to increase sales, save time and all over, feel less stressed out and more organized. - [Provide Exceptional Customer Service and Keep Your Clients](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/provide-exceptional-customer-service-and-keep-your-clients/): we know that businesses that master exceptional customer service truly gain the long-term edge over the competition. - [A lesson from my kid's school about getting email addresses...](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/a-lesson-from-my-kids-school-about-getting-email-addresses/): It is all in how you ask your customers for their email address. My kids elementary schools sent out a green piece of paper that said "We're Going Green" - [Are You Sending Emails Too Often?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/are-you-sending-emails-too-often/): Email marketing is a great tool for your business if done correctly. With that said, many people misuse their ability to communicate with prospects and customers through email by sending too many emails, too often. - [Social Media Overload-- How to get focused](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-overload-how-to-get-focused/): Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google Plus, YouTube, Instagram-- Oh My! Social Media can me overwhelming. Small business owners should put together a small plan to stay focused. - [Mass Emails or an Email Campaign ?](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/mass-email-vs-email-campaign/): Knowing when to send an email campaign or when to send an individual e-mail blast can be a confusing decision when using a marketing automation software. - [Fragmented Sales and Marketing Sucks!](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/fragmented-sales-and-marketing-sucks/): Historically sales and marketing teams either: a) don’t talk, or b) hate each other, but don’t know why. The key is alignment and communication which in this case is the responsibility of marketing. - [Events and Email Campaigns](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/events-and-email-campaign/): Many businesses host events. Whether it's a networking event, an educational lunch or an online event such as a webinar, it should be incorporated into your e-mail marketing campaigns. Here are a few ideas: - [4 Must-Haves For Every Small Business Website](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-must-haves-for-every-small-business-website/): People go online to learn about you and your business before they ever walk through the door or pick up the phone to call you. 4 Things Every Small Business Website Needs. - [SPAM I Am (Not): Top 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Sending an Email](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/spam-i-am-not-top-5-questions-to-ask-yourself-before-sending-an-email/): Did you know that SPAM accounts for almost half of all the emails received daily? Ask yourself these top 5 questions before sending an email out! - [Anatomy of a Newsletter](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/anatomy-of-a-newsletter/): This birthday newsletter is a great example of how businesses can send a friendly communication to their prospects and customers but also optimize it for - [Use Multiple Marketing & Sales Channels for Success](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/use-multiple-marketing-sales-channels-for-success/): With so many ways to market your business and try to make sales, it can seem overwhelming, and a lot of times costly. - [So You Provide Heating and Cooling Services...](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/so-you-provide-heating-and-cooling-services/): You'd like to have more customers, sell more heating and cooling units and sign more annual service contracts. Watch this video to see if Systematic - [Blogging Matters!](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/blogging-matters/): Blogging does not have to be a daunting task, but can have a tremendous impact for a small business if done regularly. - [So you're an Insurance Agent...](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/so-youre-an-insurance-agent/): As an Insurance Agent - you probably face a challenge with following up with your leads and customers in a relevant and meaningful way on a regular basis - [How to Market -- and Save Time](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-market-and-save-time/): For a small business, knowing how to market is a task all it's own. For most business owners in this situation, "figuring it out", means spending a lot of time or money, but it doesn't have to. - [3 Reasons to be Thankful for Email Unsubscribes](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-reasons-to-be-thankful-for-emailunsubscibes-this-thanksgiving/): Thanksgiving is past us, but shouldn't we still be giving thanks? How about we try to be thankful for something unexpected... Email unsubscribes! - [How a Small Business Can Make Every Day “Small Business Saturday"](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-a-small-business-can-make-every-day-small-business-saturday/): If you haven’t yet heard, Saturday November 24 is “Small Business Saturday,” a day American Express started a few years back with the hope that consumers - [Use Twitter to Nurture Cold Leads](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/use-twitter-to-nurture-cold-leads/): Here's a few ways to use your business Twitter account to nurture prospects who are not ready to buy your product or service yet. - [Top 3 Reasons Educating Prospects Works!](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-3-reasons-educating-prospects-works/): 1) Most People Aren't Ready To Buy (For Now) In an ideal world, people would be ready to buy at the exact time we are trying to sell to them. In - [5 (Easy) Tips for Writing Email Subject Lines With Higher Open Rates](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-easy-tips-for-writing-email-subject-lines-with-higher-open-rates/): The average corporate user receives 100 emails a day. If you are not providing valuable information within the readable email subject line, your emails - [A Newsletter That Can Learn](https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/newsletters-that-learn/): First, The Problem With Newsletters Too Much Stuff That Doesn't Matter To Me Companies try to create content that appeals to the broadest possible --- ## Resources - [How to Put Together a Social Media Calendar](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/social-media-calendar/): How to Put Together a Social Media Calendar Everyone uses social media. We use it to find new recipes, DIY hacks, interior design inspo, and the best - [LinkedIn and BenchmarkONE Lead Generation Webinar](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/benchmarkone-lead-generation-webinar/): Generate 100+ New Leads Now How to Create a High-Power Lead Engine with LinkedIn An instant recipe for using LinkedIn to find and connect with new leads - [Free Valentine's Day Email Templates](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/free-valentines-day-email-templates/): Free Valentine's Day Email Templates Go ahead. Send some love. Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, - [Marketing Automation Webinar](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/marketing-automation-webinar/): How Marketing Automation Fuels Content Creation and Amplification A webinar on how marketing automation enables you to create the right content and share - [CareerPlug Webinar](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/careerplug-webinar/): Remote Hiring: Creating Exceptional Experiences A Webinar on How Small Businesses Can Tackle Remote Hiring WATCH THE WEBINAR What You'll Learn Hire the - [50 Articles To Make You An Email Marketing Expert](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/email-marketing-roundup/): 50 Articles To Make You An Email Marketing Expert Must-read articles to help you ace your email marketing   Become an Email Expert Your information - [K12 Email Marketing Guide](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/k12-email-marketing-guide/): Email Marketing for Educators Everything you need to implement and facilitate effective email marketing for your K12 school.   Download your K12 - [Email Deliverability 101 Webinar](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/email-deliverability-webinar/): Improving Email Deliverability 101 A Webinar on Understanding the Basics of Making it to the Inbox WATCH THE WEBINAR What You'll Learn Learn everything - [The K12 Back to School Icon Pack](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/back-to-school-pack/): The K12 Back to School Icon Pack Inform parents and students of COVID-related school protocols with these creative icons   Get the K12 Icon Pack Sent - [The Small Business Guide to Going Remote](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/the-small-business-guide-to-going-remote/): The Small Business Guide to Going Remote Covid-19 changed everything. To stay safe and avoid the spread, many businesses had their employees leave the - [How to Build a Successful Agency Retainer Business](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/agency-retainer-webinar/): How to Build a Successful Agency Retainer Business Learn to Build More Predictable, Reliable Income With a Retainer-Based Strategy WATCH THE WEBINAR What - [The Power of B2B Reviews](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/power-of-b2b-reviews/): The Value of B2B Customer Reviews A 30-Minute Webinar to Harness the Power of Reviews In Your Marketing WATCH THE WEBINAR What You'll Learn Let Your - [The Strongest Channels for B2B](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/b2b-b2c-lead-generation/): The Strongest Channels for B2B and B2C Lead Generation Finally a webinar to help you put your precious marketing dollars where they really count! WATCH - [30-Day Follow-Up Template Pack](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/agency-email-template-pack/): 30 Days of Agency Follow-Up 30 days worth of email templates to make your prospect follow-up a breeze   Get Your Agency Email Templates Your - [Roundup: 50 Articles to Grow Your Agency](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/agency-growth-roundup/): 50 Stellar Articles to Grow Your Agency We've got a roundup of must-read articles to scale your shop.   Start Scaling Your Agency Your information - [Campaign Structure from Start to Finish](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/campaign-structure-webinar/): Campaign Structure from Start to Finish A 30-minute webinar on uncovering hidden treasure with campaigns WATCH THE WEBINAR What You'll Learn Uncover new - [10 Reasons Your Website Visitors Aren't Converting](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/10-reasons-website-visitors-arent-converting/): 10 Reasons Your Website Visitors Aren't Converting - And How to Change That A workshop to walk you through 10 marketing mistakes to avoid WATCH THE - [The Ultimate SEO Checklist](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/seo-checklist/): The Ultimate SEO Checklist Drive more inbound traffic with an SEO-optimized website   Get The Checklist Your information will be shared with - [Halloween Email Templates](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/halloween-email-templates/): Halloween Email Templates Download The Templates Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. 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Do you recognize the five unmistakable signs of a broken sales and marketing process?   Fix Your Broken Processes Your - [Turn Your Website Visitors into Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/turn-website-sales-machine/): Turn Your Website into a Sales Machine Sales Strategies for Businesses and Agencies with an Online Presence   Turn Your Website into a Sales Machine - [Ultimate Guide to Online Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/small-biz-guide-online-marketing/): The Ultimate Guide to Online Marketing Simple, Cost-Effective Tips for Getting Your Business Found Online   Learn how to get your business found - [DIY Guide to SEO](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/the-diy-guide-to-seo/): The DIY Guide to SEO Get The Help You Need With Search Engine Optimization   Learn SEO Basics for Your Business Your information will be shared with - [Content Marketing Playbook](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/content-marketing-playbook/): The Content Marketing Playbook A Workbook for Small Businesses   Download the Content Marketing Workbook Your information will be shared with - [Content Grid Infographic](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/content-grid-infographic/): Content grid infographic To download the full infographic in PDF format, click here. - [You've Got (Personalized) Mail!](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/personalized-mail/): The Guide to Modern Email Marketing Hello. You've Got (Personalized) Mail   Get your guide to modern email marketing essentials Your information will - [Marketing Planner Workbook](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/2016-marketing-planner/): Create Your Winning Marketing Plan Download our Marketing Planner   Download Our Marketing Planner Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. - [Content Distribution Checklist](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/great-blogging-checklist/): Content Distribution Checklist Must-Do Tips for Drawing Readers to Your Blog   Get Our Content Distribution Checklist Your information will be shared - [The Big Guide to Small Biz Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/big-guide-to-small-business-marketing/): The Big Guide to Small Budget Marketing Get More Bang For Your Marketing Bucks   Download the Big Guide to Small Budget Marketing Your information - [Ultimate Guide to Marketing Automation](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/ultimate-guide-marketing-automation/): The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Automation Everything Your Business Needs to Know About Automation   Download the Ultimate Guide to Marketing - [Buyer Persona Workbook](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/buyer-persona-workbook/): Build Buyer Personas for Your Business A Free Workbook with Templates to Help You Identify Your Radical Buyer   Get Our Buyer Personas Your - [Celebrating Small Business Customers](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/small-business-customers/): Improving Email Deliverability 101 A Webinar on Understanding the Basics of Making it to the Inbox   You put in a ton of work at the top of the - [CRM + Email Marketing = Great!](https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/crm-email-marketing/): CRM + Email Marketing Like PB & J, Some Things are Just Better Together Put the heart back into your messaging when you marry the info-tracking power --- ## Customers - [Goodness Dental](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/goodness-dental/): - [Bay Leaf Digital](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/bay-leaf-digital/): - [High Touch High Tech - Science Made Fun](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/high-touch-high-tech-science-made-fun/): - [Organizers Direct](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/organizers-direct/): - [End Brain Cancer Initiative](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/end-brain-cancer-initiative/): - [TSV Sound & Vision](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/tsv/): TSV Sound & Vision is a pro audio, video & lighting production company. Their expertise makes TSV the clear choice for all of your A/V and event production needs. - [Artisan Council](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/artisan-council/): - [InfusionPoints](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/infusionpoints/): - [Maddie's Fund](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/maddiesfund/): Maddie’s Fund is a family foundation dedicated to revolutionizing the status and well-being of companion animals. We provide grants and other resources to animal shelters and rescue organizations throughout the United States. - [University At Albany](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/university-at-albany/): - [J/E Bearing & Machine](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/je-bearing-machine/): J/E provides CNC machining, general machining, repair/overhaul and bearing & power transmission products to industries across North America. From the farmer down the road to multi-million dollar manufacturers, J/E provides lasting machining solutions. With the ability to supply more products and services in-house, they can help improve productivity, reduce costs and provide an increase return on investment. - [Kitchen Tune Up](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/kitchen-tune-up/): - [Fit Chicks!](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/fit-chicks/): Coach Roz's sales and marketing challenge: My email provider services were limited and lacked both customization and client follow-up systems. I wasn’t - [Harbinger Labs](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/harbinger-labs/): Harbinger Labs uses Hatchbuck to capture online visitors, message contacts and prospects and keep all tools in one spot. - [Textel](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/textel/): Textel provides landline texting for the SMB market. We text-enable a company’s existing business phone number so they can communicate with customers the way they prefer. Our product is cloud-based and very easy for a business to set up...takes less than 15 minutes. We use both inside and outside sales efforts to call on a variety of verticals across the country, ranging from insurance agents to car dealerships to salons. I am CMO and oversee our sales and marketing efforts. - [Bodies Health & Fitness](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/bodies-health-fitness/): What challenges were you facing prior to using Hatchbuck? We were looking for a way to systematize our intake process. Our goal was to provide great - [SKY ZONE](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/sky-zone/): I knew that if we were going to grow, I needed to find the right marketing solution to reach more NEW customers and bring repeat customers back in the door. - [The Clix Group](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/clix-group/): The Clix Group is an online marketing company that specializes in constructing and managing Google Adwords campaigns, search engine optimization, and strategizing and managing social media campaigns. - [Executive Strategy Group](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/executive-strategy-group/): Hatchbuck’s integrated CRM and email marketing increased our efficiency 2-fold. Now, we always place a follow-up call after sending an email, or vice versa. It’s the only way to efficiently create as many touches as needed to engage new prospects. - [Scheffey Marketing](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/scheffey-marketing/): The #1 reason why Hatchbuck is so simple is because of their amazing support! Here’s my story on how their support saved me from having to obtain outside help, and increase my budget. Not to mention the time they saved me… all while sustaining my client’s campaign success! - [The Database Diva](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/the-database-diva/): With Hatchbuck's combination of sales and marketing automation and its integration with Zapier, we are now down from 6 to 3 pieces of technology (so far). Now we can set up a webinar in about 15 minutes with no extra time on the back end after an event. And I can use my tags to look up my attendance activity. We can actually do more marketing now because it isn't so exhausting. - [goBRANDgo!](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/gobrandgo/): For fun I am an Ironman that loves rock climbing, traveling to foreign countries, and living on my motorcycle (and yes my awesome wife goes with me). This year it’s Switzerland and Germany. To keep up with the outdoor activities I work out 30 hours per week. - [BlueStrata EHR](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/bluestrata-ehr/): - [Erudite Ingenuity](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/erudite-ingenuity/): - [High Touch High Tech](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/high-touch-high-tech/): - [My Amazing Maid](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/my-amazing-maid/): - [CROSStrax](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/crosstrax/): - [Crevand Digital Marketing and SEO](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/crevand/): - [CEV Consulting](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/cev-consulting/): Our greatest business sales and marketing challenge was trying to get standalone technology to work together and give us better insights into how our sales and marketing activities were performing. - [Desoto Consulting](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/desoto-consulting/): Some people say I am a different kinda guy, I am cool with that. I wear cargo shorts to the boardroom and in my spare time I love to hang with my family and use my hobby, photography to help homeless in inner-city Arizona. - [Compass Strategies](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/compass-strategies/): I like to say that I’m a serial entrepreneur - Compass Strategies is my third business. Our services include web development, maintenance, email marketing and other digital services. - [Inbru Coffee Flavors](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/inbru-coffee-flavors/): Inbru is an innovative, new coffee flavoring product made from California Rice Hulls infused with aromatics and essential oils. - [The Wordpress Chick](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/wordpress-chick/): The Wordpress Chick is Wordpress happiness made easy. Kim Doyal helps the everyday user build their business and make money with Wordpress through coaching and consulting, custom Wordpress site design, classes and training, and Wordpress products. - [MaterialMix](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/materialmix/): The Material Mix software features a disruptive technology that commoditizes the trade of reusable materials within the current waste collection industry. - [LeadersBridge](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/leadersbridge/): LeadersBridge provides significant contributions to the fields of team building, leadership and relational and organizational success. - [St Louis Green](https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/st-louis-green/): St. Louis Green empowers others to learn about and implement sustainable lifestyles. We use BenchmarkONE to educate our consumers. --- # # Detailed Content ## Pages ### BenchmarkONE Pricing > SEE ALL PLAN FEATURES A fraction of the cost "When I did a demo of BenchmarkONE and saw how similar the interface was to Hubspot - at a fraction of the - Published: 2024-08-28 - Modified: 2024-11-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/pricing/ SEE ALL PLAN FEATURES A fraction of the cost "When I did a demo of BenchmarkONE and saw how similar the interface was to Hubspot - at a fraction of the cost - I knew I needed to give it a try. " Kristen Schneider | Business Director at Organizers Direct Onboarding Packages Online Support Free included with Lite Plan Online Knowledgebase Email Support Quickstart $199 included with Pro Plan Online Knowledgebase Email Support Phone Support One Hour Live Training 30 Day Access to Consultant Agency $399 included with Agency Plan Online Knowledgebase Email Support Phone Support Three Hours Live Training 60 Days Access to Consultant 6-Month Health Check-Up Frequently Asked Questions Who is BenchmarkONE for? Expand Small & medium businesses, marketing agencies or any business where email nurturing helps drives sales. We work hard every day to provide our customers easy-to-use, affordable sales and marketing software. What types of payment do you accept? Expand We accept Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. Sorry, we do not accept PayPal or local arcade tokens at this time. Any Special Pricing Available? Expand You bet. Make a 6-month commitment by signing up for a semi-annual plan, and you'll save every month. Any long-term contracts? Expand Nope. There are no long-term contracts and you may cancel at any time. However, if you cancel the BenchmarkONE team will miss you dearly. Can I change plans? Expand You betcha! Anytime, simply click on the "Billing" tab within your BenchmarkONE profile and you'll see your options. Is... --- ### Dec 2023 Promo - 50% off first two months > Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - Published: 2023-11-30 - Modified: 2023-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/december-savings/ Save 50% on Your First Two Months Offer ends December 31st Want to Talk Now? (866) 991-4888 sales@benchmarkone. com Claim your savings! Connect with a BenchmarkONE specialist to get started. Choose a day and time to chat. --- ### Homepage 2022 - B > BenchmarkONE helps businesses grow with sales and marketing software. We're the all-in-one solution for CRM, email marketing, and marketing automation - built for the way you work. Reach customers and drive revenue with our easy-to-use SaaS platform. - Published: 2022-06-21 - Modified: 2022-06-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/home-b/ SALES & MARKETING SOFTWARE Turn more visits into leads. With BenchmarkONE, it's easy to keep customer relationships at the heart of everything you do. Sign up today Free Forever Create Your Account First Name Last Name E-mail* SIGN UP FREE Should be Empty: No credit card required All-in-One, Gets it Done Frustrating. Bloated. Expensive. You shouldn't talk about your CRM that way. Instead, turn to our simple all-in-one CRM that amplifies sales with personalized automation. LEARN MORE As seen in Hi, business owner! Running the show is no small task, and it's easy to get into the weeds instead of working on what matters most. With BenchmarkONE, you can keep a pulse on your business with dashboards and reporting. SIGN UP FREE Driving leads for companies like Howdy, marketer! All of the details about prospects and customers in one place? You're not dreaming. Send targeted campaigns based on behavior - not instinct. See which channels are driving the best results. SIGN UP FREE Trusted by Hello, sales team! No more guessing games. Spend your time on the right prospects. Build your pipeline and get closer to the sale with automated follow-up. SIGN UP FREE Doing cool stuff with What's up, agency? A blueprint for generating predictable revenue every month? You got it! Become an agency partner to turn one-off projects into a retainer business and turn your focus to the fun stuff. SIGN UP FREE Increase Sales with BenchmarkONE Learn why thousands of users choose BenchmarkONE to propel relationships into... --- ### Homepage June 2022 > BenchmarkONE helps businesses grow with sales and marketing software. We're the all-in-one solution for CRM, email marketing, and marketing automation - built for the way you work. Reach customers and drive revenue with our easy-to-use SaaS platform. - Published: 2022-06-03 - Modified: 2023-09-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/ As seen in Hi, business owner! Running the show is no small task, and it's easy to get into the weeds instead of working on what matters most. With BenchmarkONE, you can keep a pulse on your business with dashboards and reporting. Get Started Driving leads for companies like Howdy, marketer! All of the details about prospects and customers in one place? You're not dreaming. Send targeted campaigns based on behavior - not instinct. See which channels are driving the best results. Get Started Trusted by Hello, sales team! No more guessing games. Spend your time on the right prospects. Build your pipeline and get closer to the sale with automated follow-up. Get Started Doing cool stuff with What's up, agency? A blueprint for generating predictable revenue every month? You got it! Become an agency partner to turn one-off projects into a retainer business and turn your focus to the fun stuff. Get Started Increase Sales with BenchmarkONE Learn why thousands of users choose BenchmarkONE to propel relationships into customers. Get Started --- ### Marketing Automation > Marketing Automation What Your Small Business Should Know about Leveraging Marketing Automation to Grow Read on for an in-depth guide on what marketing - Published: 2022-05-10 - Modified: 2023-05-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/marketing-automation-info/ Marketing Automation What Your Small Business Should Know about Leveraging Marketing Automation to Grow Read on for an in-depth guide on what marketing automation is, how it works, how it can help your company and your customers, features to look for, and tips and tricks that will make you experience as much success as possible. What is Marketing Automation? Marketing automation is the use of software to assist with lead generation and engagement with contacts in a relevant, personal way, in a simple, repeatable and scalable process. At BenchmarkONE, we know marketing automation. We live and breathe it, and that means we do whatever we can to empower agencies, agency clients, and small businesses to use it to the best of their ability in order to see tremendous results and growth.   If you'd rather skip the guide and dive right into marketing automation software, sign up for a free BenchmarkONE account. You'll get access to our all-in-one CRM, which includes everything you need to kick-start your marketing automation initiatives.   Sign Up for Our Free Marketing Automation Software 50% of your leads are qualified, but just not ready to buy. (Gleanster) How Does Marketing Automation Work? With marketing automation, you can reach out to the right person with the right email when they are ready instead of trying to reach everyone at once with the same generic message. Marketing automation automatically tracks the online history of each contact, so you can see what pages on your site they've visited,... --- ### Homepage 2022 > BenchmarkONE helps businesses grow with sales and marketing software. We're the all-in-one solution for CRM, email marketing, and marketing automation - built for the way you work. Reach customers and drive revenue with our easy-to-use SaaS platform. - Published: 2022-02-10 - Modified: 2022-04-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/homepage-2022/ Why do I need an all-in-one CRM? Understand what your customers want, when they want it, and deliver what they need with personalized automation with BenchmarkONE. Sign up today Free Forever Create Your Account First Name Last Name E-mail* SIGN UP FREE Should be Empty: No credit card required All-in-One, Gets it Done Frustrating. Bloated. Expensive. You shouldn't talk about your CRM that way. Instead, turn to our simple all-in-one CRM that amplifies sales with personalized automation. LEARN MORE As seen in Hi, business owner! Running the show is no small task, and it's easy to get into the weeds instead of working on what matters most. With BenchmarkONE, you can keep a pulse on your business with dashboards and reporting. SIGN UP FREE Driving leads for companies like Howdy, marketer! All of the details about prospects and customers in one place? You're not dreaming. Send targeted campaigns based on behavior - not instinct. See which channels are driving the best results. SIGN UP FREE Trusted by Hello, sales team! No more guessing games. Spend your time on the right prospects. Build your pipeline and get closer to the sale with automated follow-up. SIGN UP FREE Doing cool stuff with What's up, agency? A blueprint for generating predictable revenue every month? You got it! Become an agency partner to turn one-off projects into a retainer business and turn your focus to the fun stuff. SIGN UP FREE Increase Sales with BenchmarkONE Learn why thousands of users choose BenchmarkONE to propel... --- ### MASA > HELLO, MASA MEMBER! 👋 Ignite K12 Relationships Keep Students, Parents and Alumni in the Loop with Email Newsletter Software Built for Schools Sign up for - Published: 2021-10-20 - Modified: 2021-10-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/k12/masa-request/ HELLO, MASA MEMBER! Ignite K12 Relationships Keep Students, Parents and Alumni in the Loop with Email Newsletter Software Built for Schools Sign up for a demo of BenchmarkONE K12 Sign Up We protect your info, promise Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. --- ### NSPRA > HELLO, NSPRA ATTENDEE! 👋 Ignite K12 Relationships Keep Students, Parents and Alumni in the Loop with Email Newsletter Software Built for Schools Sign up - Published: 2021-07-02 - Modified: 2021-07-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/k12/nspra-request/ HELLO, NSPRA ATTENDEE! Ignite K12 Relationships Keep Students, Parents and Alumni in the Loop with Email Newsletter Software Built for Schools Sign up for a demo of BenchmarkONE K12 And be entered to win an Amazon Kindle! Sign Up We protect your info, promise Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. --- ### K12 Edition Video Overview > K12 Edition Quick Tour Learn how easy it is to stay connected to students, parents and staff with BenchmarkONE Stay Connected K12 Email Newsletters & - Published: 2021-06-15 - Modified: 2021-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/k12-edition-video-overview/ K12 Edition Quick Tour Learn how easy it is to stay connected to students, parents and staff with BenchmarkONE Stay Connected K12 Email Newsletters & More BenchmarkONE K12 Edition GET A FREE DEMO --- ### Allen Carr’s Easyway > Case Study Quit smoking program scraps Zoho for an integrated CRM and email marketing solution Read Story NAME Allen Carr's Easyway INDUSTRY Quit Smoking - Published: 2021-05-24 - Modified: 2021-05-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/allen-carrs-easyway/ Case Study Quit smoking program scraps Zoho for an integrated CRM and email marketing solution Read Story NAME Allen Carr's Easyway INDUSTRY Quit Smoking Program Website https://usa. allencarr. com/ Company size 10 Meet Allen Carr's Easyway Overcoming the physical withdrawal from cigarettes is easy; it's the psychological burden that tends to keep people reaching for their packs. At Allen Carr's Easyway, they break through these false perceptions associated with smoking to provide their clientele with a simple, effective, and safe solution. Their method shows people that they aren't losing something; they're gaining their freedom back. Natalie Clays was a smoker for 20 years and tried everything on the planet to quit. When she heard about Allen Carr's Easyway from a friend, she was blown away by what they were able to do for people who had been in her shoes. She was so blown away that she and her husband, Nic, decided to buy the franchise in Australia. They eventually expanded to New Zealand, and most recently, America. They originally used Zoho for the customer relationship management but decided to switch to BenchmarkONE to utilize the email marketing integration. A CRM and Email Marketing Tool In One "The goal was to simplify. " Starting your own business is demanding. There's a lot that goes into it, and with those demands come various different tools and systems to employ. Before Natalie and Nic started using BenchmarkONE, they were using Zoho for their CRM and Benchmark Email for their email marketing efforts.... --- ### test page > Testing 123. - Published: 2021-05-04 - Modified: 2021-05-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/test-page/ Testing 123. --- ### 35 Articles That Will Help > 35 Articles On How to Increase Sales Automation + CRM Email + Outreach Sales Enablement + Tools Sales Process + Funnel KPIs + Performance Management + - Published: 2021-04-20 - Modified: 2021-07-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/how-to-increase-sales/ 35 Articles On How to Increase Sales Automation + CRM Email + Outreach Sales Enablement + Tools Sales Process + Funnel KPIs + Performance Management + Growth Drive leads, conversions and revenue for your business with the power of an all-in-one CRM and marketing automation. Start a Free Trial Today! We've Got All the Resources You Need on How to Increase Sales We've assembled our greatest blog articles that share top tactics for improving your sales approach so you can increase your sales and bottom line. Everything from how to use specific tools to enable your process, how to apply the funnel to your strategy, tips for tracking success, and so much more. No more digging around for the high-qualty sales resources. Everything you need is right here. Enjoy! How to Increase Sales: Automation + CRM How Marketing Automation Can Increase and Benefit Sales 5 Time-Saving CRM Hacks Every Sales Manager Should Know About Rethinking The Sales Funnel With CRM How to Choose a Sales Automation Tool in 3 Simple Steps 5 Reasons Sales Automation Is So Important for Small Business List Segmentation Tips to Drive More Sales How to Use Tagging to Better Segment Your Contacts How to Increase Sales: Email + Outreach 5 Tips For More Effective, Unique Sales Emails 6 Creative Sales Emails That Get a Response Every Time 6 Ways to Help Your Sales Team Be Aggressive but Not Pushy 4 Killer Closing Strategies to Skyrocket Sales 4 Ways to Avoid Sounding Pushy on a Sales... --- ### Alabama Sawyer Case Study > Case Study Sustainable Woodworking Shop Ditched HubSpot for a Better Small Business Solution Read Story NAME Alabama Sawyer INDUSTRY Home Goods / - Published: 2021-04-01 - Modified: 2021-04-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/alabama-sawyer-case-study/ Case Study Sustainable Woodworking Shop Ditched HubSpot for a Better Small Business Solution Read Story NAME Alabama Sawyer INDUSTRY Home Goods / Woodworking / Furniture Building Website https://alasaw. com/ Company size Alabama Sawyer Meet Alabama Sawyer They take sustainable furniture design to the next level. Alabama Sawyer mills and dries urban lumber to design and create beautiful, one-of-a-kind furniture and wood products. When HubSpot proved to be an ill-fit solution, they began their search for a small business marketing automation tool that was just right. Enter: BenchmarkONE. A Better Small Business Solution "We are small. I wear a lot of hats. " As head of operations, Leigh has her hands in both the business and design sides of Alabama Sawyer. She doesn't have extra time to learn complicated software features, read tutorials, or watch lengthy videos on marketing processes.   She was using Hubspot's free tools but found that even with a robust feature set, she was still unable to find the tools she needed to accelerate her marketing efforts with her B2B audience of interior designers. And if she were to increase her plan, she would be spending far beyond her budget. It was just too much for her small operation to invest without immediate, substantial return.   Leigh was looking to find something that wouldn't require excess money and time to get up to speed. And she needed a solution that offered more than just a newsletter to engage her prospects. This is what led her to try... --- ### /agencies/pricing - Published: 2021-02-08 - Modified: 2021-02-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/agencies-pricing/ --- ### Free CRM Comparison Guide > Compare BenchmarkONE's free plan against other CRM software plans to determine which is best for your small business needs. Increase Sales with - Published: 2021-02-08 - Modified: 2022-03-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/free-crm-comparison-guide/ Compare BenchmarkONE's free plan against other CRM software plans to determine which is best for your small business needs. Increase Sales with BenchmarkONE Learn why thousands of users choose BenchmarkONE to propel relationships into customers. Watch an On-Demand Demo First Name Last Name Email Address Area Code Phone Number Company Visitor Country Watch Now Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. We protect your info, promise. We double dog dare you... to find a team as committed to your success as ours. Get up and running fast with personal, one-on-one training and live support. Increase Sales with BenchmarkONE Learn why thousands of users choose BenchmarkONE to propel relationships into customers. Get Started Free --- ### Homepage - Feb Test > BenchmarkONE helps businesses grow with sales and marketing software. We're the all-in-one solution for CRM, email marketing, and marketing automation - built for the way you work. Reach customers and drive revenue with our easy-to-use SaaS platform. - Published: 2021-02-02 - Modified: 2022-03-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/alt-feb/ Bring customer relationships front and center. Keep tabs on every contact with our easy-to-learn, simple-to-use CRM. BenchmarkONE lets you know who your hot prospects are so you can focus on selling.   Explore CRM Keep communication flowing and watch sales roll in. Stay top of mind through simple, yet intelligent, drip campaigns and autoresponders. Look like a pro with easy-to-use email marketing and marketing automation tools. Explore Marketing Automation Easily send beautiful emails that engage and delight. Building emails shouldn't be a chore. With our simple email marketing tools, you can send messages that really shine. Your next customer is just a few clicks away. Explore Email Marketing Capture leads with landing pages & popups that shine. Now in beta, tie all of your marketing efforts together with dedicated landing pages for every campaign. Grow your subscriber list with popup forms. Manage every new lead seamlessly in BenchmarkONE's CRM. Explore Landing Pages & Popups Measure results to scale your success. You can sleep soundly knowing that contacts, companies, deals, and campaigns are being tracked and tallied. Wake up with insights into your sales and marketing data that make it easy to know where to your next customers will come from. Explore with a Product Tour Integrate with your favorite tools BenchmarkONE connects to the tools you use everyday. Thanks to our integration with Zapier, moving information between applications is as simple as point and click. Explore Integrations We double dog dare you... to find a team as committed to your... --- ### Talk to Sales > Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - Published: 2020-12-28 - Modified: 2022-01-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/talk-to-sales/ BenchmarkONE Enterprise Edition One of our BenchmarkONE experts, like Tricia, is ready to help answer your questions about our Enterprise plan. Talk to Sales First Name Last Name Email Address Area Code Phone Number Company Let's Chat Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. We protect your info, promise. Want to Talk Now? (866) 991-4888 sales@benchmarkone. com --- ### Small Business CRM > Track deals, build prospect lists and find hot prospects with lead scoring. BenchmarkONE's CRM for small business helps drive your bottom line. - Published: 2020-11-25 - Modified: 2023-09-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/product-tour/small-business-crm/ CRM and Sales Automation Getting organized shouldn't weigh you down. Get simple, powerful sales tools. Navigate from the Dash Is business hot or cold, and what can you do to change the weather? The dashboard gives you real time insights at a glance, prompting you to pull the right levers to move your business up & to the right. Keep Tabs on Inbox Conversations When it comes to convos with prospects and customers, context is everything. Integrate with your email client to track inbox correspondence in contact profiles. Filter and Segment Tagging and lead scoring makes it easy to create dynamic lists based on your contacts' interests and readiness to buy. Reach out with the right message at the right time. Add Contacts on the Fly Import your existing connections into BenchmarkONE and dynamically collect new contacts with online forms.   Add New Leads from Your Browser When it comes to convos with prospects and customers, context is everything. Integrate with your email client to track inbox correspondence in contact profiles. Integrate with Gmail and Outlook Bring your BenchmarkONE CRM directly into your inbox. Add contacts, conversations, notes and tasks to BenchmarkONE while you're working in Gmail or Outlook. With no need to switch back to BenchmarkONE while you're working in your email client, workflow interruptions are eliminated. See Activity in Real Time Monitor your contacts' activity in real time. Website tracking shows you who's visiting which pages of your site and can automatically trigger hot lead alerts to follow-up... --- ### Homepage - Alt > BenchmarkONE helps businesses grow with sales and marketing software. We're the all-in-one solution for CRM, email marketing, and marketing automation - built for the way you work. Reach customers and drive revenue with our easy-to-use SaaS platform. - Published: 2020-10-21 - Modified: 2021-02-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/alt/ Simple CRM and Marketing Tools Built for SMBs Stay organized and win more business with an all-in-one sales and marketing system. Sign Up Free Watch a Demo Simple CRM and Marketing Tools Built for SMBs Stay organized and win more business with an all-in-one sales and marketing system. Sign Up Free Watch a Demo BenchmarkONE makes it simple to put in a repeatable process for connecting with your contacts and driving sales. - Brandon Dempsey | Partner at GoBrandGo! When I did a demo of BenchmarkONE and saw how similar the interface was to Hubspot - at a fraction of the cost - I knew I needed to give it a try. - Kristen Schneider | Business Director at Organizers Direct Having used other marketing automation tools, it's nice to have the big budget functionality in a simple package. - Travis Arnold | Founder at Harbinger Labs With BenchmarkONE we are able to track sales leads from multiple sources and focus on the best opportunities with lead scoring. - Diane Bloodworth | CEO of Competitive Sports Analysis Bring customer relationships front and center. Keep tabs on every contact with our easy-to-learn, simple-to-use CRM. BenchmarkONE lets you know who your hot prospects are so you can focus on selling.   Get Organized Keep communication flowing and watch sales roll in. Stay top of mind through simple, yet intelligent, drip campaigns and autoresponders. Look like a pro with easy-to-use email marketing and marketing automation tools. Automate Follow-Up Easily send beautiful emails that... --- ### Copy of: Contact Us > Contact Us Have a question? Drop us a line and a friendly BenchmarkONEer will respond in no time. Prefer Snail Mail? 439 S. Kirkwood Road Suite 215 St. - Published: 2020-10-05 - Modified: 2020-10-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/contact-us-2/ Contact Us Have a question? Drop us a line and a friendly BenchmarkONEer will respond in no time. Prefer Snail Mail? 439 S. Kirkwood Road Suite 215 St. Louis, Missouri 63122 --- ### Product Tour > Simple Sales & Marketing Software All-in-one and right-sized for small and growing businesses CRM & Sales Stay Organized with BenchmarkONE's CRM You've - Published: 2020-09-24 - Modified: 2022-09-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/product-tour/ Simple Sales & Marketing Software All-in-one and right-sized for small and growing businesses CRM & Sales Stay Organized with BenchmarkONE's CRM You've managed to make this journey with spreadsheets, filing systems, and email folders. Yet, what started as a simple DIY system gets complicated as your customer base grows. BenchmarkONE's CRM is the simple alternative to expensive, bloated sales software. Add contacts on the fly, see activity in real time, and trigger hot lead alerts when a prospect is ready to buy. Getting organized shouldn't weigh you down. So stay nimble, friend. Learn More Email Marketing Turn Emails into Conversations that Create Customers Getting noticed in the inbox means sending the right message at the right time. BenchmarkONE's email marketing tools integrate with our CRM for data that tells a more complete story about your contacts. Build great looking email templates, grow your email list and turn clicks and opens into real, paying customers. Learn More Marketing Automation Grasp Every Opportunity Pick up the slack in your business processes with marketing automation. Create campaigns to nurture your leads, flooding them with value until they convert. Set up intelligent actions and notifications to keep your team on task and ensure that no opportunities slip through the cracks. Learn More Landing Pages & Popups Close the Loop Now in beta, create dedicated landing pages for every marketing campaign to boost conversion rates and seamlessly send new leads into BenchmarkONE's CRM. Plus, popup forms on your site help you capture leads and subscribers... --- ### Contact Us country > Contact Us Have a question? Drop us a line and a friendly BenchmarkONEer will respond in no time. Prefer Snail Mail? 439 S. Kirkwood Road Suite 215 St. - Published: 2020-09-21 - Modified: 2020-10-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/contact-us-country/ Contact Us Have a question? Drop us a line and a friendly BenchmarkONEer will respond in no time. Prefer Snail Mail? 439 S. Kirkwood Road Suite 215 St. Louis, Missouri 63122 Form First Name Last Name E-mail* Visitor Country Message Submit Form --- ### BenchmarkONE Outlook Add-In > BenchmarkONE Outlook Add-In Increase productivity and improve communication with the power of BenchmarkONE in your Outlook inbox Custom Install - Published: 2020-09-04 - Modified: 2021-12-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/outlook-add-in/ BenchmarkONE Outlook Add-In Increase productivity and improve communication with the power of BenchmarkONE in your Outlook inbox Custom Install Instructions Important note: The BenchmarkONE add-in is available for Office Exchange users only. If you do not see the add-in option within your Office email client, this feature may not be available to you. Please visit the BenchmarkONE Help Deck for more information. Steps 1 & 2 Open Outlook. In the home page ribbon, select the "Get Add-ins" button. Step 3 Select the "My add-ins" menu item. Step 4 Click on "+ Add a custom add-in" and choose "Add from URL... " Step 5 Enter http://app. hatchbuck. com/outlook-addin/install. xml in the dialog that appears and select "OK. " Step 6 Click "Install" on the usage warning dialog that appears. Step 7 Verify that the install completes and that you see BenchmarkONE listed under "Custom add-ins. " Close the add-ins window. Step 8 Notice that the BenchmarkONE Add-in now appears in the home page ribbon. Clicking the BenchmarkONE button will open the add-in in a side panel. NOTE: You must have an email opened in order for the panel to appear after clicking the add-in button. Step 9 Pin the BenchmarkONE Add-in by clicking the pushpin icon in the upper right-hand corner. This will keep the side panel open any time you're in Outlook. Step 10 Setup is complete. Simply enter your login credentials and unleash the power of BenchmarkONE in your inbox! FAQs   What if I don't have the "Get... --- ### Free Trial: Core Plan > Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - Published: 2020-07-28 - Modified: 2020-10-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/free-trial-core/ BenchmarkONE One Place to Manage Sales & Marketing With BenchmarkONE we are able to track sales leads from multiple sources and focus on the best opportunities with lead scoring. Diane Bloodworth CEO @ Competitive Sports Analysis Get Started with a 14-Day Free Trial of the Core Plan First Name Last Name Email Address Area Code Phone Number Company Company Request a Free Trial Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. We protect your info, promise. Want to Talk Now? (866) 991-4888 sales@benchmarkone. com Request a Live Demo --- ### Free Trial: Lite Plan > Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - Published: 2020-07-28 - Modified: 2020-10-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/free-trial-lite/ BenchmarkONE One Place to Manage Sales & Marketing With BenchmarkONE we are able to track sales leads from multiple sources and focus on the best opportunities with lead scoring. Diane Bloodworth CEO @ Competitive Sports Analysis Get Started with a 14-Day Free Trial of the Lite Plan First Name Last Name Email Address Area Code Phone Number Company Visitor Country Request a Free Trial Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. We protect your info, promise. Want to Talk Now? (866) 991-4888 sales@benchmarkone. com Request a Live Demo --- ### K12: Live Demo > Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - Published: 2020-07-14 - Modified: 2021-05-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/k12/live-demo/ Supercharge K12 Communication Keep parents, staff, and community in the loop with K12 email newsletter software. Schedule a 5-minute discovery call and one of our K12 edition experts - like Patti - will give you an overview of our Communicator and Recruiter plans. Chat with an K12 Edition Expert First Name Last Name Email Address Area Code Phone Number School Name Schedule My Discovery Call Want to Talk Now? (866) 991-4888 sales@benchmarkone. com I would definitely recommend BenchmarkONE to other districts! The human aspect of the company cannot be overstated. - Michelle Cronk Communications Coordinator @ North Kansas City Schools --- ### K12 Pricing > K12 Communication Made Simple At a price that's nice. "Game Changing Support" The support, combined with unique features like dynamic content, allowing us - Published: 2020-06-05 - Modified: 2020-07-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/k12/pricing/ K12 Communication Made Simple At a price that's nice. "Game Changing Support" The support, combined with unique features like dynamic content, allowing us to target and streamline our communications to our audiences, is what makes BenchmarkONE a perfect fit for Parkway. Annie Dickerson | Parkway School District (MO) Get Up and Running Quickly K12 Premium Onboarding Valued at $299. Included free with every plan. Online Knowledgebase Email Support Phone Support 2 Hours Live Training 30 Days Access to Dedicated Consultant Frequently Asked Questions Who is the K12 Edition for? School PR and communicators. K12 fundraising, recruitment and admissions. Anyone in the K12 space that can benefit from simple communication tools and a streamlined process.   What types of payment do you accept? We'll get you set up with invoicing when you sign-up. Sorry, we do not accept PayPal or local arcade tokens at this time.   Any Special Pricing Available? You bet. Ask your sales rep about committing to a multi-year contract for savings. What is the contract length? The K12 edition is billed annually.   Can I change plans? You betcha! Anytime, simply click on the "Billing" tab within your K12 edition profile and you'll see your options.   Is training included? Absolutely. Live training and support is included in every plan. Stay Connected K12 Email Newsletters & More BenchmarkONE K12 Edition GET A FREE DEMO --- ### BenchmarkONE > Welcome to the Partner Resource Center Here you’ll find brand guidelines, co-brandable resources and guides to make your job easier and to keep your - Published: 2020-06-03 - Modified: 2021-05-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/benchmarkone/ Welcome to the Partner Resource Center Here you’ll find brand guidelines, co-brandable resources and guides to make your job easier and to keep your prospects and customers more informed. Press Guidelines Looking to write a press release, blog post or social blast that announces your new Hatchbuck partner certification? Rad! We kindly ask that you follow the instructions below, pretty please. If you have any other questions about mentioning Hatchbuck in the press, please shoot an email to media@benchmarkone. com. Press Releases: We wanted to make it easy for you to announce your awesome partner certification. Please use this press release template to do that! Blog Posts: Your agency blog is a great way to get the word out about our partnership. If you’d like to utilize your blog to announce the news, please be sure to follow the same guidelines noted for press releases.   We also encourage case studies and marketing software roundups discussing why your agency uses Hatchbuck and comparing us to other tools you’ve used. They’re a great way to not only show your expertise in the marketing software space but also to attract new clients! Social Media We social! Feel free to use any of the social media posts below for sharing the partnership news (or write your own! ). Be sure to include your shiny new partner badge in your social posts to show people you’ve really made it! FACEBOOK + LINKEDIN + OTHER PLATFORMS We’re thrilled to announce that is now a Hatchbuck... --- ### K12 Edition > Email Newsletter Software Built for Schools Easily keep your school district connected when it matters the most. Request a Live Demo With BenchmarkONE K12 - Published: 2020-05-29 - Modified: 2021-08-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/k12/ Email Newsletter Software Built for Schools Easily keep your school district connected when it matters the most. Request a Live Demo With BenchmarkONE K12 Edition you can... Easily send email newsletters. Building emails shouldn't be a chore. With our simple drag & drop email marketing tools, you can build a top-notch email newsletter in a jiffy. Request a Live Demo Manage contacts and email lists. Sending the right message to the right person is key for school communicators. Keep every parent, staff, donor and community contact in one place. Then, easily segment your lists for pitch perfect communication with every email.   Request a Live Demo Capture interest on your website. Keep everyone engaged and easily collect contact information and more from your website. BenchmarkONE forms, landing pages and pop-ups give you multiple solutions adding and updating contacts.   Request a Live Demo Track results to scale your success. Rest easy knowing that email and campaign engagement is being tracked and tallied. Wake up with insights into where your efforts are best spent - whether you're communicating with parents, fundraising, or strengthening community ties. Request a Live Demo Stay Connected K12 Email Newsletters & More BenchmarkONE K12 Edition GET A FREE DEMO --- ### K12 Edition Splash Page > COMING SOON Ignite K12 Relationships Keep Parents, Staff and Community in the Loop with Email Newsletter Software Built for Schools Join the VIP List for - Published: 2020-05-07 - Modified: 2020-07-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/k12-splash/ COMING SOON Ignite K12 Relationships Keep Parents, Staff and Community in the Loop with Email Newsletter Software Built for Schools Join the VIP List for Early Access Unlock Early Access + Special K12 Launch Promos Sign Up We protect your info, promise Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. --- ### Email Marketing > Powerful Email Marketing Tools for More Personalized Messaging Putting your signature style on an email shouldn't be tough. Whether you're a technical - Published: 2020-04-27 - Modified: 2022-10-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/product-tour/email-marketing/ Powerful Email Marketing Tools for More Personalized Messaging Putting your signature style on an email shouldn't be tough. Whether you're a technical novice or expert coder, we've got the right tool for the job. Drag & Drop Email BuilderBuild gorgeous, branded emails and newsletters - no coding required. B2B Email TemplatesGet sharp-looking emails out the door fast with our email template library. Mobile-friendly options make creating responsive emails and newsletters a cinch. HTML EditorIf you're an expert coder or want to use a template you've built in another system, you can access our source code editor. Grow and Manage Your List Build your subscriber list quickly with easy-to-use signup forms. Then, automatically tag and score contacts to create dynamic lists. With everyone categorized, it's a breeze to send targeted emails that resonate. Tailor Messaging with Dynamic Content Send a unique offer to specific contacts on your list from a single email template. Dynamic Content keeps your promotions and messaging on-point with every send. Track Email Metrics With email link tracking, you'll know who is opening your emails, clicking links, and visiting your website (hint: these might be hot prospects! ). Email reporting shows you which emails delight your audience, and which emails need a kick in the pants (or maybe just a subject line edit). Increase Sales with BenchmarkONE Learn why thousands of users choose BenchmarkONE to propel relationships into customers. Get Started --- ### Terms of Service > Terms of Service These terms of service (the "Terms") govern your access to and use of BenchmarkONE ("we" or "our") websites and services (the - Published: 2020-01-29 - Modified: 2024-03-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/terms-of-service/ Terms of Service These terms of service (the "Terms") govern your access to and use of BenchmarkONE ("we" or "our") websites and services (the "Services"), so please carefully read them before using the Services. By using the Services you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you are using the Services on behalf of an organization, you are agreeing to these Terms for that organization and promising that you have the authority to bind that organization to these terms. In that case, "you" and "your" will refer to that organization. You may use the Services only in compliance with these Terms. You may use the Services only if you have the power to form a contract with BenchmarkONE and are not barred under any applicable laws from doing so. The Services may continue to change over time as we refine and add more features. We may stop, suspend, or modify the Services at any time without prior notice to you. We may also remove any content from our Services at our discretion. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICE We provide online marketing automation software and professional services to help businesses better communicate with prospects and customers. You may connect to the Service using any Internet browser supported by the Service. You are responsible for obtaining access to the Internet and the equipment necessary to use the Service. PROHIBITED USES By using our service you agree not to use the service or its content: (a) for any unlawful purpose; (b) to solicit others... --- ### Services and Integrations > Services and Integrations We know you don't work in a bubble, so we make it simple to access developer tools, apps and services. Bring your sales and - Published: 2020-01-29 - Modified: 2023-09-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/services-and-integrations/ Services and Integrations We know you don't work in a bubble, so we make it simple to access developer tools, apps and services. Bring your sales and marketing process together with ease. Zapier Integration Connect to over 1,500 apps with a zap. Zapier is a third party integration tool that allows users of all skill levels to integrate the apps they love - no development skills required. If you can dream it, you can do it with Zapier. Browse popular Zaps Chrome Extension Prospecting has never been easier. Install the Lead Collector for BenchmarkONE Chrome extension and instantly add new leads to your CRM from any web page - including popular social networking sites. Download From The Chrome Store Gmail Integration You live in Gmail, so supercharge your inbox by adding the power of BenchmarkONE's CRM. Create contacts on the fly, track conversations, add notes, complete tasks and more. Download from the Chrome Store Outlook Add-In Effortlessly integrate your Outlook account with BenchmarkONE for increased productivity and efficiency. Create new contacts, add notes and create tasks without leaving the convenience of your Outlook inbox. Install the Add-In BenchmarkONE API Prospecting has never been easier. Install the Lead Collector for BenchmarkONE Chrome extension and instantly add new leads to your CRM from any web page - including popular social networking sites. Access API documentation Marketing Services There's a lot that happens on the journey from lead to customer, and a little marketing expertise can go a long way. Our directory of... --- ### Landing Pages and Popups > Optimization & Conversion Tools Generate more leads from your website and convert them into customers with landing pages and pop-up forms. Convert - Published: 2019-12-05 - Modified: 2022-09-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/product-tour/landing-pages-and-popups/ Optimization & Conversion Tools Generate more leads from your website and convert them into customers with landing pages and pop-up forms. Convert Traffic into Leads with Landing Pages Sending visitors to your website with no game-plan for converting traffic into customers? With BenchmarkONE, you can create gorgeous landing pages with built-in forms to get the conversation started. Grow Your Subscriber List with Pop-Ups and Forms Keep website visitors engaged and turn subscribers into customers more seamlessly with our customizable pop-ups and forms The Top Bar Grow your subscriber list with the ultimate magnet for newsletter subscribers. Place at the top or bottom of your site and start capturing those email addresses. Scroll Box Grab your visitors' attention as they scroll down your page with an offer they can't pass up. Perfect for getting new subscribers or highlighting a value-added resource. Pop-Ups and Popovers Whatever you call them, the truth is, these forms are super effective at collecting emails when users enter or exit your website. Embedded Forms Have amazing content on your website? Use embedded forms within your content for a native offer your readers can't refuse. Increase Sales with BenchmarkONE Learn why thousands of users choose BenchmarkONE to propel relationships into customers. Get Started --- ### Free Trial > Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - Published: 2019-10-30 - Modified: 2022-02-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/free-trial/ BenchmarkONE One Place to Manage Sales & Marketing With BenchmarkONE we are able to track sales leads from multiple sources and focus on the best opportunities with lead scoring. DIane Bloodworth CEO @ Competitive Sports Analysis Get Started with a 14-Day Free Trial First Name Last Name Email Address Area Code Phone Number Company Visitor Country Request a Free Trial Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. We protect your info, promise. Want to Talk Now? (866) 991-4888 sales@benchmarkone. com Request a Live Demo --- ### Post #23697 > Say so long to spreadsheets with a Small Business CRM Why Invest in a Small Business CRM? It's time to stop relying on never-ending Excel spreadsheets, or - Published: 2019-07-10 - Modified: 2019-07-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/post-23697/ Say so long to spreadsheets with a Small Business CRM Why Invest in a Small Business CRM? It's time to stop relying on never-ending Excel spreadsheets, or worse, stacks of paper notes. Keep tabs on everything from first contact to ongoing customer support communication with a small business CRM that tracks everything in one contact record, giving users a central hub for every activity. Using Hatchbuck’s built-in CRM, small business owners and sales users can grow new business using smart segmentation and targeted email. Tracking progress is also easier than ever by having full view into previous, current and future deals. Salespeople will also have a full history of activities which puts relevant conversations with prospects and customers at their fingertips. Read More: 5 Ways a CRM Can Improve the Customer Experience 8 CRM Stats That Will Help You Get Company Buy-In 5 Reasons to Ditch the Spreadsheets and Switch to a CRM 5 Signs Your Business Desperately Needs a CRM The Real Reasons Your Small Business Needs a CRM ASAP 4 Reasons Your Small Business Can’t Live Without a CRM 7 Reasons To Invest in a CRM for Your Small Business Ready for the Future? You’ll Need an All In One CRM Software The 5 Solid Benefits of CRM Software for Small Businesses Small Business, Big Impact... CRM 6 Tips for a More Organized Small Business CRM How to Ensure CRM User Adoption in Your Business Choosing a CRM Here are the things to take into account when choosing... --- ### Status > BenchmarkONE Status November 21, 2023 7:00 am CT The BenchmarkONE platform is fully operational. The contact search issue has been resolved. All contacts - Published: 2019-06-30 - Modified: 2023-11-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/status/ BenchmarkONE Status November 21, 2023 7:00 am CT The BenchmarkONE platform is fully operational. The contact search issue has been resolved. All contacts are now available in search. November 20, 2023 3:00 pm CT Users may experience issues with the global contact search. Contacts added since 11/18/2023 may not appear in the contact search results. We recommend that users avoid importing new contacts until the issue is resolved. We are working quickly to resolve the issue and will provide updates as we learn more. November 2, 2023 11:00 am CT The BenchmarkONE platform is fully operational. The email sending issue has been resolved and emails are being sent as expected. The backlog of queued emails that did not send are currently being processed. November 2, 2023 10:00 am CT We are currently experiencing an issue with email sending. Our team is working quickly to resolve this issue and will provide updates as we learn more. November 1, 2023 3:00 pm CT We are currently experiencing an issue with email sending. Our team is working identify and solve the issue. November 5, 2020 5:03 pm CT Our email provider is fully operational. If you need help resending failed emails, please reach out to support@benchmarkone. com. November 5, 2020 1:57 pm CT Our email provider is currently experiencing an outage. You will likely experience a delay in your emails being sent out. We will provide updates as we receive them from our provider. July 10, 2020 10:42 pm CT The BenchmarkONE platform... --- ### Infusionsoft Comparison > Why Choose BenchmarkONE Over Infusionsoft? Features don’t solve problems – people do. We’ve simplified sales and marketing software for small business - Published: 2019-01-31 - Modified: 2020-05-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/infusionsoft-compare/ Why Choose BenchmarkONE Over Infusionsoft? Features don’t solve problems – people do. We’ve simplified sales and marketing software for small business and backed it with the best team on planet earth. Competitive Pricing. No Startup Fees. When compared to Infusionsoft by Keap, BenchmarkONE is an affordable option for small businesses. Our simple platform allows you to get up and running quickly - without hiring an expensive consultant. Infusionsoft by Keap $240/mo. Total for Infusionsoft + Coaching Fee(annualized over first year of service) Users: 1 Contacts: 500 CRM: Included Email Marketing: Included Sales Pipeline Management: Included Marketing Automation: Included Startups: $499 required coaching fee $99/mo. Total for Small Biz Plan(monthly price, no commitment necessary) Users: 2 Contacts: 1,500 CRM: Included Email Marketing: Included Sales Pipeline Management: Included Marketing Automation: Included Startups: Nada. Zip. $0. Why Pay for Confusing Software? "I’ve always had a good open rate, but I notice that my open rate has gone up 10% since I began using BenchmarkONE. I had spent thousands of dollars on Infusionsoft with so-called experts, and it was a tremendous waste of money. " Deanna Fenton | CEO, Compass Strategies Group Simple CRM + Marketing at a Price That's Nice. What's Not to Love? See Pricing An all-in-one CRM that's easy to use. With your sales and marketing tools under one roof, you can keep a pulse on your business. Ideal for small B2Bs, BenchmarkONE has all of the core features you need - without the distracting bells and whistles that get in... --- ### Agency Interactive Tour > Take a Tour Converting Leads to Customers is Easy with BenchmarkONE Apply to Become an Agency Partner Drive leads, conversions and revenue for your - Published: 2019-01-31 - Modified: 2022-03-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/agencies/interactive-tour/ Take a Tour Converting Leads to Customers is Easy with BenchmarkONE Apply to Become an Agency Partner Drive leads, conversions and revenue for your clients with the power of an all-in-one CRM and marketing automation. Apply to Become a Partner --- ### Agency Pricing Request > Ready to drive more retainer business? BenchmarkONE helps agencies convert & retain more prospects into customers so they can provide more value while - Published: 2019-01-16 - Modified: 2022-01-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/agencies/pricing/ Ready to drive more retainer business? BenchmarkONE helps agencies convert & retain more prospects into customers so they can provide more value while helping the bottom line. After signing up we were in the software and up and running in no time. With SharpSpring it took 50 hours just to get up and running and it was far too complex for my employees to rollout to our client base. Brandon Dempsey Partner @ goBRANDgo! See special pricing for qualifying marketing agencies. First Name Last Name Email Address Area Code Phone Number Agency Name Unlock Agency Pricing Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. We protect your info, promise. Want to Talk Now? (866) 991-4888 sales@benchmarkone. com< First Name Last Name E-mail* Area Code Phone Number Agency Name Unlock Agency Pricing Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. We protect your info, promise. Want to Talk Now? (866) 991-4888 sales@benchmarkone. com --- ### All-in-One CRM Comparison Guide > All-in-One CRM Comparison Guide On the hunt for a better way to organize your contacts, manage your sales process and track your sales reps’ activity? A - Published: 2019-01-04 - Modified: 2020-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/all-in-one-crm-comparison-guide/ All-in-One CRM Comparison Guide On the hunt for a better way to organize your contacts, manage your sales process and track your sales reps’ activity? A customer relationship management, or CRM, tool can shore up your entire customer lifecycle. With better organization, more automation and real-time tracking, the CRM can eliminate lost sales due to lack of follow-up and lost sticky notes. It can even increase revenue by identify your most lucrative channels and most productive salespeople. And, it can increase customer lifetime value by spotting opportunities to upsell and cross-sell to your current customer base. Ready to compare all-in-one CRM solutions? Jump to Compare Tools What makes a CRM “all-in-one”? Sales + Marketing In One What makes an “all-in-one CRM” different from standalone CRM software? Unlike regular-strength CRM platforms that help businesses manage the sales side of their operations, an all-in-one CRM includes marketing functionality as well. So, in addition to helping you organize your contacts, manage relationships throughout the customer lifecycle, and monitor your sales people, you can capture and nurture new leads into opportunities for your sales team. Nurturing Business Relationships An all-in-one CRM is more than just a fancy database. With built-in marketing automation and email marketing capabilities, it becomes a communication hub as well. Capture new leads online from digital marketing channels and intelligently nurture these new relationships until they indicate that they are ready to buy. Features like lead scoring and automated notifications make it simple to transition contacts from leads in the marketing... --- ### Agency Blog > The Agency Blog Must-read tips to take your agency from skilled to stellar from the BenchmarkONE team and other agency experts - Published: 2019-01-04 - Modified: 2020-05-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/agencies/agency-blog/ The Agency Blog Must-read tips to take your agency from skilled to stellar from the BenchmarkONE team and other agency experts --- ### Agency: Live Demo > Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - Published: 2019-01-02 - Modified: 2022-05-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/agencies/apply-now/ Become an Agency Partner Increase recurring revenue with an all-in-one CRM built for agencies and their smaller clients. Schedule a 5 minute discovery call and one of our agency experts - like Tricia - will give you an overview of our Agency Partner Program. Chat with an Agency Expert First Name Last Name Email Address Area Code Phone Number Agency Name Schedule My Discovery Call Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. We protect your info, promise. Want to Talk Now? (866) 991-4888 sales@benchmarkone. com BenchmarkONE is BY FAR the best value out there for a turn-key marketing tool. - Greg F. President @ Precision Marketing Partners --- ### Agency Customers > When you win, we win. Helping businesses grow is our passion. We've got hundreds of happy agency partners who use and love BenchmarkONE. But you don't - Published: 2018-12-17 - Modified: 2022-06-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/agencies/agency-customers/ When you win, we win. Helping businesses grow is our passion. We've got hundreds of happy agency partners who use and love BenchmarkONE. But you don't have to take our word for it. Harbinger Labs View Case Study goBRANDgo! View Case Study Artisan Council View Case Study Bay Leaf Digital View Case Study The Database Diva View Case Study The Clix Group View Case Study CEV Consulting View Case Study Executive Strategy Group View Case Study 2 The Top Marketing, Inc. View Case Study --- ### Agency Resources > Agency Resources Turn your agency into a marketing powerhouse and attract more clients with our downloadable resources and guides. Agency Growth Roundup - Published: 2018-12-13 - Modified: 2022-07-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/agencies/agency-resources/ Agency Resources Turn your agency into a marketing powerhouse and attract more clients with our downloadable resources and guides. Agency Growth Roundup Must-read articles to scale your shop. Get the Roundup The Agency Guide to Growing Retainer Business webinar Watch the Webinar 30-Day Email Followup Guide template pack Download the Pack Marketing Planner Workbook Planner Download the Planner Agency Guide to Growing With Wordpress Guide Download the Guide Content Distribution Checklist Checklist Download the Checklist Email Marketing Content Grid Grid See the Grid Anuual Marketing Budget Worksheet Worksheet Download the Worksheet Ultimate Guide to Marketing Automation Guide Download the Planner The Ultimate SEO Checklist Checklist Download the Checklist 50 Articles to Grow Your Agency Roundup Get the Roundup Buyer Persona Workbook Workbook Download the Workbook 2019 Marketing Party Pack resource pack Download the Pack --- ### Agencies Home > Scale Your Agency. Partner with BenchmarkONE. Hello, friend. We're here to help your agency cut through the clutter of bulky tools and complex programs. - Published: 2018-12-05 - Modified: 2022-07-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/agencies/ Scale Your Agency. Partner with BenchmarkONE. Hello, friend. We're here to help your agency cut through the clutter of bulky tools and complex programs. Easily execute client strategies with all-in-one CRM and marketing software. Become a Partner See Agency Pricing Agencies love our easy-to-use platform and results-driven program. The simple way to boost retainers. You'd rather flex your creative muscle than chase down your next client. As an agency partner, you'll have the education and resources you need to grow your retainer business. Deliver leads to your clients every month, and enjoy a more predictable revenue stream.   Become a Partner Never go at it alone. Hey, we're partners! That means we're giving you all of the resources you need to be successful. Stay on the inside track with help from a dedicated agency consultant, access to our agency partner certification course and exposure to new clients through the BenchmarkONE Market. Chat with an Agency Expert Unlock special agency pricing. Special pricing makes it simple to extend your services to clients of all shapes and sizes. Focus on execution - not how much client budget your software is chewing up.   See Agency Pricing "The value and customer support of BenchmarkONE's agency program are the best I have experienced. Even better than Hubspot's. I love the campaign building support offered. It's a great partner program with low cost of entry and complete access to all inbound marketing collateral. BenchmarkONE makes every partner feel special, not just Diamond, Platinum, Gold, and... --- ### Blank Page > asdfasdfasdfasdfadf - Published: 2018-06-25 - Modified: 2020-05-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blank-page-3/ asdfasdfasdfasdfadf --- ### CRM for Small Business > The Definitive Guide to CRM for Small Business   Every small business should have a CRM, but how do you choose the right one, implement it into your - Published: 2018-06-22 - Modified: 2018-06-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/crm-for-small-business/ The Definitive Guide to CRM for Small Business   Every small business should have a CRM, but how do you choose the right one, implement it into your business and make sure it's firing on all cylinders? We've got 20+ CRM articles to guide you from purchase to implementation to optimization and beyond.   Why a Small Business CRM?   We talk a lot about CRM because, well, Hatchbuck is a CRM. But beyond that, we use a CRM daily to grow our own business. Every small business needs a CRM to manage day-to-day processes efficiently.   The Real Reasons Your Small Business Needs a CRM ASAP Small Business, Big Impact: CRM 4 Reasons Your Small Business Can’t Live Without a CRM The 5 Solid Benefits of CRM Software for Small Business 5 Reasons to Ditch the Spreadsheets and Switch to a CRM CRM and The Big Impact of Small Data Make a Super Bowl Impact on a Small Biz Budget With CRM   Purchasing a Small Business CRM   We know (from first hand experience) that small business aren't usually working with massive marketing budgets. But the CRM gods have made it very easy for small businesses to afford a CRM no matter the price. But how do you know which one is best for your needs?   7 Reasons to Invest in a CRM for Your Small Business 5 Signs Your Business Desperately Needs a CRM 5 Questions to Ask when Evaluating a CRM 8 Mistakes to Avoid... --- ### Small Business Marketing Guide > The Ultimate Guide to Small Business Marketing   As a small business, your marketing budget is probably tight. It's important to get the best results - Published: 2018-06-19 - Modified: 2018-06-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/small-business-marketing-guide/ The Ultimate Guide to Small Business Marketing   As a small business, your marketing budget is probably tight. It's important to get the best results at the lowest cost. Our SMB marketing roundup will help you make the most of what you've got. From email to PPC and everything in between, we've got you covered.   Marketing Strategy   Without a strategy, you'll basically be flushing your marketing budget down the proverbial toilet. Good small business marketing means you're reaching the right people at the right time in the right channels.   6 Ways to Save on Marketing Your Small Business How to Do Market Research on a Small Business Budget Top 20 Small Business Marketing Blogs to Follow to Boost Your Marketing Smarts 11 Essential Small Business Marketing Strategies Video: 5 Small Business Marketing Strategies You Can Implement Today 6 Ways to Tweak Your Small Business Marketing Strategy This Summer Simple, Yet Powerful Secrets For Building a Small Business Marketing Strategy What Type of Digital Marketing Ads Are Best For Your Small Business? Email Marketing   Email remains the most effective marketing channel for businesses large and small. But if you're sending junk, you're missing out on valuable leads. Take your emails from stale to stellar so you're not ending up in spam.   6 Reasons Your Small Business Must Utilize Email Marketing The Small Business Owner’s Guide to Email Marketing Success: Introduction The Small Business Owner’s Guide to Email Marketing Success: Part 1 The Small Business Owner’s Guide... --- ### Contact Management Software - Published: 2018-06-19 - Modified: 2018-06-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/contact-management-software/ --- ### CRM Software > The Ultimate Guide to CRM Software - Published: 2018-06-19 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/crm-software/ The Ultimate Guide to CRM Software --- ### AdWords Hubspot Marketing Stack - Published: 2018-05-30 - Modified: 2018-05-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/hubspot-marketing-stack/ --- ### Build Your Marketing Stack - Published: 2018-05-22 - Modified: 2018-06-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/build-your-marketing-stack/ --- ### Solutions: Agencies > An extra edge for agencies Marketing agencies love BenchmarkONE's simple sales and marketing platform for their clients. Get a Live Demo Strategize - Published: 2018-03-07 - Modified: 2020-06-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/agency-solution/ An extra edge for agencies Marketing agencies love BenchmarkONE's simple sales and marketing platform for their clients. Get a Live Demo Strategize wisely Keep a pulse on the health of your clients' sales and marketing and demonstrate your ROI all in one place. Dashboard metrics give you and your clients insight into the success of your marketing campaigns so you can keep what works and scrap what doesn't. Keep tabs on contacts in one place BenchmarkONE’s integrated CRM makes it simple for your clients to follow up on leads delivered through your marketing programs. Demonstrate measurable value and win repeat business — does it get any better than that? We were up and running with BenchmarkONE in no time. Another inbound marketing tool took 50 hours just to get up and running, and it was far too complex for my employees to roll out to our client base. Brandon Dempsey | Partner @ goBrandgo! Say goodbye to impersonal outreach With marketing automation you can easily capture new leads on your client’s website, automate personalized follow-up and segment contacts based on their interests and actions. Then send hyper-relevant email campaigns to drive more business for your clients so they'll be singing your praises. Become more than just a vendor   As a BenchmarkONE Certified Partner, you'll get the tools you need to turn project-based work into a stream of predictable revenue for your business. Say sayonara to one and done. Learn More Build stunning emails in seconds BenchmarkONE comes loaded with... --- ### test demo page - Published: 2018-03-05 - Modified: 2018-03-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/test-demo-page/ --- ### Partner Onboarding > Getting started doesn’t have to be a headache! We’ve compiled a list of five easy steps to help jump start your BenchmarkONE success. - Published: 2017-10-17 - Modified: 2021-03-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/partner-onboarding/ ACTIVATE YOUR ACCOUNT LEARN THE BASICS Build Out Your Partner Accounts Grow with BenchmarkONE Partner Quickstart Checklist Getting started doesn't have to be a headache! We've compiled a list of four easy steps to help jump start your BenchmarkONE success. Activate Your Account Hooray! It's time to get started. First things first, make sure to get your accounts activated. Be on the lookout for a message from Katie, BenchmarkONE's Partner Success Manager. This email will include important information and the links to activate your first two client accounts. Once you've successfully logged into those accounts, be sure to head to Account Settings and change the username and password for each. Tip: As you add accounts, be sure to use the same email address to quickly toggle between those through our single sign on feature Learn the Basics Schedule a meeting with your Partner Success Manager to start learning the ins and outs of BenchmarkONE features and how you can best use your Partner Accounts. Review BenchmarkONE's overview videos here to familiarize yourself with everything BenchmarkONE has to offer. Tip: Prefer to learn at your own pace? Check out the BenchmarkONE Partner Help Deck as well as our Partner Resource Center. Build Out Your Partner Accounts Demo: Set up your demo account to showcase BenchmarkONE's features to your prospects. Most partners set up their demo account as a fictional business; to avoid housing real data where prospects will see it. This demo account will also give you access to your Partner... --- ### Nonprofits - Published: 2017-09-28 - Modified: 2018-10-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/nonprofits/ --- ### Onboarding Page - Published: 2017-08-16 - Modified: 2019-05-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/onboarding-page/ --- ### Solutions > SMB Solutions Small-to-mid size businesses in every industry are leveraging BenchmarkONE to capture leads, and convert them into new and repeat - Published: 2017-07-10 - Modified: 2022-09-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/solutions/ SMB Solutions Small-to-mid size businesses in every industry are leveraging BenchmarkONE to capture leads, and convert them into new and repeat customers.   Marketing Agencies SaaS Tools Financial Services Higher Education Health and Fitness Business Consultants Nonprofits Increase Sales with BenchmarkONE Learn why thousands of users choose BenchmarkONE to propel relationships into customers. Get Started --- ### About > BenchmarkONE cares about one thing; helping small businesses grow. Our team is passionate, loyal and loves helping small biz do sales and marketing better. - Published: 2017-06-28 - Modified: 2021-03-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/about/ --- ### Alternative Hubspot Marketing Stack > Build Your Own Marketing Stack Looking for affordable alternatives to Hubspot? Use our Marketing Stack builder to select your marketing tools and compare. - Published: 2017-06-27 - Modified: 2020-11-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/alternative-hubspot-marketing-stack/ Build Your Own Marketing Stack Looking for affordable alternatives to Hubspot? Use our Marketing Stack builder to select your marketing tools and compare. Hubspot Price = $1100. 00/mo. Your Marketing Stack Price = $0. 00/mo. Click to select one tool for each category of your marketing stack. EMAIL MARKETING CRM AUTOMATION SOCIAL MEDIA LANDING PAGES SEO ANALYTICS WEBSITE                 BenchmarkONE Small Business Plan $99/mo, billed annually Buffer Awesome Plan $20/mo, billed monthly Unbounce Essential Plan $79/mo, billed annually Yoast Premium Plan $69/mo, billed annually Kissmetrics Growth Plan $400/mo, billed annually Wordpress Small Business Plan $24. 92/mo, billed annually                 Mailchimp Growing Business Plan $20/mo, billed monthly Zoho Professional Plan $40/mo, billed annually Marketo Base Plan $2,084/mo, billed annually Hootsuite Team Package $99/mo, billed annually Instapage Professional Package $55/mo, billed annually Moz Standard Plan $79/mo, billed annually ChartMogul Essential Plan $99/mo, billed annually Wix Small Business Plan $17/mo, billed annually                 Infusionsoft Essentials Package + $999 Kickstart Lite Fee $199/mo, billed annually Infusionsoft To upgrade to the Deluxe Package $100/mo, billed annually SproutSocial Premium Plan $198/mo, billed monthly LeadPages Pro Package $48/mo, billed annually SEMRush Pro Plan $83. 28/mo, blled annually Google Analytics FREE SquareSpace Business Plan $18/mo, billed annually                 Hubspot Pro Plan + $3000 Onboarding Fee $850/mo, billed annually Hubspot Reports Add-On$200/mo, billed annually Hubspot CMS Add-On$300/mo, billed annually    ... --- ### Higher Education - Published: 2017-06-16 - Modified: 2020-05-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/higher-education/ --- ### Financial Services - Published: 2017-06-15 - Modified: 2018-10-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/financial-services/ --- ### SaaS > SaaS companies love BenchmarkONE as a simple and affordable sales and marketing platform for generating leads and winning more clients. - Published: 2017-06-15 - Modified: 2021-07-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/saas-tools/ --- ### Health and Fitness - Published: 2017-06-15 - Modified: 2018-10-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/health-fitness/ --- ### Consultants - Published: 2017-06-13 - Modified: 2018-10-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/consultants/ --- ### Test Form Page - Published: 2017-06-09 - Modified: 2017-06-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/test-form-page/ --- ### Live Demo - June 2017 > Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - Published: 2017-05-24 - Modified: 2017-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/live-demo/ --- ### Lead Generation > Looking for a Mailchimp alternative? Look no further than BenchmarkONE - all in one marketing and sales software for small businesses. - Published: 2017-05-15 - Modified: 2017-05-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/lead-generation/ --- ### Comparisons - Published: 2017-04-06 - Modified: 2017-07-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/comparisons/ --- ### Contact Us > Contact Us Have a question? Drop us a line and a friendly BenchmarkONEer will respond in no time. Prefer Snail Mail? 3636 S. Geyer Road, Suite 100, St - Published: 2017-04-04 - Modified: 2021-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/contact-us/ Contact Us Have a question? Drop us a line and a friendly BenchmarkONEer will respond in no time. Prefer Snail Mail? 3636 S. Geyer Road, Suite 100, St Louis, MO 63127 --- ### Salesforce Alternative > BenchmarkONE is a Salesforce alternative that combines CRM functionality and marketing automation in one, easy-to-use software package. - Published: 2017-02-14 - Modified: 2019-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/salesforce-alternative/ --- ### Mailchimp Alternative > Looking for a Mailchimp alternative? Look no further than BenchmarkONE - all in one marketing and sales software for small businesses. - Published: 2017-02-13 - Modified: 2017-04-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/mailchimp-alternative/ --- ### Hatchbuck Partner Tools and Resources - Published: 2016-12-19 - Modified: 2018-05-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/hatchbuck-partner-tools-resources/ --- ### Lead Gen 101 - Small Business Marketing Ebook - Published: 2016-10-04 - Modified: 2017-05-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/lead-gen-101-small-business-marketing-ebook/ --- ### Email Alternative for Business - Published: 2016-09-27 - Modified: 2017-08-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/email-alternative/ --- ### Hubspot Alternative - Published: 2016-09-27 - Modified: 2020-12-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/hubspot-alternative/ --- ### Unsubscribe - Published: 2016-08-11 - Modified: 2016-08-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/unsubscribe/ --- ### Sitemap - Published: 2016-08-01 - Modified: 2017-05-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/sitemap/ --- ### QT: Landing - Published: 2016-05-24 - Modified: 2016-07-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/quick-tour-lp/ --- ### Onboarding - Day 3 - Published: 2016-05-24 - Modified: 2017-04-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/onboarding-day-3/ --- ### Onboarding - Day 2 - Published: 2016-05-24 - Modified: 2017-04-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/onboarding-day-2/ --- ### Onboarding - Day 1 - Published: 2016-05-24 - Modified: 2017-04-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/onboarding-day-1/ --- ### Hatchbuck Incubator Program - Published: 2016-05-24 - Modified: 2018-05-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/hip/ --- ### Monthly Blog Digest - LP - Published: 2016-05-24 - Modified: 2016-05-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/monthly-blog-digest-lp/ --- ### Privacy - Published: 2016-04-29 - Modified: 2023-03-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/privacy/ --- ### Careers > Careers at BenchmarkONE Now's Your Chance to Be Part of Something Big BenchmarkONE is on a mission to change the way smaller businesses engage with their - Published: 2015-11-03 - Modified: 2022-02-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/careers/ Careers at BenchmarkONE Now's Your Chance to Be Part of Something Big BenchmarkONE is on a mission to change the way smaller businesses engage with their audience and scale their business. Our simplified sales & marketing software combines email marketing, CRM and marketing automation to help small businesses grow.   We're not currently hiring, but keep an eye out in 2021! Be Part of Something Big. Join the BenchmarkONE Team. Think you have what it takes to be a BenchmarkONEr? Send your resume and cover letter to careers@benchmarkone. com. Apply Now --- ### Small Business Marketing > BenchmarkONE loves small business marketing and wants to help every small business master their niche. Learn more about marketing for small business here. - Published: 2015-11-03 - Modified: 2016-09-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/small-business-marketing/ --- ### Small Business CRM > A CRM for small business not only helps keep leads and contacts organized; it also helps prioritize potential customers. Learn More. - Published: 2015-11-03 - Modified: 2017-04-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/small-business-crm/ --- ### Marketing Software > Marketing software is a given for today's small business. Sending the right email to a prospect at the right time can make or break sales. Learn More. - Published: 2015-11-03 - Modified: 2020-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/marketing-software/ --- ### Marketing Automation > BenchmarkONE makes marketing software and marketing automation easier than ever for small business. Automate follow-up, emails and campaigns. - Published: 2015-03-30 - Modified: 2022-12-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/product-tour/marketing-automation/ Marketing automation that's personal When your motor's humming, you get time and flexibility back in your day. Give Visitors a Warm Salutation Turn website visitors into real, bonafide prospects for your business with easy-to-use lead generation forms. Use handy form actions to segment leads into the right bucket and send an autoresponder to say hello. Now that you've been introduced, you can start paving the way to conversion. Stay Relevant with Campaigns Stay in their hearts - and in their inbox - with automated drip campaigns. Send your leads targeted, timely emails over time to add value and shorten their path to conversion. Give Hot Leads Priority Hounding cold leads that aren't ready to buy is frustrating - and time consuming. Instead, BenchmarkONE alerts you when hot prospects exhibit buying behavior, like reaching a tag score, clicking a specific link, or visiting a conversion page on your website. Know Where to Invest Reporting shows you which channels are generating the most leads and customers. Make intelligent adjustments to spend and scale revenue - not resources. Increase Sales with BenchmarkONE Learn why thousands of users choose BenchmarkONE to propel relationships into customers. Get Started --- ### Live Demo > Take a live demo of BenchmarkONE and learn why small businesses love us. - Published: 2015-03-24 - Modified: 2023-06-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/personal-demo/ Chat with a Sales & Marketing Expert Learn how to supercharge your sales pipeline with BenchmarkONE When I did a demo of BenchmarkONE and saw how similar the interface was to Hubspot - at a fraction of the cost - I knew I needed to give it a try. Kristen Schneider Business Director @ Organizers Direct Request a Demo First Name Last Name Email Address Area Code Phone Number Company Request a Demo Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. We protect your info, promise. Want to Talk Now? (866) 991-4888 sales@benchmarkone. com --- ### Partners > Become a BenchmarkONE Partner and starting providing your customers with a world-class marketing automation system. - Published: 2015-03-24 - Modified: 2018-03-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/partners/ --- ### Resources > Download small business marketing guides, whitepapers or catch a recorded webinar to solve your marketing problems. - Published: 2015-03-24 - Modified: 2024-06-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/ --- ### Customers > Hear it straight from our customers. Learn how BenchmarkONE helps small businesses in many industries be smarter marketers and more. - Published: 2015-03-24 - Modified: 2018-03-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/ --- ### Product Tour OLD > BenchmarkONE includes a CRM for small business, marketing software with automation and email marketing in one convenient package. - Published: 2015-03-24 - Modified: 2020-09-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/product-tour-old/ --- ### Blog > The BenchmarkONE blog is a go-to resources for small businesses looking for the latest in small business marketing, sales, technology and more. - Published: 2015-03-24 - Modified: 2020-06-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ The DIY Guide to SEO Hire an expensive SEO agency? Or take a DIY approach?   So you want to drive more online visitors to your website or increase your rankings in Google’s search engine, but where do you start? If you’re ready to improve SEO, but not quite ready to hire outside SEO help, we're here to help. Download the Guide --- --- ## Posts ### New Gmail and Yahoo Spam Prevention Requirements and How Email Marketers Can Prepare > There are new Gmail and Yahoo spam prevention requirements that every email marketer should know about. Here's your breakdown. - Published: 2023-11-29 - Modified: 2023-11-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/gmail-and-yahoo-spam-prevention-requirements/ - Categories: Email Marketing Ending up in the spam folder is every marketer’s nightmare. Not only does it mean your message didn’t make it to your recipient, but it could set you up for failure later on. The more your emails get marked as spam, the worse your email deliverability can get over time. Also, being seen as a spammer isn’t great for your brand, as it corrodes your credibility and breaks down any trust you’ve worked hard to earn with your audience. Major email providers, like Gmail and Yahoo, know just how annoying it is for users to receive spammy messages. That’s why they’ve adjusted their screening policies to better enforce email marketing best practices. These new policies will go into effect in February 2024. But what does this mean for email marketers? While it’s crucial that you’re prepared to comply with Gmail and Yahoo’s guidelines, it’s also important to note that if you’re following email marketing best practices to begin with, you’re already set up for success. Let’s dive into these new spam screening policies Google and Yahoo are implementing so you can avoid being flagged as spam. Google and Yahoo's Spam Filtering Policies Google and Yahoo’s new spam filtering policies require that email marketers do the following: Set up domain verification Make it easy for recipients to unsubscribe from your emails Keep your complaint reporting below 0. 3% Email senders who do not comply with the terms of the policy are more likely to have their emails rejected or classified as... --- ### 6 Tips to Help You Thrive as a SaaS Salesperson During a Recession > 6 Tips to Help You Thrive as a SaaS Salesperson During a Recession Did you know that during the economic downturn of 2020, caused by the pandemic, nearly - Published: 2023-10-30 - Modified: 2024-01-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/thrive-saas-sales/ - Categories: Sales 6 Tips to Help You Thrive as a SaaS Salesperson During a Recession Did you know that during the economic downturn of 2020, caused by the pandemic, nearly 100,000 small businesses temporarily closed their doors and are now out of business? It's a frightening statistic, but as a SaaS salesperson, there are specific strategies to not only weather a recession but to come out stronger on the other side. We're here to provide you with tips on how to be proactive and ensure your career in SaaS sales remains resilient. While Bloomberg predicts a 72% probability of a recession, it's unlikely to result in a sudden stoppage of the global economy. However, there may be economic challenges ahead, and it's crucial to consider how you, as a SaaS salesperson, can not only survive but thrive in this environment and build a great relationship with your manager, as many issues have been noted in a new Checkr study. Here are actionable tips tailored to SaaS salespeople that can help you navigate a recession successfully and potentially achieve significant gains in 2024. Analyze Your Cash Flow Understanding how money flows into and out of your SaaS sales role is essential. It allows you to identify unnecessary expenses that can be cut, freeing up resources for revenue-generating activities. Consider the following steps: Review your expenses for redundant spending. Are there tools or services that you can do without? Evaluate your software stack and look for opportunities to consolidate subscriptions that serve similar purposes... --- ### How to Build a Creative Agency from Scratch > Starting your own agency is not easy. Here’s how you can get your creative agency off the ground in 7 easy steps. - Published: 2023-02-01 - Modified: 2023-02-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/build-creative-agency-from-scratch/ - Categories: Agencies The creative industry in the United States is a multi-billion-dollar industry, and it seems everyone wants a piece of the pie. Since 2021, there has been a 12% increase in the number of creative agencies. If you’ve got your sights set on building your own business from scratch, you’re in luck. We’ve laid out everything you need to know to help you get started. Without further ado, let’s dive in. Step 1: Financing Your Agency There are five main ways to raise the money you need to get started. Bootstrapping: You’re basically using your own money. You either tap into your cash savings or your 401K through the ROBS (Rollover for Business Startup) scheme. Banks: This is a frustratingly slow process, as these lenders want to see a steady income, equity in your home, a 700+ credit score, relevant industry experience, and your business plan. SBA loans: These fall under two types – community programs, which loan you up to $250,000, or micro-loans, which can furnish you with $50,000. Crowdfunding: You can apply for funding through online platforms like Indiegogo, Kickstarter, and GoFundMe. Angel investors: there are two types – warm market (friends and family) and cold market (people you don’t know). Approach the warm market when you want smaller amounts and the cold market when you’re seeking larger sums. Step 2: Hiring Your Employees As a startup owner, your first hire should be someone with opposing skills/strengths. For example, if you’re strong at sales but poor at administration, then... --- ### 42 Best Sales Prospecting Tools for Sales Teams in 2023 > Prospecting tools make sales prospecting easier & faster. Check out this massive list of sales prospecting tools. - Published: 2023-01-25 - Modified: 2023-01-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/42-best-sales-prospecting-tools/ - Categories: Sales Good prospecting leads to good business. Prospecting is what brings you to the attention of your potential clients and keeps your sales pipeline full, leading to more business. But it is not as easy as sending a simple message randomly to people. Most sales reps consider prospecting to be the toughest part of the sales process. So, how do you get your sales prospecting process bang on? How do you know which prospects are good enough to approach? Where and how to approach them? How to track them and convert them? This is where sales prospecting tools come in as a savior for all sales reps. These tools allow you to control the entire sales process more easily and effectively. And today, we will share some of the best sales prospecting tools and how they can help you ace your sales game! Before jumping on the massive list of sales prospecting tools, let’s first understand what exactly sales prospecting is. What is Sales Prospecting? Sales prospecting is the practice of gathering further information about potential leads who have expressed interest in your company's product or service. It contributes to the development of the sales pipeline and moves you one step closer to gaining potential clients. Prospecting is an essential component of your business and marketing plan. Sales prospecting can help you gain competitive insights, boost your sales team's productivity, enlarge your sales pipeline, and lower acquisition costs. Top Sales Prospecting Tools for 2023 Here’s a list of the best tools... --- ### How to Create Team Goals that are Measurable > Ensuring your company is moving onward and upward comes down to establishing the right team goals. Here's how to do it. - Published: 2023-01-18 - Modified: 2023-01-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-create-team-goals-that-are-measurable/ - Categories: Small Business It’s the New Year, and while many of us would like to start anew, the reality is that we’re still dealing with some 2022 baggage. Talks of a recession have not quieted down, so how you start this year off can have a lasting impact on your business’s sustainability. In order to drive top performance and keep your business looking to the long term, it's important for you and your team to be goal driven. This is why, as a business owner or manager, you should define goals to help your team understand what you want to accomplish this year. Team goals require the collective participation of every team member. Setting them can be challenging, but it is necessary for you and your team to do your best work and to ensure that you thrive this year, despite all the economic ups and downs being thrown your way. By planning and executing measurable goals, you can better assess your team's progress, accountability, and performance. This will benefit you, the team, and the business at large. In this article, we'll go over some tips for setting measurable goals, simplifying goal setting, and giving your team a head start on increasing marketing and sales in 2023. 1. Specify What You Want to Achieve As the owner of your small business, you need to identify the purpose of setting a goal and what you hope to achieve by doing so. You can begin by identifying areas where the business is falling behind and... --- ### Small Business Trends on the 2023 Horizon > Wondering what to expect this year for your small business? Here are some trends to be on the lookout for and to start preparing for. - Published: 2023-01-04 - Modified: 2022-12-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-trends-2023/ - Categories: Small Business A lot has changed within the past couple of years, and it’s ultimately affected how businesses operate. The United States currently has about 32. 5 million small businesses in active operations. However, a looming recession, rising inflation, and inventory issues are all curve balls that could ultimately make that number change. If small businesses are going to not only survive but thrive, this coming year, then they need to be one step ahead of what’s to come. There are trends to look out for, and if small business owners prepare and plan as soon as possible, it could help them stand out against bigger businesses they may be in competition with. Would you like to know what's on the horizon for small businesses? This article gives insights into the trends your small business should capitalize on this year. Let’s take a look. 6 Small Business Trends for 2023 1. Integrated Marketing With the rise of digital media, integrated marketing has become an essential tool for small businesses. By delivering a consistent message across all channels - from social media to email marketing to blog posts - businesses can ensure that their audience will not only recognize them but easily identify them and connect. This is an important trend, given the current marketing landscape and the way consumers engage with brands. Consumers interact with brands more than ever before and across multiple touchpoints. They might see your ad on TV, look up your business on their phone, and then see your... --- ### What is Upselling and How Marketing Automation Can Help You Use It > Upselling is a powerful and effective marketing technique through which you target a customer who is already prepared to buy from you. - Published: 2022-12-28 - Modified: 2022-12-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-is-upselling/ - Categories: Sales If you’ve ever shopped on Amazon, noticed a suggestion for a more expensive version of a product in your cart, and then replaced your cart item with the more expensive version, congratulations. You’ve been upsold. Businesses in every industry include upselling in their marketing strategy. Ever been asked if you want to make your burger a deluxe? Or noticed that for just a small amount more, you can add a few more features to that software you’re purchasing? All of these things are examples of upselling, and all of them work. Quite well, in fact. But let’s take a closer look at upselling and how you can put it into practice. What Is Upselling? Upselling is a powerful and effective marketing technique through which you target a customer who is already prepared to buy from you and then offer a more advanced product, service, feature, or upgrade. When it’s done right, upselling can dramatically improve your bottom line by increasing the size and profitability of each sale. In a nutshell: the goal of upselling should be to increase the order value for the seller and create more value for the buyer. When putting this into practice, it's important to strike the right balance so that customers don't feel pressured into spending more than they're comfortable with. If they do, they could lose trust in your brand, and you’ll ruin any chance of them being a future customer. What Is The Difference Between Upselling And Cross-Selling? People often use the terms... --- ### 6 Tips to Get Your Small Business Through a Recession > The impending recession has a lot of businesses scared for the future. But here are some tips to ensure your small business survives. - Published: 2022-12-22 - Modified: 2022-12-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-to-get-your-small-business-through-a-recession/ - Categories: Small Business Did you know that the nearly 100,000 small businesses that shut down temporarily during 2020's economic slump caused by the pandemic are now out of business? It’s a scary statistic to hear, but the reality is there are things your small business can do to avoid being another statistic. We’re here to help with tips about how you can be proactive to keep your small business afloat. While Bloomberg predicts that there is a 72% probability of a recession, there won't be a sudden halt to the global economy. However, we may experience an economic downturn or slowdown, and it’s worth thinking about how you could be impacted. How can your small business thrive during it and beyond? Below are actionable tips you can implement to keep your small business together and even see some great wins in 2024. 1. Conduct a Cash-Flow Analysis Knowing how money comes in and goes out of your business allows you to identify needless expenses that can be eliminated and focus instead on revenue-generating activities. You can: Scan your budget for unnecessary spending. Are there products and services your small business will do fine without? If you use software or services that require subscription packages, review to see the ones you can consolidate to serve the same purpose or alternatives that don't cost as much. Look for opportunities to renegotiate prices and terms of some of the services you use as part of business operations. 2. Focus on Building and Nurturing Customer Relationships A... --- ### Retargeting Ads: Why and How You Should Be Doing it (and Tools to Help) > These tools are designed specifically to help campaign managers and business owners get the most conversions out of their retargeted ads. - Published: 2022-12-21 - Modified: 2022-12-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tools-for-retargeting-ads/ - Categories: Marketing If you’ve ever cruised a retail site, without buying anything, then seen the items you were looking at everywhere over the following days, you’ve been on the customer side of a retargeting advertising strategy. Retargeting ads do exactly what they sound like: they target prospects a second time. It can feel like you’re having your mind read, but there’s actually a clear technological process to retargeting. How Does Retargeting Work? Using website cookies, companies are able to (anonymously) track visitors to their website, and then follow their movement around the internet, which enables them to target very specific ads to prospective customers, wherever they go. So if you were looking at a pair of Birkenstocks on a retail site, then decided you didn’t want to make the purchase, you might find ads for those exact shoes, from that exact retailer, in the margins of the online magazine you’re reading or on your social media platforms. Image credit: retargeter. com And if you’ve ever bought something based on what you now know was a retargeting ad — so many of us have — you’ll understand how effective this kind of advertising strategy is! With first-time website visitors generally maxing out at a 3% conversion rate, retargeting provides businesses with a way to increase brand awareness and recapture a potential customer’s lost attention. Retargeting vs. Remarketing Retargeting and remarketing are often confused, no doubt because they sound similar and mean similar things — but they don't exactly mean the same thing. Retargeting... --- ### Why a Collaborative Worker is Your Most Valuable Agency Asset > A collaborative worker is your most valuable agency asset. Here's what defines a collaborative work environment, and why your agency needs it. - Published: 2022-12-15 - Modified: 2022-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/collaborative-worker-agency-asset/ - Categories: Agencies Organizations, especially agencies, thrive on strong collaboration between employees. It creates team morale, strong chemistry between individuals, and the synergy teams need to work towards a common goal. Remember: your agency is a creative business, and it takes diverse skill sets and knowledge to deliver projects that exceed clients' expectations. Beyond the specialty skills that each team member brings to the table, they should each be effective collaborators. If not, it could cause a rift in your internal flow and lead to bigger problems within your organization. Do you have collaborative workers in your team? This guide will define collaborative workers and describe their subtle characteristics and reveal why agencies with collaborative workers continue to thrive. What Defines a Collaborative Worker? To better explain who a collaborative worker is, we’ll first explain more about how we define workplace collaboration. In a nutshell, collaboration is the act of two or more people working together to achieve a common goal, such as the completion of a task or project. This could be a process lasting many days or weeks, with components like setting team goals, delegating tasks based on the skill set of team members, and monitoring progress to complete the job or project in time. Collaboration is one of the most valuable technical skills your agency can ingrain in its culture. Creating a team of specialists around your agency is great, but if they all work independently in siloes, you won’t get the full benefit. Collaboration lets you harness the diverse... --- ### The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need For Content Creation > Knowing exactly how to go about creating content requires a lot of moving parts and processes. Check out our ultimate guide for content creation. - Published: 2022-12-14 - Modified: 2022-12-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-for-content-creation/ - Categories: Content Marketing Content is a cornerstone of effective marketing. And when you combine your content marketing efforts with the utility of marketing automation, a lot of good things can happen. But, before you go creating content without any real idea of how it matters or where to use it, think about your customers and your ideal audience. The better you know them, the better you're able to create the right kinds of content, content that's personalized and tailored to their needs. I'll walk you through the only guide you'll ever need for creating content, including the types of content you should be creating and why. What is Content Creation? The primary goal of content creation is to attract new audiences and engage returning buyers. Content creation spans the following process: Researching what to create Generating content ideas from research results Developing content ideas into valuable content pieces that appeal to the target audience Distributing content pieces to the proper channels Promoting developed content pieces to the right audience Why is Content Important for Your Marketing Strategy? Content is the pillar on which any marketing strategy rests. Without content, there would be nothing you would use to market your business, products, or services to the ideal audience. Below are some reasons why content is essential for your small business marketing strategy. Audience Loyalty Creating valuable and actionable content across different touchpoints for your audience is a great way to build audience loyalty. Once your content remains valuable and actionable to your ideal audience,... --- ### 14 Ways Your Small Business Can Attract B2B Clients > Here are 14 marketing tips for small business owners that will get your prospective customers lining up to do business with you. - Published: 2022-12-08 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/attract-more-b2b-clients/ - Categories: Small Business Do you ever feel like you're fighting an uphill battle to make a sale? You're not alone. A top marketing goal for small business owners is to gain and keep customers, which is a constant challenge due to time and budget constraints. Even if your client list is in good shape, you must keep your sales pipeline full for the coming months, or risk running into serious cash flow issues. Make 2023 the year of increased sales! Here are 14 small business marketing ideas that will have customers lining up to do business with you. 1. Launch A New Product or Service If your current offerings satisfy your clients but you want to expand, it may be time to try something new. Pay close attention to your customers' feedback and look for new ways to help them. People are willing to pay more to solve bigger problems, so think about what complex client problems you might be able to solve by launching a new solution. The reason you need a new product is that many B2B businesses are constantly looking for new ways to be creative and innovative in response to changing market demands, which leads to the launch of new products and services. But first, determine what you are solving for, and spend some time to make sure that you understand every flaw, benefit, and nuance of the new product before marketing it. 2. Promote Your Expertise It is important to sell yourself and what you do. People should... --- ### The 5 Best Online Marketing Tactics for 2023 > Don't waste your marketing in 2023. Use these online marketing tactics to find the results you're after and make 2023 your best yet. - Published: 2022-12-07 - Modified: 2022-12-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-online-marketing-tactics-2017/ - Categories: Marketing 2022 is quickly coming to an end, and 2023 is just around the corner. Typical to the industry, a lot has happened in the marketing sphere in the last year, with new trends emerging and shaping the way brands reach their audiences. If being a marketer has taught us anything, it’s that the way to succeed is to stay agile and prepare for anything. We know that can be close to impossible, especially when you have a small team. So, in an effort to help set you up for an excellent and successful 2023, we’re sharing the top online marketing tactics that will define 2023. It’s time to be prepared so you can stay one step ahead of the curve. Finally. Let's jump in! 1. Influencer Marketing Growing steadily from $9. 7 billion in 2020 to $13. 8 billion in 2021 and projected to reach $16. 4 billion this year, what started as a social media fad has now become a sought-after marketing strategy for numerous brands and businesses. Influencers are individuals on social media platforms with large, engaged, loyal audiences and followers. Due to the effort they have put into growing their presence by engaging users; they can affect the purchase decision of their audiences. Influencers build their following by engaging actively in a specific niche to develop: Authority Knowledge Position Audience relationship You should include influencer marketing as part of your marketing mix for 2023. Below are some ways you can easily incorporate it into your overall marketing... --- ### 6 Underutilized Instagram Features for Small Businesses > There are Instagram features that you should be using and probably aren't. Here are six underutilized features for your small business. - Published: 2022-12-01 - Modified: 2022-11-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/underutilized-instagram-features/ - Categories: Social Media With 1. 38 billion users that spend an average of 53 minutes daily on the platform, Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms out there. What makes it so engaging and entertaining is not just the way content is presented to users but that the platform has evolved over time to fit the needs its users have. Instagram offers tons of opportunities for your small business to not only build brand awareness but also to drive sales. However, to expand visibility and reach your audience with Instagram, you must leverage every feature available to you. It’s highly likely that you’re making the most of the common Instagram features. You’re creating stories, reels, and posts, but are you truly getting the most out of this powerful marketing tool? In this guide, we’ll discuss six Instagram features that are underutilized. We’ll tell you what these features are and the benefits of using them. Let’s dive straight in! 1. Link in Stories Previously, the option to link to a specific webpage was only available for verified accounts or those with more than 10,000 followers. In October 2021, Instagram abolished those requirements and expanded the ability to add links to stories to all accounts. The Meta-owned social media giant made the new feature even better. The link sticker is now more conspicuous, and you can add it anywhere on your story. In addition, the sticker shows story viewers the domain of the destination link, allowing for more transparency. This is a... --- ### What is a Value Proposition and How Your Small Business Can Put One Together > Have you given your small business's value proposition a lot of thought? It might be time to define or refine it. Here's how. - Published: 2022-11-30 - Modified: 2022-11-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-value-proposition/ - Categories: Small Business Skip the fluff and get straight to the point. Put your marketing tactics in order by clarifying your offer and why you differ from your competition. Think of your value proposition as the foundation of your small business marketing efforts. By clearly stating what you do and what value you provide, you can easily connect with your target market and position your small business for success. While your business may not have a defined value proposition from the start, at some point, you'll need to create one to differentiate yourself from others in your industry. In this piece, we will expand on what a value proposition is and provide tips that will help you develop your value proposition. Let’s get started! What Is a Value Proposition? A value proposition is a promise of value to be delivered. It's a concise statement that articulates what you do and how it benefits your customer, and it is necessary to market your business's attitude, intention, and position. In simple language, a value proposition is a statement that outlines the specific benefits that your business can provide to its customers. A strong value proposition clearly states the unique benefits of your products or services, how it fulfills the needs of customers, and why it's better than others in your industry. What Is The Purpose Of a Value Proposition? A solid value proposition is an essential part of any small business's marketing strategy, as it helps you identify and communicate the value of your products... --- ### Google Helpful Content Update: What it Means and What to Know > What is Google Helpful Content and what does this update mean for your business and your content marketing? Read on to find out. - Published: 2022-11-24 - Modified: 2022-11-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-helpful-content-update/ - Categories: Content Marketing Google dominates the search engine market with more than 90% of the market share as of June 2022. Every core update from Google sends shockwaves across the content marketing world. The latest Google Helpful Content update is tipped to cause seismic shifts in the way we create content. When the Helpful Content update first rolled out, it had content marketers running for cover. If the reactions on social media are anything to go by, there’s no doubt the update scared creators and SEO specialists. Many lamented the drop in YOY traffic and couldn’t resist the panic over the future of their content marketing strategy. If the update has you concerned about your traffic growth, don’t worry. In this guide, we’ll discuss what this update means for SEO and how to adjust your content marketing strategies to stay on the right path. What is Google’s Helpful Content Update? If you look at Google’s updates over the past years, one thing will come out clearly: the search engine giant has always focused majorly on user experience. Google has been rolling updates aimed at sunsetting manipulative tactics such as keyword stuffing in favor of value-driven content. The Helpful Content update is a huge step towards compelling websites to publish helpful, educational content. The update was rolled out between August 25 and September 9 of 2022, and it seeks to reward helpful content – or content that gives users a satisfying experience. According to Chris Nelson, Google’s Senior Staff Analyst, the update seeks to... --- ### 4 Shifts Your Small Business Needs to Prepare for This Holiday Season > This season the holidays may look a little different. Is your small business prepared for the shifts that will ultimately affect sales? - Published: 2022-11-23 - Modified: 2022-11-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/shifts-to-prepare-for-this-holiday-season/ - Categories: Small Business We’re quickly approaching the most wonderful time of the year - the holiday season. While typically this time of year has been busy with increased consumer engagement and sales for many small businesses, this year may look a little different. With talks of a recession and the market continuously taking a hit, a lot of small businesses aren’t exactly sure what to expect this holiday season. Many are simply planning as they have in the past, and prepping their businesses for an influx of foot and website traffic. While I don’t advise against doing that, there are things small business owners need to be doing differently to make sure they’re prepared, and that includes planning for less-than-ideal situations in the next couple of months. To ensure you’re as prepared as possible, below are four of the most crucial shifts currently happening that will ultimately shape holiday business. But don’t fret, I’ve also included how your company can prepare for these shifts to ensure you end the year as successful as possible. 1. Inflation Will Affect Consumer Spending Everything seems to cost more, from the cost of living to gas prices and grocery bills. Modern-day necessities just aren’t as cheap as they were last year, so consumers will be curbing their spending in other places to ensure they’re managing their budgets. This means that the sales numbers you hit last holiday season may not be as predictable this year. You need to prepare for how inflation may impact your sales, or... --- ### The Forgotten Content Distribution Tactic: Content Syndication > Effectively distributing your content is essential to ensure the right people see it. Here's why content syndication is important. - Published: 2022-11-17 - Modified: 2022-11-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-syndication/ - Categories: Content Marketing Ross Simmonds, CEO at Foundation Inc, narrated how a well-thought distribution strategy led to 26,282 pageviews in the first seven days after publishing. The results sound unbelievable, but brands that espouse proper content distribution are hitting tremendous numbers in terms of organic traffic. Simmonds advises brands to create content once but distribute it forever. He advocates for the most common distribution channels like the ones discussed in our content distribution checklist. However, while some strategies are pretty common, some of these distribution tactics may have fallen through the cracks. One such strategy is content syndication. In this guide, we’ll get in the weeds about content syndication and discuss what it is, its pros and drawbacks, and how you can use it to benefit your brand. What is Content Syndication? Content syndication is the process of republishing the same piece of content on a different website, preferably a more popular one. In content syndication, you don’t create new content. Instead, you take existing content and publish it word-for-word on a different website. If you’ve ever opened an article and found a note like “This article originally appeared in ” or “This article appeared in and has been published here with permission,” that’s syndicated content. Check out these examples of syndicated content: Pay attention to me: how marketers can avoid losing the younger generation by Katy Keim Liquid expectations by Baiju Shah Web Monetization with Angular by Radoslaw Fabisiak Why Not(e)? By Slite How Does Content Syndication Strategy Work? Content syndication has... --- ### How to Boost Your Freelance Marketing Career After Being Laid Off > Are you thinking of a freelance marketing career amidst big tech layoffs? Becoming a freelancer just got easier with our helpful guide. - Published: 2022-11-16 - Modified: 2022-11-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-boost-your-freelance-marketing-career/ - Categories: Marketing Things are really tough in tech this quarter, and while the looming recession indicated that layoffs were imminent, it’s really starting to hit home as employees lose their jobs just weeks before the holiday season. We all saw the news and clatter on social media. Elon Musk took ownership of Twitter and promptly fired tons of employees, and he isn’t stopping there. He just gave the axe to 80% of contractors and the majority of Twitter’s India staff. And it seems like other big tech giants are following this pattern: Meta laid off 11,000 employees Amazon plans to trim 10,000 corporate jobs Apple is instilling a hiring freeze Snap Inc. will say goodbye to 20% of employees Microsoft cut 1,000 jobs in October (and they may not be finished) Intel layoffs are reportedly “around the corner” When the vast majority of people hear about these tech layoffs, they typically think only engineers are being affected. But, as any seasoned marketer knows, when the time comes to make cuts, marketing is usually the first budget to be affected. While marketers are a resourceful bunch, determined to land on their feet, it doesn’t make the situation feel any better. So where does that leave marketing professionals who find themselves unmoored from their employer? Just as seasons turn, so will the job market, and companies will be hiring again before we know it. But in the meantime, turning to freelance work is a great way for marketers to keep their skills up and... --- ### The 6 Types of Marketing Funnels You Need to Know > There are numerous marketing funnels your business could be using. Here are six you should know about (and how to use them). - Published: 2022-11-10 - Modified: 2022-11-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-funnels/ - Categories: Marketing A marketing funnel is a visual representation of your customer's journey from the moment they come in contact with your brand till they become a paying customer. Other marketers also refer to marketing funnels as purchase, conversion, and lead funnels, among others. We’ve already discussed marketing and sales funnels, the differences, and the various marketing funnel types. However, in this article, we’re taking a closer look at the marketing funnels so you can get a better idea of how to start using them in your marketing and sales strategies. Why Do You Need A Marketing Funnel? Having a marketing funnel is essential for every business, especially now since so much shopping and research is done online. Your marketing funnel is essentially the act of generating leads on your website, identifying the needs of those leads at each stage of their journey, and mapping out the best ways to engage them and encourage them to take action, be it downloading your content or making a purchase. A marketing funnel allows you to optimize your marketing efforts to influence your customers and get them to take actions beneficial to your business. However, it’s crucial to note that your marketing funnel is powered by marketing automation software. By using an all-in-one marketing automation tool, like BenchmarkONE, you’re able to generate leads and keep track of them in your CRM. You can tag your leads based on certain qualifiers, which make it easy for you to determine where they are in their buyer’s journey,... --- ### 6 Ways to Get More From Your Webinars > Your webinars can still come in handy long after their broadcast. Here are six ways to use your webinars and get more out of them. - Published: 2022-11-09 - Modified: 2022-11-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/get-more-from-your-webinars/ - Categories: Marketing Webinars enable you to engage one-on-one with potential and existing customers. Whether you want to boost brand awareness, educate customers, or generate and nurture leads, webinars will get you there because they reach a wider audience. However, when you host a webinar, not all your existing customers or followers will attend. Plus, out of those who attend, only 40% pay attention from start to finish. As a result, some attendees are bound to miss crucial details that are being covered. Given an opportunity, these customers would love to consume the content in different formats. And by using that webinar content to create different forms of content, you’re able to engage even more people. In this article, we’ll show you the various different ways you can repurpose your webinar content and use it to engage and educate more prospects. 1. Transcribe Your Webinar If you want your webinar to rank better in search results, you have to optimize your video for SEO. One of the best ways to do so is to transcribe your webinar. First, create a blog teaser that includes the keywords and search phrases you want this content to rank for. Second, publish the teaser on your website together with the webinar video and transcription. Chances are good that the webinar will rank better on Google SERPs, resulting in increased traffic and leads. The transcription will come in handy when sharing your webinar video on sites like YouTube and Wistia. Remember, while YouTube automatically generates a transcript for... --- ### 5 Video Marketing Trends for 2023 and How Small Businesses Can Use Them > Video has been one of the fastest-growing marketing trends in recent years. The number of people who watched digital videos increased by 3.2% to 244.4 - Published: 2022-11-03 - Modified: 2022-10-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-video-marketing-trends-for-2023-and-how-small-businesses-can-use-them/ - Categories: Small Business Video has been one of the fastest-growing marketing trends in recent years. The number of people who watched digital videos increased by 3. 2% to 244. 4 million in 2020. Small business owners can use video as a marketing tool to effectively reach their target audience. With four in ten online users watching videos from brands they are thinking of buying from, now is the time to get in front of your buyers with video marketing. In this article, we’ll outline the top video marketing trends for 2023 and how small businesses can use them to reach their target audience. Benefits of Video Marketing According to marketers who participated in a Wyzowl survey, businesses who embrace video marketing: Increase their brand awareness Improve their lead generation game Improve sales Reduce support calls Generate more traffic Increase their users' understanding of their products and services 86% of businesses recognize these benefits and incorporate video marketing into their marketing strategies. Is it time for your business to be one of them? Video Marketing Trends For 2023 Video marketing is a fun and creative way to get in front of your potential buyers. Here are the top trends for 2023 to incorporate video marketing into your overall marketing efforts. 1. Live Video Facebook users spend more time on live videos and have a higher engagement rate than pre-recorded videos. Major social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Tiktok now offer businesses the opportunity to engage with their target audience in real time with... --- ### How to Get Started with Your Holiday Marketing > It's time to get started with your holiday marketing strategy. We know there's a lot on your plate, but here's a simple guide to follow. - Published: 2022-11-02 - Modified: 2022-11-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/holiday-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing The holiday season presents unique opportunities for both businesses and consumers. It's a time when consumers happily purchase products for family, friends, and loved ones. For businesses, it’s a chance to increase sales, brand awareness, and engagement. Every year, the holidays are pretty promising for small businesses. Some even know that they’ll make the majority of their sales for the entire year in these couple of months. However, this year, with a looming recession, rising costs, and lingering uncertainty around supply chains, holiday sales may not soar to the same heights as in past years. If you want this season to be as impactful for your small business as possible, then you should start planning your holiday marketing now. We know that it can be hard to prioritize this in your marketing plan with all the other things that come with running your business. But we’ve got a list of steps for you to take that will ensure you’re ahead of the game. Why Should You Plan Your Holiday Marketing Campaign Now? You may think you’re jumping the gun a bit, but, as they say, the early bird gets the worm. Here are some reasons you should start planning your holiday marketing right now: Even if this year isn’t as busy as last year, you should still anticipate a rush in business, and nothing is worse than having an increase in online orders and foot traffic with limited products or resources. By starting your prep now, you can estimate the... --- ### How to Recession-Proof Your Agency > There has been talk of a looming recession. Is your agency ready to weather the storm? Here are some tips to recession-proof your agency. - Published: 2022-10-27 - Modified: 2022-10-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/recession-proof-agency/ - Categories: Agencies The global financial crisis and the burst of the U. S. housing bubble signaled the beginning of the Great Recession, which spanned from 2007 to 2009 and heralded the end for many small businesses. And while it is still just speculation that another recession may be looming around the corner, as an agency, you should always be prepared for its possibility. That means mapping out ways to ensure your business survives an economic downturn and staying a step ahead just in case a recession happens sooner rather than later. Strategies for Recession-Proofing Your Agency The better you plan, the better protected your agency will be, regardless of the economic outlook. With that in mind, here are some strategies to help you make sure your agency is as recession-proof as possible. Keep On Marketing Marketing is the lifeblood of any business. And for you and your clients, it’s important to keep up with all of your marketing activities and channels, so you’re in a good position to weather a financial storm. Most businesses pay less attention to marketing during an economic downturn. Gain a competitive edge ahead of (and during) a recession by doing the opposite, keeping your marketing efforts going strong and maintaining those ties with your audience. Similarly, advertising costs get lower as economic insecurity rises since businesses cut back on ad spending. Leave room in the budget to take advantage of low advertising competition and snag some high-value ads at a lower price than you’d get them otherwise.... --- ### The Small Business Guide to Advertising on Instagram > Instagram lets small businesses expand their reach and compete in a massive digital arena. Here's a guide to Instagram advertising. - Published: 2022-10-26 - Modified: 2022-10-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guide-to-advertising-on-instagram/ - Categories: Small Business Instagram leads the show when it comes to driving sales and engagement. It has the most successful influencers and some of the top campaigns. It’s a stunning platform that appeals to our visual perceptions and an effective tool for small businesses to compete. But if you’re on Instagram, you already know this. What you may not know is that the Instagram platform allows a brand of any size the opportunity to compete in a massive digital arena. They can get in front of larger audiences and see engagement off the charts. In this article, we’ll explore using Instagram ads for small business growth. What Is Instagram Advertising? Instagram is one of the most populous social media platforms, growing to 1. 3 billion active users in 2022, with more than 200 million brands making up that number. Instagram leverages the exciting fact that humans process and retain images 60,000 times faster than texts. Instagram advertising refers to paying the giant social media platform to post sponsored content on your behalf to increase brand awareness, engagement, sales, and even followership. The goal is to get your content to a targeted and extensive audience than you would typically have with your profile or page. Why Should Small Businesses Advertise on Instagram? As a small business owner, one of your goals is to be on top of your audience's minds as much as possible, making Instagram a perfect place to showcase your brand. Instagram revealed that 81% of Instagram users use the platform to... --- ### How Instagram is Changing and What it Means for Your Small Business > Instagram is changing and these changes effect how small businesses use the platform. Here are some of the changes and what they mean. - Published: 2022-10-20 - Modified: 2023-01-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-instagram-is-changing/ - Categories: Social Media Instagram has been growing rapidly over the past year, and now it seems every business wants to jump on board. With more than 130 million users engaging with shopping posts on Instagram every month, the platform is a great social media marketing tool for small business owners. And with an array of eCommerce-friendly features that make promoting your products easy and convenient, it’s an excellent place to set up shop. Here’s what to know about the platform's new features and how they can help your small business. Authentic You With Instagram Candid Candid Challenge is a new Instagram feature inspired by BeReal, a fast-growing social platform that encourages users to share unique, real-time moments with friends by sending random notifications at different times every day and giving them two minutes to post a picture of what they’re doing. Like BeReal, Instagram’s Candid Challenge will send users random notifications encouraging them to post a photo of what they’re doing. Users will only be able to view another user's Candid photo after they make their first Candid. Candid photos use Instagram's dual camera tool, and you can differentiate them from other stories with the presence of a blue ring. While everyone doesn't have this feature yet, you should brace yourself for this tool as a small business owner. Authenticity is currency in the social media space, and Candid Challenge allows you to connect with your audience while showing them a human and personable side to your operations. Another authentic feature Instagram offers... --- ### How to Create Your Small Business Marketing Plan > Where do you begin when putting together your small business marketing plan? We've outlined all the steps you need to take in this guide. - Published: 2022-10-19 - Modified: 2022-10-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-plan/ - Categories: Marketing Small business owners take on many responsibilities and have to handle numerous tasks with only a few team members to help if any. This makes it challenging to put sufficient effort into important aspects of your small business, such as marketing. Implementing a solid marketing strategy will ensure you can consistently sell to existing customers and convert new prospects without losing track of other vital aspects of your business. Marketing is especially important today. There are fewer brick-and-mortar stores and more trends toward eCommerce and online shopping. Therefore, it is essential to establish a strong online presence and make your business visible and accessible to the 5. 3 billion people on the internet. In this article, we’ll show you how to create an effective marketing plan — but first, let’s discuss the basics. What Is a Marketing Plan? A marketing plan is a document that outlines your paid advertising, social media, email, SEO, or content marketing strategy. Think of it as a strategic roadmap showing your starting point and the path to your destination. In this case, the marketing plan describes the objectives of your strategy, such as increasing traffic to your website, building product awareness, or growing lead generation. Besides that, it details the action plan — the things you need to do to achieve those goals — and stipulates a timeline for each. While not all marketing plans are created equal, they share a similar structure that includes: A list of goals Research including SWOT analysis, competitor analysis,... --- ### Something's Not Right: How to Detect a Problem With Your Agency and Fix It > If there are problems within your agency that go undetected, you could be closing your doors sooner rather than later. - Published: 2022-10-13 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-detect-a-problem-with-your-agency/ - Categories: Agencies As an agency owner, your dream is to scale your business to get new clients, expand to new sectors, and increase your revenue. Scaling up also means your agency is no longer reliant on you alone but on your entire team to get the work done. Beyond delegating, assigning tasks, and overseeing day-to-day business operations when scaling up, everyone must be on the same page on business goals and how things work. That’s why it’s important to identify internal issues and blockers that may cause problems so your agency can keep thriving and growing. What internal issues should you look for to prevent your agency's downfall? Read below as we discuss how to detect a problem with your agency and how to fix it. Internal Issues With Your Agency As you continue to grow, internal issues can grow with you. You need to recognize them and find ways to dissolve them. Here are some common internal issues you may find in your agency. Being Prepared to Scale Growth is one of the primary objectives of many business and agency owners today. You may have decided it's time to scale and started setting things in motion. But are you preparing your agency for the growth you have planned? Every aspect of your business must be able to scale up as you plan to scale up operations. If you once had a team of four and decided to grow, do you know how many more team members you’ll need to handle the... --- ### Is HubSpot’s CRM Really Free? > Is HubSpot's free CRM really free? Let's take a closer look to determine if signing up for HubSpot's free CRM is actually worth it. - Published: 2022-10-12 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-hubspots-crm-really-free/ - Categories: CRM When it comes to HubSpot CRM, is the promise of free really too good to be true? Big or small, all companies want to save money where they can. And so it makes sense to opt for a seemingly free CRM, like HubSpot, which appears to offer a variety of helpful tools at no cost. But like many things in life, “free” isn’t necessarily the good deal you think it’s going to be – especially if you need to scale your CRM beyond the bare basics. Here’s what to know about the hidden cost of HubSpot’s free CRM option, plus a better alternative for a truly free CRM. Can You Use HubSpot for Free? Technically yes, but most businesses will quickly hit a wall with the utility of the free plan and will either need to switch CRMs or greatly increase their budget for the platform. If you’re on the hunt for a free CRM tool, then you’ve probably come across HubSpot’s free plan, which promises access to a wide range of no-cost features with no limit to how long you can use them. However, while you can use HubSpot for free, this offer isn’t quite as it seems. By offering a free CRM, HubSpot increases its user base and appeals to significantly more individuals and businesses than they would with their costlier paid plans. And yet, free users often hit a roadblock in use, realizing that as their business and contact list grow, so too do their feature requirements... --- ### A Guide to Agency Partnerships > Agency partnerships can be extremely beneficial. Here's a guide to growing partnerships so your agency can thrive. - Published: 2022-10-06 - Modified: 2022-10-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-partnerships/ - Categories: Agencies According to a 2019 Impact study, over 50% of companies surveyed attributed 20% of their revenue to partnerships, while 76% say that partnerships are important in achieving business revenue goals. While marketing is great for getting leads and acquiring new clients, agency partnerships allow you to leverage other agencies' expertise and skills for a robust client base, improved value to current clients, faster agency growth, and increased revenue. What do you need to know before venturing into agency partnerships? We'll answer all of your questions in this guide. Why You Should Look into Agency Partnerships There are many reasons why your agency should invest in partnerships: Wider Marketing Reach When you market on your own, your audience is limited, but a partnership opens your agency to new audiences of prospects and customers that you may not be able to access without help. Partnerships with already established agencies amplify your marketing efforts and increase the probability of converting leads. Also, the partner agency optimizes its marketing activities to include yours, with your success in mind. If you do the same for them, then everybody wins. Referral Business If you manage your partnerships well, the services you offer will be complementary to that of your partner agency. As a result, they will send referrals whenever they need the services you provide for their own client projects or even send clients to you directly for new projects. Referral business is a great way to increase business revenue without spending more time, effort, and... --- ### Email Sequences: HubSpot vs. BenchmarkONE > What are email sequences? Let's dive into email sequences and learn how BenchmarkONE's email sequences differ from HubSpot's. - Published: 2022-10-05 - Modified: 2022-09-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-sequences-hubspot-vs-benchmarkone/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Sometimes, it’s not about how many leads you generate; it’s about what you do with those leads once they’re in your database. Generating leads is a wasted effort if you let leads go untouched in your CRM. Providing adequate outreach through a series of touchpoints not only helps you stay on top of recently generated and high-priority leads but it enables you to build trust with them and lay the foundation for a strong relationship. It’s moves like these that are crucial when it comes time for your leads to make a buying decision. This is where sequences come in. Sequences are a feature enabled by marketing automation platforms, and they help ensure you’re staying on top of every lead opportunity. If you’re using a marketing automation tool or in the market for one, chances are high that you’ve heard of HubSpot’s software and a little bit about what it can do for you. While HubSpot may be one of the most popular marketing automation tools out there, it isn’t always the best fit for small businesses. In this blog post, we’ll be examining HubSpot sequences, as well as how they compare to BenchmarkONE’s sequences, so you can get a better idea of which is ideal for your small business needs. What are HubSpot Sequences? HubSpot sequences are a tool within the software that allows users to send targeted and timed email templates to their contacts. Users can also set up reminders for themselves to schedule follow-ups with individual contacts... --- ### Is Now a Bad Time for Your Agency to Do Pro Bono Work? > There are benefits to doing pro bono work. But, is now a good time for your agency to be offering it? Here are some benefits. - Published: 2022-09-29 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-pro-bono-work/ - Categories: Agencies Given that pro bono work does not generate any revenue, it is understandable if your agency shies away from it. You may think that accepting pro bono work is a quick way to slow down revenue and eventually kill your agency. However, working for free comes with its benefits and can be profitable in the long run. While you won't do free work for all of your clients all of the time (because revenue is essential to keep business going), there are certain moments where pro bono work gives your agency more value. How does pro bono work benefit your agency? Keep reading to find out. Benefits of Pro Bono Work for your Agency A Marketing Opportunity Every agency is working on pursuing the next big client to put on their client list. However, going pro bono can be just what you need to book that big client. During pro bono activities, you not only provide help to the organizations or local charities you are assisting but also represent your business and put your agency on the map. Everybody who interacts with the organization you are working with will learn about your agency via promotional materials for the pro bono you are involved in. Also, the organizations you work with pro bono will tell everybody willing to listen about your agency and the great help you provide. Furthermore, from the perspective of getting clients, pro bono work might be a way of getting your foot in the door, which may... --- ### Are Your Employees Unhappy? > The last thing your small business needs is employees quitting. Here's how to know if your employees are unhappy, and what to do about it. - Published: 2022-09-28 - Modified: 2024-03-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/are-your-employees-unhappy/ - Categories: Leadership As a small business owner or manager, you’re probably used to asking whether your customers are happy — but what about your employees? The past couple of years has put unsavory working conditions under a spotlight, with millions of workers pushing for better pay, better benefits, and a better work-life balance. And in 2021, hailed as the year of the Great Resignation, 24 million people quit their jobs between April and November alone (compared to the 36. 3 million people who quit their job in all of 2020). Unhappy employees are a particularly big problem for small businesses since it’s a lot harder to hire and train new people when you’re not working with extensive resources. It’s also true that the less happy your employees are, the less invested they are in seeing your business succeed — meaning reduced morale and productivity, among other things. What can you do? We’re sharing some helpful tips for identifying unhappy employees and — even more importantly — turning things around to create a positive work environment that puts the well-being of your staff first for the betterment of your business. Here’s what to know. Why Are So Many Employees Unhappy Right Now? The stats don’t lie: people are quitting their jobs at an alarming rate, and it’s leaving many businesses in the lurch as they struggle to fill empty positions while keeping their operations up and running. There are a number of reasons why so many people are calling it quits. The big... --- ### 20 Unexpected Ways to Get More Agency Clients This Year > Win new clients for your marketing agency by leveraging these top 15 unique prospecting tactics. Check them out! - Published: 2022-09-22 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/get-more-agency-clients/ - Categories: Agencies Every marketing agency wants to be successful. Signing a ton of clients means more billings and more revenue, but it isn’t easy. There are a lot of digital advertising agencies out there to compete with, and with a looming recession, businesses are scaling back instead of hiring additional help and expertise. However, with some creativity and proactive tactics, your agency can expand its business successfully, even in hard times. Here are some tips for getting your agency seen and finding clients that will want to partner with your marketing agency. 1. Business Review: Know What's Working Before introducing something new, it is important to review current strategies to identify what's working, what isn't, and what needs improvement. Do you need to focus on creating more content? Do you need to spend more time on lead generation activities? Do you need to improve your onboarding process? Asking these questions will put you on track to identify the things that most urgently need your attention. Then, you can either focus on fixing the things that aren't working or strike them and put your attention elsewhere. 2. Set Business Goals and Milestones Without concrete business goals, your agency is directionless. With business goals, you create a sense of purpose for your agency and a definite direction of where you want your agency to be within a specific time frame. Beyond providing direction for your business, spelling out your agency's business goals impacts how you, your team, and others perceive your business. Start by... --- ### How to Grow Your Small Business and Make it Successful > Growth should be a part of every businesses' ongoing strategy. Here are some tips on how to grow your small business. - Published: 2022-09-21 - Modified: 2022-09-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/proven-ways-to-grow-your-business/ - Categories: Small Business Whether it is for the flexibility of work hours, to be your own boss, to pursue your passion, or for a better work-life balance, no one starts a small business to see it fail. Every business owner aims to succeed by growing their small businesses into profitable organizations. While aiming for success is excellent, not every business owner will be successful at running a business. What does it mean for small businesses to fail, and how do you safeguard your business from that? In this blog post, we’re going to dive into what it takes to grow your small business and make it successful, including how to grow your social media presence, how to get more customers, and how to take your small business to the next level. Small Businesses vs. Big Businesses - What’s the Difference? Before we get started, let’s differentiate between big and small businesses. It may seem like the difference between the two is simply the size. However, there are other indicators that will tell you where your business falls. Management Structure and Hierarchy Unlike small businesses, big businesses have a set management structure and hierarchy between employees due to the number of people that work in the organization. The CEO or board of directors are the highest decision makers and have the most control. In a small business, the business owner runs the business solely in some cases and sometimes with a few other people. However, that isn’t always the case. There are plenty of... --- ### What is a Fractional CMO and Does Your Business Need One? > What is a fractional CMO? Does your small business need one? We list the benefits (and cons) of having one in this article. - Published: 2022-09-15 - Modified: 2022-09-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-is-a-fractional-cmo/ - Categories: Small Business Whether you’re a brand new startup or a tenured business, at some point during your company’s growth, you may find the need for an experienced chief marketing officer (CMO) who can lead your marketing team and efforts. When hiring a CMO, many businesses assume their only option is someone who will be full-time. The truth is, hiring someone part-time may be a better fit for their needs. This is where hiring a fractional CMO is the best option. A fractional CMO is someone who works on a part-time basis, usually for around 20 hours per week. So, when is the best time to hire a fractional CMO? And why would you want to hire one? Keep reading to find out! Who is a Fractional CMO? A fractional CMO is a Chief Marketing Officer who works on a part-time basis. This means that they aren’t employed by your company full-time but instead work for you for a set number of hours each week – usually around 20 hours. Fractional CMOs can be freelance or employed by an agency, and they will work with you to create and implement a marketing strategy that meets your specific needs and goals. They are experienced marketing professionals who deeply understand how to market businesses effectively. And because they are not employed full-time, they can often offer their services at a fraction of the cost. The Responsibilities of a Fractional CMO The fractional CMO will work with you to create and implement your marketing and organization... --- ### Sales Enablement: What it is, How to Practice it, and How to Measure Success > Creating sales enablement content is essential for your sales team. Here's how to do it and measure the success. - Published: 2022-09-14 - Modified: 2022-09-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/measure-sales-enablement-success/ - Categories: Sales An empowered sales team will go on to engage with prospects positively, close deals, and help you achieve business goals. What’s the best way to empower your sales team? Provide them with tools for success, be it software, content, or other resources. There’s a lot of ground that sales enablement covers, but since sales are essential to keeping your business running smoothly, it’s so important that you have it mastered. In this piece, we're diving into everything related to sales enablement so your small business can improve its sales process and see more returns. Ready? What is Sales Enablement? When you provide your sales team with tools, resources, information, content, and training to engage effectively with your target audience, it’s considered sales enablement. In fact, every bit of help you render to support your sales team to facilitate more closings and sales comes under the sales enablement umbrella. Why is Sales Enablement Important? Sales enablement benefits your organization in the following ways. Provides your business with a skilled, knowledgeable, and productive sales team. Helps you develop effective sales systems and processes. Offers a consistent and valuable content resource that helps the sales team with its tasks and goals. Promotes long-term success for your business through consistent training for sales teams. Improves business revenue by helping the sales team improve closing rates. Reinforces sales leaders and managers, putting them in a position to better support team members whilst also supporting the business's sales strategy. As you can see, there’s a lot... --- ### How to Make Your Next Campaign Successful > There's a lot that can go wrong with your email campaigns. Make sure your next campaign is successful with these four tips. - Published: 2022-09-08 - Modified: 2022-09-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-make-your-next-campaign-successful/ - Categories: Email Marketing Email is still one of the primary ways people communicate. There are more than 4 billion email users worldwide, which is why many businesses use it as a direct channel to communicate with their customers. Email marketing involves communicating with current customers and prospects to nurture leads, increase engagement, and move contacts down the sales funnel. Email campaigns have proven to be effective and profitable for marketers. In 2020, Statista reported that the average ROI of email marketing was $36 for every dollar spent, with the consumer goods, retail, and eCommerce industry getting the highest ROI with a $45 return on every $1 spent. Here are steps you can take to ensure that your email campaigns land successfully: 1. Understand the Goal of Your Email Campaign Your email campaign should have a clear goal that fits with your current business objectives. Before starting your email campaign, you need to know what you want to achieve and what actions you expect your contacts to take after receiving your emails. There are a variety of goals that you could set for your email campaigns that will prove immensely valuable for your business. Some of these are: Increasing website traffic Increasing brand awareness Nurturing leads Promoting a product Once you have a goal, no matter how small, you can take strategic actions that will impact your email campaign’s success. 2. Specify Your Target Audience Your business likely has various types of customers that make up your target audience. They can be categorized into... --- ### 7 Kinds of Software Every Small Business Needs > Does your small business have the software stack it needs to get everything done and remain competitive? Here are some suggestions. - Published: 2022-09-07 - Modified: 2024-07-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/software-every-small-business-needs/ - Categories: Small Business As a small business owner, you have your hand in every department. Being the head of sales, customer service, accounting, marketing, etc. , can become overwhelming and pull you in a lot of different directions. That’s why having a collection of software tools can be a lifesaver for small business owners and make running your business smooth, convenient, and less time-consuming. Instead of doing a ton of research on the array of platforms out there, we’ve collected a list of the essential business tools you’ll need to run your small business smoothly while freeing up time to focus on other things. 1. Accounting Software Record keeping is an integral part of your small business. Not keeping accurate financial records could not only affect your business spending, but it could run your small business into the ground. The best accounting software can make the numbers less messy to assemble. It can help you keep track of your income, expenses, assets, liabilities, and cash flow. You’ll get an accurate picture of your business’s financial performance, which helps you make informed business administration and operations decisions. No need to go back to school for a degree in accounting. The following are examples of easy-to-use accounting software for your small business: Quickbook: Choose from four plans depending on your needs. Packages start at $15/month. Xero: Plans are based on what stage your small business is at. Whether you’re just starting out or are more established, there are packages that will fit your needs. Pricing... --- ### 6 Marketing Tactics You Need to Stop Doing (and What to do Instead) > You need to stop doing these six marketing tactics. And instead, check out some strategies that actually work. - Published: 2022-09-01 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-tactics-you-need-to-stop-doing/ - Categories: Marketing Marketing is a must for any business that cares about increasing revenue and scaling up. However, it's a complex industry. Marketing practices and tactics are ever-changing, and it can seem like new industry-shattering trends emerge every month. It can be challenging for busy business owners to keep abreast of the latest tactics and to keep their knowledge sharp. Play that game for too long, and you’re bound to make lots of marketing mistakes that you’ll be paying for. For example, what worked some years back may be outdated by today’s standards. In this article, we will point out some marketing tactics you should let go of and what you can do instead. 1. Promotion-Centered Social Media Posts Yes, social media marketing is important for businesses, thanks to the overwhelming number of users on various social platforms. However, you can kiss the benefits of social media marketing goodbye if all your posts are focused on sales and promoting your brand or services. Social media allows businesses to connect intimately with their audiences for increased engagement, leads, traffic, and sales. Instead of salesy posts that will push your audience away, focus on strengthening your brand visibility and engagement using helpful content that your audience can relate to and engage with. That’s not to say you shouldn’t use paid ads or incorporate some promotional posts into your social media. Just make sure that you still focus on posts that share helpful resources or showcase your team so your audience can truly get to... --- ### How to Audit Your Website for Local SEO > Small businesses can benefit from incorporating local SEO into their strategy. Here's how to audit your website for local SEO. - Published: 2022-08-31 - Modified: 2022-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/local-seo/ - Categories: Marketing For small businesses, ranking in search results is a great way to get in front of an online audience and expand your reach. But that doesn’t mean you should no longer seek out local business for your storefront. Small business owners and local businesses can benefit greatly from appearing in local searches. Optimizing your small business for local search allows your company to get more store visits, phone orders, bookings, and appointments. It can also help establish your business as a local hotspot and put you on the radars of visitors and vacationers. Let’s dive into what local SEO is and how you can take advantage of it for your business. What is Local SEO? Local SEO refers to business and website optimization for local products or service-based businesses that have physical stores, with the goal of appearing in local searches within specific regions and locations (usually the areas these businesses serve). Why is a Local SEO Strategy Important for Small Businesses Many consumers are turning to Google to evaluate local businesses. In turn, small businesses need to make sure their business is easily found by these consumers in the process. Let’s get a bit deeper and break down the benefits local SEO offers: Improved Online Visibility With local SEO, you not only improve the chances of being found via local search but improve your overall small business visibility. Optimizing for Local SEO involves submitting your business name, address, and phone numbers to different directories. Doing this means there's an... --- ### The 6 Most Common Things That Kill an Agency > We're in a recession and you may be worried about the wellbeing of your agency. Here are six most common things that kill an agency. - Published: 2022-08-25 - Modified: 2022-08-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/things-that-kill-an-agency/ - Categories: Agencies When it comes to running your own company, mistakes are inevitable. However, one mistake too many at the wrong time could threaten to put your agency out of business. You can better prepare your agency for challenges and set up ways to overcome them if you are aware of common pitfalls that agencies like yours face. Read on to learn about six things you should avoid at all costs. 1. Absence of Retainers/Productized Packages Revenue is important to your agency's success, but not all revenue is created equal: some dollars are a lot harder to bring in than others. One-off projects will have you constantly pitching for new work and new clients to keep generating revenue, which can lead to burnout. If this becomes a norm, it leaves you vulnerable to financial problems that could eventually kill your business. Retainers and productized packages, on the other hand, will provide your agency with more predictable earnings. It also makes it much easier to allocate time to different tasks when you already know the jobs ahead of you. 2. Absence of Structured Business Operations and Tools Running a business involves annual and quarterly planning, assigning roles and responsibilities, maintaining good internal communication, and many more aspects. Whether you are a veteran agency or just starting, you need to manage operations efficiently with appropriate tools for business success. Failing to do so could mean that important things slip through the net. A CRM tool can help with managing clients and client relationships and... --- ### Customer Churn: What is it and How Can You Avoid It? > There’s an easy way to explain customer churn: it’s when your customers stop buying from you. Depending on the nature of your company, when a customer - Published: 2022-08-18 - Modified: 2022-08-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-churn/ - Categories: Small Business There’s an easy way to explain customer churn: it’s when your customers stop buying from you. Depending on the nature of your company, when a customer stops doing business with you, this can mean canceling their account or subscription, failing to renew a contract, or choosing a competitor for their new needs. With a recession looming, customer churn can be an even bigger nightmare than normal. Customer churn is not good for your company. No matter how you look at it, if you want to grow your business, the number of new customers you bring on each month needs to exceed your churn rate. So, if you bring on new customers every month that grow your client list at a rate of 20%, but your churn rate is higher than 20%, then you’re likely burning money on expensive marketing acquisition channels that aren’t growing your business. Right now, as our economy seems very uncertain, beating customer churn is an absolue must. We’ll dive into everything you need to know about customer churn and how you can prevent it. What is Customer Churn Rate? Customer churn rate is the percentage of customers lost during a certain period. The lower your customer churn rate, the better. A low churn rate means customers are sticking with your brand. This means that you won’t need to spend as much time and energy trying to acquire and maintain new customers. Your churn rate can also give you valuable business insights. It can help indicate if... --- ### How to Do Social Testing For a Results-Oriented Social Media Strategy > Learn how to do social testing so you can develop a results-oriented social media strategy and reach your target audience effectively. - Published: 2022-08-17 - Modified: 2022-08-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-do-social-testing/ - Categories: Social Media Picture this. You're running through your social media strategy with the leadership team and ready to launch. But one big question still needs to be answered: how do you know if your social media strategy will actually work? You could, of course, go for the tried-and-true method of throwing your social media report against the wall and seeing if it sticks. But in this day and age, there's a better way to test your social media strategy before you launch it. This process is called social testing. Not sure what social testing is or how to do it? Don't worry. We've got you covered. We're giving you the 411 on social testing and how to do it for a results-oriented social media strategy. So grab a nice cup of coffee (or tea, we don't judge) for yourself, and let's get started. What Is Social Testing? In short, social testing is the process of trying out your social media content and strategies before you publicly launch them. It is done by creating test groups of target audiences and exposing them to your content in a controlled environment. After observing how they react, you can then make changes to your content or strategy before launching it to your entire audience. Let's say you work for a cloud computing company. You're ready to launch a social media campaign about the benefits of cloud computing for retail and hospitality businesses. But before you do, you want to make sure that your content will resonate... --- ### How SEO Plays a Part in Each of Your Marketing Channels > Explore the different marketing channels that can help your website to rank higher and the role SEO plays in each of these mediums. - Published: 2022-08-12 - Modified: 2022-11-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-marketing-channels-that-need-to-be-included-in-your-seo-strategy/ - Categories: Marketing There’s a running joke among content marketers, and it goes like this: Where’s the best place to hide a dead body? The answer: The second page of Google! And, as with all jokes, there’s an element of truth to this statement. Research shows that 75% of people never venture onto the second page of search engine results. Why is this important? You want to be on that first page. It is, after all, rule number one of marketing: always make yourself seen, known, and trusted. So, you’re probably wondering, “How can I get onto the first page of Google? ” Well, we’re glad you asked. Before you hire an SEO company, check out the different marketing channels that can help you rank and the role SEO plays in each of these mediums. Content Marketing Content marketing is when a company creates and distributes content that is both valuable and relevant to its audience on a consistent schedule. According to SemRush, 84% of enterprises have a content marketing strategy plan in place. A sound content marketing strategy will aid in boosting brand awareness and generating higher quality traffic. It’s a profitable marketing tool. If you’re keen to get started, you could consider interviews, ebooks, webinars, and roundups. Content is a key player in your digital marketing strategy. Therefore, SEO is a huge component of whether or not your content gets seen by the right people. In order for your content to get exposure and interest, it needs to be created with... --- ### The Importance of Having a Clear Brand Message (and How to Achieve it) > Having a clear and defined brand message is essential for any small business's growth. Here's how to get your brand message across. - Published: 2022-08-11 - Modified: 2022-08-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/clear-brand-message/ - Categories: Small Business Ashley Friedlein — CEO and founder of Guild — once said, “Your brand is a sum total of how people perceive it. Branding is about shaping that perception. ” For the perception to be positive and consistent, your brand message must be clear. For small businesses, having a clear brand message is one of the basics of small business branding; however, it isn’t always a priority. There are so many other things you need to accomplish to keep your business running smoothing. But, your brand message depicts your brand's intrinsic value proposition across marketing channels and campaigns. It’s extremely valuable. Not sure where to get started outlining your brand message? Keep reading. Benefits of Clear Brand Message Shortens the Consideration Stage A clear brand message can shorten the amount of time a potential customer considers using your product or service. With your brand message clear, your prospects and leads will more easily understand what it is you offer, eliminating any second guessing or procrastination associated with moving along to the next stage of the buyer’s journey. People are likely to purchase a product whose benefits they understand the fastest. If your brand message is easy to understand, potential customers won’t take long to consider using it. Streamlines Market Penetration Penetrating the market can be tough. Every small business has tons of competition, and in order to get the funding needed to make it to the next round, investors need to know what your brand is about. And they need to... --- ### 12 Essential Small Business Marketing Strategies > Spend less time fussing with other solutions and have more time to devote to what you do best with these small business marketing strategies. - Published: 2022-08-04 - Modified: 2023-07-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/essential-small-business-marketing-strategies/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: blogging, content marketing, Email Marketing, Marketing Automation, seo, Social Media, Thought Leadership Spend less time fussing with other solutions and have more time to devote to what you do best. Let’s face it: there are a million and one small business marketing strategies out there, but if you’re like most business owners, you don’t have the endless budget and time to find the hidden treasures that lead to results. Also, determining which marketing strategy is most effective can take months of testing and evaluation. After growing businesses, testing plenty of marketing campaigns, and helping our small business customers grow, I have come up with the 12 marketing techniques for small businesses that you can use to help your small business flourish. 1. Audience Research Marketing is about sending a relevant message to your target audience to persuade them to buy your product or service. If you don’t know your target audience, you risk focusing your attention too broadly or on the wrong people, which is a catastrophic error in the age of personalization. Successful marketing begins with target audience research — a data-backed process that culminates into elaborate audience persona(s). An audience persona is a profile or visualization of the person you’re trying to reach. It outlines traits such as geographical location, career, gender, motivation, pain points, budget, and more. Audience persona is your “north star” for creating and launching successful marketing strategies, from content marketing to word-of-mouth. It lays the foundation of your marketing strategy and informs the best channels to use for effective marketing. 2. Word of Mouth Advertising Once you’ve laid the foundation, you can get your marketing strategies rolling. One of the most cost-effective small business... --- ### What Marketing Strategy to Choose for Online Business in 2022 > The marketing strategy your online business uses has to be one that brings in high-quality leads and high conversions. - Published: 2022-08-03 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-marketing-strategy-to-choose/ - Categories: Marketing In today's world, you can often face this situation: you are the owner of a great website that offers quality products at affordable prices, but the website's traffic decreases daily. Does this picture sound familiar? What can you do in this case? A better, more effective marketing strategy is what your online business needs right now. What Will a Marketing Strategy do for Your Online Business? A solid marketing strategy facilitates the following processes for online businesses: The formation of the company image Digitization of business Evaluation of results, as this is done on a single metric system Selection of new marketing tools as a marketing strategy will allow you to determine which tools fit your goals, objectives, etc. Objective evaluation of the subordinates' and contractors' performance There are various types of marketing strategies your business could implement. However, all should include the following: Specified objectives. For example, increase brand awareness by 20%, and increase sales by 15%. Fundamental indicators. It is necessary to specify existing data on areas for improvement; otherwise, even the most specific objectives will turn out to be just a dream. Specific deadlines. For example, six months to solve the problem. 3 Classic Marketing Strategies for Online Businesses As stated earlier, there are various different kinds of marketing strategies your small business could use. However, there are three classic approaches you should seriously consider using. 1. Comprehensive Marketing Strategy A comprehensive marketing strategy for online business implies the expansion of all marketing components used together with... --- ### 4 Qualities SMBs Should Look For When Vetting Content Marketing Agencies > Be on the lookout for any red flags, and trust your gut when it comes to vetting content marketing agencies for your SMB. - Published: 2022-07-28 - Modified: 2022-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/vetting-content-marketing-agencies/ - Categories: Content Marketing Content marketing is a pretty broad term. While some firms put a lot of emphasis on the “marketing” side of the equation, others may be strictly content production houses. So how do you make sure that your agency — or the agency that you’re thinking of hiring — is worth the money? You start by knowing exactly what to look for. The best measures of success for content marketing aren’t always intuitive. Only 42% of B2B marketers consider themselves successful at content marketing. Being able to judge whether your content marketing agency and the content they’re creating for your business is checking off the right boxes is critical — both in terms of meeting your goals and hitting the sweet spot with your ROI. Read on as we discuss the things that matter when you’re evaluating an agency’s performance and the utility they could bring to your content strategy. Why Content Marketing Matters Now More Than Ever Peter Drucker — a famous management consultant — once said, “Because its sole purpose is to create a customer, a business has two principal functions: innovation and marketing. ” Over the years, the first function has become the mainstay for many brands, and now, the market is awash with innovative products, solutions, services, technologies, etc. The saturation has certainly made marketing more important than ever before. Innovation alone isn’t going to make your product or service stand out from the crowd. It requires a clever dose of marketing to take it to potential... --- ### 8 SEO Strategies for Driving Traffic to Your Website (with Examples) > You don't have to spend your whole marketing budget to see results from your SEO strategy. Here are 8 SEO strategies that will yield return. - Published: 2022-07-27 - Modified: 2023-02-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-strategies-for-driving-traffic-to-your-website/ - Categories: Marketing SEO may be the single most important marketing strategy for a small business. It brings potential customers to you and it can expand your reach since it allows you to tap into an interested online audience. If you haven’t yet invested in it, you’re not only behind the curve; you’re missing out on tons of opportunities to convert more customers. Still, need some convincing? Here are some SEO statistics you can’t ignore: 68% of online experiences start with a search engine 63% of all shopping starts online, including purchases that happen in a store 70% of online marketers state SEO is better than PPC when it comes to sales 66% of consumers perform online research before making a purchase 76% of consumers who search for a local business visit a related business in 24 hours People use search engines frequently to make purchase decisions or to find businesses that will fulfill their needs. It’s important for your business to be on the first page of Google (or, even better, listed as one of the first three organic search results). Mastering SEO can be confusing, which is why a lot of businesses spend tons of money hiring SEO consultants or agencies. But SEO is a journey, not a race, and seeing results can take time. That means you could be exhausting your marketing budget before seeing anything worthwhile. So, before you look into outsourcing, consider DIY’ing your SEO. Trust us, it can be done, especially if you try some of the... --- ### 6 Must-Have Features for Your Agency's Website > Is your agency website up to snuff? Here are some must-have features your agency website should absolutely have. - Published: 2022-07-21 - Modified: 2022-07-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/must-have-features-for-your-agencys-website/ - Categories: Agencies We live in an age when having a website for your company is an absolute must. A website helps assure people that your business is legit, and it’s where potential customers turn to learn more about you and what it is you offer. As someone who works at an agency, you’re probably very used to putting your clients’ needs first. While that’s not a terrible thing, it can definitely end up setting you back. If your agency is to build its business and get more clients, it needs to prioritize its marketing, including fleshing out and updating its website. An agency website with the right features will help you attract the right prospects, increase your credibility, provide your business with organic traffic, generate leads, and ultimately create more customers. Read on for some features your agency website should have. 1. Examples of Your Work Your website is a great place to show off some of the impressive work you’ve done for other clients. Make sure you have a designated and easy-to-find spot to showcase this work; that way, when potential clients come to your site, they’ll know exactly where to find it. It’s also a good idea to explain each project, stating what the context was, the problem to solve, and any other parameters your team was working within. This shows other potential clients exactly what your team is capable of and entices them to work with you. 2. Easy Navigation Your site’s navigation is maybe the most important feature... --- ### 16 Must-Follow Marketing Thought Leaders > With the time constraints of running a business, it's tough to filter through content for guidance. Here are 9 of the best marketing thought leaders. - Published: 2022-07-20 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-thought-leaders/ - Categories: Marketing In a time when everyone is a self-proclaimed influencer, it can be hard to spot the real deal. And when it comes to the marketing industry, thought leaders are a dime a dozen, each claiming they know what the next marketing trends and tools are. Knowing who’s actually got the goods to share and is worth following isn’t always easy. And with the time constraints of running a business and all of the content out there, it can be tough to read every blog and social channel to find the best guidance. That’s why we’ve assembled 16 real-deal thought leaders that are great resources. Check them out and make sure you follow them on social media for the latest tips. 16 Marketing Thought Leaders to Follow To put you on the path to success, we’ve created a list of the nine marketing thought leaders you must follow: 1. Bryan Kramer Bryan Kramer believes that “social media is so popular because it allows us to control our personal brand: aligning the perceptions others have of us with our perception of ourselves. ” He is the CEO of one of Silicon Valley’s fastest-growing companies, PureMatter, a TedTalk, and keynote speaker, and a bestselling author. He focuses on the value of human-to-human interaction through sharing stories on social media and is shedding new light on innovative ways to connect with your audience. As you build your small business social media strategy, Bryan Kramer is one to watch. 2. Adam Grant Adam Grant is... --- ### Marketing and Sales Funnels: What’s the Difference? > What exactly is the difference, if anything, between marketing and sales funnels? We dive into that and more in this blog post. - Published: 2022-07-14 - Modified: 2022-07-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-and-sales-funnels/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing As a business owner or marketer, you spend a lot of time promoting your products and services to get the attention of prospects, generate leads, increase conversions, and ultimately grow your business. So how can you identify what matters most to your prospects in each stage of their buyer journey? Marketing funnels make it easy for you to prioritize and implement your marketing strategy. Let's look at what marketing funnels are and the types to consider for your business. What is a Marketing Funnel? The marketing funnel comprises all the inbound marketing touchpoints that a prospect interacts with in a specific sequence. These touchpoints may be an email, paid advertisement, podcast, video, eBook, whitepaper, blog post, and other forms of communication that lead them through a journey to make them take action (such as buying something). What is a Sales Funnel? A sales funnel is a type of marketing funnel. It refers to the journey prospects go through with the sole aim of purchasing a product or service from you. It takes the prospect from the top-of-the-funnel (TOFU) to the bottom-of-the-funnel (BOFU) to make them paying customers. Why are Sales Funnels Important? Not every prospect that comes into contact with your brand or business will make it from the TOFU to BOFU. A sales funnel helps you identify the different touchpoints working with prospects, what marketing activities to improve on, and other marketing funnels to include in the journey to facilitate a purchase. The Different Stages of the Sales Funnel... --- ### 5 Ways a CRM Brings Sales and Marketing Together > It's crucial that your sales and marketing team are aligned and on the same page. Here's how a CRM can bring the two teams together. - Published: 2022-07-13 - Modified: 2022-09-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-brings-sales-and-marketing-together/ - Categories: CRM Sales and marketing alignment is the third biggest priority for marketers today, after lead generation and conversion. It’s easy to understand why businesses are prioritizing alignment. Companies with highly aligned sales and marketing processes grow 19% faster and are 15% more profitable. If you’re struggling to align sales and marketing, you’re probably already aware you’re leaving a lot on the table. In this article, we’ll show you how client relationship management (CRM) software can be just what you need to bring these two departments together. How Does CRM Help Sales and Marketing? Sales teams often spend their days talking to prospects over the phone, in person, via email marketing, or other digital communication tools, steering them towards making a purchase. The process can be short or long (depending on your industry, product, and customer journey), and it entails learning about the customer’s pain points to better understand how your product or service can solve them. Here are some ways a CRM tool helps the sales process: Maintains personalized interactions with prospects and customers. Allows sales teams to score leads, assisting with targeted lead nurturing. Tags leads with certain indicators and classifications, so sales teams can send better, more personalized offers and messages. Streamlines the sales process to save time and money. Marketing, on the other hand, is a more holistic process that involves creating brand and product awareness to generate demand. Using a CRM tool can help marketing teams: Track and organize prospects and customer details to send targeted campaigns... --- ### How to Tackle Imposter Syndrome as an Agency Owner > Even agency owners can experience doubt and imposter syndrome. Here are some helpful tips for tackling it and understanding your worth. - Published: 2022-07-07 - Modified: 2022-06-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-tackle-imposter-syndrome-as-an-agency-owner/ - Categories: Agencies If you have ever felt incompetent in your work life, you're not alone. Most working professionals admit to having experienced imposter syndrome at some point in their lives. Imposter syndrome can give rise to feelings like: “I’m not good enough at my job. ” “I’m only here because of luck/good timing. ” “I’m not as qualified as they think. ” These are just a few examples of the types of insecurities and self-doubts that professionals can face. And it can happen to anyone. Imposter syndrome doesn’t discriminate, and even business owners and leaders can have these thoughts and feelings. Over time, imposter syndrome can lead you to undervalue yourself and could eventually hold you back from shining in your work life. But there’s a way to turn this around. You can leverage these feelings of inadequacy and use them to fuel growth as an agency owner. Here’s how: 1. View Imposter Syndrome as a Sign of Growth If you’re feeling like an imposter, you’re likely in a situation outside your comfort zone. Maybe you’re growing your agency at a rapid pace, maybe you’re expanding your team, or maybe you’re trying a new way of running your company. Either way, you’re taking a risk that might lead you to betterment, and that’s a win! Once you start viewing imposter syndrome as a sign that you’re progressing, the self-doubts start turning into affirmations. So the next time you feel like you’re not qualified to take on this new project/role/method of working, just... --- ### The Art of Using Instagram Stories for Brand Awareness > With over 500 million active users that use Instagram Stories daily, brands who ignore Instagram Stories for brand awareness are missing out. - Published: 2022-07-06 - Modified: 2022-07-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-art-of-using-instagram-stories-for-brand-awareness/ - Categories: Social Media Instagram Stories started as the company’s way of competing with Snapchat by introducing a similar feature on their platform. Now, with over 500 million active Stories users daily, brands are starting to explore the feature as a means for building brand awareness. Instagram Stories are bite-sized content pieces that do not appear on the feed and usually disappear after 24 hours, except when they are saved and featured using highlights. Thanks to many users, Stories give brands of all sizes increased visibility and a new way to engage with their audience and followers. If you’re looking to up your brand’s social media engagement, it’s time to implement an Instagram content strategy that includes an active approach to Instagram Stories. Here are five tips for using Instagram Stories to increase brand awareness. Five Ways to Take Advantage of Instagram Stories for Brand Awareness 1. Show, Don’t Tell Instagram Stories is like your business’s mini television channel, and that’s what you should use it for – to show what your products, services, and brand is all about. After all, people love visual content, and Instagram makes engaging with visual content super easy, making this channel perfect for reaching your audience with your offerings. Some of the content you can use to showcase your brand or business is to post: Sneak peeks- tease a product, service, or rollout. Behind the scenes- pull back the curtain and show your customers how your team operates. Product launches- when a new product is being released, the... --- ### It’s Time to Get Familiar With Lead Attribution > What is lead attribution? Why is it important to know where your leads are coming from? What tools should you use? - Published: 2022-06-30 - Modified: 2022-06-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lead-attribution/ - Categories: Lead Generation When it comes to lead generation, you need to avoid targeting the wrong channels and instead double down your effort (and marketing budget) on channels that are driving sales for your business. But how do you know which lead generation channels are driving great results? Enter lead attribution — a way to know which channels provide the best lead generation rates. In this guide, we’ll discuss the fundamentals of lead attribution, from what it is to how to measure it. What is Lead Attribution? Lead attribution is the process of giving a score or credit to each touchpoint for a customer’s interaction that results in conversion. This helps determine each touchpoint's return on investment (ROI) or contribution to the overall lead generation strategy. Knowing the attribution score for each touchpoint helps you to make informed marketing investment decisions. You can also determine the channels that bring in the most qualified leads and optimize your marketing efforts to get the most out of that channel. In addition, lead attribution provides insights into the customer journey, enabling you to create effective lead nurturing campaigns. Types of Lead Attribution Lead attribution is broken down into two primary models: single-touch and multi-touch attribution. There are two single-touch attributions: First-touch attribution where the lead is attributed to the first recorded interaction with the brand. For example, if a prospect subscribes to your email newsletter, clicks a link in the email, and ends up buying, then credit for the lead is attributed to the email newsletter... --- ### 5 Inbound Marketing Services Your Agency Should Offer > Is your agency as competitive as it should be? Here are some inbound marketing services you should be offering. - Published: 2022-06-29 - Modified: 2022-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-services-your-agency-should-offer/ - Categories: Agencies Inbound marketing is a tactic employed by almost every business that has an online presence. It’s a form of passive selling that allows businesses to continuously generate leads and tap into the benefits that come with having a website and operating online. However, some businesses just don’t have the expertise in-house to facilitate and implement a strategy that gives them the results they need to stay competitive. If you’re an agency looking to increase your book of business, offering services that help your clients attract interest from their audience online isn’t a bad place to start. It will significantly increase your agency's perceived value and show potential clients that you have a team of well-rounded experts ready to offer them something they’re lacking. By offering a strong marketing strategy that successfully pulls in leads, you’ll be able to keep your clients happy and work on building a retainer business for more reliable income. Below are some things your agency should consider adding to its list of services: 1. Website Strategy Website strategy is perhaps the most essential inbound marketing service because it serves as the hub for new leads and the gateway for inbound sales efforts. Your clients' websites will be the support system for their inbound marketing efforts, so it's an important area they’ll want some expertise facilitating. Website strategy can include a variety of things: Rebuilding an existing site on the back-end Rebranding and redesigning Optimizing for a more user-friendly and easily navigated experience Optimizing for search on... --- ### How to Measure Reach on Social Media > Having an active social media presence is great for your brand. But how do you accurately measure social reach? - Published: 2022-06-23 - Modified: 2022-06-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-measure-social-reach/ - Categories: Social Media When it comes to social media marketing, tracking performance over time is the only way to know when tweaking your strategy is necessary. One study found that many brands prioritize metrics such as engagement, impressions, followers, and leads to decide if their social marketing efforts are paying off. Unfortunately, many businesses put prioritizing a social media calendar and tracking social media reach to the bottom of their list when it comes to significant key performance indicators (KPIs). But with more and more people utilizing social media, it’s definitely considered an important marketing channel for reaching and engaging with potential customers. What is Social Media Reach? Social media reach refers to the number of unique followers or fans that see the content you post on your social channels. Social reach and social impression aren’t the same things. The principal difference is that social reach indicates the number of unique viewers, whereas number of impressions refers to the number of times your social post has been viewed. So, when you share a post on social media, some people will view it multiple times. The number of times the post is viewed equates to the impression. But social reach refers to the number of people that viewed the post. For example, let’s say Amanda is one of your followers on Facebook, and when you post a video, Amanda watches the video once every day for a week. At the end of the week, you’ll have seven social impressions, but in reality, the video... --- ### Biggest Mistakes You Can Make With Your 2022 Marketing Strategy > Make 2022 the year your marketing strategy blows it out of the water. Here are some of the biggest marketing mistages to avoid. - Published: 2022-06-22 - Modified: 2022-09-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/biggest-marketing-strategy-mistakes/ - Categories: Marketing Marketing your small business is challenging. There's no straight and narrow path to greatness, and there's a lot of trial and error as you strive to get it right. Simon Sinek — motivational speaker and marketing consultant — once said, “ People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. ” Besides spreading the word about your product or service, marketing plays a crucial role in letting people know the “why” behind your brand. Digital marketing trends are constantly changing, and the landscape is full of various strategies that promise results. As a result, you’re bound to encounter mistakes and challenges that hinder you from promoting your product and telling a compelling “why” story. But not if you know those mistakes ahead of time. In this article, we’ll highlight six marketing mistakes to avoid this year (and next). 1. Assuming Your Audience is Everyone Everyone starts a business hoping to woo as many customers as possible. While there’s nothing wrong with that, the innate desire to grow a huge customer base shouldn’t blind you into thinking everyone is a potential customer. Customers respond well to personalized marketing, and there are a ton of tools out there that can help you tailor each message you send to the right recipient. But if you’re too busy marketing to everyone, you’ll end up sending generic messages and campaigns, and your target audience will lose interest. Before you kick off a marketing campaign, research your target audience. Know their needs and... --- ### How AI Is Impacting Content Generation > Generating unique content gets harder and harder every year. But AI developments and tools can make it easier. - Published: 2022-06-16 - Modified: 2022-06-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ai-content-generation/ - Categories: Content Marketing Content creation is important for any business in the digital space. When so many brands are fighting for online real estate, with the intention of ranking highest for their most important search terms, the way they go about creating that content matters greatly. It’s a process that takes time. Luckily, the digital landscape is continuing to grow, making room for tools and software that can turn a detailed and lengthy process, like content creation, into one that is much simpler (and results-driven). Marketers can use AI tools to optimize the content generation process, from brainstorming ideas and content planning to content creation, publishing, and distribution. AI helps reduce the amount of time spent on the entire content creation process, as well as improve the quality of content generated. Let’s take a look at the various areas AI assists with content creation, as well as some AI tools you should consider using. How AI Enables Content Generation 1. Copywriting AI copywriting tools help generate different types of content using provided information and other required data. These can range from social media captions to product descriptions. Content writers and copywriters spend the bulk of their time researching, developing outlines, and eventually crafting copy. With an AI copywriting tool, the amount of time spent on the process is drastically cut. The tool provides content writers and copywriters with paragraphs they can build on and refine to achieve accurate and compelling copy. Examples of such tools today include: Jasper Copy. AI Hypotenuse. AI Copysmith... --- ### 6 Small Business Lead Generation Tools to Use in 2022 > Are your leads drying up? HerMaybe it's time to try something new. Here are six small business lead generation tools to try this year. - Published: 2022-06-15 - Modified: 2022-06-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-lead-generation-tools/ - Categories: Sales In theory, lead generation is a cinch: add contact forms to your web pages, drive traffic to these pages, and boom — leads begin to trickle in. However, it doesn’t always work like that in the competitive marketing world. In fact, 61% of marketers consider lead generation their biggest challenge. And for small businesses, lead generation can be even harder than it is for most. With a smaller team and potentially smaller budget, testing out various software and tools until finding the right one just isn’t an option. In this article, we’ll dissect six lead generation tools and share what we think is best about each of them so you can make the most informed decision when selecting the right software. 6 Lead Generation Tools for Small Businesses 1. BenchmarkONE Highlights Built-in CRM and sales automation Easy-to-use landing page and pop-up form builder Enables tagging and list segmentation for personalized, automated email campaigns BenchmarkONE is an all-in-one CRM and marketing automation platform for small businesses. It allows users to add pop-up forms and landing pages to their site so they can access the contact information of site visitors, enroll them in their email marketing, and convert them to leads for their business. BenchmarkONE offers multiple customizable templates and a drag-and-drop designer to easily build forms that match your branding. Beyond that, BenchmarkONE allows you to automate tagging and lead scoring. Users can set up a system so that each lead accumulates points based on how they interact with site content... --- ### Customer Data Privacy In Digital Marketing: What You Need to Know > When using digital tools to spread your message, there’s one important thing to keep in mind: data privacy. - Published: 2022-06-10 - Modified: 2025-03-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-data-privacy/ - Categories: Marketing The internet gave birth to an exciting new field - digital marketing. Businesses can reach thousands of potential customers worldwide without spending thousands on elaborate marketing campaigns. When using digital tools to spread your message, there’s one important thing to keep in mind: data privacy. This article will explain everything digital marketers need to know about data privacy as it relates to digital marketing. What is Data Privacy? In an age where almost all human data is available and shared online, it’s unsurprising that questions about data privacy and security have come up. Data privacy is particularly relevant in digital marketing since consumer data is crucial in: Developing personalized customer experiences Delivering marketing campaigns Gathering insights on consumer behavior Data privacy can be defined as the ability to determine how data is distributed, used, and shared online. In some jurisdictions, data privacy is regarded as a human right. In others, businesses are allowed to use data as they please. Here are some ways personal data can be misused: Gathered without the user’s consent Sold to third parties for a profit Tracking and monitoring user behavior Why Data Privacy is Important Regardless of jurisdiction, data privacy is always important. To engage with companies, people want reassurance that the data they provide will be handled with care. That’s why many organizations have implemented data protection practices that show their dedication to keeping and handling user-provided data with care. Companies that engage in shady customer data management practices, or experience data breaches due... --- ### End of the Year Data Refresh: How to Get Ready for the Next School Year With BenchmarkONE’s K12 Edition > The end of the year is the perfect time to perform a data refresh for your K12 school's database. Here are some tips. - Published: 2022-06-09 - Modified: 2022-06-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/end-of-the-year-data-refresh/ - Categories: K12 As a school communicator, your interactions with families are crucial to your school community. Handling a database of contacts and multiple communication channels can become difficult, but thanks to the advent of school CRMs, you can now keep parents updated with required information while easily managing your other day-to-day responsibilities. The BenchmarkONE K12 Edition does this using a simple strategy – empowering you to create attractive, on-brand school newsletters seamlessly and manage your important list of contacts all in one platform. But leveraging the software effectively is also crucial to get the most from the CRM and streamline your workflow. Now that it’s the end of the school year, it’s a great time for some maintenance to ensure your school CRM is up to date and ready for the year to come. Let’s dive into the importance of managing your school’s email list and how you can do it for more effective outreach next year and beyond. Why Is End-of-Year Email List Management Important? It never hurts to do a refresh, be it for your school’s website, your home decor, or, in this case, your K12 email list. A lot of things happen in one year - children graduate, move to another grade, and your donor list and school community grows. A yearly data refresh ensures you’re able to continue to reach out to the right contacts and send them the type of messages they are likely to interact with. But the thought of going through your entire database, contact... --- ### Steps for a Collaborative and Seamless Sales and Marketing Process > Bringing your sales and marketing teams together is important for your strategy. Here's a simple-to-follow process. - Published: 2022-06-02 - Modified: 2022-06-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/collaborative-and-seamless-sales-and-marketing-process/ - Categories: Marketing Think of your sales and marketing teams as midfielders and attackers in a soccer team. For the team to score goals, two things must happen. First, players have to perform to the best of their ability, and second, they have to work as a unit. Disjointed team play ruins team performance. The story is the same with your company. If your sales and marketing teams aren’t aligned, you will not hit sales and revenue targets. However, aligning sales and marketing is easier said than done. It’s the third-biggest challenge; after lead generation and conversion. In this article, we’ll show you how to establish a collaborative sales and marketing process. Why Sales and Marketing Should Work Closely Together Aligning sales and marketing teams should be a no-brainer for any forward-thinking company. Think of it this way: The marketing team generates demand for your product. The sales team converts that demand into business. By working closely together, both teams streamline the whole sales process, eliminating hurdles that lead to deal loss. According to statistics, companies with highly-aligned sales and marketing teams grow 19% faster and are 15% more profitable. How Sales and Marketing Teams Simplify Each Other’s Work The sales team is in direct contact with your customers and prospects. They have first-hand information about your archetypal customer’s needs, pain points, interests, and preferences. Moreover, your sales team knows the solutions that customers expect. Imagine if the marketing team had this information. Marketing could create content and targeted campaigns that better resonated... --- ### Increase Your Conversion Using Personalized Marketing > If you want to learn more about achieving the highest website conversion rates using personalized marketing, this article is right for you. - Published: 2022-05-25 - Modified: 2023-11-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/increase-your-conversion-using-personalized-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing Photo by João Jesus Customers expect businesses to understand their every need. That's why marketers take advantage of personalized marketing to communicate better with individual customers and create unique experiences. Properly implementing it into your marketing efforts will grant outstanding results. You can send the most relevant content at the ideal time per customer (prospect, new, and existing). Also, no more unwanted ads reaching uninterested customers. If you want to learn more about achieving the highest website conversion rates using personalized marketing, this article is right for you. What Is Personalized Marketing? 6+ Ways to Increase Your Conversions Using Personalized Marketing 1 Create different types of personalized marketing campaigns by channel I. Email II. Social Media III. eCommerce Sites IV. Website 2 Personalize content based on customers’ preferences A. Based on device type B. Based on the time of visit C. Based on first-time visitors D. Based on the referral source 3. Personalize text content with dynamic keywords 4. Add Personalized Call-To-Actions (CTA) 5. Personalize loyalty programs 6. Communicate in real-time Bonus: Anticipate the customers' future needs Conclusion What Is Personalized Marketing? Marketing personalization is a strategy to create an engaging interaction between your brand and target customers. Its implementation success relies heavily on the power of data. It’s closely related to eCommerce personalization where a shopper’s experience is tailor-fitted to his needs and preferences. All data you gather is used to create compelling content and user experience. That's why its process uses a combination of extensive data collection (including... --- ### How to Secure Financing for Your Small Business > Business finance should be at the top of mind for any small business owners. Here's why and how to secure financing for your small biz. - Published: 2022-05-24 - Modified: 2024-10-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-secure-financing-for-your-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business Photo by Yan Krukov The U. S Department of Labor's JOLT January 2022 report reiterates that "The Great resignation" is not slowing down anytime soon, as almost 4. 3 million people have quit their jobs. The after-effects of the pandemic and the rise of remote work have significantly impacted the labor market. Many people who quit their jobs aren't searching for new jobs. Instead, they have ventured into businesses of their own. The U. S. Census Bureau's data graph for business applications shows a significant jump in 2020. Importance of Finance to Small Businesses Smooth Business Operations Business Growth Profit maximization: Ways to Secure Finance for Your Small Business Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFI) Crowdfunding Grants Micro-financing (MFI) Peer-to-peer lending: Importance of Finance to Small Businesses Finance keeps everything going for any small business – from purchasing raw materials to processing, production, and distribution. Business finance should be at the top of mind for any small business owners. Here is why: Smooth Business Operations With excellent staff and high-quality products, your business still needs finance to keep business operations running smoothly. Bills have to be paid, employees are entitled to remuneration, and production needs to continue to meet demands. All of this is only made possible if there is finance available to facilitate the smooth day-to-day running of your business. Business Growth Every small business owner dreams of growing at a steady pace until they hit their business expansion goal. Growth can cover increasing production capacity, increasing customer base, or... --- ### 10 Tips To Write Effective Subject Lines For Email Marketing > In this article, we will talk about optimizing one of the most important aspects of email marketing strategies, i.e. subject lines. - Published: 2022-05-19 - Modified: 2022-05-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/effective-subject-lines-for-email-marketing/ - Categories: Email Marketing Photo by Christina Morillo Email marketing is one of the very few marketing trends that has been around for several years but still hasn't lost its charm. Despite being one of the oldest, email marketing is among the most effective marketing strategies in 2022. Studies have proven that emails can get you an astonishing 42% higher ROI than other prevalent marketing channels. Indeed, this channel is impeccable for gaining maximal ROI with a minimal budget. But, what good is the power of email marketing if your emails never really reach your targeted consumers? This incredible channel can quickly turn into a loss-making marketing landscape if not utilized correctly. Hence, a well-structured layout is paramount for your email marketing to succeed. In this article, we will talk about optimizing one of the most important aspects of email marketing strategies, i. e. subject lines. Do you want to make sure that your email is clicked and read? Compelling email subject lines are the key to making that happen! Read along to understand how important email subject lines are and what are some practical ways to make them more powerful. Let us dive right in! Email Subject Lines- Why are they important? To begin with, the “email subject line” is the only thing that your recipients will see when they receive the email. Therefore, if this line is not catchy or essential enough, they will not bother opening the mail. Powerful email subject lines impact the readers and motivate them to open the... --- ### What is Brand Awareness? Everything You Need to Know. > If you want more people to know about your brand, then you have to fully understand what brand awareness is and what it demands. - Published: 2022-05-10 - Modified: 2022-08-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/brand-awareness/ - Categories: Marketing Brand awareness. You’ve heard it, you’ve talked about it, you’ve strived for it. You may have even waxed poetic about it in an all-hands-on-deck meeting discussing new marketing initiatives. But while brand awareness is certainly one of those terms we’ve all heard and talked about, pinning down exactly what it means — and thus, how to achieve it — is often easier said than done. Here’s the thing: in order to succeed, you need people to know your brand. Among consumers, 59 percent prefer to buy new products from brands they already know. Just as important, however, is being a small business brand that people know and trust. Your brand awareness success is inherently tied to brand perception, integrity, and trustworthiness; all of these things play a key role in appealing to new customers and keeping existing ones. Brand awareness is a simple concept but a challenging task that requires more than just effective content distribution. So, we’ve put together this quick refresher on what brand awareness looks like and why it’s so beneficial — plus various ways of making it happen. What is Brand Awareness? Brand awareness refers to your brand’s familiarity among consumers and industry peers. It encompasses everything from your logo and products to your reputation and history. There are a lot of benefits to strong brand awareness. When you get a cut on your finger, for example, do you go to the store looking for adhesive bandages, or do you go to the store looking for... --- ### The Basics of Small Business Branding > Trying to gain more visibility on a limited budget? Adopting a strategy for your small business branding is essential for profitability. - Published: 2022-05-05 - Modified: 2022-05-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-branding/ - Categories: Small Business Photo by Marcus Murphy As a small business owner trying to gain more visibility, adopting a strategy for your branding is essential in scaling up your productivity and profitability. If you’re concerned that you need a huge budget to get your branding on point, don’t worry: we have you covered. Head to our previous post discussing branding your small business on a budget. This piece will cover the basic but important aspects that you need to focus on when branding your small business. 5 Tips to Launch Your Small Business Brand Establish a look and feel As you start to build a brand identity, it is crucial to consider how your brand will look to your customers, and the feelings that you want your brand to evoke. Try starting here... Describe your business in three words State your unique value proposition or what you are known for Explain your business’s values and core mission Define your business goals and the difference you hope to make in the industry Providing clear answers to the above will help you establish your brand’s look and feel, and decide on the emotions that you want to evoke. Once you’re clear on these messages, they can be infused into your branding for uniqueness and authenticity. Develop your brand identity – Colors, Logo, Fonts, Brand Guidelines Once you’ve established your brand’s identity and the feelings that you want to be associated with it, it is time to put a visual stamp on that identity. To do... --- ### Marketing Research Methods: What is Content Testing And How to Do It Right? > How do you approach content testing? We cover the main tactics for testing your content to improve business results. - Published: 2022-05-04 - Modified: 2022-05-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-testing-market-research/ - Categories: Content Marketing Photo by lilartsy Marketing is a wide field, covering many disciplines as part of a bigger picture. One big area is research, and within that sits content testing as a niche discipline. But what exactly is content testing? It's a form of research that allows marketers to find out whether their content is on point. Does their IoT software development resonate with their readers? Is the content easy to read and understand, and is it helpful? Content testing, in other words, is a method we can use to ascertain if the content meets the users' needs. What are the benefits of testing your content? Some benefits of testing your content include: Obtaining an independent, impartial assessment of your content Ensuring content makes sense Accelerating innovation Checking content is easy to digest and understand Identifying any gaps in your content Collating feedback before launching content, saving time and money What content should you test? Image source Everything linked to your product should be tested. This includes product descriptions, all relevant content marketing, product titles, and every word of content on your website. Even product filtering options and error messages should be tested. Which aspects of your content should you test? Now that we've covered the what, let's go through the aspects of your content we should be testing. Readability: Is your content tailored for your target market? Is it aligned correctly? Is it dyslexia-friendly? Is there a text-to-speech function that people can use if necessary? Readability is all about the structure... --- ### Looking for a Mentor? Here's How to Spot a Good One > A trusted advisor can give you the guidance you need to develop as a leader and succeed in your career. Here's how to find a good mentor. - Published: 2022-04-27 - Modified: 2023-04-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/looking-for-a-mentor-heres-how-to-spot-a-good-one/ - Categories: Leadership Lailah Gifty Akita once said, “every great achiever is inspired by a mentor. ” Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, and Jeff Bezos's careers and businesses all required the touch of a mentor to reach greater heights. In one of his interviews, Richard Branson said, “It’s always great to get a helping hand at the beginning. I wouldn’t have succeeded in the airline industry, were it not for Sir Freddie Laker’s mentorship. ” While not everyone finds a mentor in the same mold as Sir Freddie, you can find a trusted advisor to give you the guidance you need to develop leadership and succeed in your career. In this article, we’ll show you how to find a good mentor. Importance of a Mentor in Professional Growth Here are some of the ways mentors influence your professional growth: Mentors help you break the glass ceiling: Imposter syndrome and social politics in the corporate landscape are some of the things that inhibit career growth. A mentor gives you actionable insights on how to navigate situations like this so you move up the ranks. Mentors help you make good career choices: As a junior employee, you may be lacking self-awareness and understanding of your professional abilities. A good mentor uncovers the right career path for you and advises you on the critical skills you need to acquire to fit into future roles. Employees who get mentorship early on are promoted five times than their counterparts without mentors. Mentors help you rise above your limits: Do... --- ### What Small Businesses Can Learn From Peloton > Even the most successful businesses face ups & downs. What can you learn from Peloton as a small business owner? Read on to find out. - Published: 2022-04-19 - Modified: 2022-04-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-small-businesses-can-learn-from-peloton/ - Categories: Small Business After its debut in 2012, Peloton saw steady growth in its business until the pandemic when demands for the products increased exponentially. This pushed the company's revenue up significantly and even tripled the company's valuation. Despite this success, the company is presently in troubled waters with a decline in product demand, and navigating safety and security issues. What can you learn from Peloton as a small business owner? Read on to find out: 4 Lessons Small Business Owners can learn from Peloton Know Your Audience Peloton's target audience is fitness enthusiasts who want to have great workouts from the comfort of their homes. However, with an entry price of $2,495 for the Peloton bike, it is evident Peloton has its eyes on higher-income households. The entry price cut out a large segment of otherwise interested buyers who would have loved to own a Peloton, narrowing down the number of people that could purchase a Peloton bike or treadmill for their homes. Although Peloton has a subscription service that allows fitness enthusiasts to subscribe to instructor-led sessions and virtual classes for sessions like HIIT and Yoga, the bulk of the company's revenue comes from the sales of bikes and treadmills. Pricing can limit the size of a potential customer base, and small business owners can learn a lesson from this example. It is important to know your audience and understand your target market when considering pricing, products and services that fit within the financial reach of prospective buyers. Know Your Product... --- ### 20+ Best Lead Generation Tools To Use In 2022 > Generating leads month after month is never easy. Here are 20+ of the best lead generation tools to add to your toolkit. - Published: 2022-04-13 - Modified: 2024-09-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-lead-generation-tools/ - Categories: Lead Generation Lead generation tools are critical to businesses to capture your audience's interest and contact data. Finding the set of right ones can significantly help you scale faster, connect with vital contacts, and discern potential opportunities. Additionally, it also helps you streamline your marketing and lead generation approach and focus on delivering what customers need. And the high-end lead generation tools can help you expand your customer base, maximize sales and improve the overall business performance. To help you out, here is a round of some of the best lead generation tools to leverage that can help you take your lead generation game to the next level. Top Lead Generation Tools For Your Business Lead generation tools help you connect to targeted leads and engage them to drive conversions. Finding good leads takes more than just getting prospects to visit your website. It is also about garnering their information so you can communicate with them effectively and convert casual traffic into loyal customers. And that's where lead generation tools come in handy. Let's explore some of the top-performing lead generation tools that can enhance your overall sales, prospecting, and marketing efforts. All-in-One CRM Tools Marketing automation solutions offer an automated system to manage and organize your customers' data in a single location with the use of databases, minimizing the chance of errors. Here is a top-performing marketing automation tool that can simplify processes: BenchmarkONE BenchmarkONE is an all-in-one lead generation, CRM, and marketing software that helps you identify hot prospects, keep... --- ### Four Business Trends That Will Define 2022 > Business trends come and go, but it is essential to keep up with changes in your industry if you want to be an industry expert & leader. - Published: 2022-04-07 - Modified: 2022-04-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/business-trends-2022/ - Categories: Small Business Photo by Kaboompics . com Trends come and go, but it is essential to keep up with changes in your industry if you want others to see you as a leader and expert in your field. And remember, early adopters often remain on the winning side. Here's a list of four business trends that you should pay attention to in 2022. Four Business Trends You Need to Pay Attention to in 2022 Hiring and Keeping Talent – Shorter Work Week One of the effects of the pandemic is high employee turnover. The emergence and popularity of remote and hybrid work models have pushed employees to crave extra flexibility at their jobs. In many cases, employees are willing to quit their roles in search of new job opportunities that provide the flexibility and work-life balance that they are looking for. This could provide an opportunity for companies that offer flexible working options to scoop up top talent. In some cases, even companies who may not be able to increase compensation might be able to retain talent in their workforce by offering a work-life balance that appeals to their employees. As a business owner, you should consider whether you offer options such as working from home, hybrid working, or other lifestyle benefits that are highly appealing to today's employees. Vaccine Mandate vs. Testing Whilst some companies have instituted a vaccine mandate, some executives are concerned about consequences, according to a Gartner study. Here are some possible reasons that highly concerned executives might... --- ### Essential Case Study Questions to Ask Your Best Customers > The case study questions you ask will vary with your industry and target customer, but here are some essential ones to start with. - Published: 2022-04-06 - Modified: 2022-10-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/case-study-questions/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Picture this: a customer is looking to replace their email marketing software. As they evaluate different options, they look for products with features that suit their needs and preferences. Most importantly, they want proof that your product works. You can tell the story yourself, but the problem is that 9 out of 10 customers won't trust what you say about your brand. Instead, they want to hear from other customers who have used your product and reaped the benefits. This is where case studies come in handy. A case study gives skeptical customers evidence backed by data, numbers, and analysis. It's an impactful direct endorsement from satisfied customers that tells others, "come buy this product: it enables me to achieve these results and will work for your business, too. " Where to Use Case Studies Case studies are an important part of your content marketing strategy. Here are a few places you can feature your case studies to drive social proof and conversions: Your website: 92% of potential customers look for social proof before making a purchase. Adding excerpts of your case studies on key web pages and on focused landing pages will improve conversions. Nurture emails: If you have a case study about a feature or product a customer is looking to buy, send a targeted, nurture series featuring the case study. Sales and marketing team: When the customer is in the consideration stage, you can send them targeted case studies. Sales and marketing teams should also learn to... --- ### The Best Email Marketing Tools of 2022 > Like all digital marketing channels, email marketing is not immune to change, and the right email marketing tools make all the difference. - Published: 2022-03-31 - Modified: 2022-04-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-email-marketing-tools/ - Categories: Email Marketing Email marketing is still one of the most lucrative ways for businesses to connect with prospects and customers. But like all digital marketing channels, email marketing is not immune to change, and the right email marketing tools make all the difference. A great email campaign takes more than creativity, clean design, and snappy copy to land in the inbox. In 2022, careful collection of first-party data, segmentation and personalization are key to generating sales. Email Marketing in a First-Party Data World Third-party cookies have been a mainstay in the digital marketing arena for decades now. Recent statistics show that over 80% of marketers rely on third-party cookies to improve user experience, track web visitors, collect data for ad targeting and create personalized onsite experiences. Third-party cookies’ bells have tolled, and an era of cookieless internet is burgeoning. Web browsers are restricting the use of third-party cookies: Safari did so in 2017, and the biggest player — Google Chrome — has announced it will end third-party cookie tracking by 2023. As this change sweeps across the marketing landscape, marketers have to come up with other ways to drive prospecting, lead generation, and personalization. Leah Lloyd, Senior Director, CRM, and Email at Tinuiti advises marketers to hone in on first-data strategy. Dr. Ada Barlatt, the founder of OperationsAlly, shares a similar sentiment. She posits, “creating a first-party data strategy is a great way to prepare for these new privacy measures. ” 61. 9% of brands have heeded this advice and are ramping... --- ### How To Create a Sustainable Instagram Content Strategy > So, in today's article, we will demonstrate how to put together a killer Instagram content strategy to set you on the path to success. - Published: 2022-03-30 - Modified: 2022-03-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/instagram-content-strategy/ - Categories: Social Media Photo by Oladimeji Ajegbile When marketers use social media to reach today's consumers, there is only one golden rule: content is the absolute king. But do you think the biggest and most successful Instagram brands pump out content off the cuff, with no strategy for what they're going to post? Of course not—that would be akin to a basketball team going into a game with no playbook, no plan for how to win. A diverse, sustainable, and efficient strategy for creating and posting content is just as important as any other facet of your marketing. A report by the Content Marketing Institute shows that companies with a concrete strategy are more effective in almost all aspects of content marketing compared to those with only a verbal strategy or no strategy. So, in today's article, we will demonstrate how to put together a killer Instagram content strategy to set you on the path to success. Crafting your Instagram Content Strategy Study your audience A scattershot plan isn't going to work—nobody puts together a game plan by first trying anything and everything and then figuring it out afterward. On the contrary, good strategies come together by first learning about your audience. The more you know about the customers you're trying to attract, the more effective your content—you'll be better able to serve them content that engages them. You do this by knowing their pain points and challenges. If you think of content as a product, then your audience is your consumer. If... --- ### How to Build a Digital Marketing Team for Your Business > Building a digital marketing team is essential for generating new leads, boosting sales, and nurturing customer relationships. - Published: 2022-03-25 - Modified: 2024-09-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/build-digital-marketing-team/ - Categories: Small Business If you want to grow your business, a digital marketing team is essential for generating new leads, increasing brand awareness, boosting sales, and nurturing customer relationships. Building an exceptional marketing team is about more than just hiring people to manage your ad campaigns. Today, consumers have higher expectations from brands, which is why each member of your digital marketing team should bring specialized skills in different types of marketing disciplines to the table to drive your business forward. From content experts and visual design gurus to web development specialists—team members’ skills should come together to build a unified brand marketing strategy and achieve sustainable long-term growth through various marketing initiatives. So, how do you build a multifaceted digital marketing team? Keep reading to find out. Begin with the makeup of your digital marketing team Digital marketing is an essential business process for attracting leads, converting customers, and growing your business. The structure of your digital marketing team will depend on the size and budget of your business. If you’re a startup or small business, you might not have the resources to hire a different person for each job. Consider marketers with a wide-ranging skill set that’s transferable across the board. As your business grows, you’ll be able to take on more employees to fulfill essential roles as they come up. Enterprises will have more scope to hire a larger marketing team with specialists in each area. Whatever the size of your business, it’s essential to structure your digital marketing team... --- ### 8 Marketing Challenges and How to Overcome Them > Digital marketing challenges that agencies face can cause stagnation. Here are some common challenges today’s marketers are facing and how to overcome them. - Published: 2022-03-23 - Modified: 2022-10-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/overcome-marketing-challenges/ - Categories: Marketing There are many steps to operating a successful marketing strategy. None of them are easy, and you'll undoubtedly run into some mistakes along the way. From generating new clients to using effective SEO tactics, the digital marketing challenges that agencies face can — and often do — stand as hurdles to scaling. We’re taking a deep dive into Wordstream’s State of the Internet Marketing Agency 2019 report to pull out the most common challenges today’s marketers are facing and, more importantly, to share some advice on how to overcome them. Challenge #1: Getting New Clients According to the report, 51% of agencies rely on customer referrals as their main source of new clients. That hasn’t changed much over the years, which makes creating a referral program a no-brainer for getting new clients. However, now more than ever, agencies are also relying heavily on content and digital marketing to grow their client base. Generating leads with content marketing is totally doable, but you’ve got to ace your content creation and digital marketing approach. In terms of content, start publishing articles on noted online marketing publications that you know your audience reads. This will help you broaden your reach, further establish your authority and credibility in your space, and tap into a broader audience. Another tactic is to incorporate co-branded marketing webinars into your content strategy. Just make sure you partner with a brand that has a similar audience as yours so you can both benefit from the other’s network. Another suggestion... --- ### How to Grow Your School District's Email List with Online Forms > In this article, we’ll show you how to build your school district's email list and why doing so is extremely important. - Published: 2022-03-17 - Modified: 2022-03-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/grow-school-district-email-list/ - Categories: K12 Photo by Caleb Oquendo from Pexels Email is one of the best communication and marketing channels for K12 schools. It’s a great channel to reach parents share updates, important news, back-to-school protocols, and upcoming events. The channel boasts an incredible 36% open rate, which means when you send an email, there’s a high probability your message will reach home. However, before you can send an email to support parents, students, teaching staff, or donors, you need their email addresses. In this article, we’ll show you how to build your K12 email list and why doing so is extremely important. Why You Should Build Your Email Newsletter List A school’s email list degrades naturally. Parents will remain in your school’s email lists for as long as their kids are enrolled in your school. If the kid transfers or completes 12th grade, the parent will likely unsubscribe from your list or just completely lose interest. Not to mention, approximately 0. 4% of parents unsubscribe from your list even when their kids are still enrolled. Taking this into consideration, you can see that if you don’t double down on continually building your email list, eventually, you’ll have no one to send emails to. And if you don’t have an email list or it’s constricted, you will be unable to: Drive direct email marketing campaigns and raise funds for various programs Support students, parents, and teaching staff by keeping them as informed as possible Conduct surveys or research targeting non-teaching staff, teaching staff, or... --- ### The Top 9 Best CRMs For Agencies > When it comes to a CRM, every agency has its own unique needs. Here's a roundup of the best CRM solutions for agencies. - Published: 2022-03-16 - Modified: 2022-10-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-crm-for-agencies/ - Categories: Agencies When it comes to a CRM, every agency has its own unique needs. Whether you’re shopping for a new software solution or getting set up for the first time, the purchase of a CRM is not a decision to be taken lightly. Before we dive into some questions, you should ask before shopping around for a CRM and the top CRMs for agencies, let’s lay some groundwork. What is CRM Software? Customer relationship management (CRM) is a combination of processes and practices aimed at managing customer interactions throughout the buyer’s journey. The goal is to engage customers at all touchpoints to build better relationships that drive retention, loyalty, and sales growth. It can be difficult to handle all of this manually, particularly when your business scales. This is the reason why 65% of businesses invest in CRM technology within the first five years of launch. CRM software automates repetitive CRM tasks and streamlines processes, giving sales and marketing teams more time to handle critical tasks. It centralizes customer contacts, gathers customer data from a variety of sources, and offers actionable insights to boost relationships between the customer and your agency. Some of the key CRM features include: Contact management Lead management Interaction tracking Email integrations Workflow automation Pipeline management Sales forecasting Reporting and analytics Here are a few questions to answer before you start test-driving different CRMs: What’s the most important functionality you need? For example, are you looking for something to help you streamline your sales process or a... --- ### 8 Tips for Community Management > Community management is everything you do to build lasting relationships with your customers, potential customers, and brand followers. - Published: 2022-03-10 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-tips-for-community-management/ - Categories: Social Media Building and managing a community of advocates is critical to the success of your marketing, sales, and customer service strategies. However, your customers are spread out all over the internet, which makes it increasingly difficult to manage their interactions. But, it can be done! Before we share eight community management tips to help you build a strong community of customers, brand advocates, and enthusiasts, let’s cover some basics. What is Community Management? A community is the people who interact with your brand on various touchpoints, whether it's on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat, Forums, or the comment section of your blog. Community management involves everything you do to build lasting relationships with your customers, potential customers, and brand followers. In a nutshell, it’s all about listening to the internet and bringing about active discussions around your brand. Why is Community Management Crucial? There are different ways you can manage your community, but all have the same goal: to align your advocates and bring them together for increased engagement. An acronym for Support, Product, Acquisition, Contribution, Engagement, Success - the SPACES model breaks down the benefits of community management quite well: Why Do You Need a Community Manager? Appropriate community management is typically orchestrated by a community manager. A community manager is at the helm of your community-building strategy - monitoring, engaging, moderating, and measuring the progress of these efforts. A community manager juggles multiple tasks, including: Gathering raw yet valuable feedback Managing buyer complaints Building relationships with other brands... --- ### Master These Three KPIs to Grow Your Business > KPIs – key performance indicators – are measures that you select to monitor the quality of your marketing efforts. - Published: 2022-03-09 - Modified: 2022-03-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/master-these-three-kpis-to-grow-your-business/ - Categories: Marketing Marketing without monitoring and tracking your progress is pointless. In fact, it’s worse than pointless – it’s a waste of resources and a missed opportunity to improve your business. If you are going to spend the time and money required to pursue marketing campaigns, you need to be committed to carefully evaluating the success of those initiatives. That’s where KPIs come into the picture. KPIs – key performance indicators – are measures that you select to monitor the quality of your marketing efforts. In a high-tech world, it’s easy to get distracted by the enormous wealth of information that is always available at your fingertips. However, by looking at too many numbers, you might struggle to get a clear picture of your success or failure. Consider narrowing your focus to center on these three essential KPIs. 1. Return on Investment Return on investment – often referred to as ROI – is a logical place to start. Each of your marketing efforts is going to come along with some financial cost. Certain activities will cost more than others, of course, but your goal is to have all of your marketing initiatives generate as much revenue as possible. If a certain area of your marketing spend is actually bringing a negative return, you’ll likely want to discontinue that effort. The calculation for ROI is deceivingly simple. To determine the return on investment for a specific marketing effort or for your marketing department as a whole, simply divide the amount of revenue generated... --- ### Your 2022 Hiring Guide > The job landscape has changed greatly in the last few years, and The Great Resignation hasn't helped. Here's a hiring guide for 2022. - Published: 2022-03-03 - Modified: 2024-05-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hiring-guide/ - Categories: Small Business The Great Resignation has led to a scenario where there are far more open positions than employees willing to work. This has given job seekers leverage they never had while taking away the control employers held over employees. Hiring in 2022 is now more complicated than ever before. 61% of employers are having a hard time filling vacant positions despite the high unemployment rate. You thought hiring the right candidate was hard, but now, it’s even harder. The Great Resignation is throwing us all a curveball. So, if you’re finding it increasingly hard to fill open positions, we’ve got some steps you can take that are sure to help. Check them out! How To Attract The Right Talent Amidst The Great Resignation Grace Lordan — associate professor at the London School of Economics — states that employers haven’t seen the end of job-hopping. She also says that employees who value a flexible and hybrid working model will change jobs until they find a company that offers just that. If you can connect the dots in Grace’s message, you’ll get hiring right amidst the recruitment upheavals. Today’s employees are attracted by more flexible work hours, continued availability of remote work, better treatment, and higher wages, to name a few. If you offer these, there’s no doubt top talent will knock on your company’s doors in droves. However, 70% of candidates these days are passive job seekers, and 40% of applicants are unqualified. This means that even though many applicants will tender... --- ### 7 Most Common Link Building Mistakes You Might be Doing and How to Avoid them this Year > Having a link building strategey is a big part of increasing your SEO. But, are you making these seven mistakes? - Published: 2022-03-02 - Modified: 2022-02-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/link-building-mistakes/ - Categories: Content Marketing At the beginning of a new year, SEO marketers may find themselves looking back at how the discipline of SEO has changed over the years. Certainly, in 2021 SEO evolved. And as in previous years, it evolved largely to reflect the changes and updates made to the Google ranking algorithms. In recent years, many Google updates can be seen as the company’s response to what we’ll call the SE-Only approach. This approach leads to content designed only to boost Search Engine Results Page (SERP) rankings. In other words, it leads to content that is heavy on keywords but light on actual information. Besides content, there are also important things you should consider when it comes to keeping your link-building strategy up to date. Read on to discover what the most common link-building mistakes are and how to avoid them. 1. Broken Internal Links Ensuring you have a well-organized internal site structure that is optimized for crawlers is possibly the single most important thing you can do to ensure your content is found by the right people. As such, when it comes to your linking strategy, prioritize your tasks so that dealing with broken internal links is the first thing you do. That’s because when a crawler encounters a broken link, it has to terminate there and will be unable to continue to pages that may be linked to from the affected page. Broken links are frustrating to visitors and signal to search engines that a website is of low quality,... --- ### 4 Obstacles and Solutions for Better Sales and Marketing Alignment > It's imperative that your sales and marketing teams work together. Here are some obstacles and solutions for better alignment. - Published: 2022-02-24 - Modified: 2022-09-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/better-sales-and-marketing-alignment/ - Categories: Marketing Sales and marketing are traditionally viewed as two separate departments. However, it wasn't until recently that companies began to understand the benefits of aligning their sales and marketing strategies and making them work together towards the common goal – increased revenue. Still, sales and marketing alignment can be challenging, and you are likely to come across various difficulties. So, we compiled a list of the obstacles you should expect to come across and how to deal with them. 1. Weak Communication Poor communication between your sales and marketing departments can be the result of many things - independent development, unclear responsibilities, ineffective tools, etc. And you must address this issue, as it can lead to decreased productivity and increasing costs. One of the ways to improve communication is to schedule regular feedback meetings. It can be very beneficial to have the two teams together in the same space (virtual or physical), discussing ideas and working on the problems. In these meetings, they can discuss the following: Ideas for quality content Social media strategies Targeting new customers Defining sales goals that can benefit from marketing assistance Process updates The efficiency of marketing campaigns Another way to tackle this problem is to create centralized communication using messaging apps such as Slack, ProofHub, Twist, etc. This way, you will have one platform where all parties can get informed on the workflow and stay in sync. 2. Unshared Goals While marketing concentrates on generating and tracking leads, sales representatives are trying to convert those... --- ### How to Advertise Your Small Business on Facebook > Before you create graphics and choose between ad types, it’s important to know what you want to accomplish with Facebook advertising. - Published: 2022-02-23 - Modified: 2022-02-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/quick-guide-facebook-advertising/ - Categories: Small Business For small businesses, expanding your audience means stability and consistent growth. However, getting traffic and attention to your company’s website can be a challenge. Tapping into platforms where your audience is already engaging, like Facebook, is a great way to find new customers. Social media, review sites, and online publications are always great hubs for tapping into an engaged target market. Most have tools you can utilize to ensure you’re reaching the right kind of people, but few can get you the kind of awareness and exposure that Facebook can. Why Should Small Businesses Advertise on Facebook? Facebook advertisements can boost your small business growth and performance in many ways, including: Build brand awareness and trust: Your customers and prospects hang out on Facebook every day. Facebook uses an algorithm that makes your ads show up as people explore the groups, people, brands, and products they’re interested in. This is the reason new products gain 80% greater discoverability on Facebook than on retailer or brand websites. Generate high-quality leads: Facebook offers rich sets of data to help you narrow down your audience. There are many ways to segment your audiences, such as job title, age, gender, location, spoken language, and much more, to target people most likely to click. Get a high return on ad spend: Facebook allows you to set your own budget based on the ads you want to run. According to statistics, Facebook Feed offers the best return on ad spend (ROAS) compared to other pay-per-click platforms.... --- ### The Ultimate Guide to Content Marketing > Getting started with content marketing isn't easy and neither is revamping your strategy. Here's a content marketing guide to help. - Published: 2022-02-17 - Modified: 2022-02-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-content-marketing/ - Categories: Content Marketing Competition in the content marketing arena is heating up. Statistics show that the number of brands that are actively using content marketing has grown by 12% between 2020 and 2021. To succeed, you have to master content marketing and use creative ways to set yourself apart from competitors. But first, let’s make sure we cover the content marketing basics, from what content marketing is to the types of content you should be creating. What’s Content Marketing? Content means information in written, visual or audible format. It could be anything from blogs; guest contributed articles, white papers, press releases, infographics, social posts, podcasts, webinars, or videos. Marketing, on the other hand, is the action of promoting your brand, products, or services. Therefore, content marketing is the act of using content to market your products or services. Sounds easy-peasy, right? While the definition makes content marketing look deceptively simple, there’s a lot to the process. You have to plan, create, distribute, and publish relevant content through meticulously picked channels. You have to get each of these steps right to reach the target audience and increase product awareness, engagement, and sales. Why Content Marketing Is Essential for a Well-Rounded Marketing Plan Content marketing is a vital component of your overarching marketing plan. As the digital world evolves, customers are discovering and buying products online. Content marketing helps you spread the word about your products or services on channels like social media, websites, and email. It creates demand for your products, nurtures leads into... --- ### Small Business Guide to Target Markets > Your marketing efforts are only successful if you're familiar with your target market and your core audience. - Published: 2022-02-16 - Modified: 2022-10-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-steps-narrow-target-market-get-best-results/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: market segmentation, Segmentation When you initially set out on your journey to market your brand, product, or service, you may be tempted to jump right in. However, going after everyone who is willing to listen or could even be remotely interested in what your business has to offer isn’t something we’d recommend. While getting your brand out there is essential to driving business, going too broad can water down your message. The result can be a lot of wasted time and resources on leads that will never benefit from what you have to offer. Your marketing strategy should be one that is focused on your target audience and market. This ensures you use your time and budget wisely and see the most return possible. In this guide, we’ll discuss everything small businesses need to know about target markets so they can get keep their strategy focused and successful. What is a Target Market? A target market is the core customer base you plan to sell your product or services. It’s different from a target audience in that it covers a broad or whole group of people most likely to buy your product or service. A target market can be broken into smaller yet specific segments, which constitute the target audience. In other words, a target audience is a segment within your target market. For example, if you are an email marketing software provider, you could say your target market is the digital marketing industry. However, within this industry lies your target audience of... --- ### Should Your Small Business Be on TikTok? > It can seem like everyone is on TikTok. But does that mean your small business should be, too? Here's what to consider before joining TikTok. - Published: 2022-02-10 - Modified: 2022-02-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-tiktok/ - Categories: Small Business TikTok is shaping up to be the next big platform in brand marketing. But just because it’s popular doesn’t mean that it’s a great fit for all businesses. If you’re running a small business, you know how important it is to allocate your marketing dollars as wisely as possible. Sometimes that means focusing your budget on a new trend or platform that’s ideal for reaching your core audience — other times; it means opting out of things that aren’t a good fit for your brand. So, where does that leave TikTok? Here’s what to know about marketing on the platform, including how to tell if it’s somewhere you need to be (or somewhere to skip altogether). What is TikTok? TikTok is a video-sharing app that allows users to post content ranging from 15 seconds to three minutes. Videos are shown at random on a user’s “For You Page” (FYP), with views, likes, comments, and shares all working to fine-tune the algorithm and show users more of the content they’re interested in. For brands, TikTok offers both paid and organic opportunities to get in front of the right audience. And because the algorithm is so good at picking up on an individual user’s interests, it’s less difficult than it might be on other platforms to end up on the right feed. Pros and Cons of TikTok for Business There’s no denying that TikTok is fun to use, but is it a beneficial marketing channel for your small business? These pros and... --- ### 7 Selling Styles That Sales Reps Can Use to Close More Deals and Exceed The Quota > There's an art to selling, and it's all about the approach you choose. Here are seven selling styles that can help you close more deals. - Published: 2022-02-09 - Modified: 2022-09-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/selling-styles-to-close-more-deals/ - Categories: Sales Being a salesperson requires a lot of skill. Having the ability to bring even the most hesitant prospective customers on board with a winning sales pitch is something that a lot of organizations would crumble without. While there’s no denying some of it comes down to natural talent, sales skills are something that can be taught and improved upon. Throughout this article, we’ll explore seven selling styles - a lot easier to type than say - which sales reps can use to up their closure rate. 1. Solution Selling The first technique that we’re going to discuss today is solution selling. Your standard sales pattern is likely more product or service-focused. Solution selling, on the other hand, shifts the focus from what you have to offer to what the customer wants. Here, we’re selling the idea of a resolved issue as opposed to a physical product. It’s less about listing the features of an item and more about finding a customer’s pain point. This won’t be for everyone, as solution selling tends to require some out-of-the-box thinking. For example, if they’ve moved away from in-person marketing to marketing automation, how can your software help? Do they still operate with traditional landlines, and can your IP telephony system provide a more effective way of working? It’s less about selling what it does in general and more about what it can do for them. 2. Social Media Selling Technology has brought both new innovations (like being able to have a video conference... --- ### How to Distribute Your Content Effectively > Your content journey isn't done once you hit publish. Here is how to distribute your content effectively so more people see it. - Published: 2022-02-03 - Modified: 2022-08-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-distribute-content/ - Categories: Content Marketing Oftentimes, content creation is such a complex process that marketers breathe a sigh of relief when they press publish, thinking the job is done. In reality, that’s when the real work just begins. For the content to take off, deliver results, and contribute to more brand awareness, you have to promote and amplify it. In this article, we’ll show you how to distribute your content so that it gets in front of as many people as possible. Why Distributing Your Content is Essential for Success Ross Simmonds, founder at Foundation Marketing, believes “Content distribution differentiates a piece of content that thrives and one that falls flat. ” If your SEO-optimized blog post is generating 1,000 visitors to your website, you could double (or even quadruple) that traffic with a proper distribution strategy. More traffic means more leads, which in turn translates to more customers and increased revenue. 11 Ways to Effectively Distribute Your Content 1. Use Newsletters There are two approaches to publicizing your content using email newsletters. The first is to launch your own and build a community of devoted readers around it. Then, publish valuable content to keep those readers engaged, aligning the newsletter issues with your overall content strategy. For example, use pop-ups on your website to notify visitors that they can sign up for your company’s email newsletter list. Whether you send your newsletters out weekly or monthly, choose your most recently published blog content, guides, and guest content to include within your newsletters, so your... --- ### 8 Common Social Media Marketing Mistakes to Steer Clear of This 2022 > New year, new social media marketing stratetgy, right? Before you get your strategy underway, here are some mistakes NOT to make. - Published: 2022-02-02 - Modified: 2022-09-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-marketing-mistakes/ - Categories: Social Media As we glide haphazardly, stomp hungrily, or walk kinda dopey-like into 2022 (your entrance depending largely on what you did the night before), you’ll want to start afresh, turning over a new leaf and leaving 2021 behind. “Twenty-twenty-who? ” You’ll ask casually. You’ll want to dig out a pen - nay, a quill - and paper - nay! A parchment - and begin with that centuries-old tradition of a New Year’s Resolutions list. And what pledges shall we make to both ourselves and to our comrades in business? We shall endeavor, of course, to leave the ghost of Christmas past behind (the ghost consisting largely of all of our old social media marketing mistakes). No longer shall these mistakes tarnish our sparkling reputation as pioneers of the digital realm! Instead, we shall sally forth with some of the best applications for business out there - social media apps! So, without further ado, here is our list of the eight most common social media marketing mistakes that we should steer our proverbial ship clear of this year. In 2022, we will not: 1. Spread Ourselves Too Thin While it might indeed feel very tempting to cast our nets over all the waters of the digital realm, it is a false hope that we shall catch more fish, or followers, with that method. Nay, instead, it is a much smarter endeavor to conserve what little energy and motivation we have and focus on a couple of areas, such as profitable b2b marketing... --- ### Internal Linking Tree: What is it, Why You Need One, and How to Create It > Mastering the art of internal linking can do wonders for your SEO strategy. At Benchmarkone, we use an internal linking tree. - Published: 2022-01-27 - Modified: 2022-01-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/internal-linking-tree/ - Categories: Content Marketing You may already be thinking of your content strategy as a tree: the trunk is your main topic, the branches are the subtopics, and the leaves are individual, related content pieces or blog posts. Your internal linking tree needs to be just as organized, logical, and strong as your content strategy. The more effective the internal linking is, the better the SEO results of your website. In this article, we’ll show you how to build an effective internal linking tree so your internal linking strategy is bulletproof. What’s an Internal Linking Tree? An internal link is a hyperlink on your web page that points web visitors to a different page within your website. An internal linking tree is a structure that defines how you link closely-related pages on your website to improve search engine optimization (SEO) results. The tree is made up of three crucial elements: Pillar topic Cluster topics Hyperlink We’ll define each of these elements and show you how to bring them together to build an effective internal linking tree. Why Is an Internal Linking Tree Helpful? There’s a reason a tree is stronger than a shrub. The shrub has many stems arising near the ground, whereas a tree is made up of a single deeply-rooted stem (trunk) with multiple branches. When your content pieces aren’t internally linked, they are like shrubs and won’t stand firm during the windy days of SEO competition. However, if you build cluster topics around the pillar topic, the chances are that your... --- ### How to Put Together a Webinar Deck > When planning a webinar, there's one important component you don't want to breeze through: the webinar deck. - Published: 2022-01-26 - Modified: 2024-07-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-put-together-a-webinar-deck/ - Categories: Marketing So, you’re hosting a webinar. Good for you! Webinars are a great way to generate some leads, expand your partnerships, and reach your audience in real-time with some great tips they can use and benefit from. There’s nothing like the feeling of ending a webinar that goes off without a hitch. There’s a lot that goes into webinars, but one of the most important things is the webinar deck. Webinar deck slides are kind of like trail markers in the forest: they illustrate the main points to help you maintain a logical flow as you drive your message home. The visual appeal enhances audience engagement and keeps everyone fired up to the last minute. Slide decks also: Provide real-time tips for your audience Put a face and name to your brand Tie a visual idea with the points being addressed Serve as a resource for your audience after the broadcast Of course, to reap these benefits, your slide deck has to be engaging and high-quality. Here are some tips for nailing your webinar deck. How Do You Put Together a Webinar Deck? Preparing a great webinar deck entails two major components: Planning the flow of materials Designing and optimizing the slides for online viewing Let’s take a deep dive into the first component: 1. Create an Outline Like a classic high school essay, all good webinars have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion — and we’ll show you how to create webinar slides for each section. But, before you... --- ### 4 Social Media Trends for 2022 > 2022 is officially underway and there are some social media trends that are happening this year you don't want to miss out on. - Published: 2022-01-20 - Modified: 2022-01-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-trends/ - Categories: Social Media Social media is an ever-evolving marketing medium. And if you want to keep up, it helps to be aware of the trends that are likely to be shaping the months to come. Most brands — well, 91. 9% of them — use social media for marketing their business. If you’re one of them, you know just how difficult it can be to stay on top of new platforms, features, and metrics — especially during the previous couple of years. The good news is that 2022 is expected to have a bit more predictability as the industry continues to adapt to the disruptions of 2020 and 2021. There are also some exciting things on the horizon to be prepared for. Ready to move full speed ahead? The new year is here, and with it, a number of big changes in the ways that brands can communicate effectively with their audience online. Here are four social media for trends for 2022 that you should consider as you work on upcoming changes to your strategy and your social media calendar. 1. The Rise of Social Commerce We already know that consumers overwhelmingly want to make their purchases online, but more and more, they specifically want to make those purchases through social channels. It’s estimated that social media eCommerce — a. k. a. social commerce — will jump 22% from 2021 to 2022, with a total spending expectation of $45. 74 billion, or 5. 2% of all U. S. online retail sales. By 2025,... --- ### Google Cookie Cutting: How You Can Prepare > A tide of cookieless internet is sweeping across the digital marketing industry. Mozilla Firefox and Safari web browser have already phased out cookies. - Published: 2022-01-13 - Modified: 2023-11-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-cookie-cutting-how-you-can-prepare/ - Categories: Marketing A tide of cookieless internet is sweeping across the digital marketing industry. Mozilla Firefox and Safari web browser have already phased out cookies. And the biggest player in the web browser niche – Google Chrome – has announced it will follow suit by 2023. As the cookieless internet unfolds, you have to come up with better ways to track users online. But, where do you start when no one seems to have the crystal ball to predict what will happen when Chrome abolishes cookies? Fret not. In this article, we’ll discuss the burgeoning cookieless web and how it impacts digital marketing. We’ll also tell you some fascinating ways to prepare for the wave of change. Google Plans to Phase Out Cookies By 2023 When Firefox and Safari blocked third-party cookies, their move didn’t cause a buzz. Google Chrome has only announced its plan to abolish cookies, but there is a lot of fuss already. We can see why. Chrome is the most influential web browser, controlling more than 64% of the global web traffic. That raises two concerns. First, Chrome runs the industry, and any change it implements could turn the digital marketing industry upside down. Second, the whole idea of a cookieless internet was to eliminate user tracking, however, Google isn’t for this idea. Rather, the company is only replacing third-party cookies with alternatives. As for what alternative Google settles for, that remains an open question. The process of finding a befitting cookie replacement is still in the inception... --- ### How to Create a Sales Funnel and Fill it With High-Quality Content > Your sales funnel should be chock full of high-quality, valuable content. Here's a breakdown of how to bring the two together. - Published: 2022-01-12 - Modified: 2022-01-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-sales-funnel/ - Categories: Sales These days, it’s relationships that define and sustain a brand. Countless research studies have proven that businesses that connect with their customers on a more personal level are much more successful than competitors that don’t. And one of the most effective ways to make those connections at scale is through content. But there’s more to it than just creating content and hoping your prospects see it and identify with it in some way. You have to tap into the customer journey and how content plays a part within it. The journey your customers take when interacting with your brand is synonymous with the sales funnel. Your sales funnel is essentially the way your inbound leads identify your brand, interact with it, and consider it to solve their problem (but more on that in a bit). However, most leads don’t enter your funnel with the same level of knowledge about your brand or at the same stage of their journey. Here are some ideas to help you meet your prospects and customers where they are at each stage of the funnel. What Is a Sales Funnel? A sales funnel, also known as a purchasing funnel, is a marketing model that describes the journey shoppers take from prospect to brand loyalist. It is composed of four separate stages — awareness, consideration, conversion, and loyalty — with each stage encompassing various behaviors, questions, and challenges that marketers can use to optimize their strategy and better move potential and current customers from one stage... --- ### Get More Hours In Your Day: How Marketing Automation Turns Back Time > Marketing automation saves you time. In fact, the right tool can save you a whole day's worth of work. Check out our breakdown. - Published: 2022-01-06 - Modified: 2022-01-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-marketing-automation-saves-time/ - Categories: Marketing Automation A day in the life of a marketer is akin to a juggling act. You have to plan out the day, check emails and respond to anything relevant, conduct a morning huddle with the team, monitor campaign performance, schedule social media posts, and more. While these tasks are critical, they can also be overwhelming and consume a huge share of your time. Fortunately, marketing automation helps you eliminate repetitive tasks and focus more of your time on high-value items on your to-do list and big-picture marketing plan. In this article, we’ll dissect how marketing automation helps reduce the amount of “things” you need to do in a day, turning back the clock and creating time so you can get more high-priority items accomplished. Daily Tasks that Marketing Automation Makes Simpler 1. Lead Scoring Lead scoring entails assigning leads a score in a bid to set apart more qualified leads from low-fit prospects. It’s an intricate and time-consuming process when done manually, but setting up workflows and triggers within your marketing automation software updates the lead lifecycle and saves you hours. You set up automated rules and use the tagging feature to score leads based on how they interact with your channels. For example, you can tell BenchmarkONE to add a “CRM” tag to contacts that frequently visit the product page on your CRM website. You can then configure automated rules such that when a lead with a “CRM” tag attains a score threshold, they are automatically added to the leads... --- ### How To Ace Your Live Streams: A Checklist > Thinking about using live streams in your marketing but aren't sure how to go about doing it? Here are some tips. - Published: 2022-01-05 - Modified: 2021-12-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ace-your-live-streams/ - Categories: Marketing Did you know that more than 90% of consumers increased their online video consumption in 2020? And nine out of ten of them want to see more videos from brands and businesses. Video content plays an important role in marketing these days, and if you’re not creating it, you’re missing out on excellent marketing potential. Live streams are a great way to use video marketing to reach your audience more personally. You’ll get to be more interactive, and your viewers will feel more connected to your brand. However, people have a very low tolerance for bad live streams. You’ll have to wow your audience right from the start or risk losing their interest. With that in mind, we’ve compiled an easy-to-understand guide you can read through to ensure your live streams are always amazing and hit the right spot for your audience. How Live Streaming Works Before we go into how to ace your live streams, let’s quickly determine how a live stream works. Technically, live streams are a way to deliver a video file to viewers a bit at a time from a remote location. The streaming video is sent over the internet in real-time and doesn’t have to be recorded beforehand. It is much more complicated to edit than pre-recorded content. This form of video creation is done by many different kinds of businesses, from pro chefs to fashion houses. You can do it too, just follow our checklist and allow room for creativity. A 6-Point Live Stream... --- ### What are Unified Communications and How Do They Improve Collaboration in Your Small Business? > Have you heard the term "unified communications" before? Here's what they are and why they make life at your small business easier. - Published: 2021-12-29 - Modified: 2021-12-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/unified-communications/ - Categories: Small Business Technology breakthroughs have significantly contributed to the development of new and improved kinds of human contact. Consequently, people demand the best experience when engaging with others. Your employees, customers, and brand partners expect the best communication and collaboration possible. Thanks to modern technology, you can provide a unified experience, putting everything your employees require in one location, from video to material exchange and online chatting. You can get to the apps, resources, and records you need at any time, from any location, and on any device. It’s called unified communications. When considering the basics of running your small business, you should definitely add unified communications to your list. Let’s dive into what unified communications are, the benefits they come with, and the features to look for. What Is Unified Communications? Unified communications (UC) combines several business communication systems - such as audio calling, video conferencing, texting, attendance, file transfer, and so on - into one simplified interface to optimize user experience performance. UC technology enables a user to smoothly shift from one form of communication to another inside the same session. Many UC structures also interconnect with third-party business tools to improve data and resource centralization and processes. UC technology enables the unification of systems that provide real-time and delayed communication, ensuring that users on both sides have simple, quick access to all required tools in a standardized setting from any location and device. Many UC solutions incorporate team collaboration capabilities with messaging-oriented workflows and collaborative features like real-time file... --- ### What is Your Target Audience and How to Find Them Online > Step one of any marketing strategy is to first identify your target audience. Here's how to do that so you can reach them online. - Published: 2021-12-28 - Modified: 2022-01-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/target-audience/ - Categories: Marketing Understanding your target audience is step one for most small businesses looking to get their marketing and sales efforts off the ground. But nailing down specifics of who you should be selling to isn’t always so straightforward. In fact, many businesses find that they think they have an idea of who their ideal customers are, but after they get off the ground and start acquiring some business, things change. Shooting in the dark or making assumptions won’t cut it. You have to take a calculated approach to establish your target audience if you want to be as accurate as possible. If you aren’t selling to the right people, then you won’t acquire new business. And if you don’t acquire new business, then you may not make it a full year. But don’t worry. We’re here to help you figure out everything you need to know about your target audience and how to engage them. But first, let’s start with the basics. What is a Target Audience? A target audience is a group of people who are most likely to purchase your product or service. In other words, it’s a cluster of people with similar traits — the overriding one being they have a challenge that your product or service solves. Some of the other traits used to describe a target audience include: Age Gender Location Education background Consumption habits Purchasing power For example, let’s say you run a small, mobile dog grooming business with your business partner. You love dogs,... --- ### The Basics of Running a Small Business > Looking to start your own business? That's great! But before you do, you have to consider all the basics of running a small business. - Published: 2021-12-22 - Modified: 2024-07-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/basics-of-running-a-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business The nuts and bolts of starting a small business can seem overwhelming. You have to manage multiple tasks, from legal and intellectual property protection to sales and marketing. More often than not, the execution of these tasks shapes whether your business will take off or not. You’d like your business to take off and gain the means to grow revenue quickly. For that to happen, you have to get the hang of the basics of running a small business early on. Here are some of the fundamentals you should know about. 1. Make a Business Plan As Benjamin Franklin stated, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. ” Put in a business context, if you don’t have a plan, success will remain elusive. Statistics have shown that entrepreneurs who enter the fray with a formal plan are 16% more likely to succeed. To give your business a high chance for viability, you have to create a solid business plan. The plan outlines your short and long-term goals, what you need to do to get there, steps along the way, and even helps anticipate unforeseen problems. It should answer questions such as: Why did we establish the business? Who is our target audience? What are our short and long-term goals? What are the possible costs and inputs for our business? (Salaries, rent, supplies, software development, insurance, taxes, maintenance, etc) It stipulates the strategies and timelines for each milestone (including mini-goals) and offers a benchmark upon which you can... --- ### Partnership Outreach Email Mistakes You Need To Stop Making > If you're looking to expand your partnerships, that's great! But here are a few things that you should absolutely avoid doing. - Published: 2021-12-21 - Modified: 2021-12-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/partnership-outreach-email-mistakes/ - Categories: Marketing If you're looking to grow your business, partnerships are an extremely valuable way for you to do so. Why? Well, partnerships can help to get your product in front of more people, bolster your team, and get access to resources. But how do you go about building strategic partnerships? You can't just snap your fingers and expect that to happen, right? Luckily, email outreach continues to be a crucial way for you to build relationships and open lines of communication. While email outreach isn't the only way to approach a partnership, it's definitely worth considering as part of your strategy. You just need to have a killer elevator pitch. Why is Email a Crucial Aspect of Your Partnership Outreach? Perhaps you have a brand that's so enticing that potential partners are falling over themselves to work with you. For most companies, however, ensuring fruitful partnerships can feel like wading through treacle. Small businesses and startups, in particular, have a tough time inking deals with potential partners. While they're flush with potential, they're short on the resources and experience needed to realize it. In these circumstances, however, email outreach can be a great way to get the ball rolling. An email is an excellent method of reaching out to influencers who may not be aware of your business. It can help you amass credibility from the get-go, opening up doors that would otherwise be closed. It's also an affordable way to get started, costing you nothing more than time to research... --- ### Remote Work Is Here to Stay — Why Your Company Should Get On Board and Tips for Going Remote > Working remotely is a fast-growing trend in the modern workforce. But it does take a healthy dose of self-discipline. Here are some tips. - Published: 2021-12-16 - Modified: 2021-12-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/working-remote-or-remotely-working/ - Categories: Small Business The pandemic is keeping businesses on their toes. While some things are going back to normal, other things are forever changed. Remote work being one of them. Between Upwork’s estimate that 26% of Americans will telecommute through the end of 2021 and their projection that by 2025 around 22% of us will still be working remotely, it’s clear that at least a fifth of Americans actually like working from home. Which is no surprise, considering the freedom and flexibility it brings, the time and money saved on commuting, and the mental health benefits some experience as a result of better work/life balance. Not everyone prefers remote work, so brick-and-mortar offices won’t become obsolete anytime soon, but the ability to work remotely either full- or part-time is fast becoming a requirement for many job-seekers, who are in the power seat as worker shortages continue. And attracting future employees is not the only reason it’s worth considering adjusting your work requirements to include some remote options — remote work has benefits for employers, too. How Remote Work Can Benefit Your Business: Better employee retention and recruitment. Happy employees are employees who stay, and offering flexibility can lead to more applicants for job openings (and higher quality, since the net can be cast wider). Lower overhead. Of course, you’ll likely need to maintain an office space for those employees who prefer to come in, and/or to meet with clients, but remote work can still cut your overhead on things like square footage, utilities,... --- ### The 10 Most Important Web Metrics to Monitor for Your Business Website > When you're examining the success of your website, there are specific web metrics you need to check in on. Here are 10 to look out for. - Published: 2021-12-15 - Modified: 2021-12-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/web-metrics-to-monitor/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Your business website is your center of operations. As far as your customers are concerned, your site is a reflection of your brand as a whole. And when you use your site to not only engage your potential customers but to also create revenue, it’s incredibly important that you understand how people relate to it. When you tap into your website structure and the journey your visitors take on your website, it can help you identify weak points in public-facing areas of the business, holes in your funnel, and missed conversion opportunities. This is why identifying and measuring the right web metrics is so important. What Are Web Metrics? Web metrics are numerical indicators of how well your website is performing and how it’s being used. Any data that can be measured and pertains to your website is a web metric. For example, the number of users your site receives in a given period is a web metric that can indicate the size of your customer base or the success of a marketing campaign. Web metrics are useful because they can help you to improve specific areas of your website that can, in turn,, impact your business in a larger way. For example, certain web metrics can help you uncover that a page on your site that isn’t converting is experiencing an error. By correcting the issue and making the page more user-friendly, you can not only improve conversions but keep customers coming back to that page to convert again... --- ### Why Agencies Need to Prioritize Their Marketing > In order for agencies to succeed, they need to prioritize their marketing initiatives, instead of placing them on the backburner. - Published: 2021-12-09 - Modified: 2022-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agencies-prioritize-marketing/ - Categories: Agencies Is your marketing agency prioritizing client campaigns at the expense of your own? We get it — when you’re running a business, especially a small business, you want to do everything that you can to keep clients happy and coming back. It’s your client-focused efforts that keep the lights on and directly impact your bottom line, after all, and it’s tough to retain customers if you’re not putting out exceptional work. If this sounds like your agency, you’re not alone. Many marketing agencies find it difficult to prioritize their own marketing, especially if it means taking time or resources away from paying work. However, doing so is a mistake that could come back to haunt you if you’re looking to scale your business into something bigger. Here’s what to know about prioritizing your own marketing, including why it’s a smart strategy and how to start doing more of it. Why Agencies Should Prioritize their Own Marketing When you’re running a marketing agency, it can seem like there are never enough hours in the day to accomplish all that you need to do for your client’s campaigns, let alone your own. That doesn’t mean that you should put your agency’s marketing on the back burner, though. Prioritizing your marketing has a few big advantages, all of which are worth a bit of extra time and effort: It Shows Off Your Skills Would you trust a copywriter who couldn’t put together their own “About” page? Or a graphic designer who didn’t have... --- ### How Marketing Automation Can Improve Marketing Productivity > Marketing automation offers a ton of benefits for your strategy. It's also a great way to make your marketing productivity soar. - Published: 2021-12-08 - Modified: 2022-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-improve-marketing-productivity/ - Categories: Marketing Automation When you think of “marketing automation,” does it immediately send you into doomsday mode where robots entirely take over all jobs usually done by humans, or are you normal? What it really means is that you won’t have to do banal operational tasks like scheduling and publishing posts and emails. An autobot could do it while your team is free to do what you really hired them for. Let’s discuss more about the ways you can leverage marketing automation to boost team productivity, increase sales efficiency, and accomplish goals faster. 8 Ways Marketing Automation will Boost Your Productivity 1. Create Fully Automated Welcome Programs A time-tested way to improve the efficient execution of your email marketing strategy is to set up fully automated workflows. Are you aiming to kick off your loyalty-based rewards program? Set up autoresponder welcome emails that are triggered as soon as a customer signs up to become a member. Welcome autoresponder emails serve as a vehicle for new customers to get to know your brand. You can introduce them to your brand values, the team behind it and offer a discount on their next purchase to encourage them to choose your brand again. Automated email flows also allow you to track the customer journey across different product categories in your eCommerce store. On-site actions like browsing products listed in the emails, clicking on offers trigger data collection, which further trigger customized web content and product recommendations–helping drive purchases across the board. Take an example of Eddie... --- ### The Company Culture Guide for Your Remote Business > The pandemic has shifted a lot of companies to a remote model. But when everyone isn't in the same place, how do you instill company culture? - Published: 2021-12-02 - Modified: 2021-11-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/remote-business-company-culture-guide/ - Categories: Leadership According to a Glassdoor study, 77% of prospective employees consider company culture before applying for open positions. Furthermore, 74% of your top talent would look for a job elsewhere if your current work culture deteriorates. The pandemic thrust a lot of us into a work-from-home situation, which has shifted the workplace structure as we know it. As some companies decide to keep this model for good, others are going to a more hybrid approach, and the rest are transitioning back into the office. Regardless, one thing seems to be true across the board: people are quitting their jobs in rapid numbers. The Great Resignation is forcing employers to take a cold hard look at their company culture, and many are realizing that whatever they’re doing may not be enough. Besides establishing a great company culture, you have to keep improving it to attract and retain top talent. And we’re noticing, pretty quickly, that doing so can be challenging, especially if your employees work remotely. What Is Remote Work Culture? Traditional company culture encapsulates the practices, behaviors, and beliefs that form your company’s identity. It outlines what’s accepted, rejected, tolerated, and condemned, and as such, shapes the conduct and attitudes of people at your company. A remote company culture borrows these principles, but it's a tad different. It entails the priorities, attitudes, experiences, and interests that keep remote employees connected and striving towards a common goal. The idea is that just because everyone isn’t physically in the same place, there’s still... --- ### How to Maintain Transparency in Agency-Client Relationships > When it comes to agency-client relationships, transparency is the best policy. Here's how to maintain transparency and why it's effective. - Published: 2021-12-01 - Modified: 2021-11-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/transparency-agency-client-relationships/ - Categories: Agencies How long do your client relationships last on average? For most marketing agencies, it would be between three to five years on average. Honestly, this doesn't sound half bad. But when you compare it to larger marketing agencies, you'll be surprised to find that the average length of client engagements can go much longer, with global top 40 agency-client relationships lasting 22 years on average. The reason behind any healthy agency-client relationship all comes down to trust, and that can only be built on a foundation of transparency. So whether you are a branding or marketing agency, you need to be maintaining a transparent relationship with your clients, and here are five ways to get started. 1. Set Clear and Specific Goals It's always best, to be honest from the start of the relationship. Instead of giving lip service and making unrealistic promises, the best practice is to understand your client's objectives and provide them with a realistic strategy. Greg Paull, the principal of global consulting firm R3, which commissioned the Global 40 report, says that like great marriages, a long-lasting partnership between agencies and clients start with a shared understanding and clear goal. Both parties should share the same idea of what success looks like. That means helping clients establish marketing goals and outlining relevant KPIs. Besides, marketing agencies need to be open about their scope of work and strategy. Let clients know what it will take to achieve their goals. Make sure everything is clear up front and... --- ### Employee Advocacy on Social Media: What It Is and Why It Matters > Employee advocacy matters for the success of your brand. When employees advocate through social media, great things can happen. - Published: 2021-11-24 - Modified: 2021-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-advocacy-social-media/ - Categories: Social Media The reputation of a company is reflected in the treatment of its employees. For a business, there is no better advertisement than a passionate, satisfied and happy employee. By making your employees feel valued, you are raising their morale, self-esteem, and self-confidence, thus creating loyal staff motivated to give their best in achieving the goals of your company. There is no need to emphasize how important it is to be sincere while doing so. But, there is also a way to take advantage of such a resource. You can grow your employees into your most dedicated and authentic brand ambassadors. It can be an awesome way to boost your brand reputation and help attract new talents who share similar values. Employee advocacy is contemporary influencer marketing. It has been around for decades in various forms, but the internet and social media have revolutionized it. Yet, there are plenty of companies that haven’t been activating their employees as marketing, sales, and recruiting assets. Let’s see how to improve that. But, first... What is Employee Advocacy? Simply put, employee advocacy is the promotion of a company by its staff members. Employee advocacy activities include recommending your company’s products or services to friends or family members and raising awareness of your brand through various online or offline channels. Employee advocates also represent the best interests of your company, internally and externally alike, and provide insight into the company culture. As you can see, you and/or your staff may have already been using some... --- ### Your Guide to Writing an Effective Creative Brief > Navigating putting together a creative brief isn't so straightforward. Here are some tips any agency can use. - Published: 2021-11-23 - Modified: 2021-11-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-brief-guide/ - Categories: Agencies For most agencies, nailing a client project is a team effort. For every department involved, delivering on goal and on budget requires fully understanding the project assignment from all angles before getting started. This is why having a creative brief is essential. Creative briefs are a tool that agencies use to guide projects from the initial kickoff. They outline the fundamentals of what’s driving the project, what will measure success, and so much more. They are the project’s compass, so if they aren’t put together well, then the entire project will suffer, and you could have a client retention problem on your hands. If you’re having trouble putting together your creative briefs, or if you're an agency that currently uses a different method and are interested in switching to creative briefs, then you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive into everything regarding writing effective creative briefs. Ready? What is a Creative Brief? A creative brief is a short yet comprehensive document that outlines the goals, purpose, messaging, requirements, and other key details for an advertising, marketing, or design project. Think of it as a roadmap that tells the creative team what they need to do to arrive at the desired destination. It seeks to answer questions about a creative project such as: What will the project look like when it’s done? Who is the target audience? What “argument” is the project going to address? What are the supporting points? Why is the project needed? When is the project due?... --- ### 9 Tips to Help Your Small Business Stand Out In Customer Service > In today's competitive marketplace, your small business needs to have stellar customer service to stand out. - Published: 2021-11-18 - Modified: 2022-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-customer-service/ - Categories: Small Business Whether customer service is your responsibility as the business owner or you have a team of ten, your small business has a duty to perform to a standard that your customers can appreciate. Excellent customer service can make or break a small business, especially in our increasingly competitive global economy. When the consumer is one click away from doing business with anyone in the world, good customer service can really set your company apart. One survey conducted found that 68% of customers claim they are willing to spend more with businesses where they have experienced a positive service interaction. On the other end of that spectrum, 71% of consumers have ended their relationship with a business due to poor customer service. So, what is it that will take your ordinary customer service to an entirely different level so it is easily recognizable by your customers? Keep these strategies in mind to stand out among your competition and grow your small business. Why is Customer Service So Important? Picture this: you board a taxi to one of your favorite restaurants in town. The taxi driver is kind and caring and seems to understand your preferred routes — he even offers a discount for a delay caused by a traffic jam. The chances are good that the next time you go out, you’ll hire the services of the same driver. Right? You’d even be spurred to share the experience and recommend the cab service to your friends, meaning more business for the... --- ### 5 Ways To Generate Leads Using Facebook > Facebook is more than just a social media platform. If you use it the right way, you can generate high quality leads. - Published: 2021-11-17 - Modified: 2021-11-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/generate-leads-using-facebook/ - Categories: Lead Generation Every business needs a way to generate leads (and sales) consistently, and there's no better platform to do that than Facebook. Whether you love or hate it, there's no getting away from the fact that Facebook offers an incredible opportunity for business owners. With over 2. 89 billion active monthly users, you can guarantee your potential customers are using the platform. But there's a lot of noise to cut through. So, how do you get them interested in your lead generation campaigns? In this article, I’ll share five proven ways to generate leads using Facebook (both paid and organic). 1. Using Facebook Conversion Ads Most businesses already have an approach to generating leads on their website. They might offer: a complimentary consultation a demo request a time-sensitive discount But, I’m certain almost every business owner will agree that they want more people to take them up on these offers. That’s where Facebook Conversion campaigns come in. When you create an ad campaign on Facebook, you're presented with several campaign objectives. If your goal is to have people take an action on your site (such as sign up for a consultation, demo, or discount), you need to select the conversion campaign to have the best chance at success. Facebook conversion ads can help: Grow sales by getting visitors to complete specific transactions on your website. Prompt an action - it's up to you to define which action you want your visitor to take. You might want them to visit your site... --- ### Social Customer Care 101: 6 Tips to Follow > Customer service goes beyond your typical channels. Here's why social customer care is a big contributor to successful customer relationships. - Published: 2021-11-11 - Modified: 2024-07-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-customer-care/ - Categories: Social Media No matter what your business size or niche is, customer satisfaction is a key to business success. With 4. 48 billion social media users who spend a considerable amount of time on social media platforms, providing social customer care is an important element of customer satisfaction that brings your business to the next level. Everyone uses social media, so it's no wonder that businesses market their products and services on these channels to reach out to their target audience. At the same time, modern people want to communicate with brands and get their questions answered on social media networks, so the demand for social customer care is constantly growing. In this blog post, we’ll tell you the importance of providing social customer care and name the most important social media channels to use for customer service, as well as provide six tips on excellent social customer care to follow. Why Should Businesses Provide Social Customer Care? Handling customer service isn't easy. The more communication channels your company uses, the harder it is for customer service representatives to keep track of all conversations and provide excellent customer service. However, providing social customer care is a must these days for business growth. Here are three main reasons to provide social customer care: Boost customer satisfaction: During the customer journey, people may have questions about your product or services. Since it's convenient for people to ask questions on platforms they interact with your brand, it's more likely that you get customer requests on... --- ### 10 Marketing Automation Mistakes You Might Be Making (And How to Avoid Them) > When it comes to marketing automation, you could be making mistakes and not even know. Here are six that you'll want to stay clear of. - Published: 2021-11-04 - Modified: 2021-10-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-mistakes/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Like so many areas of business, in recent years, the field of marketing has evolved to make use of the major advances in technologies of automation, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and more. Together, these technologies are increasingly being applied to the burgeoning discipline of sales and marketing automation. If you’re a marketer, you’ll probably be aware that there are a number of powerful tools and platforms offering marketing automation solutions. These promise to boost the productivity of your marketing efforts, saving you time and money by automating routine processes. But how do you know if you’re getting the most out of marketing automation technology or falling into some traps? Read on to discover ten marketing automation mistakes you might be making and how to avoid them. 1. Not Properly Integrating Your Data Resources Today’s marketing automation tools can provide targeted solutions for email and SMS campaigns, online ads, and promoted social media posts. But in order for your tools to work effectively, it’s important that you properly integrate your data resources. Without the correct integration, your tools won’t be able to effectively make use of your databases, and you won’t be able to create personalized experiences based on the valuable information those databases contain. 2. Generating Low-Quality Leads No matter how good your marketing automation software is, it will always rely on you to provide it with the raw data needed to carry out its processes. And how effective your tools are will depend on the quality of... --- ### 6 Marketing Trends to Look Out for in 2022 > When it comes to marketing, trends come and go quickly. It's important to know what's on the horizon so you can prepare your 2022 strategy. - Published: 2021-11-03 - Modified: 2021-11-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-trends/ - Categories: Marketing Are you looking ahead and strategizing your marketing plans for 2022? Marketing trends are ever-changing, and the Covid-19 pandemic has thrust the world into a virtual atmosphere. Businesses and consumers alike have learned that you do not need to attend live marketing events at overcrowded expo centers to connect, hold in-person meetings to close deals and earn consumer confidence, or even snail-mail out your marketing tools and information. If you feel like you are lost at sea with all of the new and ever-changing ways to get your brand noticed and gain consumer loyalty, you are not alone. We have compiled six of the most important trends your company should be paying attention to when creating marketing campaigns during the upcoming year. Read on to learn more. 1. Consumer Privacy Protections Will Hold the Spotlight For businesses who target their advertising to consumers based on the little bits of data collected by 3rd party cookies, the cookie jar will soon be empty. As consumers have become more vocal about their demands for privacy protections, Google announced that they will no longer support cookie tracking as of early 2023. This is great news for consumers who wish to keep their internet searches private, but it is bad news to marketing professionals who target paid advertisements based on consumers' previous internet searches. As an alternative, your business should consider using zero-party data instead, which is data collected by consumers on a voluntary basis. Zero-party data can be collected by asking customers to... --- ### How to Get High-Quality Insights to Enhance Your Blog Content > Adding influencer insights to your blog content is a great way to increase the quality of your content and get more eyes on it. - Published: 2021-10-28 - Modified: 2021-10-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/high-quality-insights-blog-content/ - Categories: Content Marketing Want to make your blog content richer, build more internal links, expand your reach, and attract more views? You can achieve all of this and more by gathering key insights from industry experts and thought leaders to include in your blog posts. No matter what you're writing about, gathering information, statistics, and opinions from experts can make your blog posts much more engaging for readers. Influential experts can also promote your posts and help expand your audience, so you get the most out of every blog post you create. Fortunately, it's also simple to start gathering insights. Here's a guide on how to get high-quality insights to enhance your blog content. Why Your Blog Posts Need Expert Insights Imagine that you're writing a blog post about the best equipment to use in the kitchen. While it might make a list of excellent points and list some attractive products, readers are less likely to be impressed if it's seen as merely the opinion of a single blogger. Now imagine that you write a similar post that includes opinions from top chefs from around the world. All of a sudden, the information provided would appear more valuable and legitimate since it's coming from experienced experts. In addition to that, the experts that contributed to the blog post are also likely to promote it via social media. That means that the blog would gain a significant boost in viewership, resulting in an uptick in customer conversions and sales for your business. While you... --- ### 6 Tools K12 Communicators Should Be Using > K12 communicators are essentially Jacks of all trades. Here are some marketing tools that will help them get their jobs done right. - Published: 2021-10-27 - Modified: 2021-10-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tools-k12-communicators/ - Categories: K12 As a K12 communicator, it’s your job to not only support students, parents, and donors but to support teachers as well. By keeping necessary parties informed of school activities, back-to-school protocols, events, and important news, you’re taking some of the heavy lifting off of your teacher’s plates. But the harsh reality is that your job requires multitasking, and K12 school budgets don’t always have extra resources to allocate towards extra staff and support. I’m sure you’ve found yourself filling the shoes of a graphic designer, writer, editor, and social media strategist (just to name a few). Learning new skills while trying to accomplish your K12 email marketing strategy and manage your school contact list can be pretty daunting. Thankfully the internet has many free and low-cost tools that can help K12 communicators accomplish everything necessary to meet the needs of students, parents, donors, and school staff. Here are a few of our favorites that we recommend looking into: 1. BenchmarkONE K12 Edition BenchmarkONE K12 edition is an email newsletter tool that can help K12 communicators craft a professional-looking email instantly. BenchmarkONE can also be used to grow and manage your contact list so you can increase engagement and meet those oh-so-important fundraising goals. The platform gives you the ability to segment your email lists so you can personalize your message according to your audience, ensuring each message you send meets the specific needs of those it's going to. Oh, and it’s great for assisting you when you’re pressed for time... --- ### 6 Customer Service Metrics That Actually Matter > When tracking the success of your customer service, there are metrics that matter more than others. Here are six you should know about. - Published: 2021-10-21 - Modified: 2022-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-service-metrics/ - Categories: Small Business When it comes to measuring your success with clients, there are a ton of metrics you can use to obtain valuable information on how to better serve them and keep them loyal to your brand. Instead of getting bogged down with an overwhelming whirlwind of statistics and information, consider staying hyper-focused on the metrics that matter most to your company. Here are six customer service metrics you should actually pay attention to and use to gauge real success with your customers. 1. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) In a nutshell, customer lifetime value or CLV is a metric that measures the amount of money a customer is projected to spend over the duration of their relationship with your company. This metric analyzes historical purchase information to determine how much revenue you can expect in the future. CLV is one of the most important measurements of success when it comes to the relationship with a customer, as it demonstrates that the services and products you offer are of real value to your customer base. If your company is on target with your customer's needs, their individual CLV should raise over time. If CLV measurements begin to decline, this means that your company is missing the mark with customers, and it is time to reevaluate your offerings to entice them to come back. 2. Customer Churn Customer churn is the percentage of customers your company loses during a sales quarter. It’s important that your sales team focuses much of their time and energy... --- ### 6 Things You Can Do to Better Support Agency Clients Right Now > Times are still very rough, and your clients are going through a lot. Here are some specific ways you can better support agency clients. - Published: 2021-10-20 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-better-support-agency-clients/ - Categories: Agencies Despite all our best hopes for 2021, the pandemic isn’t over, and we’re not sure when it will end. Many businesses have made enormous adjustments over the past 18 months, working hard to equip their employees with the support and technology they need to work remotely, but plenty of companies are still struggling to find their flow in this new world. If your agency’s clients are struggling and you’re not sure how to help, we have some ideas for you. Whether it’s emotional, logistical, or technological, you can be the hero your clients need right now — and build loyalty and appreciation in the process. 6 Ways to Be of Better Service to Your Clients 1. Be There for Them, Even From Afar Don’t underestimate the importance of reminding your clients that they’re on your mind and you’re here to help. Just like any relationship, a client relationship depends on consistent support, whether that comes in the form of regular one-on-one calls or emails, larger-audience webinars, or even a small gift or handwritten card for an extra personal touch. A simple check-in can do a lot for your clients, and sometimes they just need someone to talk to. Make sure they understand that you’re always just a call or email away. 2. Be Proactive and Transparent This golden rule applies in all kinds of circumstances. If you’ve done something wrong, owning up to it quickly and genuinely is a faster route to forgiveness than denial, and if you’ve achieved success,... --- ### How to Onboard New Clients the Right Way > Setting clients up for success starts with your first call. Don't miss these tips on how to onboard your clients the right way. - Published: 2021-10-14 - Modified: 2021-10-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-onboard-clients/ - Categories: Agencies Few things are better than the feeling of signing a new client — but after you celebrate, put that champagne away and make sure you onboard them appropriately. Have you ever heard the phrase, “Start as you mean to go on? ” Onboarding is a great example of what this means. If you can be organized enough in your onboarding to begin this new relationship on the right foot, you’ll be on your way to a productive and hopefully long-term partnership. Here are some of our favorite onboarding tips — plus some great tools to streamline the process and keep you organized — to help ensure your new client relationship is successful from day one. Transparency is Key The more information you give your new client about the process, the more cared for they’ll feel and the more confident they’ll be in the value of your services. Similarly, the more you know about the client’s needs and goals, the better positioned you’ll be to add the most value. It can be tempting when you’re faced with a new person you want to impress, to act like you already know everything. But most people are savvy enough to see through that act and will be much more impressed if you’re straight with them about what you don’t know and how you plan to find out. If it’s Important, Put it on the Calendar We make time for what matters, and onboarding meetings are no exception. Make sure you schedule these regularly... --- ### Step-by-Step Guide for Building Nurturing Drip Campaigns that Convert > Nurturing drip campaigns are the key to increasing your revenue and building a healthy inbound marketing funnel. - Published: 2021-10-13 - Modified: 2021-10-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/building-drip-campaigns/ - Categories: Email Marketing Every email has a purpose. That purpose, if you’re a digital marketer, should be focused on a single goal, like: Thanks for signing up, have a coupon! Here’s a roundup of what we’ve been up to lately Happy Thanksgiving, enjoy a free holiday marketing ebook! Perhaps nowhere is this philosophy more apparent than in drip campaigns. What Are Email Drip Campaigns? A drip campaign is a series of emails that you can schedule in advance to ‘drip’ into the customer’s inbox at just the right cadence — you can also target them to particular segments to ensure they’re personalized and therefore providing maximum value to your subscribers. For example, let's say someone fills out a form on your site to download an ebook of yours. Your first email might be a notification that their free ebook has arrived. Your second email might come five days later, asking how they enjoyed the ebook. The third might come a few days after that, asking them to pass on the love by telling their friends about your amazing ebook and urging them to sign up. There are more complex drip campaigns, of course, and they don’t all involve a lead magnet like an ebook. Some use the sales funnel as a guide, with the intent of moving leads to the next stage of their buyer’s journey. Why Use Drip Campaigns? Drip campaigns are essential to an effective inbound marketing strategy and sales approach. Not only do they automate the nurture of new prospects... --- ### Social Media Ads: Specs You Need to Know > When it comes to social media ad specs, there's a lot of different sizes, formats, and guidelines to keep track of. - Published: 2021-10-07 - Modified: 2021-10-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-ads-specs/ - Categories: Social Media Have you come up with a great idea for your company’s next paid ad? Before you hit the publish button on your campaign, make sure your ad meets all the right criteria. If you don’t follow the correct specs, your photo or video ad may not reach your intended audience. Imagine you have a deadline for a big campaign and then when you’re about to submit your ad, Facebook or Linkedin denies your post because it’s not the right image size. Read on below for basic ad guidelines for Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Linkedin. Instagram You might think Instagram is only for posting food photos and selfies, but it’s one of the most popular platforms for online advertising. After all, the social media site has 800 million active users. Here’s a breakdown of the different kinds of Instagram ads and specs for each. Image Ads: These single image ads appear in your feed as you are scrolling. 1080 x 1080px resolution 1:1 aspect ratio 30MB max for image file PNG or JPG file type 125 characters recommended for caption length Video Ads: These are single video ads that appear in your feed as you are scrolling. 1080 x 1080px resolution 4:5 aspect ratio 30GB max for video files 2 minutes max length MP4 or MOV file type 125 characters recommended for caption length Carousel Image Ads: These ads appear in your feed as you are scrolling and contain more than one image. 1080 x 1080px resolution 1:1 aspect ratio 30MB... --- ### How to Put Together a Winning Sales Pitch > Your sales pitch has to cover a lot of ground but in a short amount of time. Here's your guide for how to put a winning sales pitch together. - Published: 2021-10-06 - Modified: 2021-10-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-10-minute-sales-pitch/ - Categories: Sales A sales pitch is a huge part of the selling process. It’s a huge contributor towards sealing the deal, so if you want to impress your prospective new client, it’s important to nail it. Sometimes, you don’t have a lot of time, or the particular prospect you’re pitching to has specific needs they want to be met. It’s crucial for you to be able to get a lot across in a way that’s easy for them to understand. Oh, and you have to wow them. That’s a big one. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the fundamentals of putting together a winning sales pitch, as well as some examples for you to glean from. What is a Sales Pitch A sales pitch is the act of convincing a potential customer to buy into a product or service that the salesperson is selling. A pitch should be brief, informative, and direct. The term “sales pitch” can be a turn-off for people, but it doesn’t have to be. Think of it as a conversation—one where you’re trying to solve a problem for your potential customer. How can your product or service provide a solution for them? How to Create an Effective Sales Pitch The hardest part of starting a sales pitch is getting your customer to give you their valuable time to listen to your pitch. If you sold them on hearing your pitch, you’re already one step ahead. There are three important parts to starting a pitch: Present the problem.... --- ### How to Measure the Success of Your SEO Strategy > Are you measuring the success of your SEO strategy? Here are some metrics to look at to ensure your efforts are landing. - Published: 2021-09-30 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/measure-success-seo-strategy/ - Categories: Content Marketing There’s not a single professional athlete who’ll tell you that they don’t measure their progress. Athletes track minute details every day as they practice because they know that success doesn’t happen overnight; it can take months and even years to perfect their routines. And SEO success, which hopefully comes faster, calls for a similar amount of tracking. To rank higher in search engine results, brands have to create consistent, high-quality SEO content that keeps customers coming back, and that means measuring their progress and adjusting their strategy if necessary. The stakes with SEO might be different — there’s no gold medal — but you’re competing against other businesses for leads, so the stakes are still very high. Instead of outsourcing your SEO, suppose you’ve taken the DIY approach and created and implemented the perfect SEO strategy — great! Now make sure you measure the success with trackable results. Here are seven metrics you can use to track your SEO strategy’s progress. 1. Keyword Rankings When you designed your SEO strategy, you did keyword research and chose the best keywords to focus on for your target audience. Now, measure how your site ranks by doing a Google search of those keywords. The search engine results will determine how your site ranks among your competitors. The goal is to appear on the first page, where you will have the most opportunity to earn more organic traffic to your site. And, if you’re using SEO tools, like SEMRush, for example, you should take... --- ### How Marketing Compliance Fits Into Your Marketing Strategy > Marketing compliance may not even be on your radar, but it matters greatly for an effective strategy that builds trust with your audience. - Published: 2021-09-29 - Modified: 2021-09-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-compliance/ - Categories: Marketing Marketing compliance is probably the last thing you think of when working on a marketing strategy for your business. However, it comes into play with every single aspect of your marketing plan. If you’re driving traffic to your website, using paid advertising for your business, generating leads, or emailing your subscribers, marketing compliance needs to be looked into for each stream. The great news is that compliance practices can be easily implemented as long as you know what to do. We’re here to provide you with a deep dive into marketing compliance so you can get better acquainted with it and ensure you’re doing all you can to stay 100% compliant in your practices. What is Marketing Compliance? Marketing compliance is the practice of ensuring that marketing practices, sales content, and data follow the laws and policies set in place by the government to protect consumers. Making sure your marketing practices are compliant can sound tedious and overwhelming, but compliance is an important investment to make in your marketing strategy and in building long-lasting, trusting relationships with your leads and customers. Why Marketing Compliance Is Important Keeping your marketing practices compliant is about more than avoiding hefty fines. Think of marketing compliance like any other marketing best practice - the rules and guidelines are there to help you build trust with your customer base and get the most out of your marketing efforts. For instance, you know that false advertising about your product or service is not only dishonest and... --- ### 5 Emerging Business Trends Small Businesses Need to Pay Attention To > Small businesses need to constantly adapt to remain successful, especially in the wake of Covid-19. Here are five important trends to take note of. - Published: 2021-09-23 - Modified: 2021-11-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/emerging-business-trends-small-businesses/ - Categories: Small Business Trends come and go. But for small businesses the importance of staying up to date with consumer changes is ever-present. If you want your small business to thrive during challenging times, having a finger on the pulse of emerging trends is the key to success. 2020 brought major changes to our world. Dealing with COVID-19 has been difficult for everyone, and economies globally have been hit hard by the pandemic. Some industries, like tourism and hospitality, are crippled—possibly permanently—while others have had to adapt to survive. Owners of small businesses, especially, have faced the hard task of competing with big companies in a time of extreme uncertainty. In general, small businesses have smaller reserves, limited cash flow, and fewer resources, making them extremely vulnerable. While many communities have attempted to encourage supporting local (and smaller) companies, businesses themselves have to follow trends if they want to keep up with the times. Overall Emerging Trends 2021 has been a bit of a roller coaster so far. Economies are still in a state of flux, leaving everyone unsure about the future. For small business owners, that uncertainty is even more troubling. That’s why paying attention to emerging trends is so important. We’ve taken a look at five emerging trends and what they might mean for small business owners and consumers. Let’s see what they are. 1. Cater to Generation Z Generation Z—those born roughly between 1996 and 2012—are fast becoming the most powerful consumer group, even if some are only nine or... --- ### 6 Tips to Scale Knowledge Base Content That Truly Helps Customers > Your knowledge base content should be helpful, informative, and easy to sift through. Here are some tips for scaling it appropriately. - Published: 2021-09-16 - Modified: 2021-09-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/scale-knowledge-base-content/ - Categories: Content Marketing A well-conceived knowledge base can act as a useful virtual self-service portal for your customers. If you're confused about why you should invest time and effort into creating one, look at the following statistics: As per Forrester, customers prefer knowledge bases over all other self-service channels. According to Forbes, around 40% of customers prefer self-service over human contact. Research by Social Media Today predicts that an overwhelming 91% of customers would use an online knowledge base if it were available and tailored to their needs. Clearly, you'll find many takers if you have a comprehensive and strategic knowledge base integrated into your website or chatbot. In this blog, we will understand what it takes to create an impactful knowledge base--complete with tips, strategies, and hacks--that are equal parts educative, convenient, and useful for the customers. Let's jump right in. How to Effectively Draft Knowledge Base Content Let's start by understanding the steps you need to do to create an insightful and actionable knowledge base content: Step 1: Think About the End Goal of Your Content. Will your knowledge base be instruction-driven, or is it there to address the basic FAQ-type questions that your customers are facing on a daily basis? Do you need to include product-driven demos and how-to videos, or will PDF-type documentation suffice? You can answer all these questions and more once you have the end goal/strategy/purpose of the knowledge base nailed down. So collaboratively think about why you need a knowledge base in the first place before... --- ### Step-By-Step Guide for Creating a Monthly Social Media Calendar > Before you get into the nitty-gritty of social media calendar planning, it pays to revisit your overarching plan. - Published: 2021-09-15 - Modified: 2022-01-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/monthly-social-media-calendar/ - Categories: Social Media We live our lives by our personal and work calendars, so why not take that organizing principle and apply it to our marketing strategies too? Enter: the social media calendar. What’s a Social Media Calendar? A social media calendar is an internal tool where you can plan, assign, create and schedule content that will ultimately be posted to different social networks. Some businesses use something basic like a spreadsheet or an Airtable base to track this information, while others shell out for purpose-built software such as CoSchedule. Whatever you use, it should be easy for your whole team to access and collaborate with, and it should be customizable to fit your needs. The bottom line? A social media calendar can help you save time, create content more efficiently and methodically, and streamline workflows for your team members. The complexity of a social media calendar depends on the scope and size of your social strategy. If you’re posting on a lot of platforms and/or multiple times a day, your calendar will likely be pretty complex and require a super-organized structure. You might be wondering why you should bother planning out your posts a month in advance — after all, isn’t social media supposed to be spontaneous? Well, yes and no. Ideally, your engagement will be spontaneous, but when it comes to offering value to your followers, fortune favors the planner. Benefits of Using a Social Media Calendar It keeps your campaign on track. Whether you plan to post daily, weekly, or... --- ### 5 Skills Every Digital Marketer Needs > Here are five digital marketing skills needed if you want to be the best digital marketer within your industry. - Published: 2021-09-09 - Modified: 2022-07-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/digital-marketing-skills-2/ - Categories: Marketing Do you secretly love critiquing SuperBowl commercials every year because you think you could come up with better ideas? You might be a budding digital marketer. Because of smartphones and social media, we’re all natural marketers — we write captions, choose photos, and promote our posts with our friend groups. But to be a successful strategist, you need to build up a true digital marketing skillset. The excitement of being a DIY marketer is that you have the freedom to experiment. After you build up your knowledge base, you’ll know what tools and strategies can help your small business reach its target audience faster. 1. Strategy You know how people say you need to know the rules before you break them? It’s true for digital marketers too. Experimentation is an essential part of marketing, but you want to make sure you’re working within a standard strategic framework. You wouldn’t want to have a video go viral without knowing how to make the most out of the experience, would you? At the foundation of every marketing campaign should be a solid strategy with actionable goals and ways to measure success. Use project management tools and organizational skills on each campaign to maintain consistency and maximize the growth of each project. Every small business is different; some might need email marketing, some might need a more robust website or social media presence. The more you know about your needs and the needs of your audience, the better prepared you’ll be to develop... --- ### Is SEO Worth It for Startups and Small Businesses? > Is SEO worth it for startups and small businesses? Here is why SEO for business is always a good strategy to grow your online presence and reach a wider audience. - Published: 2021-09-08 - Modified: 2022-07-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-startups-small-businesses/ - Categories: Small Business A good SEO strategy doesn’t only attract your audience. The point is to catch Google’s attention and appear on the first page of the Google search results - which lets your customers find your website easily. However, getting Google’s algorithm to see you isn’t an easy task. A marketing team needs to produce a high volume of content, such as blog posts and articles, social media content, Ebooks and whitepapers, how-to guides and tutorials, videos and audio recordings, infographics, or other visual content. Producing all these pieces of content and organizing them into an effective strategy requires time and resources. It’s enough to make most startups and new businesses wonder if all the work an SEO strategy requires is actually worth it. How Does SEO Affect My Business? An effective SEO strategy makes your business visible to the audience you want to reach. Even if you are running a small or new business, optimizing your content and targeting your audience with keywords helps you stay competitive in the top Google ranking positions. The same principle applies to established brands. For example, Trenitalia, the official website of the Italian train service, is the most competitive company in the rail industry. You’d expect this website to be number one in search results. But, when you type something like, “book train from Rome to Florence,” Trenitalia appears at the end of the first page if not, the second one (which is where none wants to end up). Since the Trenitalia web page doesn’t... --- ### How to Be a DIY Marketer > Being a small business owner means you have a lot of hats on your hat rack (including digital marketer). As an entrepreneur, you’re already a natural - Published: 2021-09-02 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-be-a-diy-marketer/ - Categories: Marketing Being a small business owner means you have a lot of hats on your hat rack (including digital marketer). As an entrepreneur, you’re already a natural marketer for your brand, but with the help of additional tools and strategies, you can create a successful DIY marketing strategy without a large financial investment. The best approach is to create your strategy first and then find the tools to help you implement it. The more visibility you create for your brand, the easier it will be for new customers to find you and learn what your business is about. There are plenty of free or low-cost resources that will help you create a data-driven plan to achieve your goals. Keep on top of emerging technologies and platforms to find new opportunities to reach new demographics. Here are five marketing tools and strategies you can get started with right now. 1. Use a Marketing Automation and CRM Tool Integrated CRM and marketing automation tools provide your sales and marketing team with critical data that will help you create organic leads for your business. The data you collect will tell you exactly how your consumers interact with your content — how long they read your emails, what emails they open, and what promotions they click on. A CRM is a database that keeps track of every interaction a customer has with your product or software. It consolidates all of your customer relationships into one dashboard. Marketing automation assists you with managing email marketing campaigns... --- ### The Omnichannel Marketing Guide for Small Businesses > What is omnichannel marketing? Why does an omnichannel approach to your marketing strategy yield better results? - Published: 2021-09-01 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/omnichannel-marketing-guide-for-small-businesses/ - Categories: Small Business It doesn’t matter whether your business is a giant multinational with thousands of employees or you operate as a single trader, operating your business from home. Embracing an omnichannel marketing strategy can be one of the surest ways to strengthen the perception of your business and drive growth. In this article, we’ll be looking at how small businesses can make the most of the multiple channels for marketing available to them and deliver powerful brand messaging while doing so. What is Omnichannel Marketing? Omnichannel marketing is marketing that operates across multiple channels, that is, in multiple different media. It incorporates both online and offline marketing and is a way to describe the multifaceted way that your customers are likely to encounter your brand. More than that—as nothing we’ve said so far differs from multichannel marketing—omnichannel marketing also focuses on creating seamless messaging across all touchpoints via every channel to tell the right story about your business. Each business will, of course, have its favorite means of advertising, and only you will know what works best for your company. Does a door-to-door flyer campaign never fail to bring in customers? Or has introducing marketing materials through your CCaaS platform given you the best return on investment (ROI) in the past? Omnichannel does not mean sacrificing a marketing strategy that works. And neither does it mean placing equal emphasis on all channels. It is simply a methodology that seeks to unify your marketing efforts so that they can best complement each other... --- ### The Small Business Guide to Understanding Instagram Insights > Have you dived into the tons of insights Instagram offers small businesses? This blog post breaks down all the data you have access to. - Published: 2021-08-26 - Modified: 2021-08-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/instagram-insights/ - Categories: Social Media Many small businesses prefer to use Instagram marketing over other social media platforms一the visual medium enables brands to highlight their products with creative immediacy, while the caption length offers more opportunity to inform and educate than, say, Twitter. Hashtags make posts easily searchable, increasing brand awareness and garnering new followers, and Instagram posts average four times the engagement of Facebook posts. But savvy marketers know that, like any business strategy, your Instagram marketing plan is only as effective as the data used to assess your progress and make adjustments. Enter: Instagram Insights. If you have an Instagram business account, you have access to Instagram Insights: a free marketing tool that provides data analytics about your posts, followers, and profile. (If you don’t have a business account but want one, you can switch any public profile to a business account by going to settings > account > switch account type. ) Understanding Insights for Your Instagram Account To access your Insights, head to your profile, open the hamburger menu (the three horizontal lines at the top right corner of the app), and click Insights. You’ll see some recent Instagram analytics, including how many people you’ve reached over the past week and how many of those accounts engaged with your content. To drill down into your audience data, click on Accounts Reached. Impressions will show you how many people saw your posts. Content Interactions tells you how many people liked or shared them一or saved a post, which is commonly considered by marketers... --- ### Time to Scrub Your Email List: Preparing for iOS 15 > With Apple’s iOS 15 update around the corner, now is the perfect time to take a look at your email list and do a bit of clean-up. - Published: 2021-08-25 - Modified: 2021-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/preparing-for-ios-15/ - Categories: Email Marketing With Apple’s iOS 15 update just around the corner - likely mid-September - now is the perfect time to take a look at your email list and do a little bit of clean-up to ensure good performance as Apple rolls out new privacy protections for users. How will iOS 15 impact your email list? If you’re like most businesses, you rely on email marketing to reach subscribers, prospects and customers to grow revenue and propel sales. You also most likely use email open rate as one of the metrics that determines the success of your email templates and the health of your email list. With Apple’s iOS 15 update, users will have the option to opt-out of email tracking – including when and where they open their emails. Experts predict that most will do so, as we saw with the iOS 14 update. With that last update, only 5% of users in the US opted-in to having applications like Facebook track their activity, meaning the other 95% of users opted not to be tracked. According to Litmus, Apple iPhone accounts for nearly 50% of all traffic to email clients. Which means that we can conservatively estimate that open tracking for up to 50% of your contacts will be compromised at some point as iOS 15 launches and is adopted. And it may not be long before other top email clients, like Gmail and Outlook, follow suit. With this big change on the horizon, now is a great time to take... --- ### Content and Marketing Automation: How Both Strategies Fuel One Another > Content and marketing automation go hand-in-hand. Let's discuss how content is the fuel to your automation efforts. - Published: 2021-08-25 - Modified: 2022-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-and-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Marketing Automation The average customer journey these days involves a lot of self-service: we do our own research, read reviews of products and try to decipher which ones are real vs. paid or bot-generated, and then make the decision alone. It’s a big shift from the days of hand-selling in department stores, where a human would not only greet you but also educate you on your options and help you decide which one best fits your needs and budget. This isn’t a call to return to the past, though. Rather, it’s a suggestion of how marketers can infuse the presale steps of the sales funnel with that same human touch, that gentle guidance, and reap the ROI benefits—including an average of 5-15% more revenue. While eCommerce doesn’t allow for in-person engagement the way brick and mortar stores do, there are opportunities to educate your customers and infuse their interactions with your brand with personality. One of the best ways to do this is with a tandem strategy involving content marketing and marketing automation. Content Marketing Builds Customer Relationships Content marketing is a great way to bring customer service into the early stages of the customer journey. Instead of addressing customer needs reactively, content marketing enables you to make prospects feel seen and catered to before they’ve ever made a purchase. Take the example of floor sales. If you wanted to buy a couch in 1975, you might go to Sears. You’d sit on a bunch of different sofas and loveseats, all while... --- ### HTML vs. Plain Text Emails > What's the difference between HTML and plain text emails? What are the benefits and pitfalls of each? Which should you use? - Published: 2021-08-19 - Modified: 2021-08-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/html-vs-plain-text-emails/ - Categories: Email Marketing Marketers are naturally driven to be creative. This intrinsic trait makes them gravitate towards visually appealing HTML emails because they allow more room for creativity. But do plain text emails have a statistical edge? In this article, we’ll delve into the details of HTML and Plain text emails. We’ll discuss the benefits and drawbacks (if any) of each to help you choose a suitable format to streamline your email marketing campaigns. HTML vs. Plain Text Emails: Definition and Benefits Plain Text Emails As the name suggests, a plain text email is a simple, format-free, text-based email. In other words, plain-text emails contain text only — there’s no graphics, images, or formatting (you can’t alter fonts, font size, or add italics). Here’s an example of a plain-text email: Additionally, you can’t embed links, and there’s no way to make the call to action (CTAs) stand out. You also lack the ability to add HTML snippets, which makes it difficult to track vital email metrics. Pros of Plain Text Email Requires minimal technical knowledge to create. Supported by all email clients, so they offer consistency in delivery. Better accessibility, even on devices like the Apple Watch. Faster loading time because they don’t have graphics or images, They are more personal and don’t feel automated. Cons of Plain Text Email Lack visual appeal. Difficult to make CTAs stand out. Don’t support tracking of key email metrics. HTML Emails HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is a standard coding language used to create web pages that... --- ### Tips For More Effectively Qualifying Your Sales Leads > When it comes to gathering sales leads, it’s about quality over quantity. Here are some tips for way qualifying leads the right way. - Published: 2021-08-18 - Modified: 2022-08-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-tips-effectively-qualifying-sales-leads/ - Categories: Sales There are key components at the heart of any business: products and customers. Every other function and activity exists to keep these aspects content and thriving. They have a symbiotic effect on one another – products are designed with customers in mind, and customers influence the evolution of the product. Creating this relationship is crucial for any business – and lead generation is an essential part of this process. Using the terms ‘lead’ and ‘prospect’ interchangeably defeats their purpose. There are important differences between the two, including why they’re both important, how to convert leads into prospects, and why you need to start doing this immediately. Leads vs. Qualified Leads Leads are people whose contact information you have. They may or may not be interested in your service – you don’t know them well enough to judge this just yet. Examples of leads are those who have signed up to be on your email list through a form on your website. Leads are at the top of your sales funnel, at the broadest part, and have probably just become aware of what it is your company does and offers. They need more convincing and resources before they can move along the buyer’s journey. Qualified leads, on the other hand, are narrowed down leads that have been characterized as being interested and able to invest in your product. They typically fit your ideal target audience and buyer personas, and they’re lower in the sales funnel than leads. Generating and Qualifying Leads... --- ### Creative Customer Retention Strategies that Really Work > Customer retention is a fickle beast. If you aren't keeping your clients happy, you'll lose them. Check out these helpful tips. - Published: 2021-08-12 - Modified: 2022-09-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-creative-customer-retention-strategies/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Have you ever been a regular at a coffee shop where the barista knows your name, your order, and what time you come in? Some baristas will even have your drink waiting for you when you show up. Sometimes you may even get a free drink as a reward for your loyalty. This kind of coffee shop-style strategy is an amazing way to retain customers, and retaining customers is not only good for your sales funnel, but it's also good for business. You might think it’s impossible to replicate this digitally, but it’s not. Marketing tools like an integrated CRM, along with automation, can track all the same data as the barista who writes your name on your cup from memory, and they can do it at scale. Customer experience is so important that 60% of American customers say they’ll switch companies after two to three instances of poor service. Here are some creative customer retention strategies to encourage your customers to stay with your business for the long haul. 1. Take Critique Seriously This might sound like common sense, but great customer service increases customer loyalty. Gary Vee, entrepreneur and social influencer, likes to say, “being nice is ROI positive. ” He believes that maximizing growth can’t be achieved without kindness in business and in life. If you have a customer who lets you know they’re unhappy with your service via email or social media, pay attention and listen to their feedback. Think about what you would want a... --- ### The 2021 Life Jacket for Cyber Attacks At Small Businesses > It’s never been more important to safeguard your small business against cyber attacks. Here’s how to do it and how to respond to a breach. - Published: 2021-08-11 - Modified: 2024-04-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cyber-attacks-small-businesses/ - Categories: Small Business There’s no point in denying the truth. Cyberattacks are on the rise, and this upward trajectory won’t abate soon. Even corporate behemoths, like Facebook and Marriott International, were hit with cybercriminal attacks over the past few months. While smaller businesses may seem like less appealing targets to criminals, they’re still just as at risk. It’s tempting to think that cyberattacks aren’t something that your small business really needs to concern itself with. Unfortunately, this is a dangerous misconception. Research shows that a hefty 41% of small businesses surveyed have been struck by a devastating digital attack sometime over the past year. Why Smaller Businesses are Prime Targets for Hackers As a small business owner, there’s probably no need to tell you how busy you are. Startup entrepreneurs almost always have their hands full. Because of this, many delegate cybersecurity to the bottom of their to-do lists as a result. Unfortunately, hackers have smartened up to this fact. Many now view small businesses as prime targets, as most of them don’t have the resources or knowledge they need to protect themselves. This is compounded by the fact that many small businesses still aren’t taking cyber threats seriously. Research shows that 37% of them don’t have cybersecurity plans in place, and 40% would have no idea who to contact if an attack did take place. The hard truth is that even if you have all the right programs, protocols, and technologies in place to protect your business, in many cases, it still... --- ### 7 Easy Ways to Diversify Your Content Strategy > An effective content stratgy is one that uses many different forms and approaches. Here's how to diversify your content strategy. - Published: 2021-08-05 - Modified: 2021-07-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/diversify-your-content-strategy/ - Categories: Content Marketing You know what they say: content is king. It’s also an excellent way to reach today’s consumers. Good content strategies are diverse; today’s marketers typically market to three audience segments at any given time. Learn more about diversifying your content strategy, including potential channels to explore and inspiration for great content, right here. 1. Know Your Audience While you’ll have a sense of the audience you’re targeting, it’s important to understand (regardless of which industry) that they absorb and respond to content in unique ways. For instance, while written content is still popular, 84% of people have been swayed by a brand’s video content. Multiple content types and channels are an essential consideration. Moreover, content consumers have different goals; some may have a clear idea of what they want to achieve with a purchase, while others are still figuring out their needs. Your content needs to embrace all of this in order to be truly diverse. 2. Understand Your Existing Content You should have a good sense of what’s working for your business—what’s driving traffic or conversions, as well as evergreen content. If you’re having success with older content types, don’t feel like you need to abandon them. Blog posts, like this one on free email marketing providers, are an excellent way to share information with people in a format that is traditional and reliable. They’re highly flexible, allow for high word counts, and offer backlinks to older content. The in-depth white paper is also still effective. While it’s time-consuming... --- ### SEO Myths That Will Probably Kill Your Rankings in 2021 > Nothing can kill your SEO strategy more than believing in misinformation. Here are some SEO myths you should know about. - Published: 2021-08-04 - Modified: 2021-07-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-myths/ - Categories: Marketing SEO is tough. There are no shortcuts or quick fixes to ranking your website. And anyone who claims to have found an easy way out or “cracked the code” is definitely lying. Keeping up with the latest SEO rules, tactics, guidelines, and variables that boosts the ranking of a site is a difficult task. There are more uncertainties than certainties as far as SEO is involved. Consequently, there’s more room for trials and evaluation, which also opens the door for misinformation and misconceptions. Here are seven SEO myths that will probably hurt the ability of your site to rank in organic search in 2021. 1. You Need to Submit Your Site to Google to Rank The notion that you must submit your site to Google to rank is a myth. Google uses bots called web crawlers to locate and index content on its own. But if you’re revamping your current website pages or building new ones, you can make your content easy to find by submitting an updated sitemap of your site to Google. This was the first and central myth because many people give up and get the impression that optimization no longer creates opportunities for promoting high-quality sites. Still, on the contrary, it cuts them down. 2. Quantity of Links is more Crucial than Quality A few years ago, all you needed for your site to rank higher was to build as many links as possible. The quantity of links was more important than quality. But today, the... --- ### 6 Reasons Your Small Business Should Monitor Reviews > Does your small business monitor reviews? Doing so can help you connect with your customers and enhance your marketing. - Published: 2021-07-28 - Modified: 2021-07-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/monitor-reviews/ - Categories: Small Business We live in an age where information is just a few clicks away. If we want to buy something, it’s not hard to look into the product first by searching online review sites, consumer ratings, and seeing what our favorite influencer thinks of the product first. In fact, 91% of consumers read online reviews before purchasing a product. And, the majority of online shoppers will read anywhere between one and ten reviews before they make a decision. This means that if you have a product and are actively thinking of the best ways to market and sell it to your audience base, you need to pay special attention to what your online reviews are saying. Online reviews simply cannot be ignored, especially if you want to maintain competitiveness within your industry. Let’s break down six reasons why your small business should be actively monitoring reviews. 1. The Power of Reputation Reviews and 5-star ratings are probably the most influential factor when it comes to trust and gaining confidence to make a purchase. Thanks to the power of third-party credibility, positive reputation, and social proof are among the most powerful marketing assets a business can use to gain new customers. It’s crucial that businesses not only obtain this type of credibility but that they harness it by integrating it into their standard marketing efforts. This means adding customer testimonials to your website, sharing your average rating and number of positive reviews on your landing pages, and integrating it into your email... --- ### 9 Content Marketing Performance Metrics to Start Tracking > Your marketing is only as good as your content marketing. Here are eight content marketing performance metrics to start tracking. - Published: 2021-07-22 - Modified: 2021-07-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-performance-metrics/ - Categories: Content Marketing If you’re involved in SaaS content marketing, metrics are vital to your strategy. You need to be able to quantify your actions to trace their impacts and have a clear idea of what success looks like. However, just as looking at call center KPIs throws up unexpected metrics, content marketing has overlooked metrics of its own. Give your content marketing a boost with these new approaches to performance tracking. 1. Qualified Visitors This refers to how many users are likely to buy something from you. It often encompasses users from countries you deliver to. If geography isn’t a concern, it might be users who visit important product or service pages. If these qualified visitor numbers are high (but aren’t matched by sales), what you offer might not be attractive to them. Consider what you can do to change this - try highlighting delivery options, for example, or revising product pages to include more information. This can form part of a customer nurturing campaign that targets frequent pain points for customers. 2. Repeat Visitors Take a look at how many website visitors have visited before. High returning numbers are a good sign - you want people to pay regular visits. It shows they value what you have to offer and are receptive to your product or service. However, if the site’s bounce rate is also high, it suggests your content schedule needs amending. Make sure you have a steady stream of content that justifies repeat visits, or your visitor numbers could... --- ### Which Organizational Structure is Better for Your Business? > The organization structure of a company plays a huge part in whether or not it's successful. Here are examples of organizational structures. - Published: 2021-07-21 - Modified: 2021-07-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/which-organizational-structure-is-better-for-your-business/ - Categories: Leadership The key to effective business collaboration isn’t contingent on the type of personality that your team exhibits. It doesn’t depend on what your company does or what it’s selling. While all those areas may contribute in some way, they aren’t solely responsible for achieving effective collaboration. It may surprise you to learn that organization is a crucial factor in determining whether or not your business will be able to collaborate effectively. The truth is, the more products and people added to the equation, the harder it is to keep everything together. Therefore, a company looking to grow must develop a configured system early on. Enter: The Organization Chart. What is an Organization Chart? Consider this the roadmap of your company culture. An org chart lays the groundwork for the way a business functions and how roles are maintained. It helps to define three key elements: Chain of command Span of control Centralization These types of systems determine which tasks are delegated and where work is approved. It establishes how proposals, requests, and issues are communicated and the line of authority to manage them. An org chart will arrange the decision-making process and answer the how, who, and where of daily operations. It guides everyone on accountability and creates the foundation for corporate growth. Not only that, but it also provides your team with a clear outline of who supports whom. Types of Org Charts Companies can either be flexible and organic, or structured in a more mechanical and departmentalized manner.... --- ### 12 Ways to Grow your Social Media Audience in 2021 > This year is all about expanding your social networks. Here are 12 ways you can grow your social media audience in 2021. - Published: 2021-07-15 - Modified: 2021-07-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/grow-your-social-media-audience/ - Categories: Social Media We’ve moved past the point where social media is a nice-to-have addition to marketing and sales strategies. In 2021, if you’re not utilizing social media for growth, you’re missing out on an opportunity to speak to a whole new side of your potential business audience. Learn how to grow your social media audience by refining your current social strategy and see just how easily you can move from lurker to thought leader on every social platform. 1. Analyze Social Media Channels Before you make a whole social media strategy, you need to analyze the channels your brand is using, underutilizing or neglecting completely. If your brand is only on Facebook, but all the action is on Twitter, analyzing where your efforts are best spent is the first key to unlocking a door of success online. Likewise, if your brand is fairly active on Instagram and seeing good but not great engagement, you know where to hunker down and concentrate your efforts in a more targeted manner. 2. Have Clear Goals There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Since every company’s business goals are different, their social media strategy will be too. Defining your business goals for social media early on will save you time in the long run. Is your goal to grow an audience? Become a leader within a niche social media community? What will the social media approval process look like, and how many layers will there be from ideation to publish? Whatever your goals are, define them as a primary... --- ### Sales and Marketing Performance Metrics and Why You Should Track Them > If you’re working to grow your business, don’t shy away from performance metrics. They're the clearest indication of the health of your growth strategy. - Published: 2021-07-14 - Modified: 2022-07-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-and-marketing-performance-metrics/ - Categories: Sales Growing your small business is as much about math and numbers as it is about customer satisfaction and service delivery. Paying attention to the right metrics will let you design the best and most effective strategy for meeting your sales and revenue goals. So what are the metrics that you and your B2B team should be tracking? Here’s a list of key indicators you can use to keep your momentum going. Sales and Marketing Performance Metrics Sales and marketing performance metrics help determine if your outcomes align with your small business goals. You track the metrics and select ranges (some sort of benchmark) that signify ideal performance. You can then weigh the tracked metrics against those ranges to evaluate performance. When a metric is within the range, you know you’re on course to reach your targets. However, if the results are short of the range, it’s time to investigate your processes and take remedial action to put performance back on track. If you want to improve your sales and marketing performance, here are the metrics you should track: Sales Performance Metrics Sales performance metrics help you determine whether your sales teams are hitting their set targets. They enable you to track progress towards set goals, tweak your sales process to accelerate sales growth, award performing reps, and replace underperforming reps to boost performance. Here are the most critical sales performance metrics you should be measuring: Average Deal Size The average deal size gives you the average revenue brought in from... --- ### Summer Marketing Tips for K12 Communicators > When you're a K12 communicator, your job doesn't take a summer vacation. Here are marketing tips to keep you sharp for the next school year. - Published: 2021-07-08 - Modified: 2021-07-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/k12-summer-marketing-tips/ - Categories: K12 Summer is here, and while school isn’t in session, your job as a K12 communicator doesn’t get to take a vacation. You’re probably spending this time reflecting on the previous year and getting things ready for the 2021-2022 school year. After all, it will be here before you know it, and it never hurts to be as prepared as possible. We put together this handy guide to ensure you’re getting the most out of these last weeks of summer before school ramps up again. So read on for some specific ways you can lay the foundation for a great year ahead. 1. Plan and Organize Summer is a great time for the organization that’s tough to manage when school’s in session. Here are some things you can do as the school’s communicator to set yourself up for success in the fall. Utilize Marketing Automation Marketing automation is a no-brainer for K12 communicators. It ensures you facilitate regular communication and provide need-to-know information to the right people, freeing up your time for higher-level tasks. By automating standard emails, like welcome emails for new students and staff or monthly newsletters, you can get ahead of your inbox and stay on top of communication. When you automate routine communication, you’re making sure that the job gets done without delays, and you aren’t bogging down your to-do list in the process. Your time management becomes more efficient, and you become more productive; it’s a win-win! Plus, once the emails start going out, you can... --- ### Things Agencies Should Keep in Mind with the iOS Update > It’s that time again: time to ask yourself if your marketing agency is ready for the next iOS update! Here are some things to keep in mind. - Published: 2021-07-07 - Modified: 2021-07-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agencies-ios-update/ - Categories: Agencies It’s that time again: time to ask yourself if your marketing agency is ready for the next iOS update! You probably knew an update was coming since Apple updates their iOS 10-15 times a year, but just because updates come regularly doesn’t mean they are minimal or not worth paying attention to. For example, did you know that the next one, a privacy update for iOS 14, is going to have direct implications for agencies? Your success as a marketing agency depends on your ability to take user activity and have it inform your messages on various platforms. This means taking advantage of valuable new technological features and being prepared to deal with any potential issues. Here’s what you need to know about the latest iOS update. What Does the iOS Update Mean? The most noteworthy items from the iOS update are centered around user privacy. With more and more news stories of user data being compromised, people are becoming more protective of what data they share online or through apps. Even if they didn’t care before, people are starting to care now. One major feature of the new iOS update is that users will now be able to limit the amount of data collected by any third-party sites they visit. Of course, this feature was always available, but it took some time and effort to locate and turn it off and on. The new version will now have each app ask them if they want to allow the app... --- ### When to Tackle a Marketing Project In-House and When to Outsource > Not sure if that marketing project should be brought in-house? Here's what to consider before deciding whether or not to outsource. - Published: 2021-07-01 - Modified: 2021-06-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-in-house-outsource/ - Categories: Marketing As a small business owner, there is so much to do (and be). You need to be an expert general manager, customer service manager, marketer, copywriter, sales leader, and so much more, which is why outsourcing can be so useful. Outsourcing can save you time and money and allow you to spend your hours focusing on areas to grow your business. But how do you know which marketing projects to tackle yourself and which to outsource? Marketing can be an all-encompassing undertaking, and there are no set parameters around which strategies to outsource and which not to. Deciding where you could use some external help ultimately depends on your circumstances, needs, and area of expertise. And when you do decide to outsource, your primary focus must always be on the quality of the work that’s being outsourced. Here are some questions to ask yourself while you consider whether or not you should be outsourcing that particular marketing project. 1. Do You Have a Strategy? There’s a lot that goes into a documented marketing strategy. If you haven’t had a chance to assess your audience base and put together your buyer personas, along with your overall goals and methods for reaching them, then hiring someone to outsource might be a serious waste of money. You need to have at least some kind of basic marketing strategy in place before you begin; otherwise, how will you know whether or not your plan is adequate? For example, if you are posting to your... --- ### 5 Keys to Success Prior to CRM Implementation > We highly recommend using a CRM. However, in order to see the most success, check out these five keys to success prior to implementation. - Published: 2021-06-30 - Modified: 2021-06-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-implementation/ - Categories: CRM It’s true. A customer relationship management (CRM) system empowers you to have a single source for managing client relationships. However, it does more than that. Your CRM solution can inform the strategies and communication among each department, leading to more effective solutions and company growth. But obtaining a CRM system that solves all your problems requires a bit of legwork on your end. And if you rush the process or don’t appropriately prepare, your CRM implementation can go awry. What do we mean exactly? Here are some situations that won’t set your small business up for CRM success: Having unclear goals Not having executive buy-in and support Choosing a vendor that’s not right for your needs Expecting too much from your CRM system Trying to implement too many features all at once That said, the right CRM under the right circumstances can make a measurable positive difference in your company’s efficiency and effectiveness, particularly with important tasks like lead cultivating. Here are five things to keep in mind before implementing a CRM system. 1. Your Marketing and Sales Strategy CRMs are not interchangeable, so you’ll have to learn what each can do (and what they can’t do) before you make a selection. One of the best ways to do this is to know what your marketing goals and objectives are before you begin researching systems. When narrowing your options, go for CRM solutions that directly address the areas your goals are centered on. For example, if one of your goals... --- ### How Support Automation Sustains Customer Relationships > Keeping your customers and leads happy directly impacts your business. That's why having a support automation tool is in your best interest. - Published: 2021-06-23 - Modified: 2022-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/support-automation/ - Categories: CRM We live in a digital world. It’s a world that’s changing faster and faster each day. They say if you can’t feel your competitors breathing down your neck, you’ve already been overtaken. To keep up with competitors, entrepreneurs should always be looking out for new technologies that give them a competitive advantage. And support automation is one that should be at the top of the list. Whatever your growth strategy looks like, support automation can lend a hand. In fact, businesses can automate many of their tasks, freeing up their time for other important items they need to get to (that automation can’t help them with). In this article, we’ll take a look under the hood of support automation. We’ll outline what support automation is and how can it sustain customer relationships? What is Support Automation? When it comes to automation tools, there are different kinds out there. There’s marketing automation, sales automation, email automation, and support automation. Each serves an important purpose for the department using them. But, when used correctly, they can positively impact the rest of the company. Support automation is a way of fixing your customers’ problems automatically. It’s providing service support without the limitations of office hours. It’s a way of saving your staff time and effort by automating certain tasks. If there’s a standardized, routine function, it’s a prime candidate for automation. For example, if a company receives hundreds of emails, all asking the same question, it could make sense to reply using an... --- ### The Importance of Customer Nurturing Campaigns In 2021 > Ease your prospects towareds a sale by leveraging customer nurturing campaigns. Here are some great practices for this year. - Published: 2021-06-17 - Modified: 2022-09-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-nurturing-campaigns/ - Categories: Email Marketing Most visitors who land on your website aren’t ready to buy, but they are interested in what you have to offer. Customer nurturing campaigns are designed to attach to that interest and help it grow into the desire to become a customer and partner. That help, like sunshine on fresh seedlings, has become more important than ever because of the growth in competing products and social media entertainment that can pull customers away at any point. In 2021, a high-quality lead nurturing campaign may just be what’s required for you to overcome an increasing number of barriers to sales. What’s a Nurture Campaign? A nurture campaign is your customer-facing effort to provide the information a lead needs to progress through the buyer’s journey. Your aim is to deliver relevant information, often before they request it, to help a lead solve their problem or concern. Generally, it targets common pain points for your audience and educates them about broad solutions and your specifics. In some instances, you may demonstrate expertise or awareness of what the customer is going through at that moment. Nurture campaigns are very proactive and look for multiple ways to reach customers. Some of the more common options include: Email drip sequences Newsletters and welcome campaigns Text/SMS and messaging campaigns, now including some in-app messaging and notifications Sponsored content, though the content must be closely tied to the problems your products address Influencer marketing and thought leadership eCommerce Nurturing Targets the ‘What if’ In eCommerce, nurturing has become... --- ### Should Your Agency Ditch Time-Tracking For Good? > Agencies typically bill clients based on a time-tracking model, however is it time for agencies to ditch time-tracking and try something new? - Published: 2021-06-16 - Modified: 2021-06-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-time-tracking/ - Categories: Agencies Streamlining your processes is always a good thing. And as you look at where your efficiencies are — and more importantly, where they aren’t — you might just discover that time tracking is taking up more effort than it’s worth, especially when it comes to building retainer business. The more clients that you can retain month after month, the more reliable income you’ll have coming in. Herein lies the issue with the time-tracking model, which often does more harm than good in terms of keeping your clients satisfied and sticking around. There are various issues with timesheets, including inaccuracies and a lack of focus on real results. If you’re billing your clients hourly, you’re missing out on an opportunity to better prove your agency’s worth through what really matters: performance. That’s a pretty big misstep if you want your clients to be aware of just how much value you’re providing. Here’s why time-tracking is on its way out — and the better billing models that you should be putting in its place. Why Agencies Use Time-Tracking Why did time-tracking become the go-to model in the first place? While retaining clients has always been a primary goal of agencies, they haven’t always had such a big range of tools with which to illustrate value and performance. This has meant a greater reliance on alternate billing practices that serve to connect the dots in some way between work performed and work delivered, with timesheets being a better-than-nothing way to do so. Lots... --- ### How to Choose a CRM for Your Small Business > Small businesses have a lot to gain from a CRM. Here's how to choose one, and some to consider in your vetting process. - Published: 2021-06-10 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-crm/ - Categories: Small Business Having the right small business CRM can make a huge difference in the success of your business, especially when it comes to things like cultivating leads, turning leads into customers, and turning customers into brand loyalists. And throughout the sales process, there’s really not a singular point where it won’t be useful to you. So what should you expect out of a CRM solution — and how do you choose? We’re covering all of that and more, including sharing some of our top picks for the best CRM platforms for small businesses. Why Every Small Business Needs a CRM Just because your business is small doesn’t mean that your tech needs are. CRM software has become a mainstay in the business world. In 2017, 87% of businesses relied on cloud-based CRM solutions, versus just 12% in 2008. With a complete CRM solution, you get a ton of big advantages that can help you better run your business, including these benefits that a CRM can offer: 1. It Boosts Sales and Nurtures Leads The primary benefit of any CRM for small businesses is that it helps streamline sales and boost your revenue. How? Well, it starts with lead nurture and management after the initial lead generation. An online CRM allows your small business to capture more leads from your website and track them throughout the entire sales process. With your CRM stocked full of new contacts, you can nurture prospective buyers in your sales pipeline with targeted email campaigns until they... --- ### How to Measure Customer Lifetime Value to Identify Your Best Relationships > Are you missing the answer to the most important question a small business owner should be asking themselves: What is our customer lifetime value? - Published: 2021-06-09 - Modified: 2021-06-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/calculating-customer-lifetime-value/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: cltv, customer lifetime value, lifetime value, ltv If you’re running a small business, then you don’t have time (or money) to waste on tactics that aren’t effective. So how do you make sure that every effort is one that’s worth taking? There’s a lot of trial and error, but there are also certain metrics that can help you determine whether it’s worth putting your precious resources in one direction versus another. One of the big ones: customer lifetime value (CLV), which allows you to determine the ROI of every customer relationship — and in turn, determine which relationships are most beneficial to building your business and which aren’t. If you’re new to the idea of CLV, we’re here to help. We’ve put together this quick guide to customer lifetime value, including what it is, why it matters, and how to measure it, plus some quick tips on how to improve it. What is Customer Lifetime Value — and Why is it Important? Customer lifetime value is a metric that businesses use to figure out just how valuable a certain customer is to their company. Not all customers bring in equal value. Focusing on those who offer the most profitable and sustainable relationships is a great way to ensure that you put your marketing and sales resources where they’ll go the furthest. It also helps your business invest more in customer retention versus customer acquisition — with the former typically being a lot less costly and a lot more lucrative than the latter. CLV may be the single... --- ### When to Gate Your Content > How do do you know when content crosses the threshold from being ungated to gated? Here's how you can tell. - Published: 2021-06-03 - Modified: 2021-06-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/when-to-gate-your-content/ - Categories: Content Marketing To gate or not to gate, that is the question. There are big benefits to gating your content, but that doesn’t mean you should be doing it for every piece of content you create. If you did, you’d lose out on lots of traffic from people who are looking for quick access to the resources that they need. You’d also miss out on an opportunity to display your company’s thought leadership capabilities to a wide audience. The best approach is to strike a balance between your gated and non-gated content, utilizing both methods of content sharing to expand your audience, boost your brand’s authority, and drive more traffic and conversions. So how do you do it? Keep reading to learn how to identify when your content should be gated and when it shouldn’t — plus why gating content is important in the first place. What is Gated Content? Gated content refers to any piece of content that requires site visitors to fill out a website form before they can access it. Generally, these forms request contact information such as a name and email address. Once the information is provided, the content is available for download or is emailed. Benefits of Gated Content Any piece of content that you create for your brand is driven toward your larger marketing goals. Unlike blog posts and on-demand assets, though, gated content is designed to offer very rapid, very tangible returns. We’ve talked about the benefits of creating gated content before, but here’s a... --- ### 10 Software Tools to Add to Your Arsenal in 2021 > Looking to up your arsenal of marketing tools for 2021? Here are ten software tools you should check out and consider. - Published: 2021-06-02 - Modified: 2021-06-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/software-tools/ - Categories: Marketing 2020 was perhaps the most challenging year for many businesses. In response to the pandemic, new strategies were developed, and old strategies were revamped in hopes of increasing growth and combating less than steady revenue. The latest data from the Content Marketing Institute’s 2021 B2B Content Marketing: Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends report shows that 79% of B2B marketers have a content marketing strategy. Of those, 70% made some level of adjustments to their strategy because of the pandemic. Source The pandemic really tested the resiliency of business owners like you. Fortunately, there are software and marketing tools you can include in your arsenal to help your business bounce back and reach your set goals this year. The only problem is that there are so many options to choose from, making the entire process a daunting task. Let’s make the search a bit easier by sharing ten software tools that you need to add to your stack this year. 10 Must-Have Software Tools 1. Virtual Team Collaboration Software In this time of the pandemic, several companies have started operating partially as virtual teams, if not entirely. Keeping everyone on the same page while working in different locations, however, can be challenging. According to Mural, virtual teams face challenges in communication, team relationships, and task management. Lack of focus and productivity also seems to be a problem. Having virtual team collaboration software in your arsenal can alleviate these pains of not working physically with your team members by providing an efficient communication... --- ### How Chatbots Increase Top-of-the-funnel Conversion Rate > Is your company using chatbots on their site to increase conversions? If not, this blog post will have you ready to start! - Published: 2021-05-27 - Modified: 2021-05-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/chatbots-increase-conversion-rate/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing When Facebook released its chatbot platform in 2016, many in the marketing world thought that chatbots would be the next great digital channel, and with good reason. Over a billion people used the app at the time, and the intimate, 1-to-1 nature of instant messaging meant that the platform promised to be a place where businesses could create personalized customer experiences that translated into real conversions. As time has passed, we’ve come to realize that much of this hype was unfounded. Messenger is not the marketing behemoth that many thought it would be, and many are even calling the platform “dead. ” Of course, this did not mark the end for chatbots as a whole. Rather it just marked a shift of the technology to a new context. From Messenger’s fall (and rise), marketers learned that the killer use case for chatbots wasn’t as a brand new digital channel but rather as a conversion rate optimization tool. In this article, we will discuss how marketers can use chatbots to make information on their websites and landing pages more accessible and make lead generation more engaging. In the process, we’ll establish how these changes translate into a higher conversion rate and greater marketing ROI. Before Digital Marketing Decades ago (in ancient times), when the internet didn’t exist, people would go to physical stores and offices to buy things. As technology progressed, phones became more prevalent, and some of that consumption started to happen remotely. Of course, even with this limited progress,... --- ### 4 Best Marketing Tools for Agencies > To run a successful agency, you need to be ahead of the trends and aware of all the right marketing tools that will give you an edge. - Published: 2021-05-26 - Modified: 2021-05-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-tools-agencies/ - Categories: Agencies Running a successful marketing agency is no easy feat, which makes it all the more important to take a shortcut when you can get one. Thanks to a boom in tech support tools, today’s agencies have access to a huge suite of productivity-driven software and platforms that they can use to run their offices smarter, faster, and more efficiently. And when every minute counts, it’s worth investing in the ones that can free up your time and allow you to better prioritize how you spend your days. If you find yourself putting your own initiatives on the backburner in favor of your clients’ needs — or if you could just use some support in your day to day operations (and honestly, who couldn’t? ) — then check out this list of the four best marketing tools for agencies and discover smart solutions for putting your strategies to work. 1. Marketing Automation Software Obviously, we couldn’t put together a list of must-have marketing tools without first mentioning marketing automation software. This savvy tech solution is your partner in crime when it comes to managing your clients’ needs across a variety of platforms. Having a marketing automation tool offers more value to your clients, ensuring you’re indispensable and an asset to their overall success. You can also use it to manage your own in-house marketing efforts, with built-in analytic tools that make it easy to monitor the outcomes of all that hard work. Some of the many benefits offered by marketing automation... --- ### How to Make Assembling Your eNewsletter a Cinch: A Lesson for K12 Communicators > Putting together a K12 eNewsletter involves a lot of steps. However, there are hacks and tricks to help make the process painless. - Published: 2021-05-20 - Modified: 2021-05-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/assembling-your-enewsletter-k12-communicators/ - Categories: K12 While it might seem like creating and sending a weekly email newsletter is just one more item on an ever-lengthening to-do list, there are a lot of reasons to prioritize newsletters — and (fortunately) a lot of tricks and tools that can help you do it. If you’ve already been sending eNewsletters to students, parents, staff, and community members, then you’ve probably worked out at least some of the kinks regarding your email platform, your content, and the way that you manage your contact list. But if the labor of putting it all together each week feels like a total drag, there are a number of other ways that you can lighten your load and streamline the process. Here’s how to do it; with actionable tips you can start putting into practice today to make email newsletter creation a breeze. 1. Use Templates If you’re starting from scratch every time you send an email newsletter, then you’re wasting a lot of time. Pretty much all email platforms — including both automated and non-automated ones — come with a library of templates that allow you to insert your content each week instead of having to mess around with formatting. It’s a huge time saver, allows you to create high-quality and clean newsletters, and it’s a way to lend additional continuity to your messaging. 2. Have a Process for Gathering Content One of the most time-consuming parts of any eNewsletter creation process is sourcing the content that you’re going to use. This... --- ### 25 Articles On Everything You Need to Know About PPC and Online Ads > We gathered our greatest articles that touch on everything you need to know about PPC and online ads. Check them out! - Published: 2021-05-19 - Modified: 2021-05-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ppc-and-online-ads/ - Categories: Lead Generation When you run a small business, there’s a solid chance that digital marketing wasn’t initially one of your skill sets. But in today’s landscape, leading a business means you have to dip your toes in various strategies in order to be successful. So while you may be the CEO of your own company, you’re also the CMO, CTO, head of sales, HR, and customer service. PPC and online advertisements are a part of any well-rounded and high-performing marketing strategy. They’re crucial for top-of-the-funnel engagement, but that doesn’t mean they don’t come with a pretty steep learning curve. You could probably use a deep dive on digital marketing, but who has time for tons of courses? Instead, we thought you might appreciate a roundup of some resources aimed at PPC and managing online ads. See below for 25 of our best articles on the subject. Enjoy! 1. How to Tie Google Analytics into Your PPC Strategy Is your PPC strategy driving traffic to your website? Learn how to track the success of your PPC ad campaigns by tying them to your Google Analytics. 2. 6 Signs You Have a Great PPC Manager (And How to Gauge Their Results) You can’t do it all. If you’re delegating your PPC strategy to another team member, here’s how to track how well they’re doing. 3. 12 B. S. PPC Metrics That Are A Complete Waste Of Time (And What To Measure Instead) Don’t waste your time tracking BS metrics. We’ve outlined all the metrics... --- ### No Budget? No Problem. Here are Eight Marketing Tools That Are Totally Free. > Do you feel like you're limited by your small budget? Well rest assured. Here are eight marketing tools that are totally free. - Published: 2021-05-13 - Modified: 2021-05-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/free-marketing-tools/ - Categories: Marketing We all know the adage, “you get what you pay for. ” But when you’re a small team with a limited budget, you can’t always drop top dollar for a product that promises to live up to the price. The good news is that the quality of free offerings has improved dramatically over the past decade. The binary of “good but expensive” vs. “free but low-quality” has been replaced with a range of options for a range of budgets. A simple Google search will show you that there are tons of free trials and plans out there for you to consider. Gone are the days when your marketing budget held you back from utilizing tools that created efficiencies, provided analysis, and offered direction for a better strategy. With all these free options, it can be hard to spot the ones that are most beneficial. So, here are some of our favorites that we think you should check out. Canva Lately, it seems like every brand under the sun has clean, easy-on-the-eyes graphics to accompany their social media posts. Some of these brands utilize a designer or a team of designers to crank these visuals out. However, others are flexing their design skills by using various tools, like Canva. Canva is a user-friendly graphic design tool with an extensive free version, in addition to their more flexible pro version. With Canva, creating high-quality graphics no longer requires paying a designer or learning the ropes of complicated, expensive tools like InDesign and... --- ### How to Make Your Agency Indispensable > When you operate an agency, your success depends on retaining business. Here's how to make your agency indispensable. - Published: 2021-05-12 - Modified: 2021-05-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-indispensable/ - Categories: Agencies What makes a great marketing agency? The success of any agency is dependent on a lot of different factors, but there is one thing that rings true regardless of your unique objectives or best practices: in order to thrive, you need to make yourself indispensable to your clients. It’s never a good thing to lose a client. And if you lose multiple clients, you may find that your entire operation is in peril. Your best bet is to do everything in your power to ensure that your clients are satisfied, including — but not limited to — providing them with stellar results. The more indispensable you are to your clients, the more long-term success you’ll have. With that in mind, here are some tips for making it happen. 1. Hire the Best Talent Possible Marketing is a people-first type of business. While agencies may spend a lot of time wrapped up in numbers and analytics, human-to-human interactions are at the core of what you do, and it’s important that every single person who represents your agency is putting their best foot forward. When onboarding new talent, pay attention not just to their experience but to how they fit in with your agency’s culture, values, and overall mission. The stronger team you can build, the better your employees will work together — and the better work they’ll provide to your clients. 2. Put a lot of Effort into Your Branding It’s important that you don’t neglect your own branding efforts while... --- ### Five Marketing and Sales Pitfalls that Can Be Avoided with Marketing Automation > Marketing and sales mistakes happen, but what if we told you there are a bunch that marketing automation can help you avoid? - Published: 2021-05-06 - Modified: 2021-05-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-and-sales-pitfalls-avoided-with-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Marketing Automation We’ve all been there: you notice that typo after the email to your boss has sent; you’re halfway through your data report when you realize there’s a question you wish you’d asked in the survey; you can’t figure out how to change the filter in your Zoom settings to make you not a cat when you’re in front of the panel. Well, luckily, most of us haven’t been that last guy. Still, human errors happen, and they happen more often when we’re overloaded with busy work. This is exactly why automation is a hugely important part of our daily lives – sales and marketing work is no exception. While a typo in a professional email can be embarrassing, it’s unlikely to cause a major dip in customer engagement or preclude you from achieving your revenue goals. On the other hand, missing out on important data and neglecting opportunities can wreak havoc on your bottom line. Here are five marketing and sales pitfalls you can avoid by using marketing automation: 1. Not Tracking and Using Website Data Detailed website tracking is key to understanding your customer base. By mapping their journey, you can see your organization through the consumer’s eyes – which means you can assess what’s working and what’s not based on the level of engagement. Marketing automation can pull these details for you. It’s not just about understanding for its own sake – customer empathy is a key driver of increased revenue. For example, the data an automation software... --- ### Which Should Your Small Business Prioritize? Blogging or Podcasting? > If you're looking to generate leads and work on your brand awareness, which marketing tactic is best: blogging or podcasting? - Published: 2021-05-04 - Modified: 2021-04-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/blogging-or-podcasting/ - Categories: Small Business Effectively marketing a business requires quite a bit of content. That being said, you don’t always have time to create the various kinds of content you should be creating. While diversifying your content strategy with as many different types of formats as you can handle is usually the way to go (more on that later), there are times when you might find yourself trying to decide which direction to pool your resources towards. Both blogs and podcasts are conversion-driven content methods that are worth your time and effort. On the blogging front, companies who produce blogs see an average of 67% more leads than companies who don’t. Meanwhile, the amount of monthly podcast listeners has grown 54% in just the past three years, suggesting a ton of potential for grabbing the ear of potential prospects. There are clearly big benefits to these content strategies, but how do you decide which is better to consider for your business? We’re breaking down the benefits and potential pitfalls of both, as well as why you probably want to consider tackling both for content marketing success. Blogging Blogging is a mainstay strategy. Most brands have been prioritizing blogging for years, while some have found it difficult to stick to an editorial calendar. If you find yourself wondering if blogging really is all it’s cracked up to be, it’s time to dive into the benefits as well as things to keep in mind. Benefits of Blogging 1. It can improve SEO Done right, blogging is... --- ### How to Make Your Brand’s Authenticity Shine > Effective marketing is all about connecting with your consumers. Here are some tips, and examles, for achieving brand authenticy. - Published: 2021-04-29 - Modified: 2021-04-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/brand-authenticity/ - Categories: Marketing Building trust is the foundation of every solid relationship between a company and its prospective customers. Today’s consumers want — and expect — authenticity out of the brands that they engage with. And if you can’t deliver, you’ll see it reflected in your sales. Brand authenticity refers to your ability to be open and honest with your audience, not just about your values and morals but also about the less attractive things like your missteps and your flaws. It’s about embracing who you are as a brand, a company, and a culture and building trust through transparency — instead of attempting to fake it through obfuscation. So how can you let your brand’s authenticity shine? Here are some ways to make true and lasting connections with your customers based on who you are and not just who you want them to think you are. Share Your Origin Story Before there was a product, a marketing strategy, and a sales quota, there was an idea. Your company’s origin story tells your customers where you started and where you’re headed. More so than just answering questions about the steps you took to get your brand off the ground, it helps explain the mission behind your product or service and what, at the end of the day, you’re striving to achieve. Circle back to your “About Us” page and look for ways to build authenticity into your story. It could mean reframing your origin story to center it around your brand’s values or... --- ### How to Manage Your K12 School Newsletter Contact List > For K12 communicators, effective email outreach is essential. And that starts with appropriately managing their k12 newsletter contact list. - Published: 2021-04-22 - Modified: 2021-04-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/k12-school-newsletter-contact-list/ - Categories: K12 School communicators juggle a lot of different jobs, and that often includes email marketer. Being tasked with managing emails and being an expert on email marketing are two different things. And for many school communicators, it’s difficult to get a handle on all of the ins and outs involved in the task. Expert or not, it doesn’t take very long to figure out that just writing an email and pressing “send” isn’t usually enough to guarantee high open rates. In order to get your email seen — and better yet, get the preferred action or response out of your audience — you need to make sure you’re reaching the right people with the right message through contact list management. Why Your Contact List Matters An email newsletter can only be effective if it reaches the right people. For school communicators, this may be students, parents, community members, or faculty, all of which represent distinct groups that often require specific, targeted information. List management is crucial within these groups, especially when it comes to ensuring that your emails actually end up in your subscribers’ inboxes. Bounces, dead-end addresses, and unintended recipients who mark your message as “spam” can all lead to difficulties with your outreach. That’s a big deal when so much of the information you’re sending out is time-sensitive and requires some sort of direct response from the reader. To make sure your emails reach the right people at the right time, you’ll need to regularly manage your contact list.... --- ### 13 Ways to Improve Your Sales Outreach Emails Today > It's time to examine your sales approach and make some changes for the better. Here are 13 ways you can improve your sales outreach emails. - Published: 2021-04-21 - Modified: 2021-04-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-outreach-emails-today/ - Categories: Sales Do you ever get a sales outreach email so bland and generic, you can’t help but think, “there’s no way this email ever works”? Your sales process may be solid, but if you can’t capture your prospects’ attention via outreach emails, you could be leaving potential business on the table. Email is still one of the most preferred ways prospects like to be approached. In fact, 72 percent of business professionals prefer email communication for back-and-forth interactions. If your sales outreach emails keep missing the mark, consider a few of the 13 methods below for improving your email open rates and responses. 1. Target the Right Leads Great sales emails start with excellent prospecting, not purchasing mass email lists from agencies with iffy reputations. Start by creating your ideal customer profile. What does your existing customer base look like? What future customers would you like to start attracting? What are some value propositions for approaching these prospects? The sooner you figure out these customer profiles; the more authentic your sales outreach emails will come across. It’s also a good idea to cover your bases and do some extensive research on each prospect before reaching out. According to 43 percent of sales and marketing professionals, collecting enough data on leads is the biggest conversion barrier. 2. Avoid Bulk Sending Caps and Spam Filters Some email service providers (ESPs) include tracking links and pixels into your email, which can flag your email address as spam and hurt deliverability. If you’re looking to... --- ### 15 Small Business Marketing Strategies to Help With Growth > IF you're in need of small business marketing strategies that are proven to help you grow, then look no further. - Published: 2021-04-15 - Modified: 2022-11-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-strategies-2/ - Categories: Small Business There’s no getting around it: A killer marketing strategy is essential for business growth. Sure, you need a valuable product or service to offer your customers. That goes without saying. But, if you aren’t able to attract your target audience — and keep them engaged for the long haul — the quality of your product won’t mean much. Of course, “what works” in terms of attracting and engaging your audience is always changing. Technology continues to evolve, and consumer expectations continue to shift. It’s your job, then, to stay ahead of the curve in order to deliver exactly what your audience is looking to get from your brand. That said, let’s take a look at fifteen small business marketing strategies that businesses like yours are using to expand their reach today. 1. Focus on First- and Zero-Party Data Customer data should be the driving factor behind your marketing efforts. After all, the more you know about your customers, the more value you’ll be able to deliver to them. While there’s no shortage of customer data “out there” today, putting it to good use can be a bit challenging for many reasons. What’s more, the death of third-party cookies means collecting customer data from outside sources will become even more difficult in the near future. So, your best bet is to look inward, focusing on the data your team collects on your audience members. Your first-party data — that is, information you’ve solicited and collected directly from your customer — can... --- ### 5 LinkedIn Ad Mistakes You Don't Want to Make > LinkedIn is a strong, professional platform, making it a valuable lead source. Which is why you don't want to make these ad mistakes. - Published: 2021-04-14 - Modified: 2021-04-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/linkedin-ad-mistakes/ - Categories: Social Media LinkedIn can be a risky place to test new ideas since it’s hyper-focused on your professional network, while other forms of social media are more blended. On LinkedIn, your business’s reputation is on the line, and mistakes can be a waste of time and money. Here are five common LinkedIn advertising pitfalls and our best advice for how to avoid them: 1. Pinning All Your Conversion Hopes on One Ad Type With a $10 per day minimum ad spend, LinkedIn is one of the more expensive options for advertising on social media. But responding to the expense by creating just one kind of ad is a mistake. You don’t need to limit your creative team or audience reach just because you’re limiting your spending to one campaign. Multiple ads per campaign are allowable within the structure of LinkedIn advertising. You can – and should – create at least four or five ads with different content, images, and designs, both to attract different potential customers and to test out a variety of ideas for your next campaign (more on that in number five, below). 2. Targeting Your Ads Too Tightly (Without Even Knowing It) Targeting is where LinkedIn ads shine – between detailed, constantly updated user data and tons of categories to choose from, you can focus your ads to as specific of an audience as you want. But that can be a dangerous temptation since a too-tight target can shut out potential engagement. As of 2020, LinkedIn had over 700... --- ### 9 Influencer Marketing Pitfalls That Cost Time And Money > Utilizing influencer marketing can be a great strategy, but there are some major pitfalls you have to avoid to see real success. - Published: 2021-04-08 - Modified: 2021-04-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/influencer-marketing-pitfalls/ - Categories: Marketing With the rise of influencer culture in the digital era, social media has become a staple of mobile marketing. As a result, user-generated content has never been more relevant. Nowadays, any influencer with a large enough following can successfully launch a brand to superstardom with a well-planned influencer marketing strategy. Even though influencer marketing is a very useful tool, this strategy can cost time and money when it is poorly implemented, dragging any company’s advertising to the ground. Luckily, we have compiled the most common mistakes companies make regarding influencer marketing just so that you can avoid making them in the future. Thinking it Doesn’t Work Although it may be difficult to believe, some companies simply refuse to think of this strategy as a viable option. Fashion, video games, and the fitness industry are the markets commonly associated with influencer marketing. However, it can be implemented in any sector and by any company. Take a page out of Apple’s marketing strategy and let others market for you. Companies like Apple have used social media and influencer marketing to build a strong culture around their brand image. Consumer reviews by technology pundits usually work as their main advertising strategy when they launch a new product. This approach to marketing offers many advantages. For starters, it significantly reduces the costs of hiring marketers and advertisers, and it helps brands get in touch with their customers directly, establishing an interactive marketing touchpoint. Not Choosing the Correct Platform Nowadays, influencers are everywhere. In a... --- ### 9 K12 Email Marketing Tips To Ensure Your Emails Get Read > The educational sector comes with its fair share of email obstacles. Here are some K12 email marketing tips to ensure your emails get read. - Published: 2021-04-07 - Modified: 2023-02-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/k12-email-marketing-tips/ - Categories: K12 You write a lot of emails as a K12 communicator, but are you effectively reaching your audience with all that need-to-know information? Most people don’t get into K12 education thinking that they need to have expertise in email marketing. However, email is one of your best tools for sharing important information on school policies, events, and updates, so you must have a few tools in your back pocket to make your emails as engaging — and as likely to get read — as possible. To help you out, we’ve compiled nine of our very best tips that will help any K12 email marketing strategy. Keep reading to learn all of the basics of what you need to know to send emails that serve their purpose every time. 1. Keep Subject Lines Simple and Concise If you want someone to read your email, you need them to open it first. And for that, you need an effective email subject line. Your subject line should accurately describe the content within your email. It should also be short and sweet, with limited punctuation, since too much could make it look like spam (though feel free to use emojis when appropriate). 2. Establish Relevance from the Get-Go Most K12 email communications are going out to a very narrowly defined audience, but it’s still key that you make it clear right away why this information should matter to your reader. Get to the point in the first paragraph, then delve into more specific details below.... --- ### Don't be a Content Marketing Fool: 20 Articles to Help You Create Better Content > We could all use help putting together high-quality, unique contnet. Here are 20 articles that will help you create better content. - Published: 2021-04-01 - Modified: 2021-03-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/articles-to-help-you-create-better-content/ - Categories: Content Marketing This April Fool's Day, the trick's on someone else. We’ve all been there. We plan out a strategy or initiate some sort of content tactic, and it falls totally flat. A lot of content marketing is taking a shot and seeing what lands. And when things don’t totally go as planned, we forget that the industry is all about trying new things, measuring results, and then making improvements. No matter how you deal with content defeat, the feeling of foolishness can be very real. Luckily, there’s always room for improvement and growth and to get it right the next time around. In an effort to help you feel less foolish and create better content, we’re sharing with you some of our greatest blog posts on content marketing. No more content foolery for you! 1. Where to Look When Your Creative Blog Ideas Dry Up It’s crucial to keep your blog going, even if your creativity is on the fritz. Get some tips on how to maintain creativity and find those content gems to fill your blog editorial calendar with. 2. How to Write a Marketing Blog that Ranks on Google Not optimizing your blog for SEO is one of the most foolish things you can do. With so many customers relying on search engines to find solutions for them, it’s crucial for your content to rank. 3. Content Marketing Ideas for Each Stage of the Sales Funnel Ah, the sales funnel. Getting your customers to come to you, then nurturing... --- ### 7 Marketing Trends That Will Impact Content Strategies in 2021 > Being aware of industry trends keeps your marketing and content fresh and relevant. Here are seven marketing trends that will affect content. - Published: 2021-03-25 - Modified: 2022-09-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-trends-that-will-impact-content-strategies/ - Categories: Content Marketing Content strategies are something every marketer in 2021 must be aware of. In short-form, content strategy is using content as the main way of achieving business objectives. In long-form, it means centering your marketing campaigns on the quality and targeted reach of the content that you produce. As content strategy and content marketing become more important, new trends will emerge. 2021 will prove this, not just because of the situation inherent in the pandemic but also because of the latest exciting technological advances that have been building up to this year. Below we are going to discuss seven new trends in marketing that are especially relevant for content marketers. These trends may well be the ones that define the next year. AI-Driven Content Creation No article about eCommerce or marketing is complete today without some reference either to AI or cloud automation - this article is no exception. Artificial Intelligence is now a trend in content marketing. This technology works by optimizing language rather than writing entire pieces of copy itself. It learns about the “voice” of a brand and can generate or improve low-level copy, liberating marketers and copywriters from the body of their work and letting them focus on content and creativity. AI-driven copywriting is already prevalent on eBay and is used to make ever more focused and brand-relevant content. Some tools that help AI copywriting have been around for a while. Those that check grammar, syntax, and spelling; even tools that help keep a piece of writing... --- ### The Best Untapped Marketing Tactics for Small Businesses > We've got some of the best untapped marketing tactics for small business to try this year. Take a look and try some today! - Published: 2021-03-24 - Modified: 2022-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/untapped-marketing-tactics-small-businesses/ - Categories: Small Business A limited marketing budget doesn’t have to mean limited marketing potential. When it comes to product research, 60 percent of all consumers start the process on a search engine rather than on a specific website. This means that you can’t opt out of digital marketing entirely, nor can you expect to get very far without a concerted effort that’s geared toward getting your name — and your website — in front of the right people. If you’re running a small business, however, then you probably don’t have an endless pool of money to throw at your marketing budget — and that’s totally okay! There are simple, cost-effective, and untapped marketing tactics that can help you build brand awareness and nurture more leads; no arm-and-a-leg payment required. Here are some ideas for funneling your marketing dollars into low-cost, high-performance marketing tactics. 10 Untapped Marketing Tactics Worth Pursuing Standing out is a good thing in marketing. Once you’ve got the basics down (including a website, social media, and emails), try out these ideas to get the most out of your marketing efforts: 1. Create Short-Form Blog Posts Short-form blogging helps you produce news-like snippets that you can then push out on a regular basis. They’re much quicker and easier to write than standard blog posts and can often be multi-purposed as social media posts. Keep ‘em short, sweet, and to the point, and use them as a way to establish thought leadership and stay top of mind with your audience. 2. Snag... --- ### How Small Businesses Can Collaborate to Promote Mutual Growth > When you pair teamwork with strategy, the result can be amazing. Here're some tactics that lead to small business growth. - Published: 2021-03-18 - Modified: 2021-03-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-small-businesses-can-collaborate-to-promote-mutual-growth/ - Categories: Small Business It can often be challenging for small businesses or start-ups to cement themselves in their industries. They are often competing with companies that have much higher budgets and employee power. But collaboration allows smaller businesses to combine their expertise, customer reach, and technology to compete with more prominent brands. This article will explore the best techniques you can use to collaborate with other companies and grow together. Traditional Approaches Combined Marketing Strategies In the digital age that we live in, traditional methods of promotion can often be overlooked. But over half of customers still believe that traditional marketing methods, such as magazines and flyers, are the most trustworthy. Let's say that you're a very small business that provides cloud-based communications and services like 3cx. National television commercials and giant billboards may be a bit out of your marketing budget, but this is where collaboration comes in. Small businesses located in reasonably close proximity or local communities can benefit from combining their budgets and investing in traditional marketing strategies—for example, valuable ad space in a popular magazine. You aren't necessarily going to show off all your products or services, but you can show off your community and the thriving businesses it has. The more publicity your community gets, the more successful local companies can become. Develop a Collaborative Culture There is always an opportunity to collaborate with other small businesses; you just need to be on the lookout. Most businesses need to outsource, which can be anything from IT support to... --- ### How to Shorten the Lead Cycle with Marketing Automation > A shortened lead cycle means you can close more deals more quickly. Did you know that marketing automation can help in more ways than one? - Published: 2021-03-17 - Modified: 2021-03-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/shorten-the-lead-cycle-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Marketing Automation For small and lean businesses, marketing automation is a game-changer. Companies use it to automate repetitive tasks, create and schedule lead nurture campaigns, and facilitate sales follow-up, so nothing slips through the cracks. However, each marketing automation tool is not created equally. The more reliable and efficient your automation tool is, the more redundancies it eliminates, creating a well-oiled process that generates leads and converts them to customers. Let’s talk about some of the features to look for in a marketing automation tool, as well as some of the ways marketing automation shortens your lead cycle. Efficient Marketing Automation Features When you’re looking to make your routine marketing and sales tasks more structured, you need a tool that offers you features that make sense (without all the bells and whistles that don’t). Here are some marketing automation features you’ll want that will bring order to your process: The ability to tag prospects based on various lead qualifiers, like the type of industry or business they’re affiliated with. Triggers that deploy emails based on certain actions prospects take, like downloading a whitepaper or signing up for your newsletter. Automated sequences that alleviate the repetitive administrative side of lead generation and cultivation. These features save you time and cut back on the amount of basic inbound marketing activities you need to perform. The result is a shorter lead cycle, an increase in generated leads, and more prospects converting to customers. The devil is in the details. Here are some specific functions within... --- ### Marketing Automation for K12 Communicators: It Just Makes Sense > For K12 communicators, finding a simple solution for sending email outreach to their various constituents is very important. - Published: 2021-03-11 - Modified: 2021-03-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-k12-communicators/ - Categories: K12 Marketing has a lot of value for K12 organizations — and automated marketing doubly so. Engaging with parents, students, donors, and community members is an essential part of building a strong educational institution. It also makes your job a lot easier, allowing you to disseminate information with more efficiency and on a much larger scale. Below, we’re delving into the benefits of marketing automation in the K12 world, plus the specific types of marketing emails that you can automate to make your job — and your life — run smoother. Why Marketing Automation Makes Sense for K12 Educators Wouldn’t it be great if you had an assistant who could handle the ins-and-outs of your email marketing campaigns? A marketing automation platform is pretty much just that, offering tools that can help ensure your emails go to the right people at the right times — and that you get better data reporting in the aftermath. By automating specific emails, you can ultimately save yourself a ton of time while still providing appropriate follow-ups with valuable contacts. Some of the more direct benefits include the ability to segment your contact lists so that you can quickly shoot off messages to certain groups without a lot of work on the backend, as well as the ability to pre-schedule drip campaigns that align with certain projects, protocols, or times of the year. Since you don’t have an agency or enterprise brand’s marketing needs, you can also likely get away with using free or low-cost... --- ### The Qualitative and Quantitative Metrics You Should Measure for Your Inbound Marketing Strategy > There's a lot of ways to track success from your inbound marketing strategy. Here are some qualitative and quantitative metrics. - Published: 2021-03-10 - Modified: 2022-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/qualitative-quantitative-metrics-inbound-marketing-strategy/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Just as important as having a great inbound marketing strategy is knowing what metrics you need to be tracking to tell if it’s effective. Inbound marketing (i. e. , emails, blog content, social media, ads, and everything else you do to attract customers to your brand) is critical to success. However, it’s not enough to just put these tactics in place and hope for the best. You need to use qualitative and quantitative metrics to attach value to each of your efforts and determine whether they’re pulling their weight. From there, you can decide what’s making the most significant impact with your audience and what might be eating up more resources than it’s producing. Below, we’re looking at the benefits of using qualitative and quantitative metrics for your inbound marketing strategy, including some examples of what you might want to start tracking if you’re not already. Why Measuring More Than Just ROI is Important for Your Inbound Marketing Strategy Around the globe, 41 percent of marketers report that inbound marketing produces measurable ROI for their brand. But is ROI really the only metric that matters? Well, yes — and no. Your return on investment is a top concern with any marketing endeavor, but it’s not as easy as just calculating money in versus money out. ROI can be calculated in both qualitative and quantitative ways. So while you’ll want to know how much a certain tactic upped your profits, you’ll also want to know how it impacted things like web... --- ### Is It Luck or Is It Strategy? The Key to Marketing Automation > Brands that are killing it with their marketing automation aren't just getting lucky. Here's the key to successful marketing automation. - Published: 2021-03-09 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-key-to-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Have you ever wondered how some brands manage to accomplish so much when it comes to their sales and marketing strategies? Well, let you in on a secret: they have some help. Sales and marketing automation tools are like having a personal assistant handle the tasks related to growing and sustaining your business. And with 75 percent of marketers using at least one type of automation tool, it’s a safe bet that companies killing it with their marketing and sales performance owe a big thank you to automation (rather than luck or endless budgets). The beauty of marketing automation comes from both its simplicity and utility. Used wisely, it can take a ton of work off your hands, all while enabling you to make a bigger impact with your audience. With many free and low-cost marketing automation tools available, it should be easy enough to fit one into a small business budget. It might sound too good to be true, and it’s important to note that the magic of marketing automation doesn’t happen overnight — or without some effort on your part. Very little is left up to luck. There’s a lot of strategy involved, especially if you want to go beyond the basics of what an automated tool can do for you. Below, we’re diving into what those strategies are, with a look at the various tactics your business can employ in order to ramp up your marketing — and your sales. The Benefits of Marketing Automation Well-planned and... --- ### How Small Businesses Can Generate Leads with LinkedIn > Small businesses need to generate leads in as many places as possible. And with 675 million monthly users, LinkedIn can open a lot of doors. - Published: 2021-03-04 - Modified: 2024-09-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/generate-leads-with-linkedin/ - Categories: Small Business We generally think about LinkedIn as a hub for networking and sharing industry information. And while it certainly is that, it’s also a place that offers a ton of additional utility for the small business owner — including lots of opportunities for generating more leads. When you’re running a small business, you need to be trying various new sales tactics and generating leads in as many places as possible. And with 675 million monthly users and 50 percent engagement growth year after year, LinkedIn has the potential to open a lot of doors for you when used wisely. So instead of just looking at LinkedIn as one of many basic social media tools, take advantage of all that it can do for you in other areas as well. Here are some tried and true ways to generate more leads more consistently with LinkedIn. 1. Treat Your Profile Like a Marketing Landing Page — Because That’s What It Is You optimize your website to appeal to potential leads, so why not your LinkedIn profile? While you don’t want your profile page to appear like an ad (that might read a little too inauthentic to your prospects), you should be taking subtle steps to design it for lead appeal. This includes putting your value proposition front and center, and yes, even some light keyword optimization. Make sure your company information is easily accessible so that when people check out your profile, they know exactly what it is you do and what company... --- ### Social Media Tips to Help You Strike Gold > There're small things you can do that will lead to a big impact on social media. Here are some things you can do to strike luck on social media. - Published: 2021-03-03 - Modified: 2024-09-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-tips/ - Categories: Social Media Why do some companies seem to thrive on social media while others don’t? There’s a little bit of luck involved, of course, but social media magic is also something that you have to make happen on your own. As of the first quarter of 2020, there were more than 4. 2 billion active social media users — a growth of 490 million users from twelve months prior. That’s 53 percent of the world’s population — and as of 2019, that number included: 90. 4 percent of Millennials 77. 5 percent of Generation X 48. 2 percent of Baby Boomers With so much of your audience likely engaging on social media, you can see just how big the potential pot of gold is. While there are plenty of significant things you should be doing to get your audience to engage (i. e. , regular postings, original content sharing, strategic paid ads, etc. ), there are also small things you can do to get more from your strategy. In this article, we’ll examine those small things and offer simple tips for creating more magic across your brand’s social media channels. Helpful Social Media Tips X (Formerly Twitter) Tweet at other brands. To get them to engage, try tweeting at a company about an article they wrote. Be specific and focus on building a friendly rapport. It could lead to useful cross-promotion or even a webinar or co-branding opportunity. Post a weekly poll. Utilize X's built-in poll feature regularly for a super quick... --- ### Betting Big: 3 Keys To Employee Retention in Times of COVID-19 > Retaining skilled employees will help you stay afloat during these trying times. Here’s how to improve employee retention during COVID-19. - Published: 2021-03-02 - Modified: 2021-03-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-retention-covid-19/ - Categories: Small Business The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a record-breaking rate of unemployment. This, in turn, has created something of a buyer’s market where power has shifted from workers to employers. Companies had to lay off workers, cut salaries, and reduce benefits to keep their operations running. This trend has had an enormous knock-on effect on the economy, which had only recently begun to bounce back. KPMG recently conducted a survey to demonstrate how many businesses are battling with employee retention during the pandemic. The company surveyed CEOs to identify their top priorities at the time. Just one percent of those surveyed dubbed ‘talent risk’ as the largest risk on their minds pre-COVID. It’s now the largest risk overall, however, with a whopping 21 percent of CEOs agreeing. Businesses that aim to retain their talented staff are being urged to supply new and innovative tools to keep workers connected, up-skilled, and engaged during COVID-19 and beyond. The Influences of Remote Work With so many organizations embracing remote work, new employees no longer need to relocate to assume a role. Geographical location is no longer a hindrance, and businesses are competing for talent from across the globe. Likewise, talented job seekers have more opportunities available, as they can remotely work online. Employers may hold more power right now due to high unemployment rates, but workers who have far more choice over who they work for counterbalances this. Additionally, workers’ expectations have shifted dramatically amidst the pandemic. Professionals expect more from their employers than... --- ### The Small Business Guide to Paid Advertising > A strategy like paid advertising can be overwhelming, confusing, and challenging to manage — particularly if it’s not your area of expertise. - Published: 2021-02-25 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-guide-paid-advertising/ - Categories: Marketing As a small business owner, you’re managing operations, customer service, account management, and not to mention everything regarding sales and marketing. Are you sure you’re not a superhero? Small business owners are doing it all. Even with the assistance of an in-house advisor or an outsourced marketing team, it’s still ultimately your responsibility to know what’s going on and why, especially when it comes to your marketing strategies and paid advertising. A strategy like paid advertising can be overwhelming, confusing, and challenging to manage — particularly if it’s not your area of expertise. This quick guide to paid advertising includes the essentials you need to know to ensure you’re not wasting your time or money. Why You Should Consider Paid Ads At face value, it might seem like you can opt-out of paid ads entirely. After all, you can obtain massive reach with organic content marketing and SEO. With all the free SEO tools out there and cost-efficient content creation, these efforts aren’t going to empty your pockets. But paid ads have a lot to offer, too, and most marketers are already on board. In fact, 80 percent of marketers are making room in their budgets for various paid advertisements. There’s good reason for this. For starters, paid ads are great for brand awareness, and the traffic that they bring your way is more likely to lead to conversions than those from organic advertising. Then there’s the fact that while content and SEO marketing have huge potential, it’s also hugely... --- ### Fall in Love with Marketing All Over Again With These Fresh Strategies > Have you lost that lovin feeling with marketing? Maybe it's time to spice things up a bit. Here are some fresh marketing strategies to try. - Published: 2021-02-24 - Modified: 2022-09-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/fresh-marketing-strategies/ - Categories: Marketing Have you found that your passion for marketing has fizzled recently? We’ve got just the thing to re-ignite your marketing love affair! It’s totally normal to get bored of doing the same old, same old with your marketing campaigns. But if you’re getting bored, imagine how your audience feels. Mixing things up is a great way to make things exciting again, but it’s also the key to more engagement from your key audience. We’re sharing some creative spins on tried and true marketing tactics to help you fall in love with your marketing efforts all over again — and to help you generate, nurture, and convert more leads. Grab a box of chocolates (heart-shaped preferred) and dig into these crafty ideas for kicking your emails, social media, and content marketing up a notch. How to Keep the Marketing Spark Alive Email Marketing Ideas Done well, email marketing can have a major impact on the success of your overall marketing plan. Done poorly, it can be a waste of time for you and your leads and negatively impact your email deliverability. Perk up your performance with these email marketing tactics designed to keep the clicks coming. Progress updates. Raising funds for a good cause? Getting ready to launch a new product? Keep your audience informed with newsworthy progress emails. These will continually renew interest in what you’re doing while making subscribers feel personally invested in the outcome. They’re a great way to incorporate fun copy and visuals and showing the exciting... --- ### How to Prioritize SEO in Your Content Creation Process > When you're creating content, it's important think of SEO at every stage of creation. Here are some tips to ensure you do. - Published: 2021-02-23 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/prioritize-seo-in-your-content-creation/ - Categories: Content Marketing Sixty-eight percent of online experiences begin with a search engine. So if you want to make sure that your content is in the right place at the right time, you have to be thinking about SEO at every single stage of the content creation process. SEO — or search engine optimization, for the uninitiated — is a marketing strategy designed to increase your content’s visibility and organic reach. It also helps ensure that your content ends up in front of the right audience. Keyword and keyword research are a big part of SEO, and they’re usually what we think of first when the term comes up. But there are more ranking factors to be aware of, including the security, accessibility, and loading speed of your website, your content’s mobile-friendliness, and links, both internal and external. In terms of content creation, being aware of SEO from the start is a good idea if you want to grow your reach and tap into a bigger audience. But don't feel like you have to outsource your SEO. Where here to help you do it with a quick step-by-step guide for ensuring your content ranks. Step 1: Ideate Your Content SEO plays a big role in what you decide to write about. Stick to topics that are relevant to your brand and that you have some presumed authority to speak on. Not only will this help your content perform better, but it will also help you connect with higher-quality prospects. Build a mind map,... --- ### Marketing Automation and CRM: a Match Made in Heaven > Few things go together as well as marketing automation and CRM. They're a match made in heaven, which is why an all-in-one solution is key. - Published: 2021-02-18 - Modified: 2021-10-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-and-crm-match-made-in-heaven/ - Categories: Marketing Automation When it comes to iconic couplings, we’ve got Beyonce and Jay-Z, peanut butter and chocolate, and... marketing automation and CRM. Yes, just like the perfect matches that have come before them, sparks fly when marketing automation software meets small business CRM. How do we know? Because this collaboration is the edge that gives our platform the ability to bring small businesses more and better marketing capabilities (as well as achieve a better work-life balance) — and we’ve seen firsthand what a difference that can make. Having CRM software integrated into your marketing automation platform is a best of both worlds scenario. Once you use it, you won’t know how you ever survived without it. Here’s why these two tools work so well together and why they really are each other’s better half. What do CRM and Marketing Automation Tools do? Before you can look at the reasons behind why CRM software and marketing automation software complement each other so well, you have to look at what each of these tools brings to the table on their own. CRM Customer relationship management software tracks and stores customer data. It provides your sales reps with important information about prospects, clients, and their history and relationship with your brand. Your business’s CRM platform comes in handy in a lot of different situations, but it’s primarily about providing each customer (potential and otherwise) with the smoothest possible journey through the funnel. Examples of the types of information that your CRM makes easily accessible for... --- ### HubSpot vs. WordPress - Which is a Better Fit for Agencies? > When it comes to content management for agencies, which is the better solution, HubSpot or WordPress? Here are the pros and cons of each. - Published: 2021-02-17 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hubspot-vs-wordpress-for-agencies/ - Categories: Agencies There are a lot of decisions that you have to make when you’re running a marketing agency. Some of them are easy; some of them not so much — and we think that choosing your CMS platform probably falls in the second category. Both HubSpot and WordPress provide backend software that agencies can use to build and maintain their websites. But there are a lot of differences that you need to consider if you’re deciding between the two, particularly when it comes to cost efficiency and ease of use. How do you break it all down? We’ve put together a helpful comparison of HubSpot vs. WordPress for you so that your agency can simplify the decision-making process and more easily see the differences between the two platforms. What Is a CMS? HubSpot and WordPress both fall under the designation of CMS — a. k. a. content management systems. A content management system is a platform where you can build and manage your website, including blog hosting, online lead generation forms, and SEO. Download our SEO Checklist to ensure your website is optimized for search. It’s really no longer an option to opt-out of having a website entirely (especially as a marketing agency that wants to help their own clients achieve digital supremacy). Instead, you need to be evaluating your available CMS options and choosing which one is most closely aligned with your marketing budget and your needs. There are countless CMS platforms out there for you to consider. We’ve narrowed... --- ### Benchmark Acquires Popular Contact Management App, Contacts+ > We're pleased to announce that Benchmark has added a contact management app to our family of sales and marketing software - Contacts+. - Published: 2021-02-11 - Modified: 2021-02-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benchmark-acquires-contact-management-app-contacts/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News We're pleased to announce that Benchmark has added a contact management app to our family of sales and marketing software. Contacts+ is a contact management solution with apps for desktop and mobile that allows professionals, teams, and small businesses to store and sync contacts across devices, scan business cards, and clean contact data. Contacts+ is closely aligned with Benchmark's vision of igniting relationships with simple sales and marketing tools. With this acquisition, we'll continue to provide Contacts+ customers with amazing support and add development resources to continue to refine the app. We'll also be exploring ways to leverage Contacts+ technology to help users connect more intelligently and efficiently with their contacts in Benchmark Email and BenchmarkONE. In addition to the Contacts+ platform, we are welcoming key team members from Contacts+ with leadership and experience in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and mobile app development. The added talent will drive innovation as we continue to grow Contacts+, Benchmark Email and BenchmarkONE. This is an exciting opportunity to help small businesses keep the focus on building relationships and we're delighted to welcome Contacts+ into the fold. You can read all about the acquisition here on the Benchmark Email blog. --- ### 5 New Sales Tactics to Try This Year > There's a lot to make up for from 2020. This year, try some new sales tactics that are sure to turn things around. - Published: 2021-02-11 - Modified: 2021-02-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/new-sales-tactics/ - Categories: Sales The pandemic brought a lot of business sales strategies - and outcomes - to a screeching halt. This year, it’s all about finding ways to get back in motion again — which includes seeking out new tactics that will help boost sales and make up for lost revenue. In many ways, 2020 created a new reality for businesses, one centered around remote decision making and digital transactions. And surprisingly (or perhaps unsurprisingly, depending on how your business operated before), brands saw that customers were eager to make the transition. Source This means that an effective sales tactic in 2021 may look a little different. It should capitalize on this new reality, going with the flow instead of fighting against the tides. If a sales team is to be successful, they have to be adaptable. With that in mind, we’re exploring some of the major trends of the moment — and five sales tactics that will help you make the most of them this year. 1. Make a Bigger Investment in Video Video is one of the best alternatives to person-to-person product tours and demos — especially when multiple decision-makers are standing between your sales rep and a done deal. The growing popularity of the remote sales process suggests that customers not only like having the flexibility to move through the funnel at their own pace, they prefer it. Give them the freedom to do so by producing a series of videos on topics like how your product or service works... --- ### How the COVID Vaccine Will Affect Your Business > Everyone is talking about the COVID vaccine and when things will "go back to normal." But what does the COVID vaccine mean for business? - Published: 2021-02-10 - Modified: 2021-02-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-the-covid-vaccine-will-affect-your-business/ - Categories: Small Business The world is a buzz about the various COVID vaccinations currently being developed and distributed. What’s more, there currently appears to be improvements in U. S. COVID numbers. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, and we’re all extremely hopeful that this horrific pandemic will soon be behind us. And while it’s true that the rollout has experienced some hiccups, business owners should still be giving a lot of thought to what vaccination will mean for us in the future. We’ve all become quite accustomed to doubling down on strategies, trying new methods to reach customers, and operating with limited staff at full capacity. While it may seem like that’s just business as usual for most small operations, the truth is we’ll all be pretty relieved once we’ve turned the corner. But that relief won’t come swiftly unless we’re fully prepared and know what to expect. To make up for lost time and hit the ground running when protocols and practices shift, there are some things small businesses should keep in mind. In this blog post, I’ll outline some of the major areas that will be affected by a vaccine rollout, as well as how your small business can prepare. In-Person Events Will Make a Comeback There’s been a huge shift to going digital for networking events and conferences. While it’s been extremely convenient and safe, once the vaccine becomes commonplace in-person events will most definitely resume. Working out travel logistics and keeping a closer eye on rescheduled... --- ### 10 Awesome Social Media Tools to Try This Year > Make your social game stellar this year. Here are ten social media tools we highly recommend incorporating into your strategy this year. - Published: 2021-02-04 - Modified: 2021-07-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-tools-to-try-this-year/ - Categories: Social Media Managing social media shouldn’t be a pain, and it shouldn’t monopolize your entire schedule. Social media platforms are meant to be a fun new way to engage with others within your network. When you apply the right strategies, you can grow your following organically, which can impact your entire business. It never hurts to have a robust toolkit that will help ensure you’re doing all you can to be creative and that you’re engaging with your audience in the best possible ways. So, we’ve rounded up some of the best social media tools that will help you be as captivating as possible on your social platforms. Without further ado, here are some sweet social media apps and programs that you’ll want to add to your toolbox this year. 1. Content Studio Everybody knows that when it comes to getting traction on the Internet, quality content that people want to consume is the way to go. The problem is, when you’re a busy entrepreneur or business owner, finding the time to create and curate great content can be quite the challenge. Content Studio, a tool that allows you to quickly discover relevant and timely content to share socially with your audience, is a wonderful remedy to this conundrum. You can also use the platform to schedule your posts and automate your campaigns. It’ll even recommend images and hashtags. How easy is that? Pricing: Starts at $49 a month. 2. Insense Interested in influencer marketing but unsure of where and how to... --- ### 20 Articles On CRMs: What They are and How They Benefit your Marketing and Sales Strategy > Looking for tons of intel on CRMs? Look no further. We collected all our articles on CRMs, breaking down what they and everything in between. - Published: 2021-02-03 - Modified: 2021-02-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/articles-on-crms/ - Categories: CRM Staying organized isn’t as easy as you’d think. There’s always a call to hop onto or an email that pops up, causing you to drop what you’re doing and move on to the next thing. Keeping track of your to-do list, your important contacts, and your completed tasks feels more like a chore than part of the job. Which is why having a CRM is an invaluable resource. CRMs not only help you achieve work-life balance, but they also keep track of your customer data, track your leads, what stage they are in the buyer’s journey, how they’re engaging with your website and email content, and help your company grow. CRMs were designed to enable sales teams, but they can influence just about every department of your company when used correctly. Ensuring you’re using them to their fullest potential requires some assistance, so we wrangled up all our best blog posts on CRMs for you to check out. See below for all the CRM resources you can handle. 1. 5 Ways a CRM Can Improve the Customer Experience Used correctly, a CRM can help you leverage valuable insights to create and deliver incredible customer experiences that will keep people coming back time and time again. Learn the various ways a CRM will help you improve the experience of your customers. 2. 8 CRM Stats That Will Help You Get Company Buy-In Are you sold on a CRM but need some additional help persuading your other team members? Check out these... --- ### Small Steps K12 Schools Can Take To Go Digital > The world has gone digital. But K12 school districts are behind the curve. Here's a simple guide for how to go digital. - Published: 2021-02-02 - Modified: 2021-02-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/k12-schools-go-digital/ - Categories: K12 In the pre-pandemic world, the idea of taking efficient steps toward going digital probably wasn’t a top concern for most K12 schools. And while the future of communication is going digital, it’s hard to prioritize it when it's already a struggle to get parents engaged digitally. Fast forward to the present, where most of us are working from home and relying heavily on digital tools to help us stay connected. Embracing the digital landscape is now a must, both for adapting to pandemic protocols and in preparing for whatever might be next on the horizon. Of course, K12 educators and communicators already have a lot on their plates, and adding the need for a complete digital transformation can be tough to prioritize. But the world doesn’t wait, and neither can school districts. To help ease k12 communicators into this transition, we’re sharing small steps they can take toward going digital, along with actionable tips that even the busiest education professional can implement. 1. Bring Your Newsletter Online We recently surveyed K12 school communicators about how newsletters function at their institution. Most of the respondents said they’re sending digital newsletters and sending them out via email. However, there is still a portion who are printing out newsletters and mailing them or sending them home with students. This practice poses issues. Sending newsletters home with students doesn’t guarantee that the parents will actually receive them in a timely manner, if at all. And if you mail your newsletters, the information they cover... --- ### Everything You Need to Know About Sales Prospecting > Successful sales comes down to how well you prospect. Here's everything you need to know about effective sales prospecting. - Published: 2021-01-27 - Modified: 2021-01-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-prospecting/ - Categories: Sales You can’t have a sales funnel without leads. While we often talk about client retention being the big money maker for your business, there’s no denying the importance of maintaining a steady stream of new prospects. Sales is an ever-changing enterprise, and this has been particularly true in 2020. To succeed with your goals, it’s crucial that you use all of the tools you have at your disposal to capture new leads and nurture them into customers. And sales prospecting is a big part of that. More than 40 percent of sales professionals cite prospecting as the most challenging part of their job, even more so than closing deals (36 percent) and qualifying leads (22 percent). But because at least 50 percent of your prospects aren’t going to turn into customers, it’s crucial that you’re constantly working to bring new prospects into the fold. There’s a lot depending on getting sales prospecting right. So what’s it all about? Here's a quick guide to sales prospecting to get you started, including the key tactics you need to know to excel at it. What is Sales Prospecting? Sales prospecting refers to any action that you take with the specific goal of finding new potential customers for your product or service. More so, it’s about finding the most qualified prospects, setting your sights on the people and businesses who are most likely to benefit and engage with what you’re selling. It’s probably not a big surprise then that so many sales reps consider... --- ### 6 Tips for Generating and Converting More Leads This Year > 2020 left us with a lot to make up for. To make 2021 the year of success, here are some key tips for generating and converting more leads. - Published: 2021-01-26 - Modified: 2021-01-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/generating-and-converting-more-leads-this-year/ - Categories: Sales The end of a year — and the start of a new one — always puts sales top of mind. It’s your last chance to achieve any goals that you set for yourself, as well as to set the bar you’re aiming for in the future. It’s the best time to think about which tactics have been a big win for you and what sorts of things you might want to add to your repertoire moving forward. 2020 was rough, and many small businesses didn’t meet their sales and marketing goals. If you’re one of them, you know that in order to keep your business afloat, always looking for new and creative ways to evolve, expand, and keep the money coming in makes all the difference. Small businesses are near and dear to us, and we’re focusing some content on how to help them tackle their sales issues head-on. Part of doing so is building a new sales pipeline that focuses on different approaches that will yield as much return as possible. Another is ensuring you’re prospecting efforts are thorough and well-executed. But another large component to turning sales around is doing everything you can to generate and convert those on-site visitors. When you execute your external efforts the right way, you’ll generate tons of traffic back to your site, and you’ll want to capitalize on that traffic. So as we look ahead, here are some of our best ideas for generating and converting more of your leads in the... --- ### 6 Great SEO Tools to Try in 2021 > Braving a pretty brutal storm can definitely give you some perspective. It shows you what really matters and convinces us that we should spend our time a - Published: 2021-01-21 - Modified: 2022-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-tools-2021/ - Categories: Marketing Braving a pretty brutal storm can definitely give you some perspective. It shows you what really matters and convinces us that we should spend our time a little more wisely. After the year we’ve had, we might as well live it up a little bit, right? It’s time to take a chance. Make 2021 the year you try new strategies, check out some different tools you haven’t considered before, and improve in the areas you’ve been having issues in. SEO seems to be something most marketers struggle with – a puzzle that can’t be solved. It’s intimidating and technical, and algorithms are constantly changing, making it seem that any progress you make is bound to be short-lived. When it comes to SEO, there’s so much we know we want to achieve, but we just haven’t gotten around to it. Well, now’s the time, and there's no need to outsource. No more putting off your SEO strategy to focus on other tasks and initiatives. If 2020 has proved anything to the business world, it’s that online shopping and searching isn’t going anywhere, so it’s crucial to get a firm grasp on your business’s SEO if you want to thrive in this market. It’s time to be smarter about bringing your business to your consumers. You don’t need to do this all on your own, however. There are some great SEO tools to check out that will help you take a step in the right direction. I’ve outlined a few here that... --- ### The School Communicator’s Guide to an Email Marketing Strategy > So much goes into an effective email marketing strategy. And for k12 communicators, it can be an overwhelming indeavor to accomplish. - Published: 2021-01-20 - Modified: 2021-01-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/school-communicators-guide-to-email-marketing/ - Categories: K12 Email marketing may seem like just one more thing on your to-do list if you’re an educator (and we know that to-do list is a long one). But it’s essential that you have a firm understanding of how it’s beneficial in order to effectively keep parents and community members involved and in the know. Email is one of the best tools at your disposal for connecting with your network. To make it work for you, though, you have to follow a few best practices. Here are some tips to help you put together an email marketing strategy that gets the job done. 1. Create a Documented Content Plan The way you approach marketing in the education space isn’t really all that different from how marketing is approached in retail, hospitality, or any other seemingly unrelated sector. In all cases, it’s important to know who the audience is for your outreach and what you’re trying to achieve — plus how you intend to achieve it. A content plan will help you take a high-level view of your email marketing efforts and narrow in on what needs to get done and when. There are a few different sections you’ll need to tackle in order to complete it, but trust us, it’s worth taking the time if it means your emails make more of an impact. Establish Who Your Audience Is The first step is done by creating personas for each type of person you may be reaching out to — for example,... --- ### How to Build a New Sales Pipeline During a Pandemic > Selling during a pandemic is hard. But building out your sales pipeline can help ensure you're doing everything you can to meet sales goals. - Published: 2021-01-19 - Modified: 2021-01-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/new-sales-pipeline/ - Categories: Sales Selling during a pandemic is extremely difficult. Obviously, there are more important matters happening, however, small businesses still have goals to meet, and creating revenue is a necessity if they want to survive once the fog has cleared. When March hit, companies had to throw their original sales plans out the window and quickly figure out a way to adapt to the unexpected disruption COVID-19 presented. Many months later, brands still haven’t totally figured it all out. If you’re still struggling to find your sales footing, know that you aren’t alone. To continue to thrive, though, maybe it’s time to take a look at adjusting not only your sales process, but also your sales pipeline. And while we know there are no guidebooks to follow for how to sell effectively during a global pandemic, we do have some ideas for you to try that are sure to get you moving in the right direction. Put Sales and Marketing Automation to Work First up in your new pipeline: a plan for incorporating sales and marketing automation, if you haven’t already. There are a lot of benefits to automating these core processes, but right now, it really comes down to their utility in helping you engage with people online, as well as their ability to help you quickly adapt when the time calls for it. Here are some specific functions an automation software (like BenchmarkONE) helps you achieve: Easily create and send emails Manage your sales follow-up through tasks and reminders Organize... --- ### Client Retention vs. Customer Acquisition: Which Should You Focus On More? > Let's do a deep dive into the differences between client retention and customer acquisition, including why both are important. - Published: 2021-01-14 - Modified: 2021-01-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/client-retention-vs-customer-acquisition/ - Categories: Sales When it comes to yearly revenue, two sources are the big focus: client retention and customer acquisition. But which matters more for your bottom line and the overall success of your company? We all know that it’s important to diversify your marketing efforts, and that includes not just your deliverables but your desired outcomes. But the how and why behind each focus matters a lot — and it’s important to understand the differences between the two. In this article, we’ll do a deep dive into the differences between client retention and customer acquisition, including why you need to set your sights on both if you want to meet (and maybe even exceed) your marketing and sales expectations. What is Customer Acquisition? Customer acquisition should definitely be one of your 2021 marketing goals. It’s the active process of gaining new customers for your brand, or more specifically, converting leads and prospects into paying customers. Of course, the goal with customer acquisition isn’t just to find new customers but to find new brand loyalists. A customer who makes one decent sized purchase and then disappears isn’t nearly as valuable as a customer who makes continuous purchases, even if those purchases themselves are smaller. As such, effective customer acquisition methods have to be multi-faceted to pull in the most qualified leads and bolster brand integrity from the get-go. What is Client Retention? Client retention refers to marketing practices that are optimized to engage with existing customers and drive them toward additional conversions. It’s... --- ### How BenchmarkONE's Free Plan is Better Than HubSpot's > BenchmarkONE just released a new, free plan. Let's discuss why it's a better solution for small businesses than HubSpot's free tools. - Published: 2021-01-13 - Modified: 2022-09-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benchmarkone-free-plan/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Selecting the right marketing automation software shouldn’t be like trying to solve a confusing and complex math equation. You also shouldn’t have to spend an arm and a leg to get the right tools to grow your small business. Marketing platforms come in many different shapes and sizes. When you find one that’s straightforward, it’s like finding gold. It’s even better if that platform is 100 percent free. But, there are a lot of options out there. It can be easy to head straight for the one that is well-known or widely used. While HubSpot is a marketing automation industry leader, that doesn’t mean it’s the right solution for your small business. And even though HubSpot offers some free tools, that doesn’t mean those tools don’t come with additional costs in order to be effective. BenchmarkONE just released a new plan built with small businesses in mind – our Free Forever plan. With this plan, we aimed to give small businesses access to features that keep them competitive, help them achieve their marketing and sales goals, and provide them with a simple solution that won’t eat up their budget. Let’s dive into how our Free Forever plan differs from HubSpot’s free tools, and why ultimately, BenchmarkONE is a better fit for your small business. Content Management HubSpot’s CMS hub has a list of free tools, which include a blog and website pages. However, if you use HubSpot’s marketing automation tool, you must also use its CMS, as it does not... --- ### Embrace Your Niche for More Impactful Content Marketing > Your content marketing strategy should be built on sharing your unique insights. Here's how embracing your niche leads to great content. - Published: 2021-01-12 - Modified: 2021-01-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-niche/ - Categories: Content Marketing When we’re young, we’re taught that being unique is a good thing. We’re encouraged to embrace it, and often it’s those unique qualities that end up defining who we are and what we develop an interest in. But then we grow up. Becoming an adult means becoming practical. Whatever whimsical activity or hobby struck your fancy as a child was gradually pushed aside to make room for skills that would serve you in the future. But not for small business owners. I like to consider small business owners people who never fully grew up. That’s not to say they aren’t mature (quite the opposite, actually). They just never lost sight of the endeavors that brought them joy, no matter how non-traditional or risky they were. Embarking on your own adventure, which is how many view starting their own business, comes with many hurdles, struggles, and uncertainties. But when you know what you’re good at and what you’re passionate about, it makes embracing the unfamiliar extremely worth wild. The same mentality should be applied to content marketing. Content marketing is a cost-effective strategy that can do wonders for small businesses. However, it is seldom that small business owners and teams see exactly what they’re looking for from their efforts. Why is that? A lot of it is due to small business owners performing the jobs of at least ten people. It’s hard to focus on content and see the results you’re after when you have a business to run, people to... --- ### Small Business Remote Work: How to Embrace It > With the pandemic, small businesses have shifted to a remote work environment. But have you truly embraced it? Here's how you can. - Published: 2021-01-07 - Modified: 2021-01-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-remote-work/ - Categories: Small Business Remember when working from home was a novelty? Ten months since the beginning of the pandemic and when many of us switched to remote work, yet there’s still no sign that most of us will be returning to the office soon. While we might have come to terms with how the typical workplace will look in the future and the realities of the work from home life, that doesn’t mean we’ve fully embraced it or found our groove. This current landscape is especially hard for small businesses. Any threat to their ecosystem can lead to lay-offs or closed doors. And changing up the standard workplace dynamic can shake the foundation a little harder than it would for larger corporations. So to help ease you along, we’ve put together our best tips for small businesses and employees attempting to lean into working from home and embrace its benefits — instead of getting discouraged by its drawbacks. Tips For Transforming Your Business to Remote Find Your New Routine It’s never easy to change routines overnight. But now that you’ve had some time to settle in, you should probably have a good idea of what’s working for you and your team and what isn’t. Encourage your team to hold on to what they find beneficial, particularly when it comes to the things that help put them in the right headspace to get their to-do list accomplished. Also, ask yourself whether there is anything you’re doing that is no longer helping, and therefore would... --- ### PRESS RELEASE: BenchmarkONE Launches The Free Forever Plan > BenchmarkONE, a leading SaaS provider of sales and marketing solutions for SMBs, announces the launch of the Free Forever plan. - Published: 2021-01-06 - Modified: 2021-01-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benchmarkone-free-forever-plan/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News St. Louis, MO – January 6, 2021 – BenchmarkONE, a leading software as a service provider of sales and marketing solutions for SMBs, today announces the launch of the Free Forever plan. The Free Forever plan gives users access to a robust contact management and email marketing platform at no cost. With features such as marketing automation and landing pages, small business owners have everything they need to execute on a comprehensive marketing strategy using BenchmarkONE’s easy-to-use all-in-one platform. “Our team felt that there was no better time to launch a free plan for small business users,” said BenchmarkONE CEO Jonathan Herrick. “We’ve been hard at work building a system that will allow users to reap the benefits of contact management and marketing automation without the hefty price tag or steep learning curve. ” BenchmarkONE’s Free Forever plan is a scaled-back version of the full CRM platform – perfect for businesses looking to keep track of and stay in touch with prospects and customers. “The challenges of 2020 have left many businesses with scaled back teams and budgets,” Herrick said. “Small businesses are the foundation of our economy, and our hope is that the Free Forever plan can alleviate many sales and marketing hurdles. It’s never been more important to give SMBs the tools they need to succeed and prosper in the year ahead. ” Additional Resources: Sign up for BenchmarkONE’s Free Forever plan here. Request an instant demo or interactive tour of BenchmarkONE here. About BenchmarkONE BenchmarkONE helps SMBs... --- ### What Should My 2021 Small Business Marketing Goals Be? > Start 2021 off right so you can crush it the rest of the year. Here are seven small business marketing goals and how you can achieve them. - Published: 2021-01-05 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/2021-small-business-marketing-goals/ - Categories: Small Business Most people start a small business because they have a great idea or a passion for a certain product or service. But that alone isn’t enough to run a successful company. You have to wear a lot of hats as a small business owner, including some that you might not have anticipated. And like it or not, that includes being a marketing strategist. With all the curve balls 2020 threw at us, it’s understandable to want to turn things around this year. Whatever marketing and sales setbacks you experienced or small business mistakes you made, you’re ready to wipe the slate clean and focus on bigger and better goals to follow through with. There’s nothing like making up for lost time, and in 2020, a lot of us lost a lot of time. Here’s the good news: you can absolutely turn things around this year. Let’s address the overarching marketing goals that you should be aiming for and some specific tactics to implement that will help you meet them. Are you ready to crush it this year? Goal #1: Increase Sales Okay, this one is probably pretty obvious, right? But setting your sights on increasing sales isn’t just about doing better than last quarter or last year. Instead, you should be quantifying an actual percent increase that you want to achieve based on past performance and market conditions. It’s completely fine to aim big (and you should! ), but make sure that it’s a goal you think you can actually... --- ### How to Prioritize Email Newsletters and Send Them Consistently > Neglecting your email newsletters means you're missing out on opportunities to nurture, engage, and stay top of mind with your customers. - Published: 2020-12-30 - Modified: 2020-12-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/prioritize-email-newsletters/ - Categories: Email Marketing With so many things to do in a day, it can be easy to lose sight of the value of creating and sending email newsletters. But newsletters have a ton of utility, especially for small businesses looking to make a big impact without the advantages of a big budget. Among B2B marketers, 40 percent say that email newsletters are critical to their success, and a whopping 79 percent find newsletters to be the most successful channel for distributing content. When used consistently, newsletters can serve as an essential tool for lead nurturing, moving prospects through the inbound funnel and closer to a sale. They can also help you stay top of mind with your audience so that when they’re ready to make a decision, your company is the first one they think of. There are so many reasons to make email newsletters a priority. So while they might seem like just one more thing on an ever-growing task list, they’re an essential tool that can lead to business growth and an increase in revenue. Here’s how to get the ball rolling — and keep momentum going — with your company’s newsletters. Establish How Often You Want to Send Newsletters There’s no secret formula for deciding how often you should send your newsletters. Instead, the trick is to find the cadence that works best for your unique audience — and what garners the best results. Maybe that’s once a month or once a week. A good place to start is to... --- ### How To Perform Website Maintenance: A Small Business Guide > Routinely performing website maintenance is crucial so it ranks well in search results and provides an optimal experience for your users. - Published: 2020-12-29 - Modified: 2020-12-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/website-maintenance-small-business-guide/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing As a business owner, maintaining your website is just as important as maintaining your books. That’s because a well-functioning website is essential to the customer experience — and to securing new leads and customers. Website maintenance serves a number of key purposes. For starters, it helps ensure that your site is safe and secure and that you’re not accidentally leaving the door open for data breaches or hackers. It’s also critical to how your site operates, with regular updates and audits necessary for making sure that you’re running at full speed and with optimal protocols. Slow, buggy, and non-secure websites are hugely detrimental to your SEO and your ability to grow as a business. Your website is an extension of your small business brand. It can take years for a small business to build adequate brand awareness, and the last thing you want is a slow loading or poorly constructed website setting you back. Performing regular maintenance will allow you to identify any problems in their earliest stages, as well as avoid some of the common website pitfalls that can hold back your brand’s success. So how do you do it? Here are the five steps to follow when you want to perform routine website maintenance. 1. Backup Your Site Before you start tweaking your site, make a backup of it in its current condition so that if you inadvertently make a mistake, you’ll have a reliable copy to fall back on. This often-overlooked step is key to performing any... --- ### Mobile SEO and 6 Things You Need to Know > More and more people are using their mobile devices when searching online. Here are some things you need to know for mobile SEO. - Published: 2020-12-23 - Modified: 2025-04-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/mobile-seo/ - Categories: Mobile Did you know that there are more searches performed every day on mobile devices than desktop computers? You don’t have to look around for very long to notice that people spend quite a bit of time on their phones. And if that’s where your customers are, then you need to be sure that’s where you are. You need to optimize your site from the ground up so they can find you easier and navigate your website with more efficiency. Failure to do so is a huge missed opportunity, one that can end up costing you a lot in both money and growth potential. You may think this is a difficult undertaking, however there's no need to outsource your SEO. In this post, we’re looking at the building blocks behind mobile SEO, including why it’s so important and the steps you need to take to ensure your site is optimized for mobile search. Here’s what you should know. What is Mobile SEO? Mobile SEO refers to a marketing strategy dedicated to optimizing your site for mobile search and navigation. There are a few things that set mobile SEO apart from traditional SEO, including: Ranking factors – Search engines want to know that your site is built to function properly on a mobile device, with ranking factors that include mobile-specific loading speed and page format. Search language – Voice search is the second most popular form of searching on mobile devices, and it comes with its own cadence and best practices. Local... --- ### Achieve Work-Life Balance with a CRM and Sales Automation > Using a CRM and sales automation tool affords you tons of conveniences so you can finally achieve that work-life balance you've been after. - Published: 2020-12-22 - Modified: 2021-02-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/work-life-balance-crm-sales-automation/ - Categories: CRM Is the idea of work-life balance as mythical sounding to you as Santa Claus and unicorns? It’s no secret that the pandemic and the realities that come with Covid-19 have left all of us feeling drained. If you’re working from home with children, you’re probably laughing at the idea of being able to “do it all” (or crying, which is equally understandable). Even if you don’t have little ones at home, the hurdle of mental exhaustion can still seem difficult to overcome. Pre-pandemic, at least two-thirds of Americans lacked work-life balance. Now that our personal lives are blending into our work lives, I’m sure that number has gone up, especially for small business owners. But hitting the elusive goal of achieving work-life balance is necessary now more than ever. So is finding creative ways to work less and live more, regardless of whether your home is also your office. So, as someone who manages your small business's email campaigns, social media, sales efforts, and customer support, what do you do when the work still needs to get done, but you need more balance? You turn to an automation and CRM tool, along with all of the benefits they can afford you. Let’s break down those benefits so you can see what you may be missing out on. Five Benefits of a CRM and Sales Automation Tool Tracks and organizes customer data The work activities that cut so deeply into our “me” time aren’t necessarily the big projects and to-dos. More... --- ### How to Use Content In Your Recruitment Strategy > It's the end of the year, which means you're focusing on your recruitment strategy. Use content to help bring in the best candidates in 2021. - Published: 2020-12-17 - Modified: 2020-12-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-recruitment-strategy/ - Categories: Content Marketing It’s the end of the year, which means it’s time to evaluate how your company fared and what you’ll need to adjust to increase performance next year. It’s a necessary evil if you want to make 2021 more prosperous. The upside? You’re eliminating failed or less-than-impressive tactics to create room in your marketing budget for new approaches that may be more promising. The first underperformers to go are the ones that you're paying out-of-pocket for. You take a gamble when you outsource strategies. You run the chance of not getting what you paid for, which isn’t something you realize until after you’ve committed. If you find yourself in this position, then you’re probably considering hiring someone so you can bring those efforts in-house. Finding a candidate who has the skills to focus on whatever strategy you need could be a better route to take and provide the results you’re after. Before you make any decisions, though, it’s important to understand that finding the right person to fill a job opening is harder than it sounds. On top of securing a candidate with the right amount of experience, you have to make sure they’re knowledgeable about your company, the problem it solves, and that they’re a solid fit culturally. But, how can you ensure your relationship with your new hire is more successful than the one with the outsourced agency they’re replacing? By incorporating content into your recruitment process! Why Content? Content, by nature, is meant to educate. Whether it’s your... --- ### 6 Tips For Actually Unplugging This Holiday Season > You know how important being present during the holidays is. But do you practice it? Here's how to actually unplug for the holidays. - Published: 2020-12-16 - Modified: 2020-12-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/actually-unplugging-this-holiday-season/ - Categories: Small Business This past year has felt like it’s been ten years. As the world continues to persevere through one of the scariest and most troublesome times, a lot of us are looking for a much-needed break. For small business owners, however, the idea of a break is a myth. There’s never a shortage of things to do, and with a pandemic, the to-do list is much longer and more pressing. The stress and demands associated with paying bills, keeping staff employed, and focusing on tactics to increase sales and revenue aren’t going anywhere. But, finding a way to unwind, be with our bubble, and preserve our mental and physical health should be our top priority. Giving ourselves the time we need to detach will help us recharge our batteries and hit the ground running in 2021. It’s true that this holiday season will be very different from those in the past, for various reasons. But my hope is that one of those reasons is because we all truly unplug and focus on just how important the present is. Here are some tips that will help you take a break from work this holiday and get that necessary breather. 1. Check Off the Low Hanging Fruit Segment your to-do list by creating two columns - one for things that are more long-term and one for items that can be accomplished quickly. If there is anything pressing and will get in the way of relaxation time, plan to complete it before you clock... --- ### 5 Things Your Marketing Campaign Could Be Missing if Engagement is Low > Low marketing campaign performance is extremely frustrating. Here are five things your campaigns could be missing if engagement is low. - Published: 2020-12-15 - Modified: 2020-12-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-campaign-engagement/ - Categories: Marketing A lot goes into creating an effective marketing strategy. Whether you work in-house or hire an outside firm, companies need to hire specialists to conduct research, profile customers, set goals, create content, and analyze data — all in the hopes that they will be able to generate leads and, ultimately, increase sales. According to a recent study, companies invest between 10–14 percent of their total annual budget in marketing alone, so it’s important that their marketing campaigns are effective. Engagement is a useful metric for companies looking to ensure that their strategy aligns with their audience’s interest. On top of that, engagement is related to profitability. It helps companies broaden their audience, build trust and loyalty, inspire action, increase brand awareness, and stay in touch with customers. Low engagement could be a sign that you need to improve your digital marketing strategy. If you’re worried about it, here are a few things you could be missing from your marketing campaign: Attention-Grabbing Content Easy-to-Share Features Targeted Audiences Timing A Well-Designed Website 1. Attention-Grabbing Content It’s undeniable — quality content can have a huge impact on your business because it increases brand awareness, boosts site traffic, drives engagement, grows leads, and ultimately, helps you make sales. However, it can be very difficult to create content that your audience wants to engage with. As companies continue to turn out massive amounts of content every day, it’s easy for your work to get lost in the fold. On top of that, most people spend... --- ### 6 Tips for Increasing Engagement With Your K12 Newsletter > It's no good to send a newsletter if no one is reading it. In the k12 sector, increasing newsletter engagement is especially important. - Published: 2020-12-10 - Modified: 2020-12-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/increasing-engagement-k12-newsletter/ - Categories: K12 We’ve heard it before: school communications professionals are frustrated. Sending their district’s email newsletters is like posting a billboard in the middle of a vast desert. No response, no engagement. It’s almost as if they didn’t send anything at all. Concerns over email engagement are nothing new. They don’t discriminate, and they span various industries. However, for the K12 sector, email engagement struggles can be especially frustrating. K12 messaging goes beyond your average marketing email. School communicators aren’t necessarily interested in selling something or converting leads to customers. School newsletters are meant to share important, time-sensitive information. If they go unread, it could lead to more serious issues. Your K12 newsletter doesn’t have to be a lonely, unnoticed billboard in an unresponsive desert. By following these six practices, you’ll see your newsletter engagement metrics soar. 1. Use Marketing Automation Software If you had the choice to make your life easier, wouldn’t you? That’s the beauty of marketing automation software. Not only does it help you organize and segment your contacts so you can keep better track of them, but it enables you to automate your emails. You can be emailing your contacts while you perform your regular day-to-day duties. It’s a win-win for productivity. As K12 communicators, there's tons on your plate and various initiatives to keep track of. Adding email marketing to the list typically results in something else being pushed off. Since you can’t afford to drop the ball, it’s vital to have a cost-effective email marketing solution... --- ### The Value of Writing for Humans in an SEO-Driven World > Writing content with SEO in mind is best practice. However, it's still important to write your conent for the humans who will be reading it. - Published: 2020-12-08 - Modified: 2020-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/writing-for-humans-in-an-seo-driven-world/ - Categories: Content Marketing Google changes its SEO algorithms thousands of times per year— which breaks down to more than once a day. And while most of these changes are small enough to have no significant bearing on search results, some can have game-changing implications. Content marketing teams that write for algorithms rather than readers are doomed to practice in futility. Techniques that are fruitful one day may be completely irrelevant the next, wasting time and money in the process. The only verified way to consistently stay in Google’s good graces? Create high-quality, user-oriented content that provides value and information. It’s important to keep in mind that search engine algorithms are, first and foremost, designed to connect readers with useful, high-quality content. The contest was never to find out who could cram the silliest phrases into a 1,000-word article. Modern SEO practices tend to take a “shotgun” approach, indiscriminately seeking attention wherever it can be had. Unfortunately, this approach can be alienating and disinteresting for readers with a sincere interest in the topics being covered. By focusing on the reader, you’ll not only improve your content, but you can reduce your bounce rate, build links, improve your sharability, and possibly even create recurring revenue by attracting the right kind of readers. Consider What the Search Engines Want Those in search of proof that quality wins the day need only to look to the search engines themselves. In particular, Google has not been shy in its recommendation to value quality above all else in content... --- ### How a CRM Helps Your Company Grow > Your CRM can do wonders for your company, in various different areas. Read our blog post for more on how a CRM leads to company growth. - Published: 2020-12-03 - Modified: 2020-11-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-company-grow/ - Categories: CRM When it comes to sales, it is always a race to the top, and for small businesses, there’s a lot riding on how high those numbers can climb. If you’re lucky and more established, your reputation alone can go a long way towards closing more deals. However, most small businesses out there need to rely on various tools and strategies to get them where they need to be. A small business CRM can be an investment, but it can help your company grow in a myriad of ways that makes that investment totally worth it. By next year, most businesses will be spending the largest portion of their software budgets on CRM systems. And this checks out. By incorporating your CRM into various aspects of your sales process, you can gain the edge to outpace your competitors and win big in today’s market. Your CRM is jam-packed with insightful, valuable information on your customers, and it helps your sales teams organize their deals. If you have an all-in-one CRM, you can automate sales follow-ups and prioritize qualified leads. Your CRM can even help you see what processes aren’t valuable so you can cut down on operation costs and, in turn, focus on boosting revenue. Let’s take a deeper look at all the various ways your CRM can help your small business attain growth. Increases Sales When it comes to sales, time is money. From the time a deal is created, the clock is ticking, and certain sales cycles can take... --- ### When Should Your SaaS Company Update Its Software Packages? > Are you potentially ignoring glaring signs that its time to update your software packages? Here's when you know it's time. - Published: 2020-12-02 - Modified: 2021-07-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/when-to-update-software-packages/ - Categories: Sales Excellent customer retention and increased revenue is the bedrock of most companies. Sure, creating new sales tactics and using content in the sales process can be wonderfully effective approaches. But having reliable income from existing customers provides companies with a sense of ease that cannot be guaranteed with new sales strategies, which is why SaaS companies look to software package updates as a solid tactic to decrease churn and boost sales. Revenue expansion using existing customers is key to increasing monthly recurring revenue. It’s four times cheaper to upsell current clients than to acquire new ones. However, if you get it wrong, you run the risk of increasing your churn rate and hurting your conversion rate. Things move at lightning speed in the SaaS industry. As a software company, you have to be smart about changing or enhancing your packages to address your customer's needs. When should your SaaS company update its software packages? Here are the signs to look for that signal a facelift is needed. Your Audience Has Changed What if you are experiencing a high churn rate or clients aren't upgrading to higher packages? Or worse, what if they're downgrading and you’re simultaneously failing to attract new buyers? If this sounds familiar, one culprit could be that your audience base has changed. Your clients' needs can change over time, making it so that they no longer achieve the desired outcomes using your products. When this happens, tap into your CRM to see who your loyal customers are.... --- ### 7 Writing Tips for Non-Writers > Not everyone is a writer. But your content marketing strategy relies on it, so you have to become one. Here are some writing tips to follow. - Published: 2020-12-01 - Modified: 2020-11-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/writing-tips-for-non-writers/ - Categories: Content Marketing For a lot of us, writing goes hand-in-hand with marketing. From blog content to social media and PPCs ads, writing is simply part and parcel of most marketing strategies — and that can be difficult for anyone who doesn’t consider themselves a skilled or natural writer. The good news is that writing doesn’t have to come naturally for you to produce impactful marketing materials. There are plenty of tricks of the trade that can help you put together compelling and engaging pieces of content, and they’re quite easy to adopt once you know what you’re trying to do. Below, we’ve gathered some of the top writing tips that you should consider as a marketer, all of which can help you become a more productive — and more confident — writer. 1. Put Together a Quick Outline The first step of the writing and content creation process is having something to say. The second step is figuring out how you’re going to say it. An outline can help you organize your thoughts before you start and while you write, and it doesn’t have to be overly long and detailed to be useful. Jot down some of the key points that you want to make as well as any keywords that you want to be sure to include. Taking just a few minutes to do this before you get to work can save you a ton of time during the writing process itself, and it serves as a great tool to check... --- ### How Content Leads to Brand Awareness > It's important to get your brand out there but you don't want to spend a ton of money to do so. Here's how content leads to brand awareness. - Published: 2020-11-25 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-brand-awareness/ - Categories: Content Marketing Every successful small business has to start somewhere. Turning an idea for a product or service into something more requires that you get your brand recognized — which, for many small business owners, is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome. Whether you’re just trying to get off the ground or are on the path to becoming a household name, brand awareness is central to making it happen. And content creation is one of the most cost-effective and scalable ways to do it. It takes an average of five to seven impressions for someone to remember your brand, and the quality of those impressions matters just as much as the quantity. Among consumers, 70 percent say they would rather learn about a company through original content instead of an advertisement. Dollar per dollar, content marketing has been shown to generate three times as many leads as traditional marketing. It certainly doesn’t hurt either that content marketing costs companies 63 percent less than other forms of advertising. Content is a great way to show off your voice and foster likeability and trustworthiness — all of which lead to more customers. Below, we’ll discuss how to create content that leads to brand awareness so you can get off the ground running with your content efforts. The 4 Necessities of Successful Branded Content Effective content doesn’t happen by accident. Here are four essentials that will help guide you to content that converts. 1. Create a Documented Content Strategy Before you can begin to... --- ### The Right Way to Do Keyword Research > Flawless keyword research requires knowing what tools and platforms are out there to assist you. Here's how to do keyword research right. - Published: 2020-11-19 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/keyword-research/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Keyword research is the first step in a well-thought-out and successful SEO strategy. It’s also a huge component of your PPC advertising tactics. Because keyword research is such a determining factor in whether or not prospects discover your business, it’s natural to want to handle it with the utmost of care. But where do you get started, and how can you be sure you’re going about it the right way? Gone are the days of off-the-cuff keyword research. Before you outsource your SEO, check out the steps I’ve outlined for you to tackle keyword research from every angle, ensuring you select the most valuable search terms for your industry and company. The results? Your small business will be found more easily online and be able to generate more qualified leads, more effectively filling your sales pipeline and keeping your business top-of-mind. Let’s get started. 1. Outline Your Objectives In a perfect world, your company’s website would rank first. But, search engine rankings are competitive, and only one site can lock in that spot (there’s also Google’s prized featured snippet position to consider). With so much competition, the stakes are high, so you have to weigh the best options out there for getting you as close as possible to that coveted top spot. If you only care about being at the top, then right off the bat, you may want to consider paid search. Paid ads generally rank in the first few spots within search results. However, Google considers customer satisfaction... --- ### How to Make Sure Your First Sales Hire Is an A-Player > Buidling a sales team? You have to start somewhere. Here's how to ensure your first sales hire is a good one. - Published: 2020-11-18 - Modified: 2020-11-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/first-sales-hire/ - Categories: Small Business Building a sales team is an absolutely critical stage in the growth journey of any small business. In the early days, you might have won a bunch of clients through your existing network and word of mouth. But at some point, you’ll need to get in front of a whole new audience – and you’ll need a sales team to help you do it. Hiring your first salesperson is about more than just finding a fantastic cold caller or a talented email writer. They need to be completely comfortable interacting with and engaging prospects at each stage of the buying process. They need to understand your product inside and out. And they need the entrepreneurial ability to close deals without being able to rely on things that reps at larger organizations would take for granted – things like a tried-and-tested sales cadence, or a ton of marketing collateral, or a quality sales deck. The fact is, not a lot of salespeople are cut out for life at a small business. They might lack the hustle, or drive, or initiative required to get deals over the line for a brand that isn’t well-known in the market. That’s why you need your first sales hire to be a genuine A-player. Here’s how to find them: 1. Preparation is Key Good reps are excellent closers, naturally engaging, and adept at thinking on their feet. So they tend to interview well, which means you need to go way beyond the basics to understand if... --- ### How to Create a Company Blog That's A Go-To Resource > Your company blog is invaluable to your content strategy, as well as your brand awareness and thought leadership. - Published: 2020-11-17 - Modified: 2021-03-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/company-blog-go-to-resource/ - Categories: Content Marketing Your company blog is great for pushing your own content marketing agenda and for providing endless resources to your leads and site visitors. But have you ever considered taking it a step further? There’s a lot of value in building your brand’s thought leadership by thinking beyond your customer. Turning your blog from just a piece within your content strategy to a full-fledged go-to industry resource can be extremely beneficial, particularly as it pertains to increasing your brand’s authority among your peers. And while many marketers solely think of thought leadership in terms of guest content and what they can publish elsewhere, sometimes the best place to start is right on your own site. So, let’s dive into the specifics needed to take your blog from an essential component of your small business marketing plan to a reliable, go-to resource for others within your industry. 1. Designate a Team You’ll need reliable hands on deck to spearhead these efforts, and if you don’t already have a marketing team, it’s time to assemble one. A successful, consistent company blog takes work, coordination, and oversight, along with a regular stream of relevant, high-quality content. There are a few team members I recommend considering: Project Manager - This role serves as the point person for driving each blog post, ensuring that the company blog is consistent in terms of post quality and frequency and meeting the informational needs of your industry and audience. Writer and/or Editor - You’ll want someone with strong writing... --- ### Why Should You Be Using a Marketing Automation Tool? BenchmarkONE Users Weigh In. > We surveyed our users on what they like most about BenchmarkONE. Here's what they said about why you should be using marketing automation. - Published: 2020-11-12 - Modified: 2023-02-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/why-should-you-be-using-a-marketing-automation-tool/ - Categories: Marketing Automation If there was a way to work more efficiently, wouldn’t you do it? Marketing automation comes with an array of competitive advantages, all of them geared toward helping you accomplish more while putting in less work. That can pay off in big ways. According to recent research, 91 percent of marketers who use automation report that it’s crucial to the overall success of their digital marketing endeavors. In fact, 80 percent see an increase in generated leads, and 77 percent see an increase in conversions. Yeah, I’d say it’s crucial, too. While we often talk about automation as the way of the future, in the marketing world, automation is going to task right here and right now. And along the way, it’s offering many tangible benefits when it comes to digital marketing success. Since all marketing automation tools aren’t created equally, we decided to talk to our users directly about the benefits they get from BenchmarkONE. Here’s what they had to say. 1. It Improves Customer and Prospect Follow-Ups When you’re running your own small business, you typically have your hands in everything from marketing and sales to HR and event planning. Juggling all of these balls at one time is notoriously difficult, and it’s understandable that you might end up missing a few opportunities here and there. With BenchmarkONE, our users find that they’re able to better manage those errant balls in the air. Our platform helps you schedule your emails and assign yourself tasks so that no follow-up... --- ### 12 Tips for Upping Your K12 eNewsletter Game > ENewsletters are important for k12 organizations. Make sure that when you send your k12 eNewsletter, you follow these tips to up your game. - Published: 2020-11-10 - Modified: 2021-05-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/k12-e-newsletter/ - Categories: K12 School and/or District Email newsletters can get stale pretty quickly. They tend to become part of the routine, and when that happens, engagement and open rates can suffer big time. As K12 communicators and educators, you’re sharing important information, so it’s crucial that your newsletters not only stay interesting, but that they can hold the attention of your audience. Let’s try and make it easier by sharing some ways you can bring your eNewsletter to the next level. Here are some tried-and-true tips to keep in mind before you hit send. Enjoy! 1. Prioritize Your Banner Image The banner image represents that space at the top of your newsletter. It’s prime real estate because it’s the first thing people see when they open your email. You want to make sure you think hard about what makes sense to put here, as it’s an immediate chance to draw your audience in. It’s always wise to stick to images that align with your school/district branding, are sized appropriately, so there’s no distortion or imbalance, and don’t take up unnecessary space. Tall, fancy banners may look pretty, but they provide no value to your reader if it means they have to scroll down to get to the meat of the email. It’s a good rule of thumb to keep your banner at 250 pixels or less in height, nothing more. 2. Remember, the Clock is Ticking Let’s face it; everything around us is demanding attention nearly 24 hours a day. When it comes... --- ### What Will Typical Workplaces Look Like In 2021? > This year has has changed everything. Many of us are asking, "What will a typical workplace look like in 2021?" - Published: 2020-11-08 - Modified: 2020-11-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/typical-workplaces-2021/ - Categories: Small Business The past couple of years have put unprecedented stress on most businesses around the globe. With the recent COVID-19 outbreak, lockdowns, and a global recession looming large, many organizations are busy redefining the ‘new’ workplace. While this evolution is normal, keeping up with all the economic changes, advancement in technology, and modern workplace trends can be challenging. This article aims to lay out insights on upcoming workplace trends for 2021 and provide actionable advice that helps business leaders refine their internal strategy. 3 Reasons to Improve Your Workplace A good working environment is known to directly impact employees’ productivity and is a significant contributor to your organization’s success. This increases overall employee happiness, boosts morale, reduces absenteeism, and motivates them to deliver positive results. In 2015, it was reported that productivity losses from absenteeism cost U. S. employers $225. 8 billion a year. A positive workplace environment increases employee engagement, which can increase business profitability up to 21 percent. Engaged employees are 17 percent more productive, which in return increases customer ratings by 10 percent. Having an understanding of exactly why you should invest in a positive workplace, paired with a knowledge of upcoming workplace trends, will set your business up for great internal success. Let’s dive into four of the largest workplace trends for next year. 4 Workplace Trends for 2021 1. Remote Work Has the Edge The traditional office-centric approach has long dominated the workplace landscape. However, the Coronavirus pandemic has forced many businesses to adopt remote working.... --- ### How to Write a Social Media Proposal > Looking to land that next client for your social media firm? Here's how to put together a social media proposal. - Published: 2020-11-05 - Modified: 2022-10-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-write-a-social-media-proposal/ - Categories: Agencies Social media isn’t a side job anymore. While it might have once seemed like social media was something that a business could do when and if they had the time, today it’s an integral part of any successful digital marketing strategy and contributes to all areas of your small business. Yet many companies are dropping the ball when it comes to their social initiatives. There are approximately 3. 6 billion people worldwide using social media, and that number is expected to jump to 4. 41 billion by 2025. With so much potential to tap into, businesses need to ace their social game — and that’s where specialized agencies come in. There’s a growing market for agencies providing social media management, and it’s a great field to get into if you’ve got your fingers on the pulse of what it takes to find social success. Working with companies to improve their outreach and outcomes on social media starts with a proposal. If you or your company are offering social management services, make sure that your social media proposals include all of these essential features. Introduction Start your social media proposal by clearly defining the problem you're here to solve, such as a low follower count, poor engagement levels, or a lack of new posts and unique social content. Be sure to put the focus on your client here. The goal is to outline the issues — not to cover what your agency does and why it can provide the right solutions.... --- ### 5 Tips for Combating Declining SEO Rankings > It's never fun to see that your content is no longer ranking in search results. Here are five ways you can combat declining SEO rankings. - Published: 2020-11-04 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/declining-seo-rankings/ - Categories: Content Marketing Search engine optimization is no longer solely about keywords. It encompasses several areas of expertise, which often require a full-fledged SEO team in your corner to address the ins and outs of Google's constantly evolving algorithm. It's no secret that SEO is complicated. When you're ranking well, things are great, but if you begin to see your rankings decline, you may find yourself panicking. But one is for certain: the first and only way to get to the bottom of your declining rankings is to eliminate further setbacks by addressing the issue head-on. Having a backup plan is hugely valuable in times of crisis and can save you plenty of money in the short-term and long-term. Ultimately, SEO is a long-term game, and if you’re scrambling to get your rankings back into tip-top shape, you’ll need a bulletproof strategy, and you don't necessarily need to outsource that strategy. That’s where we step in. Using this guide, we’ll walk you through the five tips you need to know to combat declining SEO rankings and restore your site’s former ranking glory. Tip #1: Optimize Page Speed for High-Traffic Pages Page speed has always been a vital component of SEO analysis, and as an increasing number of businesses shift toward online platform operations, SEO grows more important than ever before. In the most straightforward meaning of the term, page speed refers to how quickly the content on a website loads. You can describe page speed in one of two ways: "page load time"... --- ### How to Create a Winning Sales Process Using Marketing Automation > With COVID doing more than throwing a wrench in our business plans, it's essential that you look at your sales process and make adjustments. - Published: 2020-11-03 - Modified: 2022-01-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-process/ - Categories: Sales I’ll get straight to the point: a lot of businesses are still experiencing slower sales and revenue due to COVID. Businesses around the world are worried about how they’ll fare and what they can do to make things pick back up this year. The reality is, we’ve still got a long road ahead of us. If you’re going to last and see some positive changes, you have to tackle your sales efforts proactively. You may already have a sales process, but it’s time to take a long, hard look at it and adjust. Your sales process isn’t any good if you’re continuing to see sales decline. And even if the reason, like a global pandemic, is out of your control, you have to look at the things you can control. Having a clear-cut set of steps for how things get done helps you navigate your various initiatives and keep your entire team on track. It can also help you streamline your day-to-day for better sales performance. This is key in sales, where even one misstep or inefficiency can mean missing out on a customer. It can take a lot of trial and error to nail down your sales process, especially when you’re just starting out or trying to come back from some very slow months. To save you some time, we’ve put together a couple of recommendations for how to create a seamless sales process and get on the path to a more productive way of doing things so you... --- ### 4 Creative Ways to Use Your CRM to Skyrocket Customer Satisfaction > Your CRM can help you company achieve a lot of different things. But did you know that it can contribute to increased customer satisfaction? - Published: 2020-10-29 - Modified: 2020-10-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-customer-satisfaction/ - Categories: CRM You probably already know marketing automation can help your team save time, improve efficiency, and streamline operations. But you may not realize just how valuable a CRM can be for your entire company. When used effectively, it can help develop relationships, solidify connections, and generate new business opportunities that can lead to tons of growth. In addition to automating routine tasks, there are virtually limitless ways you can leverage your CRM for customization and nurturing. Let’s dive into the various ways you can be using your CRM to bring more value to your customers and increase their satisfaction with your company. Personalized Offers How much better would your chances be of closing a deal with a customer if you were able to personalize your emails, sales, and promotions to meet his or her individual needs, preferences, and buying patterns? People want content that aligns with their needs. They want to feel like they aren’t just one in a million and that the brands reaching out to them know exactly what they want. CRMs are chock-full of valuable information, including customer purchasing history, shopping behaviors, and other data gathered along the customer journey. For instance, over time, your CRM can tell you that Joe Smith has repeatedly purchased a specific type of tennis shoe, and, therefore, would be likely to respond to a promotion you’re running on a similar style. Customizing your campaigns for particular users creates an opportunity for you to provide more relevant experiences, delight your customers, and increase... --- ### 8 Best Marketing Automation Software Programs for Small Businesses > Lead nurture and generation is imperative for small businesses. Which makes having a marketing automation tool imperative, as well. - Published: 2020-10-28 - Modified: 2023-09-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-marketing-automation-software-small-businesses/ - Categories: Small Business It’s hard to admit that you’re not able to do everything yourself, doubly so when you’re a small business owner. Outsourcing is one option, but another is taking advantage of marketing automation software that can take a lot of your busy work and run with it. You simply tell it what needs to be done in a very basic way, and it will continue to perform those jobs until your specified stop date, or until you manually stop them. Sounds pretty great, doesn’t it? You still get to look like you’ve got 12 extra hours in your day, and in reality, you can actually eat your lunch away from your desk on a regular basis. As a small business owner, it’s important to keep nurturing your leads and finding new ones so you can maintain reliable income. The problem is that both of these things are incredibly time-consuming. You may feel like you spend more time marketing than you do running your business. Let’s take a look at some of the best marketing automation tools out there for small businesses so you can determine the right one for your needs, get more done, and see your business thrive. 1. SharpSpring There’s a lot to love about SharpSpring if you’re a marketing consultant or if you have a thriving small business. It offers behavior-based email marketing, CRM integration, blog, and landing page builders and will integrate with tons of the scattered apps you’re using right now. For SMBs, pricing starts at... --- ### Email and CRM: Where Marketing Automation Meets Personal Sales Follow-Ups > Having access to both a CRM and email capabilities allows you to automate your marketing and provide leads with personal follow-up. - Published: 2020-10-27 - Modified: 2020-10-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-crm-marketing-automation/ - Categories: CRM We share a lot of the same goals as our customers, but perhaps the most important one is that we, like you, want to work less and accomplish more. After all, isn’t that what automation is all about? Small business owners are busy people who wear many hats, including marketer, salesperson, product/service provider, HR and customer service rep, and creative director (just to name a few). Finding a balance — let alone finding the time to get everything done — is tricky, which is why most SMB owners seek out all the help they can get with generating more sales and keeping profits on track. Luckily, our CRM and marketing automation tools are designed for just this, helping you check more things off your list faster and without sacrificing the quality of service and care you provide to your clients. If you could use more time in your day to focus on sales (and all of that other stuff), then keep reading to learn about three of the biggest ways our email marketing and CRM platform can come together to help you out. Organize and Track Your Contacts So You Can Learn More About Them Our CRM helps you easily track all previous outreach and engagements with each of your contacts. Instead of digging through your inbox on a futile mission to find dated communications so you can see exactly where you left off with your leads, you get a one-stop-shop for storing contact messages and correspondences. This way, you’re... --- ### 16 Articles to Help With Lead Generation > When it comes to lead generation, we all could use more help. Here are sixteen articles from our blog all about lead generation tips. - Published: 2020-10-22 - Modified: 2022-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/16-articles-to-help-with-lead-generation/ - Categories: Lead Generation Your business cannot thrive unless you have a steady stream of leads coming in. You need leads to feed your inbound marketing strategy, and the more you have, the more chances you have to convert those leads into paying customers. Lead generation will always be a contributing factor to your businesses’ success. It’s important that you are constantly thinking of different strategies so the well doesn’t dry up. We examined our past blog content and found that lead generation is a subject we’ve covered time and time again, and rather thoroughly. So, here’s a roundup of sixteen articles on the topic of lead generation to keep your strategies fresh and those leads coming in. 1. Are You Using the Right Content for Lead Generation? One of the biggest returns you should see from your content marketing efforts is increased leads. But you can’t see your lead number climb unless you’re using the right kinds of content. This blog post breaks down the kinds of content you should be creating that will generate leads for your business. 2. How to Use PopUps To Get Quality Leads Website popup forms are a great way to generate leads, and if you’re using the right marketing automation software, they’re typically easy to implement. This blog post highlights the different types of website popups you should be using and why each is effective. 3. 7 Ways To Convert Your Blog Traffic From Readers Into Leads Are you getting the most out of your blog posts?... --- ### How to Use a CRM to Better Run Your Business > A CRM is an invaluable tool. In fact, it can contribute to every aspect of your business. Read on to learn how. - Published: 2020-10-21 - Modified: 2022-10-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/use-a-crm-to-run-your-business/ - Categories: CRM It isn’t every day that you come across a tool that plays a part in every single aspect of your company. For small business owners, tools like that are highly coveted, as they allow us to keep budgets nimble and our companies running smoothly. Which is why having a small business CRM is crucial. A CRM does a lot to help you track, manage, and engage with your prospects and customers. But it also does so much more. When you know where to look and how to use data correctly, a CRM can inform not just your customer service, sales, and inbound marketing efforts, but all different facets and various departments within your business. So, if you’re interested in keeping your business running smoothly and providing your consumer base with the right products and solutions, look no further than a CRM. Let’s dive into exactly how a CRM touches and assists every department within your business. Marketing The more information you have in marketing, the better you can target the right people with the right content. And your CRM is crucial for making it happen. A CRM keeps track of your prospects and customers by monitoring their behaviors and experiences. From there, you can evaluate this information and look for key patterns, such as which pieces of content your audience is most drawn to and what types of outreach materials garner the most engagement. Think of a CRM as one more tool at your disposal for tracking your marketing performance.... --- ### How Meta Tags Can Dramatically Boost Your Site's SEO > SEO is a complicated business. There are a lot of components that have to be considered for an effective SEO strategy, included meta tags. - Published: 2020-10-20 - Modified: 2022-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/meta-tags-seo/ - Categories: Content Marketing Nowadays, SEO is a complicated business (that people often outsource). Each year brings new guidelines as to what does and doesn't boost your website's performance in search rankings. This means that simpler, more fundamental elements of SEO can be forgotten. One of these elements is meta tags. While meta tags have been around for a while, that doesn't mean they aren't effective when it comes to improving your search ranking. Did you know that 93 Ninety-three percent of online experiences begin with a search engine? When it comes to improving your SEO strategy, it’s essential to focus on the basics and ensure your site is being indexed correctly by Google. That’s ultimately what determines if you’re part of the majority of those online experiences or not. In this article, we'll take a deep dive into meta tags - why you should use them, where you should use them, and best practices for using them. Why You Should Use Meta Tags One of the reasons that meta tags have been somewhat forgotten about in recent years is that they no longer directly impact Google SEO rankings. The Page Rank algorithm no longer pays any attention to meta tags when assessing your page's authority. However, this does not mean that meta tags aren't useful pieces of content. Far from it, in fact. First of all, it's important to understand what meta tags were designed to do. Back before the advent of AI-driven search engines that intelligently read your pages' content, indexing web... --- ### What Should You Be Tracking for Content Marketing ROI? > Sometimes it can be hard to determine if your content marketing efforts are actually working. Here's the ROI you should be tracking. - Published: 2020-10-15 - Modified: 2020-10-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-roi-2/ - Categories: Content Marketing As content has evolved, so has the way we measure the return on investment that we get from it. Back in the early days of content marketing, it wasn’t uncommon for companies to have a set-it-and-forget-it attitude about the pieces that they published. After all, so long as their content was serving in some vague way to increase brand awareness and credibility that was enough — right? Today, we have loftier goals — and higher expectations — for our content, and a lot more ways to track performance, too. There are so many areas that contribute to how successful your content marketing is, and knowing what they are is crucial to ensure you’re getting the most out of your efforts. To help you put everything into perspective, here are some of the most important indicators of just how much of a return you’re getting on your content. Brand Awareness Brand awareness remains a central concern of content marketing, and for good reason. Eighty-nine percent of B2B marketers cite brand awareness as a top content goal, and that’s remained consistent for years. Fortunately, if you’re producing quality content, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting it to boost awareness and steer more eyes in your direction. But measuring brand awareness isn’t as straightforward as one might think. In order to ensure you’re creating brand awareness from your content marketing efforts, make sure you’re asking your marketing team the right questions: Are more people becoming familiar with what it is that you do?... --- ### Five Easy-To-Use Chatbot Tools of 2020 > Chatbots offer more than just trust and less wait time for customers and businesses. Here are some chatbot tools you should look into. - Published: 2020-10-13 - Modified: 2020-10-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/chatbot-tools-of-2020/ - Categories: Marketing When people are able to easily message a business, they’re more likely to trust that business, and this is true around the world. Having the ability to quickly and easily ask questions or request key information means less wait time and quicker transparency. But chatbots offer more than just trust and less wait time for customers and businesses. When done right, website chatbots can help your business meet certain goals and offer specific options for your customers. Plus, they give you the chance to meet online customers in a communication space they already feel comfortable in, improving the customer experience without requiring them to endure long hold times on the phone or wait days for an email response. Chatbots also take massive pressure off sales and customer service teams, freeing them up for work that actually requires human attention. Chatbots aren’t exactly a newfangled idea, so chances are, you’re already familiar with these various benefits chatbots offer. If you aren’t currently using a chatbot tool, it’s likely because there are a ton of options out there and you aren’t sure which one is right for your needs. If this is your struggle, we’re here to help you! Don’t take on the tedious task of sorting the good from the bad alone. Instead, check out our five recommendations. It’s important to note that there is a massive array of chatbot builders for different use cases - from those primed for Twitter DMs to those like Chatfuel that create chatbots just for... --- ### 14 Articles To Help You DIY Your SEO > Implementing an SEO strategy on your own can seem daunting, but it's totally doable. Here are some articles that will help you DIY your SEO. - Published: 2020-10-08 - Modified: 2020-10-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/articles-to-help-you-diy-seo/ - Categories: Marketing There’s a sense of empowerment that comes from DIY’ing. Building that shelf yourself instead of buying one online makes you feel like you can do pretty much anything. But when it comes to things that appear to be a bit harder to wrap our heads around, like SEO, it’s a different story. It can be easy to convince ourselves that we don’t have the skills needed to implement better SEO practices or that we just don’t fully understand all the technicalities around it. But what if I told you that you could do away with that inferiority complex and DIY your brand’s SEO? Yes, you can actually implement strategies that will, over time, increase your search engine optimization and make your website rank higher in Google search results. To help you get started, I pulled 14 of our blog articles that share SEO tips and tricks and put them right here for you to dig into. So, take a look and get started on the path towards SEO success. 1. All of the Google Tools Your SEO Strategy Needs If you’re going to tackle your SEO yourself, you need to get your tools in order. This blog post lists the various Google tools that will help you get the job done, along with why you should use them to assist your SEO strategy. 2. Subdomains vs. Subdirectories: Which is Better for SEO? Keywords and backlinks sort of get all the SEO glory, but how your website is organized has a... --- ### How to Use CRM Software to Perfect Your Sales Pitch > A lot goes into an effective sales pitch, and you have to make sure you nail it. Having a CRM can help in more ways than one. - Published: 2020-10-07 - Modified: 2020-10-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-use-crm-software-to-perfect-your-sales-pitch/ - Categories: CRM A great pitch can be the difference between losing a sale forever and gaining a long-term client. So when it comes to pitching your small business product or services, it’s important to put on the best razzle-dazzle performance you can for your prospects. There are a number of essentials to a successful pitch, but right at the top is confidence in what you’re trying to sell and your ability to do it. Sales pros who approach the pitching process with optimism outperform their pessimistic peers by 57 percent, even when the latter group has an overall better set of selling skills. And to go into your pitch with confidence, you need to make sure you have access to all relevant information. Having a small business CRM is crucial for arming yourself with as much info — and as much sales confidence — as possible in the lead-up to your pitch. And to illustrate why we’ve outlined a few of the areas where a CRM can really come in handy when acing your pitch. Prove You Know What You’re Talking About An excellent sales pitch strikes just the right balance between being engaging and providing prospects with the information they need to know to make their decision. In addition to making sure that you follow the basics, such as not making your sales pitch too long (try to keep it at 45 minutes or under) and setting a clear and organized agenda that covers 3-5 primary points, you also need to... --- ### 5 Proven Strategies To Create More Opportunities For Small Businesses > It's always a smart move for small business owners to look for more opportunities. Here are some tactical strategies that will help. - Published: 2020-10-06 - Modified: 2022-09-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/strategies-to-create-more-opportunities-for-small-businesses/ - Categories: Small Business As small business owners, it’s always a good idea to look for more opportunities. Sometimes even the most loyal customers leave, or they encounter financial struggles, leading to less discretionary spending. So, despite creating a solid customer base for your business, new customers are integral for growth in the long run. And that is why you need to ensure that your enterprise is always inviting and relevant to new clients and customers. The stream of new clients will help keep your customer service robust and your products innovative. Attracting new customers can also help in keeping you focused and generate more revenue for the organization. If revenue is getting stagnant or slowing down, you’ll have to look for new and innovative ways to promote your business and attract new customers. But before getting too tactical on how you can do that, it’s important that you implement these steps first: Identify the type of clients you wish to attract Learn about your ideal client’s buying process Set both annual and quarterly objectives based on how many new clients you need Evaluate how much resourcing can be allocated for attracting new clients Actively communicate with your target customers on their preferred communication/social channels (email, social media, text message, search, etc. ) There are certain lead generation mistakes entrepreneurs need to avoid as well. While the above practices are essential for the success of a customer acquisition strategy, they can’t help you capture new customer attention. But, the following tactics will. 1. Refine... --- ### 5 Benefits of Influencer Marketing For Your Small Business > There are various different marketing strategies out there to try, but influencer marketing is one small businesses should prioritize. - Published: 2020-10-01 - Modified: 2020-11-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benefits-of-influencer-marketing/ - Categories: Small Business Raise your hand if your spending has gotten a little out of hand during the quarantine. It seems like every time I’m on Instagram, there’s a new product being targeted to me, one that I simply cannot pass up. The truth is, there are a lot of us engaging in a little retail therapy right now. It feels good to anticipate the delivery of a new item, and the brands advertising to us know that. They’re doubling down on various digital marketing tactics because they know we’re searching for a little more at-home entertainment via Netflix (exhibit A: Netflix’s newest documentary, The Social Dilemma), or, more popularly, social media. Which is why influencer marketing is perhaps more effective now than ever. It’s great for using social media to engage with your audience and tap into valued third-party credibility. And even though you may not have a ton of marketing budget right now, it’s more cost-effective and reliable than other similar tactics. Let’s dive into some more benefits to using influencer marketing so you can determine if you should make this marketing strategy a priority for your small business. 1. Reach Highly Specific Audience Directly Forty-nine percent of customers rely on the recommendations of influencers to make a purchase decision. Tapping into that presents a huge opportunity for your brand to increase sales and reach the right people. There are influencers for every industry and niche out there — fashion, fitness, DIY, makeup, home decor, and yes, even marketing. As a... --- ### Tips For Surveying Parents and Getting Quality Feedback > When you need to get quality feedback for your k12 institution, how do you do it? The answer lies in surveying parents. Here's some must-try tips. - Published: 2020-09-30 - Modified: 2020-10-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-surveying-parents/ - Categories: K12 As a K12 communicator, you’re doing everything you can to break down the barriers between parents and the institution you represent. It's no easy endeavor, but the results can be an improved learning experience for the students and parents feeling confident in their child’s education. With such a promising outcome, how do you achieve parent engagement that is reliable and consistent? The truth is you have to find a way to make parents feel valued and involved. Instead of just talking at them by sharing events and important information regarding school activities and procedures (which is still part of your job), you have to also employ tactics that garner their feedback in a way that makes them feel heard. Two-way communication is key, especially in today’s climate. Enter one of the oldest marketing tactics in the book: customer surveys. In this particular instance, customers are the parents, and surveying them is a great way to get a feel for what they’re happy with and what they think could use a little work. The unique perspective that parents bring to the table can lead to a lot of valuable insights, and in some cases, may even shine a light on new angles and best practices for facilitating an optimal learning environment. You don’t need to pursue every recommendation a parent gives you, but it’s always a good idea to make parents part of the conversation. Here’s how to survey parents so that you get the best quality (and most helpful) feedback... --- ### 7 Tips To Improve Your SMB Social Media Presence > Social media is an important tactic for most companies, but especially SMBs. Here are seven tips SMBs can use to increase their social media presence. - Published: 2020-09-29 - Modified: 2022-08-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/smb-social-media/ - Categories: Social Media As small business owners, your time is stretched pretty thin. There's a lot of things you have to get done to keep your business running successfully, and social media tends to take a backseat. It’s quite alright to neglect social media for a couple of days, but if you aren’t careful, a couple of days turn into weeks, then months. Next thing you know, it’s been a year since you posted and you’re feeling pretty defeated. When you neglect publishing, you create a domino effect of despair that begins every time you look at your followers. And when you do post, you’re not getting any likes or comments, making you feel like you’re just posting content into a void. Well, you are not alone. Many companies out there are failing to increase their social following or even reach their target audience. But, when you consider that one billion people are on Facebook alone, it becomes clear just how important social media can be for your business. Rather than put in extra time and effort to build up your network, take a step back, and analyze the precise areas that you could be taking wrong turns. Like many things related to business, it is about prioritizing and working smarter, not harder. Let’s dive into seven tips that will help any small business improve their social media presence and lay the groundwork for building a strong, engaged community. 1. Find Your Ideal Platforms It’s important for small businesses to be present on... --- ### How to Use Tagging to Better Segment Your Contacts > Use tagging to segment your contacts and you'll be an email personalization pro. Here are some tips for tagging, and the various ways you can do it. - Published: 2020-09-24 - Modified: 2020-09-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-use-tagging-to-better-segment-your-contacts/ - Categories: CRM The beauty of personalization is that it shows your leads that you know who they are. It shows them that you understand their issues, needs, and how your product or service fits within that equation. What’s even better is that it doesn’t require a ton of work on your end. You don’t need to individually research each prospect in your database to determine what their knowledge level is and what they need to make their lives easier. All you need to do is employ the right marketing automation tool. You need a tool that will provide you with the right capabilities without all the unnecessary bells and whistles that you won’t end up using. You need a small business CRM that allows you to track your prospects’ behavior so you can determine various factors, like: Where they are in the buyer’s journey What content they engage with the most What actions they’re taking on your website Which of your emails they’re opening and clicking on What CTAs are driving them to action It also doesn’t hurt to have a tool with tagging capabilities, so you can take that information, label, and segment your leads based on whatever organizational approach works for you. Tagging is a simple way to filter your leads and customers into lists so you can target them with content that will be most relevant to them. Luckily, with BenchmarkONE, you can create tags for your contacts using various different approaches. Let’s dive into how you can use... --- ### Embrace Your Small Business Brand Individualism > In order to make your small business stand out, you need to embrace the individualism of your brand. Here's some tips on how to accomplish it. - Published: 2020-09-23 - Modified: 2020-09-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-brand-individualism/ - Categories: Small Business From your product to your team, your small business brand is one of a kind — so celebrate it! Embracing your individualism is a great way to inspire a proud and positive company culture, and it can also be an effective marketing tactic. From the inside out, acknowledging what makes your brand special and unique can only be a good thing, so invest in strategies that amplify your individualism and honor all that makes you, well, you. Brand individualism isn’t just a gimmicky marketing phrase. Consumers expect individuality from the brands they work with, perceiving them not just as for-profit enterprises but also as extensions of their community and world view. It’s important that your brand individuality is something that you can be proud of, and that you’re purposeful in sharing it with your audience. Put individualism to work to help your brand stand out. Here’s what you need to know to take center stage and shine through all the big business competition. Why Your Brand Individualism Matters Today’s brand-consumer relationships look a lot more personal than they used to. More than ever, shoppers are looking to make an almost human-like connection with the brands they purchase from, with notably higher expectations in terms of brand value and personality. Ultimately, your brand has to stand out in the right ways if you want to compete. Of course, brand individualism isn’t just about separating yourself from the pack. There are a lot of big benefits to putting your individuality front and... --- ### What Marketing Automation Can Do For School Marketing > School marketers could get a lot out of a marketing automation tool. Here's eight benefits marketing automation affords them. - Published: 2020-09-22 - Modified: 2020-10-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-school-marketing/ - Categories: K12 Did you know that automated email marketing campaigns are among the top three tactics used by email marketers to improve performance? We know as school recruiters and communicators, getting your school front-and-center and seen as the best option for students is difficult. One of your job's biggest demands is ensuring families are engaged and informed on what sets your institution apart. And it’s also one of the most challenging. But balancing that task with so many of the other items on your plate doesn’t have to be a struggle. In fact, marketing automation was created to make life easier for marketers, no matter what it is they’re marketing. So, if you haven’t fully embraced marketing automation, or you aren’t sure how using it can help you be better at your school recruitment efforts, keep reading. 8 Benefits of Using Marketing Automation Your marketing automation tool doesn’t just help with your marketing efforts. It can enable various tasks on your to-do list. Here we’ve broken down exactly how having a marketing automation software can benefit you, making using one a no-brainer. 1. Saves Time Who has time to send individual emails to every prospect? The beauty of marketing automation is that you can easily create email templates that can be cloned and used again and again, saving you tons of time. You can also organize lead nurture campaigns so you can be sending emails without actually spending the time sending them. Also, with BenchmarkONE’s built-in CRM, your email recipients are organized... --- ### 20+ CRM Stats You Need to Know for 2021 > It's important to know what is happening in the CRM world so you can stay up to speed and competitive. Here are 20+ CRM stats for 2021. - Published: 2020-09-17 - Modified: 2020-09-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-stats-2021/ - Categories: CRM An immensely competitive space in B2B and SaaS is customer relationship management (CRM) software. It’s one of the most defining forms of technology in the past decade. In fact, 91 percent of companies with more than 11 employees now use CRM software. Why? Everything is consumer-centric, and the modern business needs a tool to manage high expectations. The entire infrastructure of sales and marketing has shifted, and buyers are now self-educating. In fact, most consumers begin their product research with one or more search engines before heading to a particular website. There is no longer a need to “sell” your product or service the way we once used to. This means, brands that understand the customer best, and use that insight when compiling their marketing plans, are the most successful with their marketing and sales strategies. A key tool to bridge the gap between your labor force and creating a memorable experience is an effective CRM platform with a centralized system. However, 18 percent of salespeople still don’t know what a CRM tool is. Check out these current CRM stats. They make a solid case for integrating this technology today, or at the very latest, in 2021. General CRM Stats The CRM market is the fastest growing in software today. It’s expected to reach $80 billion by 2025. Sixty-five percent of people consider “ease of use” to be the most important requirement when selecting a CRM solution. In 2018, 13 percent of companies said that investing in a CRM system... --- ### What Dynamic Content Can Do for Your Email Marketing Strategy > Dynamic content is the most effective tool for personalization. Yet, it's the least-used email marketing tactic. That needs to change. - Published: 2020-09-16 - Modified: 2020-12-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/dynamic-content-email-marketing-strategy/ - Categories: Email Marketing It may not be obvious, but as marketers, it’s our job to be creative. We have to constantly think of new ways to generate leads, convert those leads, and keep prospects engaged so that we’re the first company they think of when they’re ready for a solution. We try various different methods, like social media campaigns or pop-ups. But one thing that has proven to have the highest ROI is email marketing. When looking for new, creative email marketing tactics, our go-to is to examine what others are using. But what about the creative tactics they aren’t? Dynamic content is the least-used email marketing tactic, coming in behind automation, mobile-optimization, contact segmentation, and personalization as a must-do strategy. And yet, 65 percent of email marketers say that dynamic content is their most effective tool for personalization. What gives? In this blog post, we’re going to bat for dynamic content to help explain why this tactic is one you definitely shouldn’t be skipping over. We’ll cover what it is, how it works, and, most importantly, why implementing it in your email marketing strategy can give you a major edge. Let’s get to it. What Is Dynamic Content? Dynamic content refers to any type of digital content that changes based on the user. Factors that might affect a change include user data or preferences, user characteristics, or on-site user behaviors. So from there, it’s easy to see how intricately linked this type of content is with the notion of personalization and an... --- ### 7 Articles To Get Your Content Seen This Year > We’ve written a few blog posts that share tips for effective content distribution, so you don’t have to continue beating your head against a wall. - Published: 2020-09-15 - Modified: 2020-09-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/get-your-content-seen/ - Categories: Content Marketing Everywhere we turn, there’s content. Since there are tons of different types of content, it’s quite literally all over the place. It’s on social media, it’s in our inboxes, it’s on our televisions. We can’t escape it. But, then why are your blog post analytics under-delivering? And why is your site traffic down? If you’re experiencing low content engagement and disappointing analytics results, it could be that you aren’t doing enough to distribute your content effectively. Distribution is one of the steps of the content creation process that seems to get overlooked, but it could be one of the most important. In order to make your content stand out among all the rest being created and shared, you need to be thinking outside the box and looking for new ways to get eyes on it. We’ve written a few blog posts that share tips for effective content distribution, so you don’t have to continue beating your head against a wall. See below for our quick round-up. 1. 5 Places You Should Be Repurposing Your Blog Content That You Haven't Thought Of We don’t often consider repurposing our content once we’ve published it. But the truth is, you spend a lot of time creating even one piece of content, and it should be used to its fullest potential. Read this blog post for content syndication recommendations and ways you can repurpose your best-performing content for the most return as possible. 2. 4 Tricks For Creating More Shareable Content The way your... --- ### BenchmarkONE’s Latest Feature: Outlook Add-in > New feature alert: Outlook Add-in! With BenchmarkONE's Outlook Add-in, users can seamlessly connect their Outlook account for increased effeciency. - Published: 2020-09-10 - Modified: 2020-10-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/outlook-add-in/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News We’re excited to announce our latest feature: BenchmarkONE's Outlook Add-in! Now our users can effortlessly integrate their Outlook account with BenchmarkONE for increased productivity and efficiency. The Outlook Add-in allows users to bring the power of BenchmarkONE's CRM directly into their Outlook inbox, saving time and avoiding issues that come with bouncing between applications. Create New Contacts from Outlook As easy as one, two, three, you can create a new contact in BenchmarkONE from your Outlook inbox while keeping your entire contact database accessible. Adding contacts on the fly means that your subscriber list grows and none of those valuable contacts fall through the cracks. You can keep your important prospects and customers up-to-date, and you’ll be able to quickly search for and communicate with specific BenchmarkONE contacts right from inside your Outlook email account. Stay Organized with Easy CRM Access Need to quickly gather valuable data like contact details, contact activity, notes, or tasks? No problem! Everything you need for targeted outreach is available on the spot. You’ll be able to see if a contact opened your previous email, letting you know the perfect time for a follow-up. Don’t worry about key information getting lost in your Outlook inbox either. Create follow-up tasks, leave additional notes and add new tags painlessly for a more organized sales process. With BenchmarkONE’s new Outlook Add-in, you can eliminate unnecessary steps and ensure your sales process is humming with your contacts at your fingertips anytime you need them. --- ### Branding Your SMB On a Budget > Branding is a huge part of establishing your SMB, but you may not have all the financial resources in the world. Here's how to brand your SMB on a budget. - Published: 2020-09-09 - Modified: 2025-03-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/branding-smb-on-a-budget/ - Categories: Small Business Did you know that solid branding can actually make your small business money? Presenting a consistent brand identity across all platforms and channels can increase your revenue by 23 percent. Small businesses can be fragile. As a business owner, your success rides on many factors, but if something like branding can make a difference for your bottom line, then it makes sense to prioritize it. But we know what you’re thinking. As a small business owner, you don’t have tons of room in your marketing budget to hire an agency or freelancer that will help you establish your branding components. Luckily, you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg in order to define your brand and make it consistent across channels. Follow the steps below to create a beautiful brand look and feel without dipping any deeper into your budget than you want to. 1. Know Your Buyers Like content and messaging, your branding's success depends on its ability to appeal to the right audience. For that to happen, you need to know precisely who you’re trying to appeal to and what they find appealing in the first place. Create buyer personas so you can really zero in on your audience and their preferences, then use those personas to help drive an effective branding strategy. One of the most effective ways to build your personas is to look at your existing customers. Who is already using your product or buying your services? Identify the following details: Job title... --- ### How to Write Instagram Captions That Shine > Instagram is an important platform for businesses for various reasons. Which is why we have some tips for keeing your Instagram captions engaging. - Published: 2020-09-08 - Modified: 2020-09-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-write-instagram-captions/ - Categories: Social Media Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms out there. With more than one billion unique users visiting the platform every month, and 63 percent of those users visiting the platform every single day, there’s a lot of opportunity for connecting with both new and potential customers — and a lot of incentive for acing your Instagram game. Social media can impact your entire company. But, about 75 percent of brands use Instagram specifically for marketing, which means that there are many accounts, profiles, and stories to compete with for engagement and likes. And while Instagram is overwhelmingly about the visuals, if you really want your content to stand out, then you’re going to have to put equal amounts of effort into your captions. Yes, that’s right. You can’t just post a picture and keep your captions simple and call it a day. The more thought you put into your Instagram captions, the more likely you will hit that engagement soft spot with your audience. But just because you’re a marketer doesn’t mean you’re the cleverest when it comes to crafting captions (and that’s okay! ). That’s why we’ve provided eight smart and simple tips that can help you make your Instagram captions shine. 1. Know Your Core Components Good Instagram captions do more than just explain what’s going on in your photo. So although a celebrity with millions of followers might be able to get away with just including an inspirational quote or a couple of emojis... --- ### How Social Media Impacts Small Businesses > There are tons of benefits to having a social media strategy. But did you know that social media can impact your entire small business? - Published: 2020-09-03 - Modified: 2020-09-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-social-media-impacts-small-businesses/ - Categories: Social Media Social media needs no further introduction, as over half of the world's population currently uses various social platforms. With its tentacles spreading across every facet of modern life, it comes as no surprise that small businesses are tapping into its huge potential. As a digital marketplace teeming with a potential audience of about three billion people, social media is a place for you to find potential clients and promote your brand and services. Even with a low marketing budget, all you need at your disposal is your Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter account, and you can reach a huge audience with your content. It is with a keen awareness of these benefits that companies are using social media to generate leads and build up their brand identity so that it can reach and resonate with a larger audience. But, let’s dive a little deeper into what a social media strategy can offer small businesses, and how exactly it can lead to certain benefits for your brand. 1. Social Media and Marketing Currently, an estimated 3. 6 billion people use social media worldwide. Forty percent of those users rely on social media to unearth information about new brands. This presents a tremendous branding and marketing opportunity for your small business. Your brand matters greatly to your customers' perception of your business, and it’s often the first line of defense in regards to what they can expect from you in the future. When you implement a well thought out social media strategy, you... --- ### How Long Should My Emails Be? > There's a lot of tricks to the email marketing trade. But knowing how long your emails should be isn't a trick, it's an art. - Published: 2020-09-02 - Modified: 2020-08-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-long-should-my-emails-be/ - Categories: Email Marketing Some of us are talkers. We may think people want to hear us rambling on for minutes on end, but the truth is, there’s probably a million other things they’d rather be doing. Sitting through an endless rant is about as fun as watching paint dry. The same can be said for your email marketing. AWeber analyzed 1,000 emails and found that over 50 percent of them were 300 words or less. Most email marketers understand that brevity is the key to their consumers’ hearts, but it isn’t easy to determine when things go from informative to too informative. Why is Shorter Better? Every brand under the sun has an email marketing strategy. This means that consumers are receiving more emails than ever before. With a busy inbox, each email is competing against each other for the attention of the recipient. And if you add a ton of lengthy emails, that attention gets shorter and shorter. This isn’t to say that you should never send longer emails. Sometimes the information you need to share is robust, and that’s fine. The critical thing to focus on is whether or not your email is offering value. Getting to the point and being more direct will provide your readers clarity and assist them with making quick decisions, rather than getting overwhelmed and exiting your email. You want your emails to convert and be engaging, and you lose a little bit of that with each line of copy you tack on. So, how do... --- ### 3 Types of Content People Want to Consume > When it comes to content, you should always be creating it and distributing it. But, there are three specific types people love to engage with the most. - Published: 2020-08-27 - Modified: 2020-08-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/types-of-content-people-want-to-consume/ - Categories: Content Marketing Everyone loves a good blog post. Or do they? When it comes to creating content that connects with your audience, the type of content you produce is just as important as what it has to say. That’s a good reason to diversify your content formats — and to pay special attention to the types of content that people most want to consume. According to NetLine’s 2020 State of B2B Content Consumption Report, there are three kinds of content that people like to engage with most, and no, none of them require a pivot to video. Below, we’ve broken down what you need to know about each type so that you can start putting them to work in your marketing strategy. 1. eBooks eBooks, which vary widely in terms of both scope and length, are excellent tools for engaging with (and expanding) your audience. And download per download, they’re far and away the most impactful type of content you can create. In NetLine’s report, the success of the eBook format is traced to its versatility. Within their pages, they can contain anything from in-depth case studies to industry-guiding thought leadership, leaving your business a lot of room to adapt the message to what benefits you. For the reader, effective eBooks provide an in-depth look at whatever they’re trying to learn about. More so than with articles on your blog, there’s an expectation with an eBook that it’s going to be a true deep dive — so much so that readers are... --- ### Mobile-Optimization Basics for Email > Tons of people check their email on their mobile devices. That's why mobile-optimization is crucial when sending your emails. - Published: 2020-08-26 - Modified: 2020-08-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/mobile-optimization-basics-for-email/ - Categories: Email Marketing It’s pretty much a no-brainer that you need to be optimizing your emails for mobile. Your subscribers are just as likely to be opening up your emails on their mobile devices as they are on their desktops — and perhaps even more so. While mobile optimization used to be just one more thing that you could do to boost your email performance, it's a necessity today. Optimizing for mobile needs to be as basic a part of your email marketing strategy as segmenting your contact list and taking steps to avoid the spam folder. This post will cover some basics that will help you pull it off so you can feel confident that your email is mobile-ready before you ever press send. Why Mobile-Optimization is Important In 2019, mobile opens accounted for 46 percent of all email opens. And with nearly 1. 7 billion users checking emails on their mobile devices, that’s a huge percentage of your potential subscribers who are using their smartphones to read your messages. Recent trends show us that mobile open rates are only likely to increase. Since 2011, they’ve grown by more than 100 percent, with pretty consistent growth year after year. If your emails aren’t optimized for mobile, you’re definitely not reaching your full potential in terms of conversion rates and ROI, and you’re probably losing a fair share of leads as well. Everyone has their practices for triaging the emails that come into their inbox and deciding what to keep and delete. If... --- ### Why Transparency Matters and How Not To Be Afraid Of It > When it comes to your marketing and branding your company, transparency matters. Here's why and how to be transparent in your messaging. - Published: 2020-08-20 - Modified: 2020-08-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/why-transparency-matters-and-how-not-to-be-afraid-of-it/ - Categories: Marketing Today’s consumers have a lot of choices when it comes to where and with whom they make a purchase, and overwhelmingly, transparency seems to be a key deciding factor. In an Edelman survey of 16,000 consumers in eight global markets, 81 percent of respondents globally and 80 percent of U. S. respondents said that trust is integral to purchasing decisions. In fact, ranked among the 11 top buying considerations, brand trust came in just behind product quality, convenience, and value, outpacing good reviews and corporate reputation as major factors in whether or not a purchase happens. You don’t have to have been in marketing long to know that being transparent is one of the most effective strategies you can have. In this article, we'll discuss why transparency is so important for your brand, plus tips for being more transparent in the content you create. The Value of Transparency Being well-liked is a good thing, especially in business. Digital marketing has broken down the conversational divide between brands and the people who buy from them, in turn increasing expectations around likeability and trust. Getting buyers to feel that way about you isn’t something that just happens on its own, though — it requires transparency and plenty of it. Transparency begets trust, trust begets likeability, and likeability begets strong, sustainable connections. Regardless of your niche, your audience, or the product or service that you’re selling, prioritizing transparency in your outreach is crucial for forging productive relationships and becoming a trusted brand. It... --- ### The 8 Best Free PPC Tools > A PPC strategy can get expensive. To keep costs low, researching free tools is imperative. Here are eight free PPC tools that we recommend. - Published: 2020-08-19 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-best-free-ppc-tools/ - Categories: Lead Generation When you’re investing money, time, and effort into a PPC strategy, you want to be sure that you squeeze as much potential as possible out of every dollar that you spend. And there are plenty of tools that can help you get there — including those that don’t require you to carve out any more space in your budget. Sound too good to be true? Well, it isn’t! We’ve narrowed down our picks for the best free PPC tools out there so you can increase your conversions and optimize your PPC spending without depleting your entire marketing budget. Try them, see what you like, and get to work on a PPC strategy that’s more specialized to your needs. Keyword and Topic Research To put together the right PPC strategy, you need to know the keywords your audience uses in their searches. The right keyword research puts your business in front of qualified prospective clients and improves your SEO strategy. Here are some free tools that help do the research for you. 1. Ahref’s Keyword Generator Search a term in Ahref’s free Keyword Generator, and you’ll get up to 150 keyword recommendations related to the term. We like that you can optimize by platform, keywords for Google, Bing, YouTube, or Amazon. You can also optimize by country so you can zero in on your preferred market. In addition to showing you keyword ideas, Keyword Generator also shows you the difficulty of ranking for the term and the search volume, along with... --- ### How To Be An Agile Worker > Being flexible is an art form, especially in the workforce. Here's how to embrace change so you can become an agile worker and a team player. - Published: 2020-08-18 - Modified: 2020-08-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-be-an-agile-worker/ - Categories: Leadership A lot of us love our schedules. Maintaining a rigid routine and making sure that we know exactly what our day-to-day is going to look like is a way to manage stress and take some control over what might otherwise seem like an insurmountable workload. And yet, the more stuck we get in a routine, the less room we have to adapt — which can quickly turn into a problem in today’s always-changing business environment. What’s the fix then? For many professionals, learning to be flexible and an agile-oriented worker has helped solve the problems that rigidity can pose, allowing individuals to maintain autonomy over their schedules while still leaving room for adaptation. If you’re thinking about making the switch, here’s how to do it. The Benefits of Being an Agile Worker The concept of agility in the workplace refers as much to an individual’s attitude as it does their routine. Agility means prioritizing flexibility and personal strengths while minimizing the constraints of a set-in-stone work schedule. Sometimes referred to as activity-based working, or ABW, it’s a modern approach to an ancient problem, with the freedom for employees to work when and how they need to for peak productivity. There are a few big benefits to being an agile worker above and beyond having the freedom and flexibility to work according to preferences instead of prescriptions. Here are two of the surprising advantages that a lot of workers find when they make the switch. It shows coworkers that you’re multifaceted.... --- ### 4 Content Marketing Tips from Grammarly’s Multi-Million Dollar SaaS Growth Strategy > When it comes to content marketing, Grammarly knows what they're doing. Let's examine their content marketing strategy and why it's effective. - Published: 2020-08-13 - Modified: 2022-09-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-tips-from-grammarlys-growth-strategy/ - Categories: Content Marketing There has been significant growth in the field of digital marketing. With growth comes major advantages, which is why it is crucial to have a strong online presence, no matter what business you’re in. However, if you have a small business, you will initially face several problems. Some of these include intense competition from big companies, gaining the trust of new customers, and the right way to position your product. You will ultimately have to overcome these if you want to increase traffic to your website and convert that traffic to valuable leads. One company that has growth down is Grammarly, a free online writing assistant. They currently have about 20 million users, with a whopping 60 million visits each month. With help from their simple content marketing tips, you’ll be able to achieve a strong online presence and, over time, see similar site traffic. Are you ready to make your business easily accessible and get the credibility required to attract more potential customers? Let’s dive into four content marketing tips that will get you there. 1. Target the Right Audience One of the most important reasons Grammarly has been so successful is that it knows how to target the right audience. The company’s audience includes students, writers, and entrepreneurs. Anyone who does a bit of writing has probably used their service at least once. Targeting the right audience might be the first and the most crucial marketing strategy for any business. Why? Because it allows you to find those... --- ### How to Communicate Back to School Protocols > Heading back to school this year is going to look a little different. Here's some tips for communicating new protocols so you can maintain safety. - Published: 2020-08-12 - Modified: 2020-10-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/back-to-school-protocols/ - Categories: K12 The start of the school year is looking a lot different depending on where you live. In some districts, schools are opening with set safety requirements, like masks and social distancing. In others, schools are keeping learning remote, at least through the end of the year. And at some schools, the plan is to open, and restrictions are up in the air, if any. There’s a lot of confusion out there about what the appropriate next steps are. But with the school year set to begin, school administrators need to think up the best ways to address back-to-school protocols. Here are some tips for conveying to parents, students, and teachers what the new year might look like. 1. Create a Visual Infographics and other visual content can help quickly, clearly, and easily convey any protocols that will be in place, as well as outline various scenarios. While the graphic above doesn’t commit to a specific course of action yet, it does concisely break down the different available options. By keeping it visual and succinct, this school is able to efficiently communicate what possibilities are currently on the table — all without overcomplicating it. Here’s another great visual example. This graphic states a school’s requirement to have any ailing staff members, faculty, or students stay home. It sets the groundwork for school protocols with a message that those of all ages can understand and makes it clear that coming into school when not feeling well isn’t safe. The key to using... --- ### The Ultimate Guide to Outlining Your Small Business Marketing Budget > There's a lot to consider when deciding what to spend your money on. Here's the ultimate guide to outlining your small business marketing budget. - Published: 2020-08-11 - Modified: 2020-08-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-budget-2/ - Categories: Small Business Setting a marketing budget sounds intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be. In fact, you’ll be surprised by how empowering it is. Small business owners know marketing is important, but they also spend a lot of time trying to justify their marketing costs. However, having a marketing budget that’s part of a marketing plan gives small business owners a roadmap for understanding how they’re spending their money and why. Here’s your guide for how to get started. Get To Know Your Sales Funnel Your sales funnel represents the stages someone moves through to go from a stranger to one of your customers. Generally, a sales funnel consists of five main stages: Awareness Phase Interest Phase Evaluation Phase Decision Phase Purchase Phase If you know how much it costs, on average, for someone to move through these phases, you have a rough understanding of how much money it takes to convince someone your product is worth buying. Where are your site views coming from? Identify whether the majority of your site’s hits come from blog posts, videos, infographics, social media posts, Facebook ads, Google ads, etc. If your views are coming from blogs shared on Facebook, you can increase the content you post there and reduce the money spent on less lucrative methods. How many of these views turn into leads? If you have tracking links on call-to-action buttons at the bottom of your blog posts, videos, or landing pages, you can gauge which site views are turning into leads. So... --- ### What Matters More, Inbound or Outbound Sales? > When it comes to sales, there are two methods that are tried-and-true: outbound and inbound. But which matters more for your strategy? - Published: 2020-08-06 - Modified: 2021-01-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-matters-more-inbound-or-outbound-sales/ - Categories: Sales When it comes to sales, there are two distinctive approaches: inbound and outbound. But which is the strategy you should be focusing more on? Spoiler alert: The answer is neither. If you've followed our blogs for a while (thank you! ), you're probably not surprised that we strongly believe in the power of balance when it comes to your sales and marketing efforts. In sales, as in life, there is rarely an easy way to achieve success. More often, it requires a coordinated strategy that picks and chooses the best practices from various types of initiatives, blending a little bit of this and a little bit of that until you hit the sweet spot. So instead of focusing on inbound sales or outbound sales, you should be focusing on both. And here’s how that works. What Is Outbound Sales? Outbound sales refer to sales conversations that are initiated by the sales rep, not the potential buyer. Instigating buyer engagement can happen in a few ways, including through broad and/or targeted marketing and cold outreach. Instead of just casting a net and sitting back to see if you catch anything, outbound sales involves baiting the hook and pulling on every bite. There are plenty of leads in the sea, after all, and many who, either knowingly or unknowingly, are looking for what you have to sell. What Is Inbound Sales? Inbound sales, which is often interchangeable with inbound marketing, are sales conversations that are initiated by the potential buyer. By expressing... --- ### The Importance of Employer Branding > Branding your company is obviously important. But your employer branding is just as important. It can help your company grow in a number of ways. - Published: 2020-08-05 - Modified: 2020-07-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-importance-of-employer-branding/ - Categories: Marketing To be a successful business, you have to offer value in two ways. One, with the product or service that you’re selling, and two, with the culture you’re providing employees. Miss the mark on the latter, and you’re going to have a much tougher time with the former. In their book Talent Force: A New Manifesto for the Human Side of Business, authors and executives Hank Stringer and Rusty Rueff note that while a product or service may be a company’s face, the talent behind it is their soul. Think of employer branding as the collective goodwill (or lack thereof) that drives your business' reputation. And from there, think of what it’s saying to your customers. For this post, we’re looking at the importance of employer branding — what it is, why it matters, and why you should be incorporating it into your marketing strategy. Here’s what you need to know. What Is Employer Branding? Employer branding — also referred to as “talent branding” or “people branding” — is the value proposition that you offer your employees. It’s your reputation, benefits, and approach to the employee-employer relationship all rolled into one. Ir requires an active process of feedback and improvements to create a brand worthy of bringing in top talent. As it stands, 69 percent of Americans say they won’t take a job with a company with a bad reputation, and 84 percent say they would leave their current job for a company with an excellent reputation. If you can’t... --- ### Are You Using the Right Content for Lead Generation? > There are different ways you can generate leads, but one of the most reliable methods is using content. Are you using the right content for lead generation? - Published: 2020-08-04 - Modified: 2020-07-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-right-content-for-lead-generation/ - Categories: Content Marketing No matter who you are or what you’re selling, your business always has a need for lead generation. Aside from bringing awareness to your brand, your lead generation efforts help you nurture your prospects and provide your sales team with qualified contacts — and ultimately, it’s one of the most important tactics for consistently achieving your revenue goals. But time is money, and if you’re spending time creating content, it better be bringing in the desired results. So often we go about a strategy thinking we know exactly what we’re doing, only to find out that the methods we’re utilizing aren’t actually correct for driving the results we need. That’s why it’s important that you use the right content to generate leads, and that prospects at all stages of the buyer’s journey have access to content that answers their questions and nudges them closer to a sale. Below, we’ll share three types of content that are specifically driven to help you improve your lead generation efforts, plus the essential tools for maximizing their performance. 3 Types of Lead Generation Content Not all content is geared toward the same purpose. And while any piece of content that you create has the potential to draw in more leads, some formats serve that purpose better than others. Here are three types of content that work wonders when it comes to lead generation, and which should definitely be incorporated into your lead strategy. 1. Gated Content Gated content refers to any content that requires... --- ### The Fine Art of the Apology Email > Realizing you made an error when sending out an email to your subscribers is a major facepalm moment. Here's how to put together the best apology email. - Published: 2020-07-30 - Modified: 2020-08-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-fine-art-of-the-apology-email/ - Categories: Email Marketing Mistakes are hard to swallow. When they happen, and when they’re your fault, you feel especially awful. Mistakes chip away at your self-confidence, and they don’t get easier to deal with as you get older. The truth is, you can be the smartest person in the room and still make simple mistakes. Today’s demands are intense, and expectations around productivity and the amount of things you should achieve are high. To meet these demands, the world operates faster. We rush through tasks so we can check them off and move on to the next. We pile on more projects so we can meet and exceed our goals. And we rarely take a minute to look at what we’ve done to give it a once over and ensure it’s airtight. The other day, I had one of those cringy mistake moments. I was tasked with putting together an email on behalf of our CEO, explaining the recent news regarding The EU-US Privacy Shield. This is what I sent out: Can you spot the mistake? I mixed up the merge field for the recipient’s first name so instead of pulling in the right data, I sent an email to thousands of people that said Hi ! It was a silly mishap, and as soon as I spotted it, my mind scrambled for a way to remedy it. It was an agonizing five minutes. I decided to own up to it and send a follow-up apology email. For reference, here's the GIF I... --- ### Marketing vs. Public Relations > Marketing and public relations are closely tied. In fact, each strategy relies on the other for optimal results. Here is how they are different. - Published: 2020-07-29 - Modified: 2020-07-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-vs-public-relations/ - Categories: Marketing Marketing and Public Relations are often lumped into one. Although the two industries work best when used cohesively, it is important to know their differences. Learning the values and strengths of marketing and PR separately is the best way to start using them for your business effectively. Both are essential for the success of a company. Let’s start with the traditional definitions of marketing and PR: According to the Oxford Dictionary, marketing is defined as “the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising. ” Whereas, public relations is defined as “the professional maintenance of a favorable public image by a company or other organization or a famous person. ” These definitions just brush the surface of what each industry does. I mean, can you define any profession in one sentence? Probably not. At the core, marketing supports selling a particular product or service, whereas PR is used to create a positive image for the overall brand. Let’s examine what kind of tasks each area specializes in. Marketing-Related Tasks A lot of other functions can fall within marketing, including public relations. However, there are plenty of specific projects and duties that are unique to marketing professionals. Building Campaigns. Building successful campaigns for a company’s product or service is one of the most important tasks for a marketer. This is essential to promote, educate, and sell products or services to specific targeted consumers and prospects. Research. Part of knowing what drives a business is... --- ### Why Your Sales Team Should Invest in Building a Personal Brand > Since your sales team seeks out potential new clients, they're often the faces of your company. Here's why having them build a personal brand is a must. - Published: 2020-07-28 - Modified: 2020-07-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/building-a-personal-brand/ - Categories: Sales Your brand identity might be at the forefront of building brand awareness and drawing in new leads, but it’s your sales team that’s ultimately responsible for sealing the deal. Sales is the face of your company during a number of essential touchpoints, often providing the first human-to-human contact that a potential customer has with you. And when that team has a personal brand, it can help make your company appear more likable, more trustworthy, and more desirable to partner with. The sales brand is another example of marketing and sales working together toward a common goal. Your sales team's personal brand is both an extension of and a complement to the message you've been sharing in your marketing campaigns. And in some ways, it even helps fill in the gaps that marketing leaves behind. The more competitive advantages you have, the better. Here’s why your sales team should have a personal brand and how to make it happen. What is a Personal Brand in Sales? It’s hard to estimate just how important your sales team is to your overall success as a company. The most critical time to gain a customer’s continued loyalty is during their first purchase or right when service begins, so a lot is riding on the experience they have with sales. A “personal brand” refers to the distinguishing traits that your individual sales team members have. In the sales department, these traits are related to everything from the experience they bring to the table to their... --- ### 6 Social Media Trends for 2020 > Just when you have a handle on social media algorithms, features, and updates, something changes. Here are social media trends to have an eye on this year. - Published: 2020-07-23 - Modified: 2020-07-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-trends-2020/ - Categories: Social Media Social media never seems to sit still. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on what methods you need to be doing for your business, bang, there’s a new platform, a new feature, or a new algorithm that’s forcing you to change course. Of course, you can’t do everything, nor can you constantly be adjusting your social media strategy on the fly. A better way to do it: pay attention to social media trends, and look for patterns in them that you can use to guide your next steps. To help you get started, we’ve outlined some of the most compelling social media trends of the year and what we can learn from them. Let’s dive in. 1. Behold the Rise of User-Generated Content User-generated content (or UGC) is taking off, with customers turning into advocates for brands for the benefit of both businesses and consumers. And it’s clear to see where these advantages come from. Ninety-two percent of consumers trust UGC more than traditional advertising, which is in line with the growing importance of peer-to-peer recommendations and influencer marketing. For brands themselves, UGC is a low-cost, high-impact way to increase brand integrity, with a constant churn of valuable content that requires very few resources to maximize on and maintain. 2. Gen Z Is On The Scene Social media marketing used to be all about connecting with Millennials, but today, you’d be remiss if you neglected Gen Z. This generation spends the most time on social and is shaping... --- ### 7 Habits of Uber Productive People > There are certain people who can get a ton done in one day. What do those people have in common? Here are some habits of uber productive people. - Published: 2020-07-22 - Modified: 2020-07-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/habits-of-productive-people/ - Categories: Leadership There are 24 hours in a day for all of us. But why does it seem like some people are able to do a lot more with those hours than the rest of us? According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report, 85% of employees spend their days either not engaged or actively disengaged when they’re at the office. And for the most part, it’s not because of a lack of interest or work ethic. Instead, many people just haven’t learned the skills to help overcome the hurdles that prevent them from achieving all they set out to do. Try as we might, we’re not always great at being our most productive. Productivity isn’t an innate ability. It takes conscious effort and the adoption of certain habits that directly and indirectly result in enabling you to better tackle your to-do list. Here are seven of those habits that uber-productive people have been putting to work to get work done. 1. They Get Up Early It’s basic math: the earlier you get out of bed, the more hours you have in the day to get stuff done. This doesn’t mean that you have to wake up at five a. m. and head right to your computer, either. The extra hours that you gain from being an early riser can be applied in a wide variety of ways, including toward the other, less work-focused tasks that so often cut into your productivity time — think exercise, emails, meal prepping, and so... --- ### EU-US Privacy Shield - What You Need To Know > There's a lot going on with the recent news regarding the EU-US Privacy Shield. Here's what you need to know and how it affects you. - Published: 2020-07-20 - Modified: 2020-07-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/privacy-shield-what-you-need-to-know/ - Categories: Email Marketing Let’s talk privacy. It’s a hot topic. Everyone is concerned about what companies do with their information, and rightly so. In an age where you can do everything online - make purchases, check your bank statements, sign up for classes, and do your taxes, it’s important that we’re all mindful of what happens to the data we’re sharing (and who can get their hands on it). Which is why the recent news regarding the EU-US Privacy Shield is so important. What is The EU-US Privacy Shield? The Privacy Shield was an agreement that allowed for the transfer of personal data from the EU to the US. But, because the US has less stringent guidelines around what they do with personal information, this law was recently struck down. What Does This Mean For You? While this may be bad news for US business, our Benchmark Email and BenchmarkONE users can rest easy. The Standard Contractual Clause (SCC), are standard terms and conditions that the sender and receiver of personal data agree to. It’s aimed at protecting user data leaving the EU and is compliant with the GDPR Guidelines. We operate under the SCC and GDPR Guidelines, meaning we adhere to the EU’s privacy regulations and protect the information of our users and our users’ clients. There are legal repercussions to not adhering to these laws. If you are not a Benchmark Email or BenchmarkONE user and do business with the EU, you'll want to take the necessary steps to ensure you're... --- ### How to Create a Work Family > We probably spend most of our time at the office. That's why it's important to like who you work with. Here's how to create a work family. - Published: 2020-07-16 - Modified: 2020-07-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-create-a-work-family/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Current work from home necessities aside, most of us probably spend a lot more active time at the office than we do outside of it. That makes it important to love (or at least really like) what you do, as well as the people you do it with. And while you can’t force friendships among your team members, there are things that you can do to help forge strong relationships among your staff. Creating a positive work culture is one aspect of fostering strong relationships among your employees. And while you can’t make everyone like each other, there are things you can do that encourage a healthy dynamic that will make everyone enjoy coming to work. Below, we’ll share our very best tips for creating a work-family so you can get more out of your daily time together. 1. Hire Well You can always train for skills, but you can’t train someone to be a good fit culturally. While you need to take talent and experience into account when interviewing prospective hires, you should also be vetting candidates for how well they’ll fit into your company culture and the people within it. Hiring someone who’s a bad fit can cost you, and it can be just as disastrous as hiring someone who doesn’t bring the right skills to the table. Be cognizant of how a potential employee will fit in with your existing team, and make sure that you don’t bring on board anyone who could kill the vibe of... --- ### BenchmarkONE’s Latest Feature: K12 Edition > We just launched our K12 Edition, built specifically for K12 communicators and recruiters. Check out it's features and functionalities! - Published: 2020-07-15 - Modified: 2020-10-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benchmarkones-latest-feature-k12-edition/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News It’s official! We’ve finally launched our software built specifically for K12 communicators and recruiters. It’s called K12 Edition. The K12 Edition enables school communicators to create beautiful and on-brand school newsletters effortlessly. The job of a school communicator is no easy feat. Keeping your communities abreast of the most up-to-date information regarding school events, policies, and more is not a task to be taken lightly and therefore requires some serious tools to get the job done. We built the K12 Edition to streamline workflows for K12 professionals, so they can keep parents informed and balance the other day-to-day duties their role demands. Create School Newsletters with Ease Our email builder is hassle-free. Use our drag-and-drop tools to craft an email that is packed with necessary information and visually appealing. Nothing will get missed because you’re in the driver’s seat and deciding how your email should look and what it should say. Send Targeted Outreach Keeping track of all the important contacts you’re reaching out to, and what kind of messaging makes sense for them, is imperative. But for most school communicators, that’s a pretty lengthy list, and it can be hard to manage it on your own. That’s why our custom CRM tool manages your contacts for you. You can segment your contacts based on various initiatives, making targeted outreach a sinch. And by sending the right messages to the right people, you can increase donor participation, spread buzz for a specific school event, or keep the 8th-grade parents informed... --- ### PRESS RELEASE: Benchmark Email Launches BenchmarkONE K12 Edition for School Communicators > Benchmark Email, a leading software as a service provider of sales and marketing solutions, today announces the launch of the BenchmarkONE K12 Edition. - Published: 2020-07-15 - Modified: 2020-10-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benchmarkone-k12-edition/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News St. Louis, MO - July 6, 2020 - Benchmark Email, a leading software as a service provider of sales and marketing solutions, today announces the launch of the BenchmarkONE K12 Edition. This new offering will give K12 communicators the ability to keep parents, students, teachers, and their communities connected and informed regarding school policies, news, and events. Following the September 2019 merger between Benchmark Email and then Hatchbuck (now, BenchmarkONE), the company has emerged as a global customer relationship management (CRM) and email marketing automation technology leader serving over 500,000 users worldwide. In February of this year, Benchmark Email acquired MarketVolt, a St. Louis-based email marketing platform. This acquisition provided an opportunity for further expansion, and BenchmarkONE developed the K12 Edition with MarketVolt’s customer base of K12 communicators in mind. The K12 Edition offers a way for K12 communicators, recruiters and administrators to create school newsletters easily, send targeted outreach, and track the success of their campaigns. It includes drag-and-drop features, a custom CRM tool to manage and segment contacts, and engagement metrics. “There has never been a more important time for K12 educators and communicators to stay connected to parents and students,” Benchmark Email CEO Jonathan Herrick said. “Our goal is to provide easy-to-use tools that allow the K12 community to focus less on repetitive administrative tasks and more on their profoundly important work within schools. ” With access to this software, school communicators will not only be able to effectively keep all necessary parties in the know regarding... --- ### Deliver Your Message To Your Target Audience On Multiple Platforms Using Marketing Automation > Marketing automation spares cross channel marketers from having to complete remedial tasks and makes it easier to streamline execution. - Published: 2020-07-14 - Modified: 2020-09-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/deliver-your-message-to-your-target-audience-on-multiple-platforms-using-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Marketing Automation People receive messaging from brands and companies through a number of channels every day. For a cross channel marketing campaign to be truly effective and increase user engagement, it needs to reflect each of these channels. However, it’s also a major challenge for most cross channel marketers to deliver the right message on the right channel at the same time. This is where marketing automation can help you. Marketing automation is beneficial because it spares cross channel marketers from having to complete remedial tasks, makes it easier to target customers in the first place, and streamlines the execution of your cross channel marketing plan. In this article, we will touch on how automated applications allow the creation and management of cross-channel campaigns across email, social, web, and mobile in a central platform. Then, we’ll discuss how your campaigns can be designed and planned with the aim of getting closer to the customer. What is Marketing Automation in 2020? Marketing automation is exactly what the name suggests: the ability to automate marketing tasks to make it easier to reach out to and engage with your target audience. This includes automating everything from segmenting your contacts to converting leads to sending messages and other manual tasks. Originally, marketing automation was focused primarily on email marketing, but since the term has grown to include a wide range of automation tools across virtually all aspects of business marketing. Marketing automation makes it easy for you to craft content and messages as far ahead as... --- ### 4 AdWords Tips Your Small Business Can't Live Without > Google AdWords can be confusing, and clearing up that confusion can be a major time suck. Here are some Google AdWords tips for small businesses. - Published: 2020-07-09 - Modified: 2020-07-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/adwords-tips-for-small-businesses/ - Categories: Small Business Investing in Google AdWords can be great for your ROI — if you know what you’re doing. Google owns an impressive — and unsurprising — 74% of the search engine market (the second place leader, Chinese search engine Baidu, owns just 11%). It makes sense then to focus your PPC strategy there if you want to reach as many people as possible. And your profit potential for doing so is quite high. Advertisers earn about $2 in revenue for every dollar they spend in ads on the platform. There’s a problem, though. Google AdWords can be confusing, and clearing up that confusion can be a major time suck. If you’re operating with a small business team (and small business budget), you might not have the resources to dedicate to figuring out all of the nuances of the AdWords platform. So to help you out, we’ve compiled our favorite quick and easy AdWords tips. Read on and start getting more out of your AdWords efforts. 1. Know Your Keywords You can’t talk Google ads tips without talking keywords. It’s crucial that you know what keywords your audience is using to search for things within your industry. And if you don’t do your own research, Google might do the guessing for you — a strategy that isn’t likely to secure you the most qualified leads. AdWords has a keyword planner that allows you to identify which keywords don’t fit your campaign. But internal awareness of what keywords do work is just as... --- ### How to Run Your Blog Like an Industry Publication > Publishing content on your blog isn't enough. If you want your audience to consider your blog a trusted industry publication, here's what you should do. - Published: 2020-07-08 - Modified: 2020-07-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-run-your-blog-like-an-industry-publication/ - Categories: Content Marketing There are a lot of advantages to having a company blog. You can use it to fuel your backlink strategy, direct traffic to key posts, practice effective SEO, and guide your audience along the buyer’s journey. But to get to a point where your audience relies on and looks forward to reading your blog content requires taking specific steps and a bullet-proof strategy. You can’t just publish an article here and there and expect to see success. You need to be publishing high-quality content that is tactical and consistent. We're talking about getting your blog to a place where it's considered a trusted and reliable industry resource. There’s no reason you can’t create a space for experts to go for the most up-to-date and insightful content. Let’s go over the steps needed to turn your blog into an industry publication. 1. Create a Documented Content Strategy A documented content strategy is crucial. You need this to ensure the content you’re creating is aligned with your goals, addresses your audience’s pain points, and keeps your team on the same page. Having it documented somewhere allows you to reference it whenever you need to, so make sure it’s stored somewhere everyone has access to. Some things to include in your strategy include: Key audience personas The goals you want to achieve with your content The types of content you want to create A keyword list and SEO strategy A distribution plan to ensure your content gets to the right people 2. Establish... --- ### How to Boost Your Marketing Efforts With Reputation Management > Reputation management and marketing strategies can enhance the results of your campaigns. Here's how to use reputation management in your marketing. - Published: 2020-07-07 - Modified: 2022-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/boost-your-marketing-efforts-with-reputation-management/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Reputation management helps businesses cultivate a professional image and brand online. Many small businesses use social media, Google, or review sites to maintain their positive reputations. Combining reputation management and marketing strategies can significantly enhance the results of your campaigns. Managing your reputation increases trust with potential customers, and positive reviews and brand mentions can easily be repurposed for social media marketing content. In this article, we show you three ways to combine your marketing and reputation management campaigns in ways that are not overly-promotional or boastful. You can use the information to build compelling campaigns across all digital channels. Respond Publicly to Online Reviews and Monitor Your Brand’s Reputation Publicly addressing negative reviews allows you the opportunity to resolve problems and prove that your business stands behind its products and services. Publicly addressing negative reviews also demonstrates to potential customers that you care about individual experiences with your brand. It tells potential customers that if they have a problem, you are willing to address it and arrive at a solution. A 2018 study by Bright Local reports that nearly all consumers (90%) read business’s response to local reviews and 50% of people visit a brand’s website after reading a positive review. Source: BrightLocal Thanking customers for leaving positive reviews also helps build trust and encourages others to write reviews. Monitoring tools such as Google Alerts, Mediatoolkit, and Reputology, can help brands discover what people are saying about them online. This allows companies to respond to reviews and conversations they... --- ### Product Life Cycle Stages > In order to release a product successfuly, you have to be knowledgeable of the various stages of the product life cycle. Read this blog post for more. - Published: 2020-07-02 - Modified: 2021-07-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/product-life-cycle-stages/ - Categories: Marketing We talk a lot about the customer life cycle, but let’s not forget another critical cycle that’s key for strategizing your marketing plan: the product life cycle. When preparing for a new product launch and devising how you’re going to build and maintain momentum, it’s crucial that you understand the full product life cycle. Doing so ensures that you set yourself up for success. It’s also a helpful exercise in better grasping the developmental stages that dictate how you should be phrasing your marketing copy. Below, we’ll cover the basics of a standard product life cycle, including the six stages that every marketer should know about. What Is The Product Life Cycle? The product life cycle features unique steps with unique opportunities for storytelling and brand growth. All products follow a life cycle, and all steps within this life cycle offer you a chance to optimize your message and facilitate more interest. An excellent way to understand the importance of the product life cycle for marketing purposes is to look at times when it wasn’t capitalized on. For example, look at Blockbuster. Netflix, Redbox, and the rise of streaming content were the death knell for this ubiquitous brand; despite the fact that before the introduction of these other companies, it was a total market mainstay. Instead of adapting their marketing — and their inventory — to align with their product life cycle, Blockbuster stayed steadfast in their message and purpose — and lost their foothold in the process. We’re not... --- ### PRESS RELEASE: BenchmarkONE Launches New Features: Dynamic Content and Teams > St. Louis, MO - July 1, 2020 - BenchmarkONE, a leading software as a service provider of sales and marketing solutions, today announces the launch of two - Published: 2020-07-01 - Modified: 2020-10-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/press-release-benchmarkone-launches-new-features-dynamic-content-and-teams/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News St. Louis, MO - July 1, 2020 - BenchmarkONE, a leading software as a service provider of sales and marketing solutions, today announces the launch of two new features: Dynamic Content and Teams. These new features will offer users more personalized options for their outreach and a new layer of contact management. Dynamic Content allows users to send multiple audiences targeted content from a single email. The ability to choose which contacts see certain email content makes unique offers or hyper-targeted messaging seamless and easy to implement. Teams provides users a way to easily organize contacts into groups that only specific users can access. This is ideal for organizations that manage multiple territories, buildings, districts, franchises, and groups. With these features also comes the release of BenchmarkONE’s Lite Version. The Lite Version is a scaled-back package perfect for email marketers who want to manage contacts but don't need a full-blown CRM. “By adding these pivotal new features and also releasing a pared-down version of BenchmarkONE, we’ll be able to expand our customer base while providing the same stellar experience and allowing users to scale their sales and marketing strategies no matter their size or budget,” BenchmarkONE CEO Jonathan Herrick said. Additional Resources: Schedule a live demonstration of BenchmarkONE here. Learn more about Dynamic Content and Teams here. About BenchmarkONE BenchmarkONE helps SMBs and digital marketing agencies streamline sales and marketing to save time and scale. The all-in-one platform is an easy-to-use hub for small businesses that need to build better... --- ### New! Dynamic Content and Teams > Our newest features, Dynamic Content and Teams, were made with the intent of making our users' lives easier, and their marketing more efficient. - Published: 2020-06-30 - Modified: 2020-10-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/new-dynamic-content-and-teams/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News We can finally tell you all about two of our latest features: Dynamic Content and Teams! At BenchmarkONE, we’re continuously striving to make our product an easy-to-use necessity for marketers, sales professionals, and small business owners. We know that in doing so, it’s imperative we fully understand what it takes to make their lives easier, and what is necessary to help them deliver on their marketing and sales goals. That’s why developing these exciting new features was a no-brainer. Let’s dive into why these features are so important. Dynamic Content Offers More Personalization One simple fact about marketing is that audiences respond differently to certain kinds of content. People are not robots, and what may yield a positive response with some people, may not do the same for others. But we’re busy people. And we don’t have time to manually tweak our messaging so that it caters to the right people. Which is why Dynamic Content is magic. Dynamic Content allows users to send multiple audiences targeted content from a single email. The ability to choose which contacts see certain email content makes unique offers or hyper-targeted messaging seamless and easy to implement. Teams Enables Better Contact Management If you’re part of a company that manages multiple regions, territories, buildings, districts, and areas, you probably have a strong appreciation for any tool that offers a better way to organize. Well, with Teams, you’re in luck. Teams provides users a way to easily organize contacts into groups that only specific users... --- ### How and Why You Should Build Your Partnerships > Part of marketing is maintaining strong relationships with like-minded brands. Here's how and why you should build brand partnerships. - Published: 2020-06-30 - Modified: 2020-06-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-and-why-you-should-build-partnerships/ - Categories: Marketing When you effectively brand your company or product, you create something truly memorable and lasting. But when you pair that memorable brand with another, you create a partnership that can take both brands to the next level. Brand partnerships are a great thing in the marketing world and can play a notable role in company growth. A co-branding opportunity could be just the thing you need to refresh your image and boost your business’s growth. When done right, a brand partnership can help you increase visibility and tap into new markets — and you only have to do half of the work. Below, we'll detail the benefits of brand partnerships and share some tips for building them. Why You Need to Build Partnerships Marketing is a competitive sport. And while it’s mostly done solo, there are some big advantages to bringing on a teammate every once in a while. A brand partnership helps strengthen your influence through third-party credibility, allowing you to make a strong, positive impression on a new audience. In turn, it opens the door for more referrals and leads and can help you expand everything from your email list to your customer base. There’s a ton of opportunity in partnerships. Join forces with your partners on co-branded efforts like promos, webinars, and social media campaigns and add value to both your voice and your product or service. You can also create partnership programs by offering each other’s services to your respective clients, thereby instantly boosting your referral... --- ### 8 Marketing Publications To Read > Staying up to speed on the latest trends, tips, and tools is essential for marketing professionals. Here are eight marketing publications to bookmark. - Published: 2020-06-25 - Modified: 2022-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-publications-to-read/ - Categories: Marketing Where you get your news matters, and that includes your marketing news. There’s a ton of content out there, and it’s easy to get caught in the hamster wheel, being fed the same old content day after day. You have to make an effort by seeking out the best marketing blogs and publications so you can stay up-to-date on trending topics and themes. Doing so can ultimately dictate the success of your efforts, as well as serve as a way to inform your content creation. But with content saturation at its most intense, and with so many online publications pushing out content regularly, how do you know a reliable source over fluff? Here are eight recommendations for the cream of the crop marketing publications that you should definitely have on your reading list. 1. Marketing Land What Marketing Land does extremely well is consolidate need-to-know topics to provide you with a hub for everything happening in the industry. Their articles offer accessible breakdowns of digital marketing trends, marketing tips and tricks, and evolving best practices so you can get the advice you need to do more with your strategies. Don’t miss: The Analytics & Conversion vertical, dedicated to helping you stay on top of the messy — and often complicated — world of data-driven marketing. 2. Digiday Digiday helps connect the dots between two worlds — marketing and the actual world we live in. They share articles that put into perspective the role of the marketer and key marketing strategies... --- ### How to Become a Guest-Contributor > A robust content marketing strategy includes having a plan for upping your guest content. Here's how to become a guest-contributor. - Published: 2020-06-24 - Modified: 2020-06-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-become-a-guest-contributor/ - Categories: Content Marketing The beauty of thought leadership is that credibility and trust are at its core. You cannot just deem yourself a thought leader and expect others to consider you one as well. You have to create high-quality content that’s reliable and filled with helpful tips. What’s more, you have to do so consistently. Writing for your company blog is great, but for your ideas to reach the masses and build credibility, you have to be incorporating a guest-contributor strategy into your overall content marketing strategy. This means contributing guest articles to other sites so you can put your brand in front of a new audience and establish yourself as an expert in your field. In research by LinkedIn and Edelman, 55% of survey respondents said they use thought leadership to vet organizations that they may hire, and 60% said thought leadership has led to them buying a product or service they weren’t previously considering. But obtaining that third-party credibility that comes from publishing on trusted online publications requires effort and a tried-and-true process. Here are some steps you can take that will you get one step closer towards becoming a guest-contributor. 1. Create and Publish Your Own Content Since you and your team manage it, your blog is the easiest way to publish your great thoughts and ideas, so start there. To make sure you have a consistent amount of published content, create an editorial calendar that lists the various topics, dates, and stage each article is in. This will also... --- ### 7 Unique Social Media Ideas to Engage Your Audience > Looking to get creative on social media? Here are seven social media ideas that will help you get creative and engage your audience. - Published: 2020-06-23 - Modified: 2022-02-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-ideas-to-engage-your-audience/ - Categories: Social Media Social media marketing is all about engagement. More than 3 billion people around the globe use social media; many of them on a regular basis. That’s a huge opportunity for your brand to connect and grow. This form of communication and outreach breaks down a lot of the barriers that stand in the way of traditional outbound marketing, opening you up to a massive audience of potentially interested individuals, many of whom could go on to become leads and customers if you play your cards right. With so much potential, it pays to invest in strategies driven toward increasing engagement on your social channels. Chances are, there is a lot more that you could be doing on a day to day basis to engage your audience and give a glimpse into your brand and the people behind it. Below, we’ll cover some unique ways to get the ball rolling. 1. Highlight Your Team Marketing is about forging connections. When you highlight your team members, you show your followers that you’re not just a logo — you’re a real group of people working hard to make your brand and product special. Create a series that showcases each of your team members so your social audience can learn who they are and what they do for the company. Create a Typeform survey with fun questions for your team to answer. Ask things like, “As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? ” or “What’s one item on... --- ### Make Room in Your Budget for Marketing Automation > Don't dismiss signing up for a marketing automation tool due to costs. There are numerous ways you can make room in your budget. Here are three. - Published: 2020-06-18 - Modified: 2020-06-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/budget-for-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Small Business It seems like the scope of marketing just keeps expanding, with no additional hours in the day to get it all done. Feeling like you have too much to do and not enough time to do it comes with the industry. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t figure out how to overcome it to make as much of an impact as possible. Efficiency is important, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of your marketing strategy. And that’s why marketing automation is so crucial. Marketing automation saves you time and helps your team work better with the assistance of valuable features aimed at doing more with less. But what does automation success look like? These stats spell it out pretty well. Marketing automation can: Help you see a 14. 5% increase in sales productivity. Result in a 12. 2% reduction in marketing overhead. Provide more quality leads, resulting in more revenue and less effort. Of course, like most groundbreaking technologies, marketing automation isn’t always cheap. Saving time while making more money can require an investment, which is why it doesn’t hurt to create a little extra room in your budget. Here are some steps you can take to increase your budget and make room for a marketing automation solution that gives you freedom, saves you time, and increases your bottom line. 1. Determine Exactly Which Features You Need — and Which You Don’t The price variance in marketing automation platforms is due to a few different things, including features. As... --- ### 4 Inspirational TED Talks for Marketers > Everyone could use a little inspriation now and then. It helps avoid burnout and fatigue. Here are four inspirational TED Talks just for marketers. - Published: 2020-06-17 - Modified: 2020-06-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-inspirational-ted-talks-for-marketers/ - Categories: Marketing TED Talks are a great place to go when you need any sort of inspiration, and that extends to the world of marketing. You can find more than 3,000 free and ready to stream talks, including a rich selection of talks dedicated explicitly to marketing tips, lessons, trends, and experiences. Check out discussions on everything from the future of digital advertising to how to use — and trust — the data you’re working with. It’s a great hub to turn to when you want to learn something new while also energizing your team. Not sure where to start? In no specific order, here are four of our favorite TED Talks for when you want to provide a boost of inspiration to marketing professionals — or get some inspiration yourself. 1. “What Brands Can Learn From Online Dating” – Sarah Willersdorf Sarah Willersdorf is the former partner and managing director at the Boston Consulting Group, a global management consulting firm. She also did a stint as the interim chief marketing officer for fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg. In her TED Talk, she outlined some of the unique and intriguing similarities between trying to catch someone’s eye on a dating app and trying to catch their eye in marketing. What we like about Willersdorf’s TED Talk is that it’s actionable. For example, just as Tinder only gives its daters five pictures and a couple of sentences to show off their best selves, Willersdorf recommends adopting a branding strategy from just five images... --- ### Bottom-of-the-Funnel Content Breakdown > Content looks different at each stage of the funnel. In this blog post, we break down what content looks like at the bottom-of-the-funnel. - Published: 2020-06-16 - Modified: 2022-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/bottom-of-the-funnel-content-breakdown/ - Categories: Content Marketing Your product or service can be the best in the industry, but it’s still not going to sell itself. For that, you need an effective sales team — and plenty of high-quality targeted bottom-of-the-funnel content. Marketing automation software provides your brand with a more effective way to understand your leads and provide them with conversion-worthy content, but to get the full utility out of it, you have to put in some of the work yourself. As part of our series on what content marketing looks like at each stage of the buyer’s journey, we’re breaking down what you need to know about making your bottom-of-the-funnel content as productive as possible, including the types of content that you should be focusing on. That’s right. We’ve talked about top-of-the-funnel content and middle-of-the-funnel content. But now it’s time to address content that can make or break a sale. Understanding the Bottom-of-the-Funnel The bottom-of-the-funnel is a good place for your leads to be. At this point, they’ve gained sufficient awareness of your brand’s solution and how it relates to their problem, and they’ve compared it to other options to ensure it’s a good choice. However, they haven’t quite sealed the deal yet. For leads at the bottom-of-the-funnel to pull the trigger on their purchase, they’re going to need a bit more information about what you can offer — which is where your content comes in. Keep in mind that bottom-funnel leads aren’t all the same. Some are new leads, while others are previous customers... --- ### How to Be a Team Player While Working Remote > Working remote has it's obstacles. But no matter how difficult it can be, it's important to prioritize being there for your team. - Published: 2020-06-11 - Modified: 2020-06-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-be-a-team-player-while-working-remote/ - Categories: Leadership With social distancing came some changes. I’m sure a lot of people are adapting to working remote. With it being such a prolonged period, the highs and lows may be a bit extreme. One of the wonderful things about working at BenchmarkONE is how much we all love being around one another. We regularly eat lunch together, and we have our fair share of team activities. Being apart is hard, especially in times of necessary collaboration. Sure it looks a little different, but just because you’re working remote doesn’t mean you can’t still be a team player. Here are some tips I’ve learned on how to be a team player while your entire team works remotely. 1. Let Your Team Know You’re There We use Slack for all our internal messaging, and since we can’t physically see someone enter the office, it’s a great tool to let others know when you’ve clocked in for the day. We often like to give each other a friendly “hello” or “good morning” when we’re logged on, which lets others know we got our work boots on. Check-in with one another to make sure things are going okay and to see if any of your coworkers could use some help with some things. It's easy to get siloed into our own projects in the office, but it's even easier when we're working remote. Make sure you make yourself available to others by letting them know you’re around and ready to help. 2. Get on... --- ### Tips for Increasing Parent Digital Engagement > For K12 educators and communicators, increasing parent digital engagement means having more informed, and happy parents. But how do you pull it off? - Published: 2020-06-10 - Modified: 2020-10-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-increasing-parent-digital-engagement/ - Categories: K12 For modern educators and school communicators, keeping parents in the know on their children’s important school-related information looks much different than it used to. Long gone are the days of sending students home with letters, updates, and permission slips stuck into disorganized homework folders for parents to sift through. Today, like most things, teacher-parent communications have gone overwhelmingly digital — and there’s a bit of a learning curve, as you might expect. The shift to online and paperless communications has created a ton of efficiencies for most organizations, including educational institutions. But it isn’t always easy to get parents on board and adapted to doing things digitally. So what’s an already overworked K12 teacher to do? Here are some of our top tips for getting parents more engaged when it comes to staying digitally connected with their kids’ schools. 1. Go Paperless If you’re not already, it’s time to try going paperless with your communications. Parents report that email is the best way to reach them, preferring this method to physical forms and other modes of outreach. This is good news for teachers and school communicators since email makes it a lot easier to reach out and to track and manage engagement. Utilize email for all parent communications, not just check-ins and quick questions. There are plenty of additional tools to help you use email to full capacity, including those that help with gathering permissions and payments for field trips, requesting classroom supplies, and easily scheduling one-on-one chats to discuss... --- ### Middle-of-the-Funnel Content Breakdown > For part two of our three-part series, we’re diving into middle-of-the-funnel content with a look at why it matters and how to use it. - Published: 2020-06-09 - Modified: 2020-06-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/middle-of-the-funnel-content-breakdown/ - Categories: Content Marketing Like middle children and middle seats on an airplane, it’s easy to gloss over middle-of-the-funnel marketing. We get it. Top-of-the-funnel content is all about bringing in leads, and the bottom is about closing the deal. But the middle is just as crucial. For part two of our three-part series, we’re diving into middle-funnel content with a look at why it’s so important and how to make sure it successfully moves your leads along to the next stage. Sure it might not be quite so immediately satisfying as lead generation or sales, but the work you put into the middle has the potential to pay off in big ways and is necessary for a successful buyer’s journey. So let’s get to it. Marketing in the Middle The middle of the funnel is where you bridge the gap between the top-of-the-funnel (awareness) and the bottom (decision). Leads at this stage are in the consideration phase of their customer journey, contemplating solutions to their problem and viewing your product or service as a potential fit. And while the bottom of the funnel might be where you finally make your sale, the middle is where much of the magic happens. Your middle-funnel audience is of two varieties: new leads picked up from top-of-the-funnel marketing and current customers you’re trying to urge toward a repeat or additional purchase. With both groups, the content you create and serve at this stage can be the deciding factor in whether or not a sale happens, which speaks to... --- ### Tips for an Effective Brainstorming Session > Not every brainstorming session results in great ideas for your marketing or content marketing strategy. But here are some tips that will ensure yours do. - Published: 2020-06-04 - Modified: 2020-06-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-an-effective-brainstorming-session/ - Categories: Marketing The quality of the ideas that come out of a brainstorming session is largely dependent on the quality of the brainstorming session itself. And that takes some planning. A lot of people hate meetings. Heck, maybe most of us hate meetings. But they are necessary sometimes, and that includes when you need to put your best minds together to come up with new ideas. Here are six tips to make sure that your brainstorms are productive and worth your time. 1. Have An Agenda Ready to Go Beforehand Trying to wing it is never a good strategy for a brainstorming session — or any meeting for that matter. If your only outlined plan is that you want to come out of the meeting with some good ideas, you’re doing it wrong. If you have no real structure in place for achieving those good ideas, you're not going to be nearly as successful as you would be if you went in with an agenda. Consider structuring your brainstorming session around a common technique, like mind mapping or word banking, and be clear in your instructions to your attendees. With an agenda in place, you can turn the session into something fun instead of rote and monotonous, and you’ll support more creativity along the way. 2. Set Expectations for the Group Ask each attendee to come up with a few ideas during the meeting. By asking everyone to participate, you open the door to ideas that people might have otherwise kept quiet... --- ### Guide to Sales Enablement, From a Sales Rep > Sales enablement is one of the main functions of your marketing team. Here are some tips from a sales rep on how to enable your sales team. - Published: 2020-06-03 - Modified: 2021-10-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guide-to-sales-enablement-from-a-sales-rep/ - Categories: Sales Your sales team needs to be enabled if they’re going to do their best, and the marketing department is integral to making that happen. There are four imperatives to successful sales enablement: training, strategy, metrics and resources. And it’s in regards to that last imperative that marketing can really make a difference. Sales rely on content and resources from marketing to assist them in their conversations with leads and, hopefully, guide them to purchase. Marketing-driven sales resources provide customers with a cohesive message and an improved buyer experience, and they’re a great way to personalize the customer journey. I figured I'd give you a first-hand account as a sales rep to know exactly what marketing teams could be doing to create content that supports the enablement of their sales team. Here are my four most crucial tips. 1. Bring Sales and Marketing Together Think of sales and marketing like the peanut butter and jelly of your brand — highly capable on their own, magical when they come together. Aligning sales and marketing doesn’t have to be rocket science. Schedule a monthly meeting where both teams can discuss the various needs and objectives of the content and sales material created by the marketing. Go over the content topics that need to be covered, the objections being encountered in sales conversations, and the materials that the sales team could benefit from having. Also, cover any upcoming opportunities that sales might benefit from attending, such as conferences or webinars. Keeping the lines of... --- ### Top-of-the-Funnel Content Breakdown > Using content is what inbound marketing is all about. Here's the type of content you should be using at the top of the funnel. - Published: 2020-06-02 - Modified: 2020-05-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-of-the-funnel-content-breakdown/ - Categories: Content Marketing Guiding your leads through the buyer’s journey necessitates high-quality content that’s driven to take them to the next step. It’s why having a marketing automation tool (and using it correctly) is so crucial. The more you understand about your leads and where they’re at in their journey, the better you’re able to create personalized content that’s tailored to their needs. But even before that, you need to have a full understanding of the buyer’s journey itself and the type of content that applies to each stage. So much rides on producing the right content for the right leads at the right time. So, we’re creating a series of posts driven toward examining the role of content in various stages of the funnel. Today, let’s start from the top. Marketing From the Top Down Top-of-the-funnel marketing refers to efforts taken to build brand awareness and engage with prospects who might not yet know much about your brand or what you have to offer. Leads at this stage have established a problem that needs to be solved. Most likely, they’ve already begun searching for solutions. They may have come across your company as one that is somewhat related to their needs, though they’re not quite sure yet that you’ve got the answer they’re looking for. Converting leads isn’t something that just happens on its own, though. Ninety-six percent of visitors that come to your site aren’t ready to buy. But what they find when they get there could be the defining factor... --- ### The Importance of a Social Media Strategy for K12 Schools > Social media is a strategy every institution should use, include schools. Here are some compelling benefits K12 schools can see. - Published: 2020-05-29 - Modified: 2020-10-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-importance-of-a-social-media-strategy-for-k12-schools/ - Categories: K12 Did you know that 54 percent of social browsers use social media to research products? Social media is slowly becoming a reliable go-to for more than just entertainment. It’s where brands and consumers can find one another. And given that people are so engaged on social platforms, social is a great channel to capture attention and build advocacy. But the marketing and branding benefits social media offers aren’t just exclusive to companies and products. Having a social media strategy is especially crucial for educational institutions. Yet, so many K-12 schools find it hard to adopt a social strategy that they can stick with and benefit from. As BenchmarkONE prepares to release its email newsletter software built for schools, we’re thinking a lot about the other various ways school communicators can create transparency, communicate with parents and students, and build awareness. Let’s dive deeper into some of the most compelling benefits K12 schools can see by having a social media strategy. 1. Helps Establish School Brand Each school, whether they fully realize it or not, has a specific brand. They all have a logo and school colors, as well as other brand-defining elements. When schools build up their social media presence, they can reinforce not only their visual brand but also the feelings and impressions they'd like their brands to evoke. In essence, social media allows for schools to build out their emotional brands, too. By sharing footage from pep rallies, the school outreach program, or rehearsal for the spring musical,... --- ### 7 Top Video Editing Software Programs for Newbies to Pros > There are plenty of video editing programs out there suitable for beginners and those with experience that won’t cost an arm and a leg, to boot. - Published: 2020-05-28 - Modified: 2020-05-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/video-editing-software-programs/ - Categories: Marketing The cat’s out of the bag: consumers love video content. Forty-nine percent of people watch more than five videos per day and 86 percent of consumers want to see more videos from businesses in 2020. This is great news because you’re confident in your ability to script and shoot educational videos for your followers. But you’re not a professional video editor, so you need video editing software that can help you maximize your ROI without requiring a huge time investment. Good news: There are plenty of video editing programs out there suitable for beginners and those with experience that won’t cost an arm and a leg, to boot. Even better news: We’re covering seven of them today, starting with one of the most beginner-friendly options. Let’s dive in. Tool #1: Descript The future of marketing is video, and Descript can help you take your first steps toward that future. Descript is a no-frills, affordable video marketing tool video editor that beginners can master in minutes. What makes Descript unique is that marketers can edit transcripts of their videos instead of the video footage itself. Considering that marketers spend a mean of 17 hours to create one piece of short-form content, this feature can dramatically cut down on your video turnaround time and increase your content output. Descript also supports multi-user editing so you and your team can collaborate on each video. You can also use the native timeline editor to clean up your video and audio with fades and volume... --- ### How to Grow Your Social Media Following Organically > Everyone wants to grow their social media. It means you have a larger network of potential prospects. Here's how to generate organic social media growth. - Published: 2020-05-27 - Modified: 2022-09-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-grow-your-social-media-following-organically/ - Categories: Social Media Social media was once just something fun to engage with. But now (and for some time), social media is a branding and marketing tactic that every business should be using. You may think that in order to manage your social media successfully, you need to hire a millennial influencer with over 10,000 followers. But the truth is, anyone can be a social media content creator with a solid following. You just have to go about it the right way. Doing so entails really investing in your social strategy, including having a social media calendar and guidelines for your team, or social point person, to follow. In this blog post, I’ll list some tips growing your social media following the au natural way. Here’s to becoming your own social media influencer! 1. Establish Your Brand and Aesthetic Your company branding is one of the first things you establish when you start your business. With that said, your social media accounts should reflect that branding. You want to keep everything cohesive so that your brand is easily identifiable among your audience. This means making sure your posts center on a specific niche or industry as well. You want to create a platform that is reliable for tips and input within a specific area, as people interested in that area will learn to rely on you. Make sure you include your company logo as your profile page image and use your branding colors to highlight your profiles where it makes sense. It also... --- ### How Often is Too Often for School Communicators to Send Emails? > The role of a parent is to help nurture and care for their child. It’s the parent’s job to ensure their children grow into well-functioning and - Published: 2020-05-20 - Modified: 2020-10-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-often-is-too-often-for-school-communicators-to-send-emails/ - Categories: K12 The role of a parent is to help nurture and care for their child. It’s the parent’s job to ensure their children grow into well-functioning and contributing adults. But in recent months, the standard parent role has morphed into one that now includes educator. Working from home with kids has proven to be an immense obstacle. Most parents are lucky if their child can sit still for a full lesson. And while being your child’s teacher may offer you a deeper understanding of what your child does and learns most days, parents still need to be updated regarding school information and procedures. Perhaps now more than ever. This is why school communicators need to assist parents as much as possible by keeping them in-the-know. But how in-the-know is too in-the-know? How can you tell when your effective communication becomes annoying over-communication? Reading the Room We’ve all been there. We’re telling a joke that we think is hilarious, but no one is laughing. And no matter how much you ramble on, smiles just aren’t cracking. In daily life, we call this “reading the room. ” It’s essential to understand the type of crowd you’re in before you try to engage with them. In marketing, we call this knowing your key audience members or buyer personas. To effectively speak to the group of people you’re hoping to resonate a message with, you have to fully understand who they are, what they want and need, and where you fit within all of it.... --- ### Live Chat and Marketing Automation: A Perfect Concoction to Capture Qualified Data > Capturing qualified data demands the perfect formula. And you can find that by bringing together live chat and marketing automation. - Published: 2020-05-19 - Modified: 2020-06-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/live-chat-and-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Marketing Automation By now, we’re all at least pretty familiar with the concept of marketing automation. It’s gaining more and more space as one of the most popular tactics in customer generation. Still, from the point of view of a small business owner, marketing automation can be a pretty challenging process. And this is especially true if you’re not sure where or how to start. The growth of marketing automation means that an estimated 49% of businesses now use some form of email automation. So, why not try? Let’s get straight to the point by first answering one of the major questions that you may have: What Makes Marketing Automation with Customer Service so Useful? Well, many factors come together and make marketing automation with customer service an awesome strategy today. In this post, we aim to explore some of the major perks that your business can experience from the amalgamation of the two, plus the main steps of the automation process. #1: Focus Exclusively on the Essence of Your Business In other words, marketing automation saves your time and the effort that you’d otherwise have to put in annoyingly monotonous and repetitive tasks. Product or service development, attractive content creation, strategical thinking... these are only some of the business aspects you get to pay more attention to if you rely on marketing automation with customer service. #2: Increase the Chances for Your Business to Grow Apparently, of those who prefer live chat, 79% said they did so because they get their... --- ### 5 Key Stages of Market Research > It would be simple if market research wasn’t needed. But a business cannot be successful if it doesn’t adequately reach and cater to its ideal customer. - Published: 2020-05-14 - Modified: 2020-05-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/key-stages-of-market-research/ - Categories: Marketing We all remember doing research projects in school. They mostly entailed staring at your screen or notebook until you could muster up the motivation to start writing and organizing ideas. I’m sure a lot of us promised ourselves we wouldn’t put ourselves through that kind of ordeal again, but we weren’t banking on required work-related research. It would be simple if market research wasn’t needed. But the truth is, a business cannot be successful if it doesn’t adequately reach and cater to its ideal customer. And in order to do this, you must take the time to get to know who those customers (or segments of customers) are. This information will help you develop products or services that will satisfy the needs of the people in your target market. In addition, thorough market research will help you identify new opportunities to further improve and grow your business. Here are the five fundamental ways to systematically analyze all angles relating to your product, service, and business as a whole. Market Analysis The first stage involves determining which market you will be targeting. Take all the available information into consideration, including geographical data and demographic details. Pinpoint the typical behavior of your target market and attempt to understand what their values are. It’s also important to remain aware of any possible market variations that may occur, such as a change in the number of clients due to evolving population trends. Part of your market analysis involves examining the various customer segments within... --- ### How to Build a Landing Page Using Our Landing Page Builder > Among B2B companies, 68% use strategic landing pages to acquire new leads, with more landing pages directly correlating to more conversions. - Published: 2020-05-13 - Modified: 2020-05-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-build-a-landing-page-using-our-landing-page-builder/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing The right landing page can make all the difference. Among B2B companies, 68% use strategic landing pages to acquire new leads, with more landing pages directly correlating to more conversions. Companies that increase their total number of landing pages from 1-5 to 10-15 see a 55% increase in leads, and those with 40 or more landing pages get twelve times the amount of leads as those with five or fewer. The math is simple: more landing pages = more leads — plus more incentive to optimize your landing page strategy as much as you possibly can. Our new Landing Page Builder makes it easier than ever to create landing pages. In turn, you get a quick way to generate new leads and a simple solution for increasing your landing page count. Here’s a step-by-step guide for how to use it. Step One: Select a Template Selecting the right landing page template is a step that you shouldn’t take lightly. You’ll want to make sure that whatever layout you go with will help you organize the most crucial information appropriately, and help give clarity to your site visitors on what it is they’re considering accessing. Our templates come pre-designed and pre-optimized for great user experience. They can be totally customized to adhere to your brand style and campaign objectives. You don’t have to create your landing page from scratch, which can be time-consuming and intimidating. Instead, choose from our array of templates to make the creation process a breeze. Step Two:... --- ### 8 Content Marketing Blogs to Follow > Content marketing is a constantly evolving industry. To help you stay afloat, we recommend keeping up to date with a variety of content marketing blogs. - Published: 2020-05-12 - Modified: 2020-05-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-blogs-to-follow/ - Categories: Content Marketing Content marketing is a continually evolving field. Just when you think you know everything that you need to know, something gets introduced or changed, and you feel like you’re starting from scratch once again. To help you stay afloat, we recommend keeping up to date with a variety of content marketing blogs. A great blog will help break down the basics — both old and new — so that you can stay on top of the game and excel in your marketing strategy, even when it seems like there’s always so much to learn. It can also be a great resource for inspiring topic ideas, data, and research to back up the content you create on your company’s blog. So what are some of the best blogs to follow for content marketing tips? Here are nine of our go-to’s for the digestible, interesting information served hot, fresh, and on the regular. 1. Content Marketing Institute (CMI) There’s always something new to learn on the CMI blog, which updates daily with articles that can help you craft more effective content plans — and more effective content. We particularly like their focus on taking common content marketing “rules” and either myth-busting them or making a case for why you should be paying attention. It helps break the assumption that anything is normal in this ever-changing industry. 2. MarketingProfs The MarketingProfs blog offers a wealth of information, with a variety of resources that includes everything from articles, charts, and guides, to webinars, video... --- ### 5 Best Keap Alternatives for Small Businesses > Having options when it comes to your marketing automation solutions is crucial. Here are some great Keap alternatives to consider. - Published: 2020-05-08 - Modified: 2020-05-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-best-keap-alternatives-for-small-businesses/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Today’s consumers want options. They like being able to review a few possibilities and perform their own research on each to determine which option is the best fit for their needs. It can seem somewhat overwhelming, but since information is literally at our fingertip, it’s never been easier to access what we need to make informed decisions. And small businesses looking for solutions to their marketing automation needs are no different. They, like consumers, want to make their own decision about who they choose to partner with, and that decision isn’t made lightly. They need to know various price points, package details, success metrics, as well as all the options out there for them to consider. Keap (formerly Infusionsoft) is an all-in-one marketing automation software platform that’s a good option for a lot of businesses. However, there’s no such thing as a one size fits all solution, and smaller businesses, in particular, might find that the platform is a bit too expansive for their needs. Fortunately, there are quite a few Keap alternatives out there that offer similar benefits without so many distracting bells and whistles. So if you’re in the market for a Keap alternative, check out our six top picks below. 1. Benchmark Popular features: Email marketing and design, A/B testing, data reports Why we like it: We’re big fans of Benchmark’s fluid email design process and templates. They make creating gorgeous emails a cinch for small businesses that might not have an on-staff designer. And while we... --- ### 10 Tools to Help Content Marketers Publish and Promote More Content > Content marketers have a lot to juggle and a lot of content to manage. Here are some tools that will help them publish and promote more content. - Published: 2020-05-07 - Modified: 2020-05-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tools-to-help-publish-and-promote-more-content/ - Categories: Content Marketing What’s the most important ingredient in a recipe for successful content marketing? People. You need a good team to produce good content. However, your marketing budget is probably not unlimited, and you can’t have a small army working 24/7 to generate content. That’s where effective content marketing tools can help. While tools don’t take the place of the person-hours your team can provide, they can help your content marketing team work smarter to publish and curate more content – and higher-quality content – faster. Here are ten of the best content publishing and promoting tools that can skyrocket your efforts. 1. Wordable Many marketing teams use freelancers or remote teams to generate the content they need. With Wordable, you can create content in Google Docs, then transfer it, fully formatted, to WordPress, allowing you to publish in a fraction of the time. 2. BenchmarkONE BenchmarkONE leads the pack when it comes to accessible, easy-to-implement marketing services. BenchmarkONE provides an integrated marketing automation and CRM platform that helps users stay organized and effectively track and manage both existing and prospective customers. With email marketing, CRM, and marketing automation tools all in one app, BenchmarkONE gives you the ability to capture new leads from your website, present them with relevant content, and convert them into regular customers. In addition, it can help you organize your contact lists and boost response rates. BenchmarkONE is an affordable, easy-to-use platform that even busy small business owners can implement in their marketing efforts. 3. Xtensio Use... --- ### SaaS leader Hatchbuck Announces Rebrand to BenchmarkONE > We have some very exciting news to share! Hatchbuck has officially rebranded to BenchmarkONE. Read on to learn what this means for our customers. - Published: 2020-05-06 - Modified: 2020-05-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/saas-leader-hatchbuck-announces-rebrand-to-benchmarkone/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News The new brand reinforces the company’s global mission to help businesses everywhere ignite relationships with its customers. St. Louis, MO - April 20, 2020 - Hatchbuck, a leading software as a service provider of sales and marketing solutions, today announced its rebranding to BenchmarkONE. In September of 2019, Benchmark Email and Hatchbuck merged, creating a global customer relationship management (CRM) and email marketing automation technology leader. Both now operate under one innovative brand, Benchmark, bringing together 150 employees serving over 150,000 users in 15 countries and nine languages worldwide. BenchmarkONE will serve as the all-in-one marketing, sales, and CRM solution, while Benchmark Email will continue to serve email marketing users. BenchmarkONE helps SMB’s and digital marketing agencies streamline sales and marketing to save time and scale. The all-in-one platform is an easy to use hub for small businesses that need to build better relationships with customers and automate their sales process. “Not only is BenchmarkONE easy for our team to use, but the interface is a clean, simple design – appealing to everyone. I sit with each team member and give them a quick overview and show them the training guides also available. At our weekly team meetings, we brainstorm different ways to use BenchmarkONE to streamline our sales and marketing process and make our customer and prospect communication better. ” - Terri Goodness, Creative and Managing Director of Goodness Dental As digital sales and marketing technology usage continues to increase, the addition of the BenchmarkONE CRM will enable Benchmark... --- ### 5 Tips For Successful Sales Forecasting > Every business would flounder without a steady stream of sales. Effective sales forecasting is crucial for success and ensuring your meeting your goals. - Published: 2020-04-30 - Modified: 2020-05-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-successful-sales-forecasting/ - Categories: Sales Every business would flounder without a steady stream of sales. And what sets top, high-performing businesses apart from all the rest is their ability to master their sales tactics. Not only are their strategies successful, but they’re consistent. As the famous saying goes, ‘long-term consistency trumps short-term intensity. ’ But delivering consistently isn’t that easy. With things like the changing economy, lack of demands, and budgetary restrictions, consistent sales pipelines can seem like a fairy tale. What makes sales a little more predictable, however, is accurate sales forecasting. If you know what’s coming in the next month, you can set B2B goals that are both ambitious and achievable. You’ll also know how to beat those goals, as the process of forecasting itself reveals a team’s strengths and weaknesses. Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s dive deeper into what sales forecasting is. What is Sales Forecasting? In short, sales forecasting is predicting sales to help you boost your business efficiency and better allocate resources for the months to come. Sales forecasting is quite important for small businesses in particular. They’re the most vulnerable to seasonality, change of the market trends, and new competitors in the area. Likewise, a big company gets the luxury of many variables canceling each other out. A small business, however, can be dramatically impacted by a single big deal that fails to go through. Having a perfectly built sales pipeline gives you an edge over the competition and helps your company to adapt to any shifts... --- ### 8 Ways to Provide Your Clients With More Value > Client service is more than just touching base with them from time to time. There's a lot that goes into providing your clients with more value. - Published: 2020-04-29 - Modified: 2022-11-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ways-to-provide-your-clients-with-more-value/ - Categories: Agencies No one likes client turnover. You want to keep your clients happy because happy clients mean a steady income. And to keep them happy, you need to ensure that you’re providing them with plenty of value in both the short and the long-term. Customer loyalty and retention are often at the heart of a successful business. A mere five percent increase in customer retention can lead to a 25 percent increase in profit. A retention strategy adds value a lot faster and more efficiently than one focused on bringing in new clients. And as we all know, very happy customers and very unhappy customers are the ones who are most likely to share their experience with others. So it’s definitely to your advantage to ensure there are more of the former than the latter. You know that providing more value is essential, but do you know how to ensure you’re doing it? Here are eight tips to follow that will help you keep your clients happy and keep your client retention strong. 1. Don’t Make a Promise You Can’t Keep This rule is pretty standard for providing stellar client service. To provide value, you need to meet your clients’ expectations, and then some. It’s important to always deliver on what you say you will since this helps strengthen the bonds of client-business relationships and ensures your clients know they’re important to you. Plus, it shows them that you’re not a liar, which is always good. If you’re worried about setting... --- ### Detailed Guide on YouTube Video SEO: How to Rank Your Videos on Google > YouTube is the second largest search platform after Google. Let's explore best practices for video SEO so your YouTube videos will rank in search results. - Published: 2020-04-28 - Modified: 2022-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/detailed-guide-on-youtube-video-seo/ - Categories: Marketing Back in 2005, there was a single video uploaded on YouTube. This video was titled "Me at the zoo" and shot by Jawed Karim - co-founder of Youtube. It has been viewed over 85 million times as of February 2020. Nowadays, YouTube is the second largest search platform after Google. More and more people upload their videos, create channels, and earn solid money using this video resource, proving that leveraging YouTube videos for your company can have some major benefits. Nevertheless, there is still one burning question. "How do you rank YouTube videos on Google? " Let's find the answer to this question with help from this guide! YouTube as a Powerful Business Platform The modern business era is dynamic and quite competitive. It dictates its own rules on how you should run your business and stay on your audience’s radar. And with such a saturated market, it is especially hard for small businesses to meet the competition. Why? Because there are common problems that small businesses face, which are unique and trying. They have to focus on hiring the right professionals to create a team, product development, spreading brand awareness, finding potential customers, etc. These obstacles make it incredibly hard for them to succeed past the first few years. Even if they gain their footing and solidify it with a base of loyal customers, they’re not totally out of the woods. As you can see, small businesses have their hands full. Luckily, there are tools like Google and Youtube... --- ### Inbound Marketing 101: Part Three - The Tools You Need > In part three of our inbound marketing 101 series, we'll be discussing the various tools you'll need to implement your inbound strategy. - Published: 2020-04-23 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-the-tools-you-need/ - Categories: Marketing In part one of this series, we covered what inbound marketing is, but let’s reiterate it for the listeners in the back. In a nutshell, inbound marketing allows you to create a pathway that attracts visitors to your website, converts them to prospects, and nurture them with personalized content until they eventually are ready to buy. In part two of our series, we outlined specific ways you can implement inbound marketing tactics for optimal success. But what’s crucial to understand is that your implementation tactics will no doubt require some essential tools. Your inbound marketing strategy will demand a social media calendar, digital advertising, an SEO strategy, and consistent content creation, just to name a few. You can only be successful, though, if you can measure and manage your results to see where you’re hitting your goals and where you need to make adjustments. By using the right combination of technology and tools, you can provide your marketing team with everything they need to be effective at inbound marketing. Let’s dig into the various areas within your strategy that you’ll need some additional help, and call out some of the tools that you can try. Website Building If you don’t want to (or simply can’t afford to) pay a professional top dollar, you have the option to create your own website using one of many different site builder programs available. If you’re a complete amateur and have no experience, go for one of the drag-and-drop sites like SquareSpace or Wix.... --- ### Use a Marketing Automation Tool That Gives You Freedom > Using a marketing automation software that works with other content management systems is the best option for small businesses. - Published: 2020-04-22 - Modified: 2021-01-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/use-a-marketing-automation-tool-that-gives-you-freedom-2/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Do you know what no one likes? Feeling like they are out of options. Whether you’re looking for a great pair of jeans, where to get a delicious meal, or how you manage your content, having options, and the ability to choose for yourself is invaluable. And when options are no longer on the table, it can feel quite discouraging. Ultimately any decision at that point is being forced on you, and that not only erodes your confidence, but it leaves a pretty bad taste in your mouth. That’s why using a marketing automation software that works with other content management systems is the best option for small businesses. Sure there are advantages to publishing your content on a dual content management and marketing automation platform. But does not having two browsers open really outweigh the crazy additional costs? Wouldn’t you rather utilize a marketing automation tool that works seamlessly with whatever content management software you’re already using and satisfied with? BenchmarkONE is that tool. Let’s break down why having a marketing automation tool that gives you the freedom to use whatever content management system you want is more beneficial for your business. 1. Scalability Use a platform that plays nice with your other platforms in the sandbox. We understand that there are different marketing-related platforms out there, be it for social media, content management, customer management, etc. etc. etc. Building your marketing stack requires a lot of strategy and determination around your needs, and to lock your business into... --- ### 8 Important Image SEO Tips for Digital Marketers > To create more well-rounded and compelling content, marketers need to spend time thinking about image SEO so their images are optimized for search results. - Published: 2020-04-21 - Modified: 2022-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/image-seo-tips-for-digital-marketers/ - Categories: Marketing It’s not uncommon for digital marketers and SEO experts to get caught up with how their content is performing in search results. I mean, who would blame them? It’s a key component of their jobs. However, to create more well-rounded and compelling content, marketers need to spend time thinking about how to optimize their images for search results. “Alright, but Devin, content is king. ” I understand that, but let’s not forget that images can be just as valuable to an audience as written content–and in some cases, more valuable. Did you know that 26 percent of all searches today are conducted on Google Images? That’s more searches than YouTube, Yahoo, Bing, and every other search engine combined. Content that contains visual elements like images or videos receives up to 94 percent more views than text-only content. The proof is in the data, which means it’s time to tackle image SEO with some fervor. Here are eight important image SEO tips that can help you rank higher in search results, capture organic traffic, and increase the overall quality of your content. 1. Design Compelling, Original Images One of the most important tips I can provide is to design compelling, original images that are able to capture the attention of your audience and search audiences. Yes, this tip is less related to SEO and more focused on design, but let me explain. To quote Google: “To boost your content's visibility in Google Images, focus on the user by providing a great... --- ### Big Changes Coming Soon: Hatchbuck Rebranding to BenchmarkONE > Hatchbuck is excited to announce that we will be rebranding to BenchmarkONE. Stay tuned for the official announcement in early May. - Published: 2020-04-20 - Modified: 2020-05-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-rebranding-to-benchmarkone/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News Hatchbuck is excited to announce that we will be rebranding to BenchmarkONE. Stay tuned for the official announcement in early May. Why the rebrand? Back in September of 2019, Benchmark Email and Hatchbuck merged, creating a new martech powerhouse with email marketing, marketing automation, and CRM capabilities. And while the Hatchbuck brand will always be near and dear to our hearts, we’re ready to tell a more cohesive story with Benchmark at the center. With both the Benchmark Email and BenchmarkONE (formerly Hatchbuck) platforms under a single Benchmark umbrella, we’ll be able to consolidate marketing spend, messaging, and communication to our audience and customer base. And that’s just the beginning. With the power of one brand behind both platforms, we’ve set the stage for developing new powerful features derived from the best of both worlds for our email marketing and CRM customers. Why BenchmarkONE? As we searched for a name that would reflect Hatchbuck as part of the Benchmark brand, we certainly left a lot of names on the cutting room floor (sorry, BenchmarkAMP! ). Benchmark CRM was a strong contender, fitting the naming convention of Benchmark Email. However, with marketing automation, email marketing, and landing pages built into the platform, Hatchbuck is more than a CRM, and we wanted the name to reflect that. BenchmarkONE aptly fits the spirit of Hatchbuck - one place to manage sales and marketing, simply. What’s the migration path for Hatchbuck customers? With the rebrand, the only thing that is changing is the brand.... --- ### Inbound Marketing 101: Part Two - How to Implement It > In the second installment of our inbound marketing 101 series, we discuss implementation. Here are steps on how to effective implement an inbound strategy. - Published: 2020-04-16 - Modified: 2022-11-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-how-to-implement-it/ - Categories: Marketing Inbound marketing may be the most effective way to promote your business, but setting up a campaign can be a daunting task. The sheer mass of content that needs to be created can look like a formidable wall to climb, but it’s actually more like a set of stairs. One reason inbound marketing can seem so overwhelming is that it’s never really finished. It’s an ongoing strategy that keeps going and going. The best way to avoid feeling discouraged is by looking at your marketing in a completely different way. It’s no longer a process with a distinct beginning and end. Instead, think of it as a journey with a succession of milestones along the way. Every time you reach another significant point, you’ll begin to see better results. There will always be more steps in the journey, but that means you can continue increasing your bottom line through inbound marketing. Once you change your perception of inbound marketing and how you plan to identify results, you’re ready to start implementing an inbound marketing strategy for your business. The following are some steps to take to ensure you do so effectively. 1. Know Your Audience Every marketing campaign begins with establishing your ideal customer. In the past, there were general audience outlines that helped steer the direction of campaigns. For example, an ideal customer may have been a mother in her mid-30’s living in a suburb, or a 20-something male just out of college with a sudden influx of disposable... --- ### Tips for Working From Home With Kids > Working from home comes with some learning curves. But when you're working from home and parenting at the same time, you can use all the help you can get. - Published: 2020-04-15 - Modified: 2020-05-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-working-from-home-with-kids/ - Categories: Small Business COVID-19 has a lot of us doing things we usually wouldn’t do. It has businesses laying off tons of people, companies scaling back on marketing and sales strategies, and networking events are getting canceled. Restaurants and small businesses are having to rely on other measures to keep revenue coming in, and all of us are trying to do whatever we can to lend a helping hand to ensure the repercussions of this pandemic aren’t as drastic as they could be. While extremely fortunate to be employed and have the option to work from home, some parents are struggling as they find themselves juggling numerous full-time jobs at once: teacher, parent, and their actual paying jobs. While there are tons of resources out there on tools to help teams work remotely, how to schedule remote meetings, and how to help small businesses, there isn’t a set strategy or game plan for parents working from home with their kids present. A lot of us at BenchmarkONE are working through this exact situation. So, I thought I’d ask a few of our parents how they’re coping and dealing with this current predicament, as well as any tips they could offer up for other parents working from home. Designate Time to Get Organized and Prep “Getting organized on Sunday evening is very important so Monday we can hit the ground running. I like to make sure I have their lesson plans ready, and anything printed that they need, and all supplies gathered. That way,... --- ### How To Use Popups To Get Quality Leads > When done effectively, popups can help you score quality leads and a considerable amount of conversions. Here's how to use popups to get quality leads. - Published: 2020-04-14 - Modified: 2020-04-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-use-popups-to-get-quality-leads/ - Categories: Marketing Popups seem like annoying ads that unexpectedly appear when customers visit a page. In truth, when done effectively, they can help you score quality leads and a considerable amount of conversions. Neil Patel believes that popups can give customers one last chance to convert. In fact, one popup improved the conversion rates on his site by 17 percent! Now, how can you use popups to get quality leads? How can you use them to grow your business? Here’s what you need to know. 1. Use Exit-Intent Popups Exit-intent popups are meant to win back site visitors by piquing their interest when they’re about to leave an e-commerce website. They show up exactly before a customer clicks the back button. The ideal exit trigger should have an overwhelming offer. It needs to draw people in and make them move along the buyer’s journey. For example, this popup from GQ appears as readers browse through the site. They encourage people to get annual releases of the magazine with a whopping 81 percent discount. If you’re interested in creating an exit-intent popup, here are some tips that you need to know: Determine exit triggers: Identify mouse movement or scrolling behavior that signal that users are about to leave your website. Provide a relevant offer: Exit-intent popups should offer incentives that encourage people to subscribe or provide their email. Be straight to the point: Make copy clear and concise so readers can easily understand what you have to offer. 2. Pay Attention to Design... --- ### What We Learned While Working Remote > To do our part in distancing ourselves and ensure we keep each other safe and healthy, our entire team has been working remote. Here's what we've learned. - Published: 2020-04-09 - Modified: 2020-04-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-we-learned-working-remote/ - Categories: Small Business To do our part in distancing ourselves and to ensure we keep each other safe and healthy, our entire team has been working remotely now for four weeks. Our team members are no strangers to working from home; however, doing so for this long is definitely a first for us. The shift in structure has taught us a few lessons about how to work best, how to be the most productive, and how to juggle multiple things (and kids) at once. We know a lot of other companies, if possible, are having their teams work from home as well, so we figured it would be a great idea to share a few things we’ve learned these past four weeks. Here are five of the biggest lessons we’ve learned while working remotely. Clarity is Crucial We love Slack, and we use it often. It’s a great tool to enable easier and quicker communication, which is needed when we can’t just walk over to each others’ desks and ask a question. But, digital communication isn’t always a breeze. Frequently tone and sentiment get completely lost when things are typed, and unless you jam-pack your messages with exclamation points and emojis, a well-meaning request can come off wrong or confusing. Since digital communication is probably the most used form of communicating with your team while you’re remote, you must be as transparent and clear as possible when making requests or asking questions. Doing so will eliminate unnecessary back and forth and keep everyone... --- ### How to Build a Content Marketing Team for Your Blog > Every high-quality blog has a team behind it. In this blog post, we'll outline how to build a content marketing team to fuel your blog. - Published: 2020-04-08 - Modified: 2020-10-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-build-a-content-marketing-team/ - Categories: Content Marketing Thanks to the low cost of entry, content marketing is an extremely competitive niche. Hundreds, perhaps even thousands of sites, are fighting it out for the same keywords. To succeed, you need to create great content on your site, then support that with a guest posting strategy that will help you build links to your core content. To increase the chance of success in such a competitive market involves getting together a team of experts who can support your content marketing goals. In this article, I’ll walk you through how to grow and manage large content teams, including the strategy I use to get my content to rank on Google. Here’s how to build a content marketing team that creates high-quality content for your business. Create a Content Marketing Strategy According to Forbes magazine, around 63% of businesses don’t have anything that resembles a content strategy. If your business already has one, you’re ahead of the pack. However, having a content strategy that does not align with your business goals might be even worse than not having one at all. A content marketing strategy is more than just an editorial calendar. You need to determine your goals, such as increased traffic, more leads, and higher conversion, and translate them into KPIs. Generally, this involves creating content that aligns with the customer journey. Once you have established what you want to achieve, you can then go into more detailed planning, like audience segmentation, content curation, and content repurposing. For more information... --- ### Inbound Marketing 101: Part One - What Is It? > Inbound marketing is a widely used marketing tactic that focuses on bringing your prospects to you. Read to learn more about what it is and how to use it. - Published: 2020-04-07 - Modified: 2022-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-what-is-it/ - Categories: Marketing For hundreds of years, businesses practiced only one form of promotions: outbound marketing or advertising. The idea was to hunt down customers and show them what you had to offer in the hopes that they’d buy what you sold. Early in the 21st century, marketers began a new method for finding and connecting with customers: inbound marketing. Inbound marketing turns traditional marketing efforts on its head. While outbound marketing included buying ad space, buying mail and email lists, and hoping for the best, inbound marketing changed the focus to concentrate on quality content. By delivering relevant content, you can guide people toward your company where they’ll discover your products and services. By creating content your customers are interested in, you attract more qualified prospects than the scattershot ad approach does. And these benefits are just the tip of the iceberg. Inbound Marketing Benefits Inbound marketing has a wide variety of benefits, all of which are proven to work well in the digital age. Inbound marketing can: Attract more qualified leads, giving you a higher percentage of sales per click. Keep customers coming back to your site again and again. Have staying power. Evergreen content can live on your site forever and continuously deliver results. Provide great educational resources for your audience. Help position your brand as a leader in your industry. While most of its tactics are free, facilitating an effective inbound marketing strategy requires many labor-hours. Also, results don’t come quickly. Unlike sales ads or discount specials, inbound marketing... --- ### 6 Tips for Getting Free Press For Your B2B Business > Times aren’t exactly easy peasy right now. A lot of us have to scale back in any way possible. Here are some tips for getting free press for your business. - Published: 2020-04-02 - Modified: 2020-04-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-getting-free-press/ - Categories: Marketing Times aren’t exactly easy peasy right now. A lot of us have to scale back in any way possible. This effects morale, how we do our jobs, and our strategies. When it comes to getting press for your business, it’s already a difficult undertaking, even at the best of times. But when you need some additional exposure, it’s one of the best methods for getting the job done. How do you succeed at getting press for your business when every dollar matters? Luckily, there is a myriad of opportunities out there that can help you get the exposure you need without spending a pretty penny. It’s all about knowing where to begin and how to go about doing it. Whether you’re trying to gain new customers, increase your reputation, or increase website traffic, press is a solution that’s a fit for businesses of any size or industry. But First, Why Should They Care? Put yourself in the shoes of all the journalists, influencers, and thought leaders out there. Why should they want to write about you or feature you? What makes you so different? Why should your story be shared with their audience? For some press opportunities, it’s all about coming up with a unique angle. Figure out what makes your business different than all the other marketing and entrepreneurial stories that are put out there regularly. See what types of PR and press initiatives your competitors are taking and come up with a plan. Buzzsumo can be particularly helpful... --- ### Why Your Business Needs Storytelling > Storyteling is an artform with a precise equation. And in this blog post, we'll examine what that is, and how your brand can tell your story. - Published: 2020-04-01 - Modified: 2020-03-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/why-your-business-needs-storytelling/ - Categories: Marketing Why are standup comedians so compelling? They don’t often have fancy costumes, or props, or elaborate set design. They don’t usually sing or dance, or demonstrate some unique “X-Factor” style talent. They literally stand in front of a crowd and talk. Comedians are compelling because they are storytellers. Yes, it helps that the good ones are uproariously funny, but they’re most often funny because they’re relatable. When we listen to good standup, we experience and re-imagine our lives in a new context. We see ourselves in their stories, and we feel connected. At the very least, these stories are memorable, and they provide us with entertainment. At the very most, we’re moved to action. And if a good comedian can hold a crowd rapt for an hour or more with nothing but a microphone and some words, you should be able to do the same for your customers — with storytelling. Why You Need Storytelling Though consumers (and especially B2B buyers) like to think of themselves as logical, all humans are driven primarily by emotion. And what better way to appeal to emotion than with a story? Stories are also powerful differentiators. Have you ever heard the advice “just be yourself, everyone else is taken”? Applied to your business, this is sage advice, because the only true differentiator is your unique brand identity. It’s not what you do or even how you do it that makes you truly unique — it’s who you are. Research has shown that stories are... --- ### How to Help Small Businesses Get Through Tough Times > Right now, small businesses are suffering. They’re unsure what the future holds and if they’ll get through this pandemic. Here's how you can help. - Published: 2020-03-31 - Modified: 2023-02-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-help-small-businesses-get-through-tough-times/ - Categories: Small Business Small businesses are the heart of our nation. They provide us all with everything from a warm meal to home repair. They employ us, they sustain us, and we need them. Right now, small businesses are suffering. They’re unsure of what the next few months hold and if they’ll be able to bounce back from this pandemic. For many of them, the future isn’t looking as bright as it once was. Luckily, there are things we can do to help them. At Hatchbuck, we’re thinking a lot about our small business clients and what they may be experiencing right now. We’ve come up with a few ideas of how we all can provide some additional help so that small businesses can survive and thrive once this dark cloud moves on. How to Give Back to Small Businesses For B2B Businesses with Small Business Clients For B2B companies, it’s not only our job to provide our small business customers with the services we promised. It’s also our job to make sure we’re looking out for them and their businesses’ wellbeing. We have a duty to share with them any resource, tool, or strategy that can help them succeed. Here are some ways B2B businesses can help: 1. Create and Share Content Talk to your sales team, your account team, and your customer service team. Ask them what their conversations with small businesses are like. Are these small businesses expressing fears right now, and if so, what are they? Where do they... --- ### 9 Ways to Prepare for Hosting a Webinar > There are a number of things you should do to plan for hosting a webinar Let’s dive right into what those nine things are. - Published: 2020-03-26 - Modified: 2022-06-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hosting-a-webinar/ - Categories: Marketing Oh, webinars. We’ve talked about them frequently on our blog. How to put together the perfect webinar. How to convert webinar leads to customers. How to grow your email list with webinars. I could go on, but I’ll spare you. As I’m sure you already know, webinars are an effective way to showcase your knowledge of a subject, gain new followers and leads, and cement your reputation as a thought leader in your industry. Those wonderful perks, however, cannot be achieved if you don’t adequately prepare and plan for your webinar. There are a number of things you should do in preparation to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Let’s dive right into what those nine things are. 1. Assign Roles There’s a lot to do when it comes to hosting a webinar. It’s in your best interest to allocate roles so everyone involved understands what they should be doing. Here are some questions to answer: Who is the host of the webinar? Who will be presenting? Who’s going to be putting together the deck? Who’s going to be supplying the outline for the deck? Who’s creating any social images for promotion? Who’s creating the email and other promo materials? Also, consider whether you’ll need assistance in setup and during the big event, too. 2. Think About the Format You’ll definitely want to evaluate the flow of the webinar and the way you’ll be presenting the topic. Some webinars are more straightforward, with one host and a short Q&A at the... --- ### The 5 Best Tools For Scheduling Remote Meetings > Here are some of the best tools for scheduling remote meetings so you can continue to get work done and keep your team aligned while working from home. - Published: 2020-03-25 - Modified: 2021-12-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tools-for-scheduling-remote-meetings/ - Categories: Small Business I think it’s probably safe to say that in-person meetings are canceled for the time being. With the widespread COVID-19, a lot of us are hunkered down, working from home or other remote locations to stay healthy and avoid infections. While those efforts should bring a smile to our faces, it doesn’t lessen the severity of the situation, and the uncertainty that a lot of businesses face. All of us to be careful, stay safe, and lend a hand in any way possible to our fellow small businesses. For us at Hatchbuck, that includes creating content that helps us all work better, no matter where the work may be taking place. When you’re trying to continue business as usual (or as usual as possible), how do you navigate around working with or meeting with those you can’t physically be near? Luckily, we live in the digital age, which affords us many different small business tools and software aimed at bringing us together. Here are some of the best tools for scheduling remote meetings so you can continue to get work done and keep your team aligned while working from home. 1. Calendly Calendly gives you the reigns when it comes to scheduling meetings by allowing you to select the time slots you’re available. Once you make your selections, Calendy creates a meeting link for you to include in your correspondence. If people want to meet with you, they can only select the times you’ve indicated, which gives you total control... --- ### How to Adapt a Mentality of Helping Over Selling > By focusing on helping instead of selling, you’ll find that you’ll not only put your customers first but see benefits for your own company as well. - Published: 2020-03-24 - Modified: 2020-03-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/helping-over-selling/ - Categories: Small Business Sales numbers and KPIs are on the minds of a lot of businesses right now. With everything going on, there’s a real concern over how revenue will be affected, and with that comes concerns for the overall livelihood and longevity of businesses. We are all feeling the negative effects of this outbreak, and are faced with the realization that our companies will probably suffer, some more than others. But that’s no reason to neglect your sales and marketing efforts. In fact, there’s no better time to ramp up your efforts and continue to push to achieve your goals. The simple reality is that selling seems silly right now. Also, your traditional approaches are probably not getting the results they used to. It’s time for a new approach. By focusing on helping instead of selling, you’ll find that you’ll not only put your customers first but see benefits for your own company as well. Let Selling Take a Backseat This approach may seem hard, especially since sales are no doubt on your mind right now. But we’re all in this together. We all have to look out for one another, and the best way to do that is to find ways to offer up suggestions, tips, and contributions. Below are some methods you can adopt that are aimed at helping over selling. Invest In a Content Marketing Strategy One of the most cost-effective ways to both market your company while you also help others is to invest in a content marketing... --- ### 4 Common Small Business Problems and How to Solve Them > For small business, it’s crucial to avoid the big problems and have a plan of action for the smaller, more common ones. Here are four of them. - Published: 2020-03-19 - Modified: 2020-03-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/common-small-business-problems/ - Categories: Small Business As a small business owner, there are a number of common issues that you’ll inevitably find yourself having to deal with, regardless of whether you’re a brand new startup, or on your way to rapid growth. To succeed, it’s crucial that you avoid the big mistakes and have a plan of action for the smaller, more common ones. We all know that knowledge is power. Having an idea of what these common problems are can help prevent them from stressing you out and negatively impacting your success. Below, I’ve rounded up four of the most frequently experienced challenges that come with owning a small business, along with some expert advice on how to get through them unscathed. Motivating Employees You may eat, sleep, and breathe your business, but that doesn’t necessarily mean your employees will share that same deep-seated passion. People are driven by different things, which can further complicate matters. What might ignite a spark within one individual may not work for another, and vice versa. The secret to keeping your team plugged in and chugging toward your goals is to figure out what motivates each of them and then customize your approach accordingly. Perhaps an incentive program is all you need to boost motivation. Don’t be afraid to ask them how they’re doing and if they’re feeling fulfilled and driven by their work. This can give you a good read of how to further engage and motivate them, or determine if they just may not be a fit... --- ### What Facebook Groups Can Do For Your Business (and How to Create Them) > If your business needs more ways to benefit from Facebook groups, there are ways you can capitalize on and use it in a more meaningful way. - Published: 2020-03-18 - Modified: 2020-03-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-facebook-groups-can-do-for-your-business/ - Categories: Social Media I remember when I first signed up for Facebook. It was 2005. Low-rise jeans were in style, and we were still trying to figure out a legit way to download and access music online. The excitement of creating my profile and connecting with my friends and classmates was palpable. I had no idea that in just a few years, everyone and their moms (literally) would be joining the platform, and Facebook as I knew it would totally change. What was once a mecca for college kids has now become a go-to platform for bragging about grandchildren, posting pictures of home-cooked meals, and sharing vacation expeditions. But in the transition, Facebook also opened up to businesses, creating ad options, functionalities, and analytics that could help those businesses using the platform thrive. The Power of Facebook While Facebook has gotten some heat somewhat recently, it’s still one of the top social media platforms out there. And while some businesses are leaving the platform, others are sticking it out and continuing to use it to tap into their audiences and share a part of their brand with them. Whether or not Facebook continues down a controversial path is uncertain. What is certain is that if your business needs more ways to benefit from Facebook groups, there are ways you can capitalize on and use it in a more meaningful way. While I’m sure there are still plenty of Facebook groups dedicated to celebrities, T. V. shows, and movies out there, businesses can hone... --- ### Tools To Help Teams Work Remotely During the COVID-19 Outbreak > A lot of businesses have instilled a work from home or work remote policy as our nation tries to suppress the spread of COVID-19. - Published: 2020-03-18 - Modified: 2020-06-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tools-to-help-teams-work-remotely-during-covid-19-outbreak/ - Categories: Leadership We know a lot of teams are working remotely or from the confines of their homes to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Whether you’re no stranger to the work from home lifestyle, or this was a sudden and unexpected mandate, you need to make sure you’re using the right tools, so that business can resume as normal (or as close to normal as possible). Head over to Benchmark Email’s blog for some tools to help teams work remotely during this tricky time. --- ### Your Guide to Conversational Marketing > Conversational marketing is one of the most effective marketing strategies for moving buyers through the sales funnel. - Published: 2020-03-17 - Modified: 2020-03-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guide-to-conversational-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing What’s the best way to connect with your prospects and customers? Start a conversation. Conversational marketing is one of the most effective marketing strategies for moving buyers through the sales funnel. As its name indicates, this technique focuses on using conversations to create authentic experiences and build relationships. Rather than making people fill out lead capture forms and wait for a response, conversational marketing utilizes tools like intelligent chatbots and targeted messaging to engage with people in real-time. The easier it is for people to interact with your business, the easier it will be to convert them. And they’ll appreciate the accessibility. Let’s take a closer look at what this type of marketing is all about and how you can use it to your advantage. Marketing is Evolving Let’s face it; the world is evolving. The traditional way businesses market and sell no longer aligns with how today’s consumers buy things. The customer experience is changing, in large part, to messaging apps and readily available content. When we’re not speaking to someone face to face, we’re communicating with them via other real-time methods, like text, email, or chatbots. It’s fast, it’s easy, and it’s the closest thing to a real conversation. Also, 88 percent of consumers are doing their own research before making purchasing decisions. With the amount of content and resources available online, it’s no wonder consumers are taking the reigns and educating themselves. These real-time, conversation-driven apps can capitalize on this trend and reach consumers while they’re researching.... --- ### What Businesses Should Do About the COVID-19 Outbreak > Head to the Benchmark Email blog for business tips on how to deal with COVID-19 and how to communicate with customers about it. - Published: 2020-03-16 - Modified: 2020-03-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/covid-19-and-businesses/ - Categories: Marketing These are unprecedented circumstances for all of us, and our hearts go out to each and every one of you dealing with this virus, especially those on the front-lines sacrificing their lives to keep us all safe. However, as a business owner, the one thing you’re amazing at is staying on your toes and adapting to change. Need a few tips for addressing COVID-19 concerns with your audience? Head on over to the Benchmark Email blog. There you'll find tips for businesses on how to deal with the virus and how to communicate with customers about it. In the meantime, here at Hatchbuck, we’ll be practicing social distancing by working from home. But we promise that you’ll continue to receive the same friendly support that you know and love. Thank you for being a part of our community, and stay safe out there! Your team at Hatchbuck --- ### 5 Marketing Attribution Tools that are Perfect for Small Businesses > Marketing attribution tools aren’t exactly uncommon, but many are geared towards huge enterprises. Here are some great solutions for small businesses. - Published: 2020-03-12 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-attribution-tools-for-small-businesses/ - Categories: Marketing Digital marketing can be a dizzying world sometimes. There’s a lot of tasks, services, and changes to keep up with. Not to mention the constant need to refine your marketing strategies and adjust your advertising buys. When it’s all said and done, though, are your efforts actually working? Sometimes, even with the data presented from your advertising and marketing automation platforms, it’s a difficult question to answer. It’s often easy to see how someone enters your site or finds your product, what content they download, or how often they open an email. But there’s a deeper level to your data that needs to be uncovered. All of your paid sponsorships, blog posts, and display advertisements aren’t successful unless there’s a definite ROI. So, it’s critical that you take a deeper dive into your data to find the right touchpoints and understand how they can drive more sales. As a small business, budgets are always a concern. Marketing attribution tools aren’t exactly uncommon, but many are geared towards huge enterprises with price tags to follow. For these recommendations, we’re sticking to the small business budget and mindset. 1. Google Attribution It’s likely that you already use Google Analytics and possibly Google AdWords in your digital marketing plan. Google Analytics is extremely useful for websites to track their traffic and website trends. Within Analytics, Google released Google Attribution. Google Attribution is a completely free tool that helps you see your insights on a deeper level. Instead of simply viewing your website traffic,... --- ### 8 Ways to Reuse Old Blog Posts > Its okay to reuse old blog posts. But you have to figure out how to do so without simply self-plagiarizing and republishing the same exact content. - Published: 2020-03-11 - Modified: 2020-03-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-ways-to-reuse-old-blog-posts/ - Categories: Content Marketing When you browse your blog posts, I’m sure you see a lot of amazing topics. Perhaps you’re even thinking to yourself that it would be great if you could reuse those same topics to create new, original content to engage your readers further. Well, the truth is that you can. The trick is to figure out how to reuse old blog posts without simply self-plagiarizing and republishing the same content. Doing so not only has distrust ramifications for you and your audience, but you’re also not being that educational resource your audience needs. Not to mention, Google dislikes duplicate information immensely. If it seems that you are in the habit of just repeating the same information over and over again, your blog’s search rankings will be negatively affected. But don’t let all that worthwhile information go to waste. Start repurposing and reusing your valuable blog content in a way that further serves your audience and doesn’t get your content flagged for self-plagiarism. Here’s how. 1. Turn One Blog Post Into Multiple Posts I know, I know. This sounds tedious. But I promise it’s not. Take one of your valuable blog posts and read through it, searching for points that could easily be their own article. Use the base information you have and fill it out, so your content is still of a similar vein, yet maintains its uniqueness and originality. Take, for example, our blog post on “10 Blog Metrics You Should be Using to Track Success. ” One of... --- ### 10 Elements of the Perfect Office Space > Designing your office space is a process. Here are some things you can focus on that can create the perfect office space. - Published: 2020-03-10 - Modified: 2020-03-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-perfect-office-space/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship If you work in an office, chances are you spend a lot of time there. Some of us even spend more time in the office than we do at home. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial, but in today’s workforce, it isn’t always a reality. So, it makes sense that you would want certain office perks and a relaxing and comfortable environment. But where do you start? And how do you ensure that the office space you create is enjoyable for everyone? There’s no set manual for turning a lackluster space into something more enticing for your employees. While you don’t have to aspire to Google or The Wing office spaces with slides, mini-golf courses, and beautifully curated furniture and decor, there are some specific things you can focus on that will ensure you have the perfect office space to get the job done. 1. Open Space A cramped workspace is not fun for anyone. While it doesn’t have to be overly spacious, gone are the days of little cubicles and compartments that make employees feel stressed, restricted, and like they’re in a confining cage. Open up the area so you and your staff can enjoy the space freely and move around without the constant fear of bumping into desks and filing cabinets. Also, an open office space makes for more open and easy communication. 2. Lighting Lighting is one of the most critical aspects of any office environment. Lack of lighting can affect your productivity and energy levels,... --- ### What to Do When You Lose a Big Client > Every B2B business, whether you’re a marketing agency or any other small business that works with multiple B2B clients, has experienced that dreaded - Published: 2020-03-05 - Modified: 2020-02-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-to-do-when-you-lose-a-big-client/ - Categories: Agencies Every B2B business, whether you’re a marketing agency or any other small business that works with multiple B2B clients, has experienced that dreaded moment when you lose a big client. Ups and downs are a fact of life of being in business, but it can still be painful when a big account cuts back on your budget, or when you lose some revenue that you had been counting on. The usual response to losing a big client is to cut costs: lay off employees, cut back on your budget. But what if there was a more creative and agile way to recover from the hit to your bottom line? There are several immediate strategies that B2B sales organizations can use to bounce back from a lost client or a lost account. Re-evaluate Your Current Base of Business Losing a big client hurts. But remember: you still have plenty of other clients, right? Go back to your existing client base and look for opportunities to boost revenue by selling more or selling differently to your current customers, such as: Can you upsell some additional higher-value products or services to your current clients? Studies of upselling have found that selling to existing customers has a success rate of 60-70%. Customers are often more likely to buy additional solutions from you if they already know you and have a business relationship in place. Can you cross-sell multiple solutions to clients who are currently only utilizing a certain product or service from your company?... --- ### 5 Expert Tips for Optimizing Your Content > Regardless of your business or industry, whether or not you're optimizing content correctly plays a role in your ability to compete and convert online. - Published: 2020-03-04 - Modified: 2020-03-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-expert-tips-for-optimizing-content/ - Categories: Content Marketing Regardless of your business size or the industry your business is in, content optimization plays a pivotal role in your ability to compete and convert online. Everyone is creating content, which makes the online world very crowded. Every social feed is inundated with articles, videos, and shared media that it makes it hard to sort through and find the real gems. So, for your content to stand out, it must be optimized appropriately. Unfortunately, optimization isn’t always as straightforward as it may seem. If you’re struggling to get more traction online, here are a few expert tips for leveraging content to achieve better ranking, engagement, and conversion. How To Optimize Your Content Stay On Top of Trends The key to winning the marketing game is to figure out what your target audience wants and delivering on that. This is why market research is so important. Every industry has its trends, events, and buzzworthy topics. By staying on top of these things, you’ll give your prospects and customers what they’re looking for and also improve your performance online, since search engines favor trending topics. Write First, Optimize Later One of the biggest stumbling blocks business owners encounter when it comes to creating top-quality content is trying to optimize as they create. This kind of stop-and-go writing isn’t a productive use of your time, nor is it going to get you the results you’re looking for. Instead, focus on getting the message right in terms of quality and authenticity first, then optimize... --- ### Top Customer Experience Software for Small Business > How you interact with your customers matters for overall satisfaction and relationship growth. That's why having a customer experience software is a must. - Published: 2020-03-03 - Modified: 2022-07-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-experience-software-for-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business Haven’t you heard? UX is out, and CX is in. Okay, maybe I’m being a bit dramatic. In all realness, CX is more like the evolution of UX. Are you scratching your head over these terms I’m so loosely throwing around? CX is “customer experience,” and UX is “user experience. ” In general, user experience tends to focus on how a customer interacts with your actual website or app. Customer experience, on the other hand, is their whole experience with your company. So, user experience is part of customer experience, but so is your customer service staff, sales staff, marketing outreach, and everything in between. The concept of UX has been a hot topic for quite some time. So much so that there is a plethora of software to manage it. Customer experience, since it has so many channels of involvement, has been slow to catch up, especially in the small business price point. So, let’s improve your customer experience—and user experience—with some excellent CX software for your small business. Four Customer Experience Softwares to Check Out HotJar HotJar is billed as analytics software, and on the surface level, sure, that’s what they do. However, Hotjar allows you to understand your web users in ways you’ve never dreamed of. They feature analytics visualization favorites like heatmaps, conversion funnels, and form analysis—but that’s not what makes them perfect for managing customer experience. HotJar's shining features are their easy to deploy feedback polls, instant visual feedback from your users about aspects of... --- ### 4 Deadly Small Business Mistakes You Must Avoid > We all make mistakes. But some can be deadly. Here are four small business mistakes that could cost you, and how you can avoid making them. - Published: 2020-02-27 - Modified: 2020-02-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-mistakes/ - Categories: Small Business There are about 28. 8 million small businesses in the United States, each of them with their own unique challenges and objectives. And while with most things in life a mistake here or there isn’t a major travesty, a mistake in running your small business — even a tiny one — can mean the end. Only 20 percent of businesses fail within their first year, and by the end of their fifth year, 50 percent of all businesses fail. If you want to beat the odds, you need to be incredibly careful with how you run your operations, especially when it comes to avoiding common small business mistakes. Don’t let limited resources stand in the way of long-term success. Here are four of the deadliest small business mistakes and why it’s crucial to stay clear of them. 1. Not Having a Marketing Team A marketing team can seem like a luxury for a small business, but in reality, it’s a necessity. One of the biggest marketing challenges is getting new clients, which directly relates to generating new revenue for your company. Marketing teams — even if they’re just one or two people — help establish your company brand and ensure that you’re both solidifying your message and reaching as many people as possible with it. All businesses, large or small, need to attract new prospects and turn those prospects into customers. It doesn’t matter what you’re selling, who you’re trying to attract, or how big your budget is — if... --- ### How We’re Different than HubSpot > When evaluating a marketing automation tool, there are other options besides HubSpot. Here is how our tool is different and why you should consider it. - Published: 2020-02-26 - Modified: 2022-09-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-were-different-than-hubspot/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Here at BenchmarkONE, we’re not afraid to call out a decent marketing automation tool when we see it, even if we didn’t make it ourselves. There’s a lot to like about HubSpot, and you’ll probably see their name again and again when you’re researching marketing software for your business. But that being said, they’re definitely not the only marketing automation solution out there that you should be considering. We pride ourselves on offering the most bang for the buck for small and medium-sized businesses. Why? Well, we’ve built our software specifically for their needs. Here are some of the biggest ways we stand out from HubSpot, and why you should consider using our platform for your small business's marketing automation needs. 1. We’re More Cost-Effective Budget isn’t everything when you’re selecting a marketing automation platform, but it’s a major driving factor. Prioritizing your small business marketing budget shouldn’t mean dedicating the bulk of your spending to your software. Doing so neglects other valuable efforts, like lead and revenue generation. You’re working with limited resources, and there’s a lot your budget needs to accommodate. That’s why we’ve optimized our platform for cost efficiency, becoming a more affordable option in a notoriously pricey industry. So how do we compare to HubSpot in price? To use HubSpot’s marketing bundle, you’ll spend anywhere between $50 and $3,600 a month, depending on your needs and the size of your business. In need of a CMS? That starts at $25 a month for basic capabilities but... --- ### Why You Should Have Customer Success Workshops > Customer success workshops offer your users a way to reach you in real time regarding any questions or issues they may have. - Published: 2020-02-25 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/why-you-should-have-customer-success-workshops/ - Categories: Leadership It’s a simple fact of doing business: if your customers aren’t succeeding with your product or service, then you aren’t succeeding either. And that’s what makes customer success workshops a must-do, mainly for SaaS companies. Instead of giving your customer service a reboot, invest in customer success workshops. They offer tons of benefits, including identifying what your customer needs and pain points are when it comes to your product. And, they can clue you in on what you need to do to ensure your customers get as much utility as possible out of what you’re selling. What is a Customer Success Workshop? A customer success workshop is an in-person or live broadcast event with existing customers where you provide care, service, and consultations regarding the particular product or service offering that they’re utilizing. Whether over an hour or the span of a couple of days, these workshops allow you and your customers to really dig into the essentials that they need to know to get the most out of their purchase. In addition to elevating the customer experience, they provide you with insight into how your customers are using your product or service, and what features might need to be tweaked. 4 Reasons to Give Customer Success Workshops a Try We could tout the importance of customer success workshops all day, but in the interest of time, we’ve narrowed our spiel down to just four of the main advantages. With that in mind, here’s why you should give these types... --- ### 10 Blog Metrics You Should be Using to Track Success > Your company blog is one of your most valuable marketing assets. But that value is totally missed if you don't track the right metrics. - Published: 2020-02-20 - Modified: 2020-02-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/blog-metrics-to-track-success/ - Categories: Content Marketing Your company blog is one of your most valuable marketing assets. Since it’s owned media, you can essentially write content on whatever topics your heart desires. This gives you a lot of liberties, unlike publishing content on outside publications, as those outlets have specific guidelines to follow and their own agendas. So when you have a very important product to push, service to highlight, or want to speak more specifically on an experience or feature pertaining to your business, your blog is an undeniable resource to utilize. You create the rules because you’re the one putting it together, editing it, refining it, and sharing it out to the world. But mistakes can be made. The blog you build is no good if it’s not performing, and if it’s also your main form of consistently published content (which it often is), it needs to deliver. If no one is reading it, it’s not converting new site visitors to prospects, or you can hear crickets in the comment section, then you know you must be doing something wrong. And it’s no fun putting all that work into something that yields very little return. But how do you know you’re getting the most out of every blog post you create? How do you effectively measure the success of your blog? Here are the metrics you should look at that ultimately determine whether or not your blog content is resonating with your audience. 10 Blog Metrics That Determine Success We’ve compiled a list of... --- ### How to Build an Effective Sales Team > Your sales team needs to be comprised of driven and motivated individuals in order to thrive. Here's how you can build an effective sales team. - Published: 2020-02-19 - Modified: 2020-02-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-build-an-effective-sales-team/ - Categories: Leadership Modern salespeople wear many hats. Selling isn’t their only job, and they are just as responsible for educating the consumer as they are selling to them. It can add a lot to their plates and make their jobs a lot more challenging. In fact, 61percent of salespeople stated it was much harder to sell than it was five years ago. It’s not an easy business, which is why building a productive and resilient sales team is critical to the success of a company. In this article, we’ll explore some essential practices business leaders should implement to assemble a team of top-performing salespeople. Consider An Internal Hire First Bad hires are costly, so it’s important to take your time and do it right. The best place to start when building a sales team is to consider the resources you already have. The most successful sales hires are typically internal. Why? Well, these people already know the brand, company policies, expectations, and ROI of what your company offers. They’re well-versed with your service and product, which makes the learning curve much lower than if you were to hire externally. Before you look outside the company, open the job up internally. If you need to, ask around for referrals. Perhaps there is someone in operations that would love to try sales. Don’t eliminate someone if they don’t have direct experience. Sometimes, the best salespeople are the ones you can train from the bottom up. Know Who You Want Before you can hire someone,... --- ### Don't Let the Sun Set On Your Emails: Create A Sunset Policy. > A sunset policy is a plan for managing leads who are no longer engaging with or opening your email messaging. Here's how to put a policy in place. - Published: 2020-02-18 - Modified: 2020-06-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/create-a-sunset-policy/ - Categories: Email Marketing Rejection comes in many forms. Being stood up on a date; When your boss hard passes on one of your ideas; Or, when leads stop responding to your emails, just to name a few. Rejection is no fun. It can make you feel like you don’t matter, or that all the effort you put in getting ready for that date or impressing your boss was pointless. But, how you choose to handle that rejection can make all the difference. You can either wallow in your rejection and never try at something again, or you can learn from it. In marketing, when leads stop opening your emails, the message they’re trying to send you is clear: I’m no longer interested. While the rejection may sting a little bit, it’s more important to focus on how you’ll choose to move forward. Do you continue to waste your time and send more emails to these disengaged contacts? Or, do you find a way to manage them that is more beneficial? What is A Sunset Policy and Why Is Having One Important? A sunset policy is a plan for managing leads who are no longer engaging with or opening your email messaging. So, there are people who aren’t opening your emails, no harm, no foul, right? Wrong. Whether or not your emails make it to the inbox depends on a lot of factors, including your past track record. Every person who doesn’t engage with your email is a strike against you, and can negatively... --- ### How to Align Sales and Marketing Teams for Content Creation > Sales and marketing teams need to align in order to ensure the content creation process is as informed and successful as possible. - Published: 2020-02-13 - Modified: 2020-02-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-align-sales-and-marketing-for-content-creation/ - Categories: Content Marketing One of the most critical aspects of a successful business is the alignment of sales and marketing. The less they communicate, the harder it becomes for both departments to reach their goals. How is your marketing team expected to deliver quality leads to the sales team if they don’t know leads’ pain points? And how are they supposed to know leads’ pain points without insight from the sales team? A lack of cohesion among these two teams can lead to missed revenue and a complete disconnect between your company and your ideal customer. And your business just can’t afford that. To produce top-quality content, and for that content to be useful, your sales and marketing teams must collaborate. Here are some ideas to get the two teams together in the name of content marketing. 1. Hold Monthly Meetings No department should ever be an island, yet sales and marketing teams tend to silo themselves. While marketing dedicates a lot of their time to content creation and implementing tactics that generate leads, it’s the sales team that has a good read on the strategy that should fuel those efforts. The two groups need to be working together to enable sales and nurture prospects. This starts with holding monthly meetings where everyone is involved. During these meetings, it’s important to discuss the needs and issues of each group. It’s a critical process that allows both teams to gather deeper insight that will inform the next steps. It’s also important, during monthly meetings,... --- ### A Knowledge Base: The Sales Enablement Tool Your Business Needs > A knowledge base tells your customers, your industry, and search engines that you’re an authority in your field. It’s also useful for sales enablement. - Published: 2020-02-06 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/a-knowledge-base-the-sales-enablement-tool-your-business-needs/ - Categories: Sales A strong knowledge base tells your customers, your industry, and the search engines that you’re an authority in your field. It’s also especially useful in regards to sales enablement. While it might be time-intensive, putting together a knowledge base article on a topic related to the product or service you offer allows your sales team to do their jobs more efficiently. And when your sales team is enabled, you get more deals past the finish line — which in turn benefits your entire organization. Not convinced yet that it’s worth the effort? Keep reading to learn more about what constitutes an effective knowledge base, how it can help your prospects, and your sales team. 4 Factors of A Strong Knowledge Base The reason for building a conversion-driven knowledge base is time-intensive is because it has to be comprehensive if it’s going to be impactful. It also has to be easy for prospects to find. As a way to inform your knowledge base strategy, think of it as a place on your site where prospects can go to get answers to the questions that they would normally reach out to your sales team for. Similar to an FAQ page but broader, and with a bit more depth. The base should include enough information to guide prospects to the next stage of the funnel. It’s not a replacement for other marketing and sales materials, but a supplement. To ensure your knowledge base hits the right marks, make sure it: Is informative Covers... --- ### How to Achieve A Happy Balance Between Content Creation and Curation > Sharing the content you create is imperative. But, including curated content in your distribution and content creation strategy is beneficial as well. - Published: 2020-02-05 - Modified: 2020-02-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-creation-and-curation/ - Categories: Content Marketing There’s a lot of valuable content out there, and it doesn’t necessarily all come from your own team. Content curation is the process of culling media from other brands to amplify the authority and reach of your own. It’s different than content creation, which is when you craft original content for the same purposes. Distributing content from your brand on social media and in email messaging is imperative. But it also doesn’t hurt to share relevant pieces of content from other brands that are interesting and informative. Here’s why incorporating other content into your distribution strategy is smart (as well as some ideas on how to do it). 1. It Shows You’re Doing Your Research Content serves a lot of purposes, but one of the most important is that it helps you build authority with your audience. When you curate content from other sources, it’s like saying to your network that you have your finger on the pulse of other noteworthy topics and articles in your industry. It’s also proof that you’re doing your homework by being invested in engaging with your field — even if it doesn't necessarily get you a link back to your website. Building authority is one of the most significant benefits of content curation. If you show that you’re an active learner in addition to being an active teacher, your network will take notice and appreciate it. 2. It Increases the Knowledge You’re Able to Spread If you think a piece of content is valuable,... --- ### Interactive Survey Videos: The Key to Consumer Insights > Interactive survey videos are the key to consumer insights. Here's why, and how to put one together and gain helpful information. - Published: 2020-02-04 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/interactive-survey-videos/ - Categories: Marketing Did you know that video content is among the most engaging content on social media? We are clicking on video over 5 billion times a day on YouTube alone, and Facebook counts 100 million hours of video a day. We love the charge our brain gets with the flurry of images. Your customers love video, but what about customer surveys? As marketers, we love them because they get into the minds of our customers, providing us with data we can use to better appeal to them and their needs. But is there a middle ground? Is there an easy and engaging solution that gets marketers and customers what they want? The answer is interactive video surveys. What are interactive video surveys? How do they both gather what you need from your audience and delight them? Well, keep reading, and we’ll tell you. What Are Interactive Survey Videos? Interactive video serves up the ability to ask questions, track responses, caption text, including captioning in dozens of other languages, search options, and certification (a. k. a. award/reward). All of this is under your branding so, you are staying top-of-mind. Making videos is simple with today’s devices, and there are also several stock video services as well. If you are originating your own video, storyboard your scenes and keep it three minutes or less. Ask five or fewer questions. Being respectful of the survey takers’ time will net you better results. Let’s say you are a hospital and are looking to increase your... --- ### BenchmarkONE’s Latest Feature: Gmail Integration > Check out our latest feature - our Gmail integration! Create new BenchmarkONE contacts from your Gmail inbox, keeping tabs on your prospects and customers. - Published: 2020-01-29 - Modified: 2020-07-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-gmail-integration/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News Say hello to BenchmarkONE’s latest integration: Gmail! Now you can boost your team’s sales productivity without ever having to leave the comfort of your inbox. The integration allows you to bring the power of BenchmarkONE's CRM directly into your Gmail inbox to save time and prevent workflow disruptions when bouncing between applications. Seamlessly Create and Track Contacts With a few simple clicks, you can easily create new BenchmarkONE contacts from right inside your Gmail inbox to make sure you’re keeping tabs on all of your valuable prospects and customers. The new integration puts your entire CRM database at your fingertips. Quickly search for specific BenchmarkONE contacts inside of Gmail – no switching browser windows. Access valuable information, like contact details, recent activity, notes and tasks to give you all the context you need for your next outreach. Even better, see if a contact opened your latest email and whether you should be following up on the spot. Easily leave additional notes, create follow-up tasks and add new tags on the fly for a more streamlined sales process that ensures important information isn’t getting left behind in your Gmail inbox. With BenchmarkONE’s new Gmail integration, you can eliminate the back and forth between valuable applications and streamline your sales process to ensure that the contact information you need is accessible anywhere at any time. --- ### Avoid Employee Turnover with These 8 Tactics > When employees leave it's defeating, upsetting, and expensive. Here are eight ways to avoid employee turnover at your company. - Published: 2020-01-29 - Modified: 2022-11-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/avoid-employee-turnover/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Qualified talent is one of the greatest commodities in business today. The more talented, hardworking, and sharp your employees are, the better your company operates and delivers to its clients. But, finding the right people isn’t always easy, especially when there’s more and more competition out there. When you do finally find those great people to fill your company, what if you lose them? When employees quit, it’s not only discouraging and disappointing, but it’s costly. The average employee exit costs 33 percent of their annual salary. So, it’s not only hard to get quality people, but it’s also very expensive if they leave. Avoiding employee turnover helps your business thrive, and there’s no peace of mind like that of knowing your employees are satisfied and enjoy coming to work every day. But how do you ensure you’re building a company that can keep its talent? Here I’ll share eight ways you can avoid employee turnover and retain your top people. 1. Streamline Your Hiring Process Retaining employees starts with how you hire them. If your retention rate is low, it’s best to start with your hiring process and ensure how you hire people is the same across the board. Put a lot of time into how you put together your job descriptions. Are you clearly defining the role and thoroughly explaining the position? The better you are at describing what the position demands, the more relevant candidates apply. You should also do everything you can to ensure the prospect... --- ### The State of K12 School District Newsletters > We surveyed K12 school communicators about the ins-and-outs of their school district newsletters. Here’s what you need to know. - Published: 2020-01-28 - Modified: 2021-02-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/k12-school-district-newsletters/ - Categories: K12 Curious about how school districts leverage newsletters and the most common communication struggles they face? We’ve gone straight to the source. We surveyed K12 school communicators about the ins-and-outs of their school district newsletters and their biggest challenges for 2020. In this post, we’re bringing our findings to you, highlighting some of the most compelling things that we learned about the state of K12 school district newsletters. Is your school district getting the most out of its newsletter? Here’s what you need to know. Who Are the Audiences for School District Newsletters? Every marketer knows that you need to have a keen idea of who your audience is before you can effectively communicate with them. We asked respondents to tell us which stakeholders they are communicating with in their school newsletters. For the respondents we surveyed: At least 82 percent said internal/staff are part of their audience 80 percent said they communicate with parents The school board - 70 percent Local media - 25 percent Whoever is interested and has signed up to receive it - 12. 5 percent If you're like most K12 school districts sending your newsletter to multiple audiences, it’s important to segment your contacts and adjust your newsletter content as needed depending on what each group needs to know. Internal staff, for example, are going to have very different viewpoints on what’s interesting and relevant versus parents. Smart school newsletter tools (like our own K12 Edition) include dynamic content, which allows school communicators to swap out... --- ### 6 Ways to Distribute Your Content (That You Haven't Already Tried) > You know its important to share your published content. But here are some ways to distribute it that you havent already tried. - Published: 2020-01-28 - Modified: 2020-01-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-ways-to-distribute-your-content/ - Categories: Content Marketing “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? " You’ve probably heard this philosophical question before. But when it comes to your content marketing, the saying goes, “If a piece of published content isn’t distributed, was it even created at all? ” There’s no greater sorrow than that of a piece of unshared content. I use "sorrow" because when you think about the amount of time it took to brainstorm, pull research and information, write the article, edit, optimize for search, and then publish it, it is quite sorrowful if no one ends up knowing about it. Your contents’ lifespan doesn’t come to an end once it’s published. In fact, life begins at publication. What you do with your content and how you distribute it matters greatly to its success, so making sure you’re trying various methods will make all the difference. Here are some ways to distribute your content that you haven’t already tried. 1. Blog Teaser If you just completed a whitepaper or other gated resource, put together a blog post that teases it and excites readers to download it. This helps you capitalize on your blog traffic by getting this new piece of content in front of your blog readers. And, if you’re anything like us, you’re sharing your blog content with your prospects via email marketing. Do the same with your teasers by including them in drip campaigns and your newsletters. 2. Guest-Contributed Articles... --- ### Lead Nurture for Beginners: Everything You Need to Know > There’s a lot to be gained from effective lead nurture, but doing it right can be overwhelming. Here's everything you need to nurture your leads correctly. - Published: 2020-01-23 - Modified: 2020-01-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lead-nurture-for-beginners/ - Categories: Sales One of our biggest goals of inbound marketers is converting leads to customers. We want to not only attract people to our website but once they’re there, it’s crucial to funnel them into our sales process via email nurture campaigns. Why? Well, there’s a lot to be gained from effective lead nurturing. Well-nurtured leads are more likely to become brand loyalists, and in turn, advocate your brand to others, serving as stronger partners in the long run. Also, an educated lead makes smarter decisions and becomes a strong, lasting customer when they do decide to partner with you. But before you hop on the nurture train, you have to really understand who your leads are and where they are in their journey. So, we’re offering up some tips for you to follow to ensure your bases are covered, and you’re going about it the right way. Qualifying Your Leads Qualifying is the act of classifying your lead based on how well they align with your buyer personas and how close they are to making a purchasing decision. Knowing where your leads stand in these two areas helps you get to know them better so you can identify the best way to nurture them. The two practices that help you qualify your leads is lead scoring and identifying where a lead falls within the buyer’s journey. Lead Scoring Lead scoring helps you better understand your leads and segment them into the right lists so you can send them personalized emails. To... --- ### 4 Factors That Will Affect Marketing Automation In 2020 > Marketing automation will be changing this year, and here are the four factors that will be resposible. - Published: 2020-01-22 - Modified: 2020-01-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-factors-that-will-affect-marketing-automation-in-2020/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Somewhere, most likely long ago, someone decided that chaining yourself to your desk and developing a workaholic lifestyle was something to be praised. So many of us are congratulated for our work ethic when, in reality, we're working far too much. And when we find a simpler, easier way to do things, we feel bad about it. Why? Why do we assume that if something can be done more efficiently, that it automatically means we aren’t putting in as much effort? To combat this unreasonable expectation, and to allow myself some reprieve, I’ve made my New Year’s resolution to work smarter, not harder. Which is what makes marketing automation genuinely amazing. It makes our lives a whole lot easier by automating certain tasks so we can focus on our other important duties. But that’s not all. While the reasons for needing a marketing automation software are somewhat endless, here are the more compelling things it helps you with: Adding efficiency to your outreach and lead nurturing strategies Providing a more fast-tracked method for measuring your performance Understanding your customers better through accumulated behavior data Putting data-backed insights to use for marketing improvements Marketing automation platforms have come a long way, and not every software out there is created equally. Each offers its own benefits, which makes it essential to fully understand the software you’re using, considering using and the developing factors that will ultimately affect your capabilities. With that in mind, here are four major factors that will affect how... --- ### Guide to the 6 Best Project Management Tools for SMB Entrepreneurs > How we manage our time and delegate tasks makes all the difference. Here are six of the best project management tools for entrepreneurs. - Published: 2020-01-21 - Modified: 2020-01-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-project-management-tools/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship As an entrepreneur, you have to keep a lot of balls in the air. You have your hands in almost everything that’s happening at your company, which means being effective at delegating as well as having excellent time management skills is a major plus. But let’s be honest. Not many entrepreneurs and small business owners shine in those areas, which is why project management tools can be an entrepreneur’s best friend. The benefits of project management tools are vast. They can help entrepreneurs delegate tasks with ease and organize their to-do lists so that projects get completed and stay on schedule. But, every system offers something a little different and should be chosen based on your particular needs. To make the search for the perfect project management tool a little simpler, here are six that every SMB entrepreneur should consider using: Basecamp One of the first project management tools to hit the scene, Basecamp is an excellent PM site for beginners. The interface provides a centralized location for every task you need to accomplish within a team structure. This not only includes tasks and projects but all forms of communication. So, rather than a long chain of emails, everyone involved can post to a centralized board, and users can be given different permissions depending on the role they play. There is also a “to-do” section where administrators can assign additional tasks with due dates. Important files can be attached to these assignments, and a calendar is available to schedule meetings... --- ### Bad CRM Data: The Silent Killer of Your Business > If your CRM isn't giving you the real insights you need to better know your customers, you're in trouble. Here's how to avoid bad CRM data. - Published: 2020-01-16 - Modified: 2021-01-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/bad-crm-data/ - Categories: CRM When it comes to your customer relationship management (CRM) data, having bad data might be just as problematic, or more, as having no data at all. Your CRM is integral to managing your clients effectively and for your marketing team to do their job effectively. So if that data is lacking in some way (perhaps it's out of date or poorly organized), then it's not going to be of much use. Successful marketing is targeted and opportunistic. It’s about engaging with your prospects by using the right content at the right time. To get there, you have to be utilizing your customer data correctly. And while CRM data isn’t all you should be using to make more informed marketing decisions, its value is undeniable. Knowing that bad data is bad for business is one thing — knowing why it’s bad is another. Here are three ways that bad CRM data can negatively impact your business. 1. It Lets Potential Customers Slip Through the Cracks A CRM does more than just aid sales. But, if it’s working efficiently, it can do a lot for your lead generation efforts. By looking at your CRM data, you can form a better, more complete picture of who your customers are, what their pain points are, and what they’re looking for in a product or service solution. In turn, you can work backward from this information so that it helps you better approach new prospects and market to them. If your CRM isn’t giving you... --- ### How to Make it into Google's Prized Featured Snippet Position > Nailing the featured snippet spot on the search page is pure SEO gold. Here are the different kinds of snippets and how to ensure your content places there. - Published: 2020-01-15 - Modified: 2020-01-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/googles-prized-featured-snippet-position/ - Categories: Marketing Whether you call it the featured snippet, the answer box, or position zero, nailing that top spot on the search page is pure SEO gold. Getting a post in the featured snippet position allows you to steal clicks away from the coveted first organic position on a results page. And if you’re able to snag both position zero and position one, you’ll gain 31% more traffic than you would if you just had the first position alone. In addition to increases in traffic, you’ll also receive more brand awareness, conversions, and authority. Not a bad situation, if you ask me. How do you get there, though? It’s going to take some work, but fortunately, there are tried and true methods for making it into position zero — and getting all of the SEO benefits that come along with it. Understand the Types of Featured Snippets Let’s first touch base on the various types of featured snippets, which will help you understand how your content can win that prized position. There are three main types to be aware of when creating and optimizing your content: Paragraphs These kinds of snippets are just what the name describes - details and information in the form of a paragraph. This makes the most sense for a search that results in more detailed information. Tables Instead of sourcing a table and including it for the snippet, Google actually puts the tables together based on the information it finds. This works well for when you’re looking... --- ### The Value of Pillar Posts > Pillar posts are necessary for an effective content marketing and SEO strategy. Here's how to put them together and use them correctly. - Published: 2020-01-14 - Modified: 2020-01-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-value-of-pillar-posts/ - Categories: Content Marketing Pillar posts can do wonders for your content and SEO strategies. And if you’re creating content, then you’re already halfway there. What’s puzzling is most marketers aren’t investing much energy into pillar pages. In fact, most content marketers have fewer than five pillar pages, if any. Marketers who aren’t making pillar posts apart of their content strategy are missing out on a big opportunity to increase their authority, relevancy, and ranking of their site. Luckily, there’s no better time than now to adopt a pillar page strategy and enjoy all of the benefits that come along with it. I’ll cover everything you need to know to get started with pillar pages, including why they’re important and how to create and use them. So, buckle up. What is a Pillar Page? Before we dive headfirst into what your strategy should look like, let’s address the elephant in the room. What exactly is a pillar page? A pillar page is a page on your website which provides a deep dive into a specific area or topic. Think of it like a site index detailing everything that someone would want to know about a topic, with no stone left unturned. Typically, these pages are longer than your standard blog post and very in-depth. They are meant to be linked to heavily by your other content, which in turn drives more traffic to them and increases their search visibility over time (but more on that later). The result is a comprehensive overview of the... --- ### How to Put Together an Editorial Calendar: A Step-by-Step Guide > Content marketing is essential, and you need to put together an editorial calendar to help you track, publish, and distribute your content. - Published: 2020-01-09 - Modified: 2019-12-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-put-together-an-editorial-calendar/ - Categories: Content Marketing If you’re a marketer, it goes without saying that your content marketing is a huge part of your strategy. Putting together an editorial calendar to help you track, manage, and coordinate your efforts with your team is an absolute must. Honestly, I don’t think you can be serious about content marketing if you don’t have one. Aside from keeping everyone aligned, your editorial calendar ensures you meet deadlines, think proactively about how to make your content more compelling, and provides a bird’s eye view of what piece of content is in which stage. But how do you actually go about putting one together? Where do you even start? There are quite a few steps to creating an effective and helpful editorial calendar, and some of them start long before you begin planning your content. Here’s how to get started: 1. Identify Your Target Audience Before you plan out the content, you need to know who you’re planning your content for. For this reason, you must start the editorial calendar process by first fully defining your audience — their interests, their needs, their biggest pain points, etc. Begin this process by creating customer personas for the various people you’re going to be targeting with your content. Be specific, honing in on the people who are most likely to purchase and utilize your product or service and the characteristics and behaviors that they share in common, as well as the characteristics and behaviors that set each type of customer apart. If you... --- ### Best Practices for Landing Page SEO > Landing pages that are created for long-term campaigns are the ones that best benefit from implementing an SEO strategy. If your page is going to be - Published: 2020-01-08 - Modified: 2022-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-practices-for-landing-page-seo/ - Categories: Marketing Landing pages that are created for long-term campaigns are the ones that best benefit from implementing an SEO strategy. If your page is going to be active for six months or more, and even if your primary audience is intended to come from ads, it won’t hurt to bring in some extra traffic. Search engine optimization is a long process, and results are rarely instantaneous. But, with a little planning, know-how, and some realistic long-term expectations, you can create landing pages that land you visitors and sales through organic searches. No need to outsource. Optimize Landing Page Content With Keywords and Proper Markup The words and markup that you choose to present on your page are not only what your users are looking for — but what Google and other search engines are looking for, too. Your content should be not only clearly presented but marked-up with proper tags to inform the search engine bots of your page’s structure. So, first, let’s talk about keywords. Each landing page should have a specific audience and a specific intent. For instance, a health and wellness center might have a landing page targeted toward people interested in receiving massage therapy, and another landing page targeted toward people looking to become a certified yoga instructor. Once you’ve nailed down the intent of your landing page and the targeted action you want visitors to take on that page, it’s time to do some keyword research. Type your main keywords into Google to see what some... --- ### 5 Hobbies That Will Make You a Better Entrepreneur > The life of a leader is an exhausting one. Your days are filled with judgment calls, pep-talks, and hours of overtime. It’s easy to scoff at picking up a - Published: 2020-01-07 - Modified: 2019-12-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-hobbies-that-will-make-you-a-better-entrepreneur/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship The life of a leader is an exhausting one. Your days are filled with judgment calls, pep-talks, and hours of overtime. It’s easy to scoff at picking up a hobby when your days are packed to the brim, but while your work ethic is commendable, it’s important to find ways to decompress before you burn out. Burnout isn’t just feeling tired. It’s exhaustion that takes weeks or months to recover from and typically cannot be remedied with a little weekend trip away. It can also lead to company culture issues that could take months to fix. Needless to say, when you’re burnt out, you aren’t doing your company, your staff, or yourself any favors. You’re a better entrepreneur and overall leader when you’re present, engaged, and doing your part to make your company operate. And a great way to avoid burnout so you can maintain the necessary level of engagement required for your company to succeed is to develop some hobbies outside of work. Hobbies? Really? You may be scratching your head right now. Or maybe you already have some hobbies and aren’t sure if they’re helping with any burnout you’re experiencing. Chances are, your hobbies are taking a backseat to all your other life demands, and it’s time for that to stop. When you engage in something outside of work and the other tasks and duties of being a functioning adult in today’s world, you’re able to get your mind off of so many things that drive stress and... --- ### 7 Digital Marketing Trends We're Looking Forward to in 2020 > Digital marketing is constantly evolving and it's key to stay in the know of the latest developments. Here are seven digital marketing trends for 2020. - Published: 2019-12-19 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/digital-marketing-trends-2020/ - Categories: Marketing There's no doubt that marketing is an exciting field to be in right now. The digital revolution has led to rapid changes and developments, with major implications for the way that brands strategize campaigns and engage with their customers. And if we've learned anything, it's that it's hard to predict exactly where we're going. 2019 is in our rearview mirror, and we’re fastening our seatbelts as we head forward towards the roaring ‘20s. But we wouldn’t be very good marketers if we weren’t at least on the lookout for various roadblocks and shortcuts that could be changing what we do, how we do it, and what it will all mean for our consumers. Which is why we need a quick gut check on the state of digital marketing and what’s just around the bend. Here are seven digital marketing trends your marketing team should be prepared for while on interstate 2020. 1. Augmented and Virtual Reality You might associate augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) with video games more than marketing, but that’s geared up to change as AR and VR enter the realm of commerce. Both types of technologies lend themselves to more immersive marketing, with shoppers able to experience what products and services might look like and/or do in their own lives before making a purchase. That means more interactive content and more opportunity to produce effective short-form campaigns. 2. Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to transform almost every single industry on the planet, marketing... --- ### How to Enhance Inbound Marketing with Social Media > Social media and inbound marketing go hand-in-hand. Read this article to learn what to post on social in order to increase your inbound marketing strategy. - Published: 2019-12-18 - Modified: 2022-09-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/enhance-inbound-marketing-with-social/ - Categories: Social Media Inbound marketing is one of the most impactful types of marketing that you can do for your brand. When executed consistently and adequately, it can be 10x more effective than outbound marketing at converting leads and can reduce the average cost-per-lead by as much as 80% in just five months. Those stats are no joke, people. Inbound marketing is all about making your audience more aware of your brand, building consumer trust, and, eventually, helping leads decide to partner with you. This is why having an active social strategy to fuel and enhance your inbound marketing is a no-brainer. The two go hand-in-hand. How Social Media Contributes To Inbound Marketing There are 3. 2 billion active users on social media around the globe. That’s a large, crowded swimming pool, which can seem intimidating, but not tapping into it for your marketing purposes is a lost opportunity you just cannot afford. Luckily there are ways for you to target the most valuable demographic and send them the right content at the right time. So while you’re able to send messaging directly to people who make the most sense for your brand, you’re also casting a wide net and reaching out to those who may not have heard of your company. You’re creating an opportunity to generate new leads as well as target those who may be more qualified. It’s a win-win. Social is also a way for you to showcase your brand’s personality, which is a must for building trust with... --- ### BenchmarkONE's Latest Feature: Landing Pages and Popups > Landing pages and popups builder is here! Use these features to generate more leads and create targeted communication for a more seamless sales process. - Published: 2019-12-17 - Modified: 2021-01-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/landing-page-and-popups-builder/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News Landing pages and pop-ups are here! Now, your small business can flawlessly map out a more efficient sales and marketing process at every stage of the funnel. BenchmarkONE users can now create unlimited landing pages and popups that seamlessly fit into their existing campaigns for more targeted communication. Attract More Visitors with Beautiful Landing Pages Easily tailor landing pages to your marketing campaigns, and follow-up intelligently with BenchmarkONE’s built-in marketing automation. Create beautiful, on-brand landing pages from our pre-designed library, or even build your own landing pages and thank you pages from scratch with our simple drag & drop builder. Setup up a subdomain on your existing website to seamlessly use customized, on-brand BenchmarkONE landing pages across all of your marketing campaigns. Increase Conversions with Popup Forms Add a variety of popups to your existing website, including popover, embedded, scroll box and top bar forms. With our flexible display rules, you can ensure that you’re showing the right message at the right time to keep visitors engaged and capture more contacts. Keep Track of Your Successes Robust landing page and popup analytics track conversion metrics so you can see what’s going right and where you can improve. Track everything from subscriber counts to conversion rate to top referral pages to make sure that you’re making the most out of your website and landing page traffic. With landing pages and popup forms, you’re just a few clicks away from optimizing your website, increasing conversions from your marketing campaigns and boosting ROI.... --- ### The Art of Passive Selling > Aggressive selling tactics are not the way to appeal to your audience. If you want to be more effective, you have to use the approach of passive selling. - Published: 2019-12-17 - Modified: 2019-12-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-art-of-passive-selling/ - Categories: Sales Remember when being sold something often involved pushy, over-zealous, salesmen and women? It wasn’t long ago that sales professionals would do anything to drive as many people as possible toward a purchase and create a very unpleasant sales process while doing so. It’s a wonder that approach worked for so many years, but I bet none of us miss it. With the internet and digital marketing, a new approach was formed. These two important developments forever changed the landscape of modern selling and the modern consumer. With information literally at their fingertips (and even a simple voice search away), consumers are more informed and savvier than ever. In fact, most have done a ton of research even before their first sales conversation or email, and they’re pretty much immune to and turned off by any aggressive selling tactics. Trust + Passive Selling = Nurture 92% of Americans say trust plays a role when making a big purchase decision. Customers aren’t going to use your product or services if they don’t trust you and the brand you represent. And while it may take some time to build that trust, it’s worth it if it means creating a relationship that lasts, and that is mutually beneficial. That’s where the passive selling approach comes in. With passive selling, the focus doesn't rest on closing deals. Instead, you’re focusing on nurturing your leads by providing them with information tailored to their specific needs. It’s about giving your prospects the right tools to make their... --- ### 10 Hatchbuck Family Food Recipes to Get You In The Holiday Spirit > From our families to yours, here are ten holiday food recipes to enjoy this time of year while you make memories and spend time with loved ones. - Published: 2019-12-12 - Modified: 2019-12-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-family-holiday-food-recipes/ - Categories: Uncategorized When the holiday season rolls around, I get so, so excited. The joy of getting together with family and friends to share in each other's presence, laugh (loudly), catch up, and of course, eat wonderful and delicious food is something that makes this time of year extremely special. Good food and tradition often go hand-in-hand. Nothing compares to grandma's pasta or mom's gingerbread house. And who could forget the staples, like your aunt's turkey and your dad's eggnog? Whatever that traditional holiday dish, drink, or meal is for you, we hope this year it's just as good as you remembered it and that it finds you and yours healthy and happy. A few of us at Hatchbuck wanted to share some of our favorite family holiday recipes, from pies and cookies to cocktails and entrées. Feel free to try any of these with your family and friends this year to create new traditions and memories. Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Pot Pie Hatchbucker: Jessica Lunk "I love this recipe because you can use whatever meat or veggies you have to make something super yummy and filling! " Ingredients: 1 lb cooked chicken breast (or substitute your favorite protein) Olive Oil Chopped or Frozen Veggies. I like Onion, Celery, Carrots, Peas. 1 can of condensed cream soup. I like the cream of celery. 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix. Instructions: Make the cornbread mix and follow the cornbread mix instructions to preheat the oven Saute veggies in olive oil in a large cast-iron... --- ### 4 Simple but Effective Automated Marketing Strategies to Try Today > Automated marketing strategies can turn a tedious process into a simple one. Here are four marketing automation strategies to get started on today. - Published: 2019-12-11 - Modified: 2022-09-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-effective-automated-marketing-strategies/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Let's be honest. The process of strategizing and implementing lead generation tactics, and tracking success can be incredibly time-consuming – especially given the number of channels in which to generate leads from continues to grow. That's why the marketing tech gods created the ability for us to automate our marketing. Marketing automation has numerous benefits. But, in a nutshell, it takes much of the legwork out of tedious processes, enabling you to focus on your human strengths as a marketer while algorithms and software robots take care of the rest. It sounds like a dream, right? That being said, leveraging automation for effective lead generation isn't as simple as flipping a switch. Like anything else, it takes planning to realize measurable results, and it doesn't hurt to have a solid idea of the tactics you want to automate, how you'll measure success, and ways you'll carry it all out. If you're a little slow to hop on the bandwagon and are currently considering or in the process of adopting automated marketing, here are a few areas to get started with quickly. 1. Lead Capture Forms Capturing leads on your website is inbound marketing 101. Everyone that comes to your site is a customer, or at least has the potential to be one. But you won't be able to track and engage those customers if they simply come to your site, look around, then leave. That's why you need a way to capture those leads with forms. These forms often exist... --- ### What is Technical SEO and Why Your Site Needs It > In regards to SEO, keywords and link building often get the spotlight. But a techinical SEO strategy is just as important, if you know how to use it. - Published: 2019-12-10 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-is-technical-seo/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing SEO. Is it the bane of your marketing team’s existence or the guiding force behind your SEO strategy? If we had to guess, we’d say it’s probably both. We spend a lot of time talking about SEO, be it how valuable an SEO strategy is, or the dangers of skipping SEO altogether. And for a good reason. Your content-driven SEO efforts majorly impact how well your site performs and can make all the difference in attracting new customers to your website instead of your competitors’ pages. But with so much focus on keywords and shareable graphics, too many organizations are letting another key piece of the puzzle fall by the wayside: technical SEO. Whether you're new to the SEO game or just need a refresher on what technical SEO is and why it's so crucial for your site's success, keep reading for the basics that will help you ace your efforts and better optimize your site's performance. What Is Technical SEO? Technical SEO is a strategy designed to assist search engines in interpreting and qualifying the various pages of your site, which in turn helps those pages increase their rankings. Search engines rely on a lot of clues to figure out what your pages are about and where they fall in terms of relevancy and authority. These clues and indicators have a significant role in determining how well your pages rank and if they will ultimately rank higher than your competitors' pages. SEO is a concerted effort to provide the... --- ### How to Set Up Views and Filters in Google Analytics – And Why You Should > Google Analytics is a great resource, when you know where to look. Here's how to set up filters and views so you can prioritize your data and track success. - Published: 2019-12-05 - Modified: 2019-12-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/views-and-filters-google-analytics/ - Categories: Marketing Google Analytics is a fantastic resource for marketing teams. It can help you see how specific pages within your website are performing, help you figure out areas that could use some improvement, and assist in determining if goals are being met. Needless to say, when you know where to look, it can help you reduce tons of time and distractions over irrelevant data points typically experienced when doing a data-dive. This is mostly due to its ability to tailor analytics to specific campaign objectives and marketing strategies. What's more, Google Analytics filters and views allow you to prioritize your data and hone in on the stuff with the most value. Instead of tackling huge swaths of information at once, you're dividing it up into digestible subsets that offer better, more approachable insights. And in an industry where data dictates pretty much everything we do, that's a significant advantage. Getting started with views and filters in Google Analytics is easy and totally worth the effort. So focus your attention on where it counts by using this step-by-step process: How To Create a New View Sign in to the Admin section of your Google Analytics account. Select the Account and Property that you want to apply a new view to. In the View Column, click + Create View and select whether your data is coming from a website or mobile app. Name your view. Make it descriptive so that you can easily pull it up when you need it. If you're creating... --- ### How to Get Your Internal SMEs to Write for Your Blog > Every member of your team is a SME. And having them write for your blog is extremely beneficial for your content sratety. Here's how to do it. - Published: 2019-12-03 - Modified: 2019-11-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/get-your-smes-to-write-for-your-blog/ - Categories: Content Marketing There is more than one subject matter expert at every company. Frequently, the thought leader or role of SME is assumed by the CEO, president, co-founder, or a VP. In reality, many people within your company are thought leaders. The way I think of it is, every member of your team is an expert in their own right. Maybe their area of expertise is HR, marketing, sales, customer service, or client retention. Whatever department they work in, job title they have, or area within your company they excel in, tapping into it and using that expertise to fuel your blog content has numerous benefits for your company and the SMEs. Benefits of Your Internal Team Writing For Your Company Blog Have you ever looked at your blog's editorial calendar and asked yourself, "How will I possibly think of any other unique topics to write about? " When you focus a lot of your efforts on building out your blog and strategizing beneficial topics to cover, it doesn't take long to start worrying about draining the well dry. But, when you tap into other resources and open your blog up to internal SME contributors, you create an opportunity to cover a lot of ground with your blog content. And that's just one of the perks. Other benefits of having your team write for your blog are: Helping them build their portfolio of published content, motivating them, and empowering them to share their expertise more. Showing your audience that you aren't a... --- ### Why Customer Satisfaction Matters and Five Effective Ways to Measure It > When you don't make an effort to keep your customers happy, then expect to lose their business. And if you're losing business, you're losing money. - Published: 2019-11-27 - Modified: 2023-12-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/why-customer-satisfaction-matters/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Having satisfied customers is important. Everyone knows this. If your customers aren’t satisfied, they’ll part ways, they won’t return, and they definitely won’t leave a company review singing your praise. In fact, they may leave a bad review, which is even worse. Bottom line: When you don't make an effort to keep your customers happy, then expect to lose their business. And if you're losing their business, you're also losing their money, which means your yearly revenue will undoubtedly take a hit. This can lead to even more significant problems, like employee lay-offs and cut-backs on perks and benefits to make up for the loss. It's a domino effect disaster, one that shouldn't rely on a solid lead generation strategy to save it. That’d be like trying to fill a bucket when it has a hole in it. You need to plug the client retention leak first. So, before client retention becomes an issue you can’t control, take strides towards measuring and tracking your customer satisfaction rate. Here are some tactics to try: Ways to Measure Customer Satisfaction 1. Surveys Customer surveys are a common, cost-effective way to measure customer experience or satisfaction. But before you start sending your customer surveys, you have to take into consideration their schedules and demands. They're busy people, and you want to maintain a stable relationship with them, so don't send them a lengthy, time-intensive questionnaire. Here's a recommended survey flow that will ensure you're considerate while still getting the answers you need: Intro... --- ### 6 Signs Your Company Culture is a Bummer > Company culture matters to employees. But identifying the signs of a negative company culture isn't always easy. Here are six you shouldn't ignore. - Published: 2019-11-26 - Modified: 2019-11-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-signs-your-company-culture-is-a-bummer/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Ask anyone in the workforce, company culture matters. According to Built In’s research, 47% of job seekers say that company culture is the number one driver behind looking for work, and people who don't like their company's culture are more likely to quit. Gone are the days of accepting a poor company culture environment for the sake of job security. Nowadays, employees don't feel obligated to stay at a company if it means they're unhappy. This is great for employees and those entering into the workforce, but this has severe repercussions for business leaders and owners if they aren't taking their company culture seriously. What's even more alarming is you may not even realize that your company culture could be lacking. Business leaders are busy, and checking culture can get pushed to the bottom of their to-do list. Also, the signs can sometimes be very subtle and difficult to notice. But, once you start looking for the warning signs, the negative shift in your company can no longer be ignored. Here are the tell-tale signs that your company culture is heading to bummerville: You Can't Hold On To Employees In companies with a bad atmosphere, people are typically more open about job hunting. If there is a healthy organizational culture and the needs of the employees are consistently being met, then people will stay and look for opportunities to grow within the company. If negativity is commonplace and no one is actively looking for solutions, then change may be a... --- ### 6 Blogging Mistakes that Could be Killing Your Progress > Maintaining a company blog has numerous benefits, but only if you are going about it the right way. Here's some common blogging mistakes to be aware of. - Published: 2019-11-25 - Modified: 2019-11-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-blogging-mistakes-that-could-be-killing-your-progress/ - Categories: Content Marketing Maintaining an active and consistent company blog has numerous benefits. For example, it shows your on-site visitors that you have a living resource where you share knowledge, tips, and advice on various topics within your industry. Also, it provides fuel for your email nurture campaigns and can help you personalize your outreach by sending applicable blog content to prospects based on where they are in the buyer's journey. It also assists with top-of-the-funnel engagement as well. Companies that maintain a blog receive 97% more links to their website. Generating traffic to your site from outside publications and outlets is a great way to extend your reach and engage with a broader audience. It's the people who know this that really maximize the benefits of a blog for their businesses. But when embarking on a beneficial blog strategy, it's essential to know what NOT to do. Here are a few of the most common (and potentially costly) blogging mistakes you should avoid. Writing Only About Personal Interests We all know it's easier to write about something we are interested in or passionate about. In fact, a lot of SMEs who are creating content already do that, and that's fine. There's a time and a place for that content. But if what you're passionate about isn't aligned with what your audience wants to read, then your blog isn't going to get any traction. So, before you write content for your blog, you have to do your homework and research your target audience.... --- ### Should Your Sales Team Be Using Phone or Email Follow Up? > Knowing how to speak to your prospects, and how to follow-up with them, matters. Should you use email or phone for your sales follow-up? - Published: 2019-11-22 - Modified: 2019-11-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/should-sales-be-using-phone-or-email-follow-up/ - Categories: Sales Being a successful salesperson isn’t built on the foundation that you think it is. Sure, a salesperson who has a high close rate, is reliable and consistent, and has a robust network to use as a resource could be deemed as “successful. ” But the typical sales standard is changing. Today’s consumers don’t enjoy being sold to. Instead, they want someone to be a resource to them, respect their process and provide them with the information they can use in their day-to-day demands. As the sales approach evolves, what constitutes as successful for sales professionals has evolved along with it. There’s a difference between selling and nurturing. Now, successful is being able to build long-lasting, trustworthy relationships, achieved by listening to people, maintaining contact with them, and sending them valuable content they can use and learn from. But how do you achieve that success? Well, the way you choose your initial follow-up is key. Your method, be it email or phone, can determine if the relationship progresses, or if your contact becomes just another lost opportunity. So even though you have additional questions you need them to answer that will help you be a better resource and move them through the funnel, you can’t tread too lightly or too heavily and risk ruining the relationship. Don’t scare off your prospects by using the wrong follow-up method. Consider the pros and cons of each so you can choose the best tactic. Phone Follow-Up: Pros Trust and Credibility Following-up via a sales... --- ### The State of Agencies 2020 > We've gone deep into industry research to discover as much as we can about the state of agencies today. See how agencies are evolving for 2020. - Published: 2019-11-21 - Modified: 2022-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/state-of-agencies-2020/ - Categories: Agencies We can learn from our marketing peers. From what email marketing tools they're using to what services they're providing, the more that we understand what top marketing agencies are up to, the better we can tailor our own efforts for success. With that in mind, we've gone deep into industry research to discover as much as we can about the state of agencies today — and we've packaged all of that information up for you right here. What They Do: Services and Offerings If you want your marketing agency to be on par with the pros, then you have to make sure you're providing the same variety of services. And as the digital marketing landscape expands, so too does the range of services and specialties that an agency has to provide. 72% are offering content marketing services 70% are offering email marketing services 69% are offering creative services 68% are offering display marketing services 3% are offering additional services not listed above Source: Wordstream How to compete: Make sure that you diversify your service offerings as much as possible. Brands have a lot of bases to cover online, and they need marketing agencies that can excel in more than one arena. The more variety you're able to offer, the more attractive you'll look to potential clients. What They Solve: Client Needs Just as important as understanding what agencies are doing is understanding why they're doing it. Brands are up against some unique challenges, with high- performance metrics and expectations across... --- ### How to Make Sure Your Content Is Optimized For Voice Search > In 2020, 50% of searches will be done by voice. Making sure your content is optimized for voice search is crucial for your marketing strategy. - Published: 2019-11-20 - Modified: 2022-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-optimize-your-content-for-search/ - Categories: Marketing Wonder what the weather will be like today? Ask Alexa. Need to add an item to your grocery list? Tell Google. Want to call your spouse? Have Siri dial for you. It used to be that we could accomplish almost anything at the click of a button. Now, we don’t even have to lift a finger. All we have to do is speak, and the simplest tasks, like ordering takeout or changing the channel on the TV, are accomplished. Voice command has been a modern comfort for quite a while now. Not only has it made getting off the couch unnecessary, but it’s also shifted the way we conduct searches and how search engines generate results. Instead of typing a few disjointed words in Google and hitting search, we’re speaking our search phrases, and when doing so, it’s in a more conversational flow. This simple shift in our search approach, while convenient for most of us, is forcing marketers and brands working on their SEO strategies to go back to the drawing board. Getting your content to rank in voice search means adjusting your content so that it aligns more with the conversational flow in which voice searches are being conducted. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. So, how can you be sure you’re doing all you can to optimize your content for voice search? We’ve got five tips that you can implement immediately: 1. Claim Your Business Listings Searches performed on smartphones, and other hand-held or wearable... --- ### 30 Email Marketing Stats You Need to Know for Your 2020 Strategy > We looked into research on email marketing trends and accumulated 30 compelling stats you should keep in mind for your 2020 strategy. - Published: 2019-11-19 - Modified: 2019-11-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/30-email-marketing-stats-you-need-to-know-for-your-2020-strategy/ - Categories: Email Marketing Is your 2020 email marketing strategy poised for success? While you can’t predict exactly what will happen, you can give yourself a head start with the email marketing stats and trends that can help guide your strategy in 2020 and beyond. After all, marketing is as much about moving with the flow of the industry as it is adapting to your own needs and objectives. Email marketing is an ever-evolving endeavor — and just when you think you’ve gotten a handle on best practices, things start to change. There’s no arguing with the facts, though when it comes to what’s working on a large scale. Monitoring these sorts of trends is key for stretching your marketing budget as far as it will go, and it’s also part and parcel of forming a solid strategy quarter to quarter and year to year. As we close out 2019 and look ahead to 2020, are you doing everything you can to maximize the value of your email efforts? Here are 30 statistics that can help guide you to an answer. Mobile Matters Making sure to integrate your emails for mobile use is more necessary now than ever. Up to 60% of email opens are on mobile, depending on the industry. (Campaign Monitor) 75% of Gmail users are using their mobile devices to access their email. (Backlinko) 42. 3% of consumers will delete an email if it isn’t optimized for mobile. (Backlinko) Email Marketing ROI There’s a lot to be gained from smart email... --- ### 7 Best Customer Thanksgiving Email Templates to Inspire You > Make your email nuture fun and engaging for the holidays. Here are seven of the best customer Thanksgiving email templates that will inspire you. - Published: 2019-11-15 - Modified: 2019-11-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-best-customer-thanksgiving-email-templates-to-inspire-you/ - Categories: Small Business November is a busy time of year, but it’s also a lucrative season for sales. As a small business owner, that equates to less time and more work. To stay efficient, you need to find ways to cut some corners without losing authenticity. When it comes to email marketing for Thanksgiving, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Here are six of the best email template sites to get your holiday campaigns rolling: 1. Stripo Email This email marketing site offers a variety of Thanksgiving templates for free. They feel that holiday design matters more than even generous value proposition. That’s why this Thanksgiving email template page is broken down by industry. Restaurant Sports Real Estate Hotels Photography Flowers Finance Technology Paper Stripo has created these email templates to be “festive, heart-warming, soothing, and charming. ” The idea is to get people ready for the holiday season. Select a template for your industry, and the site redirects to a built-in editor. There, you can tweak the design, beta test it, add blocks and export the final product. 2. Sendloop This marketing brand has an informative email blog they maintain. In their article “How to send Happy Thanksgiving email that converts,” the company offers a free download for a variety of turkey day templates. In addition to the designs, the blog covers the reason for holiday email campaigns and how it attributes to customer relationships. They have already developed email layouts that look great. All a small business needs to do... --- ### 12 Best Marketing Automation Software for Agencies > Explore 12 marketing automation software solutions for agencies and make marketing automation a core offering for your clients. - Published: 2019-11-14 - Modified: 2022-04-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-best-marketing-automation-software-for-agencies/ - Categories: Agencies Seventy-nine percent of high-performing companies have used marketing automation for at least three years. It's not surprising. Using marketing automation software has numerous benefits for marketing and sales departments. It can increase productivity, grow revenue, reduce overhead costs, and save time. Offering marketing automation services to your agency clients can help them be more agile, high-performing, and deliver on their goals - proving you to be invaluable to their success. As you explore the right marketing automation software, you may need to get buy-in from your clients . The next question is, which software out there is suitable for their particular needs? What workflows do you need to automate? The particular software you decide to go with ultimately depends on what you want to automate. If you're unsure, start listing each step of every marketing process your client takes. Then, mark which actions must be done by a human and which ones might be better left to the robots. The latter will then become a list of features you'll need marketing automation software to provide. Your list might include, for example: Sending pre-written emails to prospects or customers Lead scoring/qualifying Survey, form, and landing page creation Publishing posts to social media channels SMS messaging Consolidating metrics and sending reports Fortunately, there's marketing automation software for each of these tasks. We've handpicked the ten best marketing automation software options for agencies in 2022 (based on capabilities, ease of use, and customer reviews) so you can start test-driving them for your clients... --- ### 4 Best HubSpot Alternatives for Small Businesses > Looking for a good HubSpot alternative for your small business? We’ve got a few recommendations. HubSpot is a comprehensive inbound marketing platform and - Published: 2019-11-13 - Modified: 2020-11-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-best-hubspot-alternatives-for-small-businesses/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Looking for a good HubSpot alternative for your small business? We’ve got a few recommendations. HubSpot is a comprehensive inbound marketing platform and was one of the first players on the field. There are lots of tools in there for small businesses, including CRM software, analytics, and content management — but it's not the only platform on the market offering these capabilities. Maybe you need something that's more customizable, or perhaps HubSpot offers too robust a suite of tools, and you don't want to pay for a bunch of stuff that you're never going to use. Whatever your reason, if you're in the market for an alternative that's more in line with your needs, budget, and objectives, there are several places to look. There was a time when HubSpot might have been your best bet for inbound marketing automation, but today, the industry is rich with options that offer advanced features and insightful analytics. Here are four of the best HubSpot alternatives to start your search. 1. ActiveCampaign Popular features: CRM, Lead Scoring, Email Marketing Automation Why we like it: ActiveCampaign features a clean interface that helps you beneficially organize your customer data. And when it comes to your email marketing, there's a big focus on targeting and personalization, plus you can quickly trigger emails to be sent out based on certain behaviors. With so much happening automatically on the backend in terms of customer engagement, your small business marketing team will be able to focus on other things —... --- ### 6 Creative Sales Promotions For This Holiday Season > When the millionth red-and-green holiday promo makes its way into your inbox, it becomes difficult to think creatively about how your business might - Published: 2019-11-08 - Modified: 2019-11-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-creative-sales-promotions-for-this-holiday-season/ - Categories: Sales When the millionth red-and-green holiday promo makes its way into your inbox, it becomes difficult to think creatively about how your business might create its own. You may feel like you're better off letting everyone else fight for holiday customers while you focus on your growth plan for next year. But think of it like this: you have a unique opportunity during the holidays to connect with your customers in new ways. Some clients may have some leftover budget and may be ready to spend it if the right offer comes along. And people are naturally focused on giving this time of the year, so you may have fewer hurdles when it comes to landing new clients. You can make a ton of mistakes this holiday season, but don't let not implementing an effective campaign be one of them. Here are nine ideas to spark your creativity as you plan your holiday sales promotions. New Year’s Resolution Giveaway We all know the value that testimonials add to your sales process. Real, specific recounts of how you've helped current clients are the grandfather of all marketing methods. They give you great third party credibility and provide that word-of-mouth recommendation that is undeniably effective. Pair that with the fact that people love the possibility of winning something for free, and you have the formula for a great sales promotion. Reach out to your clients, asking them to provide a quote on how you've helped them this past year, and how your product... --- ### How to Manage Social Media Without Overloading Your Schedule > Social media isn't an option for businesses. To stay relevant and competitive, and connect more with your audience, businesses must be active on social. - Published: 2019-11-07 - Modified: 2019-11-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-manage-social-media-without-overloading-your-schedule/ - Categories: Social Media Social media isn't an option for businesses. To stay relevant and competitive, and connect more with your audience, businesses must be active on social. But being successful at social media marketing takes more than just posting the occasional tweet, image or update. You have to look at certain metrics, like clicks, reshares, likes, and responses for each post to see if they're actually resonating with your audience. You also need to make sure you're eyeballing your site traffic to see if social is driving any new site visitors and helping convert them to new leads. But, comparing that data with how many times you're posting (or should be posting) to see what the sweet spot frequency is can take up a lot of your time. For busy professionals, trying to figure out what frequency gets the most engagement isn't something that's at the top of their to-do lists. Thankfully, the folks over at CoSchedule have already done much of the legwork for you by compiling a lot of data around post frequency per social platform. Phew. According to their research, here's how often you should be posting on each of the main social media platforms every day: Facebook: 1 post per day Instagram: 1-2 posts per day Twitter: 15 Tweets per day Pinterest: 11 pins per day LinkedIn: 1 post per day The problem with this list? Who has time to publish that much? ! I see those numbers and almost immediately get overwhelmed. With those kinds of numbers, posting... --- ### 5 Ethical Ways to Get More Backlinks > Getting high-quality backlinks is very challenging. That’s because a link from another website is like an endorsement, and the higher quality the website, - Published: 2019-11-06 - Modified: 2019-11-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ethical-ways-to-get-more-backlinks/ - Categories: Content Marketing Getting high-quality backlinks is very challenging. That’s because a link from another website is like an endorsement, and the higher quality the website, the more difficult it becomes to get that type of recommendation. Yet, backlinks are listed among Google’s eight most important ranking factors, so it’s not something you can afford to ignore. But how do you go about implementing an effective backlink strategy that is legit? The LAST thing you want to do is pay money to have your links included on websites or attempt other not-so-ethical practices. You’ll want to earn your links, which can only happen if you’re willing to roll up your sleeves, get your hands dirty and be a little creative with your approach. The good news is, you don’t have to have a Ph. D. in search engine optimization to win at this piece of the puzzle. You just have to focus on building thought leadership and pair that approach with some specific strategies. Here are a few above-the-board tactics to get you started and earning high-quality backlinks in no time. Claim Unlinked Mentions This one’s probably the easiest and fastest way to start ramping up your backlinks. All you have to do is find out who’s mentioning your company online. The simplest way to do this is by setting up a Google Alert or using tools like BuzzSumo, Mention or Ahrefs Content Explorer so that you’ll get a notification any time your business is mentioned. When you find a mention that doesn’t... --- ### 4 Proven Ways to Eradicate Burnout > Experiencing burnout can have extreme repercussions. It can lead to physical and emotional issues and greatly affect your personal life. I’m talking about - Published: 2019-11-05 - Modified: 2019-11-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-proven-ways-to-eradicate-burnout/ - Categories: Leadership Experiencing burnout can have extreme repercussions. It can lead to physical and emotional issues and greatly affect your personal life. I’m talking about overall job dissatisfaction, turnover, depression, anxiety, exhaustion, low motivation, and frustration. Doesn’t sound fun, does it? Having that work-life balance is more than just a fad you hear millennials list as a job requirement. It’s a necessary formula for overall happiness and healthiness, yet most business owners consider it a luxury they just cannot afford. Maybe it’s because as business owners, we’re extremely passionate about what we do and it can be hard to see the line between passion and obsession. Or maybe it’s because we’re so busy trying to make sure our business is successful and our employees are happy that we have little time for anything else. Whether you’ve been struggling with these negative feelings, or you’re just trying to avoid becoming another statistic, taking these four action-steps should help you eradicate burnout and make more time for the things that matter most. Take A Break It’s simple. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or just completely depleted, take a break. Some entrepreneurs believe that if they’re not putting in at least 60 hours a week they’re somehow slacking. In reality, this level of chronic overwork is not sustainable and will come back to bite you in the long run. It might actually decrease your productivity and it will most certainly increase the likelihood of making costly mistakes. If you’re feeling tired and worn out, allow yourself... --- ### 5 Types of Video Content People Actually Want to Watch > Did you know that 53% of customers engage with a brand after watching one of their videos on social? Video marketing has, without question, become one of - Published: 2019-11-01 - Modified: 2021-11-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-types-of-video-content-people-actually-want-to-watch/ - Categories: Marketing Did you know that 53% of customers engage with a brand after watching one of their videos on social? Video marketing has, without question, become one of the most effective forms of marketing available. It's easy to digest, it's engaging and entertaining, and it can quickly provide information to a curious audience of potential buyers. Introducing video into your marketing strategy seems like a no-brainer. But not all videos perform at this high of a level. In order to use video marketing effectively, you have to do it right by making sure you're creating the kinds of videos your audience actually wants to be viewing. Otherwise, you'll lose them before you even had them. We've done a little digging and uncovered some information that might help you better hone your video marketing strategy. Take a look below for the types of video content you should consider creating: Vlogs Short for video blogs, vlogs are a powerful way to bring a story to life. And for brands, vlogs are a great way to demonstrate your "human" side, which can do wonders for connecting and engaging with your audience. One marketer that does a great job vlogging is Gary Vaynerchuk. In his DailyVee episodes, Gary documents his everyday work life and shares it with his audience. It's a simple approach that has amassed Vaynerchuk millions of subscribers. The pairing of music with inspiring clips of Gary's life and the tips that he shares with other entrepreneurs and professionals assist viewers in forming... --- ### 5 High-Converting Landing Pages and How You Can Create Your Own > Landing pages are an important part of digital marketing, but they’re not worth their weight in pixels if they can’t help convert visitors into customers. - Published: 2019-10-31 - Modified: 2019-10-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-high-converting-landing-pages-and-how-you-can-create-your-own/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Landing pages are an important part of digital marketing, but they’re not worth their weight in pixels if they can’t help convert visitors into customers. High-converting landing pages do the lion’s share of the work, like the one in this case study. Are you willing to bet a million dollars on your landing page’s conversion potential? The right landing page can make a huge difference, but if you’re making mistakes with your landing pages, it can cost you valuable conversions, time and money. Take a moment to examine a few examples of landing pages with high conversion rates to see if you can tell what makes them so successful. Afterward, come on back to see how you can use these examples to make your high-converting landing pages. Powerful Landing Pages Though there are a lot of well-designed landing pages out there, not all of them do a good job of converting visitors to paying customers. The following landing pages, however, hit the mark: Shopify If you work in eCommerce, then you’ve heard of Shopify. They do a great job assembling landing pages, and it’s mostly because they don’t overcomplicate them or clutter their landing with tons of information. Take, for example, their Instagram feature landing page. What I love about how this is put together is that they include multiple images of what selling your product on Instagram could look like, which shows instead of tells, how the feature can elevate your brand and make your products more appealing to... --- ### 5 Best Customer Retention Tips for Your Small Business > Online business has spurred highly competitive markets. Consumerism is fast-paced, and buyer expectations are high. That means a small business needs to - Published: 2019-10-29 - Modified: 2019-10-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-best-customer-retention-tips-for-your-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business Online business has spurred highly competitive markets. Consumerism is fast-paced, and buyer expectations are high. That means a small business needs to focus on retention (not acquisition) to compete with a larger organization. Here are a few ways to maintain relevancy with an existing customer base: 1. Targeted Marketing A focus on retention means you must drill down with marketing. Sales funnels should be created with existing customers in mind. Not only does it spur business growth, but also a better investment of time and money. Research shows it costs up to 5 times as much to acquire a new customer as it does to retain an existing one. 50% of loyal customers have left a company for a competitor who better satisfied their needs. People appreciate relevancy and current customers expect content to apply to them. Automated email marketing can include loyalty and discount programs that reward repeat buyers. Using a customer relationship management (CRM) tool helps maintain an ongoing database of existing customers. You can then segment your marketing according to targeted campaigns. This cuts down on efforts wasted in the wrong channels. Only relevant material is sent to people who can use it. The value of the content reinforces brand authenticity and aids in retention. 2. Personalization Strategies This is about the customer experience. Tailored offerings and personal touches lead to a higher rate of sales. 64% of people care more about the customer experience over price in their buying experience. This starts with understanding expectations on... --- ### Everything You Need to Know about Internal Link Building > When it comes to linking and SEO, backlinks get a lot of attention (and for good reason), but you can’t ignore the importance of internal link building - Published: 2019-10-28 - Modified: 2019-10-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-internal-link-building/ - Categories: Content Marketing When it comes to linking and SEO, backlinks get a lot of attention (and for good reason), but you can’t ignore the importance of internal link building for rankings and optimization. Internal link building is a great way to move traffic around your site and increase the relevancy and utility of your various pages. It also helps search engines like Google find and assign value to your content, which is a key function of your SEO strategy. And unlike backlinks, which require action from other parties, you have all of the control over your internal linking efforts — meaning less work for a big payoff. So how does it all work? Let’s explore. What Are Internal Links? An internal link is a link within your content that goes to another page on your domain. Think linked features on your homepage and links embedded within your blog posts that lead to other pages on your site. Internal Links vs. External Links Both internal links and external links add context to your site and provide a nice SEO boost, but they operate in different ways. Whereas internal links guide users to another location on your site, external links guide users to other sites. It might not seem like good practice to send someone off of your page, but external links — along with backlinks — round out your linking strategy for better SEO. The external links you include within your content, like the internal links you include, help increase the authority of... --- ### 5 Reasons Your B2B Small Business Needs to Run Pricing Tests > Every online marketer loves a good A/B test. It’s almost fun to tweak a call to action, video, or a chunk of copy and meticulously study the results. The - Published: 2019-10-25 - Modified: 2019-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-reasons-your-b2b-small-business-needs-to-run-pricing-tests/ - Categories: Small Business Every online marketer loves a good A/B test. It’s almost fun to tweak a call to action, video, or a chunk of copy and meticulously study the results. The keyword that we always throw around is “optimize. ” You want to optimize your traffic, your open rates, your clicks, and your purchases. So, think about standing in a retail store for a moment. When you’re in the aisle, the packaging draws you in, the copy on the box starts the sale, but what do you glance at next? If you guessed the price, you’d be right. We use pricing as a major factor in almost every purchase. Even if the pricing is relatively negligible, we’re wired to want the best bang for our buck. So, if you’re spending all this time A/B testing every element of your website, don’t you think you should do the same with your pricing? It sounds a little unethical, but when performed carefully, you can get some fantastic insights into your pricing schemes and how to set them to maximize profits. 1. Get a More Precise Price-Demand Curve In economics, we learned about the price-demand curve. Basically, if you set your price too low, you won’t have any profits; but if you price it too high, no one will buy it. You’re looking for that sweet spot where you can make the most money per item sold without cutting into your demand. A/B testing your pricing can be a great way of determining this. 2.... --- ### 7 Ways to Boost Your Mobile Conversions > The number of mobile users around the world is increasing. More than half of all online activities now take place on a phone. Businesses focusing on their - Published: 2019-10-23 - Modified: 2022-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-ways-to-boost-your-mobile-conversions/ - Categories: Mobile The number of mobile users around the world is increasing. More than half of all online activities now take place on a phone. Businesses focusing on their mobile platforms are more likely to capture part of this growing marketspace. A 2019 Digital Report states that there are 5. 11 billion unique mobile users in the world and 52% of the total population uses the internet on mobile. This means that your mobile platform is as important as your desktop site, perhaps even more so. As the number of people using mobile internet grows, mobile eCommerce sales will also increase. If people have a negative experience on your mobile site they are 62% less likely to buy from you in the future. Prioritizing your mobile platform is necessary to cater to mobile internet users. Space on mobile screens is limited. It is also challenging to enter information on smartphones. It's important to make sure you mobile site is easy to use so visitors don't get frustrated. Let's look at seven ways you can make changes to your mobile site to boost conversions. 1. Use Live Chat on Your Mobile Site Adding live chat on your mobile site is an effective way to improve conversions. Using live chat makes it easy for your visitors to communicate with you. Giving them timely and on-point information can impact their purchase decision. There are a few common ways users can typically contact you. They can send an email, fill in a contact form or they... --- ### All of the Google Tools Your SEO Strategy Needs > There are a wide range of Google tools available to help you optimize your SEO strategy, and plenty of the best ones offer basic features for free. - Published: 2019-10-22 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-seo-tools/ - Categories: Marketing Google may be the one to impress when it comes to your SEO, but the search engine mega-giant doesn’t expect you to go it alone. There are a wide range of Google tools optimized to help you optimize, and plenty of the best ones offer basic features for free. From what content to cover to what consumers are responding to most on your site, Google apps can help you improve your SEO strategy and dig deeper into the data that you need to know in order to rank. And to get you started, we’ve put together this handy overview of the free SEO tools that Google offers. Let’s get to it. Content Planning Google Trends It can be hard to know what topics to cover with your content, but Google Trends can help. This incredibly useful free tool gives you a full picture view of what people are searching for and where they’re searching from, in turn offering a lot of helpful information about what sorts of content you should write if you want to get your brand in on the conversation. Google Search This isn’t a tool or app exactly, but the Google search page is an often underutilized free resource for guiding your content planning. Use it to see what questions people are asking about certain topics, as well as to inform your team about what your competitors are ranking for and how they might have gotten there. It’s a great place to start when you’re stuck, and... --- ### 5 Reasons Your Business Needs Marketing Automation > Marketing automation helps increase retention rate and generate more revenue. Why not let 2020 be the year that you bring your business to the next level? - Published: 2019-10-21 - Modified: 2021-09-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-in-2020/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Embracing technology is an absolute must for the modern marketer. In today’s digital landscape, marketing automation has become a fundamental building block of productivity and efficiency – two factors that are essential for sustained success. Furthermore, marketing automation can be the key that enables small startups to compete right alongside larger organizations. If you haven’t yet jumped on the automation bandwagon, here are 5 reasons why this should be the year you do. Save and optimize your time. Entrepreneur recently published an eye-opening infographic highlighting how marketing automation can save a ton of time. Specifically, the findings indicate that using an automation tool could potentially save 80% of the time spent on tasks like content scheduling and workforce management. Furthermore, automating social media tasks could save more than 6 hours per week. That is all time that could (and should) be better spent on more meaningful tasks, like strategic planning and problem-solving. Maximize your ROI. When you utilize a robust tool that combines a CRM system with marketing automation, all of your sales and marketing related activities will be available in one centralized place. Every business owner knows that customer relationships are the key to retention. By automating your lead nurturing activities, you’ll be able to develop and foster those important relationships, achieving maximum ROI without having to increase your output of work. Get valuable insight into customer behavior. Marketing automation enables you to collect data from a wide variety of sources and channels and use that data to gain... --- ### 5 Reliable Sales Hacks to Close More Deals > These are just a handful of the many different sales hacks successful salespeople use to close more deals and improve their bottom line. - Published: 2019-10-17 - Modified: 2019-10-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-hacks-to-close-more-deals/ - Categories: Sales Every successful salesperson has his or her own tricks to get prospects to say ‘yes. ’ And while there’s certainly something to be said for honing your own skills and developing your own unique approaches, there’s nothing wrong with learning from the best. That being said, if you could stand to close a few more deals (and really, who couldn’t? ), you might want to give the following proven sales hacks a try. Use visuals. The human brain processes pictures at a rate of 60,000 times faster than text. Furthermore, people are 85% more likely to buy a product after viewing a related video. If you aren’t incorporating visual content into your sales pitches, you are limiting your potential to sell. In other words don’t just tell your prospects what you have to offer. Show them using compelling images, powerful video footage and, of course, the product itself. Make five attempts. When it comes to closing the deal, persistence is often the key. But if you push too hard, you could end up driving your leads away. The key is finding that sweet spot, which for many successful salespeople is right around five attempts. In addition to keeping the lines of communication open without overdoing it, you should also make sure each of these connections adds value to your prospect. For instance, you might follow up your initial meeting with an article or free eBook that addresses your prospect’s pain point or answers a question. Time it right. Believe it... --- ### 4 Sales Training Resources That Aren't Cheesy > It’s easy to get complacent in sales. Here are four well-known movers and shakers in the sales training industry to fill your head with excellent ideas. - Published: 2019-10-16 - Modified: 2021-01-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-training-resources/ - Categories: Sales It’s hard to sort through the noise of online trainings. There’s so many eBooks, influencers, and courses out there that’s difficult to figure out which ones are worth your time. Sales gurus have taken to the internet to espouse their wisdom, but sometimes their writings come off as a little preachy or out of touch. There’s a wealth of information online that can help your business go to the next level. The right training can give you brand new ideas, exciting innovation opportunities, or reignite your inspiration. The trick is to find it. So, let’s look at a series of trainings and inspirational sales leaders that are true to their promise—their guidance can help your business find new areas of sales and success. 1. American Small Business Institute The American Small Business Institute doesn’t look like much from their rather basic website, however, the knowledge inside is extremely helpful for writing advertising copy or coming up with marketing campaigns. The founder of the American Small Business Institute, Roy Williams, runs a marketing school in Austin, TX called the Wizard of Ads (and has a book series of the same name). While yes, that name does sound cheesy, his advertising writing style is simply captivating. In his video series, Roy teaches how to build engaging and memorable stories using your brand or product that sink your offerings into your customer’s consciousness. Whether you take his online course or visit the Wizard of Ads in person, his teachings will redefine the way... --- ### Are Hashtags on Social Media Still Effective? > Which social media platforms still use hashtags and how can you properly incorporate them into your marketing campaigns? Let’s take a look. - Published: 2019-10-15 - Modified: 2021-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hashtags-on-social-media/ - Categories: Social Media Spoiler alert: An emphatic yes. The humble pound sign of telephone yore found new life in 2007 when it was repurposed to the almighty hashtag. When incorporated with a short word or phrase, like #tacotuesday or #blessed, the hashtag is used among most major social media platforms to group individual posts into full-blown conversations. It all started on Twitter, where trending hashtags are still used to define the trending topics of the day or bring attention to happening conversations on the platform. However, soon after its inception, the hashtag found its way to other platforms like Facebook and Instagram. It seems that we don’t talk about the humble hashtag as much as we used to, so if you’re not as ingrained in social media as others, it’s easy to miss out on its power. In fact, it’s not too difficult to see why many may assume that it was a passing fad. When hashtags first became all the rage, we talked about them a lot—like, a lot. It seemed that every campaign was not only trying to use hashtags, sometimes with humorous results, but they were vocalizing it as well. It seemed like every call to action in major ads had a hashtag to search. As hashtags entered the public consciousness, it was less of something that marketers needed to push—it has now become expected as part of your marketing strategy on most social media platforms. So, which platforms still use these little buggers and how can you properly incorporate... --- ### 5 Ways a Project Management Tool Will Be a Game Changer for Your Team > Project management tools are designed to help busy professionals plan, execute and manage multiple projects in one central dashboard. - Published: 2019-10-11 - Modified: 2020-09-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/value-of-project-management-tool/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Ever feel like you’re being pulled in a hundred different directions? Having trouble keeping track of the multiple tasks and deadlines on your to-do list? Are things starting to slip through the cracks as a result? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it’s time to say goodbye to post-its and consider adopting a project management tool. PM tools are designed to help busy professionals plan, execute and manage multiple projects in one central dashboard. If you’re still not convinced such a tool is worth the investment, here are five specific benefits that might just change your mind. Optimize the planning process. How many times have you just finished mapping out a project when something comes up that requires you to make changes. In fact, most successful projects evolve and pivot multiple times before they’re completed. Keeping up with those changes can be difficult, especially when you’re juggling multiple projects at once. A project management tool outlines every step of the process, including who is responsible for what and by when. This type of real-time overview at the click of a button can save a ton of time, keep everyone on the same page and eliminate duplicate efforts. Make collaboration easy and efficient. For projects that involve multiple team members, getting everyone together can be a challenge – especially with distributed or remote teams. Yet, collaboration is a hallmark of a successful group project. The solution is a project management tool that enables everyone to share their input... --- ### 6 Sales KPIs Your Small Business Can't Ignore > Running a small business is a lot like running a marathon. To get to the finish line successfully (which, in this case, is coming out in the black each - Published: 2019-10-10 - Modified: 2019-10-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-sales-kpis/ - Categories: Sales Running a small business is a lot like running a marathon. To get to the finish line successfully (which, in this case, is coming out in the black each quarter), you have to pace yourself along your journey, consciously expending your energy only when it really counts. This is especially true in sales, where focusing on the wrong thing can mean neglecting something that would have made a bigger impact. Small business sales KPIs run the gamut in terms of scope and use. To make sure that you’re revving up action on the sales KPIs that matter most, you need to know which of them are essential to operating your business effectively and which are interesting but ancillary. Below, we’ll go over the six SMB sales KPIs that you should definitely be tracking, with advice on why to measure them and how. 1. Sales Lead Prioritization Let’s start with a KPI that you’re probably already measuring already though possibly not getting full utility out of: lead qualifications; in particular, prioritizing your leads according to sales potential. Remember — the name of the game is focus. You need to know where the most time- and cost-efficient place is to channel your resources, and for that, you need to know which leads are most worth your sales team’s energy. To figure it out, rank each of your prospective customers based on estimated sale amount and deal probability, then set your sights on the ones at the top. It’s a smart way to... --- ### Subdomains vs. Subdirectories: Which is Better for SEO? > A comprehensive, well-executed SEO strategy is going to do good things for your online presence, whether you go with subdirectories or subdomains. - Published: 2019-10-09 - Modified: 2019-10-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/subdomains-versus-subdirectories/ - Categories: Marketing There’s a lot to navigate when it comes to SEO. This includes the basic stuff like inputting the right keywords into your content and making sure you add images to your site, as well as less basic stuff like optimizing your metadata and putting a comprehensive backlink strategy into place. Subdomains and subdirectories fall somewhere in the middle — they’re not exactly the first thing that people think of when they consider SEO, but they’re not as complex as they sound either. Subdomains and subdirectories are used to help organize your site, both for your own purposes and for the purpose of your visitors. And both have their advantages and disadvantages when it comes to SEO. We’ll go over what you need to know about subdomains and subdirectories, including what the difference between them is and which is better for your SEO strategy. (Note that for our purposes here, we’re going to stick to Google as the search engine we’re optimizing for, since it’s the main player. You may have to tweak your strategy slightly if you’re optimizing for Bing or Yahoo. ) What Are Subdomains? Subdomains are sites that are related to — but different from — your main site; think shop. yoursite. com or recipes. yoursite. com. The first word of the URL is a descriptor that tells visitors what they’ll find there, and the rest of the URL is what links the page to your brand. Content on a subdomain is separate from content on your main... --- ### Everything You Need to Know about SEO for Voice Search > As you do for standard SEO, make sure to stay up to date on these best practices for SEO for voice search to keep your site in the top results. - Published: 2019-10-08 - Modified: 2022-09-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-for-voice-search/ - Categories: Marketing Being a marketer today is tough. You have to constantly evolve your skill set to encompass new technologies and best practices, and you have to always try to stay one step ahead of what your competitors are doing. But while these factors do make marketing more difficult, they also make it more exciting — at least for those of us who love a good challenge. There are seemingly endless ways to tout your brand and reach new customers. It’s up to you to not only take advantage of them, but to optimize your message so you stretch your efforts as far as they can go. One area where there’s still a lot to be done: voice search. Voice search has been around since 2011, but it’s only been in the past handful of years that it’s become a necessary focus of successful online marketing. Now, SEO for voice search is as important as SEO for written content, with exponential growth still to come. It’s expected that by 2020, 50% of all online searches will be done via voice on devices like Google Home and Amazon Alexa, and that by 2021 42. 4% of internet users will be using voice assistants. Clearly, you can’t afford to opt out of optimizing for voice. So how do you do it? Here are four things you need to know to make sure your voice SEO is as strong as your written SEO. Know the Difference Between Voice Queries and Text Queries SEO for voice... --- ### 5 Revenue-Boosting Ideas for Agencies Looking to Do More For Their SMB Clients > Marketing agencies need to do more than just spread the word about clients. Expanding on existing revenue streams and developing new ones can offer results where it matters most. - Published: 2019-10-04 - Modified: 2020-12-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-small-business-clients/ - Categories: Agencies As a marketing agency hired by an SMB, it makes sense that you would want to do your best to help them grow both brand awareness and revenue. More revenue is a sign to your client that you’re doing an exceptional job for them. It’s also a strong indicator to other clients that you know what you’re doing, and a good value marker for those who are considering hiring you. Of course, there is no golden ticket revenue driver. (And if there was, everyone would already be doing it! ) But there are marketing strategies that you can employ that are specifically geared toward creating new streams of revenue and making more money for your clients. Here are five of them. 1. Webinars & Seminars If your SMB client is an authority on what they do, then why not capitalize on it by hosting pay-to-attend webinars and seminars? If they truly have some great insight to offer, then you should have no trouble justifying the price tag. The key to generating revenue through this type of activity is to price it smartly and market it heavily. Find a sweet spot between charging too much and charging too little, and base the associated marketing campaign around really establishing your client as a leader with information worth knowing about. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to market these events. The more buzz you can create, the more revenue you can bring in. 2. Online or Print Directories Depending on your... --- ### Have Your Best Q4 Yet with These Important B2B Marketing Statistics for 2019 > These B2B statistics aren’t a guarantee of what will or won’t work for you, but they're incredibly useful for seeing what others in the industry are doing. - Published: 2019-10-03 - Modified: 2019-10-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/b2b-marketing-statistics-2019/ - Categories: Marketing Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to information that can help you market better, stronger, and more effectively. The marketing industry is constantly in flux. What works one day may not work the next, and vice versa. Staying ahead of the game is necessary if you want to keep up - and one of the best ways to ensure that your team is focusing their time and resources in the right places. When it comes to better marketing, you need to start with the facts. Look industry wide to see what’s working and what’s not, and what you can learn from both. The more you know about where things are now, the more you can anticipate what’s to come. So what’s driving marketing success today? Here are 32 B2B marketing statistics for 2019 that will help guide you through Q4 — and beyond. Content Marketing is Still King 96% of marketing decision makers say content marketing is effective for their brand. (Zazzle) 89% of B2B marketers tie their content marketing strategy into larger business goals. (Zazzle) 70% of marketers are having more success with content marketing than they did in 2017. (Impact) 62% of B2B buyers say they can make a business decision based on content alone. (Blue Corona) 58% of B2B marketers have used content marketing to successfully nurture their audience in the past 12 months. (Content Marketing Institute) 56% of B2B marketers increased spending on content creation in the past 12 months and 37% increased spending on... --- ### How to Fire Employees with Kindness and Empathy > Firing employees is never fun, but it’s par for the course – especially as your business grows. Here's how to make the process as painless as possible. - Published: 2019-10-02 - Modified: 2019-10-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-fire-employees/ - Categories: Small Business When your business reaches a point that you can start hiring employees, it can be an exciting time. But what happens when one of those team members isn’t quite working out? Many small business owners struggle with the task of letting someone go. Agonizing over it. Feeling guilty. Often putting it off for weeks or even months. The good news is, terminating an employee doesn’t have to be something negative or nasty. Sure, it’s not the most pleasant experience, but there are ways you can do so with grace and empathy. Here’s how. Don’t blindside them. Oftentimes an employee who is underperforming doesn’t even realize that’s the case. Finding out they’re being let go due to poor performance can be shocking and send them reeling. This can all be avoided by providing regular and ongoing feedback. In many instances, you may even be able to help the struggling employee turn things around if you just take the time to provide support and guidance. If you’ve got an underperformer on your hands, here’s how you can help: Examine yourself and your processes to see if that’s part of the problem. Open the lines of communication. Ask them what you can do to help them reach their fullest potential. Take action based on their answer. If you’ve done all of these things and the employee in question is still not producing, letting them go shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, which will make the conversation less charged. Help them find another opportunity.... --- ### The Real Cost of Skipping SEO > The value of a strong SEO strategy cannot be overstated. Here are a few of the risks you take if you skip SEO as part of your marketing equation. - Published: 2019-10-01 - Modified: 2022-11-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cost-of-skipping-seo/ - Categories: Content Marketing Search engine optimization. It’s a simple phrase with a complex meaning, and too often, it’s misunderstood by B2B companies who are (understandably) more focused on the product or service they’re selling than the media content on their website. The value of SEO is not relegated to B2C brands and publishers. In the B2B world, where direct outreach and network connections are key, businesses need to optimize for search engines if they want to compete. And it makes sense, because if you’re not focusing on SEO you’re not ranking high in the search engines — and if you’re not ranking high, you’re not getting your name in front of new leads. Here’s the thing: 93% of all online experiences start at a search engine. It’s where people go when they’re looking for a solution to a problem, as well as where they go to discover they even have a problem in the first place. As a B2B business, you’re selling the solution to that problem — whatever it may be — and it’s crucial that you get on a prospect’s radar before your competitors do. And with 75% of searchers never scrolling past the first page of results, it’s hard to overstate the importance of SEO for driving growth in your business. Where SEO Matters Think of SEO as having two distinct purposes: (1) Building general brand awareness online (2) Matching your customers’ intent so that it’s as easy as possible for them to find you The internet is a vast... --- ### 10 Best Email Marketing Tools for Small Business > Your small business needs email marketing to build relationships, sell, and grow. Do your research, and you’ll find the best tool for you. - Published: 2019-09-27 - Modified: 2025-03-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-tools-for-small-business/ - Categories: Email Marketing Small businesses have a lot to focus on – without the budget and resources of a midsize or enterprise company. The decisions they make around tech tools and software suites are often more important than a bigger company, because they need tools that inherently make it easier to run a quality business with less. There are no shortage of email marketing tools for small businesses, which is totally logical: Email marketing remains a really powerful tool for small businesses, in part because they have more flexibility with their brand and image. And it’s valuable in no small part because while it may be hot to have a cool Instagram page right now, IG is still driven by an algorithm; emails go right into a prospect’s inbox, which means a formula isn’t deciding who sees your best stuff. Email marketing is a tremendous relationship-building channel. But with so many possible options to choose from, what is the best email marketing tool for your small business? What Features Should I Look for in an Email Marketing Tool? Today’s email marketing platforms do more than just send email to your list. There are many features and capabilities you’ll want to consider and evaluate before choosing the best email marketing tool for your small business. Drag & Drop Builder Creating eye-catching HTML emails is essential for small businesses for getting newsletters and promos read in the inbox. These emails include elements outside of simple plain text, including images, colors, different font-styles and more. The... --- ### The 7 Best Live Chat Tools for Marketing Agencies > Live chat tools are inexpensive, easy to set up, and customer-focused. But, before you decide on one, it’s good to test drive a few. - Published: 2019-09-26 - Modified: 2022-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/live-chat-tools-marketing-agencies/ - Categories: Agencies Think about the last time you were at the store and couldn’t find what you were looking for. Now, if this was a big box store, there probably wasn’t a sales associate in sight. You look around, grumble, sigh, keep hunting and sometimes just plain give up. Now, imagine a potential customer, clicking around on your agency’s website. They have questions as they’re reading about your services, but maybe not so much so that they’re driven to send an email. They’re interested, but in our world of instant gratification, that interest may not last long. We’ve all been there. The last thing you want is for a potential client to bounce. Live chat tools on your website are amazing tools to stay connected with new and potential customers. They give your clients a quick and easy way to ask questions or connect with you instantly. So, what sets one chat tool apart from the rest? It’s time to compare six of the best and see for yourselves. Zendesk Image courtesy of Zendesk Zendesk is an extremely well-known name in the customer support industry. They are mostly known for their help ticket service, but they also operate an awesome live chat tool. Setup only requires adding a simple widget to your website and downloading a client on your computer. Some of its best features are triggers that let you open a chat box automatically when a customer performs an action and AI-powered chatbots that can handle simple tasks automatically. Zendesk is... --- ### Where to Look When Your Creative Blog Ideas Dry Up > Even if you’re an expert in your field, there’s only so much you can write about before you feel like the well of blog ideas has just run dry. - Published: 2019-09-25 - Modified: 2019-09-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-blog-ideas/ - Categories: Content Marketing Sometimes, it feels like you have to be a content machine to keep your blog filled with a steady stream of shareable articles. Even if you’re an expert in your field, there’s only so much you can write about before you feel like the well has just run dry. The internet is a crowded place, afterall, and no one needs more noise. First, remember, writing a blog is hard work so you don’t want to waste your time writing the same stale content as your competitors. Second, let’s start this brainstorm session with a little piece of advice: very few people read every post on your business’s blog. Most likely, they’re landing on your blog from suggested articles through your site, affiliates, emails, or social media reach. So, naturally, they just aren’t clicking through your entire site’s catalog of content. This little tidbit is actually quite freeing. Remember that each time you write an blog, you are writing to the same general audience, not a specific person. Before you get frustrated at your lack of ideas, think about the posts you’ve created so far. Are they worthwhile enough to be repurposed, expounded upon, or updated new, relevant information? Think evergreen content. That’s a great place to start. But, getting stuck is an unfortunate part of the content marketing process. So, what else can you do to get those valuable ideas flowing? Look to the hashtags Social media is a goldmine of information (not always truth, but certainly plenty of ideas).... --- ### 5 Digital Marketing Trends Your Business Can’t Afford to Ignore in 2019 > The digital landscape is ever-changing. The only way to remain profitable in today’s world is to follow these trends and adapt your approach accordingly. - Published: 2019-09-20 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/2019-digital-marketing-trends/ - Categories: Marketing The words digital and disruption go hand in hand. In fact, it seems there are new digital trends disrupting the marketing world on an almost daily basis. Remember back in 2006, when Facebook first took the stage? Today, social media is a key marketing initiative for businesses across the globe and in just about every industry. In 2019, the digital landscape is still evolving. In order for your business to remain competitive, you will need to understand and adapt to these changes. To get you started, here are five digital marketing trends to keep an eye on. Micro-Moments The term micro-moments was coined by Google to further analyze and understand consumer behavior. There are basically for micro-moments, or instances in which people act on a certain need, as follows: I want to KNOW moments - Consumers are just exploring; not necessarily interested in buying. I want to GO moments - Consumers are looking for a local business with intent to buy. I want to DO moments - Consumers intend to learn or complete a task. I want to BUY moments - Consumers are searching for a product/service with clear intent to buy. By focusing your digital marketing strategy on these four key moments, providing the right information to the right audience at the right time, you will improve the likelihood of conversion. Voice Search According to a recent study by Bright Local, 58% of consumers say they have used voice search to find information about a local business. The study... --- ### Maximize Your Email Campaign Results with Powerful Copy > Powerful email copy results in captivating the audience, engaging them and helping you attain your conversion goals. Learn more from EmailMonks. - Published: 2019-09-19 - Modified: 2019-10-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/powerful-email-copy/ - Categories: Email Marketing Planning an email campaign? What is the most daunting task for you, as a marketer? Most often, the answer is email copywriting. Yes, drafting an engaging copy and winning audiences can make most marketers steer away from crafting an email campaign. It is not just about using the right words or avoiding certain phrases. You also need to know how to captivate the audience by packaging it right. Often, marketers focus on creating a custom email template design and the best responsive HTML email template but overlook the importance of email copy. Here, we will take you through all the steps that will help you deliver a powerful and engaging copy. Write for the Segmented Audience The email campaign you are planning will not be for the entire email list that is in your possession. You will segment the list and define the niche audience for whom you are launching the product or service or delivering the campaign. When writing the copy, take into consideration this segmented list. You should write for them specifically. Let’s say you want to talk about an upgrade to a particular product. Your email will be sent to those who already have the product and would be willing to upgrade it. The copy should have a headline hinting at the upgrade and show the new features that the existing users will be able to enjoy with it. A Single Conversion Goal When you are writing a copy, you should have a conversion goal in mind.... --- ### How to Write a Marketing Blog that Ranks on Google > Writing a blog post is easy. Writing a blog post that performs well in Google rankings, though? That’s another story. Your goal with all marketing blog - Published: 2019-09-17 - Modified: 2022-09-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-write-a-marketing-blog-for-google-rankings/ - Categories: Content Marketing Writing a blog post is easy. Writing a blog post that performs well in Google rankings, though? That’s another story. Your goal with all marketing blog posts is to get them in front of as many people as possible. And while social media and email marketing are both great ways to spread the word about your content, you’re going to have to rank if you want a post to be truly effective in drawing in traffic and converting leads. Google content rankings are based on a wide range of factors — many of them known, many of them a mystery. Everything from the keywords and links you include to the overall quality of your blog post impacts where it shows up on the search page, and with 75% of people never scrolling past the first page of results, it pays to put in the time and effort required to rank. Getting your marketing blog ranking on Google isn’t rocket science, but it does require some forethought and research. Below, we’ll go over each step that you need to follow in order to increase your chances of nabbing one of those coveted top spots. Step One: Come Up With Your Idea Sometimes figuring out what you want to write about is the trickiest part. Be strategic when choosing your topic, opting for an idea that is relevant to your business and shows off your authority. Google doesn’t like redundancy, so be sure that it’s a topic you haven’t covered before. It’s... --- ### How Should I Prioritize the Marketing Budget for My Small Business? > Each of the steps in this article will be integral in helping you prioritize your small business marketing budget to get the most value out of your efforts. - Published: 2019-09-16 - Modified: 2019-09-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-budget/ - Categories: Small Business Effective small business marketing requires a savvy mindset. It also requires having a proper hold on your priorities, including what you should be spending on marketing and where you should be spending it. A small business marketing budget tends to be limited — but that’s okay! It may even be a good thing. The less that you have to work with, the more cognizant you’re forced to be about only spending your money where it’s really going to count. That means less wasted money on marketing endeavors that make only a small impact and a greater focus on campaigns that are truly designed to convert. And that’s a good strategy for any business — small, medium, or large. To really stretch your SMB marketing budget as far as it can go though, you need to go in with a plan. Below, we’ll go over some of the most common steps related to prioritizing your market budget to help guide you through the process and, hopefully, come out with a plan that puts each dollar you have to spend to work in the best way possible. 1. Figure Out How Much Should You Really Be Spending on Marketing For most small businesses, the best way to determine their marketing budget is to consider the number as a percentage of total revenue. The average small business spends 1. 08% of its yearly revenue on marketing, reports Small Business Trends, though some types of businesses — furniture stores and real estate brokerage firms,... --- ### Leading CRM and Email Marketing SaaS Providers, Hatchbuck, Benchmark, Merge > The combined company, Benchmark, will enable businesses to flourish with powerfully simple sales and marketing tools. - Published: 2019-09-10 - Modified: 2019-09-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/leading-crm-and-email-marketing-saas-providers-hatchbuck-benchmark-merge/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News The combined company, Benchmark, will enable businesses to flourish with powerfully simple sales and marketing tools. St. Louis, MO - September 10, 2019 - Benchmark Email and Hatchbuck, leading SaaS (software as a service) providers of sales and marketing solutions, today announced they have merged, creating a global customer relationship management (CRM) and email marketing automation technology leader. The combined entity will operate under the Benchmark name and has U. S. offices in St. Louis and Los Angeles with international presence in 15 countries. Jonathan Herrick, previously CEO and Co-Founder of Hatchbuck will assume the role of CEO. Curt Keller, previously CEO of Benchmark, will assume the role of Chief Innovation Officer and Chairman of the Board. The newly merged company brings together 130 employees serving over 150,000 users in 15 countries and 9 languages worldwide. With businesses rapidly adopting digital sales and marketing technology, the combination of Hatchbuck CRM and Benchmark email solutions will enable the newly formed company to better serve its customers and gain market share in an ever growing CRM and marketing technology market. By 2025 the CRM market is projected to reach nearly $82 billion and the email marketing market is expected to reach $22 billion (Grand View Research). “Email marketing has always been a cost-effective way to connect with customers,” said Keller. “As SMBs invest more heavily in digital channels, they need a centralized place to track the relationships they’ve worked hard to build. We’re extremely excited about partnering with Hatchbuck to make CRM... --- ### Which Paid Ads are Best for Your Business or Agency Clients? > Paid advertising is the best way to build brand awareness and get the word out about a new business, product or service. - Published: 2019-09-05 - Modified: 2019-09-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/which-paid-advertising-is-best/ - Categories: Lead Generation Organic traffic is the holy grail of internet eyes on your website, but building your SEO strategy and seeing results can take time. If you’re launching a new business or marketing a new product that doesn’t have strong organic traffic behind it yet, paid advertising can pave the way to your company’s success. Of course, when spending money comes into play, it’s important to be strategic about your ad spend. Not every paid ad platform is the same, and some serve niche audiences. Testing ad spend across several platforms is key to finding out if you have an audience there or not. Before you start doling out the dough, here’s a quick review of the major players in paid ad providers. Google Ads Google Ads (formerly Google Adwords) is an extremely powerful service. There are 160 billion+ monthly Google searches, giving Google Ads incredible reach. Through the Google Ads platform, you can create pay-per-click and pay-per-impression ads for Google searches, display ads on websites, video ads on YouTube, and even email-like ads on Gmail. Ads, when used right, can get you in front of just about everyone on the internet. They also offer targeting options that can easily focus in on local customers within a certain radius (one mile out or more). Google Ads is incredibly robust, but with that benefit also comes some complications. With so many settings and options, it can be difficult for beginners to get started creating campaigns that get in front of the right eyes,... --- ### 5 Marketing Strategies to Help Grow Your Agency Retainer Business > If you’re doing great work and offering your clients respect and transparency, you shouldn’t have any trouble growing your agency retainer business. - Published: 2019-09-04 - Modified: 2022-10-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/grow-agency-retainer-business/ - Categories: Agencies Long-term clients are the bread and butter of a successful marketing agency. While it’s certainly a good idea to always be working on ways to bring in new business, it’s those long-term clients who are going to help you build a strong and sustainable portfolio — especially if you’re running a small or mid-size firm. Not convinced that long-term clients are more valuable than shiny new ones? Consider that just a 5% increase in your firm’s customer retention rate can increase your profits by 25-95%. Add to that the fact that it costs five times more to attract a new client than to keep an existing one on board and it’s pretty clear where you should be focusing your efforts. Knowing that long-term clients are important is one thing though — actually retaining them is another. Here are five marketing strategies your firm should employ to attract clients with long-term potential and keep them coming back for more. 1. Know exactly who you’re looking for. Your ideal clients — and the ones who are going to stick around — are the ones who are looking for the exact thing that you excel in. Maybe that’s lead generation or conversion-boosting email marketing or social media or a whole other host of marketing-driven services that companies need if they’re going to succeed. Likely, it’s more than one of these things. Defining what you’re best at will help you hone in on who the clients are that will benefit most from what you... --- ### The Anatomy of a Perfectly Built Sales Pipeline > Studies show that if your business has a well-defined sales process, you’ll see higher revenue growth than those that don’t. - Published: 2019-08-29 - Modified: 2019-08-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/perfectly-built-sales-pipeline/ - Categories: Sales Studies show that if your business has a well-defined sales process, you’ll see higher revenue growth than those that don’t. One study by Vantage Point Performance and the Sales Management Association showed “an 18% difference in revenue growth between companies that defined a formal sales process and companies that didn’t. ” As a blueprint for the different stages in the sales process, your sales pipeline lays out the steps to convert leads into customers. This visual snapshot of your sales process helps you keep track of every single deal as it moves through each stage. Clearly, a sales pipeline is a crucial tool for your sales force that can make a critical difference in your bottom line. Read Jonathan's full post on the Tsheets Blog. --- ### The Key to Updating Evergreen Content > With the help of these five simple tips, you can easily breathe more life (and more marketability) into your evergreen content. - Published: 2019-08-28 - Modified: 2021-02-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/updating-evergreen-content/ - Categories: Content Marketing Evergreen content is the centerpiece of many business’s blogging efforts — and for good reason. By its very nature, evergreen content serves to provide brands with long-term value extending far beyond its publication date. By focusing on content that is always relevant — such as how-to guides, case studies, resource guides, and pillar pages — a business can future proof its content offerings and establish a strong SEO foundation. With evergreen content, however, as with all content you’re creating to build brand awareness and strengthen your footing with the search engines, updates are occasionally required to keep the content highly ranked and relevant. Platforms like Google prioritize newer content, and may penalize content that’s outdated. Updates are a great strategy for getting more life out of the evergreen content that you create and making sure it stays at the top of the rankings. If you’re wondering how to update evergreen content for more SEO success, you’ve come to the right place. Follow the best practice tips below to get more out of the valuable evergreen content you’ve already created. Tip #1: Accurately identify your evergreen content Not all content you create is going to be evergreen, even if it’s something that you think might maintain interest over time. Being able to identify what is (and isn’t) evergreen content on your site is important, since it will help you focus your efforts on the articles that have the most to gain from an update. Evergreen content is: Enduring Sustainable Searchable Shareable... --- ### How To Surprise and Delight Clients at Every Stage of the Funnel > Not only is it easier than you think to surprise and delight clients, it can (and should) be done at every stage of the marketing funnel. - Published: 2019-08-27 - Modified: 2019-08-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/surprise-and-delight-clients/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship If you love the idea of surprising and delighting your clients, but once you actually start to brainstorm options, your mind goes blank - don’t panic. Not only is it easier than you think to create enthusiastic clients, it can (and should) be done at every stage of the marketing funnel. So let’s start from the top of the funnel then, shall we? Delighting Prospective New Clients You’ve created awareness around your brand, and now you’re stuck trying to convince prospective clients that you are the right choice in a sea of competitors. Now, you nurture these prospects by demonstrating the value you provide. A great way to surprise and delight your prospective clients with something intangible (aka free for you - woo! ) is to share helpful resources that are specific to their industry or potential use case. Like an article, video or report. By doing this, you’re proving that you understand their specific problem - all without having to further sales pitch yourself. Sending a helpful resource as an unprompted surprise shows that you are the type to go above and beyond to solve their problem. And that is the state of mind in which conversions happen. Once your prospects are farther down the funnel and close to converting, you can try and seal the deal by surprising them with an actual gift! You don’t have to go overboard here, either. There are tons of options out there for small, creative client gifts that won’t break the bank,... --- ### 10 Affiliate Marketing Softwares That are Worth Your Time > It’s important to take time to plan what you’d like to see in your affiliate marketing software — features, reporting, and ease of use — before diving in. - Published: 2019-08-23 - Modified: 2022-02-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/affiliate-marketing-software/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Affiliate marketing is one of the most powerful tools in your digital marketing toolkit. A successful affiliate marketing campaign can help you find exceptionally high-quality leads without extraneous advertising costs. So, look at it like this. In traditional marketing pipelines, like cold calling or social media advertising, you’re paying to put your brand out there. While you can target specific people based on demographics and interest, more often than not, you’re still paying per view. Affiliate marketing software works by driving traffic to your website from your affiliates, through content like blog posts and videos, yet you only pay those affiliates when the clickthrough traffic makes a purchase. This can be incredibly lucrative in a B2B setting. To make the leap into affiliate marketing, you’ll need some help to build and manage your campaigns. That’s where affiliate marketing software comes in. 1. OSI Affiliate Software OSI Affiliate is an affordable and simple to use affiliate marketing software that is great for beginners to the affiliate marketing game. It allows for easy creation of automated partnerships and referral programs. Their software allows for you to easily manage your campaigns all in one place with email templates, excellent reporting, and even discount code management. 2. Everflow Everflow is the most popular affiliate marketing software on the market and with good reason. Its features allow you to easily track, analyze, and manage an unlimited amount of marketing campaigns in a second user interface. Their analytics are impressive and make it easy to view... --- ### 5 Best Cold Outreach Templates for LinkedIn > Are you taking advantage of your network? No matter what you’re selling, you should have no trouble finding an expansive pool of untapped leads on LinkedIn. - Published: 2019-08-22 - Modified: 2024-01-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cold-outreach-templates-linkedin/ - Categories: Social Media Are you taking full advantage of your LinkedIn network? B2B marketing agencies that are actively trying to pitch their services to new clients have a lot to gain from turning their attention to the professional social site. This includes one-to-one communications without the hindrance of middle men, as well as the ability to quantify and qualify leads with ease. LinkedIn, which currently boasts more than 600 million members in more than 200 countries, is a microcosm of sorts for the professional world at large, providing near-instant access to potential customers from a wide variety of industries. No matter what you’re selling or who you’re selling it to, you should have no trouble finding an expansive pool of untapped leads, many of whom are willing and open to making a connection. If you’re a LinkedIn Premium member, you’ll be able to send cold outreach messages to anybody on the network. Otherwise, you’ll need to purchase InMail Credits or limit yourself to those who you already have a prior connection with. Choose the route that makes the most sense for your objectives and your budget, and consider making the upgrade to a Premium membership if you’re having success on the site. As for the messages themselves, LinkedIn cold outreach is similar to the cold outreach messages you send via email. Keep the tone friendly, find some common ground, and be as succinct as possible. Your message is likely to fall flat if you just throw your pitch out there without any personable... --- ### The Value of Webpage Tracking in Your B2B Marketing Funnel > Effective B2B marketing today is all about personalization. Clients want to be acknowledged — and they want their needs to be acknowledged, too. That - Published: 2019-08-21 - Modified: 2020-11-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/webpage-tracking/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Effective B2B marketing today is all about personalization. Clients want to be acknowledged — and they want their needs to be acknowledged, too. That means personalized recommendations, personalized promotions, and personalized outreach. And while it may seem like you need a magical crystal ball to fulfill all of this, there’s actually a much easier (and more realistic) way to do it: webpage tracking. It’s incredibly common for B2B businesses to track the activity on their site. Getting inside knowledge about customer behaviors — including how they navigate to a page, what they click on when they get there, and what they read — is invaluable, both in terms of personalized marketing and for collecting data that helps guide future marketing decisions. How Webpage Tracking Works Whenever we use the web we leave a digital footprint behind. Webpage tracking simply helps businesses uncover these footprints through a few different methods. Cookies are probably the most commonly known web tracking tools. While cookies aren’t just about webpage tracking, they are often used that way. That’s because cookies serve as unique user identifiers that are stored in web servers for future use. Tracking a lead’s cookies gives you a lot of data into what they’re doing online and what they’re interested in, and because cookies are opt-in, there is no need to worry about permissions. Another tool that B2B businesses use is web beacons, also called pixel trackers or page tags. These beacons, which are invisible on a page unless you’re diving into... --- ### How to Create B2B Goals in Google Analytics > Use these helpful tips to set up Google Analytics goals and start getting more insightful data out of your digital measurements. - Published: 2019-08-20 - Modified: 2019-08-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-analytics-goals/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Google Analytics is a powerful tool. When it’s used to its full potential, it can help B2B businesses gain key insights into areas they might not otherwise have any clear window into, including optimized digital performance metrics and trends and patterns in customer behavior. While Google Analytics already offers access to important metrics like pageviews and traffic sources, to really get the most out of the platform you’re going to want to measure additional information that’s unique to your marketing goals. And that’s where Google Analytics goals come in. Goals are a Google Analytics tool that allow you to track the marketing metrics that matter most to your business, particularly those around user interactions. Goals are divided into four types, each of them offering a different way to measure conversions. Below, we’ll go over what those types are, as well as what you need to know to set up your Google Analytics goals and make full use of them. The Google Analytics Goals You Should Focus On Each goal that you set up in Google Analytics will fall under one of four pre-designated categories: Destination (page URL) Duration (time spent on page) Pages/Screens Per Session (total page views per session) Event (action taken on page) The category your goal falls under depends on the specific type of conversion that you are looking to track. For example, if you want to measure how many people play your demo video, you’d set that up under Event, since it’s an action on the... --- ### 3 Ways Customer Surveys Can Improve Your Business > Customer survey data is an invaluable tool for making business decisions, better understanding customer pain points, and achieving innovation. - Published: 2019-08-16 - Modified: 2022-10-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/improve-business-with-customer-surveys/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Thanks to polling services, the ability to reach out to existing or prospective customers is just a few clicks away, allowing businesses to interact directly with the market. Customer surveys, in particular, can be an information goldmine. Tapping into the minds of those who are willing to pay for the service or product you provide is a sure way to acquire more like-minded customers. Customer survey data is an invaluable tool for making business decisions, better understanding customer pain points, and achieving product or service innovation. At TSheets, we thrive on customer surveys and have found a few key ways they improve our business. 1. Surveys can help you customize your product For TSheets, GPS tracking in the workplace is a hot potato. What better way to find out what employees think than asking them directly, right? We expected them to raise privacy concerns and even push back altogether on the technology. But to make data-driven decisions means being objective, even when the data doesn’t agree with us. But to our surprise, more than half of the employees who have used GPS at work described the experience as positive, with just 4 percent giving the tech a thumbs-down. Respondents also told us how they generally don’t think twice about sharing location data as long as they trust the app or know exactly how the collected information will be used. So what did we walk away with? Transparency and clear messaging are key. 2. Surveys can help you customize your service... --- ### How to Handle a Company PR Crisis Like a Champ > It happens to the best of us. You’re going along with daily operations as usual, and then someone makes a mistake, or there’s an unfortunate - Published: 2019-08-15 - Modified: 2019-08-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-handle-pr-crisis/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship It happens to the best of us. You’re going along with daily operations as usual, and then someone makes a mistake, or there’s an unfortunate misunderstanding or miscommunication and all of the sudden you’re plunged into a PR crisis, no lifeboat in sight. The longer you’re in business, the more it becomes apparent that no one is impervious to a PR nightmare. While there is certainly a spectrum when it comes to just how bad the crisis is, if it’s your business — and your reputation — on the line, then even a minor misstep can seem like a major catastrophe. The key to getting ahead of it? Don’t panic, and start acting right away to win back the trust of your stakeholders and customers. There is no one trick for managing a PR crisis. Instead, you need to have a coordinated plan of attack that acknowledges both your own needs and the needs of the people who you are trying to impact with your outreach. Read on for four steps that will help you take control during a PR crisis and steer your company back to calmer waters. Step #1: Assemble Your Crisis Management Team Depending on past experiences and the size of your company, you may or may not already have a crisis management team ready to go. If you do, great — get everyone into action. If not, pull aside a few key people who are most engaged with your PR/media relations strategy and set them to... --- ### 10 Email Marketing Influencers You Need to Be Following > Email marketing is a constant whirlwind of change. Trends in visuals and copy are always moving forward at lightning speed, and it seems like every day - Published: 2019-08-14 - Modified: 2024-10-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-influencers/ - Categories: Email Marketing Email marketing is a constant whirlwind of change. Trends in visuals and copy are always moving forward at lightning speed, and it seems like every day there’s a cool new way to engage your customers. As an email marketer, you’re scrambling to keep up - while also keeping tabs on the email features that are supported on all major platforms. It’s a lot to take in. Luckily, there are some amazing email marketing influencers out there to keep you informed, amused, and help you reach your customers with ease. Whether you’re interested in the technical side of email marketing, crafting copy, or the graphic design, there’s an influencer that can speak to your needs. Here are a few leaders of the email industry to follow today. Tom Sather Tom Sather is known for his work as the senior director of research at Return Path. Return Path, if you’re unfamiliar, offers unparalleled insights on why emails end up undeliverable and where they end up bouncing. Tom takes to Twitter to help email marketers ensure that their emails are getting to their intended recipients. Follow Tom on Twitter. Matthew Lloyd Smith Matthew Lloyd Smith created the insanely helpful website Really Good Emails, which showcases the best in email marketing throughout the internet. Matthew is a positive force in the creative community who encourages thoughtful critique of design problems, instead of mean-spirited criticism. Matthew has designed emails for many internationally known clients and start-ups. If you’re interested in email design, Matthew is a... --- ### How to Measure the ROI of Inbound Marketing > Learn more about the KPIs that really count when it comes to your inbound marketing efforts. - Published: 2019-08-13 - Modified: 2019-08-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/roi-of-inbound-marketing/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Cold calling and direct mail aren’t dead, but inbound marketing is where a business really makes headway when it comes to lead generation. Inbound marketing, which refers to a marketing strategy that is specifically geared toward strengthening the brand-consumer relationship, is tantamount to marketing success. It includes the types of things that help attract customers to your business’s various digital platforms and that build a strong connection once they get there — think SEO-driven blog posts, social media promotions, videos, and personalized email marketing. Unlike outbound marketing, which casts a wide net in the hopes of guiding leads through the pipeline, inbound marketing is geared toward lead creation and nurturing. While the end goal is always to drive a customer toward a sale, there’s also a strong priority on enhancing brand awareness and putting down conversational roots. But with multiple objectives at play, it can be difficult for a business to pin down exactly what their KPIs are — and how to effectively determine the ROI of inbound marketing efforts. Don’t market in the dark. Read on for helpful advice on determining your ROI for three of the most impactful inbound marketing techniques. Emails Why they matter: Emails are the heart of inbound marketing. When done right, they can turn strangers into sales-qualified leads and current customers into brand advocates. What KPI to track: Click-Through Rates Emails tend to have a high rate of revenue return — about $38 for every $1 spent, as a matter of fact — but... --- ### 8 Best Practices for Rolling out a New Tool or Process > With a plan in place, you can greatly reduce the challenges that you’ll face and help ensure an efficient roll out of new tools and processes. - Published: 2019-08-09 - Modified: 2024-07-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-best-practices-for-rolling-out-a-new-tool-or-process/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Successfully onboarding your team and offering the right support when you integrate a new tool or process is just as important as selecting the right tool or process in the first place. The resources that you put in place for your employees aren’t always intuitive, which means that user adoption needs to be a proactive undertaking designed to get everyone on the same page at the same time. This is as true for small and medium sized businesses as it is for large ones. To roll out a new tool or process you need to both prepare in advance for company-wide implementation and take the appropriate steps as needed once the new system is in place. And whether it’s a new piece of software or a new procedure for interacting with existing software, the more successful your adoption efforts the more successful the change will be. To facilitate as smooth a process as possible, adhere to the following dos and don’ts regarding best practices for rolling out a new tool or process among your team. Preparing for the Roll Out Do communicate any upcoming changes with everyone — not just management. Every single employee who is going to be impacted by the change or changes to the system needs to be apprised of what’s going on. While managers may be the ones who are responsible for optimizing user adoption among those who directly report to them, communicate with all end users about what new tool or process you are going... --- ### Using Surveys at Every Stage of the Buying Funnel > The key to getting actionable insight out of surveys is designing them in such a way that your visitors are inspired to not just click but to complete them. - Published: 2019-08-08 - Modified: 2019-08-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/using-marketing-surveys-effectively/ - Categories: Marketing The more that you can customize your content and recommendations to your audience, the better chance you have of guiding that audience down the sales pipeline. And even in the age of data-driven marketing, where every tidbit of information related to consumer behavior is mined, tracked, and analyzed, sometimes the best way to learn what you need to know is just to ask. Prospect and consumer surveys are powerful tools for marketing agencies. When used to their full potential, surveys give you reliable insights into what your leads are looking for and what their pain points are. Surveys can also point out flaws in your strategy, or lead you in new directions that you hadn’t otherwise anticipated. The key to getting as much actionable insight as possible out of your surveys is designing them in such a way that your customers — both current and potential — are inspired to not just click on the survey link but to follow through with completing it. In this article, we’ll go over the makings of a strong survey, plus ten types of marketing surveys that you should consider working in to your outreach strategy. What Makes a Good Marketing Survey? A poorly designed survey can be a turn off for customers and a waste of time for your marketing team. It’s important then to design your survey in a way that’s optimized for grabbing (and holding on to) attention. Here are some survey best practices you can follow to make your surveys... --- ### How to Get the Most Out of Every Blog Post You Create > Once you write a blog post that makes a big splash, you might be tempted to leave it. What that really tells you is that content is ripe for improvement. - Published: 2019-08-06 - Modified: 2023-08-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/leveraging-existing-blog-posts/ - Categories: Content Marketing There are a lot of misconceptions about blogging out there. It seems that a lot of content creators view writing blog content as a sort of one and done situation. But the content you create for your blog is worth its digital weight in gold which means you should be leveraging every piece of existing content you've created. Once you write a blog post that makes a big traffic splash, you might be tempted just to leave it be. What that really tells you is that content is relevant and ripe for further improvement. So, roll up your sleeves and pop open your analytics. It’s time to squeeze every last drop of use out of your excellent content. Drive email open rates and web traffic through drip campaigns First, a bit of a definition for the jargon uninitiated: a drip campaign is an automated email campaign that sends messages to your subscribers when they trigger an event such as signing up for a new product or service, subscribing to your newsletter, or an expiring subscription. You most likely already have these types of automated messages set up in your content marketing strategy. If you don’t, look into it! They’re an excellent way of staying in contact with subscribers. But how does your blog content play into this strategy? Simple. Snippets from your blog like an educational quote or catchy headline can help drive opens and clicks in your email campaigns. An easy way to do this is to include some... --- ### 7 Creative Ways Your Agency Can Close More Business Before the End of the Month > If you want to be proactive, there are a few creative tactics you can use to close more agency business in the weeks that remain. - Published: 2019-08-02 - Modified: 2019-08-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/close-more-agency-business/ - Categories: Agencies It’s a problem that just about every company faces at one point or another: No matter how good the numbers are, they’re not quite where you’d like them to be. Maybe your agency is having a rough month, or maybe sales team victories are steady but slow. Maybe it’s February and you just realized that you’ve been tracking your sales thinking you had 30 days to work with. Whatever the reason, you’d just love to bring in some more sales before the end of the month. With enough focus and maybe a few overtime hours, your sales team can probably pull something off using traditional sales and marketing techniques. If you want to be more proactive, though, there are a few creative tactics you can use to bring in more business in the weeks that remain. Take Time to Listen It might seem a little odd, but one big way to increase the effectiveness of your sales team is to start listening to their sales calls. Don’t take this as an opportunity to put your team under increased scrutiny, though. The idea is twofold: to optimize your sales process, and to see if there are any new opportunities to serve your clients in better ways. You may learn that your pricing or packages need tweaking, or your sales team needs more training on handling objections. Set aside some time after hours to listen to recordings of random calls by members of your sales team. Make sure they know you have... --- ### 7 Ways SMBs Can Tell If They've Partnered With The Right PPC Firm > Pay-per-click ads are a great way to drive more awareness for your brand and more traffic to your site. And if you’re working with the right PPC firm, you - Published: 2019-08-01 - Modified: 2019-08-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/finding-the-right-ppc-firm/ - Categories: Small Business Pay-per-click ads are a great way to drive more awareness for your brand and more traffic to your site. And if you’re working with the right PPC firm, you should be getting regular updates on the performance of your paid ads. Turning those updates into actionable insights though is a task easier said than done. Businesses, especially small and medium-sized ones, need to be smart with their marketing budgets. It’s important that you’re able to qualify where your ad dollars are stretching the furthest and where you might need to make changes or dial it back. In terms of PPC ads and the PPC firm that you work with, the goal is to identify key measures of success that you can use to monitor your paid ad campaigns and ensure that they’re pulling their weight. Here are seven of the best ways to do that. 1. Clickthrough rate If you’re paying for clicks, then it makes sense that your clickthrough rate would be a pretty telling metric in terms of how your ads are performing. The higher the rate, the better your ads are doing and the better job your PPC has done so far as choosing the right keywords and targeting your ads to the right audience. If you have concerns about your clickthrough rate, go back to the drawing board with your firm. It may be just a matter of tweaking the keywords or optimizing your ad design. 2. Conversion rate Click-throughs are a key metric, but the... --- ### 5 Off-The-Wall Strategies for Marketing Your Agency > Your agency does amazing, creative work for your clients, right? You pride yourself on the team you’ve built and the lead-generating, eye-catching content - Published: 2019-07-31 - Modified: 2023-03-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-your-agency/ - Categories: Agencies Your agency does amazing, creative work for your clients, right? You pride yourself on the team you’ve built and the lead-generating, eye-catching content you churn out on a day-to-day basis. No matter what a client throws at you, you’re able to spin it and sell it. So, why is self-promotion for your own agency so tricky? It’s so difficult sometimes to succinctly package how awesome you are. You’re just too close to the product to accurately represent it. Creating your own ads, brand voice, and web copy can be a real struggle. There’s so much to package. Let’s take a note from all great artists and peruse some great, shameless self-promoting from other agencies in the industry. Maybe a little spark of inspiration is all you need to jump over that wall and get your agency on the map. 1. Border-line absurd sponsored ads Red Square Agency avoided the problem of concisely summarizing their company in their self-promotion by avoiding that altogether. While their ads, with headlines like “This ad features a cat” and copy stating, “It has nothing to do with Red Square Agency, but we hope you’ll click on it anyway” are strangely hilarious, they say nothing about their actual work. This type of campaign, where quirk reigns supreme, is a great way to catch your prospects off-guard. If your agency isn’t one to take itself seriously, perhaps you should think outside the box and sling some copy from left-field as an experiment. 2. Playful, shareable videos Look,... --- ### 7 Steps to Creating a Successful Account-Based Marketing Strategy > In today’s marketing climate, more and more B2B companies are transitioning to using account-based marketing (ABM) to attract and convert prospects into - Published: 2019-07-29 - Modified: 2022-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creating-account-based-marketing-strategy/ - Categories: Account-Based Marketing In today’s marketing climate, more and more B2B companies are transitioning to using account-based marketing (ABM) to attract and convert prospects into paying customers. Much of the reason they are making the shift is that they often have to convince at least five key decision-makers within a company to make a purchase, resulting in extremely long sales cycles so they’re setting their sites on key accounts rather than attempting to attract anyone and everyone. Source: Harvard Business Review Simply put, businesses must quickly gain trust while also minimizing their risk of losing deals. By simultaneously targeting multiple decision-makers within a prospective company, they ensure they can speed up their sales cycle. What is ABM? ABM is a marketing strategy that focuses on developing, executing, and monitoring campaigns that are designed to target specific accounts. It reverse-engineers the traditional marketing funnel. Rather than doing a Hail Mary pass on every single business you think may want to your product, you focus all your resources on those that you know have a need for your product. Why does an ABM strategy work for B2Bs? Rather than focusing on generating the most number of leads possible with each campaign, account-based marketers emphasize the quality of the leads they generate. By doing this, they don't have to waste much time and effort to weed out those that aren't a good fit for their products and services. Providing a personalized and highly-targeted approach to your target accounts can also significantly improve client relationships. This is... --- ### Is Your Business Ready To Go Global? > Getting your business ready to take on global clients takes some thought and preparation, but there’s no better way to expand your horizons. - Published: 2019-07-26 - Modified: 2019-07-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/business-going-global/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Marketing to an international audience is challenging. It’s especially difficult to navigate in the accounting space, as different laws, languages, and tools can create barriers to entry. But for one busy Canadian accountant, Juliet Aurora, overcoming these obstacles was one of the best things she ever did for her practice. TSheets by QuickBooks recently caught up with Aurora, who started her bookkeeping business, AIS Solutions, back in 2000. Since then, she’s worked mainly with local businesses. In 2016, though, she earned two international clients — a US-based business and business in Barbados. “Serving clients outside my local area gave me my first taste of serving markets internationally,” said Aurora, “as well as having the opportunity to enjoy visiting my client onsite in Barbados. ” In 2016, Aurora’s team launched Kninja, a training and support community for accounting and bookkeeping professionals, which was intended from the start to reach a global customer base. In fact, their mission is “to educate and empower bookkeepers and accountants across the globe to help them build their Firm of the Future. ” Since the challenges that bookkeepers and accounting professionals face in building their practices are so similar, Aurora says the advice they seek is universal and not too specific to a physical location. 3 tips for going global But despite the similarities between accounting professionals around the world, Aurora says marketing to a global audience was still challenging. She had to overcome language nuances and software limitations, but in the end, she was able... --- ### 5 Ways to Boost Profits Using Technology > Technology has revolutionized the way businesses operate and opened doors of opportunity to smaller businesses, enabling them to compete on a larger scale. - Published: 2019-07-25 - Modified: 2021-07-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/boost-profits-using-technology/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Without a doubt, it’s an exciting time to own a business. Technological advances have made it possible for companies to be more efficient, produce and ship products faster, capture more opportunities, boost customer loyalty and, most importantly, make more money. Think this is something only other business owners do? Think again. In fact, here are five specific ways any entrepreneur can take advantage of technology to become more profitable. Automated accounting With digital banking technology as advanced and secure as it has become, today’s businesses are able to process orders much more efficiently. Payments into and out of an account can be seen and accounted for in real-time, thereby speeding up the sales and shipping process and improving cash flow. Automating as many of these accounting functions as possible will save you time and money while providing you better access to and control over your funds. Invoicing software Invoicing customers manually can take hours upon hours away from your day-to-day operations. Thanks to technology, now you can automate this administrative task so you can focus your time and effort on other important business initiatives. It also makes tasks like accounts receivable and order tracking much faster and more efficient, which makes for a better experience for both the business owner and the customer. Don’t have the capital to invest in software? There are plenty of secure online alternatives as well. Email marketing While social media and other online platforms certainly have their place, email remains one of the most effective... --- ### 5 Vital Email Deliverability Tips for 2019 > It's 2019, and it's harder than ever to make it to the inbox. So, why is email deliverability such a problem, and why now? - Published: 2019-07-24 - Modified: 2019-07-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-deliverability-tips/ - Categories: Email Marketing It’s 2019, and email looks quite a bit different than it did even just five years ago. Sure our main platforms may have stayed the same (Gmail and Outlook probably aren’t going anywhere, at least no time soon), but our inboxes — and our relationship to them — have undergone a massive shift. So too have the powers that be who are in charge of deciding what ends up in front of us and what ends up in spam. For the most part, this shift is a good thing — we could all use a little bit less spam. But for marketers, nuances in email deliverability can complicate campaigns and make it more difficult to connect with leads and customers. Email isn’t everything in a marketing campaign, but it is incredibly important. You can’t make an impact if no one is even seeing what you’re sending out, which means you have to take certain steps to ensure your emails end up where they’re supposed to and that you’re reaching as much of your audience as possible. But first... why is email deliverability such a problem, and why now? The Changing Tides Emails and email providers have both gotten more complex over time. This has created a two-fold problem. One: robust filters work overtime to ensure that recipients only see what’s truly relevant to them. Google especially has cracked down on spam, in part to better curate individual inboxes, but also to protect users from potentially dangerous links. In the second... --- ### Freelancers: 5 Tips For Managing Your Sales Pipeline and Getting More Done > The most talked-about benefit of freelancing is the joy of being your own boss. The thing that doesn’t get discussed? The “feast or famine” lifestyle that - Published: 2019-07-23 - Modified: 2019-07-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/managing-freelance-sales-pipeline/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship The most talked-about benefit of freelancing is the joy of being your own boss. The thing that doesn’t get discussed? The “feast or famine” lifestyle that either keeps you running on a hamster wheel to meet deadlines, or biting your nails to find new clients during dry spells. We understand. That’s why we’ve put together this list of tips on how to keep new customers coming in the door while effectively serving your current clients and keeping everyone happy. Before you implement these tips, remember — you’re an expert with a specific skill set, but you’re also a business owner. That means you’ll need to commit time every week to your sales and marketing, regardless of how busy the daily grind is. 1. Work with the best online platforms to match with clients. As Entrepreneur magazine notes, more and more people are embracing the digital nomad lifestyle and working remotely from all corners of the world. You may be one of these nomads yourself. What this means is that the amount of websites and platforms dedicated to connecting clients to freelancers has grown over time as well. Entrepreneur recommends a list ranging from Upwork (which embraces beginners) to sites like Toptal, which screen for only the most seasoned and experienced freelancers. 2. Don’t be afraid to say “no. ” Do you have a hard time turning down projects? Many freelancers do. The reality is, however, that not every project is worth your time and effort. When you take on projects... --- ### How to Find and Hire the Right Marketing Agency for Your Small Business > A good marketing agency can take a lot of unknowns off your plate. But how do you find the right agency to hire for your small business? - Published: 2019-07-19 - Modified: 2022-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-agency-for-small-business/ - Categories: Agencies Back in the good old days, marketing a small business meant putting up a billboard, taking out a few newspaper ads, and trusting that customers would tell each other about their good experiences through word of mouth. Reaching customers seems a lot more complicated today. You have to navigate digital ads, social media platforms, paid search, inbound marketing and all the latest trends. It’s hard to know which areas to focus on your efforts and your hard-earned marketing dollars on. What gets the attention of your customers in the age of digital marketing, anyway? Fortunately, you don’t have to be an expert in marketing to get impressive results for your business. A good marketing agency can make the process easier and take a lot of the unknowns off of your plate. But how do you find the right marketing agency to hire? Set Your Tone Consider the purpose, values and messaging of your business and how you want to convey that. Ask yourself questions like: What attracts customers to your business to begin with? What types of people do you and your team enjoy working with? Do you want advertising that feels innovative or nostalgic? What audience are you looking to target? Whatever your intentions, be sure to have them outlined in advance. Before you even reach out to an agency for an RFP, you need to understand your needs so you can effectively communicate to your agency of choice. Identify Your Goals Think about exactly what you’re hoping to... --- ### 3 Tips for More Creative Email Autoresponders > It’s time to can those canned responses and get to work with engagement-driving, relationship-building creative email autoresponders. - Published: 2019-07-18 - Modified: 2019-07-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-email-autoresponders/ - Categories: Email Marketing Today’s businesses need to be accessible if they want to get ahead. Engaging with your customers, especially through personalized email, should be a top priority. After all, research by data-marketing firm Epsilon found that 80% of consumers indicate being more likely to do business with a company that offers personalized experiences. If you’re trying to build meaningful relationships with your customers, you’re going to have to engage. If you’re doing customer engagement right, chances are you’ll notice a few major benefits. Among them: more effective lead generation, better retention of existing customers, increased sales, and increased overall customer satisfaction. It can be a lot of work though to maintain high levels of engagement in your emails, especially when you have so many other marketing tasks to take care of. And that’s where email autoresponders come in. Below, we’ll go over the basics of email autoresponders and why they’re such a big value-add. We’ll also give you examples of A+ auto-responses for some of the most common customer requests. Ready? Let’s get to it. What is an email autoresponder? An email autoresponder is a tool that allows you to send automatic replies to customer inquiries. Instead of sending a canned response because you’re strapped for time, autoresponders handle the inflow of requests for you, sending replies that sound hand-typed even if they’re not. Ultimately, the biggest advantage of an email autoresponder is that it gives customers a personalized response (i. e. , one that directly responds to their question, instead of... --- ### How to Automate Your Agency’s Sales Pipeline > Here are a few suggestions for automating your agency's sales pipeline or expanding your existing automation to maximize savings and increase sales. - Published: 2019-07-16 - Modified: 2022-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/automate-agency-sales-pipeline/ - Categories: Agencies An agency without new clients in the pipeline is an agency that’s on the edge of real trouble. Filling that pipeline, however, can take up a lot of the time that you’d normally spend watching videos of cats on Facebook. Hiring another person to do the work you’re trying to avoid is one way to deal with this problem, but it’s far more cost-effective to automate your sales pipeline. Using automation for portions of your sales pipeline might not be a new concept for your agency. But even if you are already using some sales automation, are you getting the most out of your automated pipeline? Here are a few suggestions for automating your pipeline or expanding your existing automation to maximize your savings and increase your sales. Email Automation Email automation is perhaps the most common form of sales pipeline automation you’ll encounter. It makes sense to automate your sales emails, after all; successful email campaigns require good timing and sometimes can be quite complex depending on how much strategy you put into the campaign. By automating a portion of the email workflow in your sales pipeline, you can: Reduce the amount of time your sales team spends sending and responding to emails Ensure that follow-ups are sent on time, every time Avoid sending emails on days that are less likely to see a positive response Free up time so your sales team can focus on other parts of the sales pipeline Handle newsletter sign-ups and other organic forms... --- ### The 30-Day Guide to Building a Stellar B2B Website > Put in the effort and in just 30 days you can have a completely functional B2B website that’s totally optimized to convert. - Published: 2019-07-15 - Modified: 2023-11-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/building-b2b-website/ - Categories: Marketing What makes for good B2B website design? If you’re a business owner or marketer asking yourself this question, you probably already have a couple of ideas. A good B2B website is intuitive and original. It’s replete with tools that enhance the customer experience. And of course, it’s totally optimized to attract and capture the right web traffic. Knowing what a good B2B website looks like and making it happen are two different things. Especially if you’re just starting out, the prospect of building a successful website (or revamping an existing one) can be quite overwhelming. There’s a lot that you have to consider, and there’s also a lot riding on doing it right. We feel you though, which is why we’ve put together a quick guide to all of the components that your B2B website needs. Follow our advice and you should be able to get a great B2B website up and running in just 30 days—or less! Here’s how. 8 Necessary Components of a B2B Website If your B2B website is going to convert, it needs to have these eight essential elements. A well-thought out infrastructure Functional web designs start on paper. Map out a blueprint for how your website will look before you ever sit down to code or build pages, starting with your homepage and building out each tab. Doing it this way gives you a big picture view of the flow of your site and lets you identify any navigation missteps earlier rather than later. Try... --- ### The Best Payment Processing Software for SMBs > There are a lot of robust payment processing software options on the market. Here are the best four options for SMBs. - Published: 2019-07-11 - Modified: 2022-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-payment-processing-software-for-smbs/ - Categories: Small Business When you’re new to developing an eCommerce site—or maybe you’re just a creature of habit—it’s easy to let payment processors be an afterthought. The design, functionality, and content planning that goes into the launch of any successful online enterprise tends to dominate the conversation. Whatever payment processor is recommended by the cart, template, or service you’re utilizing is enough, right? After all, it just needs to take cards. Of course, it’d be nice to think that whatever solution is attached out of the box is best, but we all know that’s too good to be true. The fact is, there are a lot of robust payment processing software options out there. If you’re spending time perfecting your customer experience through every step of the sales pipeline, you’ll want to be sure to end their transaction on a high note. So, what kind of options are out there? Let’s look at the major players and the services they offer. Stripe Stripe has gained quite a huge foothold in the eCommerce world over the past few years. It’s a major processor that integrates easily with WooCommerce, Magento, and Shopify. Stripe’s rise to fame can be largely attributed to its ease of use and flexibility. For beginners, Stripe is simple to connect to most template-based eCommerce sites. Their sign-up process is fast and doesn’t require any complicated approvals. In just minutes, Stripe can be configured to deposit to your bank account. For those with more complicated needs, they offer a customizable Billing API... --- ### How Top Marketing Agencies Prove ROI to B2B Clients > Showing your clients the return on investment of your service offering is the single most important thing the best marketing agencies do to thrive. - Published: 2019-07-05 - Modified: 2022-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-top-marketing-agencies-prove-roi-to-b2b-clients/ - Categories: Agencies Showing your clients the return on investment of your service offering is the single most important thing the best marketing agencies do to thrive. Turning your client’s investment into revenue isn’t a magic trick - it’s part art, and part science. But, like a magic show, presentation is everything. Telling a clear story of how your agency is generating success is a simple way to increase investment from your current B2B clients while also attracting new business. If you’re running a marketing agency, calculating ROI may not seem like the most glamorous task, but it’s vital for keeping your business going long term. It doesn’t have to be a difficult, dreaded chore. Check out these tips for measuring and reporting on your B2B client’s investment in your firm. How to Calculate Marketing ROI Let’s get back to the basics for a second and dust off the old business textbook. A simple calculation for marketing ROI is: Gross Profit - Marketing Investment ------------------------------------------- Marketing Investment This generic calculation makes the most sense for clients selling B2C products, like widgets or t-shirts, that are typically one-time transactions. However, if you mainly work with B2B clients you may want to swap out Gross Profit for customer lifetime value. For instance, if your client is a cleaning business that charges a monthly fee, and their average customer stays on for three years, the value of the customer is much greater that their first payment. Setting the Stage for Your Clients The ROI calculation is... --- ### 4 Tips for Launching Your Own Consulting Business > Starting your own consulting business is an exciting venture. Just remember to spend time developing your brand, process, and network before you dive in. - Published: 2019-07-04 - Modified: 2019-07-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/launching-your-own-consulting-business/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship The allure of working as a free agent, outside of the confines of a 9-5 is enticing. Imagine: no boss to listen to, and people pay you to hear your expert advice. It sounds like a great gig, doesn’t it? Once established, a consulting business can give you a lot of creative and professional freedom. It’s a huge step to start your own business, so how do you know you’re ready to take the leap? Starting a consulting business, in theory, is quite easy. If you’ve got marketable skills in IT, marketing, design, career counseling, or just about any expertise that you can see demand for, you could start a consulting firm. Of course, to be successful, you’ll need a few skills on top of that: people skills, self-motivation, sales chops, and deep knowledge of your area of expertise will certainly help. At the end of the day, though, the real test is, can you get clients? Once you have your first few clients under your belt, you’ll have a better handle on if you can make a career out of this. In the meantime, let’s talk about a few helpful tips for launching your dream consulting business. 1. Determine your expertise and clients. The most apparent part of creating your consulting firm will be narrowing down on your niche. What type of consultant do you want to be? Make lists of your strengths and knowledge areas so you can narrow down your offerings. While it’s exciting to be a... --- ### How to Choose a Sales Automation Tool in 3 Simple Steps > When choosing a sales automation tool, think through your specific business needs. Take stock of the automations you need in place and go from there. - Published: 2019-07-03 - Modified: 2019-07-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/choose-a-sales-automation-tool/ - Categories: Sales Some business tasks, like closing a deal, will almost always require a human touch. But many other parts of the process, such as gathering and scoring leads, can be made more efficient through the help of technology. Sales automation tools help by putting tasks like calendar notices and lead nurturing emails into a logical sequence of automatic steps. Software triggers and carries out these steps without the need for human intervention. This saves human workers tremendous time and effort. If, like most businesses, you recognize the value of using a sales automation tool, the next step is choosing which one is right for your needs. This can be challenging, as there are many products on the market claiming to be the best. Here are a few tips for determining which software is best suited for your business. First, figure out what you want to automate. Take a look at the sales processes you currently have in place. Let’s say your normal protocol is to meet prospects at events, exchange business cards, schedule phone calls, send proposals and then close the deal over the phone. In order to add value, the sales automation tool you choose must be able to accommodate that process. If you’re not sure what tasks and processes can be automated, here are a few examples: Qualifying leads based on a set of criteria to prioritize the order in which your sales team should contact them. Nurturing leads through automated content marketing, to keep prospects engaged and build... --- ### How to Effectively Market Your Brand on Social Media in 2019 > Social media is constantly evolving. What was once a steady stream of cat memes is now a tried-and-true marketing channel and a bona fide brand awareness - Published: 2019-07-02 - Modified: 2019-07-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-effectively-market-your-brand-on-social-media-in-2019/ - Categories: Social Media Social media is constantly evolving. What was once a steady stream of cat memes is now a tried-and-true marketing channel and a bona fide brand awareness platform. Unsurprisingly, these fast-paced feeds are the perfect places to market your brand because they’re so widely adopted. With 7 out of 10 adults on Facebook, 8 out of 10 on YouTube, and 6 out of 10 on Instagram, there’s a good chance your audience is already active (and possibly posting cat pics) on social media. With engaged users sharing and consuming content daily, social media is an endless pool of marketing possibilities. Best of all, it’s (for the most part) free. Whether you're looking to introduce your brand, pull new customers, or build loyalty with existing ones, social media has you covered. If launching a new social campaign sounds daunting, stay tuned — we’re breaking down how to market your brand on social media. Start S. M. A. R. T. Before you dive into a social campaign, it’s important to start with a goal. Pinpoint exactly what you want to get out of your social efforts — whether that’s brand awareness, conversions, or site traffic — pick a lane and write it down. The classic S. M. A. R. T. objectives will serve you well here. Make sure your goal is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Keeping a realistic objective in front of you will help you measure your success. Know your audience. Before you hit the share button, it’s important to... --- ### SMB Owners: Should You Hire a Freelancer or an Agency? > Navigating the marketing landscape can be a real hassle. Do you focus on digital ads or print? Radio or TV? Would a social media campaign be worth your - Published: 2019-06-28 - Modified: 2019-06-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hiring-freelancer-versus-agency/ - Categories: Small Business Navigating the marketing landscape can be a real hassle. Do you focus on digital ads or print? Radio or TV? Would a social media campaign be worth your time? Which keywords should you target on Google? Is your website up to snuff? Is your social media presence reaching the right audience? Do you know all the latest tools of the trade? It’s enough to make your head spin. As a small business owner, there’s just so much on your plate. Dreaming up how to get the word out about your company can be fun at first. Eventually though, the day-to-day maintenance and management of your marketing campaigns will fall to the wayside. Not only that, but your expertise isn’t necessarily in marketing—are you sure you’re doing everything to get the most out of your ad budget? Enter the agency—or, maybe a freelancer? Both options have the potential to bring more leads and keen brand awareness to your business, but how do you know which one is right for you? Well, first, let’s define them: Marketing Agency—A full-service company that combines the talents of many different creative workers under one roof. Freelancer—A single person, customarily hired for one type of task and paid as a contracted worker. So, which one should you choose? Well, it depends on your needs. Let’s break it down a bit more. Working with Marketing Agencies Marketing agencies go under a lot of different names these days: digital marketing agency, lead generation agency, branding agency, or inbound... --- ### In-Office Perks Your Employees – And Your Bottom Line – Will Love > Winning the war on talent isn’t easy. Not only do you have to spend time and money to recruit good employees, but you also have to make an ongoing effort - Published: 2019-06-27 - Modified: 2019-06-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/in-office-perks/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Winning the war on talent isn’t easy. Not only do you have to spend time and money to recruit good employees, but you also have to make an ongoing effort to keep those employees happy and engaged. Companies that attract and retain the best of the best work hard to create great places to work, and part of that is offering attractive benefits and perks. But what happens if you’re on a tight budget? The good news is, there are still a few things you can do that will delight your team while not breaking the bank. Let’s take a look. Casual Days It may not seem like much, but being able to come in after a busy weekend without having to wear that stuffy suit, or end a hectic week in more comfortable clothing can seriously boost morale. Relaxing your office dress code may not be something you can do five days a week, but designating one or two days – typically Friday or Monday – when your employees can wear business-casual clothing is a great perk. Best of all, it won’t cost you a single dime. Field Trips Remember the excitement you would feel going into school as a kid when you knew you had a field trip? You can recreate some of that same buzz by implementing regular excursions out of the office. Once a week or a couple times a month, take the whole team (or individual departments, depending on the size and nature of your... --- ### 6 Tips for Determining Your Agency's Ideal Client > Determining your ideal agency client can be a daunting, self-reflective task, but it is critical to the growth of your business. - Published: 2019-06-26 - Modified: 2022-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/determining-ideal-agency-client/ - Categories: Agencies There comes a time in every agency’s life where you need to take a good, hard look at your client base. Many agencies have a tendency to adopt an “any client goes” mentality at first, just grateful for the work that helps them grow. As your agency begins to flourish, you may notice that business starts to plateau or, even worse, some of your clients aren’t fitting your needs, either financially, creatively, or through the always frustrating scope creep. To take your agency to the next level, you’ll need to spend some time considering your ideal client. While, of course, “made of money and respects our expertise” sounds perfect, there’s more to your collaborations than just dollar signs. In six simple steps, here’s how you can define and humanize the type of client you’d like to work with, so you have some clarity on how to get them clamoring for your services. 1. Know your value and identity. Before you go seeking out the perfect identity of your clients, you’ll need to take some time and think about who you are as a company. Take some time to consider a few of the following questions: What makes your agency shine above the rest? What are your company’s values and beliefs? Who is currently benefiting from your services? What are your financial goals? Do you feel that your current clients fit your company goals? If not, what separates the good clients from the bad ones? 2. Take a peek at your... --- ### The Easiest to Use All-in-One CRM Platforms of 2019, According to G2 > The results are in: G2 has determined the easiest to use all-in-one CRMs of 2019, and BenchmarkONE is a Small Business Leader! - Published: 2019-06-25 - Modified: 2019-06-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/easiest-to-use-all-in-one-crm/ - Categories: CRM Results are in: G2 has determined the easiest to use all-in-one CRMs of 2019, and we’re a Small Business Leader! If you don’t already know, G2 is a massive software review site that helps businesses in all industries sort the best software from the rest. We’ve boiled down their top ten results (based on real user feedback) into a quick-reference list for you, to help you get a little closer to choosing the perfect customer relationship management tool for your organization. Here we go! #1 ActiveCampaign Favored heavily by the ad industry (with about 60% of G2 reviewers belonging to either a marketing or advertising company), ActiveCampaign is a behemoth in the CRM world. ActiveCampaign is a CRM solution that offers all of the functionality you’d expect from an industry leader — from marketing automation and email customization to the quality of its customer support team. Pricing: Ranges from $9 - $229 per month, and goes up depending on number of users. “Above average” ratings by customers: Ease of use, meets requirements, ease of setup, ease of admin “Below average” ratings by customers: Quality of support #2 Streak Streak’s sweet spot in the market is for Gmail users who want to essentially transform their email account into a CRM. With affordable pricing, a lightning-fast setup process, and a straightforward set of capabilities, it’s easy to see why it’s popular among both small businesses and bigger companies. Pricing: $0 - $89 per month, with varying options for number of users and... --- ### 5 Ways to Save Time on Social Media > To make the most out of your efforts and ensure that your time and budget are optimized, here are a few expert tips for saving time on social media. - Published: 2019-06-21 - Modified: 2019-06-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/save-time-on-social-media/ - Categories: Social Media As a business owner, you probably already know that social media marketing is essential to growing your online presence. But here’s the thing. Just like any other activity, you have to be smart about your social media. You need a system. Otherwise, you could easily find yourself wasting time and money, both of which are probably at a premium. To make the most out of your efforts and ensure that your time and budget are optimized, here are a few expert tips. Put it on the calendar. First and foremost, you want to set aside dedicated time for your social media activities. The goal is to get into a routine so that you don’t end up either putting it off or spending too much of your precious time. Figure out what works best for you, whether it’s a half hour each morning, an hour every other day, or whatever. Then pencil it into your calendar and stick with it. Use a scheduling tool. The beauty of today’s technology is that you don’t have to sit down and schedule every single social media post manually. In fact, there are multiple tools that enable you to schedule out your content in advance to be published at a date and time of your choosing. Take advantage of this modern convenience to save yourself time and energy. Some of our favorite scheduling tools include Buffer, Hootsuite and DrumUp. Republish. One of the downsides to social media is that content only appears in front of... --- ### How to Ask for Customer Referrals (and Actually Get Them) > Customer referrals remain one of, if not the most effective customer acquisition tactic. If you're not asking for referrals, you're missing out. - Published: 2019-06-20 - Modified: 2019-06-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-get-customer-referrals/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship In a world of digital marketing, it can be easy to forget the old tried-and-true way of getting new customers: word-of-mouth. The fact is, referrals remain one of, if not the most effective customer acquisition tactic. And new business that comes via your existing clientele is also more valuable. In fact, referred customers have a 25% higher lifetime value than those found using other means. Asking for referrals, however, doesn’t always come natural. If you struggle in this area, here are a few tips that might make it easier. Focus first on service. Nobody is going to willingly offer up the names and contact information of other people in their network if the service you offer is subpar. If you want to increase the number of recommendations you get, make wowing your existing clientele an ongoing priority. The happier your customers are, the more likely they’ll be to sing your praises. Cash in on compliments. It’s easier to ask for referrals from customers you know are already happy with your product or service, so keep an eye and ear out for compliments. When a client leaves a positive review or tells you directly that he or she is pleased, tell them you’re glad they’re happy and ask if they know anyone else who might benefit from what you have to offer. Be specific. If your target audience is B2B, a referral for an individual won’t be worth much. Likewise, if you’re targeting people with a high net worth, someone who... --- ### 5 Ways a CRM Can Improve the Customer Experience > Used correctly, a CRM can help you leverage valuable insights to create and deliver incredible customer experiences that will keep people coming back. - Published: 2019-06-19 - Modified: 2022-07-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-improve-customer-experience/ - Categories: CRM Many people look at a CRM as merely a sales tool - a way to keep track of where customers are in the buying journey and a method for nurturing leads. And yes, it does do those things. Applied correctly, however, a CRM can actually drive better customer experience outcomes by strengthening the connections between your clients and your business. In other words, a CRM can be a relationship-builder that drives more revenue from the customers you already have. Here’s how. Keep in Touch You probably already know that it takes multiple touches to convert a lead into a paying customer, but what about after you’ve won them over? Staying in touch well after the sale is one of the keys to long-term retention, and a CRM can work wonders in this area. For instance, it can remind you to send birthday cards and other personal communications, creating that warm and fuzzy feeling and keeping you top-of-mind. Personalize Communications Studies have shown that people respond more positively to communications that are personalized. For instance, emails and physical pieces of mail that are addressed to someone by name are more likely to be read and responded to. A CRM helps fill in the blanks, enabling you to send mass campaigns to your customers while giving the appearance that each message is unique and individualized. Provide Consistency Consistency plays a significant role in a positive customer experience. Your clients expect to receive the same level of care regardless of whom they’re interacting... --- ### How to Get Found on The Web > Between new competition and search engines updating their algorithms daily, it takes a lot to keep companies on the map. Here's how to get found on the web. - Published: 2019-06-18 - Modified: 2022-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-get-found-on-the-web/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing In today’s business climate, it’s hard to stand out from the crowd. Between new brands entering the scene and search engines updating their algorithms daily, it takes a lot to keep companies on the map. Since you’re familiar with BenchmarkONE, you’re likely ahead of the game when it comes to email marketing and engaging prospects who know you. But how about reaching the people who don’t? In this post, we’re breaking down exactly how to be found on the world wide web. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Search engine optimization (SEO) is all about keywords. This strategy involves identifying the keywords you want to be known for, investing in them, and aligning your online presence. First, you need to choose your keywords. Think about the words that describe who you are, what you do, and the phrases a potential buyer would enter to find you. Keep in mind that broader terms will be harder to own. For example, if you’re selling consulting services, “consultant” and even “consulting services” may be too expensive. However, longer variations like “consulting services atlanta” or “small business consulting services” can bring the price down. Once you have your terms in mind, double-check them against two things: competitiveness and volume. Here at Liscio, we use MOZ. com to asses both. Once your keywords are finalized, you're ready to create your content. Articles, landing pages, and blog posts are all prime places to sprinkle your keywords. Use your keywords verbatim in header tags, metadata, and body copy. To... --- ### 6 Signs a Lead Generation Agency Is the Real Deal > Choosing a lead generation agency can be a bit of a daunting task. Even a well-reviewed, reputable company may not be a good fit for your organization. - Published: 2019-06-14 - Modified: 2019-06-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lead-generation-agency/ - Categories: Lead Generation Lead generation is a tremendous, time-consuming job. So much so that many companies forego most of the process altogether or leave their lead generation efforts to an outsourced partner. While a lead generation agency isn’t for every business, there’s certainly something to be said for many companies off-loading this cumbersome task to an organization that specializes in it. If you find a business relationship that works, your sales team and bottom line will appreciate not only the quality customers it can bring but the free time to follow-up on these potential clients as well. Choosing a lead generation agency can be a bit of a daunting task. Even a well-reviewed, reputable company may not be a good fit for your organization. You’ll want to consider their reputation, experience, and of course pricing before sealing the deal. So, what are some signs that a lead generation agency is a good fit to do business with? 1. Your niches align. If your company is in the business of, say, selling office supplies to other organizations, a lead generation agency that specializes in business-to-consumer transactions probably won’t have the skills you need. Also, if you sell large ticket items in a retail store, a company that specializes in leads for e-commerce operations isn’t the best fit. The lead generation agency doesn’t necessarily have to have experience in your exact same industry (though it’s helpful). What they do need, though, is experience in the same type of selling model. 2. They provide high-quality, exclusive... --- ### How to Write B2B Emails That Convert > Improving your B2B email conversions doesn’t happen by accident. It takes a dedicated strategy that helps you connect your actions to the end result. - Published: 2019-06-13 - Modified: 2019-06-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/b2b-emails-that-convert/ - Categories: Email Marketing There’s nothing more frustrating than pouring countless hours and dollars into your email marketing and getting nothing in return. Studies show that email generates $44 for every $1 you spend, so why isn’t this the case for you? The answer to writing B2B emails that convert isn’t action – it’s strategy. So if you’re not setting goals for campaigns and tweaking your approach as you A/B test your emails, you’ll never get the chartbusting ROI that email marketing promises. Here's everything you need to know about writing emails that not only get opened, but also convert. What Do Conversions Look Like? Email conversions aren’t just purchases – they’re any action you want your recipient to take. Many marketers get so caught up in the revenue aspect that they fail to utilize email for other purposes. But if you expand your definition of conversion to include other actions like scheduling a meeting or reading a blog on your website, you’ll have a better grasp on your engagement levels and overall campaign effectiveness. What Makes a B2B Email Effective? Creating B2B emails that convert is an art, given that there’s no single definition or formula that guarantees success. But it’s also a science, since you can see recurring elements that make some emails more effective than others. Intention High-converting emails are clearly defined by a single goal or objective. They don’t overwhelm the recipient with extraneous details or multiple calls-to-action. A request for a meeting or invitation to a webinar creates a... --- ### Agency Owners: How to Properly Prepare Your Business For Exit > Selling an agency like yours isn’t something to rush into. In fact, it’s smart to have a well-considered exit strategy in place. - Published: 2019-06-12 - Modified: 2021-04-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/prepare-agency-for-exit/ - Categories: Agencies You’ve invested a great deal of time, money and effort into your agency, but maybe you're thinking you want to sell your business, retire, or at least move on to something new. Selling an agency like yours isn’t something to rush into. In fact, it’s smart to have a well-considered exit strategy in place. If you aren’t sure how to prepare your agency for your exit, here are a few suggestions that should put you on the right track. Planning Your Exit Selling your agency and leaving the company is a big step that you should carefully prepare for. Before you even start looking at possible buyers, plan your exit strategy and determine exactly how you want things to go. You also need to decide whether you wish to have any lingering connections with the company or if you want your exit to be a full withdrawal from the agency. When considering the extent of your stepping aside, here are a few of the options: Step down from ownership. You’re leaving your ownership position but may retain some other role within the company (possibly on a part-time basis). Take a board position. You’re leaving the agency but will still retain a seat on the board of directors or other advisory board. Serve as a consultant only. You’re leaving the agency but will retain a role as an outside consultant, available to give advice or assist with certain tasks on an as-needed, paid (or not) basis. Make a full exit. You’re... --- ### 6 SMB Organization Tools to Help You Work Smarter, Not Harder > There are plenty of tools, apps and software solutions that have been specifically created to help people optimize their daily routines. - Published: 2019-06-10 - Modified: 2021-02-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/smb-organization-tools/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Being organized can be an absolute game changer in the business world. But for some folks, this fundamental skill doesn’t come naturally. Luckily, there are plenty of tools, apps and software solutions that have been specifically created to help people optimize their daily routines. Whether you’re among those who are organizationally challenged or you could just use a little improvement in this area, we’ve rounded up six of the best organizational tools for you to try. Trello If you’ve got a team of employees working at your business, Trello can make managing everyone infinitely easier and more efficient. You can use this platform a number of ways, from brainstorming ideas and sharing notes and files to assigning tasks and tracking progress. Using a tool like Trello helps everyone stay on track and provides great visibility into the company workflow. Google Docs Google Docs is a great free online tool for organizing and sharing files and documents. Team members can collaborate in real-time and access the same data from anywhere, which makes it ideal for companies that have remote workers. You can also control who has access as well as how much functionality each user can have (i. e. ability to comment vs. edit, etc. ). BenchmarkONE Another great tool for staying organized at work is BenchmarkONE. With BenchmarkONE, you can keep tabs on all of your contact information, customer engagement data, email communication, sales tracking and more in one app. Keep your team connected, stay on top of your prospects... --- ### 5 Secrets to Selling to C-Suite Execs > People at the executive level are busy. The last thing they want is a schmoozy salesperson wasting what little precious time they have. - Published: 2019-06-07 - Modified: 2019-06-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/selling-to-c-suite/ - Categories: Sales Selling to high-level prospects can be an intimidating experience. And if you feel this way, you’re certainly not alone. In fact, research indicates that only 31% of salespeople are capable of effectively communicating with senior executives. Yet, overcoming this obstacle can make a significant difference in both your sales and your subsequent income. Let’s take a look at five critical tips for successfully selling to a c-suite buyer. Think like an executive. If you’ve spent any time in sales, you probably already know the importance of putting yourself in the shoes of your prospects. Selling to executives is no different. But if you view yourself as somehow inferior to the individuals you are pitching to, you risk coming across as insecure and desperate, which will stand in the way of closing the deal. Instead, always act as if you belong there. If you view and carry yourself as an expert in sales, your high-level prospects will view you as a peer and a trusted advisor. Focus on the best fruit. It’s usually easier to get in front of lower-level buyers, like managers and procurement folks. The problem is, these prospects also tend to have smaller or fixed budgets with which to work. They also tend to view salespeople as vendors to be priced against each other. Not only does this make selling to them a huge time suck, but the results will be less than impressive. With c-suite prospects, on the other hand, once you demonstrate the value in your... --- ### 6 Creative Sales Emails That Get a Response Every Time > Gone are the days when a generic sales email could achieve your goals. If you want responses, you need to get creative to get your recipient’s attention. - Published: 2019-06-06 - Modified: 2019-06-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-sales-emails/ - Categories: Email Marketing Almost every marketer has been there at one point or another — seeing an email that they’ve toiled over get fewer responses than if they’d stood outside the recipient’s business with a boombox, rockin’ an 80s track. If this sounds like you, don’t get discouraged. You may simply need to adjust your approach to get the results you want. Gone are the days when you could use a generic email template and achieve your goals. If you really want responses, you need to be creative, be personal, and get the recipient’s attention. And while your mileage may vary on what consistently works to get more engagement, you can rest assured that some of these creative takes on sales emails will definitely boost your email effectiveness. The “Conversation-Starter” Email This email is more of a long game than some marketing techniques. Instead of introducing the company or even a product, focus on the recipient. Draw connections between the recipient and what’s being sold, but don’t mention the product directly. Within the email, also include a few questions about the recipient. The goal here is to begin a conversation by establishing knowledge and trust before starting the sales pitch. Once that dialogue is underway, bring up the product or service naturally to make the recipient more likely to buy. The “Quick Question” Email As an experiment, author Shane Snow sent 1,000 cold emails to prominent business leaders as a means of finding out what worked and what didn’t when it comes to... --- ### The Account Manager Job Description to Find the Perfect Candidate > The task of hiring an account manager is a challenge, but with a streamlined process and attention to detail, it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. - Published: 2019-06-05 - Modified: 2019-06-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/account-manager-job-description/ - Categories: Agencies Hiring new employees is always stressful, but hiring managers for your agency is a whole different kind of nightmare. First, you’re handing off a chunk of responsibility for your business to a stranger. Second, that person has the power to make or break the team and projects you’re entrusting to them. With this in mind, you want to make sure the candidate you select is the best and most qualified for the job. That’s especially true when you’re hiring an account manager. This person will help you get clients in the door, keep them there, and hopefully convince them to spread the word to their colleagues. So, it’s essential that the hiring ad you craft to lure potential candidates to your office is as accurate as possible because the only thing worse than hiring a new person is having to sift through a bunch of substandard resumes to find people to interview. Know What You're Looking For Seems simple enough. You want to hire an account manager for your business. But do you really know what an account manager does? Or, more to the point, what do you want your account manager to do for your business? Make a list of duties you want to pass off to the person in this position. This will help when it’s time to list the position’s responsibilities in the job ad. A few of the duties that account managers often perform include: Building long-term relationships with clients. Taking on an advisor position with... --- ### Why Your Bounce Rate Is High & How to Lower It > It’s difficult to determine a ‘good’ bounce rate for a website. However, if this number starts to increase, you should definitely look into the reasons. - Published: 2019-06-04 - Modified: 2019-06-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-lower-bounce-rate/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Bounce rate is a metric representing the percentage of site visitors who land on your website and do nothing on the page they entered. Here’s how Google webmasters define this number: ‘Bounce rate is single-page sessions divided by all sessions, or the percentage of all sessions on your site in which users viewed only a single page and triggered only a single request to the Analytics server. ’ Unless your page requires no further action at all (which happens rarely), high bounce rate may mean: your site content isn’t quality enough; your visitors usually don’t find what they expect to see; irrelevant audience clicks through your site. Have you ever left a shop just because their sales assistant was too pushy? Or maybe you just didn’t want to stay in a never-ending queue? You are not alone. Now imagine your website visitors. They visit your site willing to take some targeted action – read an article, buy a product, or book some service, and then they face something that makes them leave it. One after another, people quickly return to search results causing your bounce rate to grow. Why does it happen and how can you stop it? In this post, you’ll find the answer. 1. Technical issues This is the most obvious reason that is often overlooked. If your site isn’t displayed correctly, the quality content and engaging visuals make no difference. If you’re seeing increased bounce rates, take a deeper look at your website. Are there certain pages... --- ### 5 Tips for Staying Focused and On Task When You're Building a Business > As an entrepreneur, how do you stay focused on your current strategy when there are so many ideas and opportunities and so little time? - Published: 2019-05-30 - Modified: 2025-03-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/staying-focused-while-building-a-business/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Most entrepreneurs don’t have a shortage of good ideas. If anything, they have too many. That can be a good problem to have but not if you let shiny objects distract you from the initiatives you should be focusing on. While you don’t want to put all of your eggs in one basket, you’ll never get anywhere if you’ve got them spread out among 15 or 20 different baskets. Not to mention having too many projects brewing will be confusing to your team. So how do you stay focused on your current strategy when there are so many ideas and opportunities and so little time? Put your plan in writing. It’s easy to lose focus on your strategy if you’ve never committed it to paper. Set aside a day for a strategic planning session with your team and commit to annual goals for your business. Then break them down into quarterly goals, assign accountability to one team member for each and set key performance indicators (KPIs) that will show you if the team member is making progress toward that goal. Incorporating a pestle analysis into your planning process can also help identify external factors that might impact your goals, allowing you to adjust your strategy accordingly. Meet daily (or weekly) with your leadership team. Gather your leadership team in person or on a conference call or video chat at the same time every morning (or week) to talk about projects on deck. Use the meeting to discuss plans for accomplishing... --- ### 4 Tips For Filling Your Agency Sales Pipeline Before Summer > Creative agencies see a bit of a summertime slump as companies spend less time marketing while team members head out to catch some rays. Let's change that. - Published: 2019-05-29 - Modified: 2019-05-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/fill-agency-sales-pipeline/ - Categories: Agencies It’s almost that magical time of year. It’s time for surf, sand, and fun all day. It’s time for the kids to run free and parents to cash in that hard-earned PTO. It’s time to spend three months slacking off, not thinking at all about business. Wait a second. There’s room for surf, sand, and business around here. Unfortunately, creative agencies can see a bit of a summertime slump as companies spend less time marketing and more time juggling tasks while key administrators head out to catch some rays. So, what can you do to avoid summertime sadness hitting your agency? Let's plan early and fill the pipeline now. Here are a few techniques to try to get the sales flowing before those lazy summer days take hold. 1. Host or speak at smaller, niche events Speaking at a large trade show can be thrilling, but it isn’t the best place to make meaningful connections. If your area has an event or workshop aimed at your target audience, it's time to get involved. Your agency can not only show their expertise and inspire businesses to check the pulse of their marketing efforts, but at smaller events, you're approachable for deep conversations that can lead to big sales leads. If there aren’t any events that speak to your ideal buyer in your area, maybe your agency should start one! It can be as simple as a marketing panel at a brewery, library, convention center - you get the idea. If you... --- ### Should You Publish Your Agency Rates on Your Website? > Determining whether or not to publish your agency’s rates on your website isn’t a straightforward decision. There are pros and cons to going public. - Published: 2019-05-28 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/should-you-publish-your-agency-rates/ - Categories: Agencies No business ever, in the entire history of pizza, has failed to have a set price for their goods. Pizza? Let’s back up. If you run a pizza shop, you have to charge your customers something for your ingredients. There are multiple factors involved, like the size of the pizza you’re buying, the toppings, and your overhead costs. Marketing agencies are no different. You have a slew of factors that contribute to your pricing strategy. But one thing is different: while it’s essential for pizza shops to put their pricing front and center, public pricing isn’t such a hot strategy for marketers or ad agencies. In fact, secrecy may be better (at first). If that sounds like a strange approach to take when you’re trying to win over clients, it is. But it might still be the right approach for your agency. Agencies have differing views on the topic, but there’s definitely a trend toward ditching listed rates. Let’s take a deeper dive into the subject and find out whether publishing your rates online is right for your business. What Do Your Clients Want? If someone is looking at your agency’s website, there’s a chance that they’re looking to hire you. Unfortunately, it’s only a chance. Visitors check out websites like yours for various reasons, including: They’re trying to get a feel for what an agency like yours offers They’re shopping around, trying to find the agency that best matches their specific needs They’re competitors trying to size your agency... --- ### 7 Tips for Staying the Course When Entrepreneurship Gets Tough > How do you stay strong when times get tough? Here are some battle-tested ways to steel yourself against the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. - Published: 2019-05-24 - Modified: 2019-05-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/entrepreneurship-struggles/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Sure, it’s exhilarating to be your own boss and take an idea from a passion project to a real business, but sometimes, there are rough days that can weaken your resolve. Maybe the client who seemed great when you first met has turned into Attila the Hun. The investor you thought was really interested in making a deal is suddenly blowing you off. Or that great new employee has ghosted. So how do you stay strong and keep the faith? Here are some battle-tested ways to steel yourself against the ups and downs. Put a new spin on the gratitude journal. Take time once a day to jot down at least one thing you love about running your business—the favorite clients, the amazing victories, the places it takes you. As the ideas start flowing, you’ll probably find it hard to choose just one, not matter how tough a day you’ve had. Taking stock of the good things your business has brought you can be a great way to get your eyes back on the prize. Train your brain. If you’re not taking any time each week to practice a discipline that encourages mindfulness, put it on your schedule. Whether you fire up Headspace every morning and meditate for 10 minutes, take a yoga class or listen to classical music, any discipline that helps you to train your mind to be less reactive to the situations going on around you will help you in business. Mindfulness will give you the perspective... --- ### 6 of the Best Ways to Source Blog Topic Ideas > The next time you're staring blankly at your computer, consider putting these ideas into play to create new content that brings more traffic and engagement. - Published: 2019-05-23 - Modified: 2019-05-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/source-blog-topic-ideas/ - Categories: Content Marketing Are you a content manager or business writer looking for new blog ideas? Are you a freelancer with deadlines to meet but an unfortunate case of writer’s block? One of the most challenging aspects of blogging regularly is coming up with topics — especially if you are running your own business. If writing and marketing are an addition to your other management work, you may feel stuck when it comes time to hammer out a new post for your audience. So what can we do to make the process of finding good content ideas easier? If you’re looking for guidance on beefing up your process of mining for topics, you’ve come to the right (write? Ugh, we’re sorry) place! Use a Generator Did you know that there are online topic generators? Some will ask only for a noun, others allow you to input a series of words into their engine. The generator will then spit you out a topic idea immediately. Hooray for AI! If, for example, you input “content marketing” into Portent’s Content Generator, it might give you a creative headline idea like “The Only Content Marketing Resources You Will Ever Need. ” Hit the refresh button, and you get another option: “Why The World Would End Without Content Marketing. ” Not happy with what Portent suggests? Here are some other popular topic generators: The Blog Post Idea Generator from Build Your Own Blog post, which is “ready to serve when your brain is out of service. ” The... --- ### The Benefits of Hiring a Marketing Automation Consultant > Hiring a marketing automation consultant can help you to set up a new platform or streamline any existing automation you have in place. - Published: 2019-05-22 - Modified: 2019-05-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hiring-marketing-automation-consultant/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Chances are you use marketing automation, or are planning on using marketing automation in the near future. Emailmonday’s Ultimate Marketing Automation Stats found that, on average, 51% of companies are currently using marketing automation, with more than half of B2B companies (58%) planning to adopt the technology. While the advantages of marketing automation are clear (more personalized outreach, seamless follow-up, shorter sales cycles and more), there can be hurdles to getting marketing automation to work for you. Mapping out your sales and marketing process, creating enough content to feed your automation engine, and keeping communication personal at scale are all challenges. You may be investing in marketing automation, but are you optimizing your ROI? Hiring a marketing automation consultant can help your business squeeze every penny from this powerful tool. What Is a Marketing Automation Consultant? A marketing automation consultant is someone you bring in to help you set up and manage your automation software. Though the service offering may vary depending on the consultant you hire, most marketing automation consultants will: Integrate marketing tools into the CRM platform of your choice, or find alternative solutions if direct integration isn’t possible Work with you to develop automation strategies based on your sales and marketing process. Set up data reporting systems and other forms of tracking to make it clear which automated workflows are performing well and which need adjustment Provide expert advice on best practices so you’ll have a better idea of how your automated services should run Make recommendations... --- ### How to Optimize Your Webpage for Semantic Search > By implementing these tactics, business owners can take a clear and impactful step towards improving the semantic optimization of their webpages. - Published: 2019-05-20 - Modified: 2019-05-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/optimize-for-semantic-search/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Gone are the days of “if you build it, the search engine (and rankings) will come. " The fact is, search engines such as Google have been in a constant state of flux, evolving how information is found, categorized, and ultimately “ranked” given a specific search query. At inception, search engines primarily looked at optimization for singular keywords and phrases such as “best CRM system. ” Those times have since passed, and businesses that relied on “keyword stuffing” and over-optimization have felt Google’s wrath in the form of decreased rankings, and in some cases, even a penalty. Today, Google is now capable of interpreting the context of those keywords, with search becoming more intent driven, conversational and interactive. As Google continues this trend towards semantic search, SEO so too must adapt to keep pace. What is Semantic Search? Semantic search aims to enhance the user experience by providing an individualized set of search results for a query based on the contextual meaning and “intent” behind that query. In layman’s terms, “semantic” refers to the words’ meaning. As it relates to search, such as on Google, semantic search looks at the words on a page, their use, organization, context and underlying logic with each other to determine what the page is about and the “intent” which it might fulfill. A few basic elements Google uses to determine this include: GEO location Trends data Synonyms Contextually relevant keywords and topics discussed Types of vernacular Natural language elements and more In this article... --- ### Everything You Need to Know About Advertising on Bing > We can’t cover every single aspect of Bing ads in a single blog post. But, we can give you enough information to decide whether to give Bing Ads a try. - Published: 2019-05-17 - Modified: 2019-05-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/bing-ads/ - Categories: Lead Generation Everyone knows Google dominates the search marketplace. Bing is the #2 search engine and can help you reach 1 in 3 people who search on the internet. With more than a billion unique monthly global visitors, Bing holds about 3 percent of the search market share. According to Statista, Bing’s audience is comprised mainly of older internet users. These people are from 45 – 54 years old, and earn an annual income of more than $100,000. That’s definitely an audience worth pursuing so this article will take a deep dive into everything you need to know about advertising on Bing. What Is Bing Ads? Bing Ads is the platform used to advertise on the Bing network, which includes the Aol. com, Bing. com and Yahoo. com search engines. Bing powers search results for Amazon’s Kindle, Apple’s Siri and Microsoft’s Cortana. Bing is also the default search engine for all PCs. That means Bing is in more places than you might have realized: including when you ask Alexa or Siri a question. Like Google, the search engine marketing basics are about the same. Bing Ads is a pay-per-click, or PPC advertising, model. It works using a bidding system that should be familiar to Google advertisers. If you outbid your competition, you’re more likely to get your ad to show for a particular term. You only pay if someone clicks your ad, and you’ll set a daily budget. This way, you won’t get any surprises when the bill comes due. To start,... --- ### 6 Elements of a Perfect Elevator Pitch for Entrepreneurs and SMBs > Summarizing your life’s work into a statement that is concise and compelling can be difficult, especially if you’re coming up with it off the cuff. - Published: 2019-05-16 - Modified: 2019-05-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/perfect-elevator-pitch/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship “So, what do you do? ” When it comes to your startup or fledgling small business, this seems like it should be an easy question to answer. But summarizing your life’s work into a statement that is concise, compelling, and effective can be difficult, especially if you’re coming up with it off the cuff. Let's be real for a moment — most of us are too close to our businesses just to be able to produce a perfect pitch without any extraneous ramblings. We know too much. It's hard to summarize the best bits right away. So, let’s back up for a second and talk about the concept of the “elevator pitch. ” The idea is pretty simple, create a 20-30 second blurb (so, about the length of an elevator ride) about your business that you can whip out in those quick networking moments, like at industry events or with potential investors. Let’s make those 30 seconds count with a few elements to make your elevator pitch one to remember. 1. Key information To begin your elevator pitch, you’ll want to identify the basic information that any prospect is going to want to know about you. This information should include: Your business name What problem you solve Your value proposition How you stand out from competitors A simplified version of your business model That seems like a lot to cover in 30 seconds, but it can be done if you keep your language concise. An example could be something like... --- ### 5 Tips for Growing Your Social Channels Organically > Growing your social media channels organically can be a hugely frustrating task. But with a bit of time a human touch, it is possible. - Published: 2019-05-15 - Modified: 2019-05-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/grow-social-channels-organically/ - Categories: Social Media Running your business’ social media pages is no easy task. Sure, it seems simple from the outside, right? Just slap some cool images up there, write a funny blurb, and boom! The followers will just come flooding in. If only that were the case. Sometimes seeking organic reach can be frustrating. It can be so tempting just to pump money into a sponsored ad and call it a day. But before you do that, let’s talk about a few tried and true methods of growing your organic reach. Resist the urge to hard sell. Most social media users are exhausted from the constant inundation of branded content on their feed. Sponsored ads assault their relaxing scroll through their curated feeds, causing grumbles and frustration heard throughout the internet. On social media, people are looking for authentic personalities. They crave interaction. Likes and follows are what drive your views on social media. Instead of the hard sell, try the human approach. Add a little relatability, humanity, and levity to your posts. Build a voice and a persona, not a brand. One mistake that many small business users make is using their Facebook page to solely talk about their brand. Their posts tend to be about what their business offers, when they’re open, and not much more. Take some time to reflect on who your brand is. Make a list of human characteristics that your brand embodies. Maybe you’re a fashion brand with the mind of a sassy best friend. Perhaps you’re... --- ### Dialing in The Three R's of Growth: Retention, Referrals and Reviews > Use these strategies to maximize your firm’s growth by fine-tuning your referral, review, and retention practices. - Published: 2019-05-14 - Modified: 2022-11-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/three-growth-principles/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Whether you’re a small company with big dreams or an enterprise with a well-established brand, every client interaction is an opportunity to grow your business. You’re likely already using Hatchbuck’s market-leading sales and marketing tools to maximize every touch with your prospects. The purpose of this post is to ensure that your company is positioned to maximize growth from your existing client base by managing the three R's: Retention, Referrals and Reviews Retention is key. You’ve probably heard the maxim that it costs five times as much to land a new client as it does to keep one. We think retention is even more important than that statistic suggests. Gartner research suggests that more than 81% of marketers think that their companies will complete mostly or completely on the basis of customer experience. Retention is a key barometer for customer experience so let’s break down the steps for retention. Customer experience is inherently subjective. So, to understand how we’re doing, we want to actively and consistently quantify how our customers perceive our service. Surveys, suggestion boxes and follow-up calls are all valid options. We recommend tailoring the follow-up process based on the value and volume of your business. For example, if you have a small number of high-value clients, personally following up with all of your clients might make sense. If you run a high-volume, low-cost business then email surveys might suffice. Once you have settled on a method, pair it with a quantifiable scale such as Net Promoter Score... --- ### The Ultimate New Employee Onboarding Checklist > Studies show that the more you invest in making new employees feel connected during the first year, the more likely they’ll be to stay on for the long haul. - Published: 2019-05-10 - Modified: 2019-05-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-onboarding-checklist/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Ever been hired for a new job and felt that combination of nerves and excitement leading up to your first day? Then, you arrive on your first day of work, fill out a bunch of paperwork, someone shows you to your desk and introduces you to a couple of coworkers, and then... crickets. You’re sort of just left to fend for yourself. It’s not a good feeling. And scenarios like this are a big reason one in every five employees will leave a job within the first 90 days. The good news is, there are some simple things you can do to combat the expense and hassle of employee turnover. The biggest one? Onboarding. In fact, according to a recent graphic shared by O. C. Tanner, 69% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for at least three years after a great onboarding experience. While onboarding may differ slightly from employee to employee, and should, of course, be customized to suit each individual organization and role, there are certain fundamental components that are universal. To make things easier, we’ve put together a handy checklist that you can use to get your new employees up to speed quickly and set them up for retention and ongoing success right from the start. Before Day 1 This is called pre-boarding, and it’s a great way to really set the stage for a positive new employee experience. It’ll also save time and make the regular onboarding process go much smoother. Before... --- ### How to Drive Engagement and Conversions Through Content Marketing > More than 80% of people have purchased a product or service as a result of consuming business content, according to a study by Clutch. People in different - Published: 2019-05-08 - Modified: 2019-05-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-drive-engagement-and-conversions-through-content-marketing/ - Categories: Content Marketing More than 80% of people have purchased a product or service as a result of consuming business content, according to a study by Clutch. People in different parts of the sales funnel consume different types of content. So, how can your business format its website and content to both engage and sell? This article shares tips for moving prospects through the sales funnel using content marketing. Use this information to structure your website and content in a way that guides visitors along a path to conversion. Begin With the End in Mind Defining your content marketing goals is the first step toward guiding website visitors along the customer journey. Depending on the type of products or services you sell, you might identify with any of the following objectives: Encourage purchasing Drive subscriptionsIncrease enrollment Schedule sales calls Before you begin producing content, define your end goal to establish clarity for your team. Align Content With the Customer Journey Visitors’ purchasing journeys online typically follow the path mapped out in a sales funnel, which tracks four stages of purchasing intent from initial interest through purchasing action. At the top of your sales funnel – in the “awareness” and “interest” stages, the focus of your content is to attract people to your website. Source People at the top of the funnel want to learn about your industry, company, and products you sell. Your goal for top-of-the-funnel audiences is to drive engagement: be the resource that people turn to for knowledge about a topic.... --- ### The 9 Best Free HTML and CSS Resources to Help You Build Better Emails > Once upon a time, email marketing was limited to what you could do with plain text and perhaps a few images. But email has changed a lot since then. - Published: 2019-05-07 - Modified: 2023-03-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-best-free-html-and-css-resources/ - Categories: Email Marketing Once upon a time, email marketing was limited to what you could do with plain text and perhaps a few images. Email has changed a lot since then, however, and there are a lot of resources available to help bring your emails to life. One of the big advances that can really take your email to the next level is the ability to use HTML and CSS to shape your emails in much the same way you would design a website. There are some obvious advantages to this: More engaging emails that mean more customer engagements Emails that can remotely access data or images from your server, letting you provide some important information to customers in real time Links that are easier and more appealing to encourage customer click-throughs Analytics code that can give you information about email opens and other activities There are a number of other advantages as well, provided that you know HTML and CSS. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself at a significant disadvantage against competitors who do. Fortunately, there are a number of resources online to help you learn and master HTML and CSS. While there are some excellent paid courses, for now we’ll focus on only those tutorials, courses and guides that you can access for free. Let’s Make a Website If you’re new to HTML and CSS, this seven-part tutorial is a great place to start. As you complete the various parts, you’ll learn all the basics of building websites using HTML and... --- ### 5 Places You Should Be Repurposing Your Blog Content That You Haven't Thought Of > Are you staring at a blank screen, stumped about the topic of your next blog post? Facing writer’s block and struggling to come up with new content? - Published: 2019-05-03 - Modified: 2019-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/repurposing-blog-content/ - Categories: Content Marketing Are you staring at a blank screen, stumped about the topic of your next blog post? Facing writer’s block and struggling to come up with new content? You’re not alone. This happens to all bloggers eventually, and even the most creative minds sometimes get stuck. So what can you do when you know that you need to stay active online? One of the easiest tactics is to repurpose your existing blog content. Savvy marketers know that leveraging the power of their best content over and over again is a tried and true way to drive more traffic to their sites and strengthen their brand’s reputation. In fact, if you’re not reusing your content, you’re missing out on a big opportunity. In this article, we’re going to show you how you can get started repurposing your content, taking advantage of the great work you’ve already done and finding ways to make it keep working for you. 1. Try Outbrain or Another Content Syndication Service Have you ever read an article online, and had suggestions for related stories appear at the end of the article? Then you’ve seen how a content syndication service works. Outbrain is one example of a network that will place your blog posts in front of people who are reading about other, similar content. Other choices include Zemanta, Taboola, and SimpleReach. These services will usually charge you per the clicks your article receives. The links provided by these services as “recommended reading” or “related posts” don’t count toward... --- ### 4 Marketing Strategies That Are Way Better Than Bulk Emails > Today, people don’t want to be blindly marketed to. Say goodbye to bulk emails, and hello to email marketing strategies that actually work. - Published: 2019-05-02 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-strategies-better-than-bulk-emails/ - Categories: Marketing There was a time (and not even that long ago) that bulk emails were the way to go when you wanted to get the word out about your product or service. At first glance, it made sense: throw a bunch of stuff at the wall, and something is going to stick, right? And it worked — sort of. But then consumers got smarter. Today, people don’t want to be blindly marketed to. They want relevant content, optimized for their needs and conveyed in their language. And although this does make your job as a marketer a little bit harder, the potential for payoffs is a whole lot higher. The average customer receives 121 emails every day. That’s a lot of noise to cut through if you want to make an impact. To increase your chances and build strong, sustainable relationships with your audience base, ditch the email blasts and employ these four email marketing strategies instead. 1. Segment your customer lists. A large part of sending conversion-friendly emails is making sure that you reach out to the right people with the right content. To do it, segment your email lists by set designations that help you ensure you’re only contacting people with information that’s relevant to them. There are a few ways to do this, and how you go about it really depends on the objectives of your business. For example, you could segment your customer list by geographic location, past purchase history, or marketing qualified leads vs. sales qualified... --- ### 7 Ways to Be More Creative With Your Employee Appreciation > With unemployment at 4%, it’s essential to make sure your employees feel appreciated and stay engaged. In this hyper-competitive market for talent, you - Published: 2019-05-01 - Modified: 2024-03-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-employee-appreciation/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship With unemployment at 4%, it’s essential to make sure your employees feel appreciated and stay engaged. In this hyper-competitive market for talent, you don’t want your best team members to jump ship because they don’t think you value them. If you’re on a limited budget, giving team members a cash bonus or raise every time you want to give them a round of applause just isn’t practical. The good news is that showing you care doesn’t mean you have to back up the money truck. Here are some ideas for expressing your gratitude to employees if you’ve already used tried-and-true methods like the employee of the month club. 1. Go experiential. One of the hottest trends is making company events hands-on. People love trying brand new activities they might never have experienced, especially if they learn something fun along the way. Instead of giving out cash bonuses or prizes when your team meets a big goal, why not arrange a unique experience? Such as a white water rafting event or a day out to check out a baseball game. Hire a pro to organize a great scavenger hunt or bring them on a hike where they can bond together and get exercise to boot. Not only will you show you care but your team will have a chance to grow together in an informal setting. Bonus tip: Make sure to take plenty of photos so you can share them with clients on social media and in your email newsletter. It’s... --- ### The Anatomy of a Perfect Marketing Webinar > We talk a lot about the value of webinars – and for good reason. Why? Here are some of the best things about webinars, in our opinion: They get you - Published: 2019-04-26 - Modified: 2019-04-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-anatomy-of-a-perfect-marketing-webinar/ - Categories: Marketing We talk a lot about the value of webinars – and for good reason. Why? Here are some of the best things about webinars, in our opinion: They get you quality facetime with your exact target buyer. They help you show off your industry expertise. They’re massively cost-effective. They’re a win-win: your attendees get valuable information they can apply right away, and you get a list of warm leads who are already pre-sold on your awesomeness. How often does that happen? Hands down, webinars are one of the best marketing tools for marketing agencies. You can host webinars for clients or strategic partners to help them reach a broader audience, or you can create your own webinar topics to drive more business for your agency. The sky is truly the limit. Regardless of why you’re creating a webinar, it’s the how that’s important. After all, if you’re going through the effort of planning a webinar, it needs to be as effective as possible. So how do you increase the effectiveness of your marketing webinars and drive conversion rates up? There are a few different things that need to come together to create the perfect marketing webinar. Once you master these points, you should be able to wow all attendees with your webinar wizardry. The Perfect Audience The very first thing you should do when planning your webinar is determine exactly who your ideal audience is. Not having a clear target in mind when creating a webinar puts you at a significant... --- ### 5 Tips to Decide if a Partner Program Is Right for Your Business > You’ve heard of your competitors using partner programs. But is it right for your business? Regardless of the size of your business, finding workable - Published: 2019-04-25 - Modified: 2019-04-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/partner-program/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship You’ve heard of your competitors using partner programs. But is it right for your business? Regardless of the size of your business, finding workable strategies to encourage growth is essential to your long-term success. To this end, some businesses turn to partner programs as a way to build profits and attract new customers. This can be a great way to inspire growth, and some businesses do very well with these programs. For others, however, partner programs don’t perform nearly as well as the owners had hoped. Have you considered a partner program for small-business advertising or profit-sharing? Are you hesitant because you aren’t sure how well one of these programs will fit your business? If that’s the case, here are a few suggestions that might help you decide whether a partner program is right for your business. What’s the Benefit? The first thing you should look at when trying to decide whether a partner program is right for your business is what the actual benefit to your business will be. Depending on the partner program you choose, you may have access to a number of different benefits such as: Profit-sharing on salesAdvertising considerationsSpecial discounts on products or servicesPartner certification or other credentials Some partners may offer other benefits as well. If you examine the benefits offered by a particular partner program and find that they don’t seem to be a good fit for your business model, then you can eliminate the program as an option fairly quickly. Consider the Costs... --- ### 4 Important Stats about the Best Times to Send Emails > Continuous experimentation on time and day for sending is one piece of the successful email marketing puzzle. - Published: 2019-04-24 - Modified: 2019-04-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-times-to-send-emails/ - Categories: Email Marketing There’s so much that goes into crafting a perfect marketing email. You’ve got to create that snappy subject line, quick and engaging copy, and wrap it all up with the perfect call-to-action. It’s tempting to get lost in the excitement of a new campaign, pat yourself on the back for a job well-done and push your new email campaign right out of the nest—but, wait! Have you considered the time you send your emails? Sure, they’re all going to your client inboxes, but we’re going for engagement here. Let’s enhance those open rates. General wisdom says the best time to send an email is Tuesday at 10 a. m. After crunching the numbers, most studies state that Tuesday at 10 a. m. is the best general time to send your marketing email. What this number doesn’t account for is—well, literally anything else. If you’re not familiar with your audiences’ demographics or are sending a general email without any open data, this is a good starting place. After all, you need to discover your particular list’s email habits. Think about your ideal recipient’s lifestyle. Are they night owls? Are they at their desk from 8 to 5, but home on the weekends? If you have a guess, great! If you’re more inclined to use actual data, tap into Google Analytics to see what times are most popular for your website visitors. Set up an A/B test in your CRM to have your email send out at two different times on the... --- ### How To Set 5, 10 and 15-Year Goals For Your Business > It’s hard to know what the future has in store for any of us, but putting together a plan will ensure that you’ve got the long-game in mind. - Published: 2019-04-22 - Modified: 2019-04-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/set-goals-for-your-business/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Not long ago, coming up with a five, 10 or 15-year plan for your business was a pretty straightforward process. In fact, if you didn’t have plans like these in place, you were probably falling behind. But today, thanks to advances such as artificial intelligence and new digital technologies, many B2B business owners find their industries changing overnight. It’s hard to plan for next year, let alone do long-term planning. That said, it’s hard to run your business with no plan at all. Even if you never act on half of the plans you make, you’ll be better off than if you charge into battle with no idea of what you’re going to do in the scenarios that come up. Here’s how to do five, 10- and 15-year planning (if relevant) in a time of rapid change. Step up your Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analyses. The days when a small business could do this kind of 360-degree scan of its business environment in the annual meeting have passed. The opportunities in front of your business this year are likely to be very different next year. If you don’t act quickly, the ship will have sailed. The same holds true for threats. They can come up quickly, and if you’re not prepared for them, it may be hard to react from a position of strength. That doesn’t mean you should operate in a panic, act on every opportunity for fear of missing out or go after opportunities before you’re... --- ### How to Create a Winning Marketing Automation Proposal in Under 30 Minutes > Marketing automation proposals can be an incredibly effective way to attract and win new agency business. Here's how to create the perfect template. - Published: 2019-04-19 - Modified: 2021-06-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-create-a-marketing-automation-proposal/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Depending on who you speak to, marketing automation is either the greatest thing since sliced bread or a really scary concept. But there’s a reason so many people are jumping on the bandwagon: automation can save businesses hours and even days when building out a sales and marketing process. As an agency with a multifaceted skill set, you are uniquely qualified to help those marketing automation newbies get a head start – and to potentially add recurring revenue in the process. A marketing automation proposal template can help you develop a game plan for your clients in a jiff - saving you time and maximizing your profit. Let’s break down the elements you’ll need for a marketing automation proposal that’s sure to win you business every time. Objectives + Value Proposition This section of the proposal should be customized as much as possible. You should identify parts of the potential client’s sales and marketing process that should be automated along with what this automation will accomplish in the long-term. Most importantly, build value. Show the prospect what’s in it for them - How will marketing automation create efficiencies in their business and add to their bottom line? Why should they want to partner with your agency? How is your agency uniquely-suited to meet their needs? Depending on the project and the client, my agency changes this section up. For example, here’s a screenshot of the “Objective” and “Client Needs” sections from Mod Girl’s $10K Audit and Strategy Proposal template: Pro... --- ### 6 Simple Strategies for More Thorough Market Research > In today’s marketplace, the buyer holds all the power. Developing and adapting your marketing strategies to match the needs, desires and expectations of - Published: 2019-04-18 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-market-research/ - Categories: Marketing In today’s marketplace, the buyer holds all the power. Developing and adapting your marketing strategies to match the needs, desires and expectations of your audience is the key to success, and it's the foundation of stellar customer service. But in order to get to that point, you absolutely must perform in-depth market research. This is what will ultimately help you understand exactly where your buyers are and the best way to target them with your product or service. Not sure where to begin? Follow these six easy steps to get started. Define your buyer persona. Before you can start to figure out how your customers are making buying decisions, you need to first understand who they are. This is where creating a buyer persona comes into play. A buyer persona is a fictional representation of your ideal customer. Some of the key characteristics to identify in this persona include: Age Gender Geographic Location Job Title Income Major Challenges There are loads more characteristics you could add to your own buyer personas depending what you’re selling and how much information you need on your prospective customers. Identify a segment of that persona to engage. Once you’ve got a general idea about who your target audience is, the next step is to identify a representative sample of that audience so you can learn more about their actual characteristics, buying habits and challenges. Ideally, you should focus on people who have recently interacted with your brand, whether it was making a purchase or... --- ### Does Your Marketing Agency Have a Client Retention Problem? > Even if you don’t have a client retention issue, it’s not a bad idea to examine how you come across to your clients and whether that image can be improved. - Published: 2019-04-17 - Modified: 2019-04-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-client-retention/ - Categories: Agencies As an industry, marketing experiences a lot of ups and downs. When the economy is in good shape, companies are willing to spend more on marketing efforts and try new approaches to sell their products and services. When the economy takes a downturn, though, these same companies are more watchful and expect greater results for the same marketing spend. If a company isn’t satisfied with its marketing or ad agency, they may take their budget elsewhere in search of better results. Even when things are going well in the economy, many companies are finicky when it comes to marketing budgets. Is this a problem that your agency is facing? It’s not always easy to tell if client turnover is just a fluke or part of a bigger problem. Fortunately, if you do have a turnover problem, there are ways you can deal with it before it spirals out of control. Do You Have a Problem? Has your agency been losing clients lately? If so, that’s obviously a problem ... but it may not be a sign of an ongoing turnover problem. Look at the last few clients that have left your agency and consider how long each was a client for. Look back into your records at previous departures and check how long each of those were clients as well. Has the number of departures increased over time, especially in comparison to the number of new clients? Are you losing long-term clients, or are they primarily short-term clients that seem... --- ### 5 Marketing Agencies That Are Killing the Social Media Game > To get you thinking about the role social will play in your own growth strategy, take a tip from these agencies killing social media. - Published: 2019-04-12 - Modified: 2023-12-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-agencies-social-media/ - Categories: Agencies Can you remember the marketing and advertising world before social media? What was once a private club for teenagers has exploded into a worldwide phenomenon where Instagram and Facebook have bizarrely transformed into verbs, and humans are tweeting rather than talking and pinning rather than creating collages from old magazine scraps. An ongoing survey by Social Media Examiner found that almost 90 percent of marketers believe that social media has increased exposure to their businesses. Around 78 percent also report increased website traffic. These figures have remained more or less unchanged since 2014. Having a strong showing in social media can help your agency achieve other results, including: Attracting new clients who might not have found you otherwise Cultivating a brand image at little or no additional cost Increasing follower interactions, giving your agency more insight into consumer needs Fine-tuning your agency’s online reputation Obviously, mastering social media is essential if you’re a social media marketing firm — and it’s also an important factor if you want to compete with big players. If you want to be the best social media marketing agency, or if you just want some tips for your strategy, here are a few examples of agencies that are killing it. 1. Disruptive Advertising In addition to helping its clients win at social media marketing, Disruptive Advertising itself is a true master of the social game. With frequent posts on social media that highlight not only its own blog but also useful information and occasional bits of... --- ### How Much Should You Tell Your Employees? > Transparency, like most things, is best done in moderation. - Published: 2019-04-11 - Modified: 2019-04-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-much-should-you-tell-your-employees/ - Categories: Leadership There is a lot of talk about transparency of leaders and companies, but how transparent should you be? In many cases, if your team is armed with all the facts, then they can better execute in their role and help drive the company forward. On the flip side, sharing too much information can be distracting and even detrimental to company culture and employee engagement. So where do you draw the line? The benefits of transparency There are many benefits to being transparent, and one of the most pertinent is that of trust. Trust cannot be cultivated if transparency is not something which flows from the top tiers of the organization. If you commit to transparency, it has to be something which everyone takes seriously; otherwise, that trust will be lost. Without trust, it can be difficult to motivate your staff to take risks and even tougher to empower them to make the best decisions for your business. Read Jonathan's full article on Entrepreneur. --- ### 5 Email Nurturing Tips That Will Improve Your Open Rates > When your email marketing isn’t optimized, your open rates can take a nosedive. Let’s prevent that with a few simple ideas you can implement immediately. - Published: 2019-04-09 - Modified: 2023-10-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-nurturing-tips-to-improve-open-rates/ - Categories: Email Marketing When it comes to email marketing, it’s easy to get a little complacent. Our emails become part of our weekly routines. When it comes time to put them together, you might find yourself slapping them together without as much consideration as when your outreach campaigns were shiny and new. But when your email marketing isn’t optimized, your open rates can take a nosedive. Let’s improve your open rates with a few simple ideas you can implement immediately. 1. Segment, segment, segment Before you ever start your email design, revisit your contacts list. It’s time to segment. Though it’s easy to assume that the more eyes on a message, the better, you can frustrate and alienate your potential customers by sending them messages that they have no interest in. Use customer activity to track relevant information about them, like what they’ve downloaded in the past or if they signed up for a list but haven’t bought anything yet. Think about important aspects of your customers that might alter your marketing messaging — physical location, age, interests, and general demographics. Use this information to create segmented lists. These lists will allow you to target your content directly to the relevant eyes. The more relevant the information is to an individual customer, the more likely it is that you’ll earn their open. 2. Freshen up your list Segmentation can only go so far in keeping your list relevant. There’s likely a wealth of email addresses in your database that just aren’t engaging with... --- ### You May Be A Leader, But Do You Have What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur? > The conventional wisdom is that people who thrive in the corporate world can’t make it as entrepreneurs. As the thinking goes, they’re too dependent on - Published: 2019-04-05 - Modified: 2019-04-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/leader-or-entrepreneur/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship The conventional wisdom is that people who thrive in the corporate world can’t make it as entrepreneurs. As the thinking goes, they’re too dependent on the perks and rhythms of corporate life to thrive in their own business. The reality is more nuanced. Many corporate leaders have to be so entrepreneurial in their daily work today that running their own business isn’t as big of a transition as it once was. In fact, many corporate refugees find that running a business is a perfect way to put their skills to work and build personal wealth. That said, running a business is not for everyone. Wondering if you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Here’s are some key things you need. Internal motivation. Every leader needs to be somewhat self-motivated—but when you work for someone else, you always have a boss to backstop you if your drive wanes. As an entrepreneur, you truly are your own boss. There’s no one to nudge you along if you hit a discouraging period in the business or promising you a trip to Hawaii if you meet a sales goal. If you’re thinking about starting a business, take an honest look at how self-motivated you are. Many people do their best work in situations where they are motivated by someone else, so if that’s the case for you, you may be happier in a great job than running your own business. A risk-taking spirit. It’s one thing to bet on a new product... --- ### 5 Ways to Re-Engage Dormant Clients > Existing clientele is one of the most valuable assets your business can have. But what happens when those awesome customers stop calling? - Published: 2019-04-04 - Modified: 2019-04-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-to-re-engage-dormant-clients/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship There are lots of resources available to help you attract and convert new customers, but what about the ones you’ve already landed? Existing clientele is one of the most valuable assets your business can have. But what happens when those awesome customers stop calling? When months or years have gone by without any interaction? If you can find a way to re-engage these long-lost patrons, not only will you stand out from the competition, but you’ll probably generate more business in the process. Send them some snail mail. These days, consumers are bombarded on a daily basis with emails, digital ads, text messages and phone calls. What they’re getting less and less of, on the other hand, is good, old-fashioned snail mail. Sending a note (preferably hand-written, if possible) along with something of value, such as an interesting article or a coupon, can really go a long way toward strengthening that relationship and reigniting interest. Stay in touch, but with a purpose. Keeping in contact is important, but if you’re only reaching out with generic messages like: “Just wanted to say ‘hi’” or “Checking in to see what’s going on,” you’ll probably end up annoying your clients and driving them away. Make sure that when you pick up the phone or send an email, you’ve got something of substance to share. For instance, you might reach out to let them know about your latest product update, a new service you’re offering or a special deal that’s coming up. Wish them... --- ### 7 Elements of a Brilliant HTML Email Template > You’ve heard it a thousand times before: your email marketing campaign is only as good as the copy you write. But we’re here to share something else. If - Published: 2019-04-03 - Modified: 2021-02-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-elements-of-a-brilliant-html-email-template/ - Categories: Email Marketing You’ve heard it a thousand times before: your email marketing campaign is only as good as the copy you write. But we’re here to share something else. If you’re not getting the desired results from your email marketing campaign, the problem might not be the content. While the right emails have the potential to create impressive revenue increases, missing out on important details can cause the unsubscribe button to work overtime. An effective HTML email template can set your email apart from the masses. Increase your response rates by tweaking your email template to include all the small details that add up to a big visual impact. The Right Subject Line You only have a couple of seconds to entice the people on your list into opening and reading your email. Possibly the most important factor in this decision is the email subject line. Even if you have the most valuable information in the world in your email, no one’s going to see it if you have a subject line that’s poorly written. Keep the subject simple and straight to the point. Let the reader know what’s in the email. Keep it under 60 characters and avoid using all caps. Most importantly, be sure the subject line makes sense. Don’t rely on excess punctuation marks or symbols to get the point across. To templatize your subject lines, consider keeping a swipe file handy. A swipe file for email subject lines would include templatized versions of only your top performing email... --- ### How to Convert Webinar Leads into Customers > Gathering webinar leads won’t amount to much of anything if you’re not actually turning those leads into paying customers. - Published: 2019-04-02 - Modified: 2019-04-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/convert-webinar-leads-into-customers/ - Categories: Marketing According to Inside Sales, 73% of sales and marketing professionals list webinars as one of the most effective tools for generating high-quality leads. But the truth is, that’s really only half the battle. After all, just gathering leads won’t amount to much of anything if you’re not actually turning those leads into paying customers. So, what’s the best way to ensure that those prospects don’t end up in post-webinar limbo? Give the following tips a try. Assess readiness through polls. Polling your audience during your webinar is an easy and effective way to gain insight into where your prospects stand in terms of need, interest level, etc. You can then use this info to segment your audience for nurturing purposes. For instance, you can separate those who are interested in learning more about your product, service or company from those who are more actively ready to buy and market to each group accordingly. Tailoring your approach will help you gain more ground and get better results. Involve sales in the process. Keeping your sales team in the loop is another simple, yet often overlooked strategy for improving your conversion rate. When sales is involved in the process, whether it’s helping to put the content together or simply staying abreast of what webinars will be hosted and when, they can be much better prepared with their follow-up communication. Some companies even go as far as having someone from sales sit in on webinars to help field questions from attendees. Follow up... --- ### Should You Outsource Business Development for Your Agency? > For some agencies, offloading the heavy lifting of business development to seasoned pros is the way to go. For others, keeping things in-house is best. - Published: 2019-03-29 - Modified: 2019-03-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-business-development/ - Categories: Agencies Business development is an important factor for running any successful agency. Unfortunately, with all of the projects on your plate, it can be tough to carve out the necessary time to keep your sales pipeline full. So it’s no wonder that so many digital agencies are starting to outsource business development to specialized biz dev firms. But the million dollar question remains: is outsourcing business development right for your firm? What Is Business Development? Let’s first unpack what business development is. True business development is a broad role within an agency that encompasses sales, partnership development and more. Here’s a breakdown of just what falls under the biz dev umbrella: Customer outreach and sales channel developmentMarket research and analysisPartnership managementSales strategy developmentCompany value growth As you can see, business development is tangled up in sales, marketing and even corporate strategy. By aligning the various parts of your agency through business development strategies, you can help ensure future growth for years to come. Why Is Biz Dev Important? Some agencies wonder why a dedicated business development role is important if there’s so much overlap with other parts of the business such as sales. While your firm is perfectly capable of running without having someone focused specifically on biz dev, your agency will miss out on the increased efficiency and overall boost in prosperity that real business development can bring. If you’ve operated your agency so far without a business development professional on your team, you might be surprised at the difference... --- ### 5 B2B Marketing Automation Tips > Are you among the 55% of B2B companies currently using marketing automation? You should be. After all, marketing automation has been proven to deliver a - Published: 2019-03-28 - Modified: 2019-03-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-b2b-marketing-automation-tips/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Are you among the 55% of B2B companies currently using marketing automation? You should be. After all, marketing automation has been proven to deliver a 14. 5% increase in sales productivity and a 12. 2% reduction in overhead. But these results aren’t achieved by simply launching a campaign. It takes planning and strategy. If you could use some assistance in this area, here are five tips to help you get the most out of your B2B marketing automation efforts. Identify prime automation tasks. You probably already know that marketing automation can be used to streamline email campaigns, but if that’s all you’re doing with it, you’re missing out. To unlock the full power of your platform, you should identify other tasks that are prime candidates for automation, such as routine, repetitive activities that are eating up time and hindering productivity. Things like lead follow-up, prospect nurturing and updating your CRM can all be automated, saving time and freeing you up to focus on more important things. Produce quality content. Your marketing automation tool may be able to do a lot of things, like determine which leads are hot as well as the best time to communicate with those leads. The one thing it cannot do is produce the message you’re trying to send. To get the most of your marketing automation, do not underestimate the importance of producing quality content. The right message can dramatically improve your chances of conversion. Score leads. Scoring leads is a valuable practice in any... --- ### 5 Tips for Building a Phenomenal Virtual Team > Virtual teams can add tremendous value to a business – whether it’s just one department or an entire company that’s working remotely. - Published: 2019-03-27 - Modified: 2019-03-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/building-virtual-team/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Big corporations aren’t the only ones that benefit from virtual teams. In fact, smaller businesses can enjoy many advantages by using distributed teams, including lower operating costs and the ability to tap into a global talent pool. And thanks to things like cloud technology and the growing number of freelance marketplaces, hiring and managing remote employees has never been easier. Of course, virtual teams do come with certain challenges. To overcome these struggles, here are a few best practices to keep in mind. Consolidate One of the biggest hurdles managers of distributed teams face is keeping everyone on the same page. Tools like emails, spreadsheets, shared project documents and group chats can get confusing when remote workers are all using different ones. This can open the door for mistakes, miscommunication and important things slipping through the cracks. Utilizing as few tools as possible and mandating that all virtual employees stick with those tools for their day to day work can help minimize these risks. It’ll also ensure maximum productivity, collaboration and efficiency. Communicate Regularly Not being located in the same physical location can cause a rift in communication with management as well as amongst coworkers. It’s up to the business leaders to ensure that all distributed team members stay in touch and engaged. With virtual teams, this often requires more effort from a communication standpoint. Daily check-ins and regular one-on-one and team meetings (via phone, online chat or video conferencing) will ensure that everyone stays connected, regardless of physical location.... --- ### 4 Benefits of Paid Advertising on Twitter > No topic (except maybe politics) is as divisive as Twitter. Some feel that Twitter is an invaluable resource, naturally encouraging faster responses and - Published: 2019-03-26 - Modified: 2019-03-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benefits-of-twitter-advertising/ - Categories: Social Media No topic (except maybe politics) is as divisive as Twitter. Some feel that Twitter is an invaluable resource, naturally encouraging faster responses and more concise thoughts than other forms of social media. Others think it’s a waste of time, full of snippets of thoughts and very little of actual value. While there’s evidence to support both arguments, there are some very real benefits to Twitter if you’re looking for a new marketing venue. The reason that Twitter makes a great advertising arena is also the reason that there are so many differing opinions on the platform: it’s fast-paced and requires a lot of engagement to keep up with. Don’t believe us? Here are some of the main benefits to Twitter advertising, along with suggestions for getting started on the platform. Following the Trends While every social media platform puts a lot of effort into following trends these days, Twitter was trending before it was trendy. Many common features of social media today such as hashtags were adopted in an effort to keep up with Twitter’s mad trending skills. Even now, Twitter has one of the most accessible trending lists on all of social media. This can benefit your advertising efforts in several ways: Instantly see what’s hot and what’s not so you can adjust your focus accordinglyIdentify trends that are a good match for your clients to better target your adsDiscover potentially negative trends so you’ll know what targets to avoidFind out which trends competitors are following to speed up... --- ### Required Reading from the 11 Most Influential CRM Blogs for B2Bs > Sales and marketing technology changes quickly. So how do you know when to invest in new technology, or when to change your process, or when to wait out a - Published: 2019-03-22 - Modified: 2020-08-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/required-reading-from-crm-blogs-for-b2bs/ - Categories: CRM Sales and marketing technology changes quickly. So how do you know when to invest in new technology, or when to change your process, or when to wait out a fad? Whether you’re researching CRM options, or just trying to get the most out of your existing CRM and sales and marketing tech stack, there are a handful of experts who are the most qualified to guide you. Check out these posts from 10 of the most influential CRM blogs on the world wide web, and follow them to stay in the know. The CRM Consultant This blog was created by Richard Boardman, who spent 15 years as a CRM consultant. Before that, he worked with CRM vendors. Boardman knows the business and has an inviting way of sharing his point of view. His no-nonsense topics get to the heart of the business. Required Reading:Seven Things to Consider Before Signing a CRM ContractEleven Early-Stage Red Flags When Considering a CRM Project CRM Switch If you’re in the early stages of CRM research, high-concept blog posts are just confusing, at best. For readers who need good basic information on evergreen topics, the CRM Switch blog is the perfect must-read. The posts explain the basics and give targeted advice that’s easy to follow. Required Reading:Without a Killer Call to Action, Your Digital Marketing is Doomed Three Fundamental Types of CRM Systems Hatchbuck The Hatchbuck blog focuses on what’s new and significant in CRM today. Aimed at small-business owners with drive and determination, this... --- ### How Often Should Your B2B Business Hold Meetings? > Let’s talk about meetings. And while we’re at it, let’s talk about meeting fatigue. Nearly two-thirds of professionals lose time every week due to - Published: 2019-03-21 - Modified: 2025-02-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/b2b-meetings/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Let’s talk about meetings. And while we’re at it, let’s talk about meeting fatigue. Nearly two-thirds of professionals lose time every week due to unnecessary or cancelled meetings, according to The State of Meetings Report 2019, a survey by Doodle. But try to run a business without any meetings, and you’ll soon have a new appreciation for those gatherings around the conference room table. Sometimes, there’s no better way to communicate than to get everyone in a room together, or at least on a conference call or Zoom meeting. The trick is convening meetings only when necessary and running them efficiently. That way, everyone will still be able to get their work done. Here are some ideas on when, where and how to hold meetings for the best results. Give people time to work. Thanks to books like Cal Newport’s Deep Work, many professionals are making a concerted effort to set aside time to immerse themselves in the projects that matter. It’s tough to do that, though, if there are so many interruptions in everyone’s workday that no one can concentrate. Set aside some time every week (or ideally every day) when people can hunker down and do what you’re paying them to do, without interruption. For instance, if you run a professional services firm, you might decide there will be no company or client meetings on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, so everyone can focus on project work. Team members will be more likely to bring their A-game to meetings... --- ### 3 Secrets to Earning 5-Star Customer Reviews > When it comes to marketing your business, there’s nothing more helpful (or more detrimental) than a customer review. In 2017, a Bright Local survey found - Published: 2019-03-19 - Modified: 2022-07-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-star-customer-reviews/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship When it comes to marketing your business, there’s nothing more helpful (or more detrimental) than a customer review. In 2017, a Bright Local survey found that 86 percent of consumers read reviews for local businesses. More than 50 percent of consumers also said they’d only use a business if it had four or more stars. But what a good review giveth, a bad review taketh away. In fact, in a survey from Moz. com, 22 percent of consumers said they wouldn’t buy a product or service after reading a negative review. Increase that to four or more bad reviews, and businesses could lose up to 70 percent of their potential customers. The most essential of these review sites? Definitely Google. One survey by ReviewTrackers, a customer feedback software company, found 63. 6 percent of consumers were likely to check online reviews on Google before visiting a business. As for the reviews themselves, 80 percent of customers said they found four- and five-star ratings to be most trustworthy. That’s a major win for any business that’s managed to obtain a stellar online reputation. So if good reviews are that important, why aren’t more small businesses focussed on getting them? Having gone from 1,000 reviews in 2015 to 40 times that in four years, here are TSheets’ top three secrets to cultivating those super-essential five-star reviews. 1. When the moment is right, don’t be afraid to ask Hilleri Nicley, who leads the customer success team here at TSheets, has lots of tips... --- ### 7 Ways to Make Local Search Work for Your Small Business > Local search is a vital marketing tool for small businesses, especially those with a brick-and-mortar presence. Use these tips to do it the right way. - Published: 2019-03-18 - Modified: 2020-03-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/local-search-small-business/ - Categories: Marketing As small businesses quickly face the challenge of doing business remotely, rather than in person, it's more important than ever to get visibility online. And even if you’re not a B2C brick-and-mortar shop, local search can benefit your rankings and the likelihood that B2B customers will be able to find you in searches. Optimizing your online presence so it shows up at or near the top in local searches starts with creating a brand page—a Google My Business page (get started here - it's easy! ). There are specific ways to tweak your website and your brand page to ensure your business is well-positioned in the results ranking. Here are seven simple things you can do to rank higher in local search results. 1. Get listed. A lot of the rankings on Google boil down to just being a legitimate business. Google looks at how often your business’ name, address and phone number is cited on the web. The more times it finds you, and the more consistent those listings are, the better search results will be. Take the time to submit your business listing to local (and, if appropriate, national) directories like Yelp, Yahoo! Local and Bing Local or other listing and reviews sites specific to your industry. Make sure your details are the same on every listing. You can check this by doing a search on the web for your own business, to make sure every listing looks the same and is correct. 2. Name, address and phone... --- ### 6 of the Best B2B Marketing Videos We've Ever Seen (And How You Can Make Your Own) > If there’s one problem with most B2B marketing videos, it’s that they’re boring. Sometimes painfully so. Let's change that. - Published: 2019-03-18 - Modified: 2019-03-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-b2b-marketing-videos/ - Categories: Marketing If there’s one problem with most B2B marketing videos, it’s that they’re boring. Sometimes painfully so. Because they’re marketed toward businesses, many agencies try to “go pro” and keep things very focused and formal. Unfortunately, that’s not likely to get anyone’s attention. This means that boring videos are a BIG problem; if you aren’t getting people’s attention, then you’re probably not going to get the attention of the corporate decision-makers you’re targeting, and you’re just wasting money. Not every B2B marketing video falls into this trap, however. Here are six of the best B2B videos we’ve seen so far, to help inspire you to break out of that boring video box yourself. Zendesk – “I Like It When He Gives Me the Business” You might imagine it’s hard to make a fun commercial about customer service, but Zendesk is here to prove you wrong. Using a setup like a dating profile success story, the ad tells about the rocky relationship that a company had with its customers. Fortunately, switching to Zendesk solved those communication needs, and now the company is able to give its customers the attention they deserve. The full video’s charming and fun, and with a tagline like “I like it when he gives me the business,” it’s one that will stick with people. Volvo Trucks – “The Epic Split” You’d think a video focused around Jean-Claude Van Damme doing the splits would be campy or silly, but Volvo Trucks actually managed to pull it off in a... --- ### Crummy Leads, Crummy Clients: How to Find Better Business for Your Agency > There’s nothing more frustrating than working with clients who don’t value your agency or aren't a good fit. Here are four ways to attract better business. - Published: 2019-03-15 - Modified: 2019-03-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/find-better-business-for-your-agency/ - Categories: Agencies Have a steady stream of leads but trouble finding good clients? If you’re struggling to win RFPs, have clients with unreasonable expectations, or clients who are unwilling to pay you what you’re worth, you might have a lead generation problem. Let’s dive into four ways to find amazing clients for your agency. Define Your Best Client You may whip out buyer personas for your clients - but are you using them for your agency? Make sure you know who you’re chasing so you can bring the right client in the door. Start by looking at your favorite clients. What do they have in common? Maybe it’s the type of projects you’re working on for them, the client’s size or that they generate the most revenue for your agency. Use these details to flesh out what an ideal client looks like so you can be intentional about finding more clients just like them. Need a bit of inspiration? Our Buyer Persona Workbook can help you identify your ideal client in a jiffy. Look Into Your Lead Sources Now that you know who you want to attract, you can get better at driving quality leads for your agency. Take an audit of all of your digital channels to make sure your marketing efforts sync up with your target client. Organic Traffic: Are you hitting the topics that resonate with the type of clients you want? Revisit your website and blog and make sure your content is in line with your target client.... --- ### 6 Characteristics of an All-Star Sales Manager > While this isn’t an all-inclusive list of what your next sales manager should be, it will help you make the best decision for your company. - Published: 2019-03-14 - Modified: 2019-03-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/characteristics-great-sales-manager/ - Categories: Sales If you have someone on your team who’s put forth the effort to master sales management, buckle up: your sales figures are likely to skyrocket soon. If you don’t, no worries. We’ll help you identify the must-have qualities in a leading sales manager. But before we do, it’s important we point out that sales management is a much larger responsibility than many people think. And given the charismatic nature of many sales professionals, how can you know whether you’re hiring an all-star or just another guy or gal with a winning smile? Talking the Talk One of the first things you should look for is someone who has a strong understanding of just what sales management entails. Your potential sales manager should be able to talk about the following topics with some degree of competency: Sales rep targeting: One big duty of the sales manager is to set targets for sales reps and create plans to help them achieve their goalsTeam building: Your sales team needs to work as a unit, not as a bunch of competitors; the best sales managers know how to make this happenCompany linchpin: The sales manager is the go-to guy or gal to bridge the department divide and ensure that you're signing and keeping the right customers. Strategy planning: Because the sales manager is in charge of your sales team, it goes without saying that they need to know how to create and implement effective sales strategies If a potential sales manager balks when questioned... --- ### 6 Ways Your Marketing Agency Can Capitalize on March Madness > March Madness is one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year, and incorporating it into your marketing strategies can energize your message. - Published: 2019-03-13 - Modified: 2019-03-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-agency-march-madness/ - Categories: Agencies March Madness is just around the corner. The annual NCAA basketball tournament is one of the biggest events in college athletics, averaging around 12 million viewers per game in recent years. Big games and hot rivalries can net nearly 30 million viewers in some cases. In 2018, over 97 million people watched the tournament from the First Four to the Final Four. For anyone who’s ever wondered why so many businesses seem to flock to March Madness each year, these numbers are your answer. As a marketing agency, your company should be invested in March Madness as well. Whether you’ve been riding the wave of March Madness for years or are just starting to look for ways to use the tournament to boost your agency and clients, here are a few tried-and-true suggestions for how you can make the most of the annual tournament. Online Bracket Contests Social media is a great tool for companies wanting to increase their contact and brand awareness with consumers. This isn’t always easy to do, but March Madness gives you an amazing opportunity to increase social interactions without a significant investment. Creating tournament brackets is a popular fan activity, and bracket contests are pretty common these days. By leveraging the power of social media, you can take the standard bracket contest and make it even better. Hosting an online bracket contest and promoting it through social media reduces the cost of the contest and makes it accessible to a larger number of potential customers.... --- ### How to Win More Agency Clients Without Spending a Dime > Before you spend your hard-earned money on expensive lead generation channels, take a look at this one underutilized, unbelievably valuable resource. - Published: 2019-03-12 - Modified: 2019-03-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/win-more-agency-clients-without-spending-money/ - Categories: Agencies As a growing agency, it can be difficult to balance lead generation with client deliverables. In order to deliver top-notch work, you may not always be as focused as you should on drumming up new business. And when you do have the time to focus on finding new leads, it’s confusing to know where to focus your efforts. Want to know what the most under-tapped lead generation method is? Your existing network! https://vimeo. com/295063917 This is a snippet from my weekly Mastermind sessions I host for my Remote Agency Society members. As entrepreneurs, we’re so busy being pulled in a million directions that we tend to underestimate the power of our existing networks. Many of the contacts in your network include relationships that you've been building for years. With people who know and like you! A lead really doesn’t get more qualified than that. You never know who can introduce you to your next dream client. We all have so many overlooked connections we aren't leveraging such as: Former clientsPast bosses and co-workersVendorsTradeshow or conference attendeesLinkedIn connectionsMentors Keeping in touch with these connections is a simple, free way to fill your sales pipeline. By periodically reaching out to let people know what you’re up to and who you’re focused on helping, you’re increasing your chances of receiving referrals. And we all know that referrals are the easiest types of clients to close. So why aren't you keeping in touch with them? As an entrepreneur, you don’t have enough time in... --- ### Product Update: New Sales and Marketing Dashboards Have Landed > Get a fresh look at your business with Hatchbuck’s new sales and marketing dashboards. With a more robust view of your most important metrics, you'll know - Published: 2019-03-08 - Modified: 2019-03-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-and-marketing-dashboards/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News Get a fresh look at your business with Hatchbuck’s new sales and marketing dashboards. With a more robust view of your most important metrics, you'll know just where to focus your efforts to move the needle for your business. The Business Owner Are you reaching your goals this month? How is your team doing? With high-level metrics available at a glance, you can measure sales and marketing success, freeing you up to focus on your business. Measure the ROI of Marketing Spend Is your marketing budget driving opportunities, or being squandered on half-baked strategies? With deal source details on the marketing dashboard, you can identify which channels are actually bringing opportunities to the table. Keep a Pulse on Revenue Growth As a business owner, the only metric that really matters is how much revenue is coming in the door. See how much money is in your sales pipeline and how much revenue you’ve won. The Marketing Manager Between capturing leads, email nurturing and driving conversations for your sales team, it can be tough to know where to focus your efforts next. With the new marketing dashboard, you can zero in on where your strategy is paying off, and where you could use more focus. Uncover Opportunities to Engage With contact engagement metrics at your fingertips, it simple to identify the populations of contacts in your database that could use another touch from the marketing team. By consistently driving engagement with your brand, you can turn cold leads into hot prospects... --- ### 7 Time Management Tips and Tools for Your Agency > Time management is important for any business, but it’s especially important in the agency world where time is money. - Published: 2019-03-07 - Modified: 2019-03-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-time-management-tips-and-tools-for-your-agency/ - Categories: Agencies Time management is important for any business, but it’s especially important in the agency world where time is money. Making effective use of time helps to ensure that client campaigns and deliverables are finished on time, which in turn ensures that clients are happy and likely to offer up repeat business. Even knowing this, however, many agencies have problems managing time and keeping things progressing at an even pace especially as client counts ebb and flow. While there are a lot of ways to approach the time management issue, it typically doesn’t require any drastic changes to your workplace. Instead, you can implement strategies to improve time management little by little. Here are just a few ways that you can improve time management in your office and get everything running much smoother in no time. Set Goals Every Day There are few things that will get your employees on-task faster than having them set goals every day before they begin working. These don’t have to be large, far-reaching goals. Instead, have them set goals for just what they want to accomplish that day. Each goal can be broken down into milestones, giving the employee achievable steps that will move him or her toward that daily goal at a reasonable pace. Use a Timer Setting a timer can really help your employees stay on task, provided that the timer is set for reasonable time increments. This can be any sort of timer, from a standard kitchen timer to productivity-focused timer software... --- ### The 6 Most Important Tidbits from Litmus’ 2019 State of Email Report > Did you read Litmus’ full annual State of Email report? It’s 56 pages of pure email marketing gold, but we know that time doesn’t grow on trees for agency - Published: 2019-03-06 - Modified: 2019-03-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/analysis-litmus-2019-state-of-email/ - Categories: Email Marketing Did you read Litmus’ full annual State of Email report? It’s 56 pages of pure email marketing gold, but we know that time doesn’t grow on trees for agency owners and marketers. Which is why we’ve put together this handy summary for you. Think of it as the abridged version of the Litmus’ State of Email report for 2019 for busy professionals: you’ll still get most of the meat, without having to read through every page (but we recommend that you DO at some point! ). You’ll see in the paragraphs to follow that there were some pretty significant changes in the world of email over the past 12 months. While the report has a number of amazing insights into how we communicate electronically, here are the six most important tidbits we uncovered. Behind-the-Scenes Improvements There were a number of behind-the-scenes improvements made by email service providers in 2018. While the Litmus report goes into much more detail, here are some of the more significant changes: Google announced the rollout of Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) capabilities for Gmail, noting that the technology would be free for other providers to adopt as well. Yahoo Mail became the first service to test the Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) security standard. Oath (the parent company of Yahoo and AOL) announced that it would begin scanning emails received by all of its services for the purpose of targeted advertising. The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect, adding new obligations... --- ### 5 Ways You May Be Sabotaging Your B2B Sales > If you’re struggling to close deals, take an in-depth look at your sales process and see if any of the following B2B sales traps might be to blame. - Published: 2019-03-05 - Modified: 2019-03-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sabotaging-b2b-sales/ - Categories: Sales Let’s face it: B2B sales can be complicated, and the sheer number of competitors in today’s marketplace makes things even more challenging. Despite the fact that you may have the best sales tools at your disposal, if you don’t have a deep understanding of what to do and — more importantly — what not to do, you could easily be sabotaging your efforts. If you’re struggling to close deals, take an in-depth look at your sales process and see if any of the following B2B sales traps might be to blame. Read Jonathan's full article on the Tsheets by Quickbooks blog. --- ### How SEO Drives B2B Marketing > B2B marketing is about engagement. From channel partnerships to word of mouth, you need to engage your audience to positively impact your sales. To earn - Published: 2019-03-01 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-seo-drives-b2b-marketing/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing B2B marketing is about engagement. From channel partnerships to word of mouth, you need to engage your audience to positively impact your sales. To earn engagement online, your B2B company needs to invest in SEO. Search engines are invaluable to B2B marketing – B2B buyers depend on search as their primary resource for finding products and services. Some research indicates that as many as 81% of B2B buyers refer to search during their buying process. That means that your site has to be in tune with the search terms your potential customers are using in order to foster engagement. Before you outsource your SEO, use this article to guide how you approach SEO to earn B2B engagement. Start With Keyword Research Every time someone searches for a solution to their business issue, you want your site to show up at or near the top of those search results. To do that, you need to collect data about the keywords to target. Use keyword research tools such as Google Keyword Planner to determine the topics your target customers engage with the most. Once you have an idea of the terms your customers search for business needs, you can understand the sorts of efforts to undertake to achieve strong search results for those terms. Strong SEO Based on Quality Content The success of your SEO relies on the effort you put in – search results are unpredictable and competitive, so consistent maintenance is required if you expect solid returns. By consistent maintenance,... --- ### The Pros and Cons of Search vs. Display Ad Campaigns > Ultimately, the right mix of display and search ads can help you reach more potential customers within the constraints of your marketing budget. - Published: 2019-02-28 - Modified: 2019-02-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/search-vs-display-ad-campaigns/ - Categories: Lead Generation Marketers have a million choices when it comes to online advertising. Arguably some of the most effective advertising happens right on a search engine results page (SERP). And display advertising can be found almost everywhere. But when should you use each, and why? In this article, we’ll delve into the pros and cons of search vs. display ad campaigns to give you some ideas for creating your own strategy. There are valid reasons to use search advertising and display advertising—and, savvy marketers combine the two. The decision about when to choose one or the other depends on the goals you want to achieve with your advertising. Let’s dive in. Paid Search Advertising Basics Search advertising is also known as pay-per-click, or PPC advertising. It’s a simple, budget-friendly way to reach your audience. You choose specific keywords related to your business that you want to target. Then, when someone enters your keywords into a search engine, they see your text ad displayed alongside search results and click through to your website or landing page. Pros of Paid Search Advertising Campaigns are Highly-Targeted Paid search ads are focused. Campaigns can be highly targeted because they are keyword based. In addition, platforms with paid search advertising have additional settings to help you plan how and when you want your ads viewed. For instance, you can choose to show ads only on certain devices, or only show ads to people in a specific region. Results are Immediate Paid search advertising is also great if... --- ### How to Measure and Improve Employee Satisfaction as Your Business Grows > Measuring employee satisfaction can make a big difference, enabling you to continue building on what you’re doing well and to shore up any weak spots in your culture. - Published: 2019-02-27 - Modified: 2019-03-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/measure-and-improve-employee-satisfaction/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship It’s not easy to compete for talent these days. With unemployment at 4% and many big companies recruiting aggressively, small business owners need to raise their game to a whole new level to hold onto their best employees. Measuring employee satisfaction as your business grows can make a big difference, enabling you to continue building on what you’re doing well and to shore up any weak spots in your culture. Employees may be hesitant to tell you directly that they’re unhappy but might be willing to share that information anonymously through other measures, like a survey. Here are some tips on how to measure employee satisfaction and improve it as you scale up. Look at turnover. One of the most powerful measures of employee satisfaction is whether team members stick around for more than a few months. Holding onto a high percentage of your team from year to year is often a good indicator of employee happiness. What if you have high turnover? Losing people frequently doesn’t necessarily mean your team is unhappy. It depends on who you usually hire. If you’re hiring mid-career professionals and have high turnover, losing them quickly may be related to an issue in your workplace culture, since they generally don’t change jobs quickly. But if you mainly hire recent college graduates, they may still be trying to figure out what career to pursue, and their departure may simply mean they opted for another industry. You’ll have to bake that into your hiring and retention... --- ### Are Freelancers Right For Your Agency? 9 Questions to Ask Yourself First > Before your agency dives into the world of freelancers, make sure you’ve done your due diligence. - Published: 2019-02-26 - Modified: 2022-11-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/freelancers-for-agency-work/ - Categories: Agencies The freelance economy is booming. Statista estimates that over 50% of the workforce will be made up of freelancers eight years from now. With about 62 million freelancers in the U. S. alone, you can find a specialist in just about anything. Could your agency benefit from a Google ads administrator? What about a marketing automation or SEO consultant? The value of a freelancer goes beyond the power of harnessing their niche expertise. When you have a reliable stable of freelancers on call, you can free up your time for more important tasks and save money on labor and overhead. Here are nine questions to ask yourself before hiring your first (or tenth) freelancer for your agency. Does your workload fluctuate often? When work is steady, your in-house team may have no problem meeting deadlines and brainstorming creative solutions. When it’s crunch time, however, you don’t want your team to feel stressed or deadlines to go unmet. Contractors can reduce your workload when projects are rolling in one after another, and if this happens often (which most agencies hope for), it may be time to start building your virtual rolodex of reliable remote workers. Are you a very small business, or just getting started? You may already know it, but full-time and part-time employees are expensive. From salaries and taxes to benefits packages, hiring an employee is a commitment that many budding agencies can’t afford to make (yet). Bridge the budget gap with a team of freelancers. Since they’re independent... --- ### 5 Time Management Strategies for Busy Marketers > The goal of any good marketer is to deliver exceptional value, both to the customer as well as to the company, and that means making the most of your time. - Published: 2019-02-22 - Modified: 2022-10-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-time-management-strategies-marketers/ - Categories: Marketing Time management is critical to success in business, particularly for those in marketing. Marketers walk a fine line between ideation and execution. In other words, we’re expected to continuously innovate while also carrying out campaigns and strategies with the utmost efficiency. Juggling these two critical functions, along with the dozens of other daily tasks, can be quite the challenge. Thankfully, there are a few hacks to make managing your time a breeze. Examine your workload. There are plenty of tools available to help wrangle your daily schedule, but before you start downloading apps and installing software, it’s important to have a clear picture of what, exactly, you’re trying to organize. Start by using a notebook or whiteboard to jot down all of the things on your plate. Then, prioritize them in order of importance. This will serve as the blueprint for developing a more effective daily workflow. Organize recurring tasks. A busy marketer has many repetitive tasks on their to-do list. These tasks may include responsibilities such as: Checking Google Ads and Analytics Preparing for and attending/hosting meetings Developing and executing content plans Publishing blog articles Creating newsletters Monitoring social media And the list goes on. Taking a few moments to organize all of your repeat tasks and automate as much as possible will save you hours of time down the road. Use technology to create standardization. Now that you have a better idea of how you’re spending your time each day, you’re ready to start optimizing. Using technology, such... --- ### 5 Important Traits and Habits Entrepreneurs Need in 2019 > Most entrepreneurs have too many things to do and not enough time to do them. Focus on the activities that truly have an impact. - Published: 2019-02-21 - Modified: 2019-02-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/important-traits-habits-entrepreneurs/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurs need to stay on their toes this year. Dramatic political headlines, fierce competition for talent, technological changes and a host of other factors mean all of us need to raise our game. Here are five important traits and habits entrepreneurs need to succeed in 2019. Awareness Regardless of how you feel about the news media, the “low information diet” some entrepreneurs espouse will not get you very far in today’s environment. With developments such as the recent government shutdown affecting many businesses and their customers, all business owners need to know what’s going on outside the walls of their offices. Even seemingly distant developments, like the EU’s copyright regulations for digital publishers, can have a ripple effect in the U. S. , so it’s important to stay on top of what’s happening. If you’re not doing so already, set aside 10 minutes a day to keep up with current events in whatever way you prefer—reading newspapers online, watching the news on TV or listening to the radio. It’s one of the best investments you can make in keeping your business ahead of the curve. Quick reflexes Knowing about news developments will give you a head start, but to make the most of them, you’ll have to analyze them, figure out what they mean to your business and, in some cases, act on them right away. This can be overwhelming when you’re dealing with the daily realities of running a business. Going to events in your industry where you will... --- ### 5 TED Talks Your Customer Service Team Needs to Watch > Customer service is all about humanity. Nowhere will you find more humany and better advice than TED Talks. - Published: 2019-02-20 - Modified: 2022-07-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ted-talks-for-your-customer-service-team/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Customer service is all about humanity. Face-to-face, voice-to-voice, text-to-text – the best customer service agents listen to their customers’ concerns, take them to heart and try and solve their problems. The industry is, fundamentally, rooted in compassion, personality and communication. So it’s only logical that your customer service team should study their craft by watching TED Talks – lectures that don’t feel like lectures, delivered by amiable professionals with illustrative PowerPoints. 1. Steven van Belleghem: “What if customers become friends? ” https://youtu. be/l8vwJf9pyDM This one’s a no-brainer. Emphasizing customer loyalty and industry data, speaker Steven van Belleghem scrutinizes the dropping levels of customer loyalty and investigates the reasons they have for growing brand-agnostic. The problem with conventional loyalty programs, he argues, is that they aren’t really about loyalty. “This is a discount card,” he says, waving around a typical buy-10-get-one-free card. “I use it, not because I’m loyal to this company, but because it gives me a discount. ” He believes that customers can genuinely befriend companies. “What if your best friend becomes your client? ” he posits. “I think the answer is very simple: we would try harder. ” It would put our reputations at stake personally, because we’d think of customer service as more than just a job – we’d think of it as a personal commitment, something we enjoy and value. This mentality improves customer relations, obviously. And in doing so, it also keeps customers truly loyal. 2. David Bequette: “The Customer Revolution in Customer Service” https://youtu.... --- ### Why Businesses are Leaving Facebook – And Whether You Should Too > With limited ad reach and concerns about data security, small business owners around the country are asking, “Is Facebook right for my business anymore?” - Published: 2019-02-18 - Modified: 2019-02-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/why-businesses-are-leaving-facebook/ - Categories: Social Media Facebook has taken a big hit in the past year, with privacy and security concerns running rampant, but that’s nothing compared to the problems it’s caused countless small companies that focused their marketing strategies on the social media giant. Despite protests to the contrary, Mark Zuckerberg and company haven’t demonstrated much concern over data privacy. What they have done is tweak the algorithms on the site to a point where small businesses are now reaching only a tiny percentage of the customers they once did. With limited ad reach and concerns about data security, small business owners around the country are asking, “Is Facebook right for my business anymore? ” A Steep Dive in Engagement The rate of engagement with Facebook users has made a significant drop in the past 18 months. According to a study by the Pew Research Center, large numbers of Facebook users are changing their relationships with the social media site. The study found that in the past year: A little over half of adult Facebook users have adjusted their privacy settings. Over 40 percent of users have taken a break away from Facebook for several weeks or longer. About 26 percent of users have deleted the Facebook app completely from their phones. All in all, 74 percent of Facebook users have taken one or more of these steps. Perhaps even more important for small business owners looking to advertise to a younger demographic, these statistics apply to younger Facebook users at a much higher rate.... --- ### 5 Unmistakeable Benefits of Being a Solo Entrepreneur > Going at it alone might be the best fit for your goals and personality. Here are five advantages of being a solo entrepreneur. - Published: 2019-02-15 - Modified: 2019-02-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benefits-of-being-a-solo-entrepreneur/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship One of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make when starting a business is whether to go it alone or to find a partner. Creating a partnership can be a great move if you want to quickly scale the business, because you’ll both bring your talent, know-how, networks and financial resources to the endeavor. Plus, there are other benefits, like having backup if you get sick or want to go on vacation.   However, partnerships are not for everyone. As with all relationships, partnerships can be challenging -- and when you add a financial component, even more so. As a result, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons. Sometimes, a sole proprietorshipmakes more sense. Here are five benefits that going at it alone will bring. Read Jonathan's full article on Entrepreneur. --- ### 7 Tips for Nailing Your Agency's Next RFP > The moment has come: your dream client has submitted an RFP (request for proposal). Now all you have to do is win them over, close the deal, and make - Published: 2019-02-13 - Modified: 2019-03-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-tips-for-nailing-your-agencys-next-rfp/ - Categories: Agencies The moment has come: your dream client has submitted an RFP (request for proposal). Now all you have to do is win them over, close the deal, and make their dreams come true. Easy, right? Whether this is your first or thousandth RFP, there’s no denying that the proposal process is a little harrowing. Part-art and part-science, a lot of elements have to come together at the right time to turn your prospect’s consideration into a resounding “yes! ” Let’s look at seven tips for agency proposal creation that’ll help you nail your next RFP. Know how your proposal fits into your sales process. If you haven’t established a repeatable, tested sales process yet, now’s the time to do it. Creating custom proposals from scratch might’ve worked when you were a burgeoning organization, but as you grow, an established process will prevent waste and burnout. Plan your packages and pricing, know what you will and won’t do (your niche), and create a template for your proposal that includes different pre-written copy blocks that perfectly communicate your brand messaging. Make it about the client, not you. It may be nearly a reflex to hype up your agency in your proposal — sharing every award, testimonial, and data point that supports how awesome you are. And while these are nice to have, if a prospect is requesting a proposal, it’s likely that they’re already sold on your expertise. What most prospects want in a proposal is reassurance that you understand their problems... --- ### 6 Ways Your Marketing Emails Can Strike an Emotion > It’s time to put products and features aside and tap into the power of creative storytelling in your next email campaign. - Published: 2019-02-12 - Modified: 2019-02-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-emails-emotion/ - Categories: Email Marketing Emotional impact is the direct result of strong storytelling - but you’re a marketer, not a writer! Still, with a few strategies around narrative copywriting, you can craft a story that strikes a chord with your audience and compels them to convert. It’s time to put products and features aside and tap into the power of creative storytelling in your next email campaign. Then, you can put your marketing hat back on and monitor your email marketing dashboard for an uptick in open rates and click-through rates. Identify your story. Crafting emotion-provoking content is simple. You just need three simple components to create your story: A character. Something that happens to the character. A result or conclusion. Your story doesn’t have to be long. In fact, you could tell a story in one or two sentences. But it does need, at a minimum, the elements listed above. The story of how your business got started, an anecdote about home life that ties into business life, a conflict that a highly successful industry leader overcame – these are all great examples of stories that can draw in your email subscribers and keep them reading. Tell the story the way you’d tell a friend. Storytelling in email marketing is different than narrative in video, or the movies, or in a book. While other formats allow for plenty of character development, an email offers only limited time and space to get your message across. The best way to tell a story in an... --- ### 5 Tips for Better Follow-Up Calls > Good follow-up conversations can go a long way toward improved customer satisfaction and sustainable business growth. - Published: 2019-02-08 - Modified: 2019-02-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/follow-up-calls/ - Categories: Sales When it comes to nurturing leads and closing the deal, follow-up calls are a must. The way you handle those calls can make or break your chances of success. And if you mess it up enough times, your business will inevitably start to suffer as a result. To improve your odds and make your follow-up calls as effective as possible, here are a few tried-and-true strategies to employ. Schedule your calls. You’re busy. Chances are, the person you’re trying to connect with is as well. Save yourself some time and get the most out of your phone communications by scheduling your follow-up calls in advance. That way you’ll both be ready and there won’t be the need for phone tag. Obviously, there will be exceptions to the rule. An angry customer, for instance, might expect a call back right away. Just use your best judgment. Be prepared. Regardless of how good you may be at thinking on your feet, it’s always best to come to the table prepared in advance of the call. This is especially true if you're following up on a complaint or inquiry. If you stumble over your words or sound confused, you could come across as incompetent or unprofessional. And if you don’t plan ahead, you may end up having to follow up a second time. Do some prep work beforehand so you don’t waste their time or yours. Ask the right questions. The questions you ask, as well as the ones you don’t ask, can... --- ### How to Identify Agency Partners That Align With Your Business Goals > Not every agency partner will be a fit for your business. Use these factors to find the right one for your marketing needs. - Published: 2019-02-07 - Modified: 2022-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/identify-agency-partners/ - Categories: Agencies As entrepreneurs, we learn to be resourceful — but no business owner can do it all alone. Whether big or small, at some point you’ll probably need help from partners who have expertise you lack — or who can help you offload work that’s piling up on your desk. Sometimes, you may need help from a team. In that case, you may need to turn to an agency that has a specific expertise, like social media, advertising or buying Facebook advertising. Here’s how to find the right agency partners. Look for similar values. If you’re looking for a marketing firm or other creative services, an agency partnership will be most productive if you’re both on the same page, in terms of the types of messaging you think is appropriate. A marketing agency known for edgy, in-your-face campaigns may be great for you if you’re a B2C brand or run an L. A. fashion line for example, but it may not be a good fit for you if you’re an enterprise B2B software company trying to fill the sales funnel. Sometimes, it’s not obvious what type of work an agency specializes in from its website, especially in the case of smaller agencies that don’t work for famous brands. Before you meet with any agency, follow it on social media, look at the advertising it does for its own company and ask to see the campaigns of some of the other customers it serves. The better you know the agency’s “voice,” the... --- ### 5 Signs Your Employer Brand Could Use an Overhaul > In today’s congested business landscape, brand is everything. It’s what represents the promises you’ve made to your customers. But what many business - Published: 2019-02-06 - Modified: 2019-02-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employer-brand/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship In today’s congested business landscape, brand is everything. It’s what represents the promises you’ve made to your customers. But what many business leaders forget is how the brand promise also impacts employees. In fact, your employer brand can begin to create expectations in your employees before they even become your employees. Your ability to attract, recruit and retain top talent can either be bolstered or hindered by your brand. How can you know if your brand is in trouble? Here are five red flags to look for. Difficulty Recruiting Quality Candidates In a job market where there are more open positions than there are employees to fill them, it’s especially important to have a strong, positive employer brand. When candidates have their pick of opportunities, they have the luxury of being choosy. If you’ve noticed that your job openings aren’t attracting much attention or the quality of your candidates is declining, it could be due to a poor brand image. What information are applicants finding about your company when they do their research? Low Employee Engagement A dip in employee engagement levels could be a sign that your brand isn’t living up to its promises. While your employees may not raise their hand to tell you they are not engaged, your turnover rate is a strong indicator of engagement. In fact, employee turnover among millennials - the leaders of tomorrow - costs the U. S. economy $30. 5 billion annually (Gallup) Not only does high turnover mean you have to... --- ### Why You Should Do a Content Refresh Right Now > Looking for a way to dramatically up your content marketing game without adding a single item to your editorial calendar? The answer is a content refresh. - Published: 2019-02-05 - Modified: 2019-02-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-refresh/ - Categories: Content Marketing Looking for a way to dramatically “up” your content marketing game without adding a single item to your editorial calendar? The answer is a content refresh, and here are three reasons why you should do it: To get results without having to spend extra money. To show you keep up with news and changes in your industry. To keep your best content at the top of Google’s search results. What Is a “Content Refresh? ” A content refresh is a deep edit of your existing web content -- from articles and web pages to FAQs and guidebooks. It may involve capturing new quotes from experts and weaving them into an old article, or it may be more comprehensive, like changing the angle of a piece or reworking it into an audio or video piece. A content refresh doesn’t mean completely gutting your old stuff to make way for the new. After all, this could be detrimental if search ranking is important to your strategy. Instead, think of a content refresh as a light home improvement project: when the paint is peeling, you don’t tear down the whole wall – you just repaint it. By maintaining and improving your digital content, you’re essentially building your site’s equity, and guaranteeing that everything a reader stumbles upon will be interesting, well-crafted, and relevant to what’s going on today. Prioritizing Content for a Refresh The web content you choose to update depends largely on your content marketing goals. If you generate a lot of... --- ### 5 Top Agency Blogs You Should Be Reading > Regardless of how much experience you and your employees have, there’s always someone out there who can teach you something new. - Published: 2019-02-01 - Modified: 2022-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-agency-blogs/ - Categories: Agencies Regardless of how much experience you and your employees have, there’s always someone out there who can teach you something new. While some marketers try to project an air of being at the top of their game, the smart ones know that there’s always room to learn new things if they want to stay competitive. Fortunately, the modern world gives us plenty of ways to learn new skills and pick up new information. One great way to learn is by following the blogs put out by major agencies and content creators. With so many options out there, though, which blogs should you be reading? We’ve handpicked five that we think deserve a place on your reading list as you work to grow your agency in 2019. Leo Burnett Worldwide If you’re looking for pedigree, look no further than Leo Burnett. The agency was founded in 1935, and in 2002 it was acquired by Publicis Groupe, the world’s oldest agency holding group and one of the biggest agency networks on the planet. Leo Burnett’s clients are the biggest of the big, and the company’s blog distills the wisdom of working with so many giants in a way that’s instantly relatable no matter your agency’s size. In fact, if you could only read one agency blog then Leo Burnett would probably be the one to choose. The blog covers so many topics that you’ll find a little bit of everything in its archives. More importantly, it gives you insight into the mindset... --- ### 5 Things To Do The First Day You Start a Business > If you take things step by step, it’ll be easy to get off to a running start. Here are five things to do on your first day in business. - Published: 2019-01-31 - Modified: 2023-01-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/start-a-business/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Starting a business may be the most important career and financial decision you ever make, and many people are succeeding at it. Four out of five firms that started in 2016 survived into 2017, according to the U. S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, and about half of all businesses make it through the first five years or longer. The steps you take early in your business can have a big impact on your success. Many people feel overwhelmed on the first day, they don’t know where to begin. Fortunately, if you take things step by step, it’ll be easy to get off to a running start. Here are five things to do on your first day in business. 1. Take time to plan. Starting a business without a plan is like walking into a maze blindfolded: You won’t know what to do next. Sit down for a few minutes to write down how you will spend your time this week before you plunge ahead with projects. It will bring structure to your days, so you don’t feel lost. You’ve probably already decided on the purpose of your business and given some thought to what major steps will be necessary to get to where you want to go. Now it’s time to break down those big goals into manageable tasks that you can accomplish on your existing budget. Take 15 minutes to write down the single most important thing you need to accomplish this week to move yourself toward... --- ### Should You Try Google’s Responsive Search Ads? > Google’s machine learning powers their new responsive search ads. This means that customer searches can have more efficient responses when advertisers - Published: 2019-01-30 - Modified: 2019-01-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-responsive-search-ads/ - Categories: Lead Generation Google’s machine learning powers their new responsive search ads. This means that customer searches can have more efficient responses when advertisers create ads that match search ideals. All advertisers should have access in the next few months, as responsive search ads are currently in beta. (Contact your Google representative to be added to the beta. ) But should you try Google’s new responsive search ads? In this article, you’ll learn more about this new option so you can make an informed decision. What are responsive search ads? Responsive search ads are Google’s largest and most adaptable search ad format to date. Previously, ads were composed with headlines and descriptions coming together to make one static ad text. With responsive search ads, you can create up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions that can be arranged in tens of thousands of different ways. Testing possibilities are nearly endless. As Google tests different sequences of headlines and descriptions, it learns which achieves optimal performance. And as time goes on, responsive search ads provide the best information to searchers — dependent upon keyword search, device, and browsing history. This is a huge potential boon to digital marketers in every industry. Here are some of the main things to expect with this rollout. Everything’s bigger Google’s new system can show as many as three 30-character headlines, up to two 90-character descriptions, and URL with two 15 character path fields. In contrast to even expanded text ads, that’s one more description with 10 extra characters... --- ### 10 Best Adobe Creative Cloud Resources for Beginners > Adobe Creative Cloud is the cornerstone of any creative person’s digital toolkit. It’s the gold standard in professional design software. - Published: 2019-01-28 - Modified: 2019-01-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-best-adobe-creative-cloud-resources-for-beginners/ - Categories: Marketing Adobe Creative Cloud is the cornerstone of any creative person’s digital toolkit. It’s powerful, versatile, and the gold standard in professional design software. It’s also extremely confusing for first-timers. If you’ve just purchased your Creative Cloud membership, you may be feeling overwhelmed by the reality of the possibilities. And while Adobe does offer some guidance through their website and within individual apps, it may not be enough for everyone. Rather than Googling your way through each question or problem as you face it, check out some of the best Adobe CC learning resources for beginners below – and gain the expertise you need to start creating within days. Adobe Training Cost: Varies Here’s the info you need, straight from the source. The Adobe Training hub connects you with eLearning, in-person training and workshops, and national events to give you essential information about the suite. Terry White’s YouTube Channel Cost: Free Terry White is a tech reviewer and Adobe Creative Cloud evangelist. On his channel, find the “Creative Cloud Learning Center,” a playlist of high-quality tutorial videos on Photoshop CC, Illustrator CC, Adobe Dimension, Lightroom, and many more. Terry offers helpful Q&As and insider tips on using resources like Adobe Stock in a down-to-earth tone that his subscribers (and live event trainees) all love. Adobe YouTube Channel Cost: Free Adobe has a YouTube channel for the visual learners out there, and with around a half a million subscribers, it’s the place to be for all things CC. Use their “Getting Started”... --- ### 10 Free Team Building Activities Worth Your Time > With the right activity and a positive attitude (bear with us), team building activities can actually improve your workplace morale and tighten your team. - Published: 2019-01-25 - Modified: 2019-01-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/team-building-activities/ - Categories: Leadership We know. It’s almost impossible to read – let alone type – the phrase “team building activities” without rolling your eyes. They can lead to awkward interactions at the best of times and bad memories at the worst. But there is a better way. With the right activity and a positive attitude (bear with us), team building activities can actually improve your workplace morale and tighten your team. In fact, numerous high-profile companies, including Google, Zapier and Buffer, all prioritize employee happiness and company retreats. “Leaders need to allow for the creation of an emotional safety net to develop within their teams,” Shawn Stratton wrote about Google’s team building. “One way to create this environment is to carve out time for people to actually share their feelings and not just updates on the latest reports or budget numbers. ” There’s logic behind the hollowed-out phrase that is “team building. ” So if you want to dive into the team building spirit — and spend as little money as possible — here are 10 ways to do it right while also not torturing your team. Tackle a Trivia Night Not every employee may be a trivia aficionado, but everyone knows... well, something. Find a trivia night and take your team out. It’s a good environment for people with different knowledge sets to prove what otherwise useless facts they’ve got hiding in their noggins, and often leads to surprising team members with their trivia prowess in some field or another. Sell an... --- ### 5 Critical Management Skills for Running a Killer Team > By practicing these five critical management skills, you'll better be able to manage your team and ultimately your organization as a whole. - Published: 2019-01-22 - Modified: 2019-01-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/management-skills/ - Categories: Leadership As a leader, it’s your job to help those who report to you succeed and achieve their goals. But being a great leader isn’t something that is necessarily ingrained in everyone. In fact, for most of us, leadership is just like any other skill – it has to be learned and developed over time. If you’re not among the lucky few who are natural-born leaders, here are five critical skills you’ll want to add to your toolbox in order to help guide your team in the right direction. Dedication Think about great leaders in the military. One of the biggest things that makes them so effective is their loyalty to their troops and their willingness to do whatever it takes to protect them. That same concept can be applied in the workplace to a lesser degree. When your direct reports know they can trust you and that you’ll always have their back, they’ll repay you with fierce loyalty and their best effort. Flexibility Even the smartest people in the world make mistakes from time to time. What separates a good leader from a great one is the willingness to admit when they’re wrong and change their course accordingly. Having too much pride and being too stubborn to change your mind won’t win over the hearts and minds of your team. To the contrary, being human and showing vulnerability every now and then will earn you respect, which will get you much further in the long run. Empathy This one may... --- ### Introduction to Google Search Console > If you're trying to drive new and repeat visitors to your website, Google Search Console is the hidden treasure that your business needs. - Published: 2019-01-21 - Modified: 2019-01-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/intro-to-google-search-console/ - Categories: Marketing If your site’s performance on Google search results pages were the Wizard of Oz, Google Search Console would be what’s behind the curtain. Put simply, Google Search Console is a data-driven hub for information about your website’s health, mobile friendliness, ranking search terms, and more. When used in tandem with Google Search Analytics, you’ll be able to make better decisions for your site content and search optimization. Here are just a few of the things you can do with this powerful set of tools: Discover which keywords you’re ranking (or not ranking) for. See which pages are getting the most clicks, which ones are turning up in top positions in search results (SERPs), which terms are generating the most impressions, and the CPC for different keywords. Identify and fix technical errors. Google Search Console notifies you when pages can’t be indexed or may have other technical issues. Make your pages searchable, faster. When you submit URLs for indexing in the URL Inspector (what used to be called “Fetch as Google”) Google crawls your new pages immediately – meaning they’ll be available in search results faster. Get a big-picture view of key site stats like your average click-through rate, impressions and average position. See which external sites are linking to yours, which of your own pages you use for internal links, and which keyphrases external sites are using in their anchor text when linking to you. With all that said, Google Search Console can be a bit complicated at first glance,... --- ### 6 Ways to Help Your Sales Team Be Aggressive but Not Pushy > How can they reconcile these two seemingly incongruous traits: the aggressive sale without the uncomfortable pushiness? - Published: 2019-01-18 - Modified: 2022-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-team-tips/ - Categories: Sales Nobody likes a pushy salesperson. All too often, you hear the common complaints from customers: “They didn’t listen to me, they just talked at me,” or “I felt uncomfortable, so I just left. ” Over email and the phone – the domain of modern sales teams – it’s even easier to abruptly end an interaction whenever you feel put off. But this, of course, is antithetical to the goal of sales teams. They need to be aggressive. They need to sell. How can they reconcile these two seemingly incongruous traits: the aggressive sale without the uncomfortable pushiness? 1. Take your time. There’s no need to rush into a sales pitch. Many salespeople rush into the pitch the way most news articles rush into the lede, and the logic is similar: cram all the important information in as soon as possible, because you won’t have people’s attention for long. The problem is, that method doesn’t always work – especially in sales, and especially with human interactions. It’s important to make people feel comfortable. That doesn’t just mean chitchat: a smooth introduction and discovery of their own needs, really hearing them out, would better precede the actual pitch. 2. Create a time limit – but reassure them this isn’t the end. There usually is a time limit on offers, so this isn’t unusual. You see it all the time in marketing promotions: “Our biggest sale of the season, only 24 hours! ” If your customer is on the fence, a gentle time... --- ### An Eye on the Future: How to Hire Employees for Your Startup > The more you put into planning and process, the better your job candidates can align their careers with your business’s mission, vision, and values. - Published: 2019-01-17 - Modified: 2019-01-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hire-good-employees-for-your-startup/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship What makes the difference between a successful startup and a failed venture? A quick round-up of statistics found that significant numbers of startups have trouble with funding, with 38 percent of startups failing to raise more capital after the first round. Those who self-fund face a steep learning curve in decision-making, such as how to compete in an industry, when to scale their business, and how to structure their organization. In this light, hiring employees for your startup is one of the most important decisions you can make. In his book, The Employee Experience Advantage, Jacob Morgan did a careful review of several major organizations with support from Cisco and Lever. In this research, he focused on three considerations that impacted the people in an organization: cultural, technological, and physical. Of the 250 organizations he analyzed, only 6% were investing in all three areas and going all in for their people. Morgan writes: Compared with the other companies I studied, those that invested most heavily in employee experience were included 28 times as often among Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, 11. 5 times as often in Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work, 2. 1 times as often in Forbes’s list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies, 4. 4 times as often in LinkedIn’s list of North America’s Most In-Demand Employers, and twice as often in the American Customer Satisfaction Index... ... the experiential organizations had more than four times the average profit and more than two times the average revenue. They... --- ### 8 CRM Stats That Will Help You Get Company Buy-In > It’s a no-brainer that a good customer relationship management (CRM) software can redefine your business. It boosts efficiency, saves money, improves your - Published: 2019-01-16 - Modified: 2022-11-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-stats-to-get-company-buy-in/ - Categories: CRM It’s a no-brainer that a good customer relationship management (CRM) software can redefine your business. It boosts efficiency, saves money, improves your customer relationships and makes employees’ lives infinitely easier. But by how much, exactly, does it do all that? Making vague, sweeping promises (like, uh, the ones I just did) can be heartening – to a point. Eventually, you need to drill down to the numbers and understand exactly how much, on average, shifting to CRM software will save you. You need statistics to get company buy-in, and we’re here to help. To start at the most important: what’s the ROI? It’s always a fuzzy area, but according to a 2014 report by Nucleus Research, CRM software earns companies $8. 71 for every dollar spent. That’s actually an increase from Nucleus’ 2011 report, which found companies earned $5. 60 for every dollar spent on CRM, indicating that the value of CRM has increased over time. That’s likely because the software has continued to upgrade, emphasizing sweeping integrations and smarter segregation tools. We expect the number will increase even more in the future. Implementing CRM software can increase sales by up to 29 percent, according to a 2013 report by Salesforce. It can also increase productivity by 34 percent and forecast accuracy by 42 percent. That impact is contingent on combining your CRM with benefits such as marketing and sales automation, not to mention any number of integrations, such as account management and social media. Image credit: Salesforce Wondering what’s... --- ### The 22 Best Wordpress Themes of 2018 > You don’t have to hire an expensive programmer, or spend hours learning code, to create a unique website with a gorgeous page layout. - Published: 2019-01-15 - Modified: 2019-01-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-wordpress-themes-2018/ - Categories: Marketing Your website is one of the most versatile, and powerful, tools in your marketing arsenal for several reasons: It’s a validation tool, showing prospects and customers that you’re a legitimate business with a good reputation. It’s a sales tool: a place where anyone can go to engage with your brand and connect with your sales team (or make a purchase). You own it. Unlike third-party platforms like social media or industry review sites, anything you publish on your site is yours, meaning you get to choose exactly how and when you interact with and sell to your customers. If you’re doing business in 2018 and beyond, it’s no longer enough to simply have a web presence: your site also has to be good. Outdated website designs, or sites that aren’t mobile-friendly, will frustrate your prospects and leave a negative impression of your business. But you don’t have to hire an expensive programmer, or spend hours learning code, to create a unique website with a gorgeous page layout. With a Wordpress theme, you can download a pre-designed page template and customize the copy and images using a drag-and-drop page builder. Here are our picks for the 22 best free and premium Wordpress themes of 2018 to give your website a makeover that’s sure to result in increased sales. Image courtesy of StudioPress Monochrome Pro Monochrome Pro claims to “crush minimal design,” and we think it does. It’s a mobile-optimized theme with stylish blocks and customizable colors and settings – plus an... --- ### 7 2019 Tech Trends to Take Note of > With 2019 comes another year of technology innovations for business, and we have a lot to look forward to. - Published: 2019-01-11 - Modified: 2019-01-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/2019-tech-trends/ Neophiliacs unite: with 2019 comes another year of technology innovations for business, and we have a lot to look forward to. We’ve rounded up the seven of the more promising technology trends we’ll be seeing in the new year and how you can use them to do better marketing and better business. Chatbots According to Forbes, the global chatbot market is seeing a massive annual growth rate (24. 3%). In addition to Facebook’s built-in chatbot, there are plenty of vendors offering build-your-own chatbot solutions for your website, giving you complete control over how and when your bot interacts with your customers. How to use it: If your business is the type that handles a lot of routine questions from website or Facebook visitors, a chatbot can save you serious time and money -- while also answering your customers’ questions faster and more accurately. If you don’t do business with the mass market, or if your product or solution is complex, a chatbot might not be the most effective customer service tool. Marketing Personalization Though GDPR and recent data scandals may have been a setback for some advertisers, there is still more data than ever that we can capture from our customers and prospects. The trick is harnessing this data and using it to improve your clients’ lives -- whether by sending the perfect email that speaks to their most immediate challenge, a highly customized offer by mail, or a direct message on social media that refers to a topic they’ve... --- ### Our Favorite Marketing Trends of 2018 (and What We're Looking Forward to in 2019) > At the start of a new year, it’s important to look back on the trends of 2018 to see which ones were truly the best of the best. - Published: 2019-01-10 - Modified: 2019-01-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-trends-2018/ - Categories: Marketing Marketing is a living industry, quickly adapting to changes in the business world and the ways that we communicate. The best marketers stay on top of the various marketing trends that emerge each year, learning from the best and finding better alternatives to the rest. Being able to tell the difference between positive trends and soon-to-pass fads is one of the top skills that a marketer can have. At the start of a new year, it’s important to look back on the trends of 2018 to see which ones were truly the best of the best. At the same time, it’s also a good opportunity to look at the year to come and see what might be headed our way. With that in mind, here were some of our favorite marketing trends of 2018 and a few things we think will be big in the coming year. Influencer Marketing Influencers and brand ambassadors have been big in marketing for a while, but they really reached new heights in 2018. Companies large and small started to realize just how much of an impact good influencers could really have, and started putting more money into so-called “micro influencers. ” These are the people who aren’t celebrities but who have a small-to-moderate following (generally 1,000 to 4,000 followers). Even big brands like Macy’s are embracing brand ambassadors with smaller audiences. In 2018 Macy’s rolled out a successful influencer program that harnessed the brand power of their employee base. Through the Macy’s Style Crew,... --- ### 7 Tips for Setting Your Marketing Agency Up For Success in 2019 > It doesn’t matter if you’re a year-end planner or procrastinator; here are some things that will help set your marketing agency up for success in 2019. - Published: 2019-01-08 - Modified: 2019-01-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/setting-your-marketing-agency-up-for-success-in-2019/ - Categories: Agencies It’s a new year, ripe with possibilities for your growing marketing agency. For many, January is the time to kick off your detailed growth plan and put it into action – the plan you might have spent all of December fine-tuning. For the “winging it” types, the end of the year may mean deadlines and endless client work (i. e. , business as usual). It doesn’t matter if you’re more of a year-end planner or procrastinator; here are some things we can all agree will help set your agency up for success in 2019. #1: Update your sales and marketing platform. If you don’t have a CRM or sales platform to manage leads and customers, you’ll need one in place before you can really commit to growing business. Even if you’re a boutique agency with only a handful of clients at a time, an all-in-one sales and marketing CRM will keep your industry contacts and leads organized while making it easy to provide top-notch customer service. Plus, having a complete CRM and campaign automation tool is an immense value-add in the eyes of your clients. It’s one less thing for them to manage, and your familiarity with one platform will make you that much better at drumming up killer email campaigns. #2: Organize and segment your industry contacts. If growth is on the top of your agency’s to-do list, you’ll have to organize your current contacts and establish a system for categorizing new ones. In your CRM, segment your contacts... --- ### The 2019 Guide to Top-Quality Content > The more relevant, top-quality content you create, the greater the likelihood of you being seen by the right people and sought out when you’re needed. - Published: 2019-01-07 - Modified: 2019-01-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guide-to-top-quality-content/ - Categories: Content Marketing When you’re passionate about your business, it’s hard not to talk about it, right? Chances are, you’re thrilled to be able to do what you do best — and what you love — each and every day. You get the flexibility of calling the shots, the privilege of working with a small team, and the connection with your origin story. And all of these benefits give you a huge advantage in terms of creating quality content. The secret to creating top-quality content is to be memorable. To connect with readers or viewers, and thereby make a lasting impression. In the modern digital age where “content” can be created by anyone with a digital device and an internet connection, saturation is high. Schedules are packed, time has become even more valuable, and your audience doesn’t want to waste theirs consuming uninformative marketing speak. If you spend your time creating “marketing material disguised as value,” not only will you bore your audience — you’ll be on their mental blacklist. To make a lasting (and positive) impression in 2019, your content must be authentic, transparent and valuable. What is Valuable Content? Quality content isn’t about selling your products or promoting your company. Instead, quality content provides some sort of value to your audience -- for example, through education or entertainment. Giving value positions you and your team as industry or niche experts, which boosts your KLT factor (know, like, and trust). Content that’s informative, entertaining, and absolutely authentic allows your audience to start... --- ### 4 Simple Steps for Establishing Your Business’s 2019 Goals > In business, execution is everything. Setting the right goals and tracking your progress in meeting them can help you get more. - Published: 2019-01-04 - Modified: 2019-01-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/establishing-2019-business-goals/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Many of us look at the New Year as the time to set personal resolutions, but it’s also a great moment to embrace new goals at our businesses, too. Setting goals—and meeting them—can be a powerful motivator as you grow your business. Here’s how to put yours in place for 2019. Get ready. Making a conscious effort to look at your business with fresh eyes can help you think bigger. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut if you let past performance dictate future expectations. Take a look at your effectiveness as a leader and of the overall performance of your business as objectively as you can. To choose the right goals, it helps to identify areas where there are opportunities for growth and improvement. When it comes to your role at work and your actual business, ask yourself these questions. Did you demonstrate any growth in 2018? Did you see enough growth? With an eye on building a stronger business, how would you prioritize your areas for improvement? What resources do you need to move ahead? Let’s say 2018 was the first year you added employees and you had to learn how to lead them. When looking how you did as a leader, you might look at: Your success in coaching employees. Did you learn how to coach your team in a way that led to great business results and helped you build a strong culture? What your office culture was like. Did people seem happy to come... --- ### How to Build Your Small Business Email List Like the Big Guys > Attracting subscribers to your small business email list takes a combination of great creative, marketing prowess, technical know-how, and a dash of luck. - Published: 2019-01-03 - Modified: 2023-03-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-email-list/ - Categories: Email Marketing Attracting subscribers to your small business email list takes a combination of great creative, marketing prowess, technical know-how, and a dash of luck. Still, you can take all of these steps and not get the results you’re hoping for. It may leave you wondering how the big companies do it – how do corporations grow their email lists to tens of thousands of eager subscribers? Before we offer up some suggestions you can start using right away, there’s one essential point to consider upfront. Lots of small businesses talk about wanting more subscribers, contacts, and customers – but your product or service isn’t for all seven billion of the world’s residents. Rather than focusing on email capture as a broad numbers game, look at it strategically. You’ve likely heard the adage that 20% of your customer base is responsible for 80% of your revenue, and this is close to the truth for most small businesses. This means that you’re far better off collecting a few email addresses from perfect prospects than hundreds of lukewarm prospects. Even big corporations don’t target everyone in their email campaigns. They send emails automatically on a schedule, but they’re also very judicious about who those emails go to. The email addresses they collect are high quality, and they use powerful tools to keep them that way. With that in mind, let’s walk through the steps you can take right now to start growing your email list. 1. Establish your email marketing goals. An email list... --- ### 4 Killer Closing Strategies to Skyrocket Sales > Whether you’re a sales newbie or you’re just looking for ways to up your game and improve your results, check out these four proven closing strategies. - Published: 2019-01-02 - Modified: 2019-01-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/closing-strategies-to-skyrocket-sales/ - Categories: Sales The ability to successfully close deals can make or break your career in sales. Fail, and all of the hard work you put in leading up to that moment was for naught. That’s why choosing the right strategy is so important. Whether you’re a sales newbie or you’re just looking for some ways to up your game and improve your results, check out these four proven closing techniques and give them a try. The FOMO Technique Fear of missing out (FOMO) is something most of us have experienced at some point in our lives. This is why creating a sense of urgency can be such an effective sales strategy. The goal is to trigger an immediate response in your target audience, prompting them to take action right away rather than waiting (and probably never actually making a purchase. ) Some examples of how a salesperson can leverage the FOMO technique include saying things like: This is the last one available at this special price. We’re offering a 25% discount for new customers that sign up today only. If you commit to signing up now, I can fast-track your implementation. The ‘Up the Ante’ Technique Prospects routinely ask for things like additional discounts or product add-ons because they know they have the upper hand. You can plan for this in advance by seeking approval and getting the green-light for certain offers. The trick here is to make your offer conditional. For example, if the prospect asks for a lower price, you... --- ### Year in Review: The Top 5 Hatchbuck Blog Posts of 2018 > Don't miss our 2018 list of the most popular articles from the BenchmarkONE blog. See you next year! - Published: 2018-12-31 - Modified: 2018-12-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/2018-year-in-review/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News As we round out another fantastic year in Hatchbuckland, we can’t help but reflect on everything that happened in 2018. We got named to lots of top lists like this one from TrustRadius. And this one from G2 Crowd. We released new sales and marketing dashboards. We expanded our partnership with Zapier through a new two-way API integration. We moved into a sweet new office. We completely revamped our educational course for Hatchbuck Partners. (Learn more about the program here. ) We helped Loaves & Fishes for St. Louis feed over 300 families for Thanksgiving. We hit 25,000+ loyal followers on Twitter. We published 250 blog posts. We could share so much more about 2018, but that’s enough about us. As we looked back on the year, we sorted through the 250 blog posts we published to see what you loved and to help us plan our editorial calendar for next year. So if your New Year’s resolution is anything like ours, and your goal is to never stop learning, you’re in luck. We’re here to share the top five most popular blog posts of the year in case you missed them. And we pinky promise to keep publishing educational, actionable, interesting content on the Hatchbuck blog in 2019 and beyond. Cheers! The 14 Best Landing Page Builders of 2018 There are loads of statistics on the value of landing pages and why they’re so vital to business growth. And because our platform doesn’t include a landing page builder (don’t... --- ### The True Cost of a Bad Hire (and How You Can Avoid Them) > By employing these tips, you can improve your chances of getting it right the first time, every time, and save your company from the high cost of bad hires. - Published: 2018-12-28 - Modified: 2018-12-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-true-cost-of-a-bad-hire/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship There comes a time in just about every hiring manager’s career when, despite their most valiant efforts, a bad hire manages to slip through the cracks. According to Brandon Hall Group, some 95 percent of employers make a hiring mistake each and every year. Making a poor hiring decision can cost a lot more in the long run than just the headache of dealing with a bad employee. In fact, with the US Department of Labor putting the price of a bad hire at around 30% of the employee’s first year’s earnings, the financial implications alone can run anywhere from several hundred to tens of thousands of dollars. To counteract this, some companies – like the popular shoe brand Zappos – even offer separation bonuses so that, in the event that a new hire doesn’t work out, they can cut their losses and mitigate financial impact on their bottom line. Hopefully, separation bonuses won’t have to be something your company has to implement, but it’s important to have a clear understanding of exactly what impact a poor hiring choice can have. Knowing this can help make the importance of hiring right the first time even more of a priority. Additionally, taking a few proactive measures, such as those listed below, can help improve your odds of hiring right. Mastering the Interview Process One of the easiest ways to reduce the risk associated with hiring the wrong candidates is to improve the interview processes. In fact, according to the Brandon Hall... --- ### 7 Best Email Marketing Tools for Agencies > Whether your email marketing process is sophisticated or not, you’ll likely need tools to help you. Choosing the right one is tricky. - Published: 2018-12-27 - Modified: 2022-09-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-email-marketing-tools-for-agencies/ - Categories: Agencies Email marketing is still, after all of these years, one of the most successful digital marketing tactics you can offer as an agency. In one study, email was reported to have an average ROI of an incredible 3,800 percent. Whether your email marketing campaign process is sophisticated or burgeoning, you’ll likely need a series of tools (or one comprehensive solution) to help you. Choosing the right one is a bit tricky, however. You’ll have different requirements if your agency offers email marketing as part of its broader services, versus if you specialize in the discipline. You’ll also find different products with strengths and weaknesses in specific areas, like: Creating email templates Integrating your CRM and sales data Sending automated emails or drip campaigns Managing multiple clients’ email campaigns Syncing contact information with social media Beyond that, if you offer email marketing services to your clients, you may also be looking for a vendor that allows you to rebrand their tool as your own – and include the price of software in your packages so you can profit on each campaign. Here are our top picks for email marketing software for agencies in 2019, to help both you and your clients boost the bottom line. Image courtesy of Benchmark Benchmark Here’s one of the most elegant email marketing automation tools out there. If design, interactivity, and responsiveness are essential to your campaign, Benchmark is a great solution. Key features: Intuitive template-builder Live editor, so you can see changes to your design... --- ### 8 Tips for Automating Your New Customer Onboarding Experience with BenchmarkONE > One of the best ways to ensure that nothing slips between the cracks is to use BenchmarkONE to automate new client onboarding. - Published: 2018-12-26 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/automating-customer-onboarding-with-hatchbuck/ - Categories: Marketing Automation When does your customer get the first impression of your business? We often think of our marketing at this moment, or maybe a customer’s first few engagements with a sales team. The truth is, the real impression begins after a client has decided to do business with you. This is the moment you either meet, exceed, or fail to live up to your new customer’s expectations. Customer onboarding is the first impression that really counts. If you get it right, you may reduce churn and cultivate raving fans who bring in future business. We want to help you get it right. One of the best ways to ensure that nothing slips between the cracks is to use BenchmarkONE to automate new client onboarding. Here are eight tips for automating the customer onboarding process so you can spend your valuable time on what you’re best at. Use Zapier to connect BenchmarkONE to your other tools. When your customers sign up, where does their contact information go? In order to onboard your customers (and nurture them continually), you’ll have to keep their contact information organized in BenchmarkONE. But instead of manually putting your customers’ contact info into your CRM, why not automate it? Zapier connects with thousands of other apps to move data from all over the web into BenchmarkONE, so you can have a complete picture of your customer base. Use a pre-built campaign template. Your client onboarding experience likely has some kind of welcome email or package. Use Hatchbuck’s pre-built... --- ### The Pros and Cons of Attending Marketing Conferences > Weigh the pros and cons to decide whether attending a marketing conference is the right choice for you, and go in with a plan to maximize the insights and connections you make. - Published: 2018-12-24 - Modified: 2018-12-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/pros-and-cons-marketing-conferences/ - Categories: Marketing Professional conferences -- especially marketing conferences -- can be a great place to learn, connect with industry peers and get up to speed on the latest tech tools. But it can be all too easy to jump onboard, visit a bunch of seminars, share a cocktail (or two) with industry leaders, take stacks of notes... and return home-only to go back to business as usual. With most marketing departments stretched thin, how can you decide if marketing conferences are a good idea for your team to attend? One way to learn whether a marketing conference will benefit you or your group is to make a list of pros and cons of attending marketing conferences to assure that your money is being well spent. After all, even a high-energy conference may leave you with a sour feeling if it doesn’t result in any tangible ROI. A Few Drawbacks of Marketing Conferences Let’s start off with the bad news first. These drawbacks may not be immediately obvious, so here’s some food for thought: Productivity Loss Conferences typically last 2 to 4 days, so you’ll want to get your money’s worth, for sure. But you’ll have to think about how many total days you will be out of office. Add in travel distance and time, as well as exhaustion from travel, especially in different time zones. A 3-day conference can easily turn into a 5-day time loss. Consider whether the attendees will work while attending the conference as well. Are there clients or... --- ### Free UX Tools To Help You Design a Better Marketing Experience > User experience (UX) design is complicated. So complicated, in fact, that there are entire job roles dedicated to it. But you don’t have to have a degree - Published: 2018-12-21 - Modified: 2022-08-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/free-ux-tools-to-help-you-design-a-better-marketing-experience/ - Categories: Marketing User experience (UX) design is complicated. So complicated, in fact, that there are entire job roles dedicated to it. But you don’t have to have a degree in UX design to know what it is – or understand its importance. If you’ve spent any time online, you have probably been on the receiving end of a bad user experience in your lifetime. Think back: it’s the website with the popup that doesn’t display properly on mobile. Or the opt-in that never sends a confirmation email as promised. Or the email marketing campaign that pummeled you with too much content until you had no choice but to unsubscribe. Understandably, you don’t want your customers to have experiences like these when they engage with your business. You want to be consistent and effective. This requires a lot of planning and coordination with internal team members, freelancers, and outside consultants. Here are several free tools that will help you and your team create a better marketing experience for your customers. Wireframing and Prototyping A quick and agile wireframing tool is a must-have for UI UX designers and savvy marketers. If you’ve ever had an idea for a website, landing page, or software interface and struggled to communicate it to a team member, a prototyping tool can help. Balsamiq is a leading wireframing tool with a drag-and-drop interface that offers a full 30 days free before you pick a subscription plan (which starts at $9/month). For teams that do a lot of wireframing and... --- ### 6 December Tasks to Get Your Business Humming in January > Every business is a little different, but here are the six tasks we believe you should prioritize now so that your business runs smoothly in the new year. - Published: 2018-12-20 - Modified: 2018-12-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/december-tasks-for-productive-january/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship The holidays: time for great food, cozy fireplace memories, and nerve-wracking last-minute existential business crises. Year-end planning is essential for small businesses, but as soon as the responsibilities of service delivery, administrative tasks, and marketing start to fall on you, December suddenly feels like it’s only a week long. How can you determine what’s essential to do now, and what needs to wait until later? Every business is a little different, but here are the six tasks we believe you should prioritize now so that your business runs smoothly after the champagne runs out and the new calendar goes up. #1: Get out of the office and give. Charitable contributions of time or money are not just a good idea for the tax benefits, they also boost the wellbeing of your business and your team. Giving requires you to slow down and shake off the frenzy of busy SMB life. It’s good for your employees and your bottom line, too. Doing work in your community and donating your time and money gives your organization publicity, which can lead to new opportunities in surprising places. Plus, getting away from the daily grind and into unfamiliar environments actually improves your brain functioning – so if your team needs a creative jolt, spend a workday volunteering. The Hatchbuck team loves the opportunity to give back to local St. Louis organizations every year. #2: Set your high-level goals for next year. It’s great if you want to grow business (most businesses do). But what... --- ### 6 Creative Ways to Use Your CRM for More Than Sales > Whatever your business size or industry, the right CRM tool can help make the entire operation more efficient. - Published: 2018-12-19 - Modified: 2018-12-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-for-more-than-sales/ - Categories: CRM Most organizations invest in a CRM to help manage, monitor and optimize the sales process. In reality, a CRM can provide a host of additional benefits, many of which you may not even be aware. Whether you’re looking to track your competition, provide extra support to HR or even do something as basic as creating a content calendar, the right solution can deliver all of this and more. Here are six specific ways you can start leveraging your CRM to keep your business operating more smoothly. Email Marketing Any email task that is repetitive in nature can easily be automated with the right CRM. You can use your CRM to do everything from preparing communications and sending messages to tracking and measuring the effectiveness of your email campaigns. This will not only save your marketing team time, but it will also provide valuable insight into the sales funnel for more optimized outreach. Account Lifecycle Management Most people know that a CRM can be used to track initial sales, but what they often fail to realize is the additional opportunity such a platform represents - particularly in terms of relationship-building and upselling. The cost to acquire a new customer is far greater than retaining an existing one. With the right CRM, you can manage the entire customer journey to maximize lifetime value and increase revenue. Hiring and Onboarding Hiring and onboarding is another process that is wrought with time-consuming manual tasks and workflows. A CRM can be used to help facilitate... --- ### 9 Tips for Effective, Purposeful, Non-Cheesy Holiday Emails > If your holiday emails have purpose and stay on brand, it is possible to spread some cheer without the cheese. - Published: 2018-12-17 - Modified: 2018-12-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/effective-holiday-emails/ - Categories: Email Marketing If you’re anything like me, your inbox looks fa-la-la-la frightful from November through January. And if you’re a business or agency trying to reach customers or prospects, you better believe those cheesy holiday emails you might be sending are getting lost in the shuffle. So, let’s talk about doing away with ho-ho-horrible holiday email copy once and for all. Here are our 9 tips for crafting email copy this holiday season that gets results without getting too cheesy. Check your clichés. How can you avoid sounding like the cover of a 90s homemaking magazine? Check your clichés. If a holiday phrase comes to you too easily or plays off a popular holiday song or phrase, it might be a cliché. Here’s a good practice: when writing email copy, don’t go with your first idea. Think of one or two more options before deciding which one wins. This will encourage you to think creatively, rather than impulsively, about how to communicate. Make your message genuine and unique. Telling your customers that you wish them “peace, love, and joy this holiday season” may be fine – as long as you mean it. A shallow email with some general platitudes won’t do much to improve your customers’ opinions of you, but a personalized one, or an email paired with a gift or unique offer, will stand out. Don’t forget your CTA. A holiday email without purpose is better left unsent. Make it worth your customer’s while by including a call to action that... --- ### 7 Quotes to Get You Inspired to Sell > Reading inspirational quotes on sales can help you connect to the wisdom of sellers who’ve come before you. - Published: 2018-12-14 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/quotes-to-inspire-sales/ - Categories: Sales Selling can be an emotional roller coaster—one that takes you from the high-adrenaline moments when you’re closing a big sales to the lows, when sales are slow. So how can you stay on even keel when things are not going your way? Reading inspirational quotes on sales can help you connect to the wisdom of sellers who’ve come before you. Here are 7 favorites that will help you regain your momentum. 1. “Our greatest weakness is giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to try one more time. ” – Thomas Edison If anyone knew the power of persistence it was entrepreneur and inventor Thomas Edison, who brought us the light bulb, the phonograph and alkaline storage batteries, among many other innovations. Edison’s willingness to experiment and stick to his pursuits is a good template for the mindset sales people must emulate. It may take some time and iteration to figure out which pitch works best. And even if a prospect isn’t ready to buy now, the timing could be right at some point in the future. Trying again in situations where your competitors might give up—and keeping up consistent efforts—can go a long way. 2. “Approach each customer with the idea of helping him or her to solve a problem or achieve a goal, not of selling a product or service. ” – Brian Tracy Sales guru Brian Tracy was on the money when he pointed out that salespeople should be a resource for their customers. The... --- ### 4 Rules for Staying in Touch with Your Email List Year-Round > We understand: it’s hard to keep your email marketing momentum going when there are so many other things to do. - Published: 2018-12-12 - Modified: 2018-12-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/stay-in-touch-with-email-list/ - Categories: Email Marketing With the end of the year snowing down upon us, you may have already hit the “Go” button on your holiday marketing emails. It’s easy to extend your well-wishes and cheer during the holiday season, but wouldn’t it be nice to stay in touch all year? (Your grandma certainly thinks so. ) We understand: it’s hard to keep your email marketing momentum going when there are so many other things to do. There are so many “rules” these days when it comes to sending emails. Your copywriting needs to be spot-on, your subject line has to hook the reader, your emails should be personalized and your call to action should be as irresistible as Aunt Emily’s pumpkin pie. Just getting these emails written is a steep task, let alone setting up rules and automations. However, just taking a bit of time to set up automated drip campaigns will ultimately save you a ton of time – and do much of the heavy-lifting involved in converting leads into brand loyalists. To make things easier for you, we’ve boiled email automation down to four simple rules to help you keep in touch with customers year-round with half the effort. #1: Define your email marketing goals. So how can you nurture your customers better through emails? It depends on your business objectives. You might want to expand into a new market, grow your existing client base, convert more prospects into sales, or turn regular customers into brand evangelists. Your automation campaigns will hinge... --- ### How Much Holiday Cheer Is Too Much In Your Advertising? > As important as it is to lean into the holiday season, it’s just as important to temper it. But it’s not for the reasons you might expect. - Published: 2018-12-07 - Modified: 2018-12-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/holiday-marketing-tips/ - Categories: Marketing ‘Tis the season to get salesy, fa la la, la la, la la laaa laaaaaa. Yes, it’s routine. Yes, you might hate the songs. But the holiday season is a valuable time of year, as anyone in business knows — Q4 is almost always the biggest quarter for businesses, sometimes providing up to 50 percent of their annual sales revenue. So you’ve got to buy into it, whether you like it or not. Slap on the Santa hat. Smile for the customers. Wish them happy holidays. Buy into the holiday spirit, and customers will buy from you. So, yes, it’s important to be well-prepared for Q4, and engaging in holiday cheer is just another aspect of that. But that doesn’t mean you should run wild with the frankincense and myrrh just yet. As important as it is to lean into the holiday season, it’s just as important to temper it. But it’s not for the reasons you might expect. Too much holiday spirit will blend in with the rest Customers are getting savvier, and there are more options to buy from than ever before. That means more marketers trying to stand out from the busiest shopping season of the year. If your company dives in head-first to the Arctic waters of the North Pole, then you’re that much likelier to blend in with every other snowflake-splattered ad campaign out there. You can still incorporate Christmas themes into your advertising — Christmas colors and imagery can make an appearance — but... --- ### Web Design For Beginners: Vital Elements of a One-Page “Website” > Website design was once the exclusive domain of coders and web aficionados. But as the rise of drag-and-drop website builders came about, it opened the - Published: 2018-12-06 - Modified: 2018-12-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/vital-elements-of-a-one-page-website/ - Categories: Marketing Website design was once the exclusive domain of coders and web aficionados. But as the rise of drag-and-drop website builders came about, it opened the doors for small businesses around the world to market themselves like never before. But this new flood of websites seemed complicated. The rules of proper SEO and good UX have only gotten established in the last decade or so. Many of these issues have been resolved by business owners and marketers preferring to create smaller, simpler, cleaner websites that fill every need without overwhelming the visitor. So, who should use a one-page website? There are plenty of instances that warrant smaller sites, including solopreneurs, small businesses and freelance portfolios to name a few. Additionally, a one-page site can be the perfect fit for a local business who does most business offline – you'll make your presence known, show up in search listings and let people get to know your business before making a visit. These sites usually comprise a single, long page users can scroll down within a few seconds. A header menu would skip down to the relevant spot on the page, usually with contact info filling the footer area. There are many, many ways to execute a one-page site effectively depending on your business and your needs. On that note, here are the elements of a one-page website that you’ll need to remember when building your own. Keep it simple To repeat: the idea is that users cannot get lost to prevent them... --- ### 5 Signs Your Business is in Danger of Failure > Often, when a business fails, owners are surprised, but usually there are many clues leading up to a business closing. - Published: 2018-12-05 - Modified: 2018-12-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-signs-failing-business/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurs are eternal optimists, but optimism alone can’t fuel a business. Often, when a business fails, owners are surprised, but usually there are many clues leading up to a business closing. And the situations leading to failure tend to repeat themselves among businesses. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor found that lack of profitability is consistently the number one reason for business discontinuance around the world for 2017 and 2018. Here are 5 signs your business is in danger of failure—and how to turn them around. Warning sign #1: The thrill is gone. It takes passion to run a business. If you find you’ve lost interest in your business or you actually dread doing your work, that’s not a good sign. You won’t have the staying power you need when times get tough if you’re not committed to seeing things through. What to do about it: If you’re spending all day, every evening and most of the weekend working in your business—as many owners do—you’re bound to burn out and start questioning why you even got into it in the first place. That’s a recipe for closing up shop. To turn things around, take a look at your calendar now and schedule some time for “refilling your cup” this week. If you’ve been neglecting working out, make some time to do something active. Haven’t spent much quality time with your family or friends? Plan that into your calendar, too. You’ll be surprised at how much enthusiasm you can get back if you... --- ### 6 Mistakes Employers Make Around the Holidays > Be diligent around the holidays, and your employees will be less likely to spend their days off looking for another job. - Published: 2018-12-03 - Modified: 2021-12-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-mistakes-employers-make-around-the-holidays/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Companies have their collective hands full come December. They may be balancing increasing demands on their business with the various needs of their employees, who may want time off to travel, spend time with family, or simply decompress. Both sides of that equation are crucial—nobody wants to lose out on new business, especially at the end of the year when it’s crunch time for meeting goals and quotas. But respecting the needs of your team is important to keeping your valuable employees happy. Typically, with all of this to juggle, employers tend to let certain things fall by the wayside. Failing to plan properly, do due diligence, or otherwise cutting corners leads to dissatisfied employees and lower productivity as a result. As we approach another holiday season, keep an eye out for the following six mistakes that employers make, and try not to do the same. Mismanaging holiday pay A small business may have two kinds of employees: Exempt and non-exempt. Exempt employees are salaried, and are thus not subject to overtime regulations, while non-exempt employees receive an hourly wage and are eligible for overtime. During holidays, such as Christmas Day or New Years Day, it’s on the employer to give employees advance notice of the closure. If non-exempt employees aren’t given advanced notice, they may be entitled to expected pay. Exempt employees must continue to be compensated for business closures than last less than one full week. Well before the end of the year, ensure that you’ve clearly outlined... --- ### Stealth Mode Social: What You Can Learn By Spying On Your Competitors on Social Media > Spying on your competitors on social media can provide an immense amount of information, giving you data beyond a simple number of who has more followers. - Published: 2018-11-30 - Modified: 2018-11-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/spying-on-competitors-social-media/ - Categories: Social Media When it comes to competitor research, most businesses rely on site auditing tools that look exclusively at things like keywords and traffic. This is an excellent strategy, but it results in many of the same businesses completely overlooking social media as a platform for a potential recon mission, which is an enormous missed opportunity. Spying on your competitors on social media can provide an immense amount of information, giving you data beyond a simple number of who has more followers on what platform. You can gain insight into what’s happening with their business in a number of different ways, which you can then leverage to your advantage. And the best part? You don’t even need expensive tools in order to get most of the information. Native tools and manual reviews of your competitor pages will be enough to give you everything you need to know. Let’s take a look at the 6 key things you can learn by spying on your competitors’ social media. 1. Their Current Offers & Ad Strategies You can learn a lot by checking out a business’s ad campaigns, including: What offers they’re promoting, like free shipping, discounts, or sales. The pain points or value propositions they’re appealing to. What audiences they’re targeting. The imagery and videos they’re using, and the stories they’re telling. To check out a business’s current ad campaigns, use their Facebook Info & Ads section, which is found on their Page. It will show you all the newsfeed ads that the Page... --- ### Can You Ever Win Unsubscribed Prospects Back? > Before you start out on a manic quest to win back your unsubscribed prospects back, it helps to know what’s normal. - Published: 2018-11-28 - Modified: 2018-11-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/can-you-ever-win-unsubscribed-prospects-back/ - Categories: Email Marketing There’s no doubt about it: unsubscribes hurt! But you shouldn’t take them personally. Regardless of your email marketing prowess, you’re going to deal with subscribers leaving you from time to time. But before you start out on a manic quest to win back your lost followers, it helps to know what’s normal. Unsubscribe rates can range dramatically based on what you do. A 2018 study showed that while religious organizations saw an average unsubscribe rate of just 0. 06% in 2017, industries like accommodations and personal/professional services saw unsubscribe rates upwards of 0. 25%. Another important factor to keep in mind is that your unsubscribe rates will always look better when you have more contacts. If you’re just starting out with email marketing and you lose one subscriber on your first campaign, your unsubscribe rate will be 0. 20% if you have 500 contacts. However, if you have 2000 contacts and you lose one subscriber, your rate will only be 0. 05% -- what seems like a dramatic difference! So before you start rushing to win back your prospects, consider why they unsubscribed. Take a look at your email copy, the frequency of emails, the length, and the style of email content before a group of users unsubscribed. Is it likely that they left because you sent: Multiple emails in a week, or a day? Irrelevant content, or content that was otherwise different from what the opt-in had promised? Content that wasn’t mobile-friendly, or had other technical issues? Content that... --- ### B2B Small Business Marketing Automation Hacks Your Business Needs > Whether you’re a marketing automation newbie or you’re looking for some serious growth hacking tips to skyrocket your small business, we've got you covered. - Published: 2018-11-27 - Modified: 2020-03-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-automation-hacks/ - Categories: Marketing Automation This blog post was updated on February 28, 2020. Are you among the 51% of B2B companies currently using marketing automation? You should be. After all, marketing automation has been proven to deliver a 47% increase in sales revenue and a 29% increase in marketing productivity. But these results aren’t achieved by simply launching a campaign. It takes planning and strategy. And even with access to marketing automation tools, whether through your CRM or other productivity apps, it can be tough to figure out how marketing automation can actually boost your B2B marketing and sales process. Whether you’re just starting out with marketing automation or you’re looking for some serious growth hacking opportunities to skyrocket your small business past the competition, we have you covered. Here are our ten marketing automation hacks for small B2B businesses like yours. 1. Identify and Eliminate Before You Automate You probably already know that marketing automation can be used to streamline email campaigns, but if that’s all you’re doing with it, you’re missing out. To unlock the full power of your platform, you should identify other tasks that are prime candidates for automation, such as routine, repetitive activities that are eating up time and hindering productivity. Things like lead follow-up, prospect nurturing and updating your CRM can all be automated, saving time and freeing you up to focus on more important things. With that said, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of automating as many mundane tasks as possible. But it’s... --- ### 7 Ways to Use Google’s Keyword Planner That You Haven’t Thought Of > No matter how you use Google Keyword Planner, its benefits can help marketers at organizations of all sizes get the most bang for their buck. - Published: 2018-11-26 - Modified: 2022-10-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-keyword-planner/ - Categories: Content Marketing If you’ve used Google AdWords, you’re probably familiar with the Google Keyword Planner. It’s a very powerful tool that you can use even if you don’t want to spend money on an AdWords campaign. You do, however, need to set up an AdWords account. Once your account is set up, sign in and go to ads. google. com. From there, click the Tools icon, then click Keyword Planner in the menu that flies out. So, now that you’ve got access to Google Keyword Planner, what can you do with it? First, two obvious ways to use the tool: Discover New Keyword Ideas Once you open the keyword planner, you can enter a variety of options to get new keyword ideas. Google’s instructions say to “Enter words, phrases, or a URL related to your business. ” Google will then display a list of keyword suggestions. Once you’ve entered your word or phrase, select “Get Ideas. ” You’ll be taken to the Keyword Results page, which is where you’ll find potential keywords. Take a look through the list — you might find some new keyword ideas you haven’t tried using yet. Get Search Volume and Forecasts Once you have a list of keywords, you can see metrics for them by choosing the Get search volume and forecasts option. Here, you won’t see keyword suggestions. Instead, you’ll see an estimate of how many clicks and impressions you could expect if you ran an ad for 30 days using those keywords. You can also... --- ### 5 Guaranteed Ways to Generate Leads with Social Media > With a solid social media lead strategy, you’ll tap into a highly effective pool of prospects that can change the face of your business forever. - Published: 2018-11-23 - Modified: 2022-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-guaranteed-ways-to-generate-leads-with-social-media/ - Categories: Social Media Struggling to generate new leads for your business? It might be time to look in a new place: social media. In today’s selling market, the best places to find leads are shifting away from traditional channels. Instead, it’s in the social media arena where you can achieve your biggest growth. Social media can provide engaged leads eager to buy—but only if you know how to start with effective outreach. Today, you’ll learn the strategies behind effective lead generation on social media. We’ll explore both paid and unpaid strategies to find high-quality buyers—mostly in the B2B space, but with techniques that can also work wonders if you’re selling B2C. Let’s dig in! Social Media’s Advantage in Generating High-Quality Leads Let’s start by exploring why social media is the secret to great leads. To start off, social media users are more engaged with their networks than many other platforms, including email. In fact, 20% of business users have replaced email with social media as their primary communication method—and 23% of internet users spend almost all their time on social media and blogs. In addition to social media’s prominent place in the worlds of your users, it also has targeting and contact information built in. Unlike emails, which lack location precision or contextual data, platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn let you initiate contact with prospects based on highly specific criteria. That’s probably why, according to Sales for Life, 61% of B2B marketers use social media to increase lead generation. So, what are the... --- ### 5 Ways to Show Your Team You’re Thankful > We all like being appreciated, and with a competitive job market, it’s more important than ever to let them know you care. - Published: 2018-11-22 - Modified: 2018-11-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/show-your-team-youre-thankful/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship It’s always important to show employees you appreciate them—and Thanksgiving season is a great time to do that. Many entrepreneurs are so caught up in the rush of daily work, that they don’t take the time to show gratitude to the team members who support them in their dream of building their business. If you’ve been neglecting to tell them how much you care, now is the perfect time. So how do you demonstrate just how much they mean to you? Here are some ideas: Stay on schedule. Research shows that workers who have more control over their time are healthier than those who lack it. Even if you can’t offer flexible hours because of the nature of your business, you can give employees more ability to control their time by sticking to a predictable schedule they can plan things like daycare around. Set a public goal among your team of having everyone leave work on time every day, so they can run their personal lives in an organized way. Create a challenge where you give the team points for every day the whole group leaves on time, and offer a team reward—such a special outing—if everyone achieves a certain benchmark, such as leaving on time 90% of the time. Exercises like this not only encourage teamwork—by giving everyone else an incentive to help those who are jammed up—but also will motivate your team to focus their efforts better. And your employees will no doubt appreciate having some clarity on... --- ### Why Drip Campaigns are the Overlooked Timesaver Your Business Needs > Drip campaigns use targeted email lists and content that’s tailored to the needs or interests of contacts to send the right message at the right time. - Published: 2018-11-21 - Modified: 2020-07-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/value-of-drip-campaigns/ - Categories: Email Marketing Wouldn’t it be great if you could nurture leads into sales automatically? If you could send emails to potential leads that were always relevant? If your sales pipeline was always full and your conversion rates always increased? With drip email marketing, these things are possible. Drip email marketing, otherwise known as drip email campaigns, automates part of your marketing and sales process to convert leads into customers. It can take some time and effort to get set up, but once you’ve got it up and running—it just does its thing. In this article, we’ll discuss more about how drip campaigns can be the overlooked time saver your business needs. Email Marketing Basics Broadly speaking, there are two categories to email marketing: email blasts & drip campaigns. Email blasts are sent to subsections of an organization’s mailing list as standalone messages. They usually contain generalized information with a brief and explicit call to action (CTA). A blast email is fairly basic, since it’s not personalized. They’re fairly simple to write and send, so they’re a popular choice with many businesses. Drip marketing campaigns, on the other hand, are personalized emails sent as a series over a specific period of time. A drip campaign uses targeted email lists and specific content that’s tailored to the needs or interests of that subset of customers or potential customers. Once configured, drip marketing automatically sends emails to segments of your contacts based on time elapsed or other criteria. Diving into Drip Campaigns Drip campaigns, also... --- ### 6 Common Grammatical Errors and Why They Make Your Business Look Unprofessional > Although we think grammar flubs are forgivable in casual conversation, there’s no excuse for these six most common grammatical errors in the business world. - Published: 2018-11-19 - Modified: 2018-11-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/common-grammatical-errors/ - Categories: Marketing Before the internet, we had no idea that grammar elicited such strong emotions. But now, it seems like the grammar police are everywhere – at work, in your Facebook feed, even in your memes. For some, grammar policing is no more than an opportunity to show how well they paid attention in school: “everyone knows you can’t end a sentence with a preposition. ” But for others, you’d think a misplaced modifier was grounds for capital punishment. Although we think grammar flubs are forgivable in casual conversation, there’s really no excuse for these six most common grammatical errors in the business world. A word to the wise, before we jump in: this isn’t a rant about the importance of being “technically” correct in your copy. There are plenty of phrases that are grammatically sound, yet completely awkward and off-putting, and have no place in good copy (don’t say “this is a situation out of which you must get. ” Say, “get outta there! ”) On the other hand, in great copywriting, you’ll find tons of sentence fragments and other technical faux-pas – and they can be very powerful. The items that made this list are the most serious offenders that will make your business look careless or obscure your intended meaning. These are the mistakes that could legitimately cost you your next (or first) big client. #1: It’s not “its” when it’s “it is. ” Confused? Then this one’s for you. The apostrophe in “it’s” is just like the apostrophe... --- ### 5 Office Tasks That Should Be Automated > Streamlining workflows by automating routine, repetitive manual tasks can dramatically boost productivity and efficiency. - Published: 2018-11-16 - Modified: 2018-11-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/office-task-automation/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Without question, your team works hard. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re working smart, however. As a business leader, it’s your job to provide guidance, not only on what should (or shouldn’t) get done, but also on how that work is accomplished. If your team is currently performing a lot of manual tasks, you are undoubtedly letting them down (and probably losing money in the process). Streamlining workflows by automating routine, repetitive manual tasks can dramatically boost productivity and efficiency. It’ll also make your team much happier. Here are a few inefficiencies that could easily be automated today. Communication Tracking Keeping tabs on where customers are in the sales process is important. But if your reps are wasting precious time documenting all the details of their interactions, their talents are going to waste. Using a CRM as a repository for incoming and outgoing emails and automatically seeing those messages on the appropriate client records is a much better way to track and manage client communication. Lead Scoring Manually scoring leads isn’t just time-consuming on the front end. It’s also a process that is wrought with inefficiencies throughout as well. One mistake and your sales reps could be sent on a wild goose chase, trying to track down leads that aren’t qualified after all. Improper allocation of time and resources like this could easily result in a missed opportunity to convert a lead that’s hot. Conversely, a CRM can automatically alert agents when hot prospects exhibit buying behavior, saving time and improving... --- ### Here are the 7 Best Marketing Software Alternatives to HubSpot > Before committing to a long-term contract, here are a few marketing software alternatives to HubSpot to help you build a more effective marketing stack. - Published: 2018-11-15 - Modified: 2023-03-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-best-marketing-software-alternatives-to-hubspot/ - Categories: Marketing No one can deny that HubSpot is a great CRM and marketing solution for larger firms looking to have all of their tools in one place. But is an all-in-one platform the best choice for your business? The truth is that not all SMBs (small to mid-sized businesses) need an extensive automation platform. For many smaller businesses, HubSpot may not only be overkill... it may actually be less effective than using best of breed tools integrated together. As an SMB you might not have the huge budget that enterprise businesses do. So before committing to a long-term contract with HubSpot, here are a few marketing software alternatives to help you build a more affordable and more effective marketing stack than HubSpot’s. For landing pages: Unbounce HubSpot hails Unbounce as the leading lead-form tool, and there’s good reason. The software is easy to use, with drag-and-drop tools and deep analytics to see how your pages are performing. If your company needs a specific landing page that’s distinct from the rest of your site – or if your site is just a single landing page – Unbounce could be the right solution. Plans start at just $79 a month, which makes it a cost-effective way to capture more leads and build your subscriber list. For blogging: Wordpress Nobody disputes that Wordpress, the world’s leading blog platform (nearly 50% of all websites use Wordpress), is easy to use and integrates nicely with many other marketing tools. Its longevity in the market has given... --- ### This One Tool Will Change the Way You Design Forever > If you’ve ever right-clicked a webpage, noticed “Inspect” at the bottom of the menu, and clicked, you’ve invariably had one of these three reactions... - Published: 2018-11-13 - Modified: 2018-11-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/this-one-tool-will-change-the-way-you-design-forever/ - Categories: Marketing If you’ve ever right-clicked a webpage, noticed “Inspect” at the bottom of the menu, and clicked, you’ve invariably had one of these three reactions: What’s this for? Oh, no, it’s code. Get me out of here! This is the greatest thing ever. If you haven’t quite achieved that level-three realization yet, that’s what we’re here for: to share exactly how the “Inspect” or “Inspect Element” tool can save you massive time as a marketer or designer, even if the only thing that doesn’t terrify you about Javascript is its implicit relation to coffee. What is the Inspector? The inspector is an internet browser tool that helps you see the underlying blueprint of any webpage. You don’t have to be the administrator of a website to see the CSS, Javascript, and other code that goes into the creation of a website – you don’t even have to be a coder. Anybody can do this. When you use the Inspector tool, you’ll not only be able to see which colors, fonts, images, and other graphics are on the page, but you’ll be able to change those elements in your browser. If you’re a marketer or designer, stop for a moment to think how helpful this is. Instead of spending valuable time creating mockups or examples of what a client’s website could look like, you can make visual changes in real time over a conference call to explain what you mean. You can use your desktop browser to emulate a mobile device, to... --- ### 5 Ways to Figure Out What Your Audience Really Wants to Read > There’s not always a secret strategy for finding out what people want to read. Sometimes, all you have to do is ask. - Published: 2018-11-12 - Modified: 2018-11-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/figure-out-what-your-audience-wants-to-read/ - Categories: Content Marketing Content marketing is great, blogging is awesome, inbound is the future — but it only works if people actually care about what you’re putting out. Brainstorming blog topics can be one of the most energizing, creative and time-consuming activities when it comes to inbound marketing. But it’s a bedrock of the system. You need to do it, and you should invest the proper amount of time in getting it right. The good news: brainstorming blog topics is not a single-use action in and of itself. It’s a multipurpose strategy and incorporates keyword research for search engine marketing, website traffic analysis, social media analysis and customer service reflection. It’s all connected. When it comes to wrapping all that up in inbound marketing, it helps to think of it as a direct address to your audience. In other words, don’t think of brainstorming content strategy as a cumbersome step to write articles that disappear into the Internet. Think of it as a necessary element to enhance into your entire marketing strategy. See what your audience expects of you. Sometimes marketers and creatives aim to be prophetic — give the people something they don’t even realize they want! But when you need to create content on a weekly or even daily schedule, you don’t always have that luxury. If you want a reliable piece of new content, give the people what you already know they want. That means browsing your analytics dashboard to pinpoint your website’s most popular pages, integrating heat maps through... --- ### 12 Google Apps Hacks That Will Make Your Life Easier > Google’s apps are better than just free software. And odds are you’re not taking advantage of them the way you should be. - Published: 2018-11-08 - Modified: 2018-11-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-apps-hacks/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Google has become more than just an omnipresent brand that culls your personal data to determine your exact location, music preferences, home address, commute time and interests and sell that to advertisers. Google is also the maker of a bunch of neat workplace tools. (And can thus mine more personal data and enhance its own corporate agenda and artificial intelligence, but, you know, free tools! Woo! ) Hey, we’re not complaining. Google Docs, Google Drive and Google Calendar are indispensable to some people, especially entrepreneurs who wrangle remote workers or small-business owners who rely on free software to keep overhead costs low. So what if the Google Overlords can read everything we’re writing? Having flight confirmations automatically pop up in Google Calendar is pretty convenient. If you’re going to succumb to the Age of No Privacy, you may as well get as efficient as possible by hacking its tools, because Google’s apps are better than just free software. They’re also really good, deep and reliable. And odds are you’re not taking advantage of them the way you should be. Hacks for Google Docs Never lose a draft. With a meticulously backed-up revision history that automatically refreshes every few seconds, you can literally see every edit anyone’s made in a Google Doc. But this hack is a little hidden. Look to the right of the nav bar, where it says “ All changes saved in Drive”, and click that to bring up the complete history of that document. It summarizes each... --- ### 9 Ways to Use Video In Your Inbound Marketing Strategy > Adding video to your inbound marketing strategy in fresh and inspiring ways will help improve your engagement as this medium continues to gain popularity. - Published: 2018-11-07 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-video/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Did you know that marketers who use video get 66% more qualified leads per year than marketers who don’t? Given the popularity of video, you’re probably already using it somewhere in your marketing plan - but you can always use more! Video tools like Wistia, Vimeo, Vidyard, and others are making it easier to leverage video than ever before. So what are you waiting for? Here are our 9 best suggestions for how to use video in your inbound marketing strategy. 1. SEO Video has the potential to drastically increase your number of built links and embeds as well as boost social shares, all while improving conversion rates in the process. As you’ve probably noticed recently, Google search results now feature rich snippets (videos that stand out on the first page). You’ll need to self-host your video, but the results are worth the extra effort. 2. Content Creation This can range from downloadable video webinars to paid-access Vimeo playlists. Be sure to build a library of videos that include how-to instructionals, exclusive interviews, company highlights, testimonials, product demos, and FAQs. You can even feature personalized videos tailored to the recipient. Following these steps ensures you reach customers at every step along the buyer’s journey. 3. Landing Pages According to a recent study, using video on landing pages can increase conversion by 80%. Be sure to include custom videos that appeal to your target audience with a specific set of offers. Landing pages are also a great space for some A/B... --- ### How to Effectively Capture Leads From Your Content > When done well, your digital content can serve as a marketer that never sleeps, and a salesperson that never stops selling. - Published: 2018-11-06 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/capture-leads-from-content/ - Categories: Content Marketing Your web content doesn’t exist just to prove that you do. When done well, your digital content can serve as a marketer that never sleeps, and a salesperson that never stops selling. When you’ve engineered your content to move your target prospects down a funnel, leads will come in regularly and build up over time. That’s how it works in a perfect world. In reality, business owners and content marketers are busy. You may feel lucky to get a blog post published every week, let alone get new customers pouring in through site form submissions. It’s difficult to know exactly where to focus your efforts: long-form content? Short, newsy blogs? Fancy tools like calculators and quote generators? Here are several steps you can take right now, in any order, to get more leads coming in from your web content. Test your forms. It may seem obvious, but if a technical hitch is keeping form entries from flowing through your inbox, now is the time to fix it. Check that your forms are synced with your CRM, or directing to the correct email address, before you do anything else. Spiff up your “Contact” page. If you want more leads, it’s best to start with the low-hanging fruit – meaning the prospects who are already very likely to want to talk to you. These prospects are probably hanging around your “Contact” page, so make sure the information on this page is accurate and easy to read across multiple devices – desktop, tablets,... --- ### 5 Tools to Boost Your Company’s Efficiency > These tools should help you streamline your operations, optimize time and effort, and boost company efficiency to make your company successful. - Published: 2018-11-02 - Modified: 2025-02-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tools-for-company-efficiency/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship The beauty of owning a business in this day and age is the technology that’s available. Some tools are designed specifically to boost productivity while others help to eliminate downtime and reduce the risk of human error. If you’re looking for newer, better ways to streamline your business and maximize company efficiency (and your bottom line), here are a few tricks of the trade. Virtual Phone Systems This one seems like a no-brainer, right? How much time does your team currently waste transferring calls and asking callers to dial different numbers? You might be surprised at how quickly that number adds up. Installing a virtual phone system with IVR can ensure that incoming calls are automatically directed to the right person every time. They also enable your staff to work remotely, which has been proven to boost efficiency levels. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software In the digital age, relationships are more important than ever before. But keeping track of customer interactions manually can be incredibly cumbersome. CRM software automates this process so your employees don’t have to waste precious time juggling spreadsheets and managing massive databases. Essentially, this frees up workers to focus their efforts on more important, revenue-generating tasks. Project Management Software Imagine how much time and energy you’d save if you could get a snapshot of what everyone is working on in one central dashboard. This is one of the biggest benefits of project management software applications. Create projects, assign tasks, set deadlines and track progress all in... --- ### 3 Steps to Stronger Employee Engagement > If you’re finding your own employees are disengaged to the point they may be driving business away, it’s time to take action. - Published: 2018-10-31 - Modified: 2018-10-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/stronger-employee-engagement/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship We all know what it looks like when employees are disengaged. You call customer support at a company you once loved and the rep you get rushes you off the phone. The servers at your once-favorite restaurant deliver your meal an hour after you ordered it—and get your order all wrong. Or it takes three phone calls to correct a simple billing error at your doctor’s office, because the billing clerk can’t seem to be bothered to fix it. Many of us have a breaking point after a few interactions like this, where we can’t take the frustration of dealing with a particular business or practice anymore and decide to move on. It seems obvious that the owners should get to the bottom of what’s wrong and figure out some way to inspire their teams to do better so they don’t cause lost business, but that’s not so simple. Employee disengagement is not an easy problem to fix if you’re a business owner. For one thing, it’s an epidemic. In 2017, Gallup found that 85% of employees are either not engaged at work or actively disengaged. That means most employers are not beating the odds. If you’re finding your own employees are disengaged to the point they may be driving business away, it’s time to take action. Here are some things you can do to turn things around. Take stock of your management team. You’ve heard the saying that employees don’t quit companies—they quit bad bosses. That doesn’t happen in... --- ### Must-Have Tricks for Increasing Conversion with Landing Page “Thank You” Pages > There’s little on your site that can cement your relationship with your visitors like your Thank You pages. - Published: 2018-10-30 - Modified: 2018-10-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/thank-you-pages/ - Categories: Marketing Running a digital marketing campaign can be simultaneously one of the most frustrating and most fulfilling things a business owner can do. You’re putting your product or service, and your way of thinking about it, on the line – just hoping someone will acknowledge your hard work by clicking, filling out a form, or making a purchase. You’ve done all the legwork to make it happen and leads are starting to convert, but your analytics show that they’re hitting a wall near the end of your funnel. Could it be that you need a Thank You page to amplify the success your landing page is generating? Thank You, Thank You: The Page Everyone Overlooks If you never considered a Thank You page for your site, you’re not alone. Plenty of forms, pop-ups and even check-out pages lack the closure that a Thank You page can give your visitor. They help in several ways, including: Expressing genuine gratitude. Everyone deserves to be thanked after they’ve done what you’ve asked of them. It’s just good manners. Providing instructions. If there is more to your transaction, like clicking a link in a follow-up email or going to a different part of the site, the Thank You page is the ideal place to outline what comes next. Giving closure to the transaction. When you fill out a form and nothing happens, do you worry that it didn’t actually work? So do your customers. A Thank You page gives them some closure. Having a Thank... --- ### The Ultimate SEO Checklist For Your Website > We’ve created the ultimate SEO checklist for your website to help you have a successful site audit and to make sure your site is getting the best results. - Published: 2018-10-29 - Modified: 2018-10-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-checklist-for-your-website/ - Categories: Content Marketing There’s a lot about SEO that’s outside of your control. Search algorithms, which sites are linking to yours, and what customers are saying about you are just a few examples. But when you focus on improving elements that you can control (often referred to as on-page SEO), you’ll often see a dramatic boost in traffic – and as a result, more leads and more engaged audiences. We’ve created the ultimate SEO checklist for your website to help you have a successful site audit, and clear up any confusion about the latest best practices in search optimization. This list shows the main steps you’ll need to take to improve your site’s SEO, in chronological order. Download the checklist here. --- ### Best Practices for Using Tags in Marketing Automation > The truth is, like any part of your marketing, tagging should be planned, tested, and optimized to fit your business objectives. - Published: 2018-10-26 - Modified: 2018-10-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-practices-marketing-automation-tags/ - Categories: Marketing Automation So, your marketing automation software has tagging capabilities, and now you’re flying down your list of contacts, handing out tags like candy at a parade. But whoa there, cowboy. While frivolous tagging is insanely easy to do (and, we’ll admit, sounds like a bit of fun) this approach can cause big problems down the line. The truth is, like any part of your marketing, tagging should be planned, tested, and optimized to fit your business objectives. Let’s take a look at the top best practices for tagging and segmenting contacts for your marketing automations. Plan your tags in advance. Though it might be acceptable to throw down any related keywords that come to mind when you’re adding tags to a blog post, using tags in your CRM works a little differently. Since you’ll be using these tags to plan custom email and advertising content for different groups of people, your tags should include many of the same categories you’re using in your marketing personas. If you don’t, here are some ideas: Demographics. You could go in many different directions with this one, so pick demographic information that’s relevant to your content and your marketing strategies. “Favorite TV show” may be useful when fleshing out a marketing persona, but it may not be so helpful as a tag category (unless, say, you’re Netflix or Hulu, and you want to segment customers based on which shows they like). Customer journey. Where is this contact in the buyer’s journey? Are they freshly aware... --- ### 6 CRM Features Your Business Should Be Using But Probably Isn't > If you’re using your CRM the same way you’d use an Excel spreadsheet, we have a message for you: you can do so much more! - Published: 2018-10-25 - Modified: 2018-10-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-features-you-should-be-using/ - Categories: CRM Are you getting the most out your customer relationship management (CRM) software? If your business aligns with the statistics, chances are, you’re not. Less than half of sales teams even use their CRM regularly – let alone delve into the more complex features (CSO Insights). The reasons are varied, but the common denominator is this: it’s hard to learn new technologies, and even harder to know how a new tool will benefit you until you’ve had time to acclimate to it. If you’ve had your CRM for awhile but still feel like you’re missing something, it may be time for a deeper dive into some of the less obvious features your solution has to offer. The Best-Kept CRM Secrets Your CRM isn’t just a place to store contact information and blast-off emails to your customers. It’s a sales and marketing hub, when used to its full potential, and can actually save you and your team a lot of time. If you or your sales staff is struggling to get much use out of your CRM, it’s time to explore some of the more niche features that might be exactly what your specific business needs. And although they’re not exactly secrets, they certainly seem that way, given that so few businesses take advantage of them. So go ahead, read up on the best-kept CRM secrets and put them to good use. Automatic lead scoring You may keep track of how hot or cold your prospects are using tags, notes, or other... --- ### A Positive Strategy for Managing Disagreements in the Workplace > Workplace disagreements are par for the course. By knowing how to approach them, you’ll be able to manage emotions and facilitate healthy conversations. - Published: 2018-10-23 - Modified: 2018-10-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/disagreements-in-the-workplace/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship As long as there are humans in the workplace, there will inevitably be disagreements. How you respond to and manage that conflict can determine how successful you’ll be throughout your career. Whether you’re a front-line employee who needs some guidance for how to handle discourse amongst coworkers or you’re a manager who is tasked with keeping the peace with your team, here are a few tips for turning disagreements into positive, productive conversations. Be aware of your tone. The tone of a person’s voice plays a big role in how they are perceived. In fact, one recent study found that the sound of a speaker’s voice is twice as impactful as the actual message they’re conveying. If you raise your voice during a disagreement, it can easily make an already negative situation even worse. Before you speak, take a step back and get control over your emotions. This will help you level your tone and avoid adding fuel to the fire. Use “I” statements instead of “you” statements. By focusing on the person you are disagreeing with, your message can be perceived as combative. Shifting the focus back on yourself - how you are feeling and why - can diffuse the situation and open the door for positive resolution. For instance, instead of saying: “You are giving me too much work,” say “I am feeling overwhelmed. ” That subtle change can make a world of difference in the direction and outcome of the conversation. Come prepared. The best way to... --- ### 8 Marketing Automation Stats That Will Help You Get Company Buy-In > There’s no doubt that your company can benefit from marketing automation if you haven’t yet integrated it. These stats will prove it. - Published: 2018-10-22 - Modified: 2018-10-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-stats-to-get-company-buy-in/ - Categories: Marketing Automation You know that marketing automation works. You know it makes your life easier, it increases sales and productivity, and it’s obviously the way of the future. But does your boss? In bigger corporate settings (and even some frustrating small ones, when they’re run by micro-managers), it can be difficult – if not frustratingly impossible – to get company buy-in from management for major systems overhauls. Marketing automation is one of those categories. It’s a major shift that requires commitment and investment from various teams, including customer service, marketing, sales and whichever managers run those departments. Consensus may seem like a pipe dream. But ask any business expert, and they’ll tell you: the way to achieve change is by proving your point. Arguing that “this will work because I think it will” is not nearly as effective as laying down data-proven statistics that work in your favor and saying, “This will work – and here’s how. ” That’s where we come in. Take these stats and print them out – or turn them into a PowerPoint – or back them up with extra research – or transform them into models for a hypothetically triumphant version of your future company. At the very least, let them inspire you to raise the issue with your higher-ups, in the name of all that is good marketing. Companies that grow using marketing automation increase their sales by 32 percent. Let’s face it: your boss is going to want to hear about the ROI first. Marketo,... --- ### 7 Tips For More Effective Website Chatbots > When people visit your website, they don’t want to play games with your fun new toy. They want answers. Here are a few tips for more effective website chatbots. - Published: 2018-10-19 - Modified: 2018-10-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/effective-website-chatbots/ - Categories: Marketing Website chatbots are consistently touted by many – including us – as one of the hottest marketing technologies to watch in 2018. They efficiently combine elements of customer service, marketing and branding in a way that is uniquely important and, better still, automated. A well-designed chatbot will interact with leads and customers alike in your brand’s voice, helping convert curious folks and engage pre-existing fans. Since your marketing and customer-service teams should already be aligned, it’s a no-brainer. That’s why it’s so unfortunate that not all chatbots are well-executed. A poorly thought-out chatbot can deter leads, frustrate customers and damage your brand. Here’s how to make sure your website chatbot is primed to help, rather than hurt, your company. Craft an exact goal What do you want to accomplish with your chatbot? Some tech companies want to focus entirely on customer service, relieving some pressure from their call centers. But that’s not for everyone: restaurants might include one to offer insight into their dietary substitution options and unique reservation requests. Start by picturing your target audience, maybe your brand’s buyer persona. Consider what they would be looking for. This goal (or a precise series of goals) will be the benchmark for the rest of your plan. Outline the user’s options Unless you’re crafting some creepy human-voiced machine-learning algorithm, odds are you’re going to keep your chatbot simple. One way to streamline that is by giving your users specific options, and clarifying their limitations. A standard message – “If you need... --- ### What's Included in an All-in-One CRM? > Balancing functionality with price will help you pick the all-in-one CRM that will work best for your unique use case. - Published: 2018-10-18 - Modified: 2018-10-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/all-in-one-crm/ - Categories: CRM There’s nothing as valuable to your company as your customer relationships. You do everything you can to nurture those, including sending out regular newsletters, birthday cards and maybe even a little something for the holidays. Each year it gets a little harder, though. Your spreadsheets have grown to unmanageable sizes, and you’re pretty sure you left your notebook with your client details on the bus this morning. Your personal customer relationship management plan isn’t really working all that well now that your company has grown. Translating those notes on paper to something useable for the entire team just takes up too much time. How About An All-In-One CRM? If you’re reading this article, you’ve hit a wall or you see one coming and you’re hoping that a CRM will save you from the crash to come. CRMs, short for customer relationship management, can be powerful solutions for all kinds of businesses, when the right features are properly implemented. Their primary goal is to keep you and your customers in touch, as well as inform your entire team what’s been done where with said clients. All-in-one CRMs take the idea of a basic CRM one step further and integrate everything you need to not just organize your contacts, but keep in touch with them and move their relationship through the sales journey. It’s an intelligent way to organize and update your sales contacts, automate sales activities, send out newsletters on the regular, analyze data, help with your marketing efforts and integrate... --- ### 4 Actionable Strategies to Spark Up Cold Leads > While you should focus most of your efforts on hot leads that are more likely to convert, there’s still plenty of opportunity with the leads that have cooled. - Published: 2018-10-17 - Modified: 2018-10-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/strategies-for-cold-leads/ - Categories: Sales There’s nothing more frustrating than a lead you thought was a sure thing suddenly going cold. Unfortunately, it’s something that happens to even the most effective salespeople. But just because a hot lead cools off doesn’t mean it’s a lost cause. In fact, with the right strategy, it’s entirely possible to flip the switch and breathe new life into those prospects. If you’re looking for a way to reignite your existing leads but aren’t sure quite how, here are a few simple tricks to try. Gently remind them of their prior interest. The first strategy is pretty straightforward: simply reach out, reconnect and attempt to re-engage with the lead. But instead of just saying hello and touching base, use this as an opportunity to provide context to your interaction. It’s not just about staying top-of-mind. It’s about keeping them reminded about why they wanted to connect with you in the first place. If your product or service could provide a solution to a specific problem your lead has, continue to position it as such in your ongoing communications. Gently reminding them that you can make their lives easier can be very effective in finally getting them to take action. Personalize your interactions and offers. One of the most powerful tools a salesperson has is personalization. When a lead feels as though you are addressing them personally and treating them like a human rather than just another number, it’ll help set the stage for relationship building. Studies have shown that the... --- ### Are You Making These 5 Blogging Mistakes? > By knowing which blogging mistakes to avoid and how to approach content properly, you’ll achieve consistent results, both in terms of traffic and leads. - Published: 2018-10-15 - Modified: 2018-10-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/blogging-mistakes/ - Categories: Content Marketing Did you know that websites with blogs tend to have 434% more indexed pages? Additionally, 47% of consumers will view 3-5 pieces of content from a brand before they begin the sales process. In other words, blogging can do incredible things, both for your search engine ranking as well as your lead nurturing strategy. But only if you do it right. In fact, if you’re making any of the common mistakes below, you could be hindering your blog’s performance. Let’s take a look. Not having a plan. Are you blogging with a purpose or are you just writing for the sake of getting something published? If it’s the latter, you’re missing the mark. To be effective, every blog you write should have a purpose – an end goal, whether it’s to educate your readers, increase engagement, generate brand awareness or capture more leads. After all, you can’t measure your results if you don’t know what you’re striving for in the first place. Before taking to your keyboard, figure out what your overarching objectives are and then create a list of topic ideas that will support and help you work toward those goals. Forgetting who you’re writing to. Your readers aren’t robots. Yet, a surprising number of marketers forget this when writing blog posts. The result? Stiff, rigid and boring content that doesn’t hold the attention of the reader (and therefore won’t help you achieve your goals). To avoid this, try and write as though you’re speaking verbally to your audience.... --- ### 3 Reasons Your Emails Are Being Filtered to the Junk Folder > The benefits of knowing exactly how and why your emails ended up in the junk folder are fairly obvious, but the choice to execute these changes is up to you. - Published: 2018-10-12 - Modified: 2018-11-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/emails-junk-folder/ - Categories: Email Marketing There is nothing worse than seeing your hard work end up in the trash. And that’s exactly what happens when your polished email campaign that took you a week to perfect gets filtered to the junk folder. You know that getting the right message in front of the right audience can make or break you. And when you see your emails getting sorted into junk after you’ve followed all the usual rules and built a fully credible email list, you might be wondering what else you’re supposed to do? The truth is, landing in the junk folder isn’t always your fault. Especially when popular email providers are constantly updating their terms with secretive new ways to protect, flag, and eliminate legitimate spammers (even if that means a few honest senders get caught in the crosshairs). Luckily for you there are some nontraditional ways take back control and empower yourself when it comes to deliverability. It all starts with knowing a bit more about why you might be encountering this problem. Here are three lesser-known reasons why your emails are being filtered to the junk folder - and some ideas for what you can do about it. Your inbox usage is inconsistent. Just like how your credit usage plays a large role in your financial credibility over time, so does your inbox usage. Even if you’ve cleared your message of spammy verbiage, blacklisted domain links, and large image files, your email might be filtered into the junk folder simply for being... --- ### 7 Books to Read Before You Build Your Next Business > Not sure what book you should read next? Here are some books that will help you get your next business off to a strong start. - Published: 2018-10-11 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/entrepreneurship-books/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Looking to push the “quick start” button at your next business? There’s no substitute for picking up a book that’s chock full of valuable lessons you might otherwise have to learn through months of experimentation. That’s true whether you’re a veteran entrepreneur or brand new to business ownership. And it’s likely why leading entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Mark Cuban are famous for being avid readers. Not sure what book you should read next? Here are some entrepreneurship books that will help you get your next business off to a strong start. The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss Ten years after it was first published, this blockbuster remains a must-read for those looking to cut down their hours and increase their income. Most people can’t pare down to a workweek that is literally four hours long but any entrepreneur will come away from The 4-Hour Workweek with great ideas for working more efficiently and freeing time for fun. The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau Looking for a business to start that won’t put a big drain on your cash flow? Chris Guillebeau will get you fired up with ideas on how he, and 50 other entrepreneurs, started their business with minimal capital. Learn the details of how he managed to travel the world and give back by converting his ideas into a profit-making business. Work Less Make More by James Schramko For many entrepreneurs who’ve left the corporate world to start a business, creating a great lifestyle... --- ### 8 Tips for Being More Productive When You Work From Home > It takes emotional strength to work from home, as well as diligent self-control and the ability to hold yourself accountable. - Published: 2018-10-09 - Modified: 2021-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/work-from-home-productivity/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Ah, to work from home! For anyone who’s spent years hunched over a cubicle desk — or begrudgingly stuffing earbuds in their lobes to drown out noisy open-concept neighbors — it seems like the ultimate dream. Lounging around in pajamas, napping after lunch, blasting music, choosing your own hours... What’s not to love? But as anyone who’s worked from home full-time can tell you, it’s not always such a thrill. Most entrepreneurs will understand the self-destructive impulses of lethargy, despondency, procrastination and distraction. It takes emotional strength to work from home, as well as diligent self-control and the ability to hold yourself accountable. Struggling with a few of these issues? Hey, we’ve all been there. Here are a few tips to help get your home office functioning as efficiently as a dreary gray cubicle. Start early. Sleeping in may sound like a good idea. It’s not. Early mornings will help motivate you to kickstart your day right, partly because it’s scientifically proven to improve your day. Studies have shown that early risers enjoy better mental health, are more proactive, wake up after a better night’s sleep and have more self-discipline than people who tend to sleep in. If you need a motivator, consider implementing fitness and wellness into your morning routine. Running, yoga and a healthy breakfast are great ways to start the day, especially when you can afford an extra 10 minutes to enjoy them. Get dressed. This might sound silly to anyone who hasn’t worked from home before,... --- ### Boost Productivity with These 5 Sales AI Tools > Let’s dive into the different ways you can implement both automated and augmented sales AI solutions in your organization. - Published: 2018-10-08 - Modified: 2022-10-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-ai-tools/ - Categories: Sales Productivity is a marathon, not a sprint. However, many sales teams don’t operate this way. Reps often casually jog through the first two months of the quarter and are forced to chaotically race toward their goal during the last few weeks. It’s up to sales management and operations to set the pace by building a sales process and tech stack that helps them manage their time efficiently and steadily. By adding smart sales AI tools to your organization, you can set a swift and steady tempo that increases the productivity of each sales rep year round. What exactly is sales AI? It’s any tool that utilizes artificial intelligence to improve the sales process. There are a ton of applications for sales AI; the two main functions though are automation and augmentation of the sales process. Automation is when a tool performs a piece of the sales process (static roles like data entry, tracking and research tasks) with little-to-no human interference. Augmented intelligence helps sales reps work smarter, like identifying cross-and-upsell opportunities. Let’s dive into the different ways you can implement both automated and augmented sales AI solutions in your organization. We’ve also pulled out our favorite tools to help kickstart your implementation process. 1. Automation A sales automation platform can perform a sales process or part of a sales process through static roles. What that means is that it does a task with little-to-no manual effort from the sales rep. Since reps spend 64% of their time on activities other... --- ### The Ultimate Guide to Lead Scoring (In Marketing Automation) > A properly calibrated CRM can make short work of the extra effort you put into figuring out when each lead is ready to become a customer - Published: 2018-10-05 - Modified: 2018-10-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guide-to-lead-scoring/ - Categories: Marketing Automation In sales, you’re often told to get into the mind of your customer. Wouldn’t it be great if you really could see what they were thinking (rather than simply imagining)? As it turns out, you can get pretty close with lead scoring through your CRM’s marketing automation tools. It takes a little bit more effort than just staring at those customers intently to sort out where they are in their buying journey, but a properly calibrated CRM can make short work of the extra effort you put into figuring out when each lead is ready to become a customer. Today’s Customer: An Informed and Self-Motivated Buyer Selling things to people has never been more straightforward, or more difficult. After all, if your refrigerator is $500 more than it is at Amazon, any random buyer can simply tap a few screens and find that discounted price. They can also check specs, read reviews and basically learn everything they need to know about your products or services. This is both good and bad for you. It’s bad because you’ve got to be at least as informed as your leads, but it’s also tricky because you’ll need to know where they are in their customer journey before they even darken the doorstep of your inbox. If your CRM has marketing automation tools, it’s going to make it much easier to figure out which stage your lead is at. Lead Scoring Schools of Thought There’s no one way to configure your lead scoring, so... --- ### 6 Ways to Prepare Your Sales Team for a Productive Q4 > There are ways to push through the holiday-season slog and keep your Q4 energized, positive and winnable for your sales team. - Published: 2018-10-04 - Modified: 2018-10-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/prepare-sales-team-q4/ - Categories: Sales We’ve reached that epic sales time, that mother lode of money, the most wonderful (and stressful) time of the year — Q4, the last push to beat our sales expectations and enter a new year with gusto and confidence. For salespeople, it’s an especially challenging time, because clients and leads are so often equally busy that hearing out cold calls and responding to emails is the last thing they want to do. But there are ways to push through the holiday-season slog and keep your Q4 energized, positive and winnable for your sales team. Here are just a few. Update your Q4 goal. Of course you entered Q4 with a sales goal, but how up-to-date is it? Your previous quarters may have yielded better or worse results than you anticipated, changing the tenor of your final annual push. Specificity is key here. If you want to exceed your sales goals by 20 percent, set that goal early so your sales team knows what their true goal is for the year. Having a clear final goal will help your team work backwards to calculate the initial efforts they need to make throughout October. Hone your accessible internal calendar. Having everyone on the same page is a critical step to maintaining order and confidence in Q4. Make sure you go over key dates, like Thanksgiving, so your team has every piece in place before their leads go on vacation for a long weekend. The same applies for vacations. If anyone on your... --- ### Why You Should Invest in Design (and How to Fund It) > Investing in design may not be at the top of your list, but it should be. Branding can make a world of difference in attracting new customers. - Published: 2018-10-03 - Modified: 2020-01-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/invest-in-design/ - Categories: Marketing Starting a company is expensive—that’s a given. There’s so much to spend on in every stage of your business, and expense seems more necessary than the last. Equipment? Real estate? Accounting software? Legal fees? The costs add up. Investing in marketing can sometimes feel frivolous when you’re just trying to keep your doors open and pay your outstanding invoices. But the truth is, small businesses need to start thinking about design as an essential investment. In the right circumstances, bringing a level of polish to your brand will make waves in far more places than you might expect—and create big returns. 3 Very Good Reasons Why You Need to Spend on Design Although it might be hard to wrap your head around now, investing in design can directly drive revenue and customer retention. Refreshing your branding can even impact how your employees feel about your leadership, and whether or not they want to stick around. Consider these three reasons why you might want to spend money on design: 1. Customers judge a book by its cover Stop being a business owner for a moment, and think about yourself as a consumer. When was the last time you made a judgement on a brand due to its website, or chose one product over another based on its packaging? If you can’t think of something recent, you’re not thinking hard enough. No matter how much you think your goods or services stand on their own—and they probably do—you don’t have the ability,... --- ### 8 Tips for the Ultimate Instagram Ad — And How to Measure the Results > There’s no single recipe for the ultimate Instagram ad, but like most successful products and art, you’ll know it when you see it. - Published: 2018-10-01 - Modified: 2021-07-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-instagram-ads/ - Categories: Social Media We’ve passed the point of saying, “You know, Instagram is pretty popular. ” As of June 2018, the image-sharing app officially declared a billion active monthly users, a growth rate far surpassing Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat. Brands wanting to connect with anyone under the age of 30 are essentially required to get Insta-savvy, with videos and carousels trumping simple photo ads and engagement levels reaching higher percentages than competitor platforms. Instagram is ideal for connecting with your target audience, because ads, frankly, seem to blend in better on that platform. The endless scroll typically happens faster on Instagram than text-heavy Twitter or video-focused Facebook, allowing users to absorb more content at a quicker rate, while clever brands are creating content that users genuinely love. But not all Instagram ads get the same love. Here are a few tips to create the ultimate Insta-ad, and ensure you get the best results. Before You Get Started 1. Research your competitors. The first step to any ad campaign is to investigate your competition. If you run an artisanal hot dog restaurant in Portland, you’ll want to scope out what major hot dog brands are doing nationally on Instagram, what other fancy hot dog restaurants are doing in Portland, and even what similar business are doing in similar cities, such as New York, Seattle or San Francisco. 2. Establish your goals. Whether it’s traffic to your website, video views, Instagram engagement or new followers, you should establish your goalposts before starting and have key... --- ### The 7 Best Blogs On Marketing Automation > If you’re left scratching your head about where to begin with automation, you’re not alone! Here are the 7 best marketing automation blogs on the internet. - Published: 2018-09-27 - Modified: 2022-09-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-marketing-automation-blogs/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Ready for the one thing no one tells you about marketing automation? Setting it up is not exactly automated! You’re the lucky one who gets to put the brain-power behind amazing automated workflows that educate your audience, shorten your sales cycle, and ensure none of the opportunities you’re driving falls through the cracks. But if you’re left scratching your head about where to begin, don’t worry - you’re not alone! Here are the seven best marketing automation blogs on the internet. They’ll help you identify which workflows are best for automation, which tools to use, and how to apply marketing AI to get the best possible results for your business. Find a mix of vendor blogs, personal blogs, and media publications in our roundup. Zapier As a leading workflow automation tool, it’s no wonder Zapier has fantastic content on marketing automation. Zapier’s blog is the go-to for all things related to marketing automation software: they provide in-depth tutorials on using their own tool, along with popular workflows across thousands of third-party apps. Post frequency: 3-5 times a week Topics: Productivity, time management, martech, workflow automation. Recommended reading: If you’re interested in how automation can save you time, read one of Zapier’s case studies -- from this designer who saved half a day per week with automation, to this small team that now saves two hours per day. Chief Marketing Technologist Blog This blog features everything you could possibly want to know about marketing automation, as told by the fantastic Scott... --- ### Your Three-Step Approach to Account-Based Marketing Success > B2B marketers are embracing ABM, in part because they're dissatisfied with their current lead gen efforts. But ABM success relies on a careful approach. - Published: 2018-09-26 - Modified: 2018-09-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/your-three-step-approach-to-account-based-marketing-success/ - Categories: Account-Based Marketing Marketers have long believed that consumers and business buyers' paths to purchase are inherently different. B2C vs. B2B Consumers, the thinking goes, want to forge personal connections with brands through a series of connection points, typically consulting with friends and family for second (or third) opinions. Their path to purchase looks less like a straight line and more like a circular pattern of touchpoints. B2B buyers, as the term implies, are all business, the thinking goes. Rather than let emotion drive their purchases, they're more swayed by the facts, putting major stock in research and specifications. As opposed to gathering opinions from friends and family, they follow a formal procurement process, which involves cross-departmental communication and collaboration. Thanks to the digital revolution, however, the distinctions between the two groups are beginning to blur. We're witnessing the consumerization of the business buyer, who's no longer satisfied with one-size-fits-all content offerings. B2B customers desire a new level of personalization. For marketers, that means a clear shift in strategy. Enter account-based marketing (ABM), which narrows your marketing funnel and allows you to specifically target high-value accounts' prospects in a way that appeals to the consumer within them. Read Jonathan's full article on MarketingProfs. --- ### The Pros and Cons of Social Media Contests > Social media contests can be beneficial in gaining new followers and sales, but it’s important to execute the contest correctly. - Published: 2018-09-25 - Modified: 2018-09-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-social-media-contests/ - Categories: Social Media There are so many ways to utilize social media to promote your business. From sponsored posts on Facebook to Instagram stories, business owners have numerous platforms and tools at their fingertips that can help them grow their social audience, and in turn, gain more sales. One notable option is social media contests. In this post, we’ll explain how social media contests typically work and will list the most common pros and cons that come with hosting a contest through your small business’s social media profiles. What Are Social Media Contests? Through your business’s social media profiles, you can host contests that lead to giveaways. To participate in the contest, people might have to follow your accounts, tag friends, answer a trivia question or republish a photo, just to name a few examples. If they follow the directions and are chosen as the winner, they’ll receive whatever your incentive was. Many business owners reward their winners with gift cards, free items or services from their company, or another relevant incentive. If you’re interested in exploring how social media contests could help (or hinder) your bottom line, keep reading to find out what the pros and cons are! Pros: Gain Social Followers: One of the most obvious benefits of holding a social media contest is that it will help your small business gain more followers. Whether you’re a new business, or you simply want to grow your accounts, hosting a content can be a relatively easy way to gain followers. In fact,... --- ### The 6 Best Infographic Tools for Non-Designers > If your budget is limited, creating a compelling infographic may seem outside your comfort zone. Here are the best infographic tools for entrepreneurs. - Published: 2018-09-24 - Modified: 2018-09-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-infographic-tools/ - Categories: Marketing Like that percussive pink bunny we all remember from a particular battery commercial, infographics have been going strong for a long time. Take this fact, for starters: the term “infographic” gets searched online over 60,000 times per month. Eye-tracking studies have shown that people spend more time looking at meaningful, information-driven visuals (hello, infographics) than simply those that look pretty. It’s a no-brainer that infographics are good for your marketing. They communicate complex ideas faster than plain text, and they’re far more shareable on social media. You can use them as standalone assets, or as part of a larger article or guide in your content marketing campaign. But then there’s the hitch: you’re not a designer. And if your budget is limited or you’re a solopreneur, the task of putting together a compelling, branded infographic may seem way beyond your comfort zone. Fortunately, you don’t have to know the difference between CMYK and RGB to create a fantastic infographic – you only need the right tool. Here are our top six picks for infographic creation in 2018. #1: Piktochart Piktochart is a multifaceted design tool that specializes in infographics, presentations, and printable content. There are several free infographic templates to work with, and hundreds more available on the paid plan. Pricing: Free, with paid plans starting at $12. 50/month. What we like: We love Piktochart’s variety of infographic templates and its user-friendly interface. It almost makes design completely stress-free! #2: Canva Canva has taken the content creation world by storm... --- ### How to Recover from Negative Reviews > Negative reviews are never fun, but they’re par for the course in business. If you approach them correctly, you can end up with positive results. - Published: 2018-09-21 - Modified: 2018-09-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/recover-from-negative-reviews/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Like it or not, you’re not always going to be able to please everyone. There will always be someone who feels dissatisfied with your product or service. And the longer you’re in business, the greater the likelihood of ending up with a few negative reviews under your belt. Unfortunately, thanks to the internet, people can now share their opinions with the world with a few clicks of a keyboard. The good news is there are ways to respond and recover from negative comments about your brand and sometimes even come out smelling like roses in the process. Let’s take a look. Don’t take it personally. Do you rave about everything you eat, buy or experience? Of course not. But you certainly have a right to your opinion – and your customers do as well. The first key to bouncing back after a bad review is to remember that it’s not personal. When someone critiques your product or service, they’re not necessarily criticizing you. How could they be when they don’t even know you? Take a step back and try to view negative comments as objectively and non-personally as possible. Don’t rage. Engage. When someone says something bad about something you are passionate about, it’s easy to get defensive and lash out in response. This is the worst thing you can do as a business owner. Even if the review seems like an attack, responding in kind will only serve to paint you in an even more negative light. To avoid... --- ### Content and Lead Generation: The True Story > Using content to generate leads takes more than publishing content and praying for contacts. - Published: 2018-09-18 - Modified: 2018-09-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-lead-generation/ - Categories: Lead Generation You've heard people say it before: Content can help your company generate leads. And while it's true, you can't create just any content and expect a flood of hot new leads ready to get on the phone and discuss working with you. Using content to generate leads takes more than publishing content and praying for contacts. An effective lead generation strategy includes many steps and components, and skipping any of them can leave you sans results and scratching your head. That's why you have to have a plan mapped out that directs you on the correct mix of content to create, the tools and tech that can make it all work, and the metrics you need to measure the success of your efforts. If the main goal of your content marketing program is to generate leads and you're not seeing the results you want, chances are that you're neglecting something important — and with so many elements in play, it can be hard to tell what the issue might be. So on September 26, Hatchbuck's Jonathan Herrick and Influence & Co. 's Brittni Kinney will be hosting a free webinar that dives into everything you need to put in place to start generating leads from your content. They'll discuss how to create a documented content marketing strategy that will help you focus your content, maintain consistency, and keep your entire team on the same page. With a custom content strategy in hand, you'll discover the exact types of content you... --- ### Everything You Need to Know About Google's Custom Intent Audiences > Google’s Custom Intent Audiences bring a whole new level of granularity to your targeting. - Published: 2018-09-17 - Modified: 2018-09-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-custom-intent-audiences/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing If you’ve struggled to get results from advertising on the Google Display Network, we have good news for you. Google’s Custom Intent Audiences bring a whole new level of granularity to your targeting. In other words, where you used to feel like you were paying hundreds of dollars to shout your brand message into a void, it’s now easier than ever to show your display ads only to users most likely to take action right now. Let’s define Google’s Custom Intent Audiences, and then we’ll share our step-by-step tips for getting the most out of this powerful tool. What Are Custom Intent Audiences? In November of 2017, Google launched Custom Intent Audiences. This was a major reveal, because up until that point, targeting was broad and sometimes not as relevant as some advertisers would hope – especially compared to the hyper-focused targeting capabilities of Facebook. Before Intent Audiences, advertisers relied mainly on “Affinity” audiences, which were groups of people who shared long-term interests that were relevant to your target keywords or URLs. And while Affinity audiences are still around (and are a great way to build brand awareness and grow your market reach), they’re not as effective at advertising to internet users at the moment they’re ready to make a purchase. Custom Intent Audiences allows you to show your ads to people whose search intent aligns with what you’re selling. As an advertiser, you can imagine how powerful this is. But if the differentiation between these two audience types is... --- ### 5 Customer Retention Strategies that Really Work > With the value of an existing customer far greater than that of a new one, it’s clear that customer retention strategies must be a priority for businesses. - Published: 2018-09-14 - Modified: 2023-02-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-retention-strategies/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship In business, there’s always talk surrounding how to land new clients - and that’s obviously important. After all, you can’t expect to be successful unless you’re bringing in a steady stream of new customers. But more important than generating new business is actually finding a way to keep your existing clientele happy. In fact, the cost of retaining existing customers is actually 5-25 times lower than acquiring new ones, which means you’ll achieve a much higher ROI in the process. Let’s take a look at a few proven strategies for keeping those loyal customers coming back again and again. Make it convenient. The easier it is to do business with you, the more likely your customers will be to stick around. People tend to take the path of least resistance, and they appreciate when brands do things to make their lives easier. Play on this by leveraging the convenience factor, whether it’s offering 24/7 support via online chat or providing the option to transact via a mobile app. Listen to what your customers want and then use that feedback to create a level of service that exceeds their expectations. Add a personal touch. In a world that is increasingly digital, personalization has never been more important. People want to feel like they’re more than just a number. They want to feel connected to the brands with which they do business. This can be challenging, particularly as your company grows, but there are still ways to establish this personal touch, even... --- ### 9 Tools for Better Market Research > With the growing demand for personalization, it’s never been more important to leverage market research in your marketing efforts. - Published: 2018-09-13 - Modified: 2018-09-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-tools-for-better-market-research/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship With the growing demand for personalization, it’s never been more important to leverage market research in your marketing efforts. Uncovering key insights into your ideal buyer and your customers can be the difference between growing your business or steering a sinking ship. But where do you start with your research process? With so many tools and data out, there it can be overwhelming. The good news is that the harrowing process of conducting market research is about to get way easier for you. But before we share the top tools for improving your research game, let’s give a quick rundown of what market research entails. Types of Market Research There are a ton of ways to get the intel you need for your marketing. Before you can pick the best tool for the job, it’s wise to identify what you’re hoping to achieve – and whether you need primary or secondary research. When it comes to marketing, primary research includes activities like: Surveys Gathering and analyzing data A/B Testing Observing users/customers in the field Focus groups Conducting interviews Secondary research is anything you didn’t gather or develop on your own, like: Statistics Reports Studies Reading online articles Now, whether you’re launching a product, preparing an ad campaign, exploring new markets for your service, or collecting feedback on one of your offerings, here are nine tools to strengthen your market research process. #1: Google Surveys Google Surveys is exactly what it sounds like: it’s a tool for market researchers to create... --- ### 11 Tips and Examples for Bringing New Life to Your Newsletter Emails > Nobody wants their newsletter emails to be a snoozefest. Use these tips to revitalize your emails and get better results. - Published: 2018-09-12 - Modified: 2018-09-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/better-newsletter-emails/ - Categories: Email Marketing You didn’t want your newsletter to become a snoozefest, but you’ve been noticing your open rates and click-through rates dropping at nearly the same rate as your enthusiasm. You started your email newsletter with the best of intentions, but now it’s tired and not packing the same punch it used to. What can you do to breathe life back into your newsletter after months or years of the same old thing? There’s plenty. Here are 11 tips and examples to help you spice up your newsletter and keep your prospects moving happily down your sales funnel. Make an offer. A newsletter may primarily be a top-funnel tool, but sometimes switching it up and making a compelling offer can be just what you needed to reignite your subscribers’ spark with your brand. Brainstorm some offers that even your most skeptical prospects can’t resist: a freebie, a massive giveaway contest, an Amazon gift card, or a refer-a-friend program are some examples. Or, segment your subscribers by phase in the customer journey and send tailored offers to each group instead of blasting them with the same offer. Also, consider providing a reward in exchange for feedback. This is a good tactic if you’re concerned that people just aren’t interested in your content. Add a “Play Video” image Though not all email programs will properly display rich media like video, that doesn’t mean you should shy away from using it. Rather than embed a video in your email newsletter and risk getting blocked by... --- ### The Complete Guide to UTM Parameters > By the end of this post, you’ll be able to start using UTMs in your marketing campaigns to zoom in on what’s working in your marketing and what’s not. - Published: 2018-09-10 - Modified: 2018-09-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guide-to-utm-parameters/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing For digital marketers, tracking the source of your leads and customers is vital to discovering your most effective, most efficient lead channels. This is where UTM parameters come in. With UTM codes, you can segment your online traffic and report back to your leadership team or clients with hard data on the return on investment you’re getting for your marketing spend. There’s no better way to accelerate growth and prove your worth month after month. By the end of this post, you’ll be able to start using UTMs in your marketing campaigns to zoom in on what’s working in your marketing and what’s not. So, let’s jump in! What Are UTMs? UTM stands for Urchin Tracking Module. A UTM is a piece of code within a URL that tells Google Analytics where a site visitor came from, online or offline. Here’s an example of a UTM in action. Imagine you’ve created a fantastic landing page for your product, and now you want to drive traffic to this landing page from several different places: a brochure you’re handing out at events, a flyer you’ll be putting up at college campuses, and a Facebook ad campaign. So you place unique “vanity URLs” within each of these items – the brochure, the flyer, and the ad campaign – for your customer to follow. Each URL redirects to the same place, your landing page or website, so all of the leads from your campaign are seeing the same awesome content. The UTM within the... --- ### 22 Best WordPress Plugins For Marketers (And They're Free!) > We’ve vetted the plethora of WordPress marketing plugins out there and condensed them into a handy list of the top free ones for 2018. - Published: 2018-09-06 - Modified: 2018-09-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-wordpress-marketing-plugins/ - Categories: Marketing Have you ever had the feeling that other marketers are killing it with their WordPress sites, while you’re always a tiny bit behind the curve? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Although these 22 marketing plugins for WordPress aren’t top-secret, they’ve certainly been giving time-strapped marketers an advantage for quite some time now. We’ve vetted the plethora of WordPress marketing plugins out there and condensed them into a handy list of the top free ones for 2018. If you’re looking to solve a specific problem, we’ve got you covered, too – just skip to the section that interests you the most. SEO and Search Engine Marketing Plugins Search-engine marketing is full of nuances and technicalities. Rather than memorizing all of these (and painstakingly checking your contractors’ content against a hundred best practices), why not employ a plugin to do the job for you? Yoast SEO Best for: Checking your content, in real time, for potential search engine optimizations. This plugin grades your content based on its SEO-friendliness and provides detailed steps you can take to improve it. Active Installs: Over 5 million Pretty Links Best for: Link management, tracking visitor activity on your site. This plugin creates branded short links (rather than using a service like bit. ly) and provides insights into how users are finding your site and interacting with its links. Active Installs: Over 200,000 SEO Squirrly Best for: Planning SEO strategy and optimizing content, using in tandem with other SEO plugins. This tool offers various... --- ### 4 Reasons You Should Invest in Employee Learning > Employee learning can be expensive, but it pays off in the long run. You’ll cultivate smarter, more efficient employees and create a better work culture. - Published: 2018-09-05 - Modified: 2020-01-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-learning/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship The everyday demands and stresses of being a small business owner means some “nice to have” initiatives often get pushed to the backburner. Especially during those days where you’re struggling to find a minute to gobble down lunch, investing time (and of course, money) into an employee development program can seem unnecessary. But the truth is, employee learning is one of the most valuable things an entrepreneur can do for his or her company. Though it can be costly, you’re building a solid foundation for your business and fostering a happy, productive team. Offering employee education is a great way to show current and future hires that you’re willing to invest in their wellbeing (and keep high performers engaged). Here are six reasons to consider making employee education part of your business’s bottom line—and why it’s worth it. It can improve employee retention rates Employee retention can be a huge and expensive burden for the small business owner. Hiring takes time and money, so once you land a great employee, keeping them is just as crucial. Investing in employee development really means investing in your employees—and showing them that they matter to the company, especially in the long term. No matter how long an employee has held a position, there are always new skills that can’t always be learned on the job. In addition to making workers feel more valued as part of the team, the best employee development programs allow the employee to take charge of his or her... --- ### 5 Ways to Be a Better Listener > One of the most powerful tools for influencing others is to say less and listen more. Here’s how to be a better listener. - Published: 2018-09-04 - Modified: 2018-08-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/better-listening-skills/ - Categories: Leadership In a world where “influencers” have tremendous power, you may wonder if you’re doing a good enough job of getting your message out — whether it’s to your employees, your customers or your community. Are you passionate enough? Entertaining enough to grab their attention? “Authentic? ” Thinking that way can cause you to second-guess yourself and can be distracting. The good news is that you don’t have to try to shout above all of the “noise” out there to get people’s attention. One of the powerful tools for influencing others is to say less and listen more. Here’s how to be a better listener: Seek out “face time. ” Listening well requires you to pay attention to both verbal and nonverbal cues. It’s easier to spot these clues if you talk face-to-face or by video chat than by simply sending an email. The more you can read between the lines to the things people want to say but hesitate to bring up, the easier it will be to cut to the chase, communicate more clearly and run your business more effectively. Let’s say you’d like an employee to take on a big project that’s going to involve a lot more responsibility. While your employee might respond to an email request to tackle it by saying, “I’m on it! ” However, deep down he might not want to do it ( Or say to himself, I would be ‘on it’ if you gave me training and the tools I need to... --- ### 8 Signs Your Brand Is Outdated > Before you make the leap, it’s important to consider whether your brand is truly outdated, or if it just needs a refresh. - Published: 2018-08-31 - Modified: 2018-08-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/outdated-brand/ - Categories: Marketing Big, goofy bubble fonts. Obvious stock photos. 3-D clipart. Most designers are glad these are things of the past. But at one point in time, they were cutting-edge. The truth is, every brand needs a revamp from time to time. Take a look at Google’s logo changes, for example. The original version is a far cry from what we see when we start a search today. It may seem obvious that Google was in need of an update – but it can be harder to tell when you’re analyzing your own brand. Plus, a complete rebrand comes with a lot of other implications and responsibilities, from reworking your messaging to updating all of your design files and style guides. Before you make the leap, it’s important to consider whether your brand is truly outdated, or if it just needs a few tweaks (sometimes called a brand refresh). To help you out, here are some surefire signs your brand is living in the wrong decade. #1: You don’t have a responsive, mobile-friendly website. A responsive website means one that doesn’t require excessive scrolling, zooming, or other maneuvering to view on different devices. The easiest way to test this is to whip out your smartphone and open your site. If this was your first time visiting it, would you feel frustrated? Are there any technical issues with closing popups, opening links, or other logistics? What do images look like? You may be tempted to shirk this one, but the stats show that... --- ### 6 Tips For Making the Most of Your CRM in Your Marketing Efforts > Your CRM is a marketing goldmine of information that can teach you how to better serve your current and future customers. - Published: 2018-08-30 - Modified: 2022-11-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-marketing/ - Categories: CRM What if you already had a tool that gave you a plethora of detailed information on your customers – what they find interesting, what annoys them, and when, where, and why they’re buying your products or services? This would be incredibly valuable to your marketing. You could turn repeat customers into brand evangelists, and start connecting with the new prospects who are most likely to adore your offerings. This tool exists, and it’s your CRM. Your CRM is essential to the success of your sales and customer service efforts. But your CRM has another incredible power: it provides invaluable insights into your customers’ interests, personalities, and behaviors that can supercharge your marketing strategies. Unfortunately, whether due to the learning curve or overwhelming amount of data available, many businesses (both large and small) are under-utilizing their CRMs in their marketing. Don’t be one of them! Here are our top six tips for getting the most out of your CRM in your marketing efforts. Refocus your training and onboarding process. Humans are resistant to change, even when the change is something that will make life easier – like a powerful new CRM. And even those employees and contractors who do appreciate the value of your CRM are still prone to error, meaning they may not always use your CRM consistently. The solution is both to create a consistent training program for new hires and existing team members and to establish a list of rules or best practices for using the CRM. Your... --- ### 9 Ways to Deliver More Effective Feedback As A Leader > Effective feedback paves the way for more open lines of communication and can solve issues that might otherwise become massive problems for your company. - Published: 2018-08-28 - Modified: 2018-08-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/deliver-effective-feedback/ - Categories: Leadership As a leader, you have a lot of people under your influence who depend on you. One of your responsibilities is to nurture and guide your team members so they’ll acquire the skills and tools needed to advance in their careers. Effective feedback is one of the most important things that your team can receive from you to enable them to learn, grow and move forward. Give feedback regularly. If feedback is given regularly and followed up with positive action, it becomes an extremely valuable tool for career progression and personal growth. However, if feedback becomes something which is given on an ad hoc basis, it can be harder to implement and is not as useful in the grand scheme of things. Give it the constant attention it needs so it becomes a regular tool in your company arsenal. Provide context. It is hardly worth telling someone that their performance is lacking without being able to show real-life solid examples. How did their actions impact the others on the team? How did it affect the company as a whole? Emphasize the importance of their position and show them that everything they do has a knock-on effect. Without the context, it can be hard to understand the feedback, let alone take it to heart. Don’t be afraid to give some tough love. It’s understandable that you want to be liked as a leader, but if you don’t shy away from handing out difficult feedback, you’ll be more respected for it. It... --- ### How to Tie Google Analytics into Your PPC Strategy > With the wealth of features Google Analytics provides, it’s easy to overlook what’s really important for your PPC strategy. - Published: 2018-08-27 - Modified: 2018-08-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tie-google-analytics-into-ppc-strategy/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing For every PPC marketer, it’s a challenge to find the right balance when analyzing data. Ever felt torn between “need more data for a full picture“ and “totally overwhelmed by numbers? " The solution is probably easier than you’d imagine. There are several ways to streamline your analytics efforts in order to keep the balance – one of them is to make sure you’re squeezing the most out of the tools you’re already using. Google Analytics is an extremely powerful platform for marketers, but with the wealth of features it provides, it’s easy to overlook what’s really important. We’ve put together five Google Analytics features you should be using to enhance your PPC strategy. Read on to make sure you’re leveraging them all! Quickly test goals with Real-Time reports Before launching a PPC campaign, you need to make sure all the goals and events are set up correctly, in order to properly track the campaign’s results. The quickest way to do this is to use the ‘Real-Time’ report. Open the ‘Conversions’ tab and then go to your target page and perform the action you’ve set as a goal; if set up correctly, the counter on the ‘Conversions’ page will reflect it. Explore assisted conversions When it comes to tracking conversions, an average conversion path will most likely have several channels contributing to the final goal. If a channel appears at any stage except for the final interaction, it’s considered to be assisting the conversion. Google Analytics allows you to explore... --- ### 12 Podcasts That Will Make Your Commute More Productive > Listening to a podcast is a hands-free approach to travel even in the most crowded of circumstances. - Published: 2018-08-24 - Modified: 2018-08-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/podcasts-for-productivity/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship For many, commuting is just part and parcel of getting to and from work each day. How you use that time is, of course, up to you. As a huge fan of podcasts, I’ll tell you that they’ll not only make the time go faster but will also enable you to learn more about yourself and may even help you forge ahead in your business. Listening to a podcast is a hands-free approach to travel even in the most crowded of circumstances. You can kill time while being productive and subsequently entertain yourself whether you’re walking, carpooling, riding the subway or catching the bus. Here are some podcasts we definitely recommend. Ted Talks Daily The subjects and experts featured on Ted Talks Daily are varied, to say the least. Ted Talks Daily allows you to listen to inspiring leaders from all walks of life, condensed into bite-sized pieces for you to enjoy on your travels to and from work. Girlboss Radio Sophia Amoruso talks to female entrepreneurs and poses all the questions you need to ask. Wishing to push the boundaries and learn from the best, then Girlboss Radio discusses topics with those who have trodden the unpaved paths before you. Listen Money Matters If you want to get ahead in your finances and free your "inner financial badass," while at the same time avoiding tedious financial discussions, make this podcast your first stop. The informative range of interviews discusses budgeting, money management, investing and more. Planet Money As the... --- ### How the GDPR Makes ABM a Great Marketing Option > One thing’s for sure: the GDPR is not a bad thing. It made lazy marketing a little harder, and more rewarding efforts start to look more promising. - Published: 2018-08-23 - Modified: 2018-08-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/gdpr-account-based-marketing/ - Categories: Account-Based Marketing In the days leading up to May 25, 2018, Internet users worldwide received a sudden influx of emails from brands. Some simply mentioned they were updating their privacy policies, others asked whether the customer would like to keep getting emails. No doubt many readers didn’t bother opening or responding to these messages, and digital marketers have been scampering to recollect new data since. This is the new reality under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the new law enacted by the European Union to protect its citizens’ privacy. Because of the wide-reaching and inherently nebulous state of the Internet, many brands had to update their privacy policies globally and email wider swaths of people than just those they believed were physically located on the one continent affected. Optimistic marketers would have gritted their teeth and called this a good thing – after all, periodically purging your email subscriber lists is actually a great way to boost engagement numbers, hone your data and save people’s time and effort. But realistically, asking people – even if they like and appreciate your content – whether they want to keep getting your emails is always risky. One way to mitigate this risk is by focusing less on spray-and-pray outbound or inbound marketing, slowly gathering emails from potential leads and qualifying them over time, and instead focusing more on specific accounts. Account-based marketing (ABM) calls for a more careful and deliberate approach, sometimes targeting specific people at specific companies and nurturing them over time. You... --- ### 9 Essential Sales Tools For Solopreneurs > We’ve researched a variety of sales tools for solopreneurs to give you a solid list of options for streamlining your sales process and closing more deals. - Published: 2018-08-21 - Modified: 2020-09-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-tools-for-solopreneurs/ - Categories: Sales Every solopreneur has a slightly different take on the sales process, based on what they’re selling and their own personal strengths and weaknesses. However, the general process is roughly the same for all salespeople: prospecting, initial contact, sales call, the offer, handling objections, and following up. We’ve researched a variety of sales software for solopreneurs – from complete CRMs to solutions that help with specific parts of the sales cycle – in order to give you a solid list of options for streamlining your sales process and closing more deals. Today’s technology, when implemented correctly, can free up a significant portion of your time for becoming a better practitioner, working on your marketing, closing more deals, or whatever else you might do in your business with some extra time. So let’s get to it! Below you'll find the nine of the best sales tools for solopreneurs. Zapier Have we mentioned that we love Zapier? With Zapier, you can easily automate pesky, repetitive tasks that eat up a lot of time, create room for error and yet add little value to your day. What’s not to like? Zapier integrates with over 1,000 web applications (including Hatchbuck! ) and seamlessly streamlines your workflows to make creating conversations simple and closing sales a no-brainer. Price: Free for personal tasks, plans start at $20/month for businesses Pandadoc Need help creating sales proposals? Pandadoc offers templates to make this process smoother and more consistent across your business. Manage your contract lifecycle and offer secure e-signatures,... --- ### The Power of Automation to Supercharge Your Marketing Efforts > The bottom line: if you aren’t using automation yet to supercharge your marketing efforts, you risk falling behind savvier competitors. - Published: 2018-08-20 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/automation-supercharge-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Given the growing popularity of marketing automation, it should come as no surprise that Giselle Abramovich, writing for Adobe’s CMO magazine, reports that nearly all respondents (91 percent) “agree that marketing automation is ‘very important’ to the overall success of their marketing across channels. ” This universal opinion seems to stem, in part, from the results delivered by the strategy. Abramovich also found that “77 percent of CMOs at top-performing companies indicate their most compelling reason for implementing marketing automation is to grow revenue. ” Few other tactics deliver same ROI as great marketing automation installations. Yet, Abramovich’s research reveals that found that only forty-nine percent of companies are using the tactic. It’s astonishing that something the industry agrees on as being highly effective still lags behind in adoption. The bottom line: if you aren’t using automation yet to supercharge your marketing efforts, you risk falling behind savvier competitors. The Benefits of Marketing Automation Marketing automation’s insanely great performance comes from a number of different sources: Ongoing Nurturing Only a small percentage of your website visitors will take your desired action the first time they stop by. That’s why it’s crucial that you get them into your funnel where they can be nurtured as leads until they’re ready to convert - and why it should come as no surprise that Forrester data finds “companies that nurture leads make 50% more sales at a cost 33% less than non-nurtured leads. ” Marketing automation takes the manual effort out of this process,... --- ### 7 Tips to Create a CTA That Really Converts > These seven tips should help you craft compelling CTAs that are more likely to convince and convert your target audience on a consistent basis. - Published: 2018-08-17 - Modified: 2018-08-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cta-tips/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Calls to action do just that – they call a visitor to take action on your website, in an email, on an ad and more. But there’s more to it than simply putting a “click here” or “buy now” button on a webpage. As with any marketing practice, there’s a certain strategy involved. To really make your CTAs compelling, try putting the following seven tips into action. Make them visible. You’d be surprised at how many marketers hide their CTAs below the fold. Others may place them higher on the page, but fail to make them stand out. Simply put, if your visitors can’t quickly and easily get to the next step, they probably won’t and you’ll miss out on countless opportunities as a result. Tell your visitors what you want them to do in a clear, concise and compelling way and use a well-placed, eye-catching button to do so. Use practical language. Don’t stuff your CTA with too much junk or use confusing jargon. If you want people to click on your calls to action, you have to use practical language that speaks to them. Think about the problem you’re trying to solve for your target audience and then communicate that as simply and effectively as possible in your CTAs. Be consistent. A bright yellow oval shaped CTA on the top of your landing page followed by a dark red square one down below can confuse your visitors. You should most definitely repeat your calls to action as many... --- ### 10 Tips for a Perfect Retargeting Campaign > Retargeting might be one thing you can do right now to get incredible results. Here are our top 10 tips for crushing it with your next remarketing campaign. - Published: 2018-08-16 - Modified: 2022-10-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/retargeting/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing So you’ve spent your valuable marketing dollars to attract more leads to your website. But not everyone who visits your site is ready to commit to you on their first visit. They need to be reminded, regularly and in different ways, of what your business can really do for them before they are ready to buy. With each additional reminder, they grow more likely to remember you -- and to take action. This is the goal of remarketing, which literally means marketing again. Just one retargeting ad could increase your conversion rate by an incredible 70 percent. And according to a survey by the Interactive Advertising Bureau, 92% of marketers found retargeting to outperform search, email, and display advertising. However, remarketing is vastly underused. It may be a lack of knowledge about effective retargeting. Or it may be a side effect of today’s highly data-driven landscape in which executives expect to see a direct ROI tied to marketing spend. Remarketing can be more of an art than a science where impression after impression drives an action that isn’t always directly attributable to one channel. Regardless of the reason, retargeting might be one thing you can do right now to get incredible results. Here are our top 10 tips for crushing it with your next remarketing campaign. Retargeting Tip #1: Retarget high-value prospects. Part of successful retargeting is knowing exactly who to retarget. Some of your prospects are going to be more valuable than others, so use your existing demographic data... --- ### The Value of a CRM & Automation in Account-Based Marketing > A CRM helps you identify the ideal customers for account-based marketing while marketing automation tools helps you execute an ABM strategy efficiently. - Published: 2018-08-14 - Modified: 2018-08-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-account-based-marketing/ - Categories: Account-Based Marketing Account-based marketing (ABM) allows companies to generate more business within individual accounts. Rather than producing general marketing for a particular industry, ABM involves marketing to individual companies with specific offers and value propositions related to their needs. Traditionally, this method was used by large enterprises where the size of the deal justified the amount of energy focused on marketing to only one business or account. But with the help of a customer relationship management (CRM) tool and automation, small- to medium-sized business can also engage in account-based marketing to increase their sales and generate value with individual customers. Creating your ideal buyer persona Using the data in your CRM, you can build your ideal customer profile (ICP). Your ICP describes the kind of company that is an ideal fit for your product or service. In this way, you can identify which companies are worth account-based marketing efforts, so you don’t waste time and energy on businesses that have a low chance of generating significant revenue. Identifying which companies are the money makers With a CRM, you can quickly determine where most of your money is coming from. If you notice that a huge portion of your monthly recurring revenue (MRR) comes from a handful of companies, you can develop ABM strategies targeting those businesses. Alternatively, your CRM will show you which customers require a significant amount of attention, but only bring in a small amount of revenue, allowing you to adjust the amount of effort you expend on them accordingly.... --- ### The Differences Between Proactive and Pushy Emails > Walking the line between proactive and pushy in your email marketing can feel like walking a tightrope blindfolded. - Published: 2018-08-10 - Modified: 2018-08-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-etiquette/ - Categories: Email Marketing Walking the line between proactive and pushy in your email marketing can feel like walking a tightrope blindfolded. First, there’s the challenge of perspective. One customer’s idea of “pushy” might be another customer’s idea of energetic or enthusiastic. Then, there’s the cold, hard reality of remarketing: if you aren’t reaching out to prospects multiple times (i. e. , being a little pushy), your email marketing campaign is almost guaranteed to fall short. We’ve compiled some tips for ensuring your email marketing copy is more proactive than pushy. Give these a shot, and see how it impacts your next campaign. Tip #1: Be careful with subject lines. Avoid aggression or defensiveness in your subject lines. Though these tactics can certainly be effective in terms of open rates, you’re far more likely to get that hallowed click-through (and avoid being seen as pushy) with a bit more decency and candor. Proactive: Is it something we said? / I know you’ve been busy. / We miss you! Pushy: Why haven’t you opened your emails? / Why are you avoiding me? / Where have you been? Tip #2: Space them out. There’s nothing that will turn your prospects off faster than pummeling them with daily emails (except, maybe, twice- or thrice-daily emails). According to a State of Digital Marketing report, most marketers contacted their subscribers between 2 and 5 times a month. Very few (8 percent) of respondents sent more than eight emails per month. But if your subscribers have signed up for a... --- ### 6 Creative Employee Incentives From Thriving Businesses > Once your organization has found the right talent for your team, how do you keep them? While all businesses these days offer the standard holiday pay, - Published: 2018-08-09 - Modified: 2021-01-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-employee-incentives/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Once your organization has found the right talent for your team, how do you keep them? While all businesses these days offer the standard holiday pay, sick pay and other health benefits, companies are now looking for ideas over and above the norm to hold onto their employees for longer periods of time. If you're looking to do something a little out of the ordinary, consider taking modeling your employee incentives after these organizations. Fully Paid Employee Vacation FullContact actually pays for their employee vacations. In fact, they offer their staff $7,500 each year as an encouragement to take a holiday, and insist on a minimum of three weeks’ annual leave every year. There is, however, one stipulation; staff must fully disconnect, and that means no work-related emails, phone calls, or texts – no work, period! Image credit: FullContact Other companies offer similar packages to incentivize holiday breaks. BambooHR reimburses their staff for up to $2,000 a year to cover vacation expenses, and Evernote pays its employees $1,000 a year to take five consecutive days off in a row, whether you travel or not. 401K Match-Up Google has many perks which benefit the employee, but one in particular which people appreciate, is the 401K match-up that matches 50% of the employee’s contributions up to a maximum of $8,250. This not only ensures that their employees are looked after today, but they are also supported when they do eventually decide to retire. If your company is considering doing a 401K match-up... --- ### The Ultimate Guide to Writing Killer Headlines > What’s the secret to writing eye-catching headlines? There’s no magic formula, but there are certain tried-and-true tricks of the trade. - Published: 2018-08-08 - Modified: 2018-08-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/writing-headlines/ - Categories: Content Marketing Writing great content is important. But if nobody’s actually reading that content, what’s the point? The single most important component of a blog post is its title. Not only should it be effective enough to get your content found online, but it should also be catchy enough to make your audience want to click through and read more. Otherwise, your amazing content will just be sitting on your blog, taking up space and producing little to no return on your investment. So, what’s the secret to writing eye-catching headlines? There’s no magic formula or foolproof guarantee, but there are certain tried-and-true tricks of the trade that can dramatically improve your blog content’s performance. Let’s take a look. Start with a rough draft. Don’t worry about thinking up the perfect headline right off the bat. It often takes a decent amount of polishing to really get it right. So, start with a working title, based on the topic and keyword you’re planning to target in your blog post. You may need to come back after you’ve already written the blog and play around with the title until you feel comfortable with it. For instance, the working title for this blog posts was “How to write great blog titles. ” Obviously, that’s not compelling enough, so we kicked things up a notch. Be sure it’s accurate. The web is inundated with clickbait these days, and people are getting more and more frustrated by the minute. You don’t want to associate your business... --- ### Show Me The Money: How To Measure Content Marketing ROI > Measuring content marketing ROI lets you easily see how much your brand earns in comparison to how much it spends on content marketing. - Published: 2018-08-06 - Modified: 2018-08-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-roi/ - Categories: Content Marketing "Show me the money. " That what your brand's CEO, board members, and other shareholders are really thinking when you tell them about the benefits and value of content marketing. They might care that 90 percent of people find custom content useful or valuable, or that nearly three-quarters of people prefer to learn about a brand through articles instead of traditional ads. What they really want to know is, how is content marketing affecting the brand's bottom line? Measuring content marketing ROI lets you easily see how much your brand earns in comparison to how much it spends on content marketing. Say your brand spent $5 to start a content marketing program. As a result of its efforts, it made $10. The return on investment is 100 percent — you earned back what you spent, then another $5 on top of that. Strangely enough, only 43 percent of B2C brands and 35 percent of B2B brands attempt to measure the return on investment (ROI) of their content marketing efforts. Of the reasons given for not measuring their content marketing ROI, the top three were that it was too difficult to do, they didn't know how to do it, or they had no reason to measure ROI. How to Calculate Content Marketing ROI The math needed to figure out ROI is pretty simple. You divide the profit or gain brought in by content marketing (amount earned minus your initial spend) by the amount you spent on a campaign. If all is... --- ### The Top 7 Must-Have B2B Sales and Marketing Tools for Entrepreneurs > These are the best B2B sales and marketing tools to align your teams, show off a professional front and keep things under financial control. - Published: 2018-08-03 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/b2b-sales-and-marketing-tools/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship If you’re in the B2B sphere, you know the value of digital marketing. But if you’re also an entrepreneur, you’re probably working under a restrictive budget, constraining your funds on potentially risky expenditures such as new sales and marketing efforts. And more than that, you can’t afford to look unprofessional – meaning you want to avoid tacky digital watermarks, stale templates and anything else that gives off the wrong impression about your brand. And then there’s the issue of overlapping duties. Luckily, entrepreneurs are best positioned to align their sales and marketing teams and cultivate an office culture wherein both work off each other, flying in the face of traditional systems that disconnect the two. The best part? That model fits neatly into businesses running with a tight budget. So when it comes to software tools, you can tackle them from the perspective of a triple-whammy: these are the best products to align your sales and marketing teams, show off a professional front and keep things under financial control. Adobe Spark Is a full-time graphic designer too costly for your budget? Don’t want to wait for your freelancer to get back to you? Adobe Spark is a brilliant, free, easy-to-use design software that allows you to simply create memes, inspirational quotes, videos and slideshows in minutes. The developers update it frequently, and in the last year alone it’s improved vastly, with many of its initial glitches gone and a wider array of fonts and styles now available. The best part... --- ### 5 B2B Lead Generation Hacks You Can Use This Summer > These lead generation hacks are straightforward enough that even the most unmotivated marketers can see ROI without having to put forth a ton of effort. - Published: 2018-08-01 - Modified: 2022-11-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lead-generation-hacks/ - Categories: Lead Generation The summer can be a tricky time for business. Your best prospects are on vacation, and leads may seem a little harder to come by. You’re probably even more inclined to spend a free moment at the pool rather than refining your digital marketing practices. But let’s face it: if you slow down on lead generation now, you’ll be paying for it months down the road. That’s why we’ve compiled the following list of five lead generation hacks to use this summer. They’re straightforward enough that even the most unmotivated marketers can see a little more ROI without having to put forth a ton of effort (or expend a lot of budget). Lead Generation Hack #1: Tweak your homepage into more of a landing page. If you’re like most businesses, your homepage gets the vast majority of your total site traffic. But traffic alone doesn’t equate to sales – you need to convert these anonymous site visitors into leads that you can market to, again and again. The trick is to treat your homepage as a landing page. Limit the options site visitors have when landing on your main page, in order to drive them toward offering up their coveted contact info. Populate your home page with essential keywords about your core offerings. And most importantly, place a clear and irresistable call to action above the fold that aligns with your core messaging. For example, if you’re a graphic design firm that boasts quick and beautiful custom graphics, offer (in... --- ### What is Multi-Channel Attribution and Why is It So Important? > If you want to spend money wisely – and make it efficiently – establishing a unique and comprehensive multi-channel attribution model is a critical step. - Published: 2018-07-30 - Modified: 2018-07-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/multi-channel-attribution/ - Categories: Marketing Imagine, for a moment, that you’re eating in a restaurant. You’ve passed by this restaurant a few times – plus they’ve been advertising in your neighborhood and on social media – and after a couple of months, you finally decided to eat there. You order a veggie burger, and it’s pretty delicious. The decor is lovely. The waiter serves you quickly, and you tip them well. You leave the place a good review on Yelp. So, who gets credit for the review? Is it the chef, who made the meal? Or the waiter you tipped 20 percent? Or the advertisements that brought you there? Or the interior decorator who created the ambiance in the restaurant? Or the restaurant’s social media manager for catching your eye on Facebook? Or the owner of the restaurant who oversees the whole operation? When you break it down, to some respect, everyone deserves some sort of credit. It’s the sign of a well-oiled machine, where all the gears are working together to create a final product (in this case, a pleasant atmosphere surrounding a nice meal). In digital marketing, multi-channel attribution works much the same way. When your business gains a new customer, if your only analytics source is the last click-through to your site, you would (often wrongly) believe that said click was the only reason they bought something from you. You would be blind to the myriad ways they may have first heard about your business. That’s where multi-channel attribution is important. Multi-channel... --- ### 9 Non-Newsletter Emails to Keep Your Subscribers Guessing > BenchmarkONE's Jonathan Herrick looks at nine non-newsletter emails you should consider sending to your database to keep your subscribers engaged and ensure your brand remains in the forefront. - Published: 2018-07-27 - Modified: 2018-07-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/non-newsletter-emails/ - Categories: Email Marketing When it comes to effective marketing channels, email remains at the top of the list. In fact, email is 40 times more effective in acquiring new customers than social media. But what happens when you’re short on ideas? Your emails aren’t going to do much of anything for you if the content inside isn’t killer. To help get your creative juices flowing, we’ve done a little brainstorming and come up with a few non-newsletter ideas you can send to your loyal subscribers to stay at the top of their inbox and to keep them engaged. Read Jonathan's full article on the Wordstream blog. --- ### What is Growth Marketing? > Growth marketing is about more than just raising awareness of your brand. It’s about converting and retaining customers. - Published: 2018-07-26 - Modified: 2022-09-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/growth-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing What is growth marketing? Unlike other modern marketing buzzwords that are often thrown around in marketing land, growth marketing actually has substance – and it’s something a surprising number of companies haven’t yet caught on to. Essentially, growth marketing is a roadmap for attracting and retaining more engaged customers and delivering a positive customer experience. Most marketers put a heavy emphasis on inbound marketing, and for good reason. Inbound is a successful way to drive leads into your pipeline. But that’s just one element of a more holistic marketing strategy. Traditional marketing efforts have resulted in companies focusing on driving awareness and acquiring customers. But this strategy doesn’t take into consideration how those customers impact revenue and long-term growth for the business. For example, Adwords may be a great channel for getting new customers in the door for your business, but it’s all for not if they don’t stick around. Growth marketing is designed to avoid that. With all of the data available today, successful marketing teams are turning to a growth marketing mindset to ensure those hard-won leads are actually turning into to customers and contribute to their overall business growth. So, wait – what is growth marketing? Growth marketing is essentially retention-focused marketing at its core. Whereas traditional marketing focuses primarily on the top of the sales funnel (think of banner advertisements judged only by how many click-throughs they garner), and account-based marketing focuses on nurturing a few major accounts, growth marketing is geared toward the entire sales... --- ### 5 Marketing Automation Hacks Every Salesperson Should Be Using > Though it’s not a cure-all, marketing automation certainly plays an essential role in the sales processes of today’s most savvy businesses. - Published: 2018-07-23 - Modified: 2018-07-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-marketing-automation-hacks-for-salespeople/ - Categories: Marketing Automation If you’re still doing all of your sales processes manually, it’s time for a business overhaul. You don’t have to shell out for expensive software or hire a big staff to streamline your sales and marketing process. In fact, it’s a good rule of thumb to avoid delegating basic tasks before you’ve ruled out the possibility of automating them. Though it’s not a cure-all, marketing automation certainly plays an essential role in the sales processes of today’s most savvy businesses. So let’s get to it: here are five marketing automation hacks that we think every salesperson should be using in order to free up valuable “human time. ” Stop doing hours of research and manually reaching out to prospects. Qualifying leads can be a complicated process, especially if you’re targeting high-profile businesses or elusive prospects. You may spend hours conducting research -- from scouring websites to contacting employees and gathering data from phone calls. If this sounds like you, why not automate your qualification process so you can spend more time doing what has to be done by a human, like conducting meetings? Tools like Contact Enhance and LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator can automatically generate key sales information like company size, history, employee contact information, and more -- and deliver that information right to your inbox. Integrate these tools with your CRM and keep all of the latest information about your contacts up to date. Segment your prospects for better email automations. Use your CRM or an email marketing tool to... --- ### 6 Bullet-Proof Tips For Email Drip Campaigns that Convert > Email drip campaigns are a marketer’s dream: they’re automated, perfectly tailored to a specific audience, and tend to have far greater ROI than - Published: 2018-07-18 - Modified: 2018-07-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-drip-campaigns/ - Categories: Email Marketing Email drip campaigns are a marketer’s dream: they’re automated, perfectly tailored to a specific audience, and tend to have far greater ROI than batch-and-blast or group emails. But a poor drip campaign can have the opposite effect – the more your customer feels like they’re being thrown onto a conveyor belt, the higher the chance they’ll unsubscribe and leave you for good. Here are some bullet-proof tips for creating email drip campaigns that convert. Identify the type of drip campaign you need. There are four general types of email drip campaigns. You can get far more granular with this, but it helps to identify what you’re hoping to achieve before you start hammering out email copy. Here are the main types to choose from: New Subscriber Existing Subscriber Nurture Existing Subscriber Upsell Existing Subscriber Retention What’s your goal with your drip campaign, and which of the four categories above best describes it? Identify this first, and then map out the details. Map it out. To brainstorm, use a flowchart or mind map maker tool like Draw. io or XMind to plan your drip campaign. It should contain different pathways for your readers to take, based on their interests and behavior. This will help you visualize your campaign and identify any holes or potential problems before you start. Here’s a good example of a very basic drip campaign structure for a new blog subscriber: Have different drip campaigns for different purposes. As is the case with all digital marketing, email drip... --- ### 5 Must-Read Graphic Design Tips for Non-Designers > With a handy program and just a little graphic design know-how, you’ll be creating impressive visuals for your brand or business in no time. - Published: 2018-07-17 - Modified: 2018-07-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/graphic-design-tips/ - Categories: Marketing Design is intimidating, especially for the non-designer. It seems like an elite club, where only those who have that delicate mix of artistic talent and technical ability are allowed entry. The sheer volume of buttons and doohickeys in professional design programs like Photoshop or Illustrator can send even the boldest of creatives running for the hills. But there’s good news for you: there are more tools than ever to help non-designers great stunning custom graphics, and they’re very easy to learn. With a handy program and just a little design know-how, you’ll be creating impressive graphics for your brand or business in no time. Use an app to help you. With the array of intuitive (and often free) design technology available at your fingertips, there’s no reason why you should be hobbling up the learning curve of an advanced program. Unless you intend to start a career in design, it’s not sensible to spend your limited time learning advanced programs with their infinite capabilities. Instead, check out tools like Canva, Typito, Fotor, or Snappa. These types of tools come with thousands of templates for different types of graphics – from eBook cover designs to social media graphics – and they’re insanely easy to use. Focus on composition. If you only get one thing right, have it be the composition. Composition is the arrangement of your design elements. Because the goal of design is to tell a story with images, the way you arrange these images is essential to the overall... --- ### Want Your Own Chatbot? Don't Move Forward Without Taking These 3 Steps > The buzz died down, but chatbots are still an amazing tool. - Published: 2018-07-16 - Modified: 2018-07-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/entrepreneur-want-your-own-chatbot/ - Categories: Marketing For years, tech enthusiasts, innovators and entrepreneurs have painted a bright future for chatbot technology. But the road to mass adoption hasn't been without its speed bumps. Facebook's massive Messenger bot rollout a few years ago left a lot to be desired, and we've seen myriad me-too companies flood the market with less-than-stellar technology. Still, when they're done well, chatbots can be amazingly innovative. For instance, Amazon's Alexa has the ability to give users personalized gift recommendations. And recently, Google unveiled a chatbot that was so lifelike it actually fooled testers into thinking they were speaking with a real human. Thankfully, entrepreneurs don't have to get on Google or Amazon's level to drive business results with chatbots. But implementing them the wrong way will do more harm than good. That's why it's absolutely crucial to understand the pros and cons of chatbots before unleashing one on your customers. Read Jonathan's full article on Entrepreneur. --- ### 5 Strategies for Onboarding Your New Employees Like a Pro > If your onboarding process leaves much to be desired, here are a few tips to help turn things around. - Published: 2018-07-13 - Modified: 2023-11-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-onboarding-new-employees-like-a-pro/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship When it comes to bad hiring experiences, the focus tends to be on the actual hire and whether or not he or she is really a good fit for the company. What isn’t mentioned nearly as often as it should be, however, is the role poor onboarding (or complete lack thereof) plays in setting new employees up for success or failure. It is often what happens during those critical first days that determines whether a new hire will struggle or excel in his or her role. If your onboarding process leaves much to be desired, here are a few tips to help turn things around. Hit the ground running. You don’t have to wait until your new employee reports for his or her first day to start the onboarding process. In fact, getting the ball rolling prior to day one is strongly recommended. For instance, mailing out paperwork for your new hire to complete and bring with him or her on the first day can save a good deal of time and enable you to get right into the more important stuff as soon as possible. Make introductions. Starting a new job can be intimidating and overwhelming. Don’t leave it to your new hires to go out and make friends. Set them up with the right connections right away by making introductions to the appropriate parties around the office. Point out the key stakeholders and give new hires a clear picture of who reports to who and which roles are... --- ### 4 Psychology-Backed Strategies for Dealing with Difficult Customers > There’s no magic formula for appeasing difficult customers and resolving all issues, but these tips can improve the chances of a positive outcome. - Published: 2018-07-12 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-psychology-backed-strategies-dealing-with-difficult-customers/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship It’s happened to the best of us: dealing with a difficult customer. And as your business grows the likelihood of having to interact with frustrated, disgruntled or high-maintenance individuals also goes up. So, what’s the best approach? Well, it can be helpful to understand that the emotions your customers are expressing may actually be tied to certain psychological stimuli. As such, learning how to effectively read each situation and apply the following psychological tips can help you manage even the most challenging customer and improve the chances of retaining their business. Have a Beginner’s Mind With the beginner’s mind approach, you assess every situation as if you were a “beginner. ” This enables you to enter conversations without any bias or prejudgment. It also prevents you from falling into the “should” mindset, which can make you defensive and impact the productivity of the interaction. In other words, you’ll eliminate thoughts about what you feel the customer should have known or done. So, rather than relying on your knowledge, experience or perceived expertise, approach each conversation as if you’re starting fresh. Don’t prejudge the frustration your customer is expressing. Forget about what they could or should have done. Instead, approach each engagement as a new puzzle that needs to be solved. Employ Reflective Listening Ever have someone tell you they “understand,” and it only made you feel even angrier? That’s because blanket statements like this don’t actually accomplish anything. Even if you do feel as though you understand where your customer... --- ### 5 Tips For More-Personalized, Less Batch and Blast Emails > Still using batch and blast emails? While this “spray and pray” approach may seem like a massive time-saver upfront, you’re really losing in the long term. - Published: 2018-07-11 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-for-more-personalized-less-batch-and-blast-emails/ - Categories: Email Marketing Still using batch and blast emails? While this “spray and pray” approach may seem like a massive time-saver upfront, you’re really losing in the long term; your prospects won’t forget (or they’ll forget about your unmemorable message entirely), and you may develop the wrong reputation. You can still absolutely use mass email marketing to your advantage, but there’s a better way to go about it. Here are our 5 tips for creating emails that are more personalized and less batch-and-blast. Use unique identifiers. Give your emails a personal touch (and grab more attention) by including the user’s first name in the subject line and intro text. Think outside of the “Hi firstname” box: try, “Firstname, how has your marketing been going lately? ” or “We haven’t heard from you in awhile, firstname! ” Names aren’t the only way to get personal in your email copy. How would your prospect feel if you referenced something about their city or the social platform you first connected with them on? There are tons of small, personal touches you can make without getting creepy -- just make sure they’re relevant to your marketing messaging. Segment in multiple ways. If you’re like a lot of other businesses, you may only have your email subscribers segmented by one quality: industry, age, or gender, for example. Your segmentation may even match up with several of your established marketing personas. But there’s plenty of other data you can capture about your email subscribers that may have way more... --- ### 8 Reasons Every Entrepreneur Should Follow The One-Minute Rule > It’s incredible to see that just by introducing one tiny habit into your life, you can make immense changes. - Published: 2018-07-10 - Modified: 2018-07-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-reasons-every-entrepreneur-should-follow-the-one-minute-rule/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship If it takes less than a minute to do, why not do it now? That’s the basic premise of the one-minute rule created by the author of The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin. Rubin says there are many worthwhile benefits to the one-minute rule including a boost in happiness and peace of mind. Here are a few reasons you may want to switch up your mindset. It Puts You On The Fast Track To Success. When you’re tidier, you’re more organized. When you’re more organized, there’s no doubt you tend to be more successful in life and business. If success is your ultimate goal (which we assume it is), there’s no need to worry about the little things, because they will already be accounted for once you implement the one-minute rule. It leaves you with extra time to focus on those important tasks that will boost your business and give you the results you deserve. It Minimizes Opportunity For Procrastination. Doing it, not only today, but right now, will stop you from procrastinating. It might not be the cure-all you’re seeking, but it can certainly change the way you view your workload and get through your workday. Excuses are easy to find, so why not challenge yourself to get up out of your chair and do a few small tasks? Five minutes – five or more tasks. 10 minutes – 10 or more tasks. And so on. The reality is you have nothing to lose. It Gives You A Sense of... --- ### The Top 10 Most Affordable Video Marketing Tools of 2018 > How can you stay in the video game without breaking the bank on video marketing tools and apps? These ten budget-friendly tools are designed for just that. - Published: 2018-07-09 - Modified: 2018-07-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-10-most-affordable-video-marketing-tools-of-2018/ - Categories: Marketing If you’re going to listen to anyone’s thoughts on the future of social media, listen to Mark Zuckerberg. In 2016, the Facebook CEO made the following prediction: “Ten years ago, most of what we shared and consumed online was text. Now it’s photos – and soon most of it will be video. ” Even if you prefer to heed the words of more modest players, many projections in the digital marketing sphere are calling for increased budgets, firmer expectations for ROI, more total hours watched and higher conversion rates surrounding video marketing. If the last few years were any indication, 2018 isn’t going to be any different. So how can you stay in the video game without breaking the bank on video marketing tools and apps? In fact, there’s a huge market for cost-saving measures that can help business owners and marketers on a budget create strong video efforts while spending relatively little. Here are a few of those tools. The Straight-Talker: Facebook Live Okay, yes, this one’s nothing groundbreaking. But Facebook Live is actually a great way to promote your brand’s authenticity directly to your fans. We live in an era of fake news, photoshopped images and biased media. What better way to cut through the noise than to showcase your authentic self to the world? Facebook Live is free and easy to set up – just click the bright red “Go Live” button and spread your message to the world. If you want to advance beyond webcams and... --- ### 5 Tips for Livening Up Your Company Culture > No matter what type of time and resources you have, it's not difficult to cultivate superb company culture. Here are five tips for doing just that. - Published: 2018-07-06 - Modified: 2018-07-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-livening-up-company-culture/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship With many businesses in expansion mode, it’s not easy for smaller companies to compete successfully for the best employees. They usually can’t match the salary and benefits budgets of their biggest rivals. Fortunately, monetary compensation, while important, isn’t the only thing that matters to job seekers. Many want to be part of a great culture where they can really make a difference, both within the company and outside of it. In a recent survey, Deloitte found that among millennials, for instance, 52% rated culture as very important in considering a potential employer, second only to pay, named by 63%. Fortunately, it’s not hard to liven up your company culture. Here are five ways to do that. Pay attention to what matters to employees. Great company cultures double down on what their teams already enjoy doing, rather than assuming they’ll enjoy stereotypical “fun” activities. Instead of assuming that adding a ping-pong table or video game terminals to the break room will enhance your culture, pay attention the activities team members naturally gravitate to outside of work. If, for instance, you notice that a lot of your employees like to go to CrossFit or yoga, what they might truly appreciate is having an hour and a half lunch break once or twice a week so they have time to get to the gym and shower. Look for small excuses to celebrate. Many of us spend more time at work than at home and view our colleagues almost as an extended family. Finding... --- ### 6 Tips for Using Video in Your Email Marketing > Create great video and email content, employ these six tips, and you’re sure to stay ahead of your competitors. - Published: 2018-07-05 - Modified: 2018-07-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-tips-for-using-video-in-your-email-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing Even those who are new to the digital marketing game know that video marketing is on the rise. With today’s technology, it’s easier than ever for marketers to create and distribute branded videos. In addition, internet users are viewing and sharing videos at breakneck speed. As of June 2017, views of branded video content have increased 258% on Facebook and 99% on YouTube, according to a Tubular Insights report. Pair that with the fact that email marketing is strong as ever, and it seems obvious that brands and marketers have a huge opportunity with video in email marketing. Here are our top six tips for integrating video smartly and seamlessly with your email campaigns. Video Email Marketing Tip #1: Choose the Right Video Content The video content you share in your email should be appropriate for that person’s position in your sales funnel. Top-funnel viewers are mostly concerned about what’s in it for them -- so make it clear early in your video how your offering is going to help them in some way. You have a bit more leeway with middle- and bottom-funnel viewers, but you should still strive to make your video more about them than about you. Great examples of bottom-funnel marketing videos include customer testimonials, case studies, and product demos. And while we’re on the topic of content, duration is another important consideration. For top-funnel prospects, the shorter your video is, the better. According to Wistia, 59% of viewers will watch a video through the end... --- ### Get Personal Content with These 12 Target Market KPIs > It’s no secret that in today’s ever-changing market, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are more important than ever. KPIs are essential to every business - Published: 2018-07-04 - Modified: 2018-07-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/get-personal-content-12-target-market-kpis/ - Categories: Content Marketing It’s no secret that in today’s ever-changing market, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are more important than ever. KPIs are essential to every business and help keep a company focused and progressing in the right direction. However, your organization needs to ensure you are focusing on measuring the right indicators in order to guarantee you are effectively reaching your audience. These five target market KPIs will help any business focus their attention on the right areas in order to grow an audience. Know Your Target Audience It seems obvious but knowing your target audience is essential to growing any business. So what exactly is a target audience? Quite simply, it’s the demographic of people who are most likely to be interested in the product or service you’re offering. Sure, you want your business to reach as many people as possible, but it’s more important that you’re reaching the right people—because they’re the ones who are going to invest in your business and keep returning. You can stuff your marketing automation software with as much content as possible and blast the entire internet with ads and social posts, but without pinpointing who you want to see this content, you’re just screaming into the void. How do you find your target audience? Well, it’s not as easy as it sounds—it takes time and plenty of work—but with patience (and a little homework), you can build your brand and its followers. According to Forbes, when you clearly identify your target audience, you are putting... --- ### How to Create a Referral Program for Your B2B Business > There’s an incredible domino effect with referral programs, and all it takes is a bit of honesty and directness from you to stoke the fire of word-of-mouth networking. - Published: 2018-07-03 - Modified: 2018-07-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-create-a-referral-program-for-your-b2b-business/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship A referral marketing program, or brand advocate program, can be a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal when you do it right. It’s a feel-good situation for everyone around: 69% of companies with referral programs close deals faster, while customers trust a whopping 92% of brand recommendations made by people they know. Unfortunately, lots of businesses don’t get the ROI they could be getting from referrals because they lack a systematic referral program. Another key challenge is the confusion between affiliate marketing and referral marketing -- so let’s dive into that, first. Affiliate and Referral Programs: What’s the Difference? Though the terms are often used interchangeably, affiliate and referral marketing are actually two separate beasts. They both drive revenue to the business using a third-party (the affiliate, or the referrer). However, they have a few key differences: Affiliate Marketing Referral Marketing Motivated by money. Motivated by passion for your brand, product, or service. The referrer is a stranger. The referrer is a current or former client. The referrer sells your brand, product, or service to strangers. The referrer sells your brand, product, or service to colleagues, friends, and family. The referrer receives a commission. The referrer doesn’t usually receive a commission. More of an agreement. More of a partnership. Tends to be more structured and regulated; may come with legal risks. Tends to be more casual and deregulated. As you can see, while affiliate marketing is another effective way to grow your B2B sales, it requires a bit more forethought... --- ### Is Your Marketing Stack Helping or Hurting You? > By the end, you can reorganize your marketing stack – maybe even combine certain elements – to create a smoother, more efficient stack that makes your life and work easier. - Published: 2018-07-02 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-your-marketing-stack-helping-hurting-you/ - Categories: Marketing Marketers love buzzwords: creating them, following them, hashtagging them. A “marketing stack” is no exception. This is defined, essentially, as the combination of all your marketing tech (or “martech”, some call it – another buzzword). Your marketing stack refers to every piece of software you use, either for a subscription or for free, to organize your teams, from internal communication to customer-facing advertising to analytics and display-ad platforms. Hootsuite, Hatchbuck, Unbounce, Slack, Google Analytics; it’s all part of your marketing stack. Well-oiled marketing teams will organize their stacks deliberately, rather than slap-dashing them together when a new need arises. Key concerns include software integration, update frequency, cost and customer service. Each element requires a fair bit of research and should gel with the rest of your choices. That said, most marketing stacks don’t do this. Small businesses and self-made marketers in particular will find they start their companies with whatever free tools they have available, then realize the limitations after a year or longer. Scalability – whether your software has the capacity to grow with your company and meet your evolving needs – is a particular challenge in these situations. That’s when marketing stacks get messy. You might find your chosen tools are hurting you more than they’re helping you – either because you’re paying for more than you need, or they aren’t scalable in the right way. How should I organize my marketing stack? The key to any marketing stack is thoughtful coordination, and to that end, we’d argue... --- ### 6 Signs You Have a Great PPC Manager (And How to Gauge Their Results) > In the end, your PPC manager should be an extension of your marketing team, passionate about helping your team to achieve its business goals. - Published: 2018-06-29 - Modified: 2018-06-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-signs-you-have-a-great-ppc-manager-and-how-to-gauge-their-results/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Finding a pay-per-click ad manager can be a major commitment. The PPC sphere can be both incredibly costly and intensely competitive, and your guiding light will be a great PPC manager – an outsourced independent freelancer or agency. There is a huge benefit to using an external resource to run your PPC campaigns. They get the chance to work with several different companies, which means they get to see what works and what doesn’t across multiple A/B experiments. And you don’t have to have a large budget for it to make sense, even if you’re working with a smaller budget; a great PPC manager can be worth their weight in gold. If they’re a great PPC manager, you’ll notice in the way they respond, interact and manage your account; and produce results. In the end, your PPC manager should be an extension of your marketing team, passionate about helping your team to achieve its business goals. So how do you know if you have a PPC rockstar? Here are a few ways to tell whether you’ve got yourself a PPC manager worth bragging about: They’re genuinely interested in the industry. Do they read about the industry regularly? Do they keep up with changes in the big platforms, particularly Google and Facebook? One way to test this is to keep abreast of such developments yourself and ask them what they think of the developments every so often. Gauge their answer to see if they’re informed and curious, or if they merely... --- ### The Value of Work-From-Home Days For Your Employees > Once you have the right systems in place, work-from-home days can become a compelling option for your organization on many levels. - Published: 2018-06-28 - Modified: 2018-06-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-value-of-work-from-home-days-for-your-employees/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Having optional work-from-home days for your employees can be very beneficial for them and you. While they may not appeal to everyone on your team, those who thrive on independence and want to avoid the daily commute every now and again will jump at the chance. Once you implement a “work from home” structure and ensure that it’s a good fit for your company, the value will quickly become obvious. Here are just a few of the many benefits. Employee Benefits Less commute time Reducing commute time to zero miles can be a massive win for your team. For your team members who commute hours a day, it can be a huge time-saver and a great company perk. Not having to deal with public transportation delays or traffic on even just one day a month can be a huge stress reliever. Having the opportunity to sleep in every now and again won’t hurt either. Better work-life balance No one is immune to today’s issues with work-life balance. Having the chance to work from home base can help your employees gain back some of their time and assist with the constant struggle to balance work and family. Happy employees are productive employees, and issues such as burnout and anxiety can be reduced dramatically through the simple work-from-home option. More time with the family If finding quality time is an issue for your staff, then reducing their commute on a regular or semi-regular basis will be a huge bonus. When they shut... --- ### 48 Ways to Automate Your Workflow with BenchmarkONE and Zapier > With so much on your plate, every second counts. That's why we love the simple task automation tool, Zapier. With Zapier, you can easily automate pesky, - Published: 2018-06-27 - Modified: 2020-07-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/automate-your-workflow/ - Categories: Marketing Automation With so much on your plate, every second counts. That's why we love the simple task automation tool, Zapier. With Zapier, you can easily automate pesky, repetitive tasks that eat up a lot of time, create room for error and yet add little value to your day. You already may know that BenchmarkONE automates your marketing by sending super-targeted emails and campaigns to your contacts based on their interests. But when you use BenchmarkONE in tandem with Zapier, you open up a whole new world of automation. Here are 48 simple, pre-built workflows you can use to cut out boring administrative tasks and leverage each and every connection your business has to turn contacts into customers: Connect with Event Attendees Webinar sign-ups and conference attendees are awesome for your list, but what happens when the event is over? With BenchmarkONE and Zapier, you can keep the conversation going long after your event to stay top of mind and turn those top and mid-funnel leads into customers. Collect Contacts from Landing Pages and Forms If your website is built for conversion, you have a steady stream of leads coming in from landing pages and forms. With a simple zap, you can harness the nurturing power of BenchmarkONE to send targeted emails overtime to turn new leads into customers. Easily Manage Contacts Using BenchmarkONE for marketing automation, but storing contact information somewhere else? Zapier can help add and update contacts in other spreadsheets, databases and CRMs for data that is clean, usable... --- ### 3 Misconceptions About Account-Based Marketing > Account-based marketing isn't just about sales, but rather the integration of sales and marketing. - Published: 2018-06-26 - Modified: 2018-06-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/account-based-marketing-benefits/ - Categories: Account-Based Marketing Many people don't fully understand just why account-based marketing is so valuable. In reality, it's a great strategy for engaging with the right customers at the right time – and that's something any business can benefit from. In our digital landscape, awareness isn’t enough when it comes to marketing. Today’s brands must continuously engage their target customers, and traditional mediums just don’t deliver on that the way customers are expecting. A lack of engagement among customers often arises because marketers focus too much on price, product and promotion – three of the four P’s of marketing. In reality, marketers should really be devoting their attention to an entirely different P – people. Read Jonathan's full article on Business. com. --- ### The Value of Marketing Automation in Account-Based Marketing > Here are a few ways marketing automation can improve your ABM game, and let you discover a whole new world of value. - Published: 2018-06-25 - Modified: 2018-06-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-value-of-marketing-automation-in-account-based-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing Automation If you’re not automating your account-based marketing (ABM), your work cycle probably looks something like this: you first put your initial list into an Excel sheet, manually editing and organizing every cell; then you check your list with others who provide feedback, before manually adjusting the list based on what they say; then you code the settings and routing data into your ad sets; then you upload the list into your marketing channel; and, finally, you review and track each campaign personally, adjusting and repeating as necessary. With marketing automation, most of that list becomes unnecessary. While ABM is inherently a specific, deliberate, finely-targeted approach to B2B marketing, you should not assume that such a level of specificity demands a hefty amount of personal investment in the grunt work. Modern savvy marketers are playing the game several steps ahead by utilizing marketing automation to speed up the process. Marketing automation is typically regarded as a broad-scale strategy for garnering and nurturing consumer leads, but in truth, it’s most powerful when handled intimately and in a personalized fashion. Here are a few ways automated marketing can improve your ABM game, and let you discover a whole new world of value. You’ll spend—and waste—less money. By targeting certain users very specifically, you can create a set of display ads specifically for those few people and improve your chances of getting noticed. You won’t be paying for empty clicks from a broad public, and will instead be able to rest easy knowing your... --- ### How to Use Automation to Fortify Your Account-Based Marketing Efforts > Without automation, ABM becomes a scattered process of spray and pray. Marketing automation allows your team to provide personalized, immediate outreach with valuable content. - Published: 2018-06-22 - Modified: 2018-06-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/use-automation-fortify-account-based-marketing-efforts/ - Categories: Account-Based Marketing Account-based marketing is the ultimate personalization tool. Instead of incurring the unnecessary expense of marketing to broad swaths of the population, an account-centric strategy isolates key business accounts and markets directly to these individual units. By appealing to specific leaders and stakeholders who can benefit from what your company has to offer, you can make marketing efforts simultaneously more tailored and more effective. This strategy is not new by any means, but it’s gained widespread recognition over the past few years as it’s evolved with the progression of technology. Inherently tech-based, a plethora of marketing automation solutions has made ABM more measurable and affordable for businesses of all sizes. Read Jonathan's full article on the Marketo blog. --- ### 5 Ways To Optimize Your Website From The Ground Up > This isn’t 2001, friends. It’s not enough just to make a website. You’ve got to make that website work. - Published: 2018-06-21 - Modified: 2018-06-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-optimize-website-from-ground-up/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Your website is your digital storefront, but unlike physical storefronts, you can’t lure people in with an attractive window display. Online, there are no sidewalks where digital content consumers casually stroll by. This means that half a website’s job is to make people aware that it even exists. To do this, business owner’s must optimize their website. If optimization is something you haven’t made part of your regular digital hygiene routine, we’ve got a few tips to help you optimize your website from the ground up. Know your current lead generation numbers. Optimizing your website isn’t something you simply do and forget about. Rather, you should be regularly tracking the impact of your efforts. In order to track this impact, you need to know what your starting point is. Take a look at your website’s current lead generation. How many leads is it producing? How many hits or views does your website get in a day, in a week, or in a month? Compare your different landing pages to see which ones perform better than others. Look at the conversion rate of one CTA against another. Once you have these numbers, record them somewhere so that you know what you need to beat in the future. Understand the conversion paths of your customers. When a customer lands on your website, the hope is that they’ll read a blog post, hop around, and eventually fill out a form that turns them into a lead. Sometimes, this doesn’t happen and the visitor... --- ### 6 Time Management Tips to Skyrocket Your Productivity > These time management tips should help you master your daily schedule, maximize productivity and bring your business to the next level. - Published: 2018-06-20 - Modified: 2023-03-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-time-management-tips-skyrocket-productivity/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Being a business owner takes up an incredible amount of time and energy. Making sure everything is running as it should be while having to wear countless hats isn’t for the faint of heart. But not strategically managing your time can leave you feeling frazzled, which means you’ll be much less effective at keeping all those balls in the air. The following time management tips should help you master your daily schedule, maximize productivity and bring your business to the next level. Assess your current time allocation. You can’t fix what you don’t acknowledge, so the first step in getting on track is to figure out how you’re currently spending your time. Are there any activities that may be draining your productivity, such as surfing the web or reading email? To assess this, keep track your daily activities and how much time you spend on each of them for a week. The results may be quite eye-opening. Create goals. You can’t add more hours to the day, so your only option is to commit to changing your behaviors. A great place to start is to set goals that will help you eliminate the activities that are time wasters. For instance, you might set a goal to stop taking personal phone calls or responding to non-work-related messages while you’re working. Start strategizing. For the tasks you cannot eliminate, such as reading and replying to email, setting aside specific blocks on your schedule to complete them can help you avoid wasting too... --- ### New Ways To Integrate Hatchbuck With Other Apps You Love > It’s an exciting day in Hatchbuckland. We’ve listened to your feedback and have been hard at work making updates to our previously inbound-only API. Today - Published: 2018-06-19 - Modified: 2018-06-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-zapier-api-integration/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News It’s an exciting day in Hatchbuckland. We’ve listened to your feedback and have been hard at work making updates to our previously inbound-only API. Today we’re happy to announce our two-way API integration with Zapier. With the updates, you’ll now be able to not only push contact information into Hatchbuck but also push it out of Hatchbuck into loads of other applications that you love. This means that Hatchbuck is no longer just a Zapier action, but it can also be a Zapier trigger. Whether you want to send a message through Slack, schedule a meeting through Acuity, add a note to Trello or push out a personalized tweet, our new two-way integration with Zapier lets you do it all with a few simple clicks. Webhooks in Zapier can be triggered through our new “Send Webhook” automation in Hatchbuck. You can add the new Webhook automation to anything from email links and campaigns to rules and forms. At the moment, our integration will be strictly focused on contact data. This release is just another step toward helping you seamlessly integrate, and we'll be working on more enhancements to come. How We’re Using Zapier at Hatchbuck Our team uses Hatchbuck in conjunction with a lot of other fantastic tools to grow our own business. We wanted to share how we’re using the new update: Even More Ways You Can Use Zapier Our marketing team uses a plethora of tools, but we’re not even scratching the surface of what’s possible with our... --- ### The Beginner's Guide to Facebook Analytics > Facebook offers data through three sectors: Page Insights, Audience Insights and Ads Manager. All three are important to understand, but not all three are equally important. - Published: 2018-06-18 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/beginner-guide-facebook-analytics/ - Categories: Social Media If Mark Zuckerberg’s recent testimony before Congress proved anything, it’s not that Facebook was complicit in selling data to Russian agents to interfere with the American election – it’s that Facebook is still really influential. I say “still” because there has been some debate about the subject, and it tends to be those marketers who are losing the Facebook game who complained the loudest. “Kids aren’t on Facebook anymore,” they would argue. “Kids are on Snapchat. ” In reality, Snapchat is nose-diving these days. And guess who’s thriving? For brands and media publishers alike, Facebook is one of the biggest drivers of traffic and customer engagement. But if you want to succeed, you have to understand how to mine your data and glean the maximum possible value out of your analytics. Thankfully, if there’s one thing Facebook is good at, it’s compiling a ridiculous amount of data on people and providing it to brands at almost no cost. What kind of analytics does Facebook offer? Facebook offers data through three sectors: Page Insights, Audience Insights and Ads Manager. All three are important to understand, but not all three are equally important. One offers the most relevant information for the biggest number of brands. Ads Manager We’ll start with the deepest and arguably most obscure one: Ads Manager. This deals specifically with paid promotions, and some social media managers don’t even know it exists because Facebook tucks it away under a separate URL. Head to the top-right corner of your Facebook... --- ### 5 Steps to Building a Collaborative Virtual Team > A virtual team has the potential to add tremendous value to your company. Of course, as with anything, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do things. - Published: 2018-06-15 - Modified: 2018-06-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-steps-building-collaborative-virtual-team/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Huge corporations aren’t the only ones benefiting from the virtual workforce. Thanks to things like cloud technology and the growth of freelance marketplaces, companies of every size and industry are now able to build dynamic virtual teams, tapping into a global talent pool and saving overhead at the same time. Although virtual teams offer a number of measurable benefits, they’re not without their share of challenges. One area in particular that many companies struggle with is creating and maintaining a culture that is truly collaborative. Thankfully there are steps you can take to overcome this challenge and get the most out of your virtual team. Let’s take a look. Break down silos. One of the biggest reasons virtual teams struggle with collaboration is that each remote worker is using different systems, applications and inboxes. This type of disjointed environment makes it difficult to get everyone on the same page. To avoid this, bring everyone together on the same shared platform through which communication, file sharing and other collaborative activities can be carried out seamlessly. A system like Hatchbuck, for instance, can keep everything operating cohesively, regardless of where each team member may be working. Differentiate between tasks and projects. Some business initiatives will naturally require more collaboration than others. For instance, scanning a bunch of documents requires far less brainstorming and coordination than rebranding the company or redesigning the website. Alleviate some of the pressure on your remote team by designating which tasks can be tackled independently and which projects... --- ### 14 Best Landing Page Builders for 2020 > Just about anyone can get traffic to their website these days. But turning that traffic into paying customers? That’s a whole different game, and that - Published: 2018-06-14 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/14-best-landing-page-builders/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Just about anyone can get traffic to their website these days. But turning that traffic into paying customers? That’s a whole different game, and that game centers on landing page creation. While websites are excellent (and invaluable) tools for most businesses, they typically lack the layout and the features required to convert visitors into customers. Landing pages, on the other hand, are highly-focused tools designed to move users through your funnel, one step at a time. What is a Landing Page? Not all traffic should go to your website's home page. A landing page is a specific page you send website visitors to from a specific channel. The purpose of a landing page is to convert your website traffic into leads and customers by highlighting the information they're looking for and presenting a strong CTA (call-to-action) that makes them want to take the next step. Landing pages are an essential tool if you're using paid ads or investing in SEO to drive traffic to your website. They can help you segment your site traffic and funnel visitors down the most direct path to conversion. Why Do We Need Landing Pages? A landing page makes it simple for you to communicate the right message to the leads visiting your website. Consider the following: Businesses with more than 40 landing pages produced 12 times more leads than those with only 1 - 5 landing pages. Long landing pages can generate up to 220% more leads than shorter ones. While most businesses only... --- ### 6 Ways to Foster a Culture of Autonomy In Your Business > A culture of autonomy is a must for modern businesses. Employees need to feel respected and trusted to do their work to the best of their ability. - Published: 2018-06-13 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-ways-foster-culture-of-autonomy/ - Categories: Leadership A culture of autonomy can provide your business with many advantages. Gone are the days of micromanaging or babysitting in the workplace (unless you work in a crèche). Employees need to feel respected and trusted while wanting to be left alone to do their work to the best of their ability. This will then allow you to carry on with your workload rather than having to continuously handhold or problem solve. But, how you can get to a point where you don’t have to babysit your employees or monitor their every move and foster a culture of autonomy? Be available for guidance. If your employees know that you're there for advice, support and to act as a sounding board for their decision making, then they are more likely to feel more confident in working without continuous guidance. Without this support, your team may feel like they don’t have a lifeline if something goes wrong, and they will be hesitant in making decisions outside of their comfort zone. Autonomy doesn't mean that your team is working alone or without support or guidance – they always need some kind of safety net to help them out if they are feeling unsure or a little bit lost. A regular check-in is necessary to ensure that they are on target and happy with the direction they are heading. Create goals. While you may think that goals add unnecessary pressure to your team’s workload, without them, your employees have nothing to aim for, and nothing... --- ### 5 Reasons to Ditch the Spreadsheets and Switch to a CRM > Using a CRM, you can access whatever data you need, knowing it’s up-to-date and accurate, to effectively forecast, plan and strategize for your company’s future. - Published: 2018-06-12 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-reasons-to-ditch-the-spreadsheets-and-switch-to-a-crm/ - Categories: CRM When you first started your business, chances are you didn’t need a whole lot of bells and whistles. Managing your customers was probably easy enough using a spreadsheet – and the price tag was much nicer than investing in software. But now, as your business has grown, those same basic tools may no longer be sufficient. If you’re still of the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mindset, here are a few legitimate reasons you might want to consider making the transition to a CRM. Your team has far better things to do with their time. Your sales team might be busy, but are they spending that time and energy on the right things? If your sales reps are wasting hours scrolling through rows to look for a particular customer record, keying in new leads by hand, reformatting rows and columns, managing customer tracking by hand, trying not to duplicate efforts and other manual or administrative tasks, you’re losing out on productivity in a big way. Now, imagine if they could find everything they need at the click of a button, with no errors or duplication of work. Then they could focus their time and expertise on other, more important things, like building relationships and converting more leads into paying customers. Your records are probably inaccurate. Manual data entry can spell disaster when it comes to accuracy of information. Like it or not, we’re all human, which means we are all prone to errors, some of which can prove... --- ### The Future of Marketing Is Video: Here’s How to Get Started > You may already have some of the tools you need to get started with video marketing for your business. - Published: 2018-06-11 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/video-marketing-future-get-started/ - Categories: Marketing One-third of all activity on the web is spent watching video so a smart marketer would be remiss to leave video out of their social media marketing campaign. And internet users aren’t just flocking to obvious video hubs like YouTube. In fact, 82 percent of Twitter users watch video on the platform, and half a billion people watch video on Facebook every day. It’s clear that people love video. But if you’re a solopreneur on a budget, or you’re just not ready to hire a professional production crew, video marketing can be intimidating. While your blog and email marketing are familiar and easy to edit in a pinch, a marketing video has many more moving parts. You have to write your script, deliver it in a compelling way, and pay attention to technical components like lighting, sound, and setting. You have plan time to record multiple takes and plan more time to edit your footage. Finally, there are optimization best practices to employ when using your videos in your marketing campaigns, too. But don’t let that scare you off. Part of the reason why video content is so prevalent nowadays is due to the relative ease of its creation. In fact, you may already have some of the tools you need to get started with video marketing. The Right Video Marketing Equipment To get started with video marketing, the first thing you need is good equipment. This doesn’t always mean expensive, however. Today’s smartphones are capable of recording video at... --- ### 5 Weekend Activities That Will Make You A Better Leader > Even when you’re far from the office, how you spend your time can have a tremendous influence on your growth as a leader. - Published: 2018-06-08 - Modified: 2018-06-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-weekend-activities-that-will-make-you-a-better-leader/ - Categories: Leadership Even when you’re far from the office, how you spend your time can have a tremendous influence on your growth as a leader. Many of the things we do for fun—from sports to volunteering in our community—can help us develop leadership muscles we didn’t know we have. Here are 5 weekend activities that will help make you a better leader. Sleeping in. If you’ve been putting in late nights at the office, sleep deprivation can catch up with you—leading you to make mistakes and poor decisions. A 2015 study at Washington State University found that when participants were asked to make decisions without sleeping for 62 hours, they made errors in judgment, no matter how hard they tried to avoid it. You probably don’t go 62 hours without sleep very often, but even if you’re short-changing yourself by an hour each day, it can catch up with you. Experts recommend that most adults get 7 to 9 hours of shuteye a night, so if you’ve been skimping on sleep, don’t just rely on the weekends to catch up. Make sleep a priority during the week, too. Working out. Regular exercise that gets your heart pumping appears to boost the hippocampus, the part of the brain that helps you with verbal memory and learning, according to recent research. The more brain power you can harness, the easier your job as a leader will be. If long hours are wreaking havoc on your workout schedule, prioritizing fitness-related activities during the weekend can... --- ### 6 Easy Ways to Get Your Google Ads Rejected > We’ve compiled six easy ways to get your Google ads rejected, so you know what not to do when preparing your campaign. - Published: 2018-06-07 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-easy-ways-get-google-ads-rejected/ - Categories: Lead Generation You’ve worked for days, maybe weeks, on putting together your Google ad campaign -- and now it’s time to launch. But if you haven’t taken the time to look over Google’s policies, you could wind up facing a major hurdle that can throw off your entire marketing plan: your ad may be rejected. To keep this from happening to you, we’ve compiled six easy ways to get your Google ads rejected, so you know what not to do when preparing your campaign. Don’t: Use “It’s” When It Should Be “Its” It’s a good example of poor grammar in its own right (see what we did there? ) but, in seriousness, one misplaced apostrophe or typo can send your ad straight to the “reject” pile. When you’re advertising with Google, much like with any third-party platform, your content is a reflection of their standards. And since Google holds itself to extremely high standards, your written content needs to be as close to perfect as possible. If you have the budget, hire a copy editor to help. A true professional will not only check for technical errors, but may also spot potentially problematic content that might violate some of Google’s more nuanced regulations. Don’t: Get Gimmicky It should go without saying, but gimmicks don’t sell -- and Google doesn’t like them, either. Gimmicky language includes excessive use of exclamation points or multiple question marks in a row, arbitrary capitalization, and cheesy text-speak like “u” instead of “you”. Google also explicitly bans the... --- ### 6 Ways to Incentivize Your Customers To Refer You > The trick with referrals is to get in the habit of asking. The more people you ask, the more chance of word getting out about your business. - Published: 2018-06-06 - Modified: 2022-08-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-ways-incentivize-customer-referrals/ - Categories: Small Business Marketing comes in many forms. But, there’s no better way to capitalize on marketing than through your customers. Word of mouth is one of the most beneficial marketing channels for businesses large and small for many reasons. It’s cost-effective. Even if you’re offering cash incentives or discounts for referrals, it’s still one of the cheapest forms of marketing there is. It’s effortless. Satisfied customers will be happy to recommend your services to others. The monetary incentive just acts as an additional motivating factor to prompt them to remember. It’s replicable. Once you’ve formalized the process, it’s relatively simple to maintain. There are many customer referral programs such as ReferralCandy or Referral Saasquatch that make it easy to generate new leads. The trick with referrals is to get in the habit of asking. The more people you ask, the more chance of word getting out about your business. And, the better you target your incentive programs to meet the needs of your customers, the more you can increase the chances of them working for you. Here are some of the best ways to incentivize your customers and make the most of this rewarding marketing option. Offer money off their next order. While you don’t want to be cutting into your profit margin, offering a small amount off their next order can act as a significant incentive for people to refer you. Not only will customers come back and use their discount, but you will also be able to gain a few... --- ### How Does Website Structure Impact Your Content Marketing Efforts? > To improve the results of your content marketing efforts, you have to ensure that the visitors you bring to your website always get a nice reception and have all pertinent information at their fingertips. - Published: 2018-06-05 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-does-website-structure-impact-content-marketing/ - Categories: Content Marketing Why do you have a website? Most likely, it’s to establish a reputation, attract potential customers and increase conversions. Many of those reasons also apply to your content marketing goals. But, it’s possible that the way your website looks and works is actually reducing the overall effectiveness of your content marketing campaigns. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at steps you need to take to make your website more attractive, more usable and more trustworthy to customers via content, marketing funnels and the overall structure of your site. The Importance of a Well-Developed Blog Section As the name suggests, content is the base of content marketing. If you want to utilize content on your website, you need a place where you can publish it. The most common way to share your content with your audience is a blog/resource/news sections. But we’re not here to discuss benefits of having a blog section as that’s already well-known. What we want to put the focus on is well-developed blog section. What do we mean by that? While you can publish mediocre content and possibly rank well, that might not get you the results you want. That’s because mediocre content won’t give you great conversions, but great content that ranks well just might. The more value you provide through your content, the more potential clients will see you as an expert who can solve their problems. This is why it’s so important to avoid filler content and instead focus on in-depth advice... --- ### 5 Signs Your Marketing Isn’t Connecting With Your Audience > Connecting with your target audience through marketing is part art and part science, but you can’t have one without the other. - Published: 2018-06-04 - Modified: 2018-06-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-signs-marketing-not-connecting-with-audience/ - Categories: Marketing Your marketing can be innovative. It can be tirelessly creative. It can even provide massive value. But if your marketing content isn’t connecting with your audience, all of this effort is wasted. Connecting with Your Audience: What Does It Really Mean? There are two sides of the “connection” coin in digital marketing: the first is your targeting, and the second is your marketing content itself. Targeting is the technical side, and it involves researching who your ideal customers are, which types of media they consume, and where they hang out. If your target market is wrong, it doesn’t matter how great your content is, because the people seeing it simply won’t be interested. The other side of the coin is your content itself. Whatever you’re putting out into the world -- whether it’s a social media ad, free resource, or digital brochure -- should inspire, entertain, or educate your target audience. You can connect through controversy, or through finding common ground. You can connect using your brand’s “humanness,” which can come through in storytelling. If your targeting is spot-on but your content doesn’t speak your audience’s language, your messaging will be ignored. Here are the top five signs that your marketing content may be missing its mark. Qualified leads are elusive or nonexistent. Assess the quality of the leads coming through your marketing channels. What do you know about them? If you’re in touch with individuals directly, how do they respond to you? If you’ve been poring over creating and... --- ### 5 Email Marketing Mistakes to Avoid Like the Plague > With a solid email marketing strategy, businesses can nurture leads to conversion and stay top-of-mind with existing customers. But what makes a great email marketing strategy? - Published: 2018-06-01 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-email-marketing-mistakes-avoid-like-plague/ - Categories: Email Marketing Despite the growing popularity of social media, email is still the most effective and affordable marketing tool for businesses - especially B2Bs building relationships with customers and prospects. With a solid email marketing strategy, businesses can nurture leads to conversion and stay top-of-mind with existing customers. But what makes a great email marketing strategy? More importantly, what things shouldn’t you do if you want to see real, measurable and sustainable results? Let’s take a gander at a few common email marketing blunders and how you can avoid making the same mistakes in your own business. Buying vs. Building In a fast-paced digital world where time is precious, it can be tempting to take shortcuts by buying an email list of prospects. Doing so, however, is likely to prove both futile and a waste of money. When it comes to email marketing, the quality of your contacts is much more important than the quantity. Focus instead on slowly but surely building a list of qualified leads. It will take longer, but the payoff will be far greater in the end. Winging It If you don’t have a strategy for your email marketing, you’re wasting your time. As with any other type of marketing, you need to set specific goals for what you’d like to accomplish. For instance, you may want to use email to increase traffic to your website, boost social media engagement or drive more sales. Knowing what you want to get out of your efforts will enable you to... --- ### How Marketing Automation Can Increase and Benefits Sales > Marketing automation is an excellent tool for your marketing team, but it can also be highly beneficial for your sales department as well. - Published: 2018-05-31 - Modified: 2020-01-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-marketing-automation-increase-sales/ - Categories: Sales You are probably already familiar with the basics of marketing automation. It automates tasks. It streamlines processes. Overall, it makes our lives a whole lot easier. But a quality marketing automation software is capable of doing much more than just enabling your marketing team. When used to its full advantages, it’s a tool that can ultimately help your sales team close more deals. By streamlining and optimizing the process of gathering, scoring, and prioritizing leads, your business will be able to drive higher conversions and generate more revenue consistently. But, wonderfully enough, that’s just grazing the surface. Here are a few more ways marketing automation benefits your sales and improves your bottom line: Provides a Full View of Your Leads Effectively qualifying leads can be a complicated process, especially if you’re targeting high-profile businesses or elusive prospects. You may spend hours conducting research — from scouring websites to contacting employees and gathering data from phone calls. Marketing automation tools make understanding your leads a sinch and don’t require tons and tons of manual digging. More specifically, they can: Track lead behavior: By leveraging marketing automation software within your CRM, salespeople have insights at their fingertips. They can see what pages of their website their leads have visited, what emails they have clicked on, and what online forms they have filled out. Not only does this help salespeople build relationships faster, but ultimately allows them to respond to leads more quickly. Track lead information: Why not automate your qualification process so... --- ### 33 Quotes to Reignite Your Marketing Spark > You’ve been slogging through your blog posts, trudging through your advertising analytics, and basically running social media on autopilot. In other - Published: 2018-05-30 - Modified: 2022-10-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/33-quotes-to-reignite-your-marketing-spark/ - Categories: Marketing You’ve been slogging through your blog posts, trudging through your advertising analytics, and basically running social media on autopilot. In other words, you’ve lost your marketing spark -- and you’re not sure what to do next. Lustless marketing certainly shows. Your prospects will be able to tell in an instant if your latest LinkedIn post was no more than a hasty “check” on your to-do list. But if you’re not passionate about your marketing, how can you expect customers to be passionate about your brand? Here are some of the best marketing quotes on social media, content marketing, and more to help breathe life back into your stale marketing strategies. Read them aloud, share them with your colleagues, or plaster them up on your office wall to reignite your marketing spark. Quotes On Social Media Marketing “People read, share, and generally engage more with any type of content when it’s surfaced through friends and people they know and trust. ” – Malorie Lucich, Lead PR at Pinterest “Pushing a company agenda on social media is like throwing water balloons at a porcupine. ” – Erik Qualman, Speaker and best-selling author “Transparency may be the most disruptive and far-reaching innovation to come out of social media. ” – Paul Gillin, Author of The New Influencers “The number of people publishing content on social networks is growing at a staggering rate. Standing out means not trying to be all things to all people. Stand for something specific and focus on going deep... --- ### 5 Steps to Outstanding Leadership > For many business owners, leadership isn’t something that comes naturally, but it’s essential if you are to drive your company forward. - Published: 2018-05-29 - Modified: 2018-05-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-steps-outstanding-leadership/ - Categories: Leadership When you first started your business, it was probably just you handling everything. As your company has grown, however, so has your need to hire additional employees. For many business owners, leadership isn’t something that comes naturally, but it’s essential if you are to drive your company forward. If this is an area where you struggle, or if you’re just looking to get ahead of the game before you bring on additional staff, here are five tried and true steps to become a positive, consistent and effective leader. Hire the right people. You can’t expect to lead others who aren’t a good fit for your company to begin with. Make sure you put a good deal of time and effort into who you hire. Look for people who are natural problem-solvers, who can communicate well and who are on the same page as you in terms of culture. In other words, if your company culture is customer-centric, seek out individuals who strongly value service and support. Then, invest the necessary time and resources into onboarding and training them properly. Over-communicate. Your employees cannot thrive if they don’t know exactly what’s expected of them. Moving from self-sufficiency to collaboration can be a difficult transition, but the key to navigating through those rocky waters is communication. Be clear on what your goals are and the role each individual plays in achieving those goals. Never assume that just because your staff is highly intelligent and independent that they know what’s going on in... --- ### The Benefits and Pitfalls of Earned, Owned and Paid Website Traffic > These types of website traffic rely on one another, and you can create campaigns that integrate all three elements to promote your brand. But when taken in isolation, they each present clear pros and cons. - Published: 2018-05-25 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-benefits-and-pitfalls-of-earned-owned-and-paid-website-traffic/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing, Lead Generation Modern digital marketing can be divided into three results: owned, earned and paid traffic. And while they seem distinct, and you’ll measure them using different metrics, in truth they can overlap wonderfully – if you know how to play them right. Let’s start by defining the terms, in case you’re unfamiliar with the distinctions. Paid traffic is traffic you paid for with traditional outbound marketing efforts: creating pay-per-click ad campaigns, hiring an influencer to write about your product, paying for sponsored content on a media website, and so forth. All these marketing techniques require you to pay a company or person to achieve a certain audience reach. It’s a pretty standard cash-for-value transaction. Earned traffic defines people who found your site or product through word of mouth. The most common way is via social shares (because your content is so darn shareable), but other ways include customer referral programs, forwarded newsletter campaigns or authentic inbound links you didn’t pay for. This is an extremely valuable asset, because it requires an often impartial outsider to vouch for your product and sell it for you. Owned traffic refers to direct results from your inbound marketing campaigns. It’s essentially content marketing – when audiences search for a keyword and find your blog, or when you post on Facebook or Twitter and your followers click on your link to your site, that’s content you own. Now that the definitions are clear, it’s important to note that these are not mutually exclusive exercises. In fact,... --- ### Agency Overload: 5 Tips for Differentiating Your Marketing Agency From the Pack > As a marketer, you know how important differentiation is to your business. So how do you differentiate your marketing agency in a seemingly saturated industry? - Published: 2018-05-24 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-differentiating-marketing-agency-from-pack/ - Categories: Agencies Marketing and advertising agencies have done some shape-shifting over the last several years. Blame it on the relative ease and simplicity of social media advertising, the rise in solopreneurship, the growing number of businesses taking advertising into their own hands, or the digital age as a whole – it can feel like a new agency is born every day, and you’re just trying to stay afloat. As a marketer, you know how important differentiation is to your business. So how do you differentiate your marketing agency in a seemingly saturated industry? Agency Differentiator #1: Be a Leader in Your Niche To “niche down” is a hard thing to do, especially if your agency has served multiple industries or demographics in the past. However, as the digital age charges forward, it’s easier than ever for customers to find solutions that fit their exact needs. Think of it like this: imagine you run a fly-fishing supply store and you want to grow your digital presence. You’re comparing two digital agencies of equal competence and experience. The pricing is identical. One agency develops campaigns for small businesses. The other, however, focuses on serving small businesses in the outdoor recreation industry. Which would you choose? Another benefit of solidifying your niche and narrowing your target market is that you’ll see a marked increase in operational efficiency: the more you work with one kind of client, the deeper your understanding of their needs, objections, and taste. You’ll work faster and more effectively. There’s also a... --- ### 8 Elements of a Stellar Blog Post > Keep it simple, keep it informative, and your readers will keep coming back to your blog for more. - Published: 2018-05-23 - Modified: 2018-11-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-elements-of-a-stellar-blog-post/ - Categories: Content Marketing Writing. It’s now an art form that anyone with a keyboard can theoretically do. Writing is free, right? Just sit down, turn the spell-checker on and type away. Writing can be easy, sure. But writing isn’t the same as effective content marketing. Content marketing means writing useful, keyword-optimized articles in a way that they don’t read like an elementary student copied and pasted keywords indiscriminately into a plagiarized Wikipedia article. So while many brands decide to dive into the blogging game, it’s not as easy to know what makes good content. To make Strunk & White proud, here are a few elements of a stellar blog post. 1. Start with a clear headline Good blogging is clear blogging, and the surest way to cut through the fat is by starting with a strong headline. Think of this as your thesis statement; your guiding principle throughout the blog post. While some headline writers will wax poetic, the most effective blog titles draw a click immediately. Listicles be damned: numbers work. Why else would we offer “8 Elements of a Stellar Blog Post” instead of just “Here Are Some Elements That Make a Good Blog Post? ” 2. Don’t be afraid of longform. While bloggers once feared posts longer than 800 words, ever-evolving algorithms and increasing comfort reading online have led many bloggers to adopt a hardline commitment to longform. This is good for a few reasons: it gives you more room to pack in those keywords; it invites readers to stay... --- ### Are Company Retreats Right for Your Business? > Just as you evaluate the cost-benefit equation with other investments you make in your team, it’s important to do so with company retreats. - Published: 2018-05-22 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/are-company-retreats-right-for-your-business/ - Categories: Leadership Many big companies plan retreats and offsites to bring far-flung teams together, but holding an event like this at a small company does not always make sense and requires some careful decision making. Just as you evaluate the cost-benefit equation with other investments you make in your team, it’s important to do so with company retreats. Here are some factors to consider: How big is your team? If you run a company with a very small number of employees, a retreat may not be necessary. At a small business with three or four employees, it’s likely that you all work together closely enough on a regular basis that concentrated alone time isn’t necessary. Where retreats often make the most sense is at companies with 10 or more people that are scaling up. As a company grows, and perhaps adds remote team members, it is important for everyone to get to know each other. A retreat can be a great way to allow your team to do that in a relaxed setting. Offsites can also be very helpful at companies that rely on a substantial number of remote employees. It’s easier than ever to build a remote relationship today because of the growth of inexpensive videoconferencing tools. However, there’s no substitute for meeting each other in person from time to time. What result are you hoping for? Many companies hold retreats to reward employees for their contributions, such as hitting an ambitious sales goal. Company retreats can be great for your... --- ### How To Break Through Three Top Obstacles To Getting to $1 Million > By giving yourself time to recharge, you’ll be surprised at how much better your decisions are—and how much more quickly your business grows. - Published: 2018-05-21 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-break-through-three-top-obstacles-to-getting-to-1-million/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship A guest blog by Elaine Pofeldt, author of The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business. Since the release of my book The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business, I’ve enjoyed holding several panel discussions with entrepreneurs featured in the book and and business owners whom I’ve met since writing it, who have also broken the million-dollar mark before hiring any employees. Often, members of the audience ask me afterward for advice on how to overcome obstacles they are facing to achieving high revenues. Here are the three most common ones, with some thoughts on how to break through them, by drawing on what I learned from entrepreneurs in the book. Obstacle #1: I don’t have access to capital. Having a pipeline to startup cash can be a powerful advantage, but it’s not mandatory to success. Most of the entrepreneurs in the book started out on a shoestring. In some cases, the entrepreneurs self-funded by relying on their own labor or money from a day job to fuel the business. That was the case with entrepreneurs such as Laszlo Nadler, who had a full-time job as a project manager at a bank while launching Tools4Wisdom Planners, an Amazon store that sells daybooks. He kept his day job for two years after starting out and has built the business to $2 million in annual revenue. At Brooklinen, one of the businesses that has now grown to more than 20 employees, founders Rich and Vicki Fulop persuaded family members to help in funding their direct-to-consumer sheet store initially, then... --- ### Should You Buy Social Media Followers for Your B2B Business? > The notion of buying social media followers for your business seems too taboo to even put in writing. - Published: 2018-05-18 - Modified: 2018-05-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/should-you-buy-social-media-followers-for-your-b2b-business/ - Categories: Marketing The notion of buying social media followers for your business seems too taboo to even put in writing. After all, isn’t B2B social media supposed to be about connecting with real business owners and helping them solve real problems? Technically, purchasing followers isn’t illegal -- at best, it’s just a quick way to make your business appear more popular than it really is. But at worst, it can be downright harmful to real users. Let’s take a look at the notion of buying social media followers (and its recent focus in the news), and then examine whether this is a good practice for your B2B business. Purchasing Followers on Social Media There are different ways to do buy social media followers, some involving real people, and others involving bots. There are companies that sell fake accounts directly to those who want more followers, and then there are companies that take a more subtle approach, like Devumi. In January 2018, a small company named Devumi made headlines for engaging in a shady business: selling fake followers (bots) derived from real social accounts, including those belonging to minors. Devumi’s clients ranged from PR firms to celebrities, and for pennies, would boost their clients’ Twitter followers, views on YouTube, and more. When contacted, those of Devumi’s customers who responded gave some version of the statement, “it’s no big deal, everybody does it. ” And while plenty of businesses are doing it, this doesn’t mean that purchasing followers will actually give you the ROI... --- ### 5 Ways to Rebound from a Missed Sales Opportunity > Let’s take a look at five tips that will help you bounce back after experiencing a tough sales loss. - Published: 2018-05-17 - Modified: 2018-05-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-to-rebound-from-a-missed-sales-opportunity/ - Categories: Sales There’s nothing more frustrating than getting a solid ‘no’ from a prospect – especially one you’ve put a great deal of time and energy into converting. Like it or not, there will always be situations in which your efforts ultimately don’t pay off. How you respond to those missed opportunities, however, can have an impact on your future success. Let’s take a look at five tips that will help you bounce back after experiencing a tough break. Let yourself be human. You aren’t a machine. You are human and chances are right about now you’re experiencing some feelings and emotions that aren’t so great. Recognizing and acknowledging these feelings can be the first step in getting over them and moving forward. Don’t pressure yourself to bounce back right away. Give yourself room to breathe, allow yourself a little bit of time to regroup and then, when you’re ready, get back in the saddle. It may take a little longer, but it’ll be worth it in the end. Create and cultivate a supportive environment. Feeling like a failure is never a great experience. Having someone there to pick you up, help you dust off and keep you focused on the positive can make all the difference. Surround yourself with others who are supportive, not competitive. This will enable you to let your guard down, admit when you are struggling and reach out for help when it’s needed. With the right team culture and a positive attitude, missed opportunities won’t threaten to... --- ### 3 Pitfalls of AI Technology No One Is Talking About > AI is here to stay, and it can be immensely helpful across a range of industries. It also has a number of potential pitfalls. - Published: 2018-05-16 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/pitfalls-of-ai-technology-no-one-talking-about/ - Categories: Marketing “Alexa, order me a pizza. ” If you’re anything like me, you’ve already tapped into the power of AI for simple tasks like ordering food or playing your favorite jam. The truth is artificial intelligence (AI) is behind countless aspects of modern life, both in business and at home. It’s the reason we have personalized social feeds or automated recommendations advertised to us based on previous purchases and pageviews. Artificial intelligence is here to stay, and it can be immensely helpful across a range of industries. It also has a number of potential pitfalls. But before we delve into those, let’s define the different types of AI. Defining AI Technology There are two types of AI technology: narrow (weak) AI, and general (strong) AI. Narrow AI is designed to perform a specific task, like playing poker or facial recognition. Most of the AI technology we use, as of 2018, is considered narrow AI. It’s often swapped with terms like machine learning or automation. Because of its granular applications, narrow AI can be incredibly effective at saving time and money on bland or repetitive tasks. In contrast, general AI has a more comprehensive knowledge base, similar to that of a human. However, it’s capable of processing information faster and more accurately. General AI is the type often portrayed in sci-fi movies -- think Data from Star Trek, or Schwarzenegger’s android character, the “terminator. ” Google’s search engine, though immensely complex, is a primitive example of general AI. These days, you can... --- ### 9 Signs Your Customer Service Needs a Reboot > If you’re not looking at your customer service data, you’re missing a critical part of modern business – one that can say more about your company than just your front-facing employees. - Published: 2018-05-15 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-signs-customer-service-needs-reboot/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Your sales are up. You’re scaling your company. You’re adding staff. Your marketing team is bringing in new leads every day. Things are looking great – what more could you need? The answer, of course, is great customer service. If you’re not looking at your customer service data, you’re missing a critical part of modern business – one that can say more about your company than just your front-facing employees. Here are nine telltale signs your customer service may need a reboot: 1. You aren’t getting much customer feedback. In customer service, no news is not necessarily good news. You want to engage with your customers, to hear suggestions for future products, more features, things they love and – yes – things they hate. Fresh app overhaul? Product design suggestion? General Insta-love? Feedback is good, because it means people are engaging with your product or brand. Hearing nothing is a warning sign. Your customer service could be structured in such a way that discourages people from interacting with your brand, which closes off a possible direct link between you and your audience. 2. You are getting customer feedback – and it’s crappy. The flip-side to hearing nothing, of course, is hearing only bad things. This one is fairly self-explanatory: an overwhelming amount of complaints is not a good thing. Not only is it indicative of a problematic product, but your customer service reps will be taking the brunt of this abuse, and only their response can turn it around. An... --- ### What Is the Difference Between Leads and Prospects? > In your sales and marketing, leads and prospects are two different categories of people -- who require two different types of communication. - Published: 2018-05-14 - Modified: 2025-03-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-leads-and-prospects/ - Categories: Marketing Every customer or client starts as a complete stranger. It’s only through a consistent sales process that you can take a stranger and move them down the funnel, from lead to prospect, and into that hallowed place called conversion land. The terms “lead” and “prospect” are just two of many terms used to describe the status of a business relationship. A lead is someone who may fit your target market but is not ready to buy just yet. Through your own research, you’ve handpicked (literally, or through automation) a pool of people who may fit your target market. If the lead is responsive to your offer, there’s a good chance they’ve become a prospect. However, if they don’t respond, or if they’re unwilling or unable to buy just yet, they’ll remain a lead. If they continuously ignore your efforts to get in touch, these leads are sometimes called “cold leads. ” Leads vs. Prospects: Why Does it Matter? In your sales and marketing, leads and prospects are two different categories of people -- who require two different types of communication. Communicating with leads is all about generating awareness of, and interest in, your offering. To streamline this process, many businesses utilize appointment setters, which play a crucial role in reaching out to leads and scheduling initial meetings, moving them closer to becoming prospects. If you’re unfamiliar with the role of an appointment setter, here, you can read more about what is an appointment setter. Communicating with prospects is about turning... --- ### 4 CRM Hacks Every Entrepreneur Should Be Using > These CRM hacks will help any entrepreneur improve customer service. - Published: 2018-05-11 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-hacks-every-entrepreneur-should-be-using/ - Categories: CRM Brands depend on personal relationships to turn leads into customers and to deliver a great customer experience. And for budding businesses, that personalization process has often relied on gathering customer data from third-party sources -- but that era may be coming to a close. Thanks to the backlash from its dealings with Cambridge Analytica, in which the personal data of millions of Facebook users was improperly accessed, Facebook is ending advertisers’ ability to supplement targeting data from third-party sources with its own data. (Brands can still infuse third-party data with Facebook targeting, but they’ll have to buy the data themselves because Facebook wants no part of it. ) Most businesses that used this service did so because they aren't leveraging data from their internal customer relationship management (CRM) system properly. That’s why Facebook’s policy changes might actually be a blessing in disguise: Startups can be far more successful using their CRM to access customer insights than buying data from any third-party source. Read Jonathan's full article on Entrepreneur. --- ### Is Your Business Prepared for GDPR? > In case you haven’t heard, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the first significant change in data privacy requirements in over 20 years -- - Published: 2018-05-10 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-your-business-prepared-for-gdpr/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship, Small Business In case you haven’t heard, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the first significant change in data privacy requirements in over 20 years -- and it will impact businesses all over the world. What’s more, enforcement begins on May 25th of 2018, meaning you could get smacked with a massive fine if your business is non-compliant. The GDPR was established to help protect the personal data of internet users in the European Union. It was adopted in 2016, and has since been in a two-year transition period. The GDPR, though established to protect data from internet users who live in the European Union, is enforceable all over the globe. The bottom line? If your business handles data from any EU residents, you must abide by GDPR. The regulation affects both controllers and processors -- “controllers” being the organization that collects the data, and “processors” being anyone who stores data on behalf of a controller (like a cloud storage service). Learn more about GDPR in the video below and read on for recommended steps to prepare your business. https://hatchbuck. wistia. com/medias/s8kexgc1ok Steps for Businesses to Get Ready for GDPR As a business owner, you’re handling a lot at once -- meaning you may not have the time or resources to become an expert on GDPR in the short time before it becomes enforceable. Though we’ve listed some basic steps you should follow to ensure your organization is compliant with the new regulation, it’s still a good idea to consult your... --- ### 12 B.S. PPC Metrics That Are A Complete Waste Of Time (And What To Measure Instead) > It’s easy to get bogged down by the weight of 1,000 PPC metrics. Here's why you shouldn't. - Published: 2018-05-09 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/12-ppc-metrics-that-are-a-complete-waste-of-time-and-what-to-measure-instead/ - Categories: Lead Generation, Marketing When it comes to PPC metrics, there are over 100 AdWords metrics to consider. Facebook has another 75 at least. They’re helpful. Kinda. Sorta. But not really. These leading indicators can help you figure out where things are trending. And if you’re on the right track or not, but they’re not business metrics that move the needle. You could track them all, if you had time. But you don’t, because these bad PPC metrics pull you away from what’s really important (like making money). Here are 12 to avoid like the plague and what you should be tracking instead. Stop Obsessing Over These 12 PPC Metrics ASAP There are three categories of useless PPC metrics. Those include traffic metrics, micro metrics, and then the completely bat s--- crazy ones. Check them out. Traffic Metrics You can’t sell without traffic. But optimizing campaigns around traffic metrics like these only do one thing... get you more traffic. Instead of, you know, $$$. 1) Clicks You know the age- old saying: Clicks get chicks. ? No one can resist them... The up-and-to-the-right graphs... The blog posts throwing around 100k / monthly visits like it ain’t no thang. Of course, none of this is true. Visits are one of the ultimate vanity metrics and prioritizing them in ad campaigns is an even worse idea, because you’re paying for each and every single one. Instead, clicks should be a byproduct. Your goal is revenue, more customers. So, it doesn’t matter if it requires only 10... --- ### 4 Emerging Technologies B2B Entrepreneurs Should Know About > While B2B entrepreneurs have always geeked out about new ventures, today’s entrepreneurs get to geek out about both new ventures and mind-blowing - Published: 2018-05-08 - Modified: 2024-02-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-emerging-technologies-b2b-entrepreneurs-should-know-about/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship While B2B entrepreneurs have always geeked out about new ventures, today’s entrepreneurs get to geek out about both new ventures and mind-blowing technologies. Whether you’re an app developer, service provider, or physical products entrepreneur, it’s smart to keep up with technological developments that are disrupting businesses and economies across the world. The options can be dizzying, so we’ve broken our top emerging technologies down into four main categories -- along with examples of how businesses are using these innovations today. Internet of Things (IoT) The “internet of things” is a network of items embedded with sensors, software, and other devices designed to exchange data with one another. Here’s a simple example: a customer in a retail store picks up a product from a display case, where a sensor indicates to a computer which product the customer has touched. The computer triggers a video on a nearby screen that shares details about that product. Further, a store associate is notified that this customer is interested in Product XYZ, informing their sales process. But the IoT is not just an innovative solution for B2Cs, it’s making waves in the B2B sector as well. A B2B IoT system can include objects such as printers, switches, and televisions or unconventional, industry-specific items like biochips on farm animals, manufacturing equipment, medical devices and deeper insights into product usage. Blockchain Technology Cryptocurrency has been all over the news in 2018, so you’re likely to have heard about blockchain, the technology that makes Bitcoin trading possible. But... --- ### Is Your Blog Making You Money Or Wasting Your Time? > For those businesses with a limited marketing budget or lack of direction, blogging can sometimes feel like a shot in the dark. - Published: 2018-05-07 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-your-blog-making-you-money-or-wasting-your-time/ - Categories: Content Marketing In the last couple of decades, blogs have evolved from personal web ramblings to must-have marketing tools for businesses. They’ve evolved in both form and function: now, blogs often resemble journalistic feature articles, profiles, Q&As, and how-to (service) pieces that used to only exist in top print magazines and newspapers. Nowadays, you’re likely to find a blog somewhere on both B2B and B2C websites. But for those businesses with a limited marketing budget or lack of direction, blogging can sometimes feel like a shot in the dark. Here are some questions to ask to help you determine if your blog is making money or wasting time. Are you using your blog the right way? A blog is a marketing tool, not a sales tool. It’s an important distinction to make because marketing and sales have two very different objectives -- and to expect one to provide the outcomes of the other is a recipe for disaster. The goal of marketing is to capture qualified leads, whereas the goal of sales is to convert those leads into customers. If you expect prospects to read your blog post and then immediately buy your product, you’re putting unrealistic expectations on your blog! Here’s why. A blog post is a top-funnel marketing tactic. People who read your blog are making only a very small commitment of their time, and may not be ready to buy your product or service yet. Therefore, your blog’s call-to-action should never be “buy this product. ” It should, instead,... --- ### How to Use Pivot Tables To Gain Insights From Your Marketing Data > How can pivot tables give you insight into your business? There are a myriad of ways, but it depends on the type of information you’re working with. - Published: 2018-05-04 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/use-pivot-tables-gain-insights-marketing-data/ - Categories: Marketing Here’s a situation: it’s the end of your company’s first quarter. Your boss asked you for a report of your progress over the last year – an easy-to-read chart that tells the story of your company’s growth by way of specific key performance indicators (KPIs), including conversion rates, monthly sales, social media engagement and any other metric you might be held to. You’ve got your data set, and it breaks down every item you’re dealing with: individual sales, individual social media posts, individual PPC campaigns. It could be anything. But the point is, it’s raw data. What are you going to do with it? The answer: pivot tables. What are pivot tables? In brief, a pivot table is just another way of viewing your data; it restructures (or “pivots”) your raw numbers in a different way. Ideally, this way is more legible and can tell a clear story. Microsoft Excel, the industry standard for spreadsheets, has put pivot tables front and center under the main menu when you click on Insert > PivotTable. So, how can pivot tables give you insight into your business? There are a myriad of ways, but it depends on the type of information you’re working with. You can find comprehensive guides online; this won’t be another one of those. Instead, this should help motivate you to find new ways to understand and appreciate your data. Pivot tables can help you understand your best social strategy. The good minds at Facebook and Twitter allow you to... --- ### The Startup Playbook for Account-Based Marketing > If you’re ready to take the leap into account based marketing, here are some tips to create the best strategy to boost engagement and, ultimately, sales for your startup. - Published: 2018-05-03 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/playbook-account-based-marketing/ - Categories: Account-Based Marketing For years, inbound marketing has been the go-to marketing strategy for budding businesses wanting to drive results. The playbook was simple: Create content and cast a wide net in hopes of driving traffic and loading up sales funnels. The more traffic you could attract, the better your chances of finding the keepers, even if you had to sort through the duds along the way. Today, successful startups are winning with a new playbook — it’s called account-based marketing, or ABM. Account-based marketing shifts the focus away from a wide-net approach to a more highly targeted, customized approach, trading your net for a harpoon. Read Jonathan's full article on StartupNation. --- ### Even Cold Emails Can Warm Up Your Audience > If you arouse curiosity with your subject line, hook them with your intro and use a bit of humor in your copy, you can warm your audience up and boost your cold emails. - Published: 2018-05-02 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/even-cold-emails-can-warm-up-your-audience/ - Categories: Email Marketing A guest article from Andrew Lowen, CEO of Next Level Web. Cold emails - we all dread sending them. No one wants to see them in their inbox, and no one wants to read them, right? We know that if we send an unsolicited email to a prospect, the said prospect is going to shake their heads and instantly press “delete. ” Actually, that’s not quite true. Sure, the average conversion rate is just 0. 5%, and sure some prospects will shake their heads, shove their fist into their mouth and instantly delete your cold email ... ... But only if you do it wrong. Like with everything in life, there’s a right and a wrong way to write cold emails. If you get it right, you could end up with conversion rates that reach an insane 86% - just like these guys. And these guys. Oh, and these guys, too. Because businesses kind of have to send cold emails out (it’s one of the best ways to warm new customers up), let’s take a look at how to write effective cold emails. Deliver an Awesome Subject Line First impressions are literally everything where cold emails are concerned. If you don’t get the subject line right, the prospect will pass - and they won’t give you a second chance. The type of subject line you compose will depend on what your overall aim is, but if it’s to warm more customers up, it’s key that your subject line stands out.... --- ### 4 Ways Founders Can Go Back To School Without Spending an Arm and a Leg > Do you ever wish you could go back to school, now that you really know you need to understand to run your business successfully? Many entrepreneurs do. - Published: 2018-05-01 - Modified: 2018-05-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-ways-founders-can-go-back-to-school-without-spending-an-arm-and-a-leg/ - Categories: Leadership Do you ever wish you could go back to school, now that you really know you need to understand to run your business successfully? Many entrepreneurs do, but that’s not always practical. Cost is a big obstacle. The average college tuition is $32,400 at a private four-year college, and at a public college, $23,890 for out-of-state students and $9,410 for in-state students, according to the College Board. MBA programs are not inexpensive, either. The average cost of an online MBA at the Top 25 schools in the website Poets & Quants’ Online MBA Ranking is $52,264, but many programs are pricier. So how do you go back to school without spending more than you can afford or going into debt? Here are four strategies to use. Try continuing education. Many community colleges and universities are making a big push to stay relevant at a time when students’ educational options are proliferating. If you haven’t looked at the adult education programs offered by traditional educational institutions in your area, check them out. Professionals who work in fields such as social media marketing and web design often teach continuing ed courses, so you’ll often pick up lots of practical knowledge—at a much lower cost than through a traditional degree program. Explore online learning platforms. Platforms like edX and Udemy offer low-cost courses that may allow you to pick up the know-how you need without setting foot in a traditional classroom. edX offers free courses from the world’s top universities—such as Columbia, Harvard... --- ### 5 Ways To Generate B2B Leads With LinkedIn > LinkedIn can be an effective way to capture B2B leads for your business without having to spend an arm and a leg. Find out how. - Published: 2018-04-30 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-to-generate-b2b-leads-with-linkedin/ - Categories: Lead Generation, Social Media It’s been said that... . Facebook is for friends; Instagram is for celebrities and brands; Twitter is for politicians; Snapchat is for teenagers. And LinkedIn? LinkedIn is for professionals. More than any other social platform, LinkedIn is confined to the realm of networking—and B2B networking ranks among the most effective. Users can connect with similar professionals, exchange ideas, discover new leads, look for new jobs and find unique ways to create new partnerships. Several case studies have proven that LinkedIn drives the highest percentage of customers to your business. The underlying reason is self-evident: the only people on LinkedIn are by nature interested in connecting with like-minded professionals. Rarely has anyone joined LinkedIn “just for fun. ” The minds at LinkedIn know this, of course, and charge a hefty several hundred dollars in annual fees for LinkedIn Premium, the service that allows you to message anyone, regardless of whether you’re actually connected to them. For our purposes, we’re going to assume you don’t have LinkedIn Premium, and stick to old-fashioned techniques that will work regardless of your investment. Craft a Profile that Sells Yourself If you want any success on LinkedIn, you need to dress to impress. Get a good photographer (or at least a good camera and a tripod), find a clean background, wear your finest work clothes and look confidently into the camera. Put on the same face you’d make if you were actually meeting your lead for the first time—after all, the second they first see your... --- ### 5 Tips For Fine Tuning Your Marketing Agency's Offerings This Year > Dedicate some time this year to analyzing, ideating, and refining your existing offerings to position your marketing agency for success in 2018. - Published: 2018-04-27 - Modified: 2018-04-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-for-fine-tuning-your-marketing-agencys-offerings-this-year/ - Categories: Agencies Marketing agencies spend their days thinking about the brand positioning and messaging of their clients. So much so that their own marketing needs often fall all the way to the bottom of the list. This isn’t a smart strategy, because when the hustle and bustle of a product launch or a big event for a client dies down and the agency needs some fresh business coming through the door, it’s going to become clear that no one’s been working on generating leads. To avoid this unpleasant situation, here are some tips for fine tuning your marketing agency’s offerings this year. Consider Offering Industry-Specific Marketing Solutions Businesses want to feel like their marketing agency understands their needs and their target audience. They’re not interested in generic solutions that are offered to every client that walks through your door. What are the top industries that you typically market for? Have you noticed a pattern? Consider positioning yourself as a marketing expert in specific industries and highlight your connections and network within those industries. Additionally, write case studies from previous clients and request references so you can demonstrate your expertise to offer specialized marketing solutions. Expand Your Marketing Solutions Are you limited to content writing, social media management, or event planning? Remember that technology is transforming every industry, marketing included. Expand your agency’s talent pool strategically by keeping an eye on emerging marketing technology trends like AI, voice search, mobile searching and more. As brands increasingly turn to tools like branded apps and... --- ### The One Word That Will Change The Way You Lead > When others around you “feel the love,” you’ll create positive energy around your business—and that’ll fuel its growth in surprising ways. - Published: 2018-04-26 - Modified: 2018-04-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-one-word-that-will-change-the-way-you-lead-love/ - Categories: Leadership Love isn’t a word that always mixes well with business. For many business leaders, what it brings to mind are office romances... that eventually lead to problems between employees when they end. But love—the non-romantic kind—can play an important role in your business. Here are four ways you can bring love to your business. Love what you do. Most entrepreneurs have started their business because they want to be their own boss, enjoy the control they have over their own schedule and in many cases, want to follow their passion. But over time, it’s easy to get burnt out and caught up in day-to-day pressures, forgetting about all of the good things running a business brings. So how do you rekindle the spark? Take time at the start of each day for a moment of gratitude, where you write down your three or four favorite aspects of running your business. Ask yourself what you love about it: Is the chance to work on what you’re best at? The freedom to go to yoga class at noon? The interesting people you meet every day? The chance to make a difference? Reminding yourself of all of the good things your business brings you on a regular basis can help keep your original passion going. Love your community. Your business doesn’t operate in a vacuum. It’s part of a community – of customers, employees, professionals and contractors who help support you. Look for opportunities to show your appreciation to the community that makes... --- ### 6 Ways to Save on Marketing Your Small Business > A guest post by Meredith Wood, Editor in Chief at Fundera. Major corporations spend a lot of money on marketing. From seven-figure advertising budgets to - Published: 2018-04-25 - Modified: 2020-01-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-ways-to-save-on-marketing-your-small-business/ - Categories: Marketing A guest post by Meredith Wood, Editor in Chief at Fundera. Major corporations spend a lot of money on marketing. From seven-figure advertising budgets to PR firms kept on retainer, global brands are allocating a lot of money and resources to keeping their products in the public eye. If you’re a small business owner, you likely don’t have a lot of spare cash on hand to dedicate to marketing efforts; but don’t fret, you can still make a splash and generate attention for your company. Read on for ideas and inspiration that will help you save on marketing your small business. Master Social Media Starting a social media account is free, so if you know how to leverage these platforms you can gain attention for your brand without spending a dime. The key here is to find the social media platform that best fits your business and prospective customer base. Are you a florist who does beautiful arrangements for weddings and events? Focus on Pinterest, where a lot of brides-to-be turn for inspiration. Running a local bakery? Consider Instagram where you can share enticing pictures of your delicious creations. Targeting a younger demographic? Think about Snapchat, where the majority of users are between the ages of 18 and 24. The other important piece of the social media puzzle is being active. Due to the setup of the algorithms on most channels, the only way to make sure your content is seen is to be consistent and to foster conversation by... --- ### The Power of Email + Emojis = ❤️ & ? > In an inbox bursting with email, emojis can help your subject line stand out from the crowd. - Published: 2018-04-24 - Modified: 2020-06-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-power-of-email-and-emojis/ - Categories: Email Marketing Whether you’re sending a monthly email to your list at large, or sending a strategic ABM campaign, you need all the help you can get to boost engagement and turn emails into revenue. That’s where emojis come in. They aren’t just fun word bling, nope. These cute and funny conversation carriers can be gold for your email strategy. In fact, Experian reported that emojis or symbols can boost open rates: Subject lines with symbols had a higher unique open rate in 56 percent of brands we analyzed. In an inbox bursting with email, emojis can help your subject line stand out from the crowd: Just don’t get too crazy. Make sure you’re using emojis in a relevant way. Simply stuffing your email subject line with emojis won’t cut it. Are Emojis Effective for B2B Emails? Sure, hearts and smileys are great for B2C brands. But will your B2B audience take you seriously? While it's hypothesized that communicating in this informal manner could discredit the sender, a study indicates that Americans are 43% more likely to open an email if there's an emoji in the subject line. Using emojis can also improve open rates, which in turn improves sender scores. Return Path found that emails with the sunglasses-face emoji in the subject line improved open rates from 21% to 23%, and inbox placement jumped from 88% to 93%. In an automated, seemingly impersonal world, emojis just may be the key to creating personal connections through email. How Can I Get Emojis... --- ### Are Facebook Groups Beneficial or a Waste of Time for Your B2B Business? > Marketing yourself successfully in Facebook groups is every bit as artful as relationship-building in real life. if you’re ready to take the leap, here’s how to get the most out of Facebook group marketing. - Published: 2018-04-23 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/are-facebook-groups-beneficial-or-a-waste-of-time-for-your-b2b-business/ - Categories: Social Media Facebook groups make it easier than ever to connect with your target customers, learn their lingo, and get insider knowledge on their pain points and desires. They’re also the only free way to get your content into the news feeds of people who don’t follow you (versus paying for boosted posts and Facebook ads, and targeting your ideal customers). But as a savvy marketer, you’re probably worried about the ROI on marketing to Facebook groups. It’s true that networking within Facebook groups takes more manual effort than running social ad campaigns, and every group has different dynamics so it can be tough to measure. Are Facebook Groups Right for You? When you’re considering whether Facebook group marketing is right for your B2B business, it’s best to start by considering your target audience. Some types of users are more active on Facebook than others, so if your prospects meet the following criteria, Facebook groups may be a good strategy for you. Here are some stats about Facebook users in 2018: They’re young to middle-aged. Facebook is the preferred social media platform for audiences between 18-44. They’re global. A whopping 85 percent of Facebook users are outside of the US and Canada -- with India, Brazil, and Indonesia topping the list. They’re into professional networking. Though LinkedIn still takes the lead when it comes to B2B networking, 58% of Facebook users are connected to colleagues, which could translate into a good chance of finding prospects through referrals and word-of-mouth. They’re educated. At... --- ### How To Create Animated Display Ads With Adobe Creative Cloud > Animated display ads are an effective, attention-grabbing new trend in online marketing. With the right animation, your brand can attract more eyes and drive more leads. - Published: 2018-04-20 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-create-an-animated-display-ad-with-adobe-creative-cloud/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing, Marketing Looking for a lift from your marketing dollars? Display advertising is a great way to increase brand awareness and improve conversion rates across other marketing channels. With display advertising, you can serve up ads to people who have visited your website. This is a super effective way to drive them back to your website where they will hopefully make a purchase or convert to a customer. We’re all used to seeing display ads when we surf the web, and as a marketer, I’m always on the lookout for great ads that capture my attention. Weather. com is one of my favorite places to go to see what ad creative competitors in our space and my favorite brands are serving up :) One trend that I wanted to try was the use of animation in display ads, similar to this: I wanted to do something a bit more subtle. Something that would capture attention without being too over-the-top or annoying. I want to break down how I got there, but here’s my final product: To date, we’ve seen some impressive click-through rates. So, as promised, here’s how I did it with Adobe Creative Cloud by my side, and how you can too. 1. Create Gif Layout in Illustrator In the past, we’ve leaned on images of our app in our display ads. I wanted to run a test using our team to add bit of personality and set us apart from our competitors featuring what we’re best known for: Legendary customer... --- ### 5 Must-Have Lead Generation Tools For Your Business > Don’t let lead generation sit on the backburner. It’s extremely important for your business’s bottom line, and these tools will help you get on track, - Published: 2018-04-19 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-must-have-lead-gen-tools-for-your-business/ - Categories: Lead Generation As an entrepreneur, you know how important lead generation is to your sales cycle. You need a steady flow of fresh leads coming in, so that a healthy portion of them become paying - and hopefully, long-term - customers. Here are a few lead generation tools you can use in 2018 to keep your funnel full. Leadformly To turn a visitor into a lead, you need their contact information. Convincing an online visitor to hand over their email address takes some persuasion, and this persuasion usually comes in the form of an offer like an e-book or a webinar. But there’s still that moment of limbo where a customer can quickly change their mind: the form. Leadformly offers tools to make your forms work for you. Users have the option to create forms with conditional questions, add multiple steps to forms to avoid overwhelming site visitors, and more. ReferralCandy Twenty-eight percent of millennials wouldn’t try a product if their friends didn’t approve of it. The stakes are even higher for B2B companies since B2B companies with referrals enjoy a 69 percent quicker close time on sales. If you’ve been mulling over the idea of building leads through a referral program, consider using ReferralCandy. ReferralCandy allows you to easily add a referral program to your online store. The company runs referral programs for over 3000 online stores who can use ReferralCandy to offer rewards in the form of cash, store credit, and free products through the service. LinkedIn Sales Navigator For... --- ### 3 Ways to Be a Better Leader While Also Being a Boss > If you’re caught up in letting your employees know that you are the boss day in and day out, it will be hard to work effectively with your team. - Published: 2018-04-18 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-ways-be-better-leader-while-also-being-a-boss/ - Categories: Leadership When you run your own business, you’re ultimately the one in charge. But if you think of yourself as a boss there to bark orders to your minions, it will be hard to lead effectively and gain the respect of your team. Looking at yourself as coach or mentor to your employees will ultimately bring you better results in today’s workplace than taking a traditional, top-down approach to management. The truth is, most industries are changing so quickly because of the digital revolution that we all need to learn from each other. If you’re caught up in letting your employees know that you are the boss day in and day out, it will be hard to work effectively with your team in today’s workplace. Simon Sinek says it best: “Leadership is not about being in charge, it is about taking care of those in your charge. ” Here are three ideas on how to be a better leader while also being a boss. Get to know your team. No matter how busy you are, setting aside 10 or 15 minutes a day for “management by walking around” is an investment that will pay incredible dividends. Ask employees, “What’s on your mind? ” or “Is there anything I can help with? ” You’ll find by engaging in your employees’ lives daily, it’s much easier to anticipate opportunities and stay in front of potential problems. Take time to get to know your employees outside of the office too. Informal settings, like a... --- ### 2 Solutions for Employee-Related CRM Data Leaks > When appropriately utilized, CRM data can help your salespeople realize streamlined, transparent habits that lead to real revenue growth. - Published: 2018-04-17 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/2-solutions-for-employee-related-crm-data-leaks/ - Categories: CRM A guest post from Lisa Dunn, writer for TechnologyAdvice. CRM technology contains data that is priceless to today’s companies. It can hold vital details about your current clients and prospects, from sales data and buying patterns to financial information and corporate intelligence. This data isn’t just helpful for day to day operations, but it can also provide valuable business insight. “But, what’s in it for me? ” Unfortunately, your sales team can often be the most significant source of resistance when it comes to embracing new CRM technology. The less data entry they are required to do, the better. Therefore, it’s not surprising that some companies continue to find it difficult to get their sales employees fully onboard with regards to practicing healthy CRM habits. As you may already know, when appropriately utilized, CRM tools can help your salespeople realize streamlined, transparent habits that lead to real revenue growth. In addition, your company can reap amazing benefits and profits. Problem 1: Sales Team Resistance to Data Entry Despite the technology’s potential to make sales teams successful, there may be some reasons your sales team continues to fight CRM adoption. One recent report stated that the greatest barrier to CRM adoption is how time-consuming it can be to enter the data. According to PaceProductivity, salespeople say they spend nearly one-quarter of their time completing admin tasks, including data entry, while spending less time on selling. Perhaps some employees believe that increasing visibility around their contacts and conversations is too invasive. Or,... --- ### Is An Agile Marketing Process Right For Your Team? > An agile marketing process is a terrific option for teams that want to be adaptable, innovative, and data-driven while successfully knocking out projects in an abbreviated timeframe. - Published: 2018-04-16 - Modified: 2018-04-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-an-agile-marketing-process-right-for-your-team/ - Categories: Marketing Agile marketing is a process that values change, data analysis, and constant improvement over tradition, opinion-based judgements, and comfort with the status quo. Its goal is to focus on impactful, meaningful projects, work on them quickly and collaboratively in what’s known as sprints, deploy, measure the results, see what can be improved, and then make those improvements accordingly. The agile methodology is something that’s been embraced by both startups (like Hatchbuck! ) and larger organizations not only with marketing but with project management and product development as well. But just because they’re doing it, doesn’t mean you should automatically be doing it as well. You should first ask the question: Is an agile marketing process right for my team? Well, if the following applies to your team, then it may be time to try it out. Your team can regularly adapt to change. Really, this should be true of any marketing team. With sites like Facebook and Google changing their algorithms, your marketing team needs to quickly react to changes in the digital marketing space. Operating as if everything will stay the same in the digital marketing landscape is a form of self-sabotage. Marketing teams need to be able to rapidly adapt and land on their feet with new and improved creative marketing strategies in hand. Your team feels unchallenged and unmotivated. There’s no point in hiring the best talent if they aren’t motivated and challenged. An agile approach forces team members to be problem solvers who can generate ideas... --- ### 6 Simple Ways to Eliminate Meetings (And Replace them Effectively) > We falsely believe that meetings are a necessary evil – something we have to put up with because that’s the way things are done and have always been done. - Published: 2018-04-13 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-simple-ways-to-eliminate-meetings-and-replace-them-effectively/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Glance at the calendar of any executive or entrepreneur, and you’ll find it full to the brim with meetings, virtual or otherwise. That’s just how it seems to be; but, does it have to be that way? Unnecessary meetings are held every day, and necessary meetings can run far too long. In between all of these meetings, it can be difficult to get work completed especially if you’re constantly being interrupted and robbed of precious time. This is time you can’t get back, no matter how hard you try. We falsely believe that meetings are a necessary evil – something we have to put up with because that’s the way things are done and have always been done. Of course, check-ins need to be had and issues monitored, but perhaps it’s time to consider eliminating gratuitous meetings and replacing them with more modern and effective alternatives and approaches. Prioritize. If you are being bombarded with meetings you don’t have the power to cancel, at least prioritize those you attend. Learn to say no more often and allocate your time to events that will actually help you achieve your work goals, not hinder them. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, try sending comments with another attendee or catching up on meeting notes after the fact to stay in the loop. Leave the guilt of non-attendance out of the equation. Don’t be part of the problem. Are you guilty of scheduling meetings that can otherwise be handled differently? Perhaps your meeting can be knocked... --- ### The Top-Secret Sales and Marketing Playbook that Grew BenchmarkONE by 2000% > We’re peeling back the curtain to show you how we’ve grown exponentially using our own all-in-one CRM and marketing software - BenchmarkONE. - Published: 2018-04-12 - Modified: 2021-01-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-marketing-playbook-that-grew-hatchbuck/ - Categories: Marketing If you’re a B2B SaaS platform like us, you know how challenging sales and marketing can be. Finding new leads, converting customers and keeping clients happy are all part of a healthy customer lifecycle. So how, exactly, did we at BenchmarkONE increase revenue by 2000% in just six years? ? ? We’re peeling back the curtain to show you how we’ve grown exponentially using our own all-in-one CRM and marketing software - BenchmarkONE. Alternately titled, “How BenchmarkONE Used BenchmarkONE to Grow BenchmarkONE. ” 1. Make Your Website Conversion Central Our website is built on Wordpress, sure. But it runs on BenchmarkONE. For every page visit, resource download, newsletter sign-up and demo request, there’s a BenchmarkONE action being performed in the background to help the best leads surface to the top - and make the transition from MQL to SQL to customer. This means that our site isn’t just there to inform or educate - its primary purpose is to convert. Conversion is our mantra, and it guides every move we make. What’s a visitor’s path? Where do we put the button to get more clicks? Are we asking for too many (or too few) form fields? Tools of the trade? We use Google Analytics conversion tracking to assess site performance and run a/b page tests. Crazy Egg heat mapping tool shows us how our visitors are engaging with the site: what they’re clicking on, how far down the page they’re scrolling and where they go next. We’re continually testing and... --- ### Do You Need The Right Personality To Create a Million-Dollar, One-Person Business? > There is no “million-dollar personality” that entrepreneurs have and others lack. But there are a variety of other common factors that make them successful. - Published: 2018-04-11 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/do-you-need-right-personality-create-million-dollar-business/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship A guest post by Elaine Pofeldt, author of The Million-Dollar One-Person Business. Not long ago, on a radio interview about my book The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business, the host surprised me by asking a question along the lines of, “Isn’t it just the owners’ personalities that get them to $1 million in revenue? Aren’t they just different type of people from everyone else? ” Having interviewed entrepreneurs in more than 30 nonemployer businesses who broke $1 million in revenue or got very close to it for the book, I told her the answer is “No. ” There is no “million-dollar personality” that these entrepreneurs have and others lack. For one thing, these folks were all over the map demographically. They ranged from millennials to people in their fifties. They were also people with very varied personal interests, from nutrition to real estate. What they did have in common, in many cases, was more of an attitude. They were more willing to invest the attention and resources growing their businesses than many owners I meet. If you’d like to follow their lead, here are some ideas. Embrace a “growth” mindset. In her book Mindset, Carol Dweck looks at two mindsets and how they factor into success. Those who have the “growth” mindset believe they can build on qualities like intelligence and talent. Those with the “fixed” mindset think talent in itself creates success, regardless of effort. The owners of million-dollar, nonemployer businesses I interviewed for the book and in other journalism work... --- ### 5 Wellness Tips That Will Make You a Better Entrepreneur > Pushing yourself to the limits of your energy all of the time will lead to burn out, mentally, emotionally and physically. Use these wellness tips to prevent that. - Published: 2018-04-09 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-wellness-tips-that-will-make-you-a-better-entrepreneur/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Many entrepreneurs wear themselves out trying to keep others happy. A potential client who is traveling in Shanghai wants to jump on a call at 11:30 pm? No problem! A customer needs you to squeeze in an extra project when you’re already overbooked? Yes, glad to help! Saying yes to requests like these occasionally can keep the wheels of your business turning, but if they’re routine, they can start cutting into activities that are good for your health--like spending time with the people you love, getting enough sleep, eating right and exercising. Pushing yourself to the limits of your energy all of the time will lead to burn out, mentally, emotionally and physically. Fortunately, if you take the attitude that taking care of yourself is not optional, it’s easy to avoid problems. Here are some strategies to apply. Treat yourself like a precious resource. Learn how to protect your time and sanity by offering alternatives to stressful, last-minute requests. For instance, “I’d love to talk with you about the project—plus, I really want to hear about your vacation! —but I’m not able to do it tonight because of other commitments. Could we talk at 9 am tomorrow? ” Or, “I’d love to help you with the project but to do it the right way, I’ll need three hours, and I’ll be onsite with a client tomorrow. Is there wiggle room on your deadline? ” Often clients have more flexibility than you may think. Schedule time to hit the gym... or... --- ### Online Advertising: When to Hedge Your Bets and When to Double Down > It’s tremendously easy to launch an online campaign nowadays, but nowhere near as easy to determine how to allocate and manage your advertising budget. - Published: 2018-04-06 - Modified: 2018-04-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/online-advertising-when-to-hedge-your-bets-and-when-to-double-down/ - Categories: Marketing No one likes to think of spending marketing dollars as a gamble, but there is always a bit of risk involved when it comes to online advertising. Online advertising clearly works. In fact, the average firm spends 41% of their marketing budget on online advertising, according to Forrester and eMarketer research -- and that number is growing at breakneck speed. It’s tremendously easy to launch an online campaign nowadays, but nowhere near as easy to determine how to allocate and manage your advertising budget. Should you spread your budget thin and test several strategies at once - or go all in on one search term or ad channel? There’s no easy answer. Sometimes you have to spend big to even show up in online advertising - and that’s without even knowing yet if the campaign in question will convert. Here’s a bit of guidance to help you spend your budget wisely: Know a What a Win Looks Like Before you invest your advertising budget, determine the outcome you’re aiming for. Are you reaching for a bigger impression share to increase brand recognition? Facebook ads or retargeting can be great channels to test. Trying to close 30% more customers this month? Adwords could be key for attracting bottom-of-the-funnel buyers. Your strategy and ad platform will vary by your goal. Learn How to Play the Game Beginners luck runs out fast, so take a little time to learn the advertising platform you’re using before putting all of your chips on the table.... --- ### Crafting Your Brand? Here Are 3 Things You Haven’t Thought About > Everyone’s talking about branding for a good reason: Your brand is the identity of your company. It’s what sets you apart from your competitors. - Published: 2018-04-05 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crafting-brand-3-things-havent-thought/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship, Marketing Everyone’s talking about branding for a good reason: Your brand is the identity of your company. It’s what sets you apart from your competitors. Everything about it should evoke certain thoughts or feelings in your customers, compelling them to want to do business with you. Because your brand is your primary means of communicating what your company stands for, it extends far beyond just your logo or website. Branding is even more important now that people have increasingly more access to products and services from anywhere in the world. A standout brand is the best way to attract their attention, but first, you need to know exactly who your customers are and what appeals to them. You should view the process as an opportunity to get more deeply in touch with your customers’ perspectives and expectations in order to craft a brand identity that truly speaks to them. Read Jonathan's full article on BPlans. --- ### Is a Podcast Right for Your B2B Business? > If you’re looking for an innovative way to connect with your audience, it may be time to give a podcast a shot. - Published: 2018-04-04 - Modified: 2018-04-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-podcast-right-for-b2b-business/ - Categories: Marketing With over 500,000 podcasts in 100 languages on Apple alone, podcasting is steadily rising up as a beloved form of media consumption worldwide. Podcasts aren’t just for millennials on the go -- total podcast listeners in the U. S. have more than tripled over the last five years, and the average listener is an affluent, educated, middle-aged man. Further, according to LinkedIn analysts, podcasts are underused in B2B marketing, signaling a potential opportunity for forward-thinking business owners. If you’re looking to test the waters of podcasting for your B2B business, there are some important considerations before diving in. Here are a few questions to ask yourself when deciding if a podcast is right for your B2B business. #1: Are your clients likely to listen to a podcast? The first, and most important, question to ask is whether your clients are already listening to podcasts -- and if they’re not, whether they’re likely to start. Your competitors may be launching podcasts left and right, but it’s a common mistake to look to your competitors for direction on your own marketing. What works for them may not work for you. Besides, you want your business to stand out from the crowd, not simply follow another marketing trend. So instead, look to your customers. What kind of media are they already consuming? While studies show that B2C customers are increasingly drawn to rich media like video, B2B customers still primarily crave long-form written content and in-depth resources like eBooks. Look at the data... --- ### Signs Your Business Desperately Needs a CRM > If you’re still using spreadsheets, folders crammed with paper records or saved emails to keep track of your customer interactions, you need a CRM. - Published: 2018-04-03 - Modified: 2020-06-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-signs-business-needs-crm/ - Categories: CRM Regardless of the size of your business or the industry you happen to be in, managing leads and customers is par for the course. If you’re still using spreadsheets, folders crammed with paper records, or saved emails to keep track of your customer interactions, you’re not only wasting precious time and energy, but you’re also missing out on an opportunity to increase your profitability. If you’re still not convinced that there’s a better way, here are some telltale signs it’s time to invest in a CRM. 1. Your Data is Disorganized or Inaccurate What steps do you have to take when you need to reach out to a customer? Pull a paper file? Dig through pages and pages of email messages? Search for that sticky note you left somewhere in your office? If your data isn’t stored in one centralized location, it can easily get lost – along with the chance to close the deal with that hot lead. With a tidy CRM, everything you need can be found at the click of a button. Manual data entry can spell disaster when it comes to the accuracy of information. Like it or not, we’re all human, which means we are all prone to errors, some of which can prove costly – especially to a small business. Spreadsheet-driven workflows are not nearly as dependable as today’s modern software solutions. With a CRM, you'll avoid typos, accidental deletions or overwrites, double entries, and formula issues, all of which can be incredibly disruptive... --- ### How to Set Up a Facebook Pixel and Effective Ad Conversions > If you’ve ever wanted to be a fly on the wall while your customers are visiting your website, the Facebook pixel is your ticket. - Published: 2018-04-02 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-set-up-facebook-pixel-ad-conversions/ - Categories: Lead Generation, Social Media If you’ve ever wanted to be a fly on the wall while your customers are visiting your website, the Facebook pixel is your ticket. A Facebook pixel is a bit of code (think of it like an invisible tracking device) that you place on your website to monitor user behavior. Businesses and marketers use it to make informed, data-driven decisions in their Facebook advertising strategies. It works like this: you place the pixel on your website, test to make sure it’s working, and then you launch your ad campaign. Now, whenever a Facebook user is taken to your website through an ad, the pixel reports back all kinds of awesome data about what they did on your site -- which you can then turn around and use to create ads that convert. Sound like something you wish you had yesterday? Let’s get your Facebook pixel up and running. Facebook Pixel Setup, Step by Step The Facebook pixel is an extremely powerful tool, but it does require a bit of technical know-how. Fortunately, 2018’s Facebook pixel is the most user-friendly one yet -- and you only need one pixel to track multiple types of data (an improvement from the old iteration). There’s only one pixel per Facebook ad account, meaning you’ll use the same pixel across all your websites if you manage multiple properties. First, we’ll share exactly how to set up your pixel, and then we’ll talk about using the pixel to optimize your Facebook campaigns and increase conversions. #1:... --- ### 5 Time-Saving Features of Marketing Automation > Feel like there isn’t enough time each day to follow-up with your contacts and generate new leads at the same time? It’s time you considered marketing - Published: 2018-03-30 - Modified: 2019-07-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-time-saving-features-of-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Feel like there isn’t enough time each day to follow-up with your contacts and generate new leads at the same time? It’s time you considered marketing automation. Automation sounds like a robot pumping out awkwardly-worded emails, but it isn’t. With automation as your sidekick, you can actually reach more people with a more personal message that your traditional email blast. Marketing automation solves the following nagging problems: Am I reaching people at the right time? Are people actually engaging with my marketing content? How can I fit enough hours in the day to monitor leads so they don’t fall through the cracks? Automation solves the pesky, administrative side of marketing. In fact, here are a few specific ways you can make your marketing life easier through automation. Tagging Few things stay static these days, and keeping tabs on your database of contacts can be a chore. Tags help you dynamically segment and filter your prospects and customers into lists you can easily target with hyper-relevant communication. For instance, with Hatchbuck marketing automation, you can tell Hatchbuck to add tags to your contacts based on the pages they visit on your website, or the links they click in your emails. So, if you’re a fitness center, you could tell Hatchbuck to automatically add a “Yoga” tag to any contact that visits pages on your website that have information about yoga classes. With tag rules, you can then create a rule like “if the ‘Yoga’ tag is added to a contact, send... --- ### How Being Generous Can Get You to $1 Million in Revenue > Even if you’re not Bill Gates, you can have a real impact with your charitable donations. - Published: 2018-03-29 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-being-generous-can-get-you-to-1-million-in-revenue/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship A guest post by Elaine Pofeldt, author of The Million-Dollar One-Person Business. If you’re looking to grow your business, your instinct may be to try to “monetize” everything you can. Your client has a quick question? That’s 15 minutes you can bill for. A customer wants broccoli with her entrée? That’ll be $4. Thinking like that might seem like a good way to quickly rack up revenue at first glance but it can actually have the opposite effect. Even if there’s a good reason to pass along rising costs, it can make it seem like you’re nickel and diming and annoy customers—making them disinclined to buy. In writing my book The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business, one common thread I noticed among the entrepreneurs is generosity. Many seemed to share a spirit of abundance and willingness to give to others—without keeping score. That not only makes them fun to be around, and someone others want to do business with and support. So how can you learn from their mindset? Here are some ideas. Share information freely. Meghan Telpner, founder of MeghanTelpner. com, an online nutrition hub, has built a thriving business sharing what she learned about healing herself from autoimmune disease. The foundation of her business was a blog, where early in her business, she posted almost daily for four years. Sharing her insights freely helped her build a community around her ideas and eventually allowed her to understand where there were gaps in the marketplace. One product that came out of... --- ### 4 Key Steps for Managing Business Owner Burnout > Whatever the reason, business owner burnout can lead to everything from physical and emotional exhaustion to depression and detachment to stress, anxiety, lack of sleep and more. - Published: 2018-03-28 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/key-steps-managing-business-owner-burnout/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Let’s face it. Running a business is hard. Some days it can be draining and other times downright exhausting. As a result, most business owners go through periods of time when they feel tired, frustrated and uninspired. Sometimes it’s due to a dip in business. Other times it’s simply the result of a way-too-busy schedule. Or, maybe it’s something else entirely. Whatever the reason, business owner burnout can lead to everything from physical and emotional exhaustion to depression and detachment to stress, anxiety, lack of sleep and more. Whether you’re currently struggling with feelings of burnout or you’re trying to head them off at the pass, here are a few recommendations to keep in mind. Define Your Goals One of the biggest reasons a business owner will experience burnout is feeling as though they’re not accomplishing anything. If your goals are way too broad or worse, nonexistent, you’re adding fuel to the fire. Sit down and define your goals, and then segment those into smaller, more achievable objectives. As you accomplish those smaller goals, you’ll get that little jolt of happy endorphins that will help you counteract negative emotions. Celebrate Victories You don’t have to wait until you’ve achieved something major to celebrate your hard work. In fact, taking a few moments to pat yourself on the back even for the little things can help keep your attitude more positive. Give credit where credit is due and don’t feel guilty for celebrating your victories. It’s all of those little things... --- ### 3 Tips for Choosing the Right Office Space > Whether you rent or buy your office space, choosing it is a big commitment. Fortunately, many communities offer plenty of great options. - Published: 2018-03-27 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-choosing-right-office-space/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship It’s easier than ever to run a business from your home, but if you’re hiring employees or meeting with a lot of clients, it may be time to wave goodbye to the dining room table that doubles as a desk and invest in office space. Whether you rent or buy your office space, choosing it is a big commitment. Fortunately, many communities offer plenty of great options –and well-trained pros ready to help you make the right call. Here are three strategies to simplify the process. Opt for the minimum viable office space. It’s tempting to splurge on office space that will dazzle both your clients and new hires, but before you do, make sure it’s (a) necessary to the success of your business and (b) priced at a level you will be able to afford even if your sales get slow. Unless you work in a field such as financial services, where prospects may view a luxurious office as a sign of your success, you can probably get by with more modest surroundings. By opting for a well-situated, clean and comfortable but un-fancy office, you can preserve the cash you need to invest in other areas of the business. One way to save a bundle on office space is by operating from a co-working space or business incubator. These flexible workspaces used to be hard to find outside of major cities and college towns, but now they are getting more common in smaller cities and the suburbs, too. Global... --- ### 6 Elements of an Effective Ebook > The internet is full of tips, tricks, and strategies for writing an ebook. But what’s the point in completing an ebook if it isn't any good? How can you - Published: 2018-03-26 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-elements-of-an-effective-ebook/ - Categories: Content Marketing The internet is full of tips, tricks, and strategies for writing an ebook. But what’s the point in completing an ebook if it isn't any good? How can you ensure the ebook your business publishes is effective? You can start by making sure it includes these six elements. A Clear Value Add or Takeaway Why should anyone take the time to read your ebook? What will they get out of it? What will they learn? What will it enable them to do? If you can’t confidently answer these questions, you’re not ready to write an ebook. It needs to be clear what exactly the value of your ebook is. Will it help the reader: Market their business on a shoestring budget? Find new business in one month? Cut costs on their service business without affecting quality? Launch an effective PPC campaign without hiring an expert? Figure out what your ebook’s value proposition is and then make it clear in the title, in the intro, and in every chapter. Clean, Beautiful, and Professional Design We’re visual creatures, and while an ebook is ultimately judged on the merit of its words, it’s chosen based on its title and how pretty it looks. Apologies to every kindergarten teacher out there, but we definitely judge a book by its cover. Good luck convincing anyone that your “Beginner’s Guide to Real Estate Investing” ebook is trustworthy if its title page is an off-center mess in bright purple Comic Sans. If you don’t have the graphic... --- ### 5 Easy Ways Entrepreneurs Can Reduce Stress and Recharge Daily > Give yourself a much-needed boost with these simple activities that will charge your internal battery and reduce stress every day. - Published: 2018-03-23 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/easy-ways-entrepreneurs-can-reduce-stress-and-recharge-daily/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship An artisanal cheese vendor and a tech entrepreneur may not have much in common, but it’s likely that both are stressed. According to the spring 2017 Bank of America Business Advantage Small Business Owner Report, 41 percent of respondents identified their business as their top source of personal stress. While it’s often a labor of love, if the anxiety of running your own venture is beating out exercising, juggling finances, maintaining relationships and even raising children, you’re already caught up in the grind. When you’re consumed by entrepreneurial endeavors 24/7, you lose sight of self-care and other important things. You may not realize how rapidly you’re burning out, and this can have innumerable long-term repercussions. When work-related stress becomes overwhelming, it’s time to take a step back and recharge. You have to be at the top of your game to run a successful business. Read Jonathan's full article on SUCCESS. --- ### The Art Of The Non-Pitch: Why You Should Never Ask For Business > Modern sales aren’t just about cunning and a smile (though there is some of that), but also about nurturing your customers into understanding why your product is a good fit for them. - Published: 2018-03-22 - Modified: 2018-03-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-art-of-the-non-pitch-why-you-should-never-ask-for-business/ - Categories: Sales Nobody likes a desperate salesperson and fewer people like outwardly aggressive ones. These modes of salesmanship—the Glengarry Glen Ross squad of suit-and-tie-wearing door-to-door thumpers; the tragic Willy Loman types; the used-car stereotype—these are outdated, old-fashioned sales models. Modern sales aren’t just about cunning and a smile (though there is some of that), but also about nurturing your customers into understanding why your product is a good fit for them. Convincing them, winning them over, is far more likely to engage your sales team, keep customers happy and grow your business. Why Should You Never Ask for Business? In ye olde pre-Internet times, aggressive sales tactics worked because people simply had fewer options for researching their needs and making informed purchases. Salespeople were more than just salespeople; they were gatekeepers of knowledge. If you wanted a vacuum cleaner, you had to ask the vacuum cleaner guy which was the best vacuum cleaner and buy it from him. Today, that is simply not reality. Many people start their purchases by researching a topic first online, usually with a search engine. (Understanding your own customer journey is a necessary first step here. ) High-pressure situations leave customers with negative emotions that linger beyond the transaction itself. There’s a higher probability that the customer may regret their purchase and carry that sentiment against your brand. After all, if they don’t really want what you’re selling, why push it? So rather than ask for business, your challenge is to show your leads why your product... --- ### Intro to PPC, Part 3: Measuring the ROI of PPC > This is the final part of Hatchbuck’s introduction to PPC series. Be sure to read parts one and two first. You’ve got your keywords set, your landing - Published: 2018-03-21 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/intro-to-ppc-part-3-measuring-the-roi-of-ppc/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing This is the final part of Hatchbuck’s introduction to PPC series. Be sure to read parts one and two first. You’ve got your keywords set, your landing pages optimized and your PPC campaign rolling. But you’re not done yet—before you sit back and watch your leads stroll in, you’ve got to make sure you’re spending your money wisely. Ultimately, the only way to do that is by measuring ROI. Measuring the return on investment you see from your PPC campaigns can help you decide if it’s worth spending on PPC, and help you understand if test or strategy is helping you lower acquisition costs and bring in more customers. How can you measure PPC ROI? There are several metrics to track for PPC, but we’ll provide a quick overview of the major calculations involved and several ways you can determine a campaign’s success. You can find out the value of your PPC campaign through all or only some of these—it will depend on what your goals are. Return on Ad Spend This is the most common—and simplest—calculation you can muster up. Commonly shortened to ROAS, this metric depicts what percentage of your investment your PPC project drew in. So, for example, if you spend $100 on a PPC campaign and earn $150 in sales, your ROAS is 50%. That might seem obvious to calculate, but we’re working with easy numbers here. The calculation is actually profit minus cost, divided by cost. So in this example, worked out in its entirety,... --- ### The Productivity-Sucking Tasks That Founders Should Be Outsourcing > If you’re wondering what projects and tasks you should let go of, here are the top 6 productivity-sucking tasks that you need to outsource today. - Published: 2018-03-20 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/productivity-sucking-tasks-founders-should-be-outsourcing/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Early entrepreneurs and founders tend to be catch-all employees: they do marketing, product management, customer service, social media, office administration, field research, sales and anything else necessary to get their business off the ground. But after a certain point, successful founders will rightly focus more of their time to working on the business (Strategic) vs in the business (Tactical). The truth is, as a founder, in order to scale your businesses and operations you have to learn to let go of the small stuff. Now that doesn’t mean that the small stuff shouldn’t get done, it just means founders shouldn’t be spending the limited time they have on productivity-sucking tasks and projects that could be delegated to others to run with. The stuff that shouldn’t be on your plate is actually perfect for outsourcing. Startups are especially ripe for this model: while you may not have the funds to hire full-time staff to knock out these initiatives, hourly and outsourced employees can fill roles quickly, efficiently and deliver a lot of bang for your buck. The best place to get started with outsourcing your projects and tasks is to turn to virtual-assistant sites like Zirtual or freelancer sites like UpWork or even Fiverr, depending on the gig. If you’re wondering what projects and tasks you should let go of, here are the top 6 productivity-sucking tasks that you need to outsource today. Social Media Management It goes without saying that modern digital marketing relies on social media. But why should... --- ### 6 Reasons Your Business Needs to Invest in Content Marketing > B2B decision makers don't rely on emotions and showy ads to make purchases. They look for info in the form of case studies, white papers, and ebooks to - Published: 2018-03-19 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-reasons-your-business-needs-to-invest-in-content-marketing/ - Categories: Content Marketing B2B decision makers don't rely on emotions and showy ads to make purchases. They look for info in the form of case studies, white papers, and ebooks to determine whether a business has a proper understanding of their problem. As a result, content marketing is of tantamount importance to B2B small businesses. It Gets You Closer to Closing the Deal. Traditional B2B sales wisdom advises professionals to identify the decision maker. But just because you know who the decision maker is, doesn’t mean they want to listen to what you have to say. While you’ve pegged them as your person of focus, they’re flooded with cold calls and email requests. Fifty-one percent of B2B buyers look for content to inform their buying decisions, according to DemandGen. Forty-seven percent of buyers look at three to five pieces of content before even talking with a sales rep. It’s worth it to invest in great B2B content. It Mimics The Impact of Trade Shows Year Round. B2B marketers place enormous importance on trade shows and for good reason. Trade shows produce a significant number of leads for B2B companies. Chief Marketer puts the portion of leads generated by live events at a whopping 59 percent. But trade shows only happen a few times a year, and marketing should be more than an annual or bi-annual event. Why are trade shows successful? They allow you to reach people who are the most likely to need your services. They boost the legitimacy of your brand.... --- ### Getting Personal: 3 Steps to Personalizing Your Automated Email Campaigns > The following steps will help you design and implement an automated, personalized email strategy that resonates with prospects. - Published: 2018-03-16 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/getting-personal-3-steps-to-personalizing-your-automated-email-campaigns/ - Categories: Email Marketing, Marketing Automation Today’s top marketers have moved beyond the cold, dry, one-size-fits-all email campaign. Instead, they’re turning to machines to deliver highly relevant emails based on a variety of factors, such as clients’ latest purchases, abandoned shopping carts, recent page views and more. Indeed, IDC and Criteo recently surveyed 459 marketing executives and found that 34 percent were currently using marketing personalization technology to win more business. In particular, 32 percent said they use digitized marketing to a great extent, and 10 percent said they use this technology exclusively. More companies are augmenting their marketing strategies with intelligent technology because when armed with the right information, you can carefully segment your messages to address your most valuable prospects’ needs. And the good news is that personalization is available to all businesses -- large and small. The following steps will help you design and implement an automated, personalized email strategy that resonates with prospects and whisks them through your sales funnel. Read Jonathan's full article on Entrepreneur. --- ### Tuning in or Tuning Out? How to Make March Madness a Win with Employees > A guest blog from Kim Harris of TSheets by QuickBooks. The first NCAA-sponsored men’s basketball championship took place in 1939, back when the - Published: 2018-03-15 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tuning-in-or-tuning-out-how-to-make-march-madness-a-win-with-employees/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship A guest blog from Kim Harris of TSheets by QuickBooks. The first NCAA-sponsored men’s basketball championship took place in 1939, back when the tournament consisted of just eight teams. For the title, the University of Oregon Webfoots went head to head with the Ohio State Buckeyes in Evanston, Illinois, taking home the championship trophy with a final score of 46-33. Back in Oregon, dedicated fans listened to the game via radio, and the city of Eugene threw a massive party in the streets to celebrate the victory. The team put the small college town on the map, and the wild competition, known today as March Madness, was born. By 1951, the number of teams in the NCAA championship tournament doubled, and by 1985, 64 teams had been invited to play. Today, 68 teams grace the courts in the annual tournament. It’s possible that fans are even more crazy for NCAA championships now than they used to be, with more teams in the mix and real-time streaming access of the tournament. It’s commonplace to hear March Madness chatter at the job site, see coworkers cheerfully building their brackets, and even tune in on their computers or smartphones while they work. The excitement is so palpable, in some workplaces, non-basketball fans might see it as a potential distraction from day-to-day duties. But does March Madness really interfere with productivity? March Madness in the workplace A recent survey of 200 college basketball fans revealed how they manage to keep up with the tournament... --- ### Introduction to PPC, Part 2: Converting Leads with Landing Pages > Once you drive new leads to your site from PPC advertising, you have to be able to convert them. That's where landing pages come in - Published: 2018-03-14 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ppc-converting-leads-with-landing-pages/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing, Lead Generation This is a continuation of our Introduction to PPC series. Check out part one here. Understanding the world of pay-per-click marketing is critical, but it’s only one leg of the journey from lead to customer. Once you drive new leads to your site from PPC advertising, you have to be able to convert them. Conversions are a combination of finding the right keywords and matching them to specifically-designed landing pages. Deep keyword research is the first step, but those keywords must match your landing pages seamlessly. Stay Relevant So your spiffy ad copy is getting leads to click - now you have to drive them further down the conversion path with a relevant landing page. Now, you might be tempted to send your ad traffic directly to your homepage, but you’d be missing out on a big opportunity for conversions. Consider a Google search like “virtual assistant ai software. ” AI personal assistant software x. ai serves up an ad relevant to the search: x. ai’s ad drives traffic to a highly-relevant landing page, making the experience completely seamless for the searcher: The headline reinforces the language used in the search term and ad copy with “AI personal assistant. ” This makes it easier for the person searching to want to convert - it’s what they were searching for, after all. If x. ai had driven traffic to their homepage instead, the experience would have been a bit different. Instead of “AI personal assistant,” the home page is a bit... --- ### Are Chatbots Right For Your Business? > By using these five tips to decide if a chatbot is right for you, your business will be in better position to take advantage of the power of online conversations. - Published: 2018-03-13 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-to-decide-if-chatbots-are-right-for-your-business/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Imagine if you could order your coffee via text. You open up a new message, speak your order, and receive a response saying it’ll be ready for you at the pick-up counter. It’s like having your own personal barista right within your smart device. Starbucks is just one of many brands turning to chatbots to deliver a better experience and a new channel to boost product sales. But chatbots aren’t just limited to ordering coffee, placing a food order, purchasing shoes, paying a water bill, or checking out the forecast. Chatbots are also being infused into everyday sales processes for B2B businesses, big and small alike. From inbox tools like x. ai that help read your inbox and assist with scheduling meetings for you to Facebook messenger bots such as MobileMonkey that are designed to have automated one-to-one conversations with your visitors with the objective of driving them to a conversion goal. It’s easy to see why so many businesses are excited about this cutting-edge technology. But for some, it can be a bit overwhelming to wrap their heads around whatever the latest “customer experience” or “digital marketing” buzzword is. This leads to one big question: Is it worth investing money in this now, or should I sit tight? Well, let’s play a game of “You might need a chatbot if... ” You might need a chatbot if... You sell a product that involves a lot of questions before purchasing. Let’s face it time is money for your business. So... --- ### 5 Ways to Tweak Your Facebook Strategy for the News Feed Changes > The world’s most famous social network is getting personal. Facebook announced early this year that it would change its algorithm to prioritize posts from friends and family. - Published: 2018-03-12 - Modified: 2022-10-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-tweak-facebook-strategy-for-news-feed-changes/ - Categories: Social Media The world’s most famous social network is getting personal. Facebook announced early this year that it would change its algorithm to prioritize posts from friends and family. For Facebook users fed up with the number of posts from digital publishers flooding their news feed, this is terrific news. For publishers and businesses who have invested significant time into building their Facebook presence, this isn’t welcome news since this means an almost certain plummet in their Facebook engagement. That said, there are specific steps digital marketers can take to mitigate the effects of these news feed changes. Create meaningful content Clickbait thrived on Facebook, and it’s this propensity of users to mindlessly scroll through Facebook’s news feed that has caused the company to make this shift. Instead of a user base that engages in meaningless interactions, Facebook wants a user base that cultivates meaningful relationships. That said, customers still want content from their favorite publishers. While there will be an adjustment period for all publishers who use Facebook, those companies producing quality content will persevere. If you’ve been relying on clickbait and spun articles, it’s time to re-evaluate your content strategy and start investing in producing articles and content that offer value to your customers. Solidify your brand identity If your previous Facebook marketing strategy was to win engagement by any means necessary, that simply won’t cut it in light of these new changes. This algorithm now values friends and family connections over engagement metrics. It’ll now be important for marketers... --- ### Is Blogging Still a Good B2B Inbound Marketing Strategy? > Is blogging still a good strategy for your business? As with most inbound marketing questions, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. - Published: 2018-03-09 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-blogging-still-a-good-b2b-inbound-marketing-strategy/ - Categories: Content Marketing A post by Brad Shorr, Director of Content Strategy at Straight North. Is a company blog still a good strategy? Whether your B2B has had a blog for years or is thinking about launching one, this is a good question to evaluate thoroughly. Blogging soaks up a lot of resources, and if you are like most B2Bs, marketing budgets are spread thin and must be put to the best possible use. This article will help you answer this very important question by laying out the most important issues. As with most marketing questions, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Blogging for SEO Alone Has Limited Value If the sole or primary objective of your company blog is to improve SEO, the resources you’re devoting to it can probably support SEO better in other ways. Two things that must be done with a company blog are creating content and then marketing that content to build subscribers, traffic, backlinks and organic rankings. In some cases, company blog posts also target keywords not covered on the main company website. The extent to which a company blog improves SEO results is very difficult to determine. Conventional wisdom holds that because Google values fresh content, blog content ranks well and improves the overall authority of a website domain. Look at your website analytics to get a feel for how much organic traffic is coming to your blog, and how many backlinks it is generating. If the numbers substantively exceed those of your main site, the blog... --- ### 5 Tips for Building a Flexible Workforce > The advantage of a flexible workforce is you don’t have the responsibility that comes with adding full-time, permanent employees to payroll. - Published: 2018-03-08 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-building-flexible-workforce/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Ready to scale your business? It’s probably going to require the help of other people. That can be challenging if you can’t afford to hire full-time permanent employees. For many small business owners, the answer is building a flexible workforce. A flexible workforce can take many forms. Often, it consists of freelancers and contractors, but sometimes it may include temps and part-time employees, as well. The advantage of a flexible workforce is you don’t have the responsibility that comes with adding full-time, permanent employees to payroll. The downside is that freelancers, temps and contractors may not be available when you need them since they likely have to do other work to make a living. So how do you build a flexible workforce you can rely on when the pressure is on? Here are some strategies to deploy. Determine where you need help. When you’re the owner of small business, you probably cannot afford to hire all of the help you need. That means making some strategic decisions about where to deploy the money you spend on personnel. Generally, it’s best to hire people to do that you’re not good at or that are not the highest and best use of your time, like routine administrative work. Figure out how much you can afford to spend. Hiring a flexible workforce is a good way to keep your personnel budget under control, but it still costs money. Before you bring on help, take a look at your budget to make sure you... --- ### The Robots are Coming: Top Tech Trends to Watch for in 2018 > We are entering an unprecedented era blending human with tech and crafting tech to become more human-like. Here are the top tech trends to watch for in 2018. - Published: 2018-03-07 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/robots-coming-top-tech-trends-2018/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship As we barrel on into 2018, it should dawn on everyone—not just marketers and business owners, but literally everyone—that robots are taking over the world and transforming it into a terrifying dystopian future wherein all humankind will succumb to a future of subservient drones. I mean, sure, the situation might not be so dramatic as that. But we truly are entering an unprecedented era blending human with tech and crafting tech to become more human-like than ever before. Almost every tech trend in 2018 will touch on that theme: that the future of marketing, UX and business is reliant on the future of robots that will in all likelihood soon overpower us wholly and reduce our minds and bodies to... well, you get the picture. Listen Up: The Future is Voice Control According to a recent Consumer Technology Association report, a quarter of all holiday shoppers last year used voice assistants while making their Q4 purchases. Regardless of whether it was for research or an actual purchase, it almost doesn’t matter—they’re talking before they’re buying. Moreover, this follows the overall popularity of smart speakers in households. Shipments have leapfrogged year-over-year from 7,200 units in 2016 to more than 27,000 in 2017, no doubt signifying that price drops and consumer marketing are transforming smart assistants into the new smartphones. Several savvy agencies are leaning into this burgeoning market, encouraging businesses to create their own apps and skills for these devices to catch on during a pivotal moment. The hype isn’t confined... --- ### How to Not Waste Money: An Introduction to PPC Advertising > PPC advertising is a strategic endeavor that can yield big results over time, but only once you’ve mastered the craft. Here are a few pointers to get you started. - Published: 2018-03-06 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/introduction-to-ppc-advertising/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing, Lead Generation Buying into pay-per-click advertising for the first time is like buying into a pro poker game when you’ve never had a seat at the table. You might get lucky, but there’s a good chance you’ll get taken by a shark and lose all your cash before you even realize what’s happened. Only by “get taken” we mean your money will get taken, and by “a shark” we mean the house dealer—in most cases, Google. Like poker, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a strategic endeavor that can yield big results over time, but only once you’ve mastered the craft. All too often, you hear PPC horror stories of people who accidentally spend hundreds of dollars on unsupervised campaigns, mistakenly leaving ads running that wind up wasting money on ineffective clicks. But let’s back up and clarify this whole ordeal. What is PPC advertising? As the name implies, with PPC you pay for every click on your ad. Google and other PPC platforms will set prices for every keyword entered into its search engine and position your ad based on your bid. So the top page one of the keyword “web design software,” for example, might cost $5 per click; the bottom of page two might cost only $1 since fewer people are likely to see it. More obscure keywords—or long-tail keywords—will almost always be cheaper to rank highly for, because fewer people search for them. So while “web design software” might cost $5 per click for the top of the front page,... --- ### How To Make Sure Your Content Stays Compelling > Your content strategy requires maintenance to ensure it doesn’t grow dull. Keep these tips in mind to keep your content readership alive. - Published: 2018-03-05 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/make-sure-content-stays-compelling/ - Categories: Content Marketing Once you reach a certain level of success with your content strategy, it’s easy for your views to start to plateau. Increasing views and regaining momentum requires the use of specific strategies to keep your content fresh and compelling. So before your content starts to fall flat, use these six tips to fuel your strategy. Listen To Your Readers There are several web analytics tools out there that let you know how long your readers spend on your blog posts and which websites they bounce to directly after yours. These tools can be super useful for understanding what kind of content to post. But, figuring out what your readers want more of is often as simple as listening to them. Your readers will tell you in the comments and on social media what material they’d like more of and what elements of previous articles they enjoyed the most. Use this feedback as the foundation for brainstorming ideas with your editorial team. Question The Purpose of an Article Before you task a writer with covering a certain topic or assign an article idea to a freelancer, ask yourself why you want to publish this piece. Or more specifically, why your brand should publish this piece. What problem is this blog post solving? Does it serve a purpose? Is it enlightening or informative? Does it start an important conversation? If you know why you’d want to read it - and why others would like to read it - then you’re looking at... --- ### SCORE: How to Create More Effective Email Sign-Offs > When signing off an email, first and foremost, be relatable. If your emails are detached and disinterested, what will you be like as a partner or vendor? - Published: 2018-03-02 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-create-more-effective-email-sign-offs/ - Categories: Email Marketing If your email inbox looks like mine, you’re bombarded with generic email after generic email every day. I get it — it’s hard to make emails sent by the hundreds or thousands feel personalized. Nonetheless, nobody wants to feel like a number. While it’s hard to avoid inserting a generic salutation before hitting send on a batch email, segmenting according to audience and personalizing your sign-off for each is key. People expect some emails, such as newsletters and form completion emails, to be formulaic. But if a sales pitch comes across as cold and impersonal, you’re doing something wrong. Even when you use a template to construct important emails, personalizing whenever possible can leave a lasting impression. The sign-off section of an email provides a ripe opportunity to add a unique touch to automated messaging. The best types of sign-off reminds the recipient of a prior shared discussion or interaction — in short, they show that you’re a real person. Goodbyes are hard, but not if you can manage a well-executed sign-off. Read Jonathan's full article on Score. --- ### What is ABM? An Introduction to Account-Based Marketing > With better access to data and insights and the ever-increasing need for personalization among consumers, account-based marketing is becoming super effective. - Published: 2018-03-01 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/introduction-account-based-marketing/ - Categories: Account-Based Marketing “Account-based marketing,” or ABM, is all the buzz these days around sales and marketing land. But it’s not a new concept. It’s a spruced-up version of basic key account marketing-a strategy used by enterprise organizations for decades. So why all the hoopla around ABM now? Since 2005 inbound marketing has had the spotlight, enabling marketers to cast a wide net, drive traffic and fill sales funnels based on pull through marketing tactics. But with better access to data and insights and the ever-increasing need for personalization among consumers, key account targeting or ABM is becoming a super effective B2B sales and marketing strategy. But let’s back up. What makes ABM so special? In a nutshell: ABM streamlines your sales and marketing teams, focusing their attention on highly-targeted prospective customers. So instead of blasting a free whitepaper out to thousands of leads hoping that a handful of potential buyers will engage with your business, you’re specifically looking to give your free whitepaper out to particular decision-makers at key accounts. If that sounds like the exclusive domain of big businesses, you’d be right—it once was. But the Internet has been the great democratizer, and small and midsize businesses have turned out to be winners in the game. It’s easier than ever to identify target accounts to engage with your content, social media and paid advertising efforts. How do I start with ABM? ABM relies on hyper-targeting, so it’s best to begin with a smaller amount of accounts. So how many should you... --- ### Hatchbuck Recognized as a 2018 Top Rated Marketing Automation Software by TrustRadius > Reviewers have spoken, and TrustRadius has awarded Hatchbuck as a 2018 Top Rated Marketing Automation Software by TrustRadius The TrustRadius Top Rated - Published: 2018-02-28 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-recognized-2018-top-rated-marketing-automation-software-trustradius/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News, Marketing Automation Reviewers have spoken, and TrustRadius has awarded Hatchbuck as a 2018 Top Rated Marketing Automation Software by TrustRadius The TrustRadius Top Rated awards are unique in that they are an unbiased reflection of customer sentiment, based solely upon user satisfaction scores. In order to earn a Top Rated badge for Marketing Automation Software, products must be in the top tier of the category with 30 or more reviews and ratings. Every reviewer is verified and every review is vetted before publication to ensure buyers can make truly informed decisions. According to positive reviews from authenticated users, Hatchbuck is living up to their promise of helping small businesses automatically reach customers and prospects with its all-in-one sales and marketing platform. Ease of use, excellent customer service, and the drag and drop email composer, are commonly praised features across Hatchbuck’s 36 reviews and ratings. Read on to see what users had to say. “Our team uses Hatchbuck in a variety of ways to support our sales, marketing, and customer service team members. We use their forms, automated campaigns, and tasks to follow up and nurture sales leads. Additionally, we use the automated campaigns, email templates, and their drag and drop email builder as tools to onboard new customers and follow up with existing customers. As a small business with limited staff and resources, Hatchbuck helps us ensure each of our customers gets the attention they need. ” - Director of Marketing, Computer Software | Read the Full Review “Hatchbuck is perfect for... --- ### Five Questions to Ask Customers Before You Onboard Them > It’s possible to build a customer base made up of gems if you ask prospects the right qualifying questions before you onboard them. Here’s what to ask. - Published: 2018-02-27 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/five-questions-to-ask-customers-before-you-onboard-them/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Think about the customers who really make your day—the ones you’d rate a 5 out of 5 if you were an Uber driver. They’re probably some combination of nice, generous, fair and prompt in paying you... not to mention quick to sing your praises to other people who need what you sell. Wouldn’t your life be a lot easier if all of your clients were just like them? The good news is it’s possible to build a customer base made up of gems like this if you ask prospects the right qualifying questions before onboarding them. Here’s what to ask. Why did you reach out to us? Understanding why a potential customer is motivated to buy will help you assess whether it makes sense to start the onboarding process in the first place and build your business around people you will be able to serve successfully. Let’s say you offer diet and nutrition coaching. When you ask why a prospect has called you to set up an appointment, he tells you, “My wife said I need to lose weight. ” You know from past experience that someone has to be motivated from within to make lifestyle changes to succeed. Although it might be tempting to try to sign up this client for a package of 12 coaching sessions right off the bat, you might be better off, in the long term, if you book one session with him, ask him to make some small lifestyle changes in that first meeting... --- ### 4 Ways to Create More Meaningful Connections on Social Media > Here are four simple things you can start doing today that will help you make more meaningful connections via your social channels. - Published: 2018-02-26 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-ways-meaningful-connections-social-media/ - Categories: Social Media If you’re only using social media to share promotional content about your brand, you’re missing out on the tremendous opportunity that exists. In fact, while there’s nothing necessarily wrong with using social media to boost sales, the real value in these online communities lies in the ability to develop and nurture genuine relationships with your customers and prospects. Here are four simple things you can start doing today that will help you make more meaningful connections via your social channels. Take them behind the scenes. Your fans and followers on social media already know your brand. What they don’t know is what goes on behind the scenes. Social media is a great tool for breathing life into a logo or putting a personality to a picture, so use it to your full advantage. Share images or video footage of the people who are behind your products or services. Showcase the passion and enthusiasm that is alive and well in your workplace. This will make your customers feel more like insiders, which breeds loyalty. Highlight the causes you support. If your company is active in supporting certain causes, social media is a great place to share that passion with the masses. Not only will doing so be good for the underlying cause, but demonstrating your commitment to social responsibility could very well lead to a boost in business. In fact, 90 percent of consumers say they’d be more likely to purchase based on a company’s responsibility practices, and 80 percent would... --- ### 5 Simple Ways to Incorporate Video into Your Marketing Strategy > If you want to reach your audience and connect with them in a meaningful way, you need to start investing in video content. - Published: 2018-02-23 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-simple-ways-incorporate-video-marketing-strategy/ - Categories: Marketing Cisco predicts that by the end of this year, video content will account for 69 percent of all consumer internet activity. What does this mean from a marketing standpoint? Simple. If you want to reach your audience and connect with them in a meaningful way, you need to start investing in video content. Here are a few ideas to get you started: Show your personality. Your customers may already be familiar with your brand, but what about the people behind it? You are more than just a pretty logo, so show your audience your human side with the power of video. Try filming some behind-the-scenes footage or doing a weekly employee showcase. When people are able to see the personality behind the brand, they’ll feel a much stronger connection. Film demos and how-to clips. People love to see products in action, so give them what they crave by filming how-to and product demos. Why are these so effective? Because people are busy. They don’t have the time or desire to page through endless lines of text to figure out how to use your product. Video content is visually appealing, easy to digest and best of all, super shareable. Tap into your customer base. What better way to tell the story of how stellar your product or service is than to have a happy customer demonstrate it on video? User-generated content can be valuable for a number of reasons. First, it provides you with content to share that is, in and... --- ### 4 Tips for Promoting Positive Work Culture in a Small Office > As a small business leader, you’re uniquely positioned to create a positive work culture. We’ve put together four of the simplest ways to build and maintain a healthy, happy company culture. - Published: 2018-02-22 - Modified: 2020-01-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-tips-promoting-positive-work-culture-small-office/ - Categories: Small Business A guest post by Meredith Wood, editor-in-chief at Fundera. A positive work environment is a safer, speedier, and more successful one. In fact, keeping employees in a perpetual pressure-cooker costs U. S. businesses $500 billion each year. A negative company culture doesn’t just make your employees cranky—it takes a toll on their physical health as well. As a small business leader, you’re uniquely positioned to create a positive work culture. How you walk into work each day is one of the biggest determinations of the success of your business. If that sounds like a grave responsibility, it is! That’s why we’ve put together four of the simplest ways to build and maintain a healthy, happy company culture while working in close quarters. Make Gratitude a Habit How often do you thank the human beings on your team, beyond a quick “Thanks! ” sign-off at the end of an email? A sincere, verbal “thank you” for a job well done is the simplest way to foster a culture of gratitude. Thank employees for their deliverables. Thank them as they leave the office after a hard day’s work. Thank them for their time and attention at the end of meetings. These tiny gestures cost you little but earn you so much. Gratitude can manifest in larger, material ways as well. Reward employees with a treat, an afternoon off, a gift card, or an in-office celebration at the conclusion of a big project or launch. Bonuses and monetary gifts have obvious value, but... --- ### 3 Memorable Networking Introductions to Stand Out From the Crowd > Being prepared with some memorable networking approaches can help you build confidence and make the connections you need to grow your business. - Published: 2018-02-21 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-memorable-networking-introductions-stand-crowd/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Many people dread networking. Whether it’s at in-person events or on social networking sites, it’s hard for many of us to approach people we don’t know. The good news is that if you can get over that aversion, the rewards can be considerable. Recent research by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) found that informal professional networks and communities were more important to entrepreneurial success than participating in formal programs such as accelerators and incubators. Many business owners are well aware of this. More than half of 1,000 entrepreneurs in the EIU’s survey took part in business-oriented social networking groups on platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook. And in some cities-- among them New York and London--meeting fellow entrepreneurs face to face in informal settings was the single most important source of support. Being prepared with some memorable approaches can help you build confidence and make the connections you need to grow your business, whether you are meeting people online or in person. Here are some networking introductions that will help you stand out from the crowd. Say thank you One of the best ways to make a great impression when you’re networking is to show you’re interested in someone. Before you go to an event where you hope to meet a particular person who might be able to help your business or reach out to an influencer on a social networking site, Google the folks you would like to approach. Do a little homework on the work they’ve been doing... --- ### 5 Reasons Sales Automation Is So Important for Small Business > As a business owner or sales manager, your job is to ensure salespeople are using their time doing what they do best: generating sales. - Published: 2018-02-20 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-reasons-sales-automation-important-small-business/ - Categories: Sales, Small Business What is sales automation? It’s what gives your superstar sales team more time to talk to prospects. If there’s one thing a good salesperson dislikes, it’s administrative tasks that cut into the time spent calling and talking to potential customers. As a business owner or sales manager, your job is to ensure salespeople are using their time doing what they do best: generating sales. Automating your sales process is one way of the best ways to do so. You’ll enjoy these benefits, and they are only the tip of the iceberg. Follow Up Reminders Fail to follow up in a timely manner, and you risk losing a sale. Following up isn’t complicated. It’s just something you have to remember to do. But with incoming leads and quarterly targets to think about, it’s hard to remember that prospect who said “they’d think about it. ” Well, guess what? That prospect who needs to think about it is low-hanging fruit. All they may need is a nudge in the right direction. This could come in the form of an email with some sales enablement content or a follow-up call. Your sales team can set automatic reminders to follow up after chatting with someone. Email Marketing Is Simpler After chatting with someone, a sales rep may determine that: They’re close to making a purchase and just need some follow-up They’re probably not going to make a purchase anytime soon, but they fit the buyer persona and may want to make a purchase down... --- ### 5 Ways to Make Your Digital Marketing More Mobile-Friendly > If your digital marketing efforts haven’t yet adapted to our increasingly mobile world, you are undoubtedly missing out on revenue as a result. - Published: 2018-02-19 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-to-make-your-digital-marketing-more-mobile-friendly/ - Categories: Marketing At last count, some 77 percent of Americans own smartphones, and 51 percent own a tablet computer. To say that mobile technology has taken over our lives is an understatement. In fact, 60 percent of today’s online searches are now conducted exclusively using mobile devices. If your business hasn’t yet adapted to our increasingly mobile world, you are undoubtedly missing out on revenue as a result. The good news is, it’s never too late to start. Here are a few tips for whipping your digital marketing strategies into mobile-friendly shape. Keep it short and sweet. By nature, people who are using their mobile devices are on the go, which means they don’t have the time or patience to scroll through pages of text. Additionally, the smaller screen sizes of handheld devices don’t allow for too much verbiage. The most effective way to deliver a marketing message to a mobile audience is through short, straightforward text elements and compelling imagery. Make an impact quickly. We live in an increasingly fast-paced world where things are moving and changing at a rapid pace. People using their mobile devices are looking for quick snippets of information, which means you only have a few precious seconds to get their attention and deliver your message. Craft your marketing materials with this in mind, focusing on the initial impact as the most important element. Leverage video to your advantage. More than half of all video content produced today is consumed on mobile devices. Furthermore, an incredible 92... --- ### How to Minimize the Cost of Customer Acquisition > In order to accelerate growth, you need to hit that gold balance of keeping expenses low while increasing revenue. Here are a few ways you can impact expenses by cutting your customer acquisition costs. - Published: 2018-02-16 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-minimize-the-cost-of-customer-acquisition/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing, Lead Generation Everyone knows you’ve got to spend money to make money, and acquiring customers for your business is no exception. The problem is, if your expenses outweigh your revenue, you’ll be chasing growth forever. In order to accelerate growth, you need to hit that gold balance of keeping expenses low while increasing revenue. Let’s take a look at a few ways you can impact expenses by cutting your customer acquisition costs (CAC). Encourage repeat business. Not only do satisfied customers return again and again, but they’re also more likely to share their positive experiences with others, which equates to valuable word-of-mouth marketing. To increase your odds of repeat business, invest time and effort into the following: Product-customer fit. Build products and services your customer base will be sure to rave about. Automation: The more you can streamline your workflow, the more efficiently you can serve your customers and provide a human touch in the areas that matter most. Incentives: Motivate your customers to come back to your business and send referrals your way. Service: Create memorable and meaningful experiences before and after the sale to stay forever imprinted on your customers hearts and minds. Keeping your current customers happy makes acquiring new customers and winning repeat business much easier. Offer incentives Offering incentives not only motivates your current customers, but can also influence new customers to do business with you. For instance, starting a loyalty points program or offering a discount in return for a long-term commitment are both very powerful... --- ### Integration Spotlight: Hatchbuck + Unbounce > Unbounce is an easy-to-use landing page builder and conversion tool that integrates easily with other tools (like BenchmarkONE) through Zapier. - Published: 2018-02-15 - Modified: 2018-02-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/integration-spotlight-hatchbuck-unbounce/ - Categories: Marketing By now we’ve likely hammered home the value of email marketing, marketing automation and CRM. But without inbound leads to use these tactics on, you’ll be wasting your time and worse, your business won’t have the ability to grow. A business website should be at the heart of your marketing strategy. Without it, your business has no digital presence and no way to capture leads. If a full-blown website isn’t in the cards for you due to budget, ability or other mitigating factors, a landing page will more than suffice. Creating a page that’s worth its weight is a different story though. There are several factors that go into building a landing page that converts - content, a lead capture form, visual aesthetics - and the idea of creating a landing page that works may seem daunting. Lucky for us all, there are plenty of tools out there to take the pressure off and to easily create beautiful, effective landing pages that will capture the traffic you’re driving. One of our favorites is Unbounce. Unbounce is an easy-to-use landing page builder and conversion tool that integrates easily with other tools (like Hatchbuck) through Zapier. Through Zapier, you can easily capture leads from your Unbounce landing pages and push them into your Hatchbuck database for nurturing. Similar to our drag & drop email builder, Unbounce requires absolutely zero design or coding experience. They’ve got a pre-designed template library chock full of professional-looking landing pages and popups that are sure to help... --- ### How Solo Entrepreneurs Are Using Their CRM To Break $1 Million in Revenue > Instead of always having to rely on pay-per-click or other types of advertising, solo entrepreneurs can reach out directly to followers through an email list or CRM. - Published: 2018-02-14 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/solo-entrepreneurs-using-crm-break-one-million-revenue/ - Categories: CRM A guest post by Elaine Pofeldt, author of The Million-Dollar One-Person Business. When writing my book The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business, I noticed that there a number of common threads among people who broke $1 million in revenue in a one-person business or partnership. Making smart use of an email list or customer relationship management software (CRM) was one of them. In today’s digital world, it’s very possible for a one-person business to reach a global audience. Taking the time to build an email list to keep in touch with followers can make that job easier. Instead of always having to rely on pay per click or other types of advertising, you can reach out directly to your followers through an email list or CRM. “If people are willing to give you their email addresses, which they treasure, they are willing to listen to your message,” as Sol Orwell, founder of Examine. com, a Toronto-based website that generates seven-figure revenue per year selling reports on nutrition supplements, told me. So how can you make the most of your email list? Here are some strategies deployed by the high-revenue entrepreneurs in the book and others I’ve interviewed since its publication. Build your list before you need it. It’s hard to build a high-quality email list overnight. The earlier you start building your list, the better. Orwell, for instance, spent years building his. So how do you build it? If you run a brick-and-mortar business, ask customers and prospects who come into your... --- ### Become a Better Leader in Four Simple Steps > The more you can keep improving at motivating and inspiring others to do their best work, the more of an edge you’ll have in today’s business environment. - Published: 2018-02-13 - Modified: 2018-02-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/become-a-better-leader-in-four-simple-steps/ - Categories: Leadership The day you expand your business from an army of one to a team can be a peak experience as an entrepreneur. Expanding your business is a fantastic opportunity to sharpen your leadership skills. The more you can keep improving at motivating and inspiring others to do their best work, the more of an edge you’ll have in today’s business environment. Only 30% of U. S. workers are fully engaged at work, according to Gallup—and that’s often because of how they’re being led, the polling organization has found. Fortunately, there are many interesting ways to strengthen your leadership skills. Try these approaches. Take a personality test. Understanding your unique personal style can help you make the most of your innate talents as a leader and improve in areas where you’re not as confident. Taking the free DiSC personality test can give you interesting insight. This behavioral assessment evaluates test takers based on the qualities of dominance, influence, compliance and steadiness. As you’ll find if you take the test, scoring high in each trait comes with negatives and positives. For instance, someone who scores high on dominance is motivated by winning, competition and success—good qualities to have when you’re building a business—but may show a lack of concern for others, impatience or open skepticism. While no test is perfect, the insights you get will help you self-assess and focus on the areas where you have the most room for growth. Shed command-and-control thinking. By thinking of yourself as a high-performance coach... --- ### 5 Marketing Tasks You Should Absolutely Be Automating > Marketing automation can save you an enormous amount of time, especially if you’re a small business owner who needs to put as many things on autopilot as possible. - Published: 2018-02-12 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-marketing-tasks-automating/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Automation is a gift to marketers. It allows us to set and forget those pesky manual tasks (like sending out 5,000 emails) and focus more on the fun stuff like messaging, brand voice, blog writing, and video production. Of course, if you don’t know much about marketing automation, figuring out where to start can feel overwhelming. So here are a few marketing tasks you should be automating, but maybe aren’t. And if you aren’t, that’s okay. Better late than never. Email Since we’ve already mentioned emails, we might as well start with email automation. Instead of manually sending out emails to your customers, you can set up email blasts to go out at designated times. Additionally, you can set up conditional emails that are sent when visitors or leads do something specific like download an ebook or sign up for your email list. Once you’ve written the text for these emails, your email automation tool substitutes the customer’s name in and handles the rest. Social Media If you write a fantastic blog post, it won’t be worth a thing if no one ever sees it. In order to catch the attention of online readers, a blog post has to be shared multiple times. While that may feel like a lot from your end, it’s probably barely enough to register on the screens of individuals who are scrolling past numerous posts a day. Even once you’ve come to terms with the fact that you have to promote your material this often,... --- ### The Most Important PPC Trends to Be Aware of in 2018 > The pay-per-click industry saw lots of serious changes in 2017, and experts are forecasting more in 2018. What areas should you keep aware of? The - Published: 2018-02-09 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ppc-trends-2018/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing, Lead Generation The pay-per-click industry saw lots of serious changes in 2017, and experts are forecasting more in 2018. What areas should you keep aware of? The verdicts are in, here’s what you need to know: Get used to machine learning Google dove big into machine learning with their PPC networks in 2017. Their “smart bidding” system, meant to optimize conversions using machine learning, was just one of several major developments: smart display campaigns and new ad rotations also showcased the influence of artificial intelligence in the PPC sphere. Understanding how machine learning and artificial intelligence affect PPC will be important to digital marketers in 2018, since the industry is likely going to be leaning more and more on that tech. It wouldn’t surprise us if, within five years, manually altering PPC bids becomes a thing of the past. Get used to the new Google AdWords interface Most marketers cried out in unified hatred at the new AdWords interface. For folks who spent most hours each day adjusting bids and keywords as quickly and efficiently as possible, this redesign came as a kick to the stomach. But when you think about it, the old design—we’ll just say it, it was plain and clunkier—was introduced in 2009. That’s close to a decade ago. And if you spend even just an afternoon reacquainting yourself with the system, and accept that this is the new normal, you will probably get over your hatred and learn to love the new layout. As well as being noticeably... --- ### 5 Productivity Hacks To Help You Actually Finish Your To-Do List > These five productivity hacks will help your confidence grow and actually enable you to finish all the items on your to-do list without undue stress or anxiety. - Published: 2018-02-08 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-productivity-hacks-help-actually-finish-list/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship The clock is ticking, and you are eyeing your incomplete to-do list wondering how you are going to get out of the office by 5:00. While to-do lists are a great way to organize yourself in the workplace (and even in your personal life), unless you have some set of ground rules at the start, they can quickly get out of control. If your to-do list appears never-ending, you’ll have no chance of getting on top of your workload or leaving work on time. These five productivity tips will help your confidence grow and actually enable you to finish all the items on your to-do list without undue stress or anxiety. Be Prepared There is a good reason that these two words make up the Boy Scout and Girl Scout mottos - because they make life so much easier. By sitting down at the end of each day and planning your to-do list, you know exactly what you’re going to do the next day. You can start work while your mind is fresh and don’t have to waste precious time trying to work out where to begin. For many people, the morning is when they’re most productive. It pays to get the majority of the challenging work out of the way before the mid-afternoon slump hits. If you schedule the last 30 minutes of each day to recap what you’ve done and to go through tomorrow’s workload, you’ll be mentally prepared for whatever comes your way. Writing an actionable to-do... --- ### 5 Small Business Goals to Make 2018 More Profitable > Setting smart small business goals and honing in on them will improve your odds of accomplishing what you set out to do in 2018 and beyond. - Published: 2018-02-07 - Modified: 2018-02-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-goals-make-2018-profitable/ - Categories: Small Business Setting goals is one of the most important activities for a business owner. Regardless of how long you’ve been in business, where you’re located or what you sell, goals help you remain focused and keep your business moving forward. Although goal-setting is something that can and should be done year-round, the start of a new year is an especially good time to begin planning for what you’d like to accomplish in the weeks, months and years to come. Here are a few small business goals to get you started. Become More Productive Your productivity level has a direct impact on your company’s bottom line. Aiming to ramp up productivity is always a wise business goal because it will set the stage for better performance, increased growth and higher profits. You can accomplish this goal a number of ways, such as eliminating workplace distractions, optimizing business practices and utilizing better technology. Lower Expenses This goal is important for companies of all sizes, but particularly small businesses. Obviously, the less money you have going out of your business, the more quickly your profit margin will rise. Lowering business expenses can be accomplished a variety of different ways, like reducing your debt, renegotiating contracts and adopting a leaner business approach. The key here is to be specific on not just the what, but also the how. Improve Customer Service You may already have a great process in place to keep your customers happy, but there’s always room for improvement in that area. Set... --- ### The Most Common SEO Mistakes of 2017 > As we make our way through 2018, it’s time for a refresher course in the best SEO practices—and the worst mistakes from 2017. - Published: 2018-02-05 - Modified: 2022-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/common-seo-mistakes-2017/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing As memories of 2017 slip away, we should take some time to consider the unfortunate trends that persisted throughout the last year. In some cases, it’s astonishing that website managers and entrepreneurs keep making these mistakes—there is little that’s happened in 2017 that hasn’t come up before. In many ways, the core tenets of search engine optimization have held true since the beginning of search. The websites that appear at the top are deemed the most relevant, as determined by the quality of your content, the authority of your site and the relevance of your topic. And so, as we make our way through 2018, it’s time for a refresher course in the best SEO practices—and the worst mistakes from 2017. No, black hat SEO still doesn’t work Whether it’s keyword stuffing, copied content, mass redirects or link buying, black hat tactics persist, largely because people keep buying into them. And because SEO doesn’t show its effects immediately, there’s no easy way to tell that they’re ineffective, or even harmful to your website. Any company that offers mass backlink purchases should be met with skepticism. You should only focus on natural backlinks from authoritative websites. Mass backlinks from sketchy places will only signal an alarm from Google and potentially harm your SEO ranking. The same goes for keyword stuffing and bland, inauthentic content. The results of this type of optimization will likely backfire in the long run—nobody will read that content, and anyone who does will be disappointed. Choosing the... --- ### 4 Best Sales Voicemails for Closing a Deal > Smart salespeople use voicemail to their advantage by using them to strategically hook prospects and plant the seeds for a future conversation. - Published: 2018-02-02 - Modified: 2023-11-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-best-sales-voicemails-closing-deal/ - Categories: Sales Smart salespeople use voicemail to their advantage by using them to strategically hook prospects and plant the seeds for a future conversation. Here are templates for a number of scenarios that you can adapt to close more deals. Script for Cold Calls All you have is a contact name, number, and a hint that this person may need your services. Perhaps they’re a business that recently moved to the area. The following script may be useful: Hi Jim. Congrats on the new location. Read about you and on your website. This is Jonathan from Jonathan’s Commercial Cleaning. I know how important a clean, functional office environment is for productivity. I’d love to chat with you about your company’s cleaning needs. I’ll try you again next week, but if you’d like to chat before then, give me a call anytime at 555-5555. That’s 555-5555. Have a good week. Tips: Do your best to find the name and number of a decision-maker. Voicemails on a general line will likely be deleted by a receptionist. Demonstrate that you’ve taken the time to learn a little about their company. Quickly give one reason you pose value for them (i. e. , providing a clean, functional office space) without turning this introductory voicemail into a sales pitch. Indicate next steps clearly by letting them know what you’re looking for (i. e. , a conversation about the office’s cleaning needs NOT a purchase just yet) and repeat your contact info so they can reach you. Script... --- ### 5 Reasons Your Agency Clients Need a CRM > A CRM is designed to help your clients manage and conquer business challenges. Not sold on it? Here are four reasons why your agency clients need one now. - Published: 2018-02-01 - Modified: 2022-11-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/reasons-agency-clients-need-crm/ - Categories: Agencies Acquiring new customers and satisfying your current ones has never been more complex. As industries become more competitive and the marketplace continues to saturate, reaching customers quickly and efficiently with valuable and relevant information is more important now than ever. So how can you stay ahead? A CRM is designed to help your clients manage and conquer challenges such as these. Not sold on it? Below are four reasons why your agency clients need one now. 1. Provide more value to your customer. A CRM system allows you to tailor communication, products and services to the specific needs of your customers. It captures detailed information about your customer and their habits and behaviors to help you target them more specifically. And you can target them through your content strategy. A CRM allows you to see how the customer found out about your product/service, if they’ve purchased one of your products or services recently, and based on their current behavior if they are looking to purchase again... or for the first time. For example, let’s say one of your agency clients is a software company. Perhaps they had a customer purchase their software a few months ago. Are they looking to purchase the same software again? Probably not. Based on their previous history and current behaviors, your client can see that they’re looking for an upgrade to their current subscription. Having this information allows your client to send communications, offers, messaging, etc. relevant to upgrades that would be best for the... --- ### 10 Indispensable Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs > If you’re considering stepping into the startup world, think about what the most successful entrepreneurs do and follow suit. - Published: 2018-01-31 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-indispensable-traits-of-successful-entrepreneurs/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship As an entrepreneur, I get asked a lot by startup founders what does it take to succeed? The reality is when you look at the most successful entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, Steve Jobs or Oprah Winfrey they tend to have similar DNA: they’re tenacious leaders, driven visionaries, eager business people. Entrepreneurs are cut from a different cloth than most nine to fivers—willing to take a risk when others won’t. But not all entrepreneurs are born—in fact, many are self-made. So if you’re considering stepping into the startup world, think about what the most successful entrepreneurs do and follow suit. They’re Self-Motivated. First off, if you’re going to go through the startup grind, you have to be all in. Every day the alarm goes off, and there is no one getting out of bed to start your day other than you. The entrepreneur's journey is packed with long days and late nights burning the midnight oil. You need to remind yourself everyday why you wanted to start your business in the first place. Successful entrepreneurs have a constant drive, a compelling purpose behind the why, even if it’s something as simple as never wanting to work for someone else ever again. They Have a Vision and a Plan. Once you’ve decided to head down this road, you’ll need a vision that you and your future team can rally around. The greatest entrepreneurial leaders are visionaries—constantly looking to where the business is going and steering the ship in the right direction. But... --- ### 5 Inbound Marketing Buzzwords You Need to Stop Using > It’s not just our internationally collective overdose of content that’s the problem. It’s a lot of buzzwords. The marketing universe is filled with them. - Published: 2018-01-30 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-buzzwords-stop-using/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Once upon a time, articles were articles, and photos were photos. People called anything on social media a “post,” and moving pictures were referred to as “videos. ” That doesn’t happen as much anymore. We are now living in the age of #content. Social content, video content, inbound content—everything is content. And yet, when you tell someone that “this will make great content,” even though we all understand you, and we may all agree, we’re all cringing a little. I’m just going to say it: the phrase sounds dumb. But it’s not just our internationally collective overdose of content that’s the problem. It’s a lot of buzzwords. The marketing universe is filled with them, and the inbound galaxy—solar systems of social media, blogging, SEO, et al—is rife with nonsense. The irony? Bluntness works. Nobody thinks the phrase “We produce high-quality, original inbound written content” is better than “We write great articles. ” Specificity trumps generality. One sells, the other obfuscates. The World of “Content” I mentioned this above, but let’s clarify. “Content” is vague. It’s worse when paired with fancy-sounding adjectives: bespoke content (you mean “original”? ), grabby content (it’s assumed your marketing should grab audiences), evergreen content (okay, admittedly “evergreen” is a distinct and useful word), sticky content (you mean articles that people actually want to finish? ). Instead of broad terms like these, drill down to specifics. If you’re producing an original video series for a client, you’re not creating “bespoke content. ” You’re producing an original video... --- ### 7 Simple Ways To Boost Your Confidence Before A Presentation > Public speaking nerves can range from a few butterflies to an all-out panic attack, but there are ways you can boost your confidence before a presentation. - Published: 2018-01-26 - Modified: 2021-11-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/simple-ways-boost-confidence-before-presentation/ - Categories: Leadership For some individuals, giving a presentation is a nightmare. They panic at the idea of speaking in public, and it is the most frightening thing in the world for them to have to consider. The thought of talking in front of an audience can almost bring some people to their knees. And let’s not forget the sweat and the heart palpitations. Does this sound like you? Nerves happen to the best of us, even award-winning British actor Hugh Grant suffers from stage fright and put his acting career on hold because of it. Statistics claim that 74% of Americans suffer from some form of speech anxiety: 75% of women and 73% of men. Public speaking nerves can range from a few butterflies to an all-out panic attack, but there are ways you can boost your confidence before a presentation. Practice makes perfect. If you’re the nervous type, don’t think it’s enough to write your presentation, read through it once and be done with it. The only way you will overcome those nerves is to practice, practice, and practice some more. It may be tough due to your busy schedule, but you must find time to do it. It may also be useful to record a number of your rehearsal sessions to catch any bad habits, as well as any timing and vocal issues that you may not be aware of. Be positive. There is no denying that the scariest moment is right before you start. But it is important to... --- ### 9 Ways to Demonstrate Employee Appreciation Without Spending a Dime > You know what they say: You can’t buy loyalty. You can buy an employee’s time, physical presence, and limited obedience, but you have to earn loyalty as - Published: 2018-01-24 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/demonstrate-employee-appreciation-without-spending-money/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship You know what they say: You can’t buy loyalty. You can buy an employee’s time, physical presence, and limited obedience, but you have to earn loyalty as well as motivation. How do you earn loyalty and motivation? By treating employees well and giving them the tools they need to succeed. Above all, it’s about showing appreciation. So if you want your employees to feel valuable, pick your favorites from this list of budget-friendly employee appreciation ideas. Start an Employee of the Month Program Recognize a stellar employee each month and highlight their achievements by sending out a company-wide email or making a quick presentation at the start of the workday. In my last company, we created the Milton employee of the month red stapler award. Every month a lucky recipient would get the award based on how well they lived out our company values. It was up to them to award it to the employee that deserved it for the following month. It was a simple and cost-effective way to let our team members know they mattered and were making a difference. Give Employees the Day Off After a Particularly Demanding Project Have you had an especially stressful month? Maybe your staff has been putting in extra hours and energy for a really difficult client and now that the project’s ended successfully, the entire team’s exhausted. Consider giving the team the day off as appreciation for their hard work. Let go of the fact that they won’t be at the... --- ### 5 Time-Saving CRM Hacks Every Sales Manager Should Know About > The beauty of a CRM system is that it’s designed to help make the job of managing a sales team easy and efficient. These CRM hacks will help you make the most of what little time you have. - Published: 2018-01-23 - Modified: 2024-08-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-time-saving-crm-hacks-every-sales-manager-know/ - Categories: Sales If there’s one thing most sales managers have in common, it’s the challenge of time management. With dozens of tasks and only so many hours in the day, there’s often little time left over to focus on what’s most important – nurturing leads and building client relationships. The beauty of a CRM system is that it’s designed to help make the job of managing a sales team easy and efficient. Rather than having to dig through files and manually update spreadsheets, all of the sales data you need can be found in one centralized place and accessed at the click of a button. But the right CRM system can do so much more than just automate manual tasks. The five tips below will help you unlock additional time-saving benefits and enable you to focus more on producing results than on managing the daily grind. Track Productivity Wouldn’t it be great if you could see a snapshot of your team’s productivity and gauge areas for opportunity in an instant instead of having to waste time tracking down data manually? That’s what’s great about a CRM. You can easily track the activities of your sales force at any given moment in time. Find out the exact number of emails, calls and meetings your team is scheduling and use these metrics for coaching and process improvement. Measure Revenue Keeping your finger on the pulse of your team’s performance is a critical component of your duties as sales manager. How much progress is each... --- ### How to Get More Followers on Instagram > Unless you’re famous, gaining a decent following on Instagram can be challenging. It takes time and consistent effort to build that following. - Published: 2018-01-22 - Modified: 2024-05-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/get-more-followers-instagram/ - Categories: Social Media With a user base of 700 million and counting, Instagram has become a powerful marketing tool for brands of every size and industry. The problem is, unless you’re famous, gaining a decent following can be challenging. It takes time and consistent effort to build that following. Thankfully, there are some proven strategies you can employ that should help you get a jump start on growing your Instagram audience. Here are a few things you can start putting into action today. Optimize your profile. Before you can begin to amass a following on Instagram, you have to make sure your profile is optimized so it can be easily found. Make sure your account is set to public and your username is recognizable and searchable. Include a branded profile picture and complete your bio with helpful information about your company. Let people know why they should follow you! And don’t forget to include a link back to your website. This is important, since the bio area is the only place a clickable link is allowed on Instagram. Determine a direction for your content. What is the purpose of your activity on Instagram? What do you want to accomplish? What impression do you want your followers to get of your brand? For instance, do you want to come across as playful, humorous, inspirational, etc. ? Answering these questions can help you determine what direction you want to go in terms of the type of content you share. The key here, as with all... --- ### 7 Simple Steps to Identify an Ideal Partner for Your Business > Every business is looking for new ways to grow sales and reach more customers.However, finding ways to identify an ideal business partner can be a struggle. - Published: 2018-01-19 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-ways-identify-ideal-business-partner/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Every business is looking for new ways to grow sales and reach more customers. Although often overlooked, partnering with like-minded businesses can be a great channel for your business and offers a ton of advantages. One of the major benefits is that you can increase your customer base and marketing outlets with relatively low cost and zero risks. However, finding ways to identify businesses you can partner with can be a struggle. How do you identify potential business partners? There is more than one way to assess whether a business partner is suitable to work with or not. Here are some of the most common and easiest ways to determine whether a potential partnership is right for you. Find some common ground To create a beneficial partnership with someone, you need some form of common ground. Start by looking at their values. Do they align with yours? If you can’t find any overlap then the partnership will not be balanced. Next, uncover who their ideal customers are. Do they serve a similar customer to yours or are they reaching customers that are outside your wheelhouse? For example, if you serve small to mid-sized B2B customers and your potential partner has built their business on enterprise clients, then you may need to look for a partner that is a better fit. Consider their reputation Before you jump in head first into partnerships, remember that when you choose to partner up with a business, you hitch your wagon to theirs. That means... --- ### 7 Creative Ways to Grow Your Email List > With the right tools and approach, growing your email list doesn’t have to be a burden anymore. Let’s take a look at seven creative ways to get more subscribers and start generating more valuable leads. - Published: 2018-01-18 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-ways-grow-email-list/ - Categories: Email Marketing Developing a solid list of engaged email contacts is a critical component of any successful email marketing strategy. For most business owners, however, it also happens to be one of the most challenging. Thankfully, with the right tools and approach, growing your email list doesn’t have to be a burden anymore. That said, let’s take a look at seven creative ways to get more subscribers and start generating more valuable leads. Include sign-up buttons everywhere. First and foremost, if you want people to sign up for your email newsletters, you have to make it as easy as possible for them to do so. That includes adding sign-up forms and buttons everywhere you will be in contact with your target audience. And don’t forget about your emails themselves. If you’re sharing really great content, chances are your messages are being shared, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to gather more sign-ups that way as well. Host an event. Hosting events that require people to sign up or purchase tickets ahead of time is a great way to gather contact information and stay in touch. In fact, you can include an email newsletter sign-up box right on the registration form, which makes it fast, easy and convenient for people to opt-in. Even if it’s as simple as a webinar, this is a great tool for staying connected and growing your list. Attend industry events. In addition to hosting your own gatherings, attending events like tradeshows and conferences that are aligned with... --- ### 6 Signs It’s Time To Quit Your Job > Leaving your job isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly. There are financial responsibilities, familial obligations, and fear of the unknown that - Published: 2018-01-17 - Modified: 2018-01-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-signs-time-quit-job/ - Categories: Small Business Leaving your job isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly. There are financial responsibilities, familial obligations, and fear of the unknown that are all very serious considerations when debating this kind of change. Choosing to leave your job is a highly personal decision, but if you’re still mulling over the decision reflect on whether you’ve noticed any of these signs in your work life. You feel unchallenged, and your superiors don’t offer interesting opportunities. Smart people need challenges and rewarding work. Without that, talented employees quickly grow bored and miserable with their work. When you’re more interested in stability and a steady paycheck, it’s hard to notice, but after some time it’s rather hard not to feel the repetitiveness of the tasks at hand. If you find yourself heading into work dreading the tedium of the day, and interesting ideas you’ve proposed to your boss go ignored, it might be time to find a place that actually uses your talent. You’re in a toxic work environment where office politics overpowers shared purpose. Productive people don’t have time for petty squabbles, and it can be exceptionally frustrating to have to engage in it. It’s even more of a hindrance in the workplace when it leads to delays and difficulty giving or receiving feedback. In some cases, a shift in a workplace’s atmosphere is temporary and resolved by a manager who recognizes the noxious environment. But if the office climate is a continuous feature of the office and you feel like... --- ### 3 Ways To Max Out Revenues In A Service Business > There are several ways that owners of service businesses can scale their revenues without simply multiplying the hours they work. - Published: 2018-01-16 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/max-out-revenues-service-business/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship A guest post by Elaine Pofeldt, author of The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business. Many entrepreneurs wish they could come up with a hot idea for a toy like Squishies to get to $1 million in revenue. What’s harder is finding a way to get to $1 million in a tiny service business—the kind that many small business owners run. Most service businesses, whether they serve other firms or individuals, are built around selling time for dollars. An accountant, for instance, will charge an hourly rate for advice. A salon will charge $60 for a 30-minute facial. Operating that way places a ceiling on their revenue because there are only so many hours to sell. It doesn’t have to be that way. In researching my book The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business (Random House, Jan. 2, 2018), I found that there are several ways that owners of service businesses can scale their revenues without simply multiplying the hours they work—even if they can’t yet afford to hire full-time employees. Here are three ideas to help you grow your business in 2018. Expand your market. Many business owners price their services based on what competitors in their area charge, assume that’s the going rate. If you’re using that approach, consider expanding to a wider geographic area where you can charge more. By marketing your services on a platform like Upwork or Freelancer, where you will get exposure to a broader marketplace, you may be able to charge rate higher than is common in your geographic... --- ### The Essential Elements of a Brand Style Guide > A brand style guide keeps everyone inside and outside of your organization informed about what your brand means and what it looks like. - Published: 2018-01-15 - Modified: 2018-01-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/elements-brand-style-guide/ - Categories: Marketing The bigger your business grows, the more likely you’ll have people acting and creating on behalf of it. To keep things running smoothly, it helps to have a brand style guide. A brand style guide keeps everyone inside and outside of your organization informed about what your brand means and what it looks like. It includes everything from a descriptive story of your brand’s history to detailed instructions about logo specifications. What do you need to think about before creating your style guide? Before you create a style guide, you need to deeply understand your brand to begin with. Your brand is not your website, your logo, your company photos, or your about page. All of those things are part of your brand, but they are not your brand, period. Your brand is what people think and feel about your company and what sets it apart from similar players in the field. When you outline your brand it should include: Your mission/vision statement: How do you view the purpose of your company? What does it do? What makes it different? What do you see your company accomplishing in the grand scheme of things? Your target audience: Who are you helping and what problem are you solving for these people? Your values: What words or actions are representative of your company? What isn’t? Knowing this is helpful not just for creating, but for hiring as well. What sections should you have in your style guide? Your brand style guide should be... --- ### How to Run a B2B Influencer Marketing Campaign with a Small Team > Just like with any marketing initiative, the first step to launching a successful B2B influencer campaign is defining what you want to achieve. - Published: 2018-01-12 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-run-a-b2b-influencer-marketing-campaign-with-a-small-team/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing, Marketing A guest blog from Michael Quoc, founder and CEO of Dealspotr, Influencer marketing is already a widely popular tactic in the B2C space. It’s easy to see how influencers can help drive regular consumers to make purchase decisions. But what about for B2B marketers? B2B businesses are just as able to use influencer marketing for better ROI, even if they aren’t taking advantage of it yet. Some big brands (think IBM, Microsoft) are already doing it, but that doesn’t mean small teams can’t win big with B2B influencer marketing as well. Here are five steps you can take to launch your own B2B influencer marketing campaign today. Step 1: Identify your marketing goals and message Just like with any marketing initiative, the first step to launching a successful B2B influencer campaign is defining what you want to achieve. Building brand awareness and driving sales are probably the most common influencer marketing goals. But you might want to target something more specific, such as building your social following or encouraging retention. As part of the planning process, you’ll also want to develop a clear idea of your brand message. Influencers will be doing the storytelling for you, but be prepared to offer them direction about your brand narrative, and how you want your audience will remember your business. Step 2: Choose your platforms Next, you’ll want to figure out where you want your influencers to help spread your brand message. This will mostly depend on two factors: (1) where your audience... --- ### 5 Simple Tips For Flawless Customer Retention > There is one golden rule of sales: selling to returning customers is a heck of a lot easier than selling to new ones. Returning customers, by definition, - Published: 2018-01-11 - Modified: 2022-08-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-flawless-customer-retention/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship There is one golden rule of sales: selling to returning customers is a heck of a lot easier than selling to new ones. Returning customers, by definition, already know and like your brand, making it easy to entice them with deals and coupons. The only way to ensure you have returning customers is by focusing on customer retention. Problem is, it’s difficult to achieve. If someone buys one of your organic goat-milk soaps once, and you never see them again, that’s a bad sign—did they not like the smell of your soap? Did they find a cheaper organic soap somewhere else? Did it give them a rash? You rarely have a way of knowing for sure, which is why you want to eliminate as many of those possibilities before the customer’s transaction even takes place. Ensuring your product or service is of a high quality, your customer service lines are always open and your price is comparable in the market are all ways to stave off lost customers. Let’s go over some of the best tips one-by-one. Appreciate Your Customers This should go without saying, but running a business is being involved in a relationship. If you want your customers to appreciate you, you should start by appreciating them. https://imgur. com/dPvkY9G This starts with the first interaction—your inbound or outbound marketing efforts should entice prospects in a way that encourages them to be curious about your brand. Your website should be as clean as your living room during a dinner... --- ### Hatchbuck Now Integrates With 1,000 Other Products > BenchmarkONE now connects to 1,000 other web tools, thanks to our Zapier integration. - Published: 2018-01-10 - Modified: 2018-01-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-zapier-1000-integrations/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News We know that getting your work done requires many different web tools. In fact, the average business uses between 10 and 16 apps. You have your CRM as your hub. You have marketing tools that range from social media apps to webinar tools to chatbots and everything in between. You have back-end applications that help you manage finances, invoicing and HR. And you have customer engagement tools like survey apps, satisfaction indicators, helpdesk software and more. The point is, it can be a struggle to get all of your apps working in tandem. But we have great news! Hatchbuck now connects to 1,000 other web tools, thanks to our Zapier integration. With workflow automation tool Zapier, you can set up your own "no-coding-required" integrations called “Zaps. ” Zaps will automatically send information from one tool to another, so you’ll spend less time manually transferring data between your business tools and can dedicate more focus to creative, big picture tasks. Boost Your Productivity with Popular Hatchbuck Integrations No matter what other apps you use, chances are Hatchbuck integrates with them via Zapier. Here are some of the most popular integrations that Hatchbuck users already use to be more productive. The New Year is the perfect time to evaluate your processes and find ways to boost productivity. Try out some of the Zaps above, view more ways to integrate Hatchbuck or check out premade Hatchbuck Zaps in-app under the Account Setting tab. Happy zapping! --- ### 5 Elements of a Strong Company Culture That You May Be Overlooking > If you ticked off something about the relaxed dress code, team bowling nights and a flexible work schedule, that’s a start. But company culture goes way beyond Casual Friday. - Published: 2018-01-09 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-elements-strong-company-culture-may-overlooking/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship, Small Business Quick—describe what your company’s culture in one quick soundbite. If you ticked off something about the relaxed dress code, team bowling nights and a flexible work schedule, that’s a start. But company culture goes way beyond Casual Friday. And if you want to build a strong company culture as you grow your business, it’s important to look beyond the most visible aspects to intangible factors that play a powerful role in shaping your workplace environment. Here are five questions to ask yourself about elements of a strong workplace culture that sometimes get overlooked. Is your business part of a larger ecosystem? Many employees today want to make a difference at work. Much as they may love their jobs, it’s more inspiring for them to see themselves as part of, say, the world of conscious capitalism or tech startups, than simply as an employee. If you have made an effort to connect with other like-minded businesses—whether at in-person events like conferences and coding hackathons or via digital communities— celebrate that part of your culture and make it known to potential recruits. Does your team know where you stand on mistakes? At some point or other, every employee will make a mistake. By setting a clear tone on how to handle wrong turns and errors, you’ll help your team choose the right approach for your company. In technology startups, it’s not uncommon to celebrate failures that lead the team to “pivot” in a fresh direction. If you work in tech, embracing life’s... --- ### A Complete Guide to Sharing Content > You may have written content specifically to be shared, and may be testing different content strategies, but the fundamental building block to all that is understanding how sharing works across all platforms. - Published: 2018-01-08 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/complete-guide-sharing-content/ - Categories: Content Marketing If an inbound marketer writes a blog post in the woods and nobody shares it, is it still great content? While undergrad philosophers might debate the question, the answer is actually just “no. ” It is not great content. Almost by definition, content is only great if it garners an audience—and the typical way people read content is by sharing it. So you need those shares. You may have written content specifically to be shared, and may be testing different sharing widgets and content strategies, but the fundamental building block to all that is understanding how sharing works across all platforms. The important preface here: there is no universal solution. Social media is a dynamic, vibrant thing. What works for others may not work for you. These are just guidelines, generally true but not always. The best way to refine your social game is by testing out different post types and times and recording the results. Follow your data, and you’ll find results. Facebook I don’t think there’s a small business around that doesn’t have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. While it’s the biggest social platform with nearly 2 billion users, it’s also cracked down notoriously in the last few years on brands, particularly on link posts. That means nurturing a Facebook audience is still a great idea, but Facebook prefers you keep them on their site, not bring them to yours. Video and image posts will almost always perform better than link posts—posts linking out to your content, for... --- ### 7 Common Mistakes That Are Destroying Your PPC Ad Conversion > Take a step back, reassess your approach and move forward more strategically keeping the this advice in mind. Over time, you'll begin to see your PPC ad conversion results take a turn for the better. - Published: 2018-01-05 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/common-mistakes-destryoing-ppc-ad-conversion/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing, Lead Generation Did you know that for every $92 you spend on acquiring new customers, a measly $1 goes toward actually converting them? That could have a lot to do with the fact that only 8 percent of people pay enough attention to online ads to actually click on them. That means you have a very tiny margin of error. Making a mistake on top of these low odds can make it even more challenging to get conversions. To help you avoid such errors for your own business, here are the top seven to watch for. Forgetting the human factor. One of the biggest mistakes business owners make is developing ads and marketing messages based on a faceless audience rather than the human beings they’re actually targeting. In fact, according to a recent report by Nielson, the biggest influencers of trust in advertising are those factors that resonate with human nature, such as humor, value-oriented and real-life situations. When creating ads, focus on speaking the language of your ideal customer and talk about what matters most to them. Not focusing on copy. Words are very powerful. If you’re not paying enough attention to things like bold headings, clear value propositions and strong, compelling calls to action, you are probably missing out on business as a result. Avoid using business jargon and keep your messages short, clear and easy to understand. Use power verbs that appeal to human emotion and create a sense of urgency whenever possible. If you really struggle in this... --- ### The Top 5 Things Millennials Want in the Workplace > Love it or hate it, millennials are the future, and they’re the pool from which companies need to select the bright young minds with the latest, in-demand skills. - Published: 2018-01-04 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-5-things-millennials-want-workplace/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship What do millennials want from an employer? Love it or hate it, millennials are the future, and they’re the pool from which companies need to select the bright young minds with the latest, in-demand skills. By 2020, 86 million millennials will be in the workplace, representing a 40 percent chunk of the working population, according to Intelligence Group. It pays to understand what the talented people of tomorrow want or ignore their needs at your bottom line’s peril. A Company with a Clear Mission According to Deloitte, seventy-six percent of millennials view business as a source of powerful and positive social impact. Millennial job candidates want to join an organization that sees a social role for itself. Companies with excellent employer brands have specific mission or vision statements. These statements are referential. They encompass the company’s reason for being. Look at some of the companies that have no problem securing applications from the most qualified twenty- and thirty-somethings. They all have mission statements. For example, Google isn’t just a search engine. It’s a company that wants to “organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. ” Understand your brand values, and use them to draw great candidates. A Collaborative and Innovative Culture Famous advertising exec Bill Bernbach said, “A principle isn’t a principle until it costs you money. ” Millennials put their money where their mouth is when it comes to company culture. According to a study by Fidelity, millennials are willing to take a $7,600 pay... --- ### 7 Q1 Initiatives Your Marketing Agency Can Use To Attract New Business Year Round > Want to rev up your revenue in 2018? Here’s what your marketing agency can do to achieve big time results in Q1. - Published: 2018-01-03 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-q1-initiatives-marketing-agency-can-use-attract-new-business/ - Categories: Agencies It’s a familiar problem for any marketing agency: So much time spent marketing your clients and not enough time marketing yourself. In the hustle and bustle of client conference calls, pitches, and brainstorming, it’s easy to shove the agency’s marketing onto the back burner. But when the work dies down, you’ll be counting on your lead acquisition channels. If you didn’t dedicate any time to developing them, those channels would be depressingly dry. Want to rev up your revenue in 2018? Here’s what you can do in Q1. Produce Compelling Case Studies Being too busy with client work to develop a marketing strategy is a pretty good problem to have. Make that problem part of the solution. Work on a case study outlining your successful projects. Tell a compelling story about how you met a client’s objectives. Include both qualitative and quantitative data about how your agency’s work produced results whether it was in the form of increased sales or added exposure. Release your case study in the new year, promote it on your website and social media channels, and use it to build credibility with potential clients. Arrange Speaking Gigs For Members of Your Agency Conferences are a great way to gain exposure and build authority. Go one step further than attending them. Arrange for your founder or the head of your design team to deliver a speech on what your marketing agency does differently. In this way, your agency reaches a large number of people, your brand benefits... --- ### The Importance of Analyzing Competitor PPC Strategies > Find the patterns, observe competitors' mistakes, and adopt their good ideas. All this information can help you to create your own PPC campaign and save your own time and money. - Published: 2018-01-02 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/importance-analyzing-competitors-ppc-strategies/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing, Lead Generation A guest blog from Anna Rud, Content Marketer at Serpstat. It’s important to put in extensive background work when it comes to shaping your PPC strategy. It’s equally important to do your research for an SEO strategy, but paid ads take not only your time and effort but also your money. This means you should be gathering exhaustive information about your niche before embarking on creating your strategy. What’s more, neither an SEO expert nor a how-to article can give you as much valuable and specific to your niche information as your competitors can. In this post, I’ll show you how to analyze your competitor’s PPC ads and how those results can help you shape your own strategy. What’s the plan? find your competitors; collect their ads; estimate the completeness and quality of the ads; figure out whether there are extensions; estimate the relevance of the ads; check if landing pages fit the ads; see if the keywords are relevant to the ads; evaluate competitors' remarketing; check if their ads are displaying on other devices, not only via laptop. Step #1: Preparations First and foremost, you should gather commercial queries your competitors are bidding on. It could be a list of your products, which you are going to promote through PPC advertising. For instance, “social media agency”, “pizza delivery”, “graphic design help”, etc. Create a spreadsheet If you’re doing a thorough data analysis, you must organize the data properly! I suggest creating a Google spreadsheet to collect all information together... --- ### A Small Business Owner’s Guide to New Year’s Resolutions > Focusing on making high-level New Year's resolutions that will truly help your business thrive, rather than to-dos like cleaning out your email inbox, can make a real difference in a period of uncertainty. - Published: 2018-01-01 - Modified: 2017-12-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-owners-guide-new-years-resolutions/ - Categories: Small Business January 1 is an exciting day for many business owners, as they get set to put brand-new plans for the coming 12 months into action. That could be especially true this year, given that 2017 was such a good year for many firms. In the recent Capital One Growth Index, 60% of small business owners said that current business conditions are good or excellent, and 37% reported being in a better financial position than a year ago, up from 31% from earlier in the year. Nonetheless, we’re in a period of rapid change that makes it a little trickier to plan for the coming year than in the past. Focusing on making high-level resolutions that will truly help your business thrive, rather than to-dos like cleaning out your email inbox, can make a real difference in a period of uncertainty. Here are some factors to consider in your resolutions so you have an amazing year in 2018. Taxes. Most of us would rather not think about taxes, but they’re a fact of life—and a costly one—for many small business owners. Taxes were the top concern for small business owners in the coming year in the Capital One Growth Index, cited by 45%. With tax reform on the table, small business owners may well see a tax cut in 2018, but don’t count on legislative change alone to free the cash you need to reinvest in your business this year. If you don’t have a great accountant who is helping you... --- ### 6 Reasons Your Small Business Must Utilize Email Marketing > We’re programmed to do something with an email. If you’re not already using email marketing as part of your marketing mix -- it’s time get started. - Published: 2017-12-29 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-reasons-small-business-must-utilize-email-marketing/ - Categories: Email Marketing, Small Business Forty-two percent. That’s the number of Americans who check their email in the bathroom, according to Adobe. Ninety-one percent say they check their email at work, and 70 percent check their email while watching television, according to that same report. And that’s not even getting into the number of people who check their email while in bed, while on vacation, or even while driving. Here’s some more interesting news: Those coveted millennials are just as obsessed with email. If these stats aren’t enough to convince you that your small business needs to utilize email marketing, here are five more reasons to win you over. People Engage With Email We’re programmed to do something with an email. We’ll read it, skim it, click through it, mark it as spam, or delete it. While those aren’t all desirable options, if you think about it for longer than the time it takes to sigh at the word “spam,” you’ll realize something: An email holds a reader’s attention long enough for them to somehow engage with it. In other words, you have a chance. Unlike social media where people scroll by your posts at mega speed, a recipient will at least read the subject line of your email. You have a shot at convincing them your email is worth reading. That’s the kind of challenge any marketer or copywriter should embrace. Email Offers a Personalized Form of Correspondence Hooray! You did it. You got someone to join your mailing list and agree to receive... --- ### 10 Characteristics of Steadfast Leaders > While leaders can be exceptionally different when compared at face value, there are a number of similar traits which dynamic leaders have in common. - Published: 2017-12-28 - Modified: 2017-12-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/characteristics-steadfast-leaders/ - Categories: Leadership You instantly know when you’re in the company of a strong leader. They exude a certain quality that makes everyone stop and check themselves to ensure they are representing themselves and their organization in the very best way possible. While leaders can be exceptionally different when compared at face value, there are a number of similar traits which dynamic leaders have in common. Effective Communication Being able to communicate efficiently needs to be at the top of the list. You rarely meet a strong leader who is unable to communicate persuasively. Leaders are quick to inspire and motivate their team through their words, yet on the same token, come across as excellent listeners. They maintain an open door policy so their team has the chance to speak to them whenever they need, and gain feedback if necessary. Confidence Strong leaders are self-assured and prepared for whatever challenges come their way. They are not arrogant, just quietly committed to whatever lies ahead. If they do get nervous, they have learned to hide it well. Good leaders are only too happy to credit their team for the work that has been done. They also know that the success of their team is a reflection of their personal success. Accountability While a leader may be able to relax and let their hair down with their colleagues, they continuously maintain a sense of responsibility for all their actions and that of others. When things are going well, they are quick to praise and encourage.... --- ### 6 Tips for Creating an Airtight Privacy Policy > Laws affecting online business owners differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but one thing is abundantly clear: Everyone with a website who’s collecting information from their visitors needs a privacy policy. - Published: 2017-12-27 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-creating-airtight-privacy-policy/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Laws affecting online business owners differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but one thing is abundantly clear: Everyone with a website who’s collecting information from their visitors needs a privacy policy. You could be a booming e-commerce site featured in Forbes or a blogger sharing interior decorating tips for a small community of friends, family, and fellow design enthusiasts. If you’re collecting data, you’re affecting a visitor’s privacy. Now, modern online marketing relies on visitor and customer data. Bloggers collect email addresses, e-commerce sites store financial transaction details and B2B businesses store email addresses captured from lead magnets. And most people on the internet know websites collect information about them. That said, they want to know what exactly they’re collecting and what they’re using it for. So long as you’re straightforward about your data collection and usage, the tips below should help you write a solid privacy policy. Keep in mind, however, that if your business operates in a regulated industry (i. e. insurance, health care) you may have stricter privacy guidelines and would be well-advised to consult a legal expert. Don’t confuse your readers. When you hear “privacy policy” the words that come to mind are likely “dense,” “complicated,” “legalese. ” This is not what you want for your privacy policy. A site visitor should be able to read your policy and leave confident that they know what you’re doing with their information. Write your privacy policy in a clear, straightforward manner. This advice doesn’t just apply to your wording.... --- ### 7 Ways Marketing Automation Can Save Your Agency Time > Whether it’s for your agency, or for your client’s business, implementing a marketing automation software can help you save time and money. - Published: 2017-12-26 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-ways-marketing-automation-can-save-agency-time/ - Categories: Agencies, Marketing Automation Marketing automation is just that; a way to automate your marketing actions. Many reasons why people look to automate processes and other tactics is merely to save time. But often saving time means saving money, too. Whether it’s for your agency, or for your client’s business, implementing a marketing automation software can help you save time and money. Here are just a few of the ways you can do so, CONTENT MANAGEMENT Now more than ever an emphasis is being placed on the value of your content; whether that’s the content you’re creating for your agency, or for your clients. Prospects and customers want to be targeted specifically based on their interests, or they’ll pass you up for your competition. Marketing automation can help you manage that content efficiently and save your agency time by connecting the right content with the right leads. Below are several ways marketing automation software supports your agency's content management: Dynamic Content What is it? Dynamic Content is smart content and your secret weapon. It adapts to the behaviors and interests of the lead, based on website data it gathers from your leads and customers. The content can be personalized based on the lead’s request or previous visits to your website. It also allows leads to submit information back to you, which will help you gain additional information on that lead’s behavior. Gone are the days of irrelevant content, folks. And better yet, updating the materials is a lot simpler and less time consuming than... --- ### 8 Steps To Achieving Your Business's New Year’s Resolutions More Quickly > New Year’s resolutions tend to get a bad rap people make them and then fail to get past January before they give up on them altogether. - Published: 2017-12-25 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-steps-achieving-businesss-new-years-resolutions-quickly/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Christmas is here, and all the focus is on gift giving, finishing up the to-do list and planning for the year ahead. It is also the time when people consider changes they wish to make in their business and often these come in the form of New Year’s resolutions. However, New Year’s resolutions tend to get a bad rap because of the number of people who make them and then fail to get past January before they give up on them altogether. When it comes to your business resolutions, you might want to think about taking a different approach. Set Milestones The best resolutions are quantifiable. Rather than say you want to grow your customer base, pick a specific number to aim for and then make it happen. Opt for a quantifiable resolution that is achievable sooner rather than later. You don’t want to spend all of January trying to reach your February goals. And, don’t forget, once you reach them, take the time out of your busy schedule to celebrate your successes. Make it Viable If you spend the whole year trying to reach your goal only to find that it is so far beyond your reach, it can be a real de-motivator. Goals should be able to be achieved – otherwise, you are just aiming for a pie in the sky. There is absolutely no benefit in trying to aim for unattainable goals. If it is a large goal, then break it down into smaller increments, so it... --- ### 7 Strategies to Increase Your Email Engagement Rate > The more effort you put in on the forefront, the better your email engagement rate will be. Here are seven strategies to help you get people clicking. - Published: 2017-12-22 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/strategies-increase-email-engagement-rate/ - Categories: Email Marketing Despite the popularity of social media, email remains one of if not the most effective tool for marketing today. But with the number of emails being sent and received expected to top out at around 246 billion by the year 2019, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. What can you do to improve the odds that not only will you get your audience to open your messages, but the content within will compel them to take action? Here are seven strategies that will help you break through the clutter and get people clicking. Start with a quality list. When it comes to successful email marketing campaigns, it’s more about quality than quantity. In fact, if you’re sending your messages to people who aren’t likely to convert, you’re probably losing money and jeopardizing your deliverability. Focus on building a strong list of permission-based leads. You’ll send fewer messages, but your success rate will be much higher. Make it personal. One study by Experian revealed that personalized emails have a 29 percent higher open rate and a 41 percent higher unique click-through rate than generic messages. This doesn’t mean you have to create a different message for each recipient, but focusing on things like friendly tone, incorporating the recipient’s first name, and sending from a real person vs. your company name can all create a more personalized feel. Your CRM should provide you with plenty of data to further personalize your campaigns. Craft killer subject lines. Think of your subject... --- ### 5 Best Books for Servant Leaders > Here are five books to help you explore the idea of servant leadership, so you can achieve your personal best as a leader in 2018. - Published: 2017-12-21 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-books-for-servant-leaders/ - Categories: Leadership The short, dark days of winter are the perfect time to curl up under a cozy blanket with a great book. And, as the New Year approaches, it’s the ideal season to reflect on how you performed as a leader the past 12 months and to look for ways to build on your strengths in the days ahead. Many entrepreneurs aim for what Robert Greenleaf first described in his essay The Servant as a Leader. As he put it, servant leadership “begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions. ” The servant-leader model is more relevant than ever today, when lately it seems there is a headline every day about leaders who have misused their power and forgotten about the mission of serving. At the thriving companies you admire, the chances are good that there is a servant leader at the helm. Here are five books to help you explore the idea of servant leadership, so you can achieve your personal best as a leader in 2018. Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness 25th Anniversary Edition by Robert Greenleaf Reading (or re-reading) Greenleaf’s classic book is a great place to start thinking about what servant leadership means today. Greenleaf, who passed away in... --- ### 6 Networking Apps Every Salesperson Needs > These networking apps can help salespeople in a variety of ways, particularly with smoother conversations and broader opportunities. - Published: 2017-12-20 - Modified: 2017-12-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-networking-apps-every-salesperson-needs/ - Categories: Sales Some say all you need to succeed is a great idea. But try walking into a pitch meeting with just a great idea—no pitch deck, no slideshow, no razzle, no dazzle. You might be pitching the next Uber, but good luck convincing your audience. Sales has become a game of efficiency and flash—and that means technology. It goes without saying that certain apps are a useful tool for anyone in business. And because a salesman’s worth is so often determined by their leads, the concept of networking—once the ultimate marker of sheer personality—has also become reliant, to an extent, on tech. Not that apps are replacing charm anytime soon. (Until someone comes out with an app for artificial personality enhancement, God help us. ) But they can help salespeople in a variety of ways, particularly with smoother networking and broader opportunities. Besides, if nothing else, you’ll look like you’re sitting on the cutting edge of modern salesmanship. So if you’re in sales, make sure you’ve got these apps handy on your phone. LinkedIn Let’s start with the most basic networking app of all: our dear old friend LinkedIn. Despite bafflingly low brand engagement rates, LinkedIn remains the industry standard for meeting people who might give you a job. If you’re a frequent user, you may be familiar with the premium version, which, for a few hundred dollars a year, allows you greater flexibility to see and message people with whom you’re not yet connected. It’s a viable investment if you... --- ### Is It Time To Reevaluate Your Small Business Budget? > Without a well-planned small business budget, your ship can quickly veer off course and into choppy and unchartered waters. - Published: 2017-12-19 - Modified: 2017-12-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/time-reevaluate-small-business-budget/ - Categories: Small Business There are so many things you need to take into account when you run a small business. On some days, you may even feel like you are a juggler balancing an extraordinary number of rings in the air. Each ring has a name: customer service, budgets, cash flow, sales and marketing. If you aren’t careful, all of them could tumble to the ground in an instant. Don’t worry, many business owners can relate; you are definitely not alone. So, if you feel like your small business budget is in a pinch, ask yourself these nine questions. Is cash flow an issue? Your budget, in particular, must be a major concern as it has a knock-on effect on all the other areas of your business. If cash flow is a problem or marketing funds are tight, then your budget could be to blame. Your budget is your financial plan allowing you to estimate your sales and expenses, cover the wages and support your plans for growth. Is there a discrepancy in the actual costs vs. the projected costs? As you move through the year, you should be looking to your budget on a regular basis and noting actual costs next to the projected costs. The difference between the two should provide valuable information. If there is a huge discrepancy between your columns, then it may be time to reevaluate your small business budget. Is it the New Year or end of financial year? Budgets ought to be regularly re-assessed whether it... --- ### 10 Helpful Apps to Streamline Your Freelance Business > If there’s anything you can do to save more time, you’ll do it. Here's a list of our favorite apps that will help you streamline your freelance business. - Published: 2017-12-18 - Modified: 2024-03-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-apps-streamline-freelance-business/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Are you the type of freelancer that views time as your friend, or your enemy? I think most freelancers can at least agree that time is your most valuable commodity, mainly because of the many different roles you lead throughout the day and the #1 freelancer rule — your time is money. How you charge, and how efficient you use your time, both increase your bottom dollar. If there’s anything you can do to have more time, you’ll likely take it. That’s why we came up with a list of our favorite apps that will help you streamline your solopreneur business and give you back some of that precious time. PROJECT MANAGEMENT Project management is a core function of your business. And good project management helps you complete your projects and deliverables on time. Not only do you need applications for lists and scheduling, but communication, too. Get started with these three apps below. Trello This project management app allows you to create specific boards that you can share with clients or other collaborators. Each board has the ability for you to add tasks, assign people to those tasks and instill deadlines. It's also super easy and intuitive to move tasks around when priorities change. There is a chat function within Trello, which allows you to comment and add notes, ultimately eliminating those long email chains. It also syncs with your devices — from mobile, to tablet to desktop. If there's one tool I've mentioned to people throughout my years... --- ### How to Encourage Employee Work-Life Balance During the Holidays > How can you encourage your employees to take leave during the holidays to fit in with your work schedule and make their work-life balance a priority? - Published: 2017-12-15 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/encourage-employee-work-life-balance-during-holidays/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship The holiday season is a time for employees to recharge and relax so they can start the new year off strong. Depending on the nature of your business, your company may completely shut down over Christmas, be run by a skeleton staff or act as if it’s business as usual. So, how can you encourage your employees to take leave during the holidays to fit in with your work schedule and make their work-life balance a priority? Educate them. Sit the team down and educate them on the importance of work-life balance on a physical and emotional level. Get an expert in if necessary. Explain that for them to be able to handle the busy year ahead, they need to take holiday leave as a reward for all their efforts throughout the year. Many companies are now canceling the end-of-year rollover to urge their employees to take vacation days around the holiday. Suggest they use their leave as a priority to enable them to be more productive on their return. Give travel and hotel vouchers as an incentive. Time off is not the only thing you can give your people this holiday season. Rather than handing out cash bonuses, give travel vouchers and hotel gift cards instead to encourage your team members to take a little time around holiday or do something out of the ordinary. By investing in your team, they will be more productive and engaged in the long run. In fact, you may want to consider making... --- ### The Overwhelming Importance of an Annual Digital Marketing Budget > To alleviate some of the annual budget burden, we’ve compiled a comprehensive digital marketing budget worksheet for you to use in your planning. - Published: 2017-12-14 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/importance-annual-digital-marketing-budget/ - Categories: Marketing It’s that time of the year again. Business may be slowing down, and you’re knocking those year-end tasks off your list. But are you ready for what’s on the horizon? With the state of the over-saturated web, it’s important that all of your digital marketing initiatives are top of mind. You may not have them planned down to a T, but based on analyzing your results, you should have some idea of what you’re strategizing for the new year. Budgets can be daunting though. You don’t want to overspend or under plan, and a budget is imperative to make sure your team understands expectations and can plan their to-do lists accordingly. So where do you begin? First, review this year's performance by asking a few important questions. What worked? And more importantly, what didn’t? Have you identified the best channels to reach your radical buyer? Where are your competitors putting their program spend? How is the digital marketing landscape for your industry changing in the new year? Once you’ve found the answers to all of these questions, you can break down your marketing program spend into the appropriate channels. Just because you’ve seen results in a specific channel this year doesn’t mean you should put all of your budget eggs into one basket. A year is a long time, and results are likely to change on a whim. Understand that a budget is fluid and can be changed to some degree, but if you all of a sudden have a... --- ### Is Your Thinking Scalable Enough? > Thanks to digital technology and the growth of inexpensive marketing automation tools, it is very possible to scale your revenue without adding employees. - Published: 2017-12-13 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/entrepreneur-thinking-scalable/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship A guest post by Elaine Pofeldt, author of The Million-Dollar One-Person Business. Many people think that scaling up and running a one-person business are mutually exclusive ideas. That might have been true years ago, when the best way to grow a business was by hiring employees, but that reality has changed for many entrepreneurs. Thanks to digital technology, abundant freelance platforms, and the growth of inexpensive marketing automation tools, it is very possible to scale your revenue without adding legions of employees. That reality presents exciting possibilities for small business owners who have not yet achieved the cash-flow where they can add payroll or would rather collaborate with contractors than be a boss. As I discovered in researching my upcoming book The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business (Random House, Jan. 2, 2018) and reporting on ultra-lean businesses in my journalism work, there are many entrepreneurs who are growing their firms to seven-figure revenue without adding payroll. In 2015, 35,584 “nonemployer” firms hit $1 million to $2. 49 million in revenue—up 33% since 2011—according to U. S. Census data. Nonemployer firms whose owners are the sole employees. So why are the owners of these firms able to scale their revenues so successfully? Here are three factors I’ve observed: They ignore the status quo. Owners of high-revenue, ultra-lean businesses are highly independent thinkers. They don’t let what others have done before them dictate how they will run their businesses and look at their businesses in ways that are genuinely fresh. That enables them to... --- ### Out of the Box Holiday Gift Ideas for Employees and Clients > Here are our top out of the box holiday gift ideas that will show you care without blowing your budget. - Published: 2017-12-12 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-client-holiday-gift-ideas/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship You’ve been searching long and hard for a gift that will show how much you appreciate your employees and clients. But you’re more than a bit concerned that it might be viewed as dull or trite. You could buy a gourmet gift basket, but what if they have dietary restrictions? And a bottle of scotch wouldn’t go down particularly well with the teetotalers. Remember that a holiday gift is a gesture of your appreciation. It doesn’t have to be expensive to make a significant impact. The holiday season is the time of year where the thought really does count. Here are our top out of the box holiday gift ideas that will show you care without blowing your budget. Grocery or department store cards With the added expenses during the holiday season, grocery or department store gift cards are very welcome by many. It allows your employees to purchase a few luxury items without blowing their budget. It could be a massive hit with the clients and could keep them in biscuits and coffee the entire year. Or if you would prefer to be more generic, you could opt for a personalized visa card. Monthly Gift Subscription There are so many great gift subscription boxes at the moment, and it is truly a wonderful idea as it keeps on coming throughout the year. Consider a monthly tea or coffee box – something that will be used and appreciated rather than an item that just sits in the corner gathering dust.... --- ### 4 Important Skills For Digital Marketers in 2018 > In 2018, a wise digital marketer will understand what areas to keep on top of and what’s worth studying up on in the coming 12 months. - Published: 2017-12-11 - Modified: 2022-07-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-skills-digital-marketer-2018/ - Categories: Marketing What’s your new year’s resolution? Hitting the gym more? Eating better? Saving more money? Living out fewer eye-rollingly obvious stereotypes of new year’s resolutions? Sure, sure. But what about being a better digital marketer? With digital sucking up more marketing dollars than ever before (forecasted to exceed $100 billion worldwide by 2020, according to eMarketer. com), innovation is the driving force. Never before have new media existed so rapidly, forcing marketers to simultaneously be experts in past platforms and students of new ones. In 2018, that means wise marketers will understand what areas to keep on top of and what’s worth studying up on in the coming 12 months. Stay On Top of the Basics We’re talking content marketing, SEO and analytics. These have been core tenets of digital marketing for years, and their viability is not diminishing. The fundamentals will likely remain the same in 2018, and your most important skills will be staying on top of them. SEO and content marketing go hand in hand, and search engines (hello, Google) are constantly changing the way their algorithms work. By checking in with your targeted keywords and SERPs, you can adjust your own work to reflect any possible changes coming up in 2018. Keeping minute records of your analytics will help, too. In a world where slight fluctuations beyond your control can cost you search and social presence, the only safeguard you have is to understand your own situation, KPIs and past performance numbers. Next-Level Social Social media companies... --- ### The Ultimate Guide to Holiday Emails > It’s a busy time of year for everyone—including your customers—so trying to catch their attention with holiday emails can be a struggle. - Published: 2017-12-08 - Modified: 2018-11-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ultimate-guide-holiday-emails/ - Categories: Email Marketing For many small businesses, the holiday season is the most lucrative of the year. According to the National Retail Federation, brands can sell as much as 30 percent of their total annual income coming during November and December alone, and year-over-year sales are generally increasing across the board. So how can you stay on top of it? Email marketing is one of the most efficient tactics here. It’s a busy time of year for everyone—including your customers—so trying to catch their attention with banner ads or content marketing might not work, since they have less attention to give. Emails, at least, get delivered straight to them, popping up on their phones and in their inboxes with your message. Since everyone’s scrambling to find a good present anyway, it’s a great time to surprise them with a way out of their problems. So how can you optimize your email strategy to bring in the best results this holiday season? Step 1: Cut Through the Spam Headlines are always the trickiest to nail down, and that’s why we encourage A/B testing them as often as possible. But during the holiday season in particular, you’ll need to cut through the inbox spam with personality and personalization. Try personal references, clever lines, emojis or blunt offers in your headlines. Think about a problem your ideal customer might be facing and how you can solve it. Put yourself in their shoes and consider the language that would be most appropriate—something comforting, encouraging or clear. At... --- ### 8 Elements You Should Look For On Every Resume > Resumes tell stories. And unless you know how to read them properly, you’re missing out on half of what they have to say. - Published: 2017-12-07 - Modified: 2024-10-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-elements-look-every-resume/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Anyone running a small business can tell you what an intimate and daunting act it is to hire someone new. You’re hiring for talent and skill, of course, but you're also trying to make that perfect culture fit so you don’t have any conflicts with your current staff. No pressure, but if you make a bad decision, you’ll have to live with the consequences and most likely be forced into a difficult conversation—which will lead you to the beginning of the cycle all over again. So how do you mitigate that outcome? Sure, you know on the surface what you’re looking for in a resume, but that’s not enough. Resumes tell stories. And unless you know how to read them, you’re missing out on half of what they have to say. Look for a logical progression. Consider your candidate’s last few jobs. Have they progressed in their job titles? Have they taken on more responsibility? Have they been promoted? Sometimes, at a certain point, people will plateau, shifting from job to job at the same level. That’s not necessarily a bad thing—it means they might excel at their duties—but in a small-business environment, you’ll generally want self-starters who can thrive and exceed expectations. Look for hard data, not fluff. Compare the two following sentences: “I was in charge of optimizing our website for conversions with ROI goals as per strict KPI metrics,” versus, “I grew our website traffic by more than 50% year-over-year for three years, which helped earn me... --- ### 6 Tips To Improve Your Holiday Messaging > One way to stand out amongst your competitors is through your content. So, ‘tis the season...to improve your holiday messaging. - Published: 2017-12-06 - Modified: 2017-12-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-tips-improve-holiday-messaging/ - Categories: Marketing Between Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, many consumers are bombarded with emails, offers, sales and promotions from all of the different products and services they use or have used. This makes it pretty challenging to differentiate yourself from competitors and get consumers to purchase your products and services over others, especially if it becomes just another annoying email in their inbox during a time of year that everyone is stressed and short on time. One way to stand out amongst your competitors is through your content. So, ‘tis the season... to improve your holiday messaging! Let’s focus on email marketing, one of the most popular ways to communicate to consumers. 1. Use your CRM to Customize Holiday Messages Having a CRM system is an absolute must. The software allows you to store customer and prospect contact information, accounts, leads and opportunities in one central location. This system will segment your consumers into various categories such as a product of interest, gender, and location. For example, let’s say you manage an apparel store. When you’re developing your campaign, you’re able to differentiate your holiday offers to folks in Florida (think bathing suits and beach towels) versus those in New York (winter hats and mittens! ) The ability to specifically target these individuals will give you a higher success rate when closing sales this holiday season. 2. Pay Particular Attention to Writing Email Subject Lines A strong subject line should entice the recipient to open your email. This is more important during the... --- ### 7 Ways to Throw a Successful Company Holiday Party > Every office is different, and there’s no particular right way or wrong way to tackle it – just do what is best for your team and your office environment. - Published: 2017-12-05 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-ways-throw-successful-company-holiday-party/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship While client gifts may be at the forefront of your mind this holiday season, throwing a company party can be a lot of fun if handled properly. If you can hold a party which is appropriate for all levels of employees, without blowing the budget, then you’re halfway there. While you may have been involved in a horror holiday party yourself, it doesn’t have to be that way. With a bit of creativity, you can meet everyone’s expectations and even be able to let your hair down yourself. Every office is different, and there’s no particular right way or wrong way to tackle it – just do what is best for your team and your office environment. So if you’re feeling the pressure and want to put together an event that everyone will remember, read on for helpful planning tips. Start Early If you intend to host a holiday party, then the reality is you need to start planning today (or better yet, yesterday). There are so many great reasons to throw a party; the most important being that your associates, colleagues or employees probably have earned it. More than anything, planning the event early allows you to lock in a date and choose a suitable venue. For those with kids, late December may be challenging to navigate due to school events and festivities. Just remember, the earlier you begin the brainstorming, the more options you’ll have. Plan an activity While a holiday party may be part of your corporate... --- ### 3 Ways Artificial Intelligence Can Boost CRM Initiatives > Here are three areas where business decision-makers can leverage Artificial Intelligence within their CRM platforms to great effect. - Published: 2017-12-04 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/artificial-intelligence-boost-crm-initiatives-2017-12/ - Categories: CRM While customer relationship management systems have made data accessible, manually processing and analyzing that data is prohibitively time- and resource-consuming for many businesses. Conversely, by using artificial intelligence, you can go through reams of data and come away with more than just a migraine. AI makes intelligent connections to tell team members who is buying what and what they’re most likely to buy in the future. The result is not only a better conversion rate and improved productivity, but also better relationships with customers. CRMs have traditionally been limited to legacy reports — sales funnel analysis, revenue generated, etc. — but AI promises to take metrics to the next level, providing information on things like the patterns of customer emails and the best time for the sales team to engage with new customers. IDC predicts that utilizing AI in a CRM capacity will increase global business revenue by $1. 1 trillion between 2017 and 2021. Read Jonathan's full article on Tech. co. --- ### 12 Ways to Prevent Your Sales Reps From Burning Out > It is crucial to identify causes and create strategies to prevent burnout before it happens. While no one is immune, these tips will go a long way. - Published: 2017-12-01 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/12-ways-to-prevent-your-sales-reps-from-burning-out/ - Categories: Sales Being a sales rep is a challenging, high-pressure job. The reality is that every day, salespeople get smacked in the face with rejection a heck of a lot more than they get acceptance. If stress is not managed well, then there is a good chance your sales reps will hit the wall, and burnout can occur. What is burnout? Burnout is a person’s response to a negative situation caused by many emotional and personal demands. It is not caused by one thing in particular but rather by a buildup of numerous circumstances and factors. What are the causes of burnout? Burnout occurs for a number of reasons: An overwhelming to-do list Conflict in the role and with fellow employees Lack of mentorship and coaching Ineffective sales tools and resources Lack of incentives and rewards Lack of positive feedback Little decision-making or responsibilities Consistent interaction with unhappy customers or prospects What are the signs? Are your reps exhausted? Then it is a sure tail sign that they are on the road to burnout. Your sales reps may find that they are unable to motivate themselves at the start of the day and always feel tired, despite a good night’s sleep. Their commitment to the business may be fading and most likely lead to looking for their next gig. Negative emotions such as bitterness, cynicism, disillusionment, self-loathing and sarcasm will rise to the forefront. A burnt out employee will struggle to be confident about his or her work situation and will achieve... --- ### 6 Impressive Ways To Follow Up After an Agency Pitch > After your agency pitch, be patient, but proactive and prompt. Allow time for the prospect to respond, but stay on top of it. - Published: 2017-11-30 - Modified: 2017-11-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/follow-up-after-agency-pitch/ - Categories: Agencies You just finished a new business pitch you spent weeks preparing for. It features your most impressive team and work, the budget has been massaged to perfection, and you think it's the perfect package that your client wants. On all accounts, you think you made a good impression. You also really want the business. But, after scanning the room and hoping for feedback from your prospects, you’re not getting a sense of which direction they might be leaning. Maybe they need time to think it through. You thank them for their time and wait to hear. Now what? It’s time to start planning your follow-up. You don’t want to appear too pushy or desperate. The way you choose to communicate with your prospects afterward will give them an idea of what it would be like working with you and your agency. Be patient, but proactive and prompt. Allow time for the prospect to respond, but stay on top of it. Each time you reach out, be sure to provide value (get familiar with their industry, likes/dislikes and include some of that information in your follow-up). No matter which follow-up strategy you decide to go with, remember it’s always good to recap the most important points that were discussed (keep it short! ). Below are a few ideas you and your team and kick around to find out the best way to follow up post-pitch. 1. Standard There’s always the standard email follow up a few days after you pitched the... --- ### 3 Time Management Tools Specifically Made For Your Sales Team > If you’d like to upgrade your current processes, consider offering a few of these time management tools to your sales team. - Published: 2017-11-29 - Modified: 2022-12-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/time-management-tools-sales-team/ - Categories: Sales Salespeople have a restless energy for pitching products and closing deals. The more time they spend making calls and building relationships, the better. But this kind of environment only exists in a perfect world where salespeople focus solely on selling and administrative tasks handle themselves. You can’t completely eliminate time-sucking chores, but you can certainly limit their impact with the right tools. If you’d like to upgrade your current processes, consider offering a few of these time management tools to your sales team. Leadcrunch What do you do if you’ve got a wicked sales team but not enough leads that are worth their while? Do you let your sales team watch the minutes tick by until marketing produces leads worth pursuing? Do you direct them to do a little marketing work themselves and spend time prospecting? Both options are a waste of time. The first one is a bad idea for obvious reasons. The second choice is a no-no because you are not paying your sales team to generate leads. You’re paying them to convert leads. Leadcrunch helps B2B businesses generate quality leads using artificial intelligence. At the moment, Leadcrunch only helps businesses who wish to target U. S. -based businesses. You simply upload your best customers and Leadcrunch uses that info to find more like them. SMARTASSISTANT If you offer a wide range of products and numerous customizations, even your best rep will find it challenging to keep up. That said, if sales reps can quickly determine how to... --- ### 5 Tips for Beating End-Of-Year Customer Churn > It’s the end of the year, and your customers are busier than ever. They might not even remember signing up for your service—and if they do, it’s possible - Published: 2017-11-28 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/end-of-year-customer-churn/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship It’s the end of the year, and your customers are busier than ever. They might not even remember signing up for your service—and if they do, it’s possible they don’t have the patience to figure out the system if they’re new, or your product very well may slip from their minds entirely if it’s not yet firmly part of their regular habits. And so, customer churn sets in. What is customer churn? It’s a complicated metric used to describe a simple act—people dropping off from your product. It’s most worrisome with SaaS products, for which returning users are critical for growth, but other small businesses can look at churn rates as well, including media companies, agencies, and other subscription-based companies. So, what if your churn rate is so high that it’s troublesome? There are steps you can take to mitigate customer loss. Read Jonathan's full article on Fundera Ledger. --- ### 6 Strategies To Help You Brainstorm Better > Brainstorming sessions often end with half-baked ideas, few action items, and team members who resent the interruption.This is not the outcome you want. - Published: 2017-11-27 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/strategies-help-brainstorm-better/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Brainstorming has been a part of how businesses generate ideas for decades. With so much creative and technical talent within an organization, it only makes sense to throw a portion of that in the same room and see what happens. Disappointingly, brainstorming sessions often end with half-baked ideas, few action items, and team members who resent the interruption. This is not the outcome you want. How can your team change its methods to spur more successful brainstorming sessions? Be realistic about your organization’s limitations. More often than not, brainstorming sessions are the equivalent of throwing different colors of paint on a canvas and hoping the end result is something magnificent. Usually, it’s just an unhelpful mess. Resist the temptation to have an unbounded session and come in with a clear understanding of the session’s limitations to share with participants. In a 2011 McKinsey article, authors Kevin P. Coyne and Shawn T. Coyne used the example of a banking company that led a brainstorming session where ideas had to require no more than $5000 investment per branch. The ideas also could not require additional regulatory approvals. Once the participants knew their parameters, they generated useful ideas that they could act upon. The session was a success. Alternatively, another bank brainstormed with fewer limits and came up with a fantastic solution to a problem... a solution that would require a new IT system when the bank had already locked into one IT system for a year and a half. For actionable ideas,... --- ### 4 Small Business Websites That Get It Right - And How You Can, Too > We combed the web and found four stellar small business websites - along with commentary on what makes them great and how you can achieve similar results. - Published: 2017-11-24 - Modified: 2024-04-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-websites/ - Categories: Marketing Making a website is easier than ever. Squarespace, Wordpress, Wix and Weebly have empowered small businesses to create exceptional digital spaces for little to no money, an unthinkable advancement from the days when personal sites were restricted to Angelfire and Geocities. Now, even if you have no graphic or web design skills, you can buy a theme that’s basically ready-made out of the box. But therein lies the problem for small business owners. Even if you have free tools and awesome templates - you’re probably not a web designer. And you might not want to shell out the cash to hire one. So, with little to no experience, how do you create a unique digital presence that gets noticed in a sea of out-of-the-box design? We’ve combed the web and found four stellar small business websites you can learn from - along with some commentary on what makes them great and advice on how to create them (or something like them) with small business skills and a small business budget. Moving Waldo What is it? If you’re moving soon, you’re probably dreading having to change your address repeatedly: at the bank, at school, where you work, with the government, on invoice templates and credit cards and everywhere else. Moving Waldo is a brilliant Canadian service that’s partnered with thousands of institutions—you tell Waldo where you’re moving, and they alert the relevant places. Why is their website great? Just scroll through the simple three-step process outlined on their homepage and you’ll... --- ### 4 Platforms You Can Use to Give Back Year Round > With these four nonprofit tools, you (and your employees) can make charitable giving a priority throughout the entire year. - Published: 2017-11-23 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-tools-to-give-back-year-round/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship The season of thanks is here again, and your business probably has a lot to be grateful for. But the holidays are sure to mean that you’re short on time personally and professionally. The undue pressure of wanting to give back and balancing everything during this busy time of year is avoidable. With these four tools, you (and your employees) can make charitable giving a priority year round. 1. Givable Givable is a newer donation app on the scene. The app, which was created in our hometown (St. Louis, Missouri), “empowers individuals and businesses to fuel change by making giving easy, social, and interactive. ” We participate in Givable here at Hatchbuck, and the team loves it. Because two of our company values are “Do the right thing” and “Make a difference,” Givable is a company-sponsored effort at Hatchbuck. It’s a phenomenal way for us Hatchbuckers to feel like we’re making some impact every day. Givable sends a daily email with two new charities that they’ve carefully vetted to be recipients of that day’s gift. Each team member gets to choose one of the two charities to donate to. It’s amazing to learn more about organizations in St. Louis (and across the country) and to see the daily impact (no matter how small) that we can make for so many deserving charities. 2. Charity Miles Tracking steps is all the rage these days. I’ve had a Garmin watch, a FitBit and have now settled on the Apple Watch, but what... --- ### 5 Questions to Ask When Evaluating a CRM > You may have already reached the realization that a CRM can benefit your business in a number of ways, but the decision to adopt new technology is only - Published: 2017-11-22 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-questions-ask-evaluating-crm/ - Categories: CRM You may have already reached the realization that a CRM can benefit your business in a number of ways, but the decision to adopt new technology is only half the battle. The next and perhaps most important step is choosing what tool to use. All it takes is a simple Google search to see that when it comes to CRMs, the options are many. So, how can you know which is the right fit for your business? To help you maximize your investment, here are seven key things to consider. What features do you need? Deciding on any software usually entails two things: what you need and what you want. The most important step is identifying your specific business needs. To determine this, define what you’d like to accomplish with your CRM. Then figure out which features will help you achieve those goals. From there, you can then list out the extra features that aren’t necessary but would be a nice perk. Is it flexible and agile? Where your business is today is not necessarily where it will be fifteen, five or even three years from now. It’s wise to consider your growth plans whenever you’re evaluating a CRM solution. The last thing you want is to end up having to search for a new solution every time your business needs change. Even if you don’t have any specific plans to grow or expand, it’s still a good idea to choose a solution that offers flexibility and the ability to... --- ### What Do People Really Think About Your Small Business Brand? > Your small business doesn’t need to be a worldwide name to have a strong brand. And there’s more to your brand than just a logo and catchy tagline. - Published: 2017-11-21 - Modified: 2022-08-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/opinion-small-business-brand/ - Categories: Marketing Your small business doesn’t need to be a worldwide name to have a strong brand. And there’s more to your brand than just a logo and catchy tagline. Your small business brand is everything your company does, your products or services and your customers’ experience. You should think of your brand as the total experience package from the moment your potential customers hear about and interact with your brand, all the way through purchase and post-purchase. And the way consumers perceive your brand can be the difference between make it and break it in the tough world of small business. But, how do you measure your small business brand to know what you need to change or improve on? There are many ways to understand where you stand in the market with your customers, and how you measure up to competitors. Net Promoter Score is a worldwide standard of measurement used to show how willing your customers are to recommend your business to their friends, family or colleagues. It uses an index ranging from -100 to 100, asking questions such as "How likely are you to recommend this product to your friend? " One being not likely and 10 being very likely. For more qualitative information, leave an open comment box for survey-users to expand on their rating of your business. You can get in front of a lot of customers with this approach. Focus groups are a great way to understand feedback regarding your brand and your competitors. Through... --- ### 7 Tips for Giving Your Team Holiday Paid Time Off While Keeping the Ship Afloat > No one wants to be a Scrooge and tell team members they can’t take paid time off to enjoy the holidays, but in a small business, it can get tricky. - Published: 2017-11-20 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-tips-managing-holiday-paid-time-off/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Tis’ the season for celebrating with your team, showing them you care--and juggling holiday vacation schedules. No one wants to be a Scrooge and tell team members they can’t take paid time off to enjoy their favorite holidays with family and friends, but in small businesses, especially the tiniest ones, it can get tricky. If you run a retail business or restaurant where customers expect you to stay open, you’ll need to figure out a creative solution. Even professional services firms may need to remain fully staffed. For instance, if you run an accounting or bookkeeping firm, it may be hard to shut down because of month-end closes. Here are some scheduling tips, so there are no hard feelings when the New Year rolls around. Look at demand. Not every business needs to be open during the holidays. If your business gets slow during the period from Christmas to New Year’s Day, for instance, consider shutting down for that time. That way you won’t have to worry about holiday scheduling at all. A decision like this can go a long way toward telling employees you run a family-friendly company. And it may give you a much-needed break, too. Ask for vacation requests early. If you do need to stay open, set a deadline for vacation requests for the December holidays ASAP so you can spot any staffing challenges early. The sooner you know there is a problem, the more time you will have to plan a solution. In a business... --- ### What is Marketing Automation and Why Should You Care? > Marketing automation facilitates a more productive environment, which contributes to better performance, more revenue and greater growth potential. - Published: 2017-11-17 - Modified: 2022-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-why-should-i-care/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Despite the fact that marketing automation has been around for many years, some marketing professionals are yet to embrace this innovative technology. Yet, research has proven that the vast majority of top-performing marketing firms (87 percent to be exact) are utilizing automation to some degree. Understanding what this technology is and, more importantly, how it can be applied to your specific business can make it much easier to jump on the bandwagon (and start seeing similar results). What is marketing automation? In simplest of terms, marketing automation is software that is designed to streamline and automate marketing tasks and workflows. By shifting much of the manual, repetitive day-to-day tasks from human to machine, marketers are freed up to focus on more critical business initiatives, particularly those which require a human touch. Marketing automation facilitates a much more efficient and productive environment, which contributes to better performance, more revenue and greater growth potential. Some of the many different tasks and workflows that can be automated through this type of platform include, but are not limited to: Email marketing Lead generation Segmentation Cross-channel marketing campaigns Lead nurturing and scoring Cross-selling and up-selling Retention Measuring ROI Marketing automation also allows you to closely track and measure campaign performance and quickly gain intelligent insight into what’s working and what’s not. This enables you to know exactly where to invest your marketing spend. Do I really need marketing automation? If you’re still unsure as to whether marketing automation is worth the investment, asking and honestly... --- ### The Social Media Reports You Should Be Running > Before you set out to create your social media reports (and, in fact, before you even launch your campaign), know your objectives. - Published: 2017-11-16 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-reports-should-be-running/ - Categories: Social Media So you’ve jumped into the world of social media, posting smart, insightful and (dare you say) witty posts on a consistent basis. Followers are building and engaging and sharing your posts. You’re getting a good vibe. But... If that proverbial tree falls in the forest, and darn nobody hears it, did it make a sound? Well, the truth is: if that tree is your social media campaign, then the tree might as well have stayed standing. Like anything else in life, it’s not enough to crush it, but you have to package and present your achievements in a way so that the extent of their importance is easily understood and completely appreciated. So keep these tips in mind. Define your goals. Before you set out to create your report (and, in fact, before you even launch your campaign), know your objectives. This could include boosts in: Reach: Companies like this because, of course, the more followers, the larger the reach. A big number also suggests popularity. However, experts agree, that more important than the sheer number of followers is how engaged they are (see below). Engagement: Social media is a tool for building relationships. The more engaged your followers, the better—when they share, retweet, or respond to your content, they help spread the word about your brand. Facebook’s feed prioritizes posts that come from friends and family over those that come from a brand; it also puts more weight on those where people respond with a reaction as opposed to... --- ### 4 Prudent Financial Tips for Modern Businesses > There are many ways to keep your business budget in check. Here are some frugal financial tips you can put to work for you today. - Published: 2017-11-15 - Modified: 2025-01-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-prudent-financial-tips-for-modern-businesses/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Starting a business is a great way to build wealth over time, but to get the best return on your investment, you’ve got to keep spending lean. Every dollar that gets wasted in your business reduces any profits you earn or can share with your team. Fortunately, there are many ways to keep your budget in check. Here are some frugal financial tips you can put to work for you today. Staff up slowly. The biggest cost for most businesses is payroll. Not only do you have to pay your employees’ salary but also any payroll taxes and benefits. Before you hire team members for full-time, W-2 positions, make sure you can keep them fully occupied. It could be that you are better off bringing in employees from a temp agency during a busy period, like just before the December holidays, than adding permanent team members who will have little to do come January. If you need professional services help in an area such as public relations or accounting, try working with an outside provider before you add a permanent member of your team in these areas. Unless you need this help constantly, it will usually be more cost-effective to outsource. Opt for the minimum-viable office space. Having great office space is nice, but if you’re paying a bundle for it, it can limit the money you have left over to invest in new opportunities. Most business owners are better off opting for decent, but not fancy digs for their... --- ### 15 Design Blogs To Inspire Your Marketing Agency > You never know when a design blog like one of these will light a spark that helps you to produce some of the best client work you’ve ever created. - Published: 2017-11-14 - Modified: 2022-11-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/15-design-blogs-inspire-marketing-agency/ - Categories: Agencies Marketing teams have a fierce mission to develop original work for their clients or the brands they work for — whether that’s a piece of creative material, a memorable commercial, a cool Instagram post or a stellar re-brand. However, the market is so saturated with ideas, messaging and advertisements via any and every channel you could think of that it’s often more taxing to find that original concept that sets your agency and your client apart from the rest. We know an inspired team is a motivated and productive team, so without inspiration, it’s hard to get the work done at an impressive level. Well, we’re here to help. We built a list of blogs in various categories that will help ignite that spark of marketing inspiration again and knock out those next big projects. BRAND DESIGN A strong brand helps a consumer associate a business, product or service. To help a company sustain a positive and impactful brand is one of an agency’s most important marketing strategies. Below are five inspirational blogs that will help you create and support a top-notch brand. Brand New Brand New offers reviews and opinion pieces on other’s branding work. This blog is also a great resource to explain developments in the branding world — all according to their own opinion. The Dieline If you're into packaging design — this blog is perfect for inspiration. It includes a wealth of materials such as articles, images, events, jobs and awards in the packaging design field.... --- ### How to Master Your Unique Value Proposition > If customers are flooding in, chances are you’ve nailed your unique value proposition. If not, it may be time to take a second look at what you're offering. - Published: 2017-11-13 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/master-unique-value-proposition/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship If business is humming along splendidly, and customers are flocking to your services or products like crazy, then chances are (congratulations), you’ve nailed your unique value proposition. But if you’re having trouble creating interest for your brand, then it may be time to take a closer look at what you have to offer and how you’re offering it. There is plenty of advice around the web on how to do just that; here are a few points that may be especially helpful. A value proposition answers the question: What is it about what your company that makes it special and essential—and to whom and at what price? As Michael Porter, director of the Institute for Strategy & Competitiveness at Harvard Business School, notes about strategy, it’s useful to think of the value proposition as a triangle with points asking three specific questions: “What customers,” “Which needs,” and “What relative price. ” In business as in life, you can’t make all people happy all of the time, so a value proposition needs to zero in on exactly whose lives you’ll have the unique ability to improve (while, of course, also making sure that this segment of customers is large enough to sustain your business). Spreading the word about your company offerings should take into account not just people who will be directly using your product but those involved in deciding to purchase this product. As for needs, this is often the most compelling reason for building your company—and, in turn, the... --- ### 5 Tips for Next-Level PowerPoint Presentations > Quick: Can you remember the last amazing PowerPoint presentation you watched? If the answer is no, that’s not surprising. - Published: 2017-11-10 - Modified: 2024-04-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-for-powerpoint-presentations/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Quick: Can you remember the last amazing PowerPoint presentation you watched? If the answer is no, that’s not surprising. Many slide-deck presentations fizzle, with the presenter droning on as he or she reads through page after page of boring data. Dull PowerPoints have reached such epic proportions that Dave Paradi--author of 102 Tips to Communicate More Effectively Through PowerPoint, as well as eight books and three other Kindle eBooks on PowerPoints—now conducts the “Annoying PowerPoint Survey” to help people avoid common mistakes. So how do you avoid “Death by PowerPoint” and dazzle your audience? Fortunately, it’s not hard. Here’s how to wow the people sitting across the table from you. Be ready to toss your slide deck. PowerPoints can be a great prop but be ready to ditch yours if it’s not helping you achieve your goal for a meeting, such as winning new business or securing capital. If your audience is showing signs of getting bored or, in a smaller meeting, asks to skip the slide deck and have a conversation instead, you’ll be much more likely to win them over if you communicate in the style they like. That doesn’t mean you’ve wasted your efforts by creating your slide deck. Save it as a follow-up item to send when you thank them for the meeting. Use your presentation to highlight key points—not the whole story. If it looks like your audience is receptive to your PowerPoint, don’t use your presentation like a teleprompter and simply read your slides.... --- ### 3 Key Pillars of a Solid Inbound Marketing Strategy > Here are a few specific ways to leverage an inbound marketing strategy and generate quality leads and conversions for your business. - Published: 2017-11-09 - Modified: 2022-10-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-key-pillars-solid-inbound-marketing-strategy/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing For decades, marketers have been focusing the majority of their efforts on outbound strategies. They send out cold emails, run ads, mail postcards and make calls. Then they cross their fingers and wait. The problem is, today’s customers aren’t looking to be marketed to. They unsubscribe from email lists, ignore advertisements, throw incoming direct mail into the recycle bin and place their phone numbers on do-not-call lists. Much of these hit-or-miss issues can be solved by creating a solid inbound marketing strategy. With this tactic, prospects come to you instead of you chasing after them. Inbound marketing is about positioning your brand in places where your prospects are going in order to educate and entertain themselves, such as search engines and social media channels. Here are a few specific ways to leverage inbound marketing and generate quality leads and conversions for your business. Engage on Social Media. If your social media efforts are focused on bombarding your fans and followers with an endless onslaught of promotional messages, chances are you’ve noticed a serious lack of response (that is assuming you even have fans and followers left). An inbound marketing approach, on the other hand, involves leveraging social media to find out more about who your customers are, where they spend their time and what matters most to them, and then using that information to build an outpost. Recent studies revealed that 78 percent of consumers say companies’ social media posts impact their purchases. Furthermore, 81 percent of consumers’ purchasing decisions... --- ### Increase Your Agency's Prices With These 5 Tips > Increasing the prices for your agency services can be overwhelming, especially working through the transition with current clients who might be at a rate - Published: 2017-11-08 - Modified: 2017-11-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-increase-agency-prices-deliverables/ - Categories: Agencies Increasing the prices for your agency services can be overwhelming, especially working through the transition with current clients who might be at a rate that's lower than you'd like. The thought of trying to charge your clients more may make you feel guilty or afraid. Guilty for charging more to those who have been loyal and helped your agency succeed, and afraid that increasing your rates will cost you work, or at the very worst, a client. But, to sustain your increasing business costs and growth, a rise in price is inevitable as your agency grows. There are a variety of ways to bill a client, but most commonly agencies follow one, or a mix of these four options: Hourly. Pretty self-explanatory. Value pricing. Charging a client based on their perceived value of services provided. Project-based. Similar to above, but the total project will be a flat rate, with scope creep negotiated as a separate cost. Retainer-based. Agency receives a set amount from the client to work on services for a fixed amount of time. However, one of the most efficient ways for your agency to become more profitable is by increasing your billable rates. I've owned a marketing agency for a year and a half now and have slowly been able to raise my rates and grow my company, so let me offer you a few strategies to help ease into that conversation. One. Know your competitor’s prices. It might help to begin by understanding how your prices match... --- ### 6 Organization Tips To Finish The Year Strong > Organization is wildly important when finishing out the year. Keeping things together also helps avoid a massive proverbial holiday hangover. - Published: 2017-11-07 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/organization-tips-finish-year-strong/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship We don’t need to stress the importance of finishing 2017 with a bang. The last months of the year are critical for businesses, often representing the biggest sales quarter of the year. Salespeople are rushing to meet quotas, bandying about discounts and pitches; leftover budgets are spent in a hurry; customers are more active than during any other time of year. It goes without saying: it’s a pretty busy time. Having survived a lot of frantic end of the year pushes, I can tell you from experience that one of the most important aspects of making it across the finish line is getting organized and staying laser-focused. Keeping things together also helps you avoid a massive proverbial holiday-season hangover. So here are a few organization tips to help you finish well as you head into the holiday season. Craft a To-Do (and Don’t) List. So much of driving results is being focused on the right things. Let’s face it, you and your team only have so many hours in the day. So create your list of things you need to execute on before the end of the year. This will be your master list for the season, a front-and-center document that lays out everything your business needs to keep on top of this season. It could be a Google shared file or on a whiteboard in the office, so long as you refer to it as a guide through the final stretch of the year. This isn’t where you put... --- ### 7 TED Talks to Help You Seize The Day > TED Talks have become transcendent. They inspire people in tech, the arts, business, politics and science; they speak to people stuck in desk jobs or - Published: 2017-11-06 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-ted-talks-help-seize-day/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship TED Talks have become transcendent. They inspire people in tech, the arts, business, politics and science; they speak to people stuck in desk jobs or starting their own company; they tell us stories with uplifting endings and horrific details. TED stands for “technology, entertainment and design,” but the talks cover much more. The best ones are often the motivational ones because they shoot beyond industry specifics and speak to what the human race is really like. They’re motivational speeches without the sales pitch. So if you want to get inspired, scroll down, click a few and enjoy. Dan Pink: The puzzle of motivation What motivates us? That’s the question at the heart of Dan Pink’s talk, in which he asks why rewards-based motivation only sometimes works. Rewards, he argues, only work when the problem is straightforward. Creative problems, on the other hand, have oblique circumstances and non-obvious answers. Those kinds of problems aren’t solved faster by rewards—in fact, complex cognitive problems are solved at a slower pace when a reward is offered. Dan himself is a fantastic speaker, getting riled up and passionately arguing for a better way to motivate workers, particularly in the aftermath of the 2008 financial collapse. A must-watch for any manager or small business owner. Brené Brown: The power of vulnerability Shame is a powerful emotion. Brené Brown, who deals with social science as a hands-on researcher, equates this feeling with what she calls “excruciating vulnerability. ” In her sometimes funny, often poignant personal story, she... --- ### 5 Ways To Avoid Distraction in a Crowded Workplace > You can't always control your workplace. Here are three ways to get things done when it feels like you’re conducting business in a busy airport terminal. - Published: 2017-11-03 - Modified: 2017-11-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-to-avoid-distraction-in-a-crowded-workplace/ - Categories: Small Business You’ve worked out, had a healthy breakfast, and downed your morning coffee. As you stroll into your office, you’re full of energy and ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work on a big project. But life has other plans for you. As soon as you sit down at your desk, your team member asks you to take a customer’s urgent call. You start mapping out your project, but a junior team member stops by and needs advice. Thirty minutes later, you get rolling again, but the building manager stops by with an update on new security procedures. Now, it’s 11:50. You decide to eat lunch at your desk when everyone else is out, so you can actually get some work done. It doesn’t have to be this way. Here are three ways to get things done when it feels like you’re conducting business in a busy airport terminal. Start with a plan. Staying focused on what’s most important to get done every day will help you keep distractions from derailing you. Start every work week with an idea of the most important thing you need to get done, advise Ron Carson and Scott Ford in their book The Sustainable Edge. Then, each day before you leave work, create a list of the six most important things to accomplish the next day, in order of priority. These priorities will, ideally, support your big-picture goal for the week. Don’t start working on number two until you’ve accomplished number one,... --- ### 4 Ways to Determine Your Strongest Customer Acquisition Channels > You want to save money on customer acquisition channels that aren’t working, and double down on channels that are. But it’s not quite so simple - Published: 2017-11-02 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-ways-to-determine-your-strongest-customer-acquisition-channels/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Every sale can be traced. Before e-commerce, the cashier at a small clothing boutique might ask customers at the register, “How did you hear about us? ” The answer—a billboard, TV ad, newspaper article, what have you—would be a strong indicator of that shop’s customer acquisition channel. If nobody mentioned the TV ad, that ad could be considered a waste of money. Between Google Analytics, Kissmetrics, Mixpanel or any other number of analytics software, sales are more transparent than ever. But being able to compile the data is one thing; making sense of the numbers is another. Obviously, you want to save money on acquisition channels that aren’t working, and double down on channels that deliver new customers. But it’s not quite so simple: if your pay-per-click advertising efforts are bringing in 2,000 new customers a month for a spend of $2,000, are they worth the cost? Maybe your organic inbound traffic is only reeling in 1,500 new customers a month, but your monthly spend is $1,000. That would make inbound a far better cost per acquisition. So how do you figure out your strongest customer acquisition channel? Track Every Referral Path The first step is to set up a detailed path of goals (to use Google Analytics lingo) that will note any time a customer reaches a point of the journey you’ve laid out for them. Setting up these paths is crucial to understanding acquisition. Specificity is important: email traffic is notoriously vague unless tracking links are set up... --- ### 6 Signs It’s Time To Start Your Own Business > How do you know it’s time to put in your two weeks notice and start hustling? Here are six signs you're ready to start a business. - Published: 2017-11-01 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-signs-time-start-business/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship It feels like everyone and their college roommate is starting their own business. Once upon a time, the dream was finding a comfy 9 to 5 and moving your way up. Now, startup founders and entrepreneurs grace the covers of business magazines. And maybe you’ve got what it takes to join that list of successful people. But how do you know it’s time to put in your two weeks notice and start hustling? Well if you’ve noticed one of these six signs, it may be time to get going. You can’t stop thinking about your “big idea. ” For some time now - maybe even years - you’ve been thinking about a specific business idea. You’ve researched the industry, thought about how you’d do it, imagined the final product, and you can’t get it out of your head. Starting a business shouldn’t be done as a way to take a break from your day job. Sure, you’re your own boss, but being your own boss comes with ample responsibilities and sacrifice, especially in the early days. You probably won’t make much money, you’ll encounter a lot of doubt and disinterest, and the long hours will be incredibly exhausting until you can afford to hire employees. If you have a “million dollar” idea you’re passionate about, you can use it to power through the practical challenges of starting a business. You’re decisive and willing to make tough calls. Unless you work in a managerial position, the tough day-to-day decisions of your... --- ### 9 Ways Your Agency Can Save Money In Q4 > Q4 is here, and there’s no better time to reevaluate how your agency can save money. We’re here to offer you tips to help boost that bottom line. - Published: 2017-10-31 - Modified: 2017-10-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-ways-agency-save-money-q4/ - Categories: Agencies Let’s face it, as an agency owner, your main focus is top-line sales. You don’t typically have time to think about saving money or areas that could use some reevaluating because you're too busy trying to gain new business and grow your revenue. Well, Q4 is here, and there’s no better time than now to reevaluate how your agency can save money. We’re here to offer you tips that you can implement to help boost that bottom line and save a few dollars in preparation for 2018. Some of these tips will have you reevaluating processes and expenses, while others will help you take a look at your overhead and team efficiencies. 1. Review all purchases in progress. Are you in the middle of looking for a software upgrade? Or did you place a large order for supplies? Before those purchases are set in stone, take a look at the associated costs. You may not be getting the best deal for that office supplies — test out new vendors or products. Or is there a software out there that can provide a multi-faceted benefit? It’s worth doing the research. Many vendors and suppliers are competitive and are willing to work with you to gain your business. Use that to your advantage. 2. Evaluate your business expenses. Similar to the above point, work with your accounting team to help evaluate your business expenses in 2017, and identify the areas you can make cuts or improvements. Think, utilities, phone or computer expenses... --- ### 5 Ways Your Small Business Can Create Content on a Budget > It’s not enough to create a lot of content. You’ve got to create good content for it to be shared. But how can you do that on a small business budget? - Published: 2017-10-30 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-content-budget/ - Categories: Content Marketing, Small Business It’s not enough to create a lot of content. You’ve got to create good content for it to be shared, start a conversation, and attract leads. But creating good content takes time to research and time to write, so what’s a company on a shoestring budget to do? Well, you can start with these five strategies. Enlist team members from different departments. Incorporate other departments into the content writing process. For many content writers, the most time-intensive part of producing content is researching it. Develop a process in which experts within your organization cover specific topics. If the initiative's pitched well, employees will see it as a company-wide way to boost the brand’s profile, not as an interruption of their work. Additionally, it’s up to the content manager to create a process that makes this run as smoothly as possible so employees keep contributing. Provide guidelines so employees know what’s expected. Make it clear that you will handle things like image sourcing, posting, and proofreading. Let it be as easy as possible for employees to contribute. Create guest posting submission guidelines. A guest posting strategy helps boost quality content production while cutting costs. Of course, the only way you manage this is by offering something in return, namely your audience. If you have a large enough social media following, you can offer other people or companies access to your platform in exchange. But doing this isn’t as simple as putting out a call for submissions. What do these articles have... --- ### Are You A Servant Leader? > The strongest and most successful companies are built on the backs of servant leaders, those who encourage others, establish trust and stay accountable. - Published: 2017-10-27 - Modified: 2017-10-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/servant-leader/ - Categories: Leadership "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. " - Abraham Lincoln A servant leader, as the name might otherwise suggest, is far from being someone who follows along blindly. In fact, some of the greatest leaders of our time embody the true definition of leaders that serve first. From Herb Kelleher at Southwest Airlines to Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook, a servant leader is an incredibly strong figurehead who focuses on serving and empowering others and leads with their team in mind. Although the phrase ‘servant leader’ is nothing new (coined in the 1970s) it is still hyper-relevant in today’s modern business world. Let’s break down the individual traits of a servant leader, so you have a better foundation of what it takes to lead and serve your people. Listen to other’s opinions. A servant leader is one who values the views and contributions of others. They actively solicit feedback and weigh any possible decisions carefully before reaching a conclusion. They have remarkable observation skills and are very perceptive to what is occurring around them. Servant leaders understand the fact that people feel respected when they are listened to. Value trust above all. A servant leader believes that everyone is valuable and is deserving of trust and respect. They live by the “Golden Rule”- treat others as they would wish to be treated and lead with trust. Trust is the very cornerstone of all they do, and they perceive the... --- ### 9 Email Fixes That Will Improve Your Click-Through Rate > With these 9 easy fixes, you can improve your click-through rate and be sure your email rises to the top of the inbox. - Published: 2017-10-26 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-email-fixes-improve-click-through-rate/ - Categories: Email Marketing As any human with an email account knows, the inbox can be overwhelming. There are the emails you act on because you want to and the emails you act on because you have to. As for the remaining hundreds or so? You’ll get to them when you get to them... if at all. So if you have something to pitch, how do you get your emails into that enviable “want to/have to” category? We’ve collected some commonly agreed on strategies to win at the email pitch. Do it right, and email can actually be quite effective. According to an Optinmonster report, 66 percent of users made a purchase because of an email marketing campaign; 20 percent did so via Facebook, and 6 percent did so via Twitter. Here’s how to make your email work for you. Write a standout subject line. It needs to be succinct and clear, for starters, and it needs to pique people’s curiosity (“read what our customers are saying about us”), pose a burning question (“What are CTOs raving about? ), convey a sense of urgency or timeliness (“Get it while it lasts”), or offer something (“first month free! ”). Make sure that what they see in the email body corresponds to what’s promised on the subject line or people won’t want to open your emails again or, worse, they’ll unsubscribe. Use emojis. Don’t overdo it of course, but sprinkling your subject line with a star or two when appropriate (or a balloon if you’re sending... --- ### How are Chatbots Impacting the Customer Experience? > Let’s take a closer look at the rise of chatbots and what the future looks like from a consumer relations standpoint. - Published: 2017-10-25 - Modified: 2022-10-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/chatbots-impacting-customer-experience/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship The way consumers interact with brands is evolving at a rapid pace. This is due in large part to the incredible advances we’ve seen in technology over the past decade or so. In particular, artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally changing the face of customer engagement, and it’s catching on like wildfire. In fact, one study predicts that 62 percent of organizations will have adopted AI in some form by as early as next year. What does all of this mean for businesses? Specifically, how will intelligent automation impact the customer experience? Let’s take a closer look at the rise of chatbots and what the future looks like from a consumer relations standpoint. A new comfort level When the use of chatbots for support was initially introduced, it was not surprisingly met with mixed feelings. For businesses, the ability to shift a large percentage of support activities from human to machine was an attractive option, both in terms of cost and efficiency. For consumers, on the other hand, the idea of having a robot handle their needs seemed much less appealing. As a result, adoption was slow at best. Over time, however, that has changed, mainly because customers are simply becoming more and more accustomed to AI. People have come to recognize that while they may lose the human touch, they’ll gain convenience, speed and ease of use. Millions of people now turn to AI every day for assistance with any number of their routine activities. This is evidenced by the... --- ### What is NPS and How Oten Should Your Small Business Measure It? > NPS is a simple way to get customer feedback on their brand experience, and how likely they are to recommend your organization to friends and colleagues. - Published: 2017-10-24 - Modified: 2021-10-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-measure-nps/ - Categories: Small Business The market is saturated with competition, so it can be challenging to know how you compare against other brands offering your same product or service. How do your customers perceive your brand? Are they happy? Would they recommend you to their friends and family? The majority of American shoppers seek a referral or recommendation before they purchase. But understanding if your customers are recommending you can be difficult to measure. Luckily, there’s a tool to help, and it's called the Net Promoter Score (NPS). Have you used an online service and after your purchase, you receive a pop-up that says, "Rate how likely are you to recommend ______ (service name)? " You've just been privy to the NPS system. NPS has become a worldwide standard for organizations to measure, understand and improve their customer experience. NPS is a simple way to get customer feedback on their brand experience, and how likely they are to recommend your organization to friends, family and colleagues. NPS is essential to small businesses because it will help your organization hone in on your customers’ experience, understand their journey and help you learn what to concentrate on when improving on both of these things. First things first, there is no “one-size-fits-all” answer regarding how often you should measure your NPS. It depends on your business model, your customers and their level of interaction with your product or service. So, let’s start by framing out your NPS strategy, beginning with developing the right questions to ask your... --- ### Do You Think Like A Million-Dollar Business Owner? > Running your own business is an exciting journey that comes with unmatched freedom and independence—but it’s got its challenges, too. - Published: 2017-10-23 - Modified: 2022-11-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/think-like-million-dollar-business-owner/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship A guest post by Elaine Pofeldt, author of The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business. Running your own business is an exciting journey that comes with unmatched freedom and independence—but it’s got its challenges, too. The big one is economic insecurity. If you are self- employed, chances are you will, at some point, have to figure out a strategy for coping with some of the downsides: uneven income, non-paying clients, high healthcare costs and the lack of any real social safety net for the self-employed. When your work dries up, there’s nothing to protect you in the way that unemployment safeguards W-2 workers. There’s no easy answer these challenges, but after 10 years in business, I’ve concluded that the simplest way to protect ourselves as self-employed people is by earning more than we believe we need to. Many people start out in business thinking that if, say, they earned $100,000 in their last job, they’ll be fine if they earn the same amount in a solo business. I once thought the same way. But the reality is that if you want to hold onto the same lifestyle, you need to earn about 40-50% more than you did on salary to cover the cost of benefits. That’s one reason I wrote my upcoming book, The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business, which Random House is publishing January 2. As part of a two-freelancer couple until last year, when my husband went in-house with a favorite client, I know how difficult it can be to build a financial... --- ### Nail Your Next Marketing Video With These 6 Steps > Once you’ve acquired all the technical tools, keep these tips in mind so that your perfectly filmed marketing video is perfectly positioned as well. - Published: 2017-10-20 - Modified: 2017-10-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-video-tips/ - Categories: Marketing Videos are the future of content marketing, and the digital media industry has shifted in response. Naturally, brands have followed, hoping to win some attention in an online landscape where people have become increasingly ad blind. With a huge marketing budget, producing a great video ad is as easy as finding the right talent. But if you’re a small business owner, hiring a director, a producer, a scriptwriter, and actors is not a feasible option. You’ll have to take on all of these roles yourself. If you’re intimidated by the technical side of things, don’t worry. Free apps like Nutshell Camera and Magisto can help you produce high-quality videos with no previous video editing experience. But once you’ve acquired all the technical tools you need, be sure to keep the following tips in mind so that your perfectly filmed video is perfectly positioned as well. Tell a Compelling Story Simply filming your products with a voiceover commanding the viewer to “Buy now! ” won’t get you very far. Your video should tell a story about your product and show the viewer how they will feel or the benefits they’ll capture once they’ve purchased it. Amazon ads are a great example of this. Their commercials spend very little time talking about the range of products they offer. Instead, they focus on one specific product and the impact their service and delivery has on the lives of everyday people. You may not have the budget to hire a Hollywood starlet as your... --- ### 6 Tips for Writing a Phenomenal Headline > These headline recommendations aren’t exactly rocket science, but applying them requires the discipline to use them every time. - Published: 2017-10-19 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-tips-writing-phenomenal-headline/ - Categories: Content Marketing The headline is your big chance to get a reader to stop scrolling and click. It’s the part of any post that captures attention for your blog post or your Google ad. If it’s forgettable, people will move on to the millions of other things on their screen. Digital marketing and digital media are all about attracting clicks, which means the industry has developed an understanding of how to write eye-catching and attention-grabbing headlines. These tricks aren’t exactly rocket science, but applying them requires the discipline to use them every time. Use numbers. Even today’s most avid readers won’t necessarily take the time to read your piece. They’ve got several saved links, books, and articles they want to get to, which means if your stuff looks time-consuming they’ll dismiss it as something they’ll get to later. Naturally, this isn’t what you want. Using numbers in your list - “10 Strategies for Avoiding Customer Churn This Winter” - tells the reader two things: Your list is scannable. They can easily skim the article and read the headers to find which sections are relevant to them. They get quantifiable value. The reader knows they’re walking away with “x” tips or “x” strategies. Teach people something or give them a reason to want to do something. Readers respond well to instructions. We love articles that teach us how to do things, even if we’ll never get around to it. The thought is tempting enough. If you’re not writing a numbered article, a headline... --- ### Entrepreneur: 4 Ways You're Misusing Your CRM Data > Using your CRM data the right way can help boost revenue and deepen customer relationships. Here are four mistakes to avoid when it comes to utilizing that data. - Published: 2017-10-18 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ways-misusing-crm-data/ - Categories: CRM A properly used customer relationship management system can turn a tiny operation into an industry leader. Unfortunately, some small business owners don’t make full use of their CRM data -- or worse yet, don’t utilize a CRM system at all. Auto dealers have begun to use data analytics to determine the right price points to attract the right buyers. But they often find their efforts stymied by one major problem: inaccurate data resulting from a lack of (or misuse) of CRM tools and a rushed process that fails to account for the right metrics. Diving into small business data analysis can feel like a Catch-22. You can't analyze the right metrics and glean the right insights without first gathering the right data. Leveraged correctly, though, a CRM solution will help keep your contacts organized and increase both the quantity and quality of leads. Read Jonathan's full article on Entrepreneur. --- ### 3 Companies That Are Actually Putting Their Core Values into Practice > Core values act as a guide when the right thing to do isn’t exactly clear. They can help a company stand out when they actually follow through. - Published: 2017-10-16 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-companies-putting-core-values-practice/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Just about every business can scurry up a mission statement that sounds inspiring, warm and fuzzy. To live out those values, though—to have them guide your every business decision and that of your employees—that’s not so easy. And yet it’s important on many different levels. Having a specific “why” for what you do every day gives you and your employees a sense of purpose. Core values also act as a guide when the right thing to do isn’t exactly clear. They can help a company stand out when they’re specific and bold, and the company actually follows through (because as we all know, there are plenty that don’t; Enron’s core values included “integrity” after all). Here are three companies that hold inspirational core values and do business accordingly. Gotham Greens Gotham Greens is a Brooklyn, New York-based company not only committed to “quality, taste and sustainability,” but also “innovation and technology. ” So what on earth does that look like? Acres of salad greens cropping up on otherwise vacant rooftops, that’s what. As Gotham Greens proclaims on their website: “We fuel blooming communities where others fear urban decay” and “we know that the crunch of fresh local sustainably grown food sets off a chain reaction of good things in the world. ” True to its philosophy, Gotham Greens owns and runs more than 170,000 square feet of greenhouses on rooftops of buildings in New York City and Chicago. High-efficiency solar panels reduce electrical and heating demands. Recirculating irrigation systems minimize... --- ### The Invaluable Benefits of a Mobile CRM > In addition to equipping your sales team with the data they need to close deals, a mobile CRM can afford your organization numerous benefits. - Published: 2017-10-13 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/invaluable-benefits-mobile-crm/ - Categories: CRM In 2017, it's not enough to solely utilize a desktop CRM tool for your business. With mobile as such huge part of everyone's daily life and processes, it's important that your business can access and update your business CRM while on the go using mobile. By connecting with mobile devices, you’re also giving your sales team the ability to access customer data through a mobile CRM app or web-based browsers with cloud CRM. The biggest benefit of a mobile CRM system is its ability to allow your sales team to access data while out in the field meeting with prospects and customers. Essentially, this data is at the fingertips of you and all your employees, 24/7. In addition to equipping your sales team with the data they need to close more deals, there are numerous benefits for your organization to use a CRM system. Below are seven benefits unique to mobile CRMs. #1. Increase in productivity There are many time-saving, cost-effective features and functionalities to mobile CRM apps now. Apps can be used to schedule appointments, enter data, review notes, follow-ups and more. Having this all in one device is a lot less effort needed on your team's end to focus on the paperwork and more task-driven part of their job. This gives them more time to sell. Which leads me to my next benefit... #2. Increase in sales Having the right information available, organized and easily accessible at the right time can mean a big difference in closing a... --- ### The Top 5 Reasons Your Employees Don't Like You > It’s easy to get caught up in your own responsibilities and projects, but a large part of being a good manager is paying attention to your team’s needs. - Published: 2017-10-12 - Modified: 2020-01-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-reasons-employees-dislike-you/ - Categories: Leadership A guest post by Meredith Wood, Editor-in-Chief at Fundera. No manager or business owner wants to be disliked by their employees, but there are a myriad of ways that managers inadvertently alienate and exasperate their team. If you find your team acting sluggish and unmotivated, you might want to look at your own behavior as the potential underlying issue. Read on as we take a look at some of the managerial behaviors that are most likely to engender scorn from the team, and what you can do to avoid becoming a problem leader. 1. You Micromanage When you’re a leader, you have a vested interest in making sure that your team accomplishes their goals. Their successes reflect well on you, and their failures can paint you in a poor light and have a negative impact on your business, so it’s natural that you should want everyone on your team is to do their best work. However, when your interest in your team’s work crosses the line from supportive to micromanaging, you can quickly demotivate and annoy your employees. If you’ve hired good people, you should have confidence in their ability to do good work. Establishing concrete check-in times, like weekly one-on-ones with each of your team members, can keep you from micromanaging on a daily basis but still give you enough oversight to intervene if it seems like someone might need your guidance on a given task. 2. You’re Not a Great Communicator As a leader, a large part of... --- ### The Elements of an Effective Mobile Ad > As we’re all aware, the mobile phone is practically a human appendage. That said, it makes sense to make sure your mobile ads are resonating with users. - Published: 2017-10-11 - Modified: 2017-10-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/elements-effective-mobile-ad/ - Categories: Marketing As we’re all aware, the mobile phone is practically a human appendage. Fifty-two percent of mobile-phone users say they check their phone a few times an hour or more, according to a 2015 Gallup poll. And as a Mindsea report and infographic found: Millennials browse and consume web content on mobile three times more often than on a desktop. That said, it makes sense to make sure your mobile ads are resonating with users. After all, a 2015 comScore report found that mobile ads work better than desktop ads in certain important metrics, including purchase intent, which corresponded to a mobile “brand lift” twice as high as that of desktop. But what works for desktop (or tablet for that matter) doesn’t necessarily work for mobile—the screen is smaller, the user flits from one thing to another more quickly. Here’s what to consider: The right format. Because of the limited screen size and other mobile-specific qualities, certain ad formats are especially effective on mobile and some are not. For instance, you might choose in-app ads because you won’t have to deal with ad blockers; or native ads because, put in the right place (see below) they’ll be seen by a captive audience. But you might avoid banner ads because they appear so small that they’re easily ignored or tapped on by accident (which just annoys your potential customer). Location, location, location. Of the ad, that is. If you place it where your potential customer is in the frame of mind of... --- ### 6 Tips for Being a Better Negotiator > Contrary to what some people will argue, negotiating is not simply about winners and losers. It’s about building relationships. - Published: 2017-10-10 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-negotiating/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Contrary to what some people will argue, negotiating isn’t about winners and losers. It’s about building relationships. If you walk into a negotiation determined to win at any cost, you could be setting yourself up for difficulties down the road. Ask your boss for a raise with an argumentative attitude, and your daily work life will suffer. If you’re a small business owner hiring an ad agency, doggedly fighting for a discount on your bill could potentially result in a grumpier agency who values your business less than their other clients. Nothing exists in isolation and every interaction matters in the business world. But at the same time, you don’t want to set yourself up for getting trampled over and low-balled your entire career. So where’s the middle ground? Here are some tips for being a better negotiator, without having people think you’re a jerk. Make the first bid. If a number hasn’t been brought up yet, many people naturally hesitate about making the first offer. What if you accidentally lowball yourself? What if you offend the person by starting with a ridiculously low bid? But research has shown that negotiated outcomes often skew to the party who made the first bid. Naturally, this first bid will incline toward the person who made it. To illustrate: if you’re growing apples in your backyard and decide to sell a basket of them, and someone offers you one dollar, maybe you ask them to double their price, and get two dollars. But... --- ### 10 Essential Tips For Upping Your Social Media Game > In a time when when national debates are sprung from a single tweet—it’s clear that social media is a powerful tool for businesses. - Published: 2017-10-09 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-essential-tips-social-media/ - Categories: Social Media In a time when major brands have built entire social media teams and when national debates are sprung from a single tweet—it’s clear that social media is a powerful tool. When managed well, it can attract new customers and strengthen the relationships you have with old ones. But it’s not just a matter of posting simply what amounts to advertisements for your product. It’s about creating posts that build awareness, humanize your brand, and engage your followers and the public at large. What’s more, according to Social Media Examiner, more than half of marketers who’ve used social media for at least two years report it helped them improve sales. Here’s how to optimize your efforts: Put in some time. Not a lot of time, but some. As the Examiner report notes, 66 percent of marketers notice lead-generation benefits when spending just six hours a week. However you work in that time, be sure to post often and consistently. Publish your posts in the right outlet. Your audience isn’t necessarily the same on LinkedIn as it is on Facebook. Know who’s viewing what and disseminate your posts accordingly. If you run a birthday cake business, you’ll want to share relevant topics for say, professional party planners, in the former, but parents in the latter. Also, some formats are more appropriate for certain outlets than others—create webinars for YouTube, for instance; tweet about it on Twitter; and share a cool infographic from the webinar on Facebook. Use visuals. As a UFSocial article... --- ### Smart Insights: 4 Steps to Creating an Effective Product Tour > Simplicity in structure has benefits beyond the sales and marketing process — it also directly impacts visitors on a product tour who are further along in the sales process. - Published: 2017-10-06 - Modified: 2018-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-steps-creating-effective-product-tour/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship, Marketing Product tours aren’t for everyone. No, you see, they’re for your ideal buyer — the customer you’ve identified through your marketing data is most likely to convert and make a purchase. A great product tour will keep your sales team in productive conversations with quality prospects that are more likely to convert, shorten the sales cycle by providing relevant information upfront, and increase conversions through a main call to action. Focus your energy on building a compelling product tour rather than wasting resources funneling the wrong folks through the marketing and sales pipeline. It begins with a relevant and engaging demonstration of how your product benefits users. Read Jonathan's full article on Smart Insights. --- ### Is Stress Sabotaging Your Small Business Success? > Many people go into business for themselves to escape the stress of a traditional job. But sometimes self-employment can bring its own set of worries. - Published: 2017-10-05 - Modified: 2021-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/stress-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business Many people go into business for themselves to get away from the stress of a traditional job. But sometimes self-employment can bring its own set of worries, whether about difficult employees, challenging customers, or cash-flow woes. Some workplace hassles are unavoidable, but if you let stress get out of hand, it can sap your energy and contribute to health problems. To manage stress successfully, it’s important to pay attention to how you’re feeling and find time to recharge when necessary. Here are five hidden signs you’re stressed--and some ideas on how to reduce the pressure you’re under. Your fuse is getting shorter. Maybe you’re snapping at your employees, blowing up at your kids or ranting when a barista at Starbucks gets your order wrong. If you’re overreacting to everyday frustrations, it’s time to look for the underlying reason. Is there a festering situation at work that you need to address? Are you trying to get too much done in one day and wearing yourself out? Is there someone in your orbit at work with whom it’s time to part ways? By identifying what’s really wrong and tackling it, you’ll lower your stress level greatly and reduce the chances of blowing up at someone who doesn’t deserve it. You’re always tired. Sometimes, stress can affect your energy level. If you're constantly “putting out fires” at work, chances are your adrenaline is pumping a good portion of the day. Eventually, there will be a letdown--and that can lead to exhaustion. The more... --- ### Should Your Small Business Be Concerned About AI? > What exactly is artificial intelligence (AI)? No, it's not the plot of Alien: Covenant. And it has nothing to do with the argument or exploration into - Published: 2017-10-04 - Modified: 2017-10-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-ai/ - Categories: Small Business What exactly is artificial intelligence (AI)? No, it's not the plot of Alien: Covenant. And it has nothing to do with the argument or exploration into alien life forms on Mars and beyond Earth. To put it simply, AI is the ability of a computer program or machine to think and learn — and not just learn your habits but think and learn as a device. Purchase prediction is an example of AI that might be used in your everyday life. Let's say you buy your dog's food from Amazon because it's cheaper and more convenient than running to your local pet store. Amazon can send you your dog's food before you need it, eliminating any last minute visits to the online store, and eliminating an item on your “to-do” list. Before you even needed to think about it, technology has thought for you. AI is changing the face of business by making things more efficient and smart, and by predicting your habits and preferences — such as the example above — or sometimes suggesting products or services you didn't even know you wanted in the first place. While all of these benefits sound great, AI is causing some concern for small businesses. Concerns such as a loss of jobs, or giving larger organizations an unfair advantage because they have the dollars and teams to implement this technology easier. However, AI does not need to be looked at on such a grandiose scale. There are many benefits to small businesses... --- ### 5 Tips For Finding Your Big Idea > Remember when everyone’s dream was to go to space or become president? Now it’s to start their own company and be a true entrepreneur. - Published: 2017-10-03 - Modified: 2018-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-for-finding-your-big-idea/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Remember when everyone’s dream was to go to space or become president? Now it’s to start their own company, preferably one that’s worth a billion dollars within the span of five years. With success stories like Facebook, Airbnb, and Uber, it’s hard not to say, “Dammit, I should’ve thought of that. ” Well, that right there is the attitude to avoid. Coulda, woulda, shouldas about a company that already exists won’t get you very far. What will get you somewhere is thinking about the opportunities that are still out there. While we can’t gift you with a billion-dollar idea in the space of an article (trust me, we’d be taking that beauty to market right now if we had it), we can give you a few tips to start thinking like an entrepreneur and find the next big thing. Always Be On The Lookout for Needs Listening and reading is important for any aspiring entrepreneur. In order to make money, you’ve got to understand what people’s needs are, since they will only exchange money for things that bring value to their life. Listen to your friends, to people on the subway, watch the news, and take note of what people complain about. If you notice a shared complaint across the board or a frequent complaint among people in a specific demographic (i. e. women between the ages of 35 and 45, young fathers, etc) you’ve found yourself a pain point. And based on these complaints, you have proof that this... --- ### 5 Tips for Coming Up with Creative Blog Topics > There are proven strategies that will help you come up with creative blog topics to engage your audience (without wasting tons of time in the process). - Published: 2017-10-02 - Modified: 2018-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-blog-topics/ - Categories: Content Marketing Everyone knows that content is king, but that doesn’t make coming up with topic ideas for your blog any easier. In fact, if you’re like most business owners, you’ve got way too much on your plate to spend hours brainstorming ideas. Yet, according to recent studies, 74 percent of companies indicate that content marketing is increasing their lead generation in both quality and quantity. So, yes, it matters. The good news is there are proven strategies that will help you come up with creative content ideas to engage your audience (without wasting tons of time in the process). Here are five such tactics below. Figure out what’s working (and what isn’t). Measuring the performance of your past content can do wonders for the quality of what you produce tomorrow. For instance, analyzing metrics like traffic, comments, likes and shares can help you identify the types of topics that seem to generate the most engagement. When you have a clearer picture of what has worked well for you, it’ll be much easier to come up with ideas that will generate similar results. Put your ear to the ground. What better way to ensure you’re producing content that your audience likes, needs and wants than by going straight to the source? You can do this a number of ways, whether it’s coming right out and asking what your readers want to see more of or simply listening to (or looking at) what your target audience is talking about. To accomplish the latter,... --- ### The Pros and Cons of Company Events > Here are some ideas on how to plan company events that enhance your culture and don’t create stress and feelings of obligation. - Published: 2017-09-29 - Modified: 2018-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-pros-cons-company-events/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Whether you’re planning a picnic in a park or a holiday dinner at a local restaurant, company events can be an exciting way to bring your team together. It’s fun to get to know your officemates outside of a formal workplace setting. That said, not everyone looks forward to company events. Whether you say so or not, your employees will likely view these gatherings as obligatory. That can put pressure on team members who have many responsibilities outside of work, such as young children or aging parents, or simply have a long commute. Though they may never speak up about it, they may actually view these events as a burden. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hold any company events. Many people genuinely enjoy them, particularly around the holidays. According to a survey by cloud-based HR service provider TriNet last December, 37% of workers at small and midsized businesses said they were somewhat excited about the traditional of holiday parties, and 28% said they were very excited. Just 5% had no enthusiasm. Still, you do need to be sensitive to how your event may be viewed so you don’t waste money on gatherings no one really wants to attend. Here are some ideas on how to plan company events that enhance your culture and don’t create stress and feelings of obligation. Look for events you can fit into company time. Holding an event during hours employees would usually be working is a good way to ensure you don’t impinge on their... --- ### 5 Reasons Your Website Needs Multiple Landing Pages Now > If you want to make the most of your website, you’ve got to add layers, and one of the best ways to do that is to include multiple landing pages - Published: 2017-09-28 - Modified: 2023-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-reasons-website-needs-multiple-landing-pages/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing Ah, don’t you long for the days when just having a company website was cutting edge? Sorry Toto, we’re not in 2000 anymore. Today, having a website is the absolute bare minimum, and you won’t get any points for setting one up. There’s a sea of company websites out there, and getting anyone to find yours requires more than a picture of your storefront and your operating hours. If you want to make the most of your website, you’ve got to add layers, and one of the best ways to do that is to include multiple landing pages. Now. And we’ll tell you exactly why. Landing Pages Allow You To Tailor Your Offers If you’re pumping money into a PPC campaign, you want to see a return on investment. If you’re familiar with the anatomy of a perfect PPC campaign strategy, you know that you should focus on specific products. Trying to cover every single product spreads you thin. By placing Facebook or Google ads for your most popular products and services, you can attract more people to your website. Now, once you get those people to your website, you want them to land in a place that swiftly carries them to a purchase decision. If they click on an ad for accounting services only to wind up on a page for investments, they’re forced to do more work to find what they wanted. Even worse, they may decide they no longer need your accounting services. Each ad should have... --- ### Emotion in the Workplace: How Do You Handle Different Employee Personalities? > While many of us pride ourselves in being coolly logical, it’s hard to escape the fact that we human beings are emotional creatures. - Published: 2017-09-27 - Modified: 2018-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/emotion-in-the-workplace/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Shows like Silicon Valley, Suits and The Office wouldn’t crack us up as much if there wasn’t a familiar grain of truth in each episode. While many of us pride ourselves in being coolly logical, it’s hard to escape the fact that we human beings are emotional creatures. Whether we’re at work or not, our feelings drive much of what we do. No matter how much you’ve touted the company’s core values and the culture you want to build, chances are that interactions between the people who work for you will get messy from time to time—or that someone may step seriously out of bounds. And like it or not, as the business owner, you’re ultimately the one who is responsible for keeping the emotional temperature in the office to a comfortable level for all. So how do you manage all of the personalities around you without losing focus on what you’re really there to do—grow a business? Here are some strategies to use. Model the behavior you want to see. No matter how small your company, you’re the public face of the business. As the leader, how you express your emotions day to day will set the tone for the entire organization. If you’re usually upbeat and positive, you’ll bring an emotional energy to the group that others will mirror. You don’t have to adopt a guarded, “corporate” personality to do this but it is important to train yourself to think before you speak, choose your words carefully and... --- ### Does Your Small Business Need Help With SEO? > One of the more important questions to ask yourself today as a small business owner is: do I need help with SEO? - Published: 2017-09-26 - Modified: 2022-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-help-seo/ - Categories: Small Business One of the more important questions to ask yourself today as a business owner is: do I need help with SEO? Search Engine Optimization is the art of making sure your website is being found in search engines by the thousands of people searching every day for the service your business provides. If you're not sure if you need help, let's begin with opening a Google search in your internet browser and typing in your top keywords. Do you come up first on the web page? If not, the answer is clear, and you need help with your SEO. But, do you even know what your "top keywords" are? Do you have organic traffic coming to your website? Can you track the amount of organic traffic your website receives versus direct traffic or advertising traffic? If your answers to these questions are also a "no," then again, you need help with your SEO. So where do you begin if looking to get starting in optimizing your website for search engines? First, you need a full understanding of where your website currently stands with SEO. The best way to do this is to pay for a technical SEO audit. As a small business, budgets can be tight and hiring someone full-time to focus on specific marketing efforts such as SEO may not be the financially responsible route for your business. Luckily, you can find a freelancer or contractor on networks like CloudPeeps or UpWork that can start anywhere from $500 on... --- ### Business.com: Prevent Data Decay From Ruining Your CRM System > A CRM system is only as good as its data, and most systems don't account for rot. Keeping data fresh means starting with more shelf-stable information. - Published: 2017-09-25 - Modified: 2018-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/prevent-data-decay-from-ruining-your-crm/ - Categories: CRM What do customer data and bananas have in common? Both rapidly decay. The biggest difference (other than potassium content) is that you can see bananas turning brown. Unfortunately, most customer relationship management (CRM) systems hide the decay of prospective customer information. For a small business, finding leads and customers is hard enough. If you're letting your data get stale, you're missing out on opportunities in your sales pipeline and likely dropping the ball with current customers. And if your data is decaying, it can impact your entire business, from sales to HR to accounting to customer service. Today's leads become tomorrow's garbage without you even noticing the shift. Customer data decays at a rate of 30 percent per year. In some markets with high employee turnover, that data can unravel at a shocking 70 percent each year. A small business CRM system is only as good as the data in it, and most systems do not account for this prospect rot. Read Jonathan's full article on Business. com. --- ### 5 Ways Your Agency Can Appeal to Tight-Budgeted Small Businesses > Small businesses must focus solely on the tasks that move the revenue needle, which means they'll rely on an agency to be an extension of their business. - Published: 2017-09-22 - Modified: 2017-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-agency-can-appeal-small-businesses/ - Categories: Agencies When a small business decides to invest in their marketing channel, they're likely looking for an agency that understands their limitations but can maximize their efforts while keeping within a small business budget. Small businesses run a tight ship and need to focus solely on the tasks that will move the revenue needle, which means they'll rely on the agency to become an extension of their business and a partner in growth. If you're looking for ways your marketing agency can appeal to these smaller businesses, below are five ways to get you started. 1. Initial Discussions When you begin your initial discussions with a potential client, have a frank conversation about budget. Find out what they're willing to spend each month before you develop their proposal. Be up-front about your line item and hourly costs, and be sure you're not committing to projects that would be a great price for the small business but not worth your agency's time. It's best to openly discuss the types of services that you can deliver that work within their needs. If you're uncomfortable with initiating a frank budget conversation, there are smart ways to get around this. One of the tactics I've used at my own marketing agency is to send a client survey using TypeForm, which asks within the survey what their ideal budget would be. This helps kick-off the conversation. 2. Proposal Development When creating marketing proposals, offer packages in different pricing increments that the company can choose from, so... --- ### 5 Inspiring Steve Jobs Quotes Every Entrepreneur Should Read > As entrepreneurship transforms the global economy, many people have revisited Steve Jobs' insights, seeking understanding and inspiration. - Published: 2017-09-21 - Modified: 2022-10-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-inspiring-steve-jobs-quotes/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Starting a business takes guts, mental toughness and confidence. No one knew that better than Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple computer, who passed away in October 2011 and remains a beloved figure who embodies the spirit of innovation. As entrepreneurship transforms the global economy, many people have revisited his insights, seeking understanding and inspiration. Here are five Steve Jobs quotes to educate and inspire you. "My favorite things in life don't cost any money. It's really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time. " – PBM February 1985 Jobs was only 29 when he said this but it reflected his overall approach to life. If you devote your life to activities that bring you joy and fulfillment, and understand how precious your time on earth is, you will be surprised at the impact you can have. “I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance. – Smithsonian Institution Oral History Interview, April 20, 1995 A non-quitting spirit is essential to success as an entrepreneur. Each small business owner faces obstacles—loved ones who don’t “get” what they’re doing, bankers who won’t lend them money, competition from bigger fish, to name a few—but Jobs innately understood that refusing to give up was a powerful advantage. “I’m as proud of many of the things we haven’t done as the things we have done. Innovation is saying no to a thousand things. ” – World Wide Developers Conference, May 1997 When... --- ### How To Break $1 Million in a One-Person Business > The nice thing about running a high revenue one-person business is it gives you plenty of options—and we can all use more of those. - Published: 2017-09-20 - Modified: 2018-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/break-million-one-person-business/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship A guest post by Elaine Pofeldt, author of The Million-Dollar One-Person Business. Most people who start one-person businesses don’t expect to bring in $1 million in revenue or more. But a growing group of entrepreneurs are proving it is possible. There were 35,584 “non-employer” firms—meaning those that don’t employ anyone but the owners—that brought in $1 million to $2. 49 million in annual revenue in 2015, according to the U. S. Census Bureau. That number has grown 33% since 2011. These numbers are still small—there are nearly 23 million non-employer firms and most don’t bring in $1 million or more—but the success of these firms hint at the tremendous untapped potential that even the tiniest businesses have to generate revenue. As I began reporting on these solo stars in my journalism work and heard from many readers who wanted to know more, my research morphed into a book called The Million-Dollar One-Person Business, which Random House will release on January 2. Not everyone needs to bring in $1 million in revenue, but if you live in a high-tax state and have substantial overhead, $1 million in revenue will probably translate to a mid-six-figure income. Given the lack of a safety net for free agents in today’s economy, earning more can give you some insulation against situations such as unemployment and skyrocketing health insurance premiums. And it can help make it possible to do other things that elude many free agents, such as saving for retirement, donating as much as they’d... --- ### Back to Marketing Basics: Core Tips To Make Your Business Grow > Listen up, business owners. You’re going back to school. The subject? Marketing 101. Specifically, marketing utilities. Today’s marketing advice largely - Published: 2017-09-18 - Modified: 2017-09-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-basics-make-business-grow/ - Categories: Marketing Listen up, business owners. You’re going back to school. The subject? Marketing 101. Specifically, marketing utilities. Today’s marketing advice largely focuses on content and digital marketing, and it’s for good reason. But we tend to forget some basic marketing concepts that are crucial for growing your business. So sit up straight, grab a pen and paper, and let’s get started. What are the marketing utilities? Let’s start with what marketing is, period. You could say that marketing is about promotion, but it’s a little more than that. Marketing is anything that touches your customers and prospects and affects the decision-making process around your product. So yes, marketing includes advertising and public relations. But it also includes pricing and market research. An important concept that all small business owners should understand is what a business marketing utility is. It’s the components necessary for an exchange to take place between a business and a customer. There are four business marketing utilities that business owners should think about when considering how to grow their company. Form Utility aka “Give ‘Em What They Want” Form utility is all about the specific products or services you offer your customers. Does that product meet a certain need? Do your customers even want that product in the first place? Large companies dedicate entire teams to conducting extensive research to figure out exactly what customers want. Once they know this, they develop a product to meet that desire. Small business owners can use this concept to grow their... --- ### 5 Fundamental Questions For Qualifying Your Ideal Customers > Make sure you’re asking these five important questions to qualify your ideal customers before going in for the hard sell. - Published: 2017-09-15 - Modified: 2017-09-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-questions-qualify-ideal-customers/ - Categories: Sales You might have a great list of leads—tight, honed and secure. You might have a great product—you know it’s a lifesaver. You might know generating leads is about quality, not quantity—and you’ve done the legwork to get their contact info. Now, it’s question time. During first contact with your sales leads, and even before you do, you should make sure you’re prepared. You need to have the right script and know what you’re both getting into. After all, selling is a conversation; it isn’t a one-way street where you just hammer away your sales points until they acquiesce or just hang up on you. You need to listen to them, understand their points of view and engage with them on a human level. There are a few questions that can help get you there. Make sure you’re asking these important questions to qualify your ideal customers before going in for the hard sell. What will they think of me? There’s a classic scene in Seinfeld where Jerry picks up the phone and gets a telemarketer. “Sorry,” he says, “now’s not a good time. How about I get your home number and call you back? Oh, you don’t want people calling you at your home? Now you know how I feel. ” And then he hangs up on them, while the studio audience wildly cheers. It’s a great concept, but it also forces salespeople to ask themselves how they’re being perceived. Am I being annoying? How would I honestly react to... --- ### The Major Benefits of Creating Gated Content > Feeling hesitant about producing gated content? We’ll bet you’re a bit more excited about the idea after reviewing a few of the benefits. - Published: 2017-09-14 - Modified: 2018-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-benefits-gated-content/ - Categories: Content Marketing The purpose your content serves depends on where it is in the sales funnel. Most content is meant to increase brand awareness. It’s why companies offer blog posts and videos free of charge. Then you’ve got your carefully crafted CTAs, which are meant to drive sales. But there is a middle ground between a blog post and a piece of sales copy, and gated content takes up some of that space. What is gated content? It’s content that wants something in return, like a name, email address, and sometimes, a phone number. Content like white papers or ebooks are usually gated and for good reason. They offer a lot of value, which means companies can ask for a bit more in return. Feeling hesitant about producing gated content? We’ll bet you’re a bit more excited about the idea after reviewing a few of the benefits. Increases Traffic to Your Website If you’re gating content, it means you’re offering something valuable like market research, in-depth tips, or case studies. Competitors, customers, and even journalists are eager to access this kind of information. People recognize quality, so if you promote an ebook on a topic people wish to learn more about, you’re almost guaranteed site visitors. Boosts Your Company’s SEO One of the best ways to increase your company’s search ranking is to be cited by quality sources, preferably authority news sites. When you provide new, original, and insightful information, other websites use that information to support their own blog posts. All... --- ### 5 Tips For More Effective, Unique Sales Emails > Your business' sales emails are only as effective as the strategy you use to develop them. These tips will help you convert customers faster through email. - Published: 2017-09-13 - Modified: 2023-10-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-effective-sales-emails/ - Categories: Sales Email marketing can be a handy sales tool for a business looking to grow revenue, but the average consumer receives up to hundreds of emails a day which makes the likelihood of your business emails standing out that much less. Your business' sales email is only as effective as the strategy you use to develop these emails. There is an art to creating an email that your customers will want to open, read and engage with. If your email strategy is lacking, your recipients will disengage, and sales opportunities can dwindle. These four tips below will help you get a head start at converting customers faster through email. 1. Consider HTML vs. Text Emails There can be a number of different reasons why companies might have greater success with an HTML email versus a text email or visa versa. However, when selling via email marketing, your ultimate end goal is to get prospects to open your email and click-through to your website. Studies show that you may want to skip the fancy header images or photos within an email and just keep it simple with plain text email formats. According to a blog from Square2 Marketing, on average: Adding images (GIFs) to emails reduce open rates by 37% Using an HTML template in your emails reduces open rates by 25% Increasing the amount of HTML in your emails reduces open rates by 23% And, click-through rates in an HTML format are also lower, especially in a heavy-HTML format Most email... --- ### Should Your Small Business Invest in AI? > AI can help in any number of ways: virtual assistants, machine learning, accounting, customer support, chatbots, speech recognition, marketing and sales. - Published: 2017-09-12 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-invest-ai/ - Categories: Small Business There is hardly a buzzword that gets more attention nowadays than AI. Artificial intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence by machines or computers. It is designed to use large amounts of data to analyze and react with the most optimal solution possible. While larger businesses have been leveraging AI in their products such as Apple and Amazon, small businesses stand to benefit as well. AI can help your company in any number of ways: virtual assistants, machine learning, market strategizing, accounting, customer support, chatbots, speech recognition, marketing, and sales. But before you just dive in head first and invest in AI, you need to know exactly what it is you’re looking to achieve and how much it’s going to cost. How Can AI Help My Small Business? There are lots of ways to incorporate artificial intelligence, but broadly speaking, here are a few of the most prominent ways small business owners have found it useful. Chatbots It’s becoming more and more common to see companies use natural-language generation to analyze swaths of text-based communication data and create automated responses for customers to read and interact with. This is particularly ideal for customer service, and can drastically cut your support costs, improve response times and enable you to deliver support 24/7. Image Source: Drift Facebook chatbots are particularly handy and easy to use while setting up one for your website is also possible—but be careful of having tech disproportionately outweigh your human support. At the end of the day, when... --- ### 5 Questions To Determine If You Should Be Marketing to Local, Domestic or International Prospects > While parsing data can lead to new insights that ultimately inspire domestic or international expansion, you have to be careful. - Published: 2017-09-11 - Modified: 2017-09-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-questions-marketing-local-domestic-international/ - Categories: Marketing Finding your target audience is one of the most challenging—and fundamental—parts of marketing. Part of that includes researching basic demographic information, including how old your ideal clients are and, yes, where they live. While parsing that data can lead to new insights that ultimately inspire a domestic or international expansion, you always have to be careful—any wrong move can quickly sink a growing business. So how can you figure figuring out if your small business should be marketing to international prospects? There are a few questions you can ask yourself to figure it out. 1. Who’s buying your product? You’ll need to dig into your company analytics to learn this one. Obviously, if you’re starting small, your audience will be local, but your specific demographics can be more revealing—and hint at places you could market. If you’re running an online store, dig into that demographic information to see where people are visiting from. If you’re selling to a broader or more international range of customers than you realize, that’s the easiest (and most obvious! ) indication. But subtler cues can be revealing, too. Finding demographic information, as well as how those customers are using your product, can reveal other sources of inspiration. If you know that your brand is popular among liberal-minded males in the metropolitan U. S. East Coast, you can find similar areas that might respond equally well, like Toronto, Berlin or Austin. This can be a bit hit and miss, but you’re likely to make solid inroads... --- ### 5 Ways to Create Super-Effective Emails with Buyer Personas > If you’ve developed buyer personas, don’t make the mistake of shoving them in your desk drawer and expecting them to magically work for you. - Published: 2017-09-08 - Modified: 2018-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-with-buyer-personas/ - Categories: Email Marketing Jonathan's article was originally published on the Wordstream Blog. If you’ve done the essential exercise of developing buyer personas for your customers, don’t make the mistake of shoving them in your desk drawer and expecting them to magically work for you. Personas are essential to creating personalized email campaigns that convert – in fact, one study by MarketingSherpa showed a 7% conversion rate for a persona-based campaign. Now is not the time to rest on your laurels, insert the “first name” field and consider it personalized. You have to actively apply your personas to create more personal, engaging emails. So how do you exercise what you learned from your personas in email marketing? Let’s dive into five actionable ways you can apply personas to your email marketing and score more engagement in the inbox. #1: Nail Your Email Marketing Strategy Your personas can help you nail your email marketing strategy by uncovering useful information about the customer journey. Every email campaign you build should be targeted to an overall goal, like: Building Trust and Brand Awareness: Focus on content-centric campaigns that add value to your audience. Increasing Conversions: Attentive email nurturing that reinforces your unique value prop and keeps your brand top-of-mind until your recipients are ready to buy. Raising Customer Lifetime Value: Add value to customers and reinforce your brand with relevant cross-sell, upsell and add-on offers. Growing Referral Business: Actively incentivize promoters to send new business your way. With your goal defined, you can easily determine what type... --- ### 10 Quick Tips For Starting Your Own Business > If you think you’re ready to start your own small business, here’s a quick checklist to run through before taking the plunge. - Published: 2017-09-07 - Modified: 2018-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-tips-starting-business/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship The world is full of good ideas and bad advice. It takes a bit of serendipity to find one and avoid the other. If you think you’re ready to start your own business, here’s a quick checklist to run through. This list of tips is by no means exhaustive, but it should help you get started down this road of entrepreneurship. Have a worthwhile idea. Sound easy enough? It isn’t. A good rule of thumb is to ask a variety of people—not just people you trust, but various people from different backgrounds. Your friends and family may lie to you to avoid hurting your feelings. You can pitch your basic idea to them, sure, but also bounce it off strangers and acquaintances to see if they agree. Establish a budget. How much do you think starting your own business will cost? Double that number. Odds are your cost structure is going to be higher than you realize—particularly once you take into account overhead costs such as insurance, legal fees, office space (if applicable), website costs, marketing, and on and on... Start by analyzing the costs associated with your specific industry. If you’re dealing with investors, they’ll want to know the costs, so this is a worthwhile exercise regardless. Think about the legality of your small business. You’ll have to register with the government somehow, but the exact way will depend on your goals. This will affect your taxes, legal status and growth possibilities. You’ll have to understand whether you’re paying... --- ### 22 Unforgettable Email Sign-Offs > Here's a list of flawless email signatures, sign-offs and farewells that we guarantee will resonate with anyone who has a sense of humor or humanity. - Published: 2017-09-06 - Modified: 2018-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/22-unforgettable-email-sign-offs/ - Categories: Email Marketing We have to preface this article by pointing out the great irony of its existence: the best email sign-offs are unique. Not just unique for a person (“Wishing you many rainbows for the upcoming week! ”), but unique between you and the person to whom you’re writing. The most memorable email sign-offs deal directly with a subject or history that’s familiar and distinct to your relationship. Just be a human being. For example, if you’re writing to someone about a tech conference, you might write, predictably, “Looking forward to seeing you at the tech conference” as your sign-off. That in itself, while simple, is better than “Best” or “Cheers. ” But, okay. It’s not always that easy. Sometimes you need a little inspiration. That’s why we’re here. Behold, a list of flawless email signatures, sign-offs and farewells that we absolutely guarantee will resonate with anyone who has a sense of humor or humanity. These won’t all apply to you, and you might find some of them silly (well, they are), but we guarantee they will, at least, be memorable. Looking forward to chatting more about this. In the business world, no conversation ever truly ends. Signing off like this keeps the option for further communication open and shows a bit of enthusiasm. Let me know how things go. The ball’s in their court now! Make them get back to you by showing how interested you are in whatever they’re up to. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have... --- ### 9 Leadership Exercises To Help Your Confidence > We have a secret to share with you. Not everyone is born with the confidence to get up in front of a room full of people and inspire. Not everyone is born - Published: 2017-09-01 - Modified: 2017-09-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-leadership-exercises-to-help-your-confidence/ - Categories: Leadership We have a secret to share with you. Not everyone is born with the confidence to get up in front of a room full of people and inspire. Not everyone is born to lead. In fact, most of the skills required to be an effective leader need to be taught or developed over time through practice and perseverance. And often it means learning from mistakes, picking yourself up, dusting yourself off and getting right back on the horse. If confidence doesn’t come naturally to you, there are some exercises which can help you thrive despite your fears or personal concerns. Do these on a regular basis, and soon you too will have people believing that your confidence comes naturally. Until then, we’ll keep your secret, and you can fake it until you make it. Create a blueprint It’s so easy to focus on the negative when things are not going your way. But instead of going into a negative spiral, put together a plan ahead of time, mapping out how you want to respond in turbulent situations. Think about these questions. When you are confident, how will you act? What will change between now and then? What will you do differently? What kind of words will you use? How will you come across to others? Once you have your blueprint mapped out, you can start to put your plan into practice. After all, life isn’t about what happens to you but how you respond to it. Practice Speaking Remember that... --- ### The 6 Most Valuable Mobile Apps Your Small Business Needs > There comes a point in every small business owner’s life when they realize the company has gotten too big for them to handle alone. Enter: mobile apps. - Published: 2017-08-31 - Modified: 2017-08-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/most-valuable-mobile-apps-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business What do you need to succeed in business? Strategy, sure. Core values, of course. But what about digital infrastructure? Specifically—what about apps? There comes a point in every small business owner’s life when they realize their company has gotten too big for them to handle in certain ways. Maybe it’s keeping track of expenses; maybe it’s too many emails piling up, maybe it’s a flurry of social media questions you lose track of. But the result is always the same: an epiphany that tells them they need to invest in organization. That’s where apps can be a valuable lifesaver. Invest in the right ones, and you’ll be able to tangibly see the ROI in terms of saved time alone. Here are just a few apps to get you started. There are hundreds of worthwhile apps you should look at, of course, but these are some of the most critical and well-reviewed ones that thousands of companies around the world are trusting. Concur Concur has become one of the most definitive expense-account apps for modern companies of all sizes, including major multinationals, federal government bodies and healthcare providers. Employees can snap photos of their receipts through the mobile app, then easy itemize and track their expenses. Managers can then quickly review each expense and approve them from their own mobile device in a matter of seconds. It’s an ideal solution for companies with remote employees or employees who frequently travel—journalists, on-site engineers and sales teams are just a few examples. The... --- ### 7 Elements of Exceptional Mobile-Friendly Website Design > Irrespective of how your site is built and what its function is—there are universal design elements to ensure you have a mobile-friendly website design. - Published: 2017-08-30 - Modified: 2017-08-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/elements-mobile-friendly-website-design/ - Categories: Marketing There’s an old saying that my family has passed down from generation to generation: “You can always tell a website’s age by the look of its mobile site. ” It’s a trite old-world European saying, but it’s true. If you can scroll an awkward 20 pixels to the right, the site probably hasn’t been made within the last three years. (Or it has, but by someone who learned how to code in the mid-2000s. ) There are a few ways you can design a mobile site, and your method of choice should boil down to your online goals. With mobile accounting for anywhere from 30 to 50 percent of all web traffic, and most Google searches done there as well, it’s not a decision you should make lightly. You can either make a responsive website—one that works on either desktop, mobile or tablet screens perfectly—or create a different site that registers when your visitors find you on their mobile devices. Responsive sites are more in vogue these days because they’re more affordable, easier to manage and capitalize on your content in a more contained way. Mobile-specific sites tend to be better for companies with an audience who expect something, who simply wants a stripped-down version of the main site. If usability and speed are your top concerns, it’s something to consider. Regardless of which approach you take, there are a few key design elements to take into consideration. These are irrespective of how your site is built and what its... --- ### How To Build a Small Business - Without Wrecking Your Credit > Here are several steps you can take to increase your small business capital without putting yourself and your credit at too much risk. - Published: 2017-08-29 - Modified: 2022-10-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/build-small-business-without-wrecking-credit/ - Categories: Small Business A guest post by Beth Katz, contributing writer at Credit. com. Every business owner wants their company to succeed and their brand to soar high. But in order to grow and become self-sufficient, it usually takes some additional financial capital. Many business owners may find themselves tempted to commingle their personal and business accounts so that they can access more money - but this is a dangerous path to follow. Keeping your individual and your company finances separate will not only make tax and reporting requirements easier to fulfill, it will also guard against the possibility of any potential business mishaps leading to personal insolvency. Here are several steps you can take to increase the capital you have available without putting yourself at too much risk. Looking for a Loan? Proceed with Caution If you're thinking about getting financing from an institution, it's best to proceed slowly and explore all your options before committing. The Small Business Administration offers loans that may be superior to what traditional lenders can provide. Your local credit union may be able to deliver a tailored package and friendly service that puts others to shame. Be wary of business loans that require personal guarantees because this torpedoes the entire purpose of separating your own money from your enterprise's money in the first place. Any loan you accept will have an ongoing impact on your company's finances, which is why it pays to do your homework first. Consider Incorporation Many entrepreneurs start up their organizations as... --- ### 4 Tips For Creating Effective Marketing Videos > Viral videos. It’s becoming a trend for brands looking to win in content marketing. This is not surprising, as over 79 percent of senior marketers say - Published: 2017-08-28 - Modified: 2024-05-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-tips-effective-marketing-videos/ - Categories: Marketing Viral videos. It’s becoming a trend for brands looking to win in content marketing. This is not surprising, as over 79 percent of senior marketers say video's role will increase in overall visual content strategies and gets three times the engagement of other content. While going viral should never be the objective of your video marketing campaign, the term itself has really garnered a lot of attention each year as brands like Dollar Shave Club create videos that reach thousands — sometimes millions — of people. But, to produce an effective video, and before you can focus on the outcome of the video, you need to ensure you’re using the right tools. Walk Before You Run After concepting and determining the “big idea” for your brand's video, think about your next steps before you start recording: scriptwriting and storyboarding. This will give you, your team or your client a graphic representation of how your video will unfold, shot-by-shot. Storyboards can really smooth out the post-production process when it’s time for editing, as well. It also makes recording a snap, so you don't waste precious budget on multiple video drafts. There are plenty of tools to use to help the process, such as FrameForge or Toon Boom Storyboard Pro. Small Budget? No Problem Don’t discount your iPhone! With the quality of iPhone cameras and editing apps, using your device is becoming a popular choice — even with big brands such as Bentley or Fabletics. Look into cheap help. Contact a college... --- ### 5 Must-Have Elements For A Valuable Ebook > Writing an ebook takes time. Writing a valuable e-book takes time and effort. Nothing good ever came easy, and ebooks can do a great deal for your business. - Published: 2017-08-25 - Modified: 2018-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-elements-valuable-ebook/ - Categories: Content Marketing “I barely have time to write blog posts. Now you’re telling me I need to create e-books? ” If this is your reaction to the blog title, your frustration is valid. Writing an ebook takes time. Writing a valuable e-book takes time and effort. That said, nothing good ever came easy, and ebooks can do a great deal of good for your business. Authoring an ebook sets you up as an authority within your industry, strengthens your brand and can sometimes evolve into a new revenue stream. Even if you don’t sell your ebooks, they can indirectly bring you new business. Building an email list or phone list is easier when you can offer something as valuable as a free ebook. Prospects are willing to fill out an online form that asks for their job title and email address if they’re getting something useful in return. As a result, you can use the data from these forms to strengthen your buyer persona, segment your email campaigns or reach out to potential customers. Feeling a little more excited about writing that ebook? We thought you might be. But before you rush off to get started, here are a few things to keep in mind while writing your business’s magnum opus. Lead With a Powerful, Active Title Any ebook, especially one produced by a business, has to offer value or there’s no purpose for reading it. The difficulty is conveying that value as quickly as possible to someone who may close the... --- ### 6 Ways To Make The Most of Mobile Advertising on a Small Business Budget > Consumers are predominantly using mobile devices to make decisions, so how can you afford mobile advertising on a small business budget? - Published: 2017-08-24 - Modified: 2025-05-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/mobile-advertising-small-business-budget/ - Categories: Marketing Desktop is dead. Mobile is now king. Sixty percent of U. S. digital media time is spent on smartphones and tablets while 52 percent of that engagements happens via apps. Evidently, consumers are moving toward entertaining and informing themselves through mobile devices, so how can you keep up with this new trend on a small business budget? Yelp For Business Yelp is a straightforward way to market your business locally. Head over to the site and create or claim your Yelp Business page. Once you’ve claimed your company name, spend some time optimizing your Yelp Business Page. Upload photos of your products, restaurant, or space and add your company site’s URL. After completing your profile, encourage customers to leave reviews to raise your business’s ranking. In addition to building positive reviews, be proactive about your negative reviews by replying to them in a helpful way. Consider offering discounts to customers who check in on Yelp. Checking in lets their network know that they visited you, increasing your business’s visibility. You can also advertise on Yelp, but this can be pricey if you’re trying to work within a strict budget. Engage in SMS Marketing Guess what the open rate for an SMS is? Not 40 percent. Not 60 percent. Not even 90 percent. The open rate for SMS is almost 98 percent. It gets better. Nearly 90 percent of SMS recipients open a message within the first three seconds of receiving it, allowing you to market time-sensitive or thematic promotions like... --- ### How To Make Your Value Proposition Stronger Than Your Competitors' > For your own small business, your value proposition could be a vast selection of products or lower prices. But to sell it, you’ve got to market it. - Published: 2017-08-23 - Modified: 2018-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/make-value-proposition-stronger/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship What makes your company valuable? This isn’t an easy question to answer. No matter your industry, you have numerous competitors—many of whom will outshine you. They might have more monthly website visits, higher-ranking search results, a bigger social audience or more monthly sales. The point is, they’re out there. And the only way you can stand out is by focusing on your value proposition. In the simplest terms, your company’s value proposition is what makes your company stand out. It comprises your most convincing reasons for why people should use your product or service. Should you buy second-hand camera gear from Amazon or eBay? Amazon might argue that their fast delivery and partners make them a better option. eBay might counter that their prices are generally lower and their seller-review system has a stronger reputation. Whichever you choose will depend on your own values—which aspects you’re looking for in an online retailer. For your own small business, your value proposition could be a fast turnaround time, a vast selection of products and services or lower prices than your competitors. But to sell it, you’ve got to understand how to market it. Ask Yourself: What is Your Value? The first thing to establish is what your biggest value proposition really is. If you’re not immediately sure, this will be somewhat of a brand-building exercise for you. If you’re compelled to say your small business is the best at everything, here’s some news: it’s not. You probably specialize in a few areas... --- ### The Important Social Media Stats You Might Be Overlooking > In the mix of too much digital information, the important social media stats are being lost. Here are 4 social media statistics you might be overlooking. - Published: 2017-08-22 - Modified: 2018-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/important-social-media-stats/ - Categories: Social Media Every year, there are endless amounts of statistics released from all of the major social media sites — from Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat — it can be overwhelming to keep up with the changes in users, demographics and how marketers are supposed to utilize each platform. In the mix of too many statistics, the important social media stats are being lost. We’ve gathered a collection of social media statistics that are important to pay attention to because they give essential direction to your marketing strategy that could change the way you think about and execute your marketing campaigns. Here are 4 important social media statistics you might be overlooking: #1 59 percent of Americans who have a social media account agree that customer service via social media has made it easier to get questions and concerns resolved. Why This is Important: If your brand is not utilizing social media as a customer service platform, you’re late to the game. Social media has become the go-to platform for customer service because a number of users know they’re going to get a guaranteed quick response. And with mobile and technology being the norm, it’s often easier for a customer to shoot off a quick Tweet rather than attempt to make it through a confusing phone tree to get to the right department and wait on the line for a customer service agent. To ensure your brand is utilizing social media as a customer service platform, you should... --- ### 10 Traits of a Wildly Successful Salesperson > Not everyone is cut out for sales, but if you possess even some of these traits, you’re on the path to being a successful salesperson. - Published: 2017-08-18 - Modified: 2022-07-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-traits-successful-salesperson/ - Categories: Sales The success of a salesperson is ultimately measured by one thing—results. However, if you take the time to listen to a high-performing salesperson, it is clear to see why they’re consistently at the top of their game. It’s more than their mannerisms, their attitude, or the way they talk – it’s a combination of a number of different traits that all work cohesively to produce stellar results (and stellar customer service). Not everyone is cut out for sales, but if you possess even some of these traits, you’re off to a good start. Responsible A great salesperson accepts responsibility and does not try to pass the buck. If there is a problem, they are accountable and will dig in to find the root cause of the issue. They don’t pass the blame on to their organization or their manager either. Rockstar salespeople feel a sense of responsibility for their company, team members, and their customers—meaning they’re not just concerned about closing the deal and walking away but are focused on how it impacts the team around them. Empathetic Empathy is an important trait for anyone to possess. To become a successful salesperson, you must have deep desire to understand the concerns that a prospect might be facing and find an ideal solution to their problems. The ability to establish rapport quickly and easily is particularly helpful in reducing relationship tension with new prospects. After all, people don’t care what you know until you show them that you truly care. Focused... --- ### Press Release: Inc. Magazine Names Hatchbuck No. #704 On 2017 Inc. 5000 List > ST. LOUIS, Aug. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. magazine ranked St. Louis technology company Hatchbuck no. 704 on its 36th annual Inc. 5000 list, the most - Published: 2017-08-17 - Modified: 2017-08-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/press-release-hatchbuck-2017-inc-5000-list/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News ST. LOUIS, Aug. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. magazine ranked St. Louis technology company Hatchbuck no. 704 on its 36th annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. Hatchbuck, a sales and marketing automation platform for smaller businesses, achieved three-year sales growth of 646% and $2 million in revenue in 2016. "We're proud and honored to be included in the Inc. 5000 family with great companies such as LinkedIn, Zappos and Apple that have blazed this path before us. We are thankful for our loyal customers–without their support and dedication this award wouldn't be possible. Our success is attributed to the role we are playing in helping thousands of small businesses propel relationships into sales," said Hatchbuck co-founder and CEO Don Breckenridge. The 2017 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2013 to 2016. To qualify, companies must be privately held and have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2013. Hatchbuck was also ranked as the 14th fastest growing company in Missouri. "We are passionate about building a great company culture and are proud of the team we've built in St. Louis. It is a driving force for our success and a big factor in landing on the Inc. 5000 list this year," said Hatchbuck CSO/CMO and co-founder Jonathan Herrick. Read the full press release here. --- ### 4 Ways to Avoid Sounding Pushy on a Sales Call > Have you ever gotten a call from a telemarketer who talks right over you when you say you’re busy? Then you know what being on the receiving end of a bad - Published: 2017-08-16 - Modified: 2017-08-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-ways-avoid-sounding-pushy-sales-call/ - Categories: Sales Have you ever gotten a call from a telemarketer who talks right over you when you say you’re busy? Then you know what being on the receiving end of a bad sales pitch feels like. It certainly doesn’t put you in a buying mood. But it can be hard to strike the right note when you’re making a sales pitch. If you’re too timid, you might not close a sale, and sometimes customers need a gentle nudge. So how do you strike the right note? Try these strategies. Pay attention to cultural cues. If you come from a part of the country where people tend to do everything quickly, you may come off as pushy if you speak at your usual cadence to someone who lives in an area where the pace is slower. To avoid making a bad impression on a prospect or client, make a conscious effort to slow down, breathe and match the client’s cadence. Let the people you’re pitching set the tone for the conversation. If they want to spend some time on small talk, don’t rush them through it so you can get to your PowerPoint. Even the best presentation won’t sell them on anything if you come off as rude. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to deliver your pitch if you make the right impression up front. Think of yourself as a resource. It’s easier to sell a product or service your customers actually need than one that you are offering simply to drive... --- ### 9 Tips For Keeping Your Emails Out Of The Spam Folder > There are proven ways to keep your emails out of spam folders across the web. Here are seven of the best strategies for doing just that. - Published: 2017-08-15 - Modified: 2021-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/keeping-emails-out-of-spam-folder/ - Categories: Email Marketing Congratulations, email marketer! You’re a spam artist. You may not see yourself that way, and you may not want to brand yourself as such, but the truth is that every email we send, every drip campaign we painstakingly organize, every A/B test we fire off—they’re all getting lumped together with Viagra ads and Nigerian-prince scams. Each email client operates differently, but the fact is that Gmail can tell when you’re sending a massive swath of emails out to thousands of people, and that’s an inherently suspicious action. Even when you have double-opt-in consent to email the person, they may never see your email. It’s our job, as intelligent people, to elevate our work above the blah. We should hold ourselves to greater standards and ensure our work floats above the sea of meaningless gibberish to which most email clients seem to think we belong. But, of course, there’s good news: we can achieve this dream. There are ways to keep your emails out of spam folders across the web. Here are nine of them. Ask to Be Added to Address Book The first email from your drip campaign should probably include some whitelisting language. Whitelisting, essentially, is the act of labeling an email address as “safe,” to ensure it goes straight to your inbox and avoids the spam folder. Different email clients have different ways of achieving this, but offering some kind of instructional advice is a good start. We recommend using comfortable, normal language: “Because you took the time... --- ### The Top 5 PPC Mistakes and How to Avoid Them > With error comes a waste of budget without getting customers. So, it’s important to understand these PPC mistakes and how to avoid them. - Published: 2017-08-14 - Modified: 2018-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-5-ppc-mistakes-avoid/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing, Lead Generation Let me guess what one of your biggest goals is this year for your business: get more customers and make more money. I’m guessing this because, well, money makes your business go round! And it keeps you from being one of the 50 percent of businesses that will start and fail this year. If this is in fact your business goal, then one of the best ways to achieve this goal is to invest in marketing. Specifically, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. If you’re not familiar, PPC is the tactic of using search engine advertising or social advertising to display ads in front of people based on keywords and targeting. You ‘pay per click’ or ‘pay per impression’ for these ads, and essentially drive brand awareness and traffic to your website. Some of the top platforms for PPC advertising are Google AdWords, Bing Ads, Yahoo Ads, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Because of the depth of knowledge associated with all of these different platforms, PPC advertising can be complicated and leaves a lot of room for error. With error comes a waste of budget without getting customers, which is counterintuitive to the goal of getting more customers and making more money. So, it’s important to understand these PPC mistakes and how to avoid them. PPC Mistake #1: Failing to Use a Landing Page PPC traffic will send a ton of new visitors to your website and brand. And, if you do your targeting right you’ll know exactly what they’re looking for. So,... --- ### 4 Tips for Avoiding Burnout in the Workplace > Running your own business—free of the hassles of working in corporate America —is supposed to be exciting and energizing. So why the burnout? - Published: 2017-08-11 - Modified: 2018-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/avoiding-burnout-in-the-workplace/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Running your own business—free of the hassles of working in corporate America —is supposed to be exciting and energizing. So why do you feel so worn out? Your exhaustion may have more to do with the nature of work in the 21st century than being an entrepreneur. And you’re not alone in feeling that way. Nearly half of U. S. adults surveyed said they are often or always exhausted because of work—a 32% increase from 10 years ago, according to an analysis of General Social Survey of 2016 published in Harvard Business Review. Their emotional exhaustion often leads to feelings of loneliness, noted co-authors Emma Seppala, Ph. D. , the science director of Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, and Marissa King, Ph. D. , professor of organizational behavior at the Yale School of Management. The results were “pervasive across professions, and up and down corporate hierarchies,” they wrote. Fortunately, it’s possible to reverse burnout and prevent it from creeping back in the future. Here are some strategies that will help you get your mojo back at work. Connect. Seppala and King recommend building a workplace culture that encourages community and places value on “warm, friendly, and understanding relationships between people. ” One way to do this is by finding creative ways to celebrate collective successes, they say. Keep your eye out for achievements to celebrate—whether it is attracting a new account or winning an industry award—and look for inexpensive ways to recognize your team for... --- ### 5 Ways You Need to Market Differently to B2B Customers > While you might think a B2C marketing approach will appeal to anyone with a pair of eyeballs, in fact, B2B customers often make decisions very differently. - Published: 2017-08-10 - Modified: 2017-08-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/market-b2b-customers/ - Categories: Marketing People are people, no matter where they are or where they work—this is true. And while you might think this means a B2C approach will appeal to anyone with a pair of eyeballs and common sense, in fact, B2B decisions are often made in an entirely different way. Business decisions are usually handled by multiple people after multiple consultations. Frankly speaking, it’s not really a human decision—at least not always. (It depends on the company. ) It’s more of a spreadsheet-consulting decision. So you’ll need to target your marketing differently to capture each audience. Here are some ways to market differently to B2B customers, instead of relying on B2C logic. Create a B2B user persona Step one is to know who you’re talking to. B2C marketing tends to be more breezy and emotional, appealing to people’s wants and needs instead of their common sense. (There’s a reason last-minute purchases are called “impulse buys. ”) That’s not the case in B2B. Since B2B decisions are made by committees and consultants, or at the very least multiple heads making financially-minded decisions, you’ll want to do some market research into the kind of people making these decisions before pitching them. If you’re pitching small business CEOs in Chicago specifically, you can drill down into average ages, salaries, company sizes and city demographics to get a sense of who they are and how they make decisions. Just like with B2C marketing, you need to know your customer. Choose your social platforms wisely—and then measure... --- ### 6 Reasons You Need to Make SEO a Priority in Your Editorial Calendar > When you’re investing time and resources into content creation, you want to maximize your ROI. SEO is crucial for getting the most bang for your buck. - Published: 2017-08-09 - Modified: 2022-11-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-editorial-calendar/ - Categories: Marketing SEO and content marketing go together like milk and cookies — you can't (or shouldn't) have one without the other. There are a variety of benefits from SEO. It demands fresh, new content and keywords to ensure your website can rank better. SEO also requires backlinks to your website. And, really great content naturally builds backlinks (for free! ) as other brands and individuals link to your blog post. An excellent way to organize your content and help turn strategy into action is through an editorial calendar. This content management tool enables you to plan your content ahead of time for events such as industry conferences and seasonal themes. It also helps you maximize every piece of content you're producing. Your marketing team can see the path ahead of them and stay on track with deliverables and deadlines because you can publish and share the calendar. When you’re investing time and resources into content creation, you want to maximize your ROI. This may seem obvious, but if your audience can’t find your content, it won’t produce results. A search engine's number one priority is serving up results that provide exactly what their users are looking for. With the massive amounts of content on the internet, this is not an easy task. SEO such as keywords, title tags and meta descriptions will make your content favorable for certain search results. So, why should you prioritize SEO? Here are six reasons why I believe SEO is a crucial part of your editorial... --- ### What Type of Digital Marketing Ads Are Best For Your Small Business? > If your marketing team is made up of one - you - the smart approach is to assess the pros and cons of digital marketing ads before pulling the trigger. - Published: 2017-08-08 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/digital-marketing-ads-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business With digital marketing, the possibilities feel endless. It’s significantly cheaper than traditional marketing such as billboards, flyers and print ads, and a lot of it can be done in-house if you’re willing to invest the time. There are also a lot of mediums to choose from. This is digital marketing’s blessing and curse. Small business owners can use display ads, YouTube, Instagram, and more to promote their products on a budget. But as we’ve discussed several times on our blog, spreading yourself thin can lead to an unfocused, inconsistent digital marketing strategy. If your marketing team is made up of one team member - you - the smart approach is to assess the pros and cons of different methods and pick one that works for your business. Here are a few digital marketing options that may fit into your small business budget. Display Ads Display network ads show up on websites that have Google AdSense enabled. Let’s suppose you’re on a blog called Marketing St. Louis, reading an article about the best ad agencies in the St. Louis area. Across the top of the article or along the side, you’ll likely see advertisements from St. Louis marketing, advertising and content agencies. In essence, display ads are paid ads that are spread across the web and placed where they are most relevant. The benefit of display ads is that they’re great for building brand awareness. If there’s a popular pet blog in your city that pet owners adore, you certainly want... --- ### Do Competitions Really Fuel Company Culture? > Many of us love contests—and they can be a highly effective way to motivate employees in businesses of all sizes. That’s why so many companies offer - Published: 2017-08-07 - Modified: 2018-07-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/competitions-fuel-company-culture/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Many of us love contests—and they can be a highly effective way to motivate employees in businesses of all sizes. That’s why so many companies offer vacations as incentives to their sales teams. And with trends like gamification being used to put a new spin on workplace contests, workplace competitions are increasingly popular and creative. That said, contests can also backfire. If you put everyone’s score in a contest on a leaderboard, for instance, the people who have racked up the fewest points may feel isolated or even worse humiliated. That can lead them to become disengaged at work—leading to lower productivity. Research by Globoforce, a provider of social recognition solutions, found that while 86% of employees said a recognition program would motivate them, 79% said they would not work harder if the recognition were displayed on some type of leaderboard. As a result, if you are planning a contest, you need to consider the decision carefully. Here are some questions to ask yourself. How competitive is your team? Some people thrive on friendly rivalry and love going head-to-head with their opponents. Others are more collaborative and find that contests that pit them against the co-workers in adjoining cubicles can be stressful and erode the supportive relationships they’ve built with colleagues. Knowing how your team feels can be helpful before you embark on a contest. Do an informal, one-on-one poll of individual team members to see what they think of the idea. Even if they are not excited about a... --- ### 9 E-commerce Email Promotions To Boost Sales This Month > In the world of e-commerce, email promotions and discounts are a must when looking to boost sales quickly. Use these 9 campaigns to get results ASAP. - Published: 2017-08-04 - Modified: 2022-01-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/e-commerce-email-promotions-boost-sales/ - Categories: Sales The importance of email marketing cannot be understated when it comes to your business success. A solid email promotion strategy will work to both generate leads and boost sales. And, while email marketing isn't a new trend, it remains one of the best ways to communicate and engage your customers. Email marketing is one of the highest ROI-generating channels you can leverage, so don’t ever fall into the trap of thinking email is an old tactic that doesn't work anymore or that "email marketing is dead. " In the world of e-commerce, email promotions and discounts are a must when looking to boost sales quickly. But they’re a bit trickier and require you to walk a fine line. You don't come across as too spammy or shake the brand loyalty of your current customers. Enforce a strategy by ensuring you are appropriately segmenting your customers and choosing the audience that fits the email messaging and offer. Do this by taking a look at how you initially acquired a customer or lead you're communicating with through email. This information could help you nurture those contacts better. Offering promotions, sales and discounts that expire by the end of the month will generate a sense of urgency and influence recipients to purchase sooner. So what types of email promotions can you implement to boost your sales this month? Check out a few options I've gathered below. 1. Win-Back: Develop a particular offer email for any one of your customers who haven't purchased from... --- ### 5 Tips for More Productive Workplace Discussions > Although most of us tend to wing it when it comes to workplace discussions, putting in some forethought can go a long way. - Published: 2017-08-03 - Modified: 2017-08-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/productive-workplace-discussions/ - Categories: Leadership We’ve all been part of discussions at work that didn’t go the way we planned. Maybe we reacted emotionally when someone gave us feedback, spoke in anger instead of waiting until we cooled off or offended someone unintentionally. Although most of us tend to wing it when it comes to workplace discussions, putting in some forethought can go a long way, given the mix of personalities involved in every business. So how do you ensure you have more positive and productive discussions with your colleagues and customers? Here are some strategies to put to work for you. Remember you’re a public figure. When you own a business, no matter how small, you’re the public face of the company. What you say has disproportionate weight with employees, contractors and customers. Before you communicate with team members or external stakeholders—whether in person, by email or on video, remind yourself that they are paying close attention to what you do and say in public. Think about what you say to these key stakeholders and how you say things. If you would feel uncomfortable if your conversations were recorded and shared with people in your community or the public at large, then it’s time to consider “editing” what you say in the future. It’s possible to remain genuine and honest with the people in your orbit without letting it all hang out—and every leader needs to find a way to strike the right balance. Listen first, speak later. Smart leaders listen more than they... --- ### 4 Tips For Seamless Mobile App Onboarding > Onboarding is the process of introducing a user to your application. If it’s a pain, you run the risk of pushing that user into the arms of a competitor. - Published: 2017-08-02 - Modified: 2017-08-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/mobile-app-onboarding/ - Categories: Featured, Mobile You’ve designed and developed the perfect app. On launch day, there are enough downloads that the debut is considered a success. But within days, you notice there are very few sign ups. In fact, engagement is limited despite the amount of initial interest. Where did you go wrong? Chances are, your app is hitting a snag in the onboarding process. Onboarding is the process of introducing a user to your app. This is usually where the user creates a username, indicates their preferences, and takes a virtual tour. If this process is effortless, you’ve got a ready-to-go user in no time. If it’s a pain in the butt, you run the risk of pushing that user into the arms of a competitor. Think we’re exaggerating? Get this. The average app “loses 77 percent of its daily active users (DAUs)” within the first three days after a user installs it. Here are a few tips to make the onboarding process as seamless as possible. Offer a Contextual Learning Experience Rather Than a Digital Instruction Manual Think about the last time you downloaded an app. You likely did so because you wanted to start using it as quickly as possible. The last thing you want to do is flip through a long, boring tutorial about how to use it. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll retain all that info. Provide the basics and include prompts that pop up while the user moves through the app for the first time. Instead of overwhelming the... --- ### 4 Indications That PPC is Necessary for Your Small Business > Depending on your industry, size and reliance on digital ads for new leads, you may not have the time, money or resources to dig into the vast world of PPC. - Published: 2017-08-01 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-needs-ppc/ - Categories: Lead Generation, Small Business First, a disclaimer: pay-per-click advertising is not a good fit for every small business. Don’t feel pressured to buy in if your ad budget is being well-spent elsewhere. Instead, note that PPC only makes sense for businesses with certain audiences, budgets and the practical experience necessary to thrive in the field. It’s definitely possible—but it takes work. A lot of that work will be specific to your business. Depending on your industry, small business size and reliance on digital ads for new leads, you may not have the time, money or resources to dig into this vast world of PPC—a world in which it is very, very easy to lose money quickly if you don’t know what you’re doing. In case you’re a bit unclear as to what PPC advertising is, it’s essentially a way of paying for ads only when they’re clicked on by users. You set a maximum daily budget—say $10—and then agree to pay up to a certain cost (which you also set) anytime someone clicks on your ad. When searching on Google, for example, you’ll find these ads appear at the top, with the boxed “Ad” label before the URL. But different search terms cost different amounts. Ranking on Google’s first page anytime someone searches “PPC advertising” will cost more than landing on the first page of a search term like “best PPC advertising company in Milwaukee”—the former might cost $5 per click, while the latter might cost $0. 50. (These numbers are not accurate, but... --- ### Should Your Small Business Be Using Emojis? > Emojis have invaded our emails and texts. So should your small business be using emojis? The quick answer: yes, no and maybe. - Published: 2017-07-31 - Modified: 2018-07-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-using-emojis/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business Emojis have invaded our emails and texts. Offline, they even adorn our pillows, coffee mugs and pajamas. It was only a matter a time before they became an acceptable form of communication in the business world. So should your small business be using emojis? The quick answer: yes, no and maybe. Or in emoji speak: Why such a complicated answer? Because in short, all businesses are different. It depends on your industry, your brand, your reputation and your target audience. There are a lot of factors that come into play. Evaluate your business There is no denying that emojis are a creative way to bond with your customers. They are fun – they are cute – and they can heighten the engagement you receive from those reading your messages. While some believe they are unprofessional or flippant, others are taking advantage of their colorfulness and creativity. If you have a workplace that is quite informal, then emojis can be effective. But if it is a suit and tie affair from top to bottom, probably not. Emojis connect with your reader’s brain on an emotional level, similar to that of facial expressions. When paired with well-constructed text, it’s hardly any wonder that emojis can increase your Return on Investment (ROI) for your marketing campaigns. Consider your target audience If you’re targeting millennials, then the answer is yes, without a doubt. If you are trying to reach pensioners or retirees who may be less likely to understand the meaning of emojis, then... --- ### Resource: Build Your Own Marketing Stack > We've made it our mission at Hatchbuck to help small businesses succeed. We're constantly improving and refining our offerings to make sure that our - Published: 2017-07-28 - Modified: 2017-07-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/resource-build-marketing-stack/ - Categories: Marketing We've made it our mission at Hatchbuck to help small businesses succeed. We're constantly improving and refining our offerings to make sure that our partners and customers have access to the tools they need to grow their businesses. There are so many phenomenal tools in the marketplace – many of which we've included in this list: 64 Small Business Tools To Avoid Marketing Madness. But we acknowledge that as a small business, you probably don't have that massive marketing budget that we all dream about and several of the tools may be too expensive. So instead of taking a risk on enterprise solutions like HubSpot and Salesforce that lock you into an annual contract and likely have more features than any small business needs, you need to find tools that are small business and budget-friendly. Lucky for you, we've created a solution to your problem. Our Marketing Stack builder allows you to choose the tools you need that fit into the budget you have. Ready to shake up your stack with some new tools? Build your marketing stack and compare pricing at-a-glance. Build Your Own Marketing Stack --- ### Business.com: 3 Ways to Build Your Small Business's Brand Locally > Becoming valued locally doesn't happen overnight. You can't develop a clear local identity without putting in the work and being strategic in those efforts. - Published: 2017-07-27 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-ways-to-build-small-business-brand-locally/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business Today's consumers take pride in patronizing local, one-of-a-kind restaurants, markets, shops and startups. In fact, according to a study conducted by AT&T, 90 percent of customers shop at small businesses on at least a monthly basis, and about half shop local weekly. Supporting companies that are unique to their area is a core value of younger generations in particular. Nearly half of those surveyed in the AT&T study do this to support local employment and to keep money in their communities rather than give it to a chain. For these companies, boosting their profiles as a source of local pride means free advertising. To generate more enthusiasm and bring in new business, business owners can burnish their credentials as a community staple to please customers. However, to enjoy the immense benefits of being viewed as a valued resource and partner by the community, companies must first build strong brand awareness and identity. Read Jonathan's full article on Business. com. --- ### A Guide To Finding The Right Freelance Talent For Your Small Business > Many small business owners know they need to outsource more projects to freelancers so they can focus on the work they do best. But often, they don’t know - Published: 2017-07-26 - Modified: 2017-07-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/freelance-talent-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business Many small business owners know they need to outsource more projects to freelancers so they can focus on the work they do best. But often, they don’t know where to begin their search. If you’re among them, the good news is it isn’t hard to find the freelance talent you need. The best place to start is with word-of-mouth referrals from other professionals you know and respect but if they cannot suggest anyone, freelance platforms can be a good alternative. Here is a guide to some of the most established freelance platforms so you can quickly find the talented help you need—followed by some information on how to vet the freelancers you find there. Upwork This giant global freelance marketplace, which includes accountants, designers, writers, web developers and more, is a good place to begin your search for freelancers. With ample venture capital funding, this Silicon-Valley based site makes it easy to hire freelancers, stay in compliance with labor laws and handle payments smoothly. Freelancer A close competitor to Upwork, this large site based in Sydney, Australia is very active in the U. S. It offers access to a full range of freelancers, ranging from professionals to trades people. Freelancer has been involved in some interesting creative partnerships, such as one that has enlisted tech-savvy freelancers to design tools and technology used in space travel for NASA in a series of contests. 99Designs If you need to design a logo, brochure or website, this crowdsourced site is a popular option.... --- ### The Characteristics of a Spectacular Social Media Manager > If you’re ready to hire a social media manager, you’ve likely reached the realization that social media is important, but it’s too time-consuming to manage. - Published: 2017-07-25 - Modified: 2022-07-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/characteristics-social-media-manager/ - Categories: Social Media If you’re ready to hire a social media manager, you’ve probably reached the realization that most business owners have reached: social media is absolutely necessary, but it’s too time-consuming to manage on your own. Luckily there are tons of social media enthusiasts out there who turned their love of connecting online into a full-time job. Now you just need to find the right one to hire for your small business. Here are a few guidelines on what to look for when hiring a rock star social media manager: Already Active Personal Social Media Accounts Usually, the first prerequisite for any social media management job is to submit all social media profiles with a job application. Anyone interested in a job in social media should already be active on social media in their personal lives — it takes a lot to understand the audiences for each social media site and the etiquette of what’s appropriate (such as not stealing and sharing other people’s photos on Instagram)! If your social media applicant has a strong profile on all the major social media sites and is actively posting and taking part in the community regularly, chances are they’re truly passionate about social media and will do a great job managing social for your business. Passion for the Industry And that brings me to the next requirement: passion. It’s is a must in this industry. Social media management is a full-time job that often requires managers to respond in their evenings and free time.... --- ### 4 Tips For Improving Your Blog With Expert Keyword Research > Want to know how we decided to write a blog post about keyword research? You guessed it. We did extensive keyword research. - Published: 2017-07-24 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-tips-keyword-research/ - Categories: Content Marketing Want to know how we decided on writing a blog about keyword research? Yep. We did keyword research. It goes without saying that research is essential to modern marketing. But despite the all-importance of this SEO technique, there’s no universal way to figure out the best course of action. Different websites will require vastly different keyword research strategies, depending on their goals, budgets and website authority. The perfect storm is when you find a niche you’re successful in, write great content within that niche, and are rewarded by dominating the search results for that topic. It’s generally accepted that long-tail keywords (e. g. “tips for small business blog topic research”) are better to use than broad keywords (e. g. “blog topic research”), and by digging into those niche areas you’ll find a more committed following for your digital platforms. It can be exhausting, and you’ll think of every blog topic as a gamble. Sometimes you’ll succeed where you didn’t think you would; other times, you’ll fail when you thought you had nailed it. But there’s good news, too. Blog topic research isn’t a standalone endeavor. Whenever you research viable topics for your blog, you’re also looking for SEO keywords that will inspire more posts and even Google Adwords terms that you can benefit from on the pay-per-click advertising side of things. Nothing stands alone in the digital world. So here’s a quick four-step strategy for researching your next blog post. 1. Start with broad keywords, and expand out to long-tail... --- ### Entrepreneur: What to Do When Your Ideal Customer Isn't Who You Expected > To truly grow your business and keep customers coming back, you need to intimately know who your “radical buyer” is. Read more on Entrepreneur. - Published: 2017-07-21 - Modified: 2018-07-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/entrepreneur-ideal-customer/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Most companies trust their “gut” when locking in their target market. After all, the larger the prospect pool, the bigger the sales growth, right? Not so fast. It’s not as simple as selling your products and services to anyone who will throw you a few Benjamins. To truly grow your business and keep customers coming back, you need to intimately know who your “radical buyer” is. Most businesses choose their target customer based on self-perception of their brand, and then the marketing team goes after them. Your own perception of your brand, however, doesn’t always reflect what’s actually happening in the marketplace, leaving your business vulnerable to missed opportunities and growth. Read Jonathan's full article on Entrepreneur. --- ### PRESS RELEASE: Hatchbuck Releases New Mobile Version to Empower Small Business Owners > This press release was originally published on PRNewswire. ST. LOUIS / July 18, 2017 -- Hatchbuck, an innovative and easy-to-use sales and marketing - Published: 2017-07-19 - Modified: 2017-07-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/press-release-hatchbuck-releases-new-mobile-version-empower-small-business-owners/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News This press release was originally published on PRNewswire. ST. LOUIS / July 18, 2017 -- Hatchbuck, an innovative and easy-to-use sales and marketing software for small businesses, today announces the launch of Hatchbuck Mobile. The release of this mobile version will empower small business owners and their teams to see progress at a glance, manage contacts, send emails and close new business deals from their phone or tablet. Hatchbuck Product Manager, Ben Xue, says the mobile version will help propel sales even when users are away from their desktops. "Hatchbuck Mobile helps our customers build better relationships with their contacts and leads wherever they are,” said Xue. “With our new mobile interface, small businesses will be able to communicate with prospects and customers more quickly, manage their tasks while out of the office and constantly know how their sales and marketing processes are performing. " Hatchbuck Mobile includes critical CRM and email marketing capabilities to allow small businesses to streamline processes on the go, including: Quick Dashboard Insights The mobile dashboard syncs with Hatchbuck’s main database, offering a real-time snapshot of the overall sales and marketing process. Customers will now have instant insight into key sales and marketing data such as revenue, sales opportunities, and email and website visitor metrics needed to make more informed decisions. Contact Management The mobile interface allows easy editing or adding of contacts. Users can also call or text contacts with a single click . Global search means that Hatchbuck users can quickly look up... --- ### Manage Contact on the Fly with Hatchbuck Mobile > Here at Hatchbuck, we understand that it’s an increasingly mobile world out there. We know you’re constantly hustling to attract new business and that a - Published: 2017-07-18 - Modified: 2019-09-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-mobile/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News Here at Hatchbuck, we understand that it’s an increasingly mobile world out there. We know you’re constantly hustling to attract new business and that a lot of the hustle is happening away from your main workstation. Technology is reshaping the way small businesses connect with prospects and clients, which is why we are thrilled to provide our users with Hatchbuck Mobile. Over the last year, we’ve been working hard to augment the ways our small business and agency customers seize every opportunity by focusing on accessibility and flexibility improvements. Hatchbuck Mobile includes many of the desktop interface’s most impactful CRM features to keep you connected to your customers in and out of the office. Why a Mobile CRM? As a small business, we know every opportunity is important to you, which is why we want you to be prepared and informed no matter where your business takes you. Whether you’re traveling, meeting with clients, or simply away from your workstation, Hatchbuck Mobile enables you to quickly access and communicate with contacts on-the-go. Mobile Key Features: REAL-TIME DASHBOARD INSIGHTS - Your mobile dashboard provides a real-time snapshot of your sales and marketing efforts. Access sales and revenue data alongside email and website visitor metrics. ORGANIZED CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT - Quickly create, lookup, and update your contact records on the fly using global search and a full contact detail view. QUICK COMMUNICATION - Need to get in touch? Reach your contacts in the manner that makes the most sense. Whether it’s a call,... --- ### A Beginner's Guide To Customer Journeys > Mapping customer journeys helps mitigate bad customer experiences and cut a clear path toward positive interactions between your business and customers. - Published: 2017-07-17 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/beginners-guide-customer-journeys/ - Categories: Marketing Every great product begins with an idea to solve a problem. Just look at innovate solutions such as Uber’s car service, Apple’s iphone, or the Watson A. I. platform from IBM. Great products sell themselves when customers fully understand their value and the impact on their lives. But it’s not enough to just create a great product. You need to better understand the behaviors of your customer: why they buy and stay loyal to your business. A customer’s journey describes this realization and goes a few steps further, establishing your average customer’s thoughts and feelings before, during and after a purchase. The easiest way to visualize this is in a map—what’s known as a customer journey map—which depicts the possible emotions a customer will have while interacting with your business. To beginners, customer journeys can look absolutely daunting, like a complex web. That’s because you will likely have more than one map, depending on how they found you and what their reaction to your product is. Mapping their journey helps mitigate bad customer experiences and cut a clear path toward the right outcome. What Problems Can You Solve By Understanding Customer Journey? A customer journey should be like reading. If this article were filled with typos, yuo wuld tinhk its weidr. You would stop and start and get annoyed. The same thing happens with customers—if they don’t enjoy a smooth onboarding process or user experience, they’ll get annoyed and simply leave. One of the biggest benefits to understanding customer journeys... --- ### VIDEO: 5 Small Business Marketing Strategies You Can Implement Today > Looking for quick tips to improve your small business marketing strategy ASAP? Steup up your marketing game with these five steps. - Published: 2017-07-14 - Modified: 2022-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-video/ - Categories: Marketing As a small business owner, you likely don't have enough time in your day to be selling your services door-to-door or cold-calling prospects - and you probably won't close leads with those tactics anyway! We've compiled a list of five marketing strategies you can implement into your strategy to step up your game and start converting more prospects right away. Enjoy! For more tips on building your small business marketing strategy, check out these blog posts: 64 Small Business Tools To Prevent Marketing Madness How To Avoid The Biggest Small Business Marketing Pitfalls Top 20 Small Business Marketing Blogs to Follow to Boost Your Marketing Smarts The Fixings for a Perfect Small Business Marketing Stack Small Business Marketing On A Budget: 5 Low Cost-High Impact Strategies How to Effectively Leverage Social Media With Limited Time The 3 Non-Negotiables For Building Your Small Business Social Media Strategy --- ### Tweak Your Biz: How to Ditch Archaic and Ineffective Sales and Marketing Tactics > If you still think conducting cold calls is a great way to build your business, think again. - Published: 2017-07-13 - Modified: 2018-07-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-ditch-archaic-and-ineffective-sales-and-marketing-tactics/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales If you still think conducting cold calls is a great way to build your business, think again. Tactics like random cold calls and black books with client contacts are signs of a broken system. These practices aren’t relevant in today’s customer-first selling cycle — they’re not only a waste of time and energy, but they’re also a punch in the gut to employee morale. In the past, buyers had only a few avenues to receive information. Businesses controlled sales conversations and pushed information to buyers through channels like radio and television ads and, yes, through cold calls. Today, buyers are doing their research online and are only ready to engage with a sales rep in the last third of the buying process: the decision phase. Before that, they actually want to remain anonymous while they gather information on their own. To read the rest of Jonathan's article, visit Tweak Your Biz. --- ### 6 Ways To Tweak Your Small Business Marketing Strategy This Summer > For small business owners, summertime can mean different things. Make the most of the slow summer months by tweaking your small business marketing strategy. - Published: 2017-07-12 - Modified: 2024-01-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/summer-small-business-marketing-strategy/ - Categories: Marketing For small business owners, summertime can mean different things. For some, like restaurant owners, summer means an upswing in business. For others, it’s the slowest time of year. No matter which boat you’re in, you should be dusting off your marketing strategy and tweaking it during the summer season. We use the word “tweak” for a reason. This isn’t a complete overhaul of your marketing strategy. In fact, your primary goals will stay the same. Instead, you’ll refresh key components of your marketing strategy and maybe add a few new elements. 1. Step Up Your Visuals When the temperature’s high and attention spans are short, visual content is the way to go. An interesting, well-edited photo is the kind of thing that stops someone from mindlessly scrolling through their feed and instead interests them in your product. Now, this is easier for some businesses than others. An ice cream shop can snap pictures of their smiling customers enjoying colorful cones. But what if you offer a service like accounting? In this case, selling the story is the trick. Instead of taking photos of spreadsheets and paperwork, shots of happy customers or team building activities will help. Link your image to a quality landing page that details your prices and boom - you’re selling through photos. 2. Amp Up Your Social Media Presence Since summertime is all about social activities - vacations, restaurants, beaches, barbecues - your customers are spending a lot of time snapping and sharing those experiences. This also... --- ### 5 Ways To Deliver Bad News To Your Team (And Keep Company Morale High) > No one likes being the bearer of bad news, but often you have to play that role as a business owner. So, how can you break bad news and keep morale high? - Published: 2017-07-11 - Modified: 2018-07-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/keep-company-morale-high/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship No one likes being the bearer of bad news, but sometimes, you’ll have to play that role as a business owner. Perhaps you’ve lost a big client, you have to close a satellite location or you have to let people go. Often, the only appropriate person to share that news with your team is you. So how do you deliver the news without wrecking morale? It’s all in your approach. Here are some strategies that will help you handle the situation constructively and confidently. Get your emotions in check. Nonverbal clues will telegraph more to your team than any words you say, so make sure to get your emotions under control before you deliver your message. Do deep breathing, call a friend for a pep talk or take a walk around the block—whatever it takes to deliver your message calmly. Whatever emotions you display will influence how your team hears your message. That doesn’t mean you need to deliver the news in a robotic monotone. No one is going to fault you if you seem sad when delivering news of a business setback or choke up because a beloved employee is retiring. Just make sure you’re composed enough when delivering your message that you don’t lose control entirely, which will not be good for morale. If you’re worried you won’t be able to get through the entire message, designate a second-in-command to deliver part of it. Plan ahead. When you have bad news to deliver, don’t wing it. Consider the... --- ### The Secret To Building A Robust Sales Team > The businesses succeeding with inbound marketing have stellar marketing and sales teams that are humming along together to drive new leads and close deals. - Published: 2017-07-10 - Modified: 2021-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/secret-building-robust-sales-team/ - Categories: Sales You might have a great marketing plan for your small business that is driving new traffic and leads to your business, but are assisting those leads in becoming customers? If not, you’re missing out on an opportunity to make more money this year. The businesses succeeding with inbound marketing have stellar sales and marketing teams that are humming along together to drive new leads and close deals. This is what this looks like: your marketing department creates a great piece of content or sends out an email drip campaign to leads. Then your sales department has additional touch points with those leads in the form of emails and phone calls to answer questions and finalize a sale. The quicker you have your sales team reach out to “hot” leads who are ready to purchase, the better. But if you don’t yet have a sales team member or sales team set up for your business, that’s where you need to start. Who You Need Director of Sales This is the person who will set the strategy and training for your sales team. They’ll likely choose the best platform to manage sales conversations with customers if you don’t already have one. They’ll also teach the team the best scripts to use when calling, how to appropriately tag and close deals in your customer relationship management (CRM) platform, and the best way to close a deal. The Director of Sales should also set sales goals for each team member and incentives for the... --- ### 5 Cheap Hobbies You Can Adopt To Maintain Your Sanity (AND Be a Better Leader) > Every year when summer rolls around, it’s easy to be hit with summer fever, restlessness or stress when business is slow. Hobbies are the perfect solution - Published: 2017-07-07 - Modified: 2025-02-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cheap-hobbies-better-leader/ - Categories: Leadership Every year when summer rolls around, it’s easy to be hit with summer fever, restlessness or stress when business is slow. Hobbies are the perfect solution if you don’t have an imminent vacation planned, but you need to unwind. There are plenty hobbies that can aid your stress levels and improve your leadership skills simultaneously. And the best part? You don’t have to shell out the big bucks to try them out. When you spend the majority of your day working, your brain can struggle to make the right choices. Hobbies can refresh your ability to focus and concentrate throughout the day. By opting to take on a hobby, you are giving your brain a much-needed rest. On top of that, a well-selected hobby can teach you valuable business skills such as patience and creativity, and give you a sense of accomplishment that can assist your day job. Adding hobbies and interests for CV, can help show employers that you're more than just your work experience. There is much talk about leaders failing to achieve a balance between their work and their home life, and a hobby can help them bridge the gap. Your choice of hobby doesn’t even need to relate to your profession to make a difference in your work performance. Sometimes the less relevant it is - the better! Here is a selection of cheap pastimes that you might want to consider. Practice Yoga Yoga is great for your mind and body and can be practiced at... --- ### How To Integrate Your Content Into One Editorial Calendar > You don’t have to be a content strategist to put together a well-planned editorial calendar. Create a plan to maximize your content marketing efforts. - Published: 2017-07-06 - Modified: 2018-07-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-editorial-calendar/ - Categories: Content Marketing You don’t have to be a content strategist to put together a well-planned editorial calendar. Most small business owners intuitively understand what sort of content their customers want, whether it’s how-to videos for using a product or case studies about current customers. The challenge isn’t coming up with ideas. The challenge is carrying them through the development phase to publication. This involves outlining, assigning, editing, approving, publishing, sharing, and tracking. It’s no wonder then that companies hire full-time content marketing teams. Managing an editorial calendar is a job all on its own. In the world of content marketing, there are loads of outlets to share content through, but as a small business, it’s important to prioritize areas that will get your content the most traction. We recommend starting with the content marketing basics: a blog, a social media presence, and email marketing. But figuring out how to make these three tools work in sync can be tricky. What is an editorial calendar? An editorial calendar (or content calendar) helps you keep track of ongoing digital marketing projects from conception to publication. Without a calendar to keep track of your progress, it’s easy to completely forget about a blog post idea you had or eBook you wanted to get out by Christmas. Start With a Brainstorming Session Creating an editorial calendar is fairly straightforward. Detailed templates are available online (check out this AWESOME one from CoSchedule! ), but you can get your feet wet by creating a barebones editorial calendar in... --- ### 4 Reasons Your Small Business Needs Paid Advertising > Putting even a little bit of cash towards paid advertising can go a long way towards generating business and growing your customer base - Published: 2017-07-05 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-paid-advertising/ - Categories: Lead Generation, Social Media Small business owners often dismiss paid advertising as something they should focus on way, way, way down the line. It’s sacrificed in the name of saving time or saving money. But putting even a little bit of cash towards paid advertising can go a long way towards generating business and growing your customer base. Beyond revenue, it has a positive impact on the perception of your company and brand awareness. 1. Paid Advertising Reaches Your Customers Where They Are. According to a 2014 study, 81 percent of shoppers do online research before making a purchasing decision, and 60 percent start with a search engine. The path of least resistance is to advertise where they are. Newspaper ads are as good as dead. Digital marketing is the new way to get the word out there about your small business. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertisements, like those placed in Google’s search network, let you present your company as the answer to a consumer’s search. For instance, if we type “video agency st. louis” into Google, The Storyteller Studios is the top result for the sponsored posts. While many companies advertise on Google to reach the widest audience possible, you can also opt to advertise through other networks as well. If you know that your key demographic uses Facebook often, you can use Facebook Ads to promote your product where your prospective customers spend most of their time. 2. Paid Advertising Increases Your Company’s Prestige and Credibility. In the long term, a quality product or... --- ### Make Your Summer Business Travel More Productive With These 6 Tips > Prevent stress, poor sleep and getting behind on work with these five tips to overcome travel challenges and make the most of your business trips. - Published: 2017-07-04 - Modified: 2022-10-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/make-business-travel-productive/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship You know the feeling: the excitement of an upcoming business trip. Daydreaming about how productive you’ll be during the trip, believing you’ll get double the work done in half the time. I kid. In reality, business travel is exhausting — disrupted sleep, lack of exercise, poor food choices and unpredictable internet connections make staying productive a lot tougher than you imagined it to be. Many times I've come back from business trips feeling triple exhausted and twice as behind on all of my work. After years of business travel, including monthly trips across the country when I worked for a company located on the other side of the U. S. , I've learned a few things about improving business travel. Here are five tips to overcome travel challenges and make the most of your business trips. 1. Plan Everything in Advance Before you head out on your trip, try to check off as many to-do items as possible. Prioritize responsibilities that are more challenging to do while working remotely. Meet with your project teams to get status updates and review upcoming deadlines. Don’t forget to let everyone know about your availability while traveling — when you’re completely out of pocket and when you will be most reachable. Get to the airport early so you don’t feel rushed. Once through security, grab your coffee and find a comfortable spot to work before your flight. Download GateGuru to stay on top of your reservation. GateGuru provides all of the flight and airport... --- ### GoSmallBiz: Put Your Small Business’s Content Marketing on Steroids With a Blog > Think of your blog as a platform where you can regularly share insights, demonstrate your brand’s personality, and foster relationships. - Published: 2017-07-03 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/gosmallbiz-put-small-businesss-content-marketing-steroids-blog/ - Categories: Content Marketing, Small Business As a business owner, you always have a lot of irons in the fire, trying to keep things running smoothly. While there’s a decent chance keeping up with a blog is near the bottom of your to-do list, it really shouldn’t be. A strategic blog on your website could be your golden ticket to reaching and converting more customers. Educational content is a marketing asset that’s available to all businesses at a low cost, making it a great leveler when you’re trying to compete with larger companies. Creating a blog packed with industry insights will not only help your business stand out in an oversaturated market, but it will also build trust and keep you top of mind with potential customers. Ninety-six percent of your website’s visitors are in research mode and aren’t quite ready to buy. They can see right through self-promotional content — they won’t trust it, and it will repel them. But if you deliver valuable content to them at every stage of the buyer’s journey, they’ll return to your site again and again. Read more of Jonathan's article at GoSmallBiz. --- ### 7 Must-Have Qualities of a Stellar Customer Service Rep > Exceptional customer service is vital to your business's success. Finding customer service reps with the right skills is the first step to getting there. - Published: 2017-06-29 - Modified: 2022-10-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/qualities-customer-service-rep/ - Categories: Small Business Customer service is a critical part of your small business. Based on this, it’s incredibly important to hire the right people for the job. Your customer service team will ultimately be the face of your company and the main point of human contact with your customers. Excellent customer service is the key to loyalty, retention, business growth and profits. In other words, your customer service reps are your business's secret weapon. Just have a look at some of the data: 81% of companies with strong competencies for delivering an excellent customer experience are outperforming their competition. (Peppers & Rogers Group) 70% of buying experiences are based on how the customer feels they are being treated. (McKinsey) 9 out of 10 U. S. consumers say they would pay more to ensure a superior customer experience. (Harris Interactive/RightNow) 7 in 10 Americans said they were willing to spend more with companies they believe provide ideal customer service. (American Express) It’s clear that delivering exceptional customer service is paramount to your business's success. And training your reps to develop the right skills is the first step to getting there. If you want to be an excellent customer service representative, here’s where you should focus your efforts: 1. Problem-Solving Skills The number one skill you need to excel in for good customer service is problem-solving. Every other part of the job is somehow related to problem-solving abilities. Ultimately, a customer service rep’s job is to keep your clients happy. That often includes navigating through... --- ### 5 Ingredients For Eye-Catching Infographic Design > In order to stand out, you need to create compelling graphics that serve a purpose and have a meaning. The best avenue to do this? Infographics. - Published: 2017-06-28 - Modified: 2020-12-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/infographic-design-tips/ - Categories: Marketing We all understand how popular (and important) content marketing is for any business to stay relevant. But rather than constantly churning out blog post after blog post, it’s vital to throw a few new assets in the mix to keep people interested. Visual content is an incredibly easy way to do this. And we don’t just mean posting pictures on social media or including a photo with your blog post. In order to stand out, you need to create compelling graphics that serve a purpose and have a meaning. The best avenue to do this? Infographics. As it is with all other content, only the best and most unique work stands out and gets results. So, how do you create an infographic that performs? Here are a few of the vital ingredients for success. #1 Tell a Clear Story The best way to convey information is to use storytelling. Without a story, it’s just a bunch of pictures and bits of information put together. Unfortunately, that’s what most infographics are. The best ones, however, follow the basic rules for every good story. There’s an introduction, rising action, a climax, and a resolution. There also needs to be an overarching theme and a narrative. Infographic designed by UrbanFonts. com. Click the link to view the full infographic. Follow those rules of storytelling, and you’ll have a much easier time engaging your audience, keeping their attention and convincing them to share your infographic. #2 Create a Flow The purpose of an infographic... --- ### 4 Website Tips For A Seamless User Experience > Most user experience boils down to design. Make your website a place where customers can find the information they want quickly and painlessly - Published: 2017-06-27 - Modified: 2023-12-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/website-tips-user-experience/ - Categories: Marketing The Internet can be a messy place. Most days you probably feel like you’re being smothered by Adwords garbage, fly-ins, pop-ups and spam emails on an hourly basis. But, listen—there’s hope. By creating a smooth, easy-to-navigate website, you can be the change you want to see in the world. You can make your little pocket of the Internet a better place—a place where customers can find the information they want quickly and painlessly. All it takes is a little analytical insight and a lot of testing. Do it right, and your customers will reward your efforts with sweet, sweet patronage. Win/win! Most user experience boils down to design. If you’re inexperienced,you may want to work with a web designer. If you’re a DIY-er, you can spearhead design yourself. Here’s how it’s done: Know Who You’re Targeting Before you dive into an extensive site redesign, it’s important to know exactly who you’re building your website for. Pin-pointing your radical buyer will help you build messaging that appeals to your target audience as well as take design elements into consideration. For instance, if your ideal buyer tends to be a mobile native, having a mobile responsive site is a top priority. Or, if your ideal buyer prefers phone over email, you want to make sure you include a phone number with the calls to action on your website. Doing your buyer persona research upfront will help you nail website design and messaging upfront. Simplify Your Website Design There once was a time... --- ### 6 Tips For Maximizing Your Budget As A Solopreneur > Not only is it necessary to safeguard your cash flow when you start out as a solopreneur, but it's important to maximize the time you have to make money. - Published: 2017-06-26 - Modified: 2018-07-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/maximize-budget-solopreneur/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship As a solopreneur running my own marketing agency, I juggle many roles — administrative assistant, accountant, hiring manager, project manager, salesperson, website designer and more. Any of these roles can rob a solopreneur of time, and time is money when you're the only person running your business and bringing in cash flow. Not to mention it takes some time as a solopreneur to build a steady income after leaving the safety of a regular paycheck. Not only is it necessary to safeguard your cash flow when you start out as a solopreneur, but it's important to maximize the time you have to make money. After my first year in business, I learned a ton about how to save time and money, so I could increase the profits of my solopreneur business. Here's a list of tips you can use as a solopreneur to streamline your daily tasks, save cash and grow your solopreneur business this year: Cut Those Extra Expenses There are many options nowadays to find alternatives to things you enjoy... For example, when I first launched my business and went out on my own, I cut my $120-a-month gym membership and signed up for at-home fitness training from people like CSatt Fitness, Jillian Michaels and Kayla Itsines. The latter two both have apps, so you can build your own at-home training program and save a lot of money on a gym membership. Here’s another easy way to cut extra expenses — cancel your overly expensive cable subscription! Who... --- ### 11 Free Music Apps That Will Bring A Little Life To Your Office > Good music can be an effective productivity enhancer. Here’s a selection of free music apps to boost focus and morale in your office. - Published: 2017-06-23 - Modified: 2022-12-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/11-free-music-apps-office/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Good music can be an effective productivity enhancer. It can calm your mind and put it in focus or simply make you feel less stressed and more relaxed, making your workday more efficient. Nine out of 10 workers perform better when listening to music. According to one study, 88% of participants scored better and 81% completed their fastest work when music was playing. I know that for me, music is my workplace companion. As I sort through our small business CRM, looking for interested prospects and leads, having some tunes to accompany me makes me work faster and concentrate better. But, naturally, it depends on what type of music you listen to. If you’re in favor of music in the workplace, here’s a selection of free music apps to help you find the best music for your office. Spotify We’ve all heard of Spotify. The app (which has an easy-to-use free version alongside the premium one) offers over 30 million songs from various legendary and upcoming artists. You can create a playlist, follow other people or choose a playlist based on your mood (e. g. focus, easy listening, etc. ) The free version is ad-supported, so you’ll hear a short ad every couple of songs. Pandora Another one that we’ve probably all heard of. Pandora is comparable to Spotify’s radio feature, and the two are the biggest competitors in the market. It’s a free music streaming app that allows you to choose stations based on your favorite artists and discover... --- ### 6 Ways To Ensure Your Blog Post Is Search Engine Optimized > Ensure that your content is in the top results for your ideal buyers by making sure it is always search engine optimized. - Published: 2017-06-22 - Modified: 2022-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/blog-post-search-engine-optimized/ - Categories: Content Marketing If you publish a blog post and no one reads it, does it even exist? Once upon a time, the only thing you had to worry about was getting exposure for your content or your ads. Today, that’s no longer a problem. The internet has democratized exposure so that everyone can share their story with the world. The new challenge is grabbing people’s attention. This is where SEO comes in. Do you know why Google became so popular? It’s because it organized the internet. Without search engines, we’d be wading through pools of irrelevant web pages, and the process of finding what we’re looking for would not be very user-friendly. Search engines smooth out the research process by presenting us with the top results deemed most applicable and useful to our query. Your job is to ensure your blog post is one of those top results for your ideal buyer. But where do you start? Before you outsource, check out our guide below. Find Relevant Long Tail Keywords Conduct keyword research before you even start writing. Once you decide on the topic you want to cover, figure out which specific keywords people are searching for in relation to that topic. You should focus on long tail keywords that are likely to match a searcher’s query. For example, if you’re writing an article about HR, pumping your blog post full of the term “HR” won’t do much to optimize your blog post for search engines. A search for “HR” returns countless... --- ### Elevate the Buyer Persona and Embrace the Radical Buyer > The truth is that no matter how hard you work to market your product, you're not going to see success selling to the wrong buyer persona. - Published: 2017-06-21 - Modified: 2018-07-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/smart-insights-buyer-persona/ - Categories: Leadership, Marketing As every savvy marketer knows, using buyer personas is a time-honored technique that helps ensure messaging stays focused on the customer — nearly 60 percent of B2B marketers currently use them. The problem is that the results are mixed. Only a little more than a third of those marketers describe personas as being "very" or "extremely" effective, and 16 percent say they are “not at all” or “not very” effective. So why aren't these marketers having better luck with what should be a surefire tactic? The truth is that no matter how hard you work to market your product, you're not going to see success selling to the wrong persona. You wouldn’t target young professional men when the customers who really want what you’re offering are middle-aged moms. You probably can't sell baby strollers to singles, for example. No matter how powerful your message or your medium, you won't be able to break through without directing the right message to the right segment of your market. But what’s the most important part of the formula? Read Jonathan's full article on Smart Insights. --- ### The Anatomy of a Perfect PPC Campaign Strategy > In order for a PPC campaign strategy to be effective, it needs to attract people to actually click on it. Use these tips to build a campaign that converts. - Published: 2017-06-20 - Modified: 2022-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ppc-campaign-strategy/ - Categories: Marketing Paying to simply place an ad is so 2002. In 2017, you pay for results. PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns only cost companies money when someone actually clicks on their ad. But in order for a PPC campaign strategy to be effective, it needs to attract people to actually click on it. If you’re not paying any money for your PPC ads, that’s a problem because it means no one is taking the time to engage with it. If you’ve been using PPC ads for some time only to be met with underwhelming results, it’s time to rethink your strategy by following these tips. Focus On a Specific Product Don’t try to market every single thing in your wheelhouse, especially if you have a limited budget. Identify your most popular product or service for your first few ads. Instead of spreading yourself thin, you can work on crafting a perfectly targeted ad that wins new customers. Don’t Skip Over Keyword Research You want the right people to find your ads. One of the main ways sites like Google determine the relevancy of an ad is by comparing keywords. Conduct thorough keyword research to find both general and specific keywords that your ideal customers will be typing into a search engine. Not only does this increase your ad’s chances of being displayed, but it also increases your chances of someone making a purchase since they’ll be presented with an ad that corresponds with their search. Segment Your Ad Campaign Create different ad groups.... --- ### Is Performance-Based Pay A Successful Motivator? > Performance-based pay can come across to employees as an attempt to offset their work-life balance. Here are some creative alternatives. - Published: 2017-06-19 - Modified: 2018-07-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/performance-based-pay-successful-motivator/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Whether you’re a business owner hiring employees for your small business or an agency manager adding rock star employees to your team, you might think that the best motivator for the people you hire is more money. You’re not alone. Many companies pay their employees based on performance. This can take the shape of bonuses when a milestone is hit, gain or profit sharing which offers cash when the company sees profits increase, or skills-based rewards when employees attend yearly trainings. However, a new study conducted by Human Resources Management Journal has shown that performance-based pay often leads to higher stress levels and decreased job satisfaction. Why is this? It’s because many individuals associate performance-based pay with the expectations of being overworked and underappreciated. Performance-based pay can come across to employees like you’re requiring them to push themselves past their limits, work long nights and weekends, or generally offset their work-life balance just to increase profits for the company. With increasing news coming out about Americans being overworked with less vacation time and sick pay and some of the lowest parental leave policies in the world, it’s not an incentive anymore to work harder and faster and for more money. Here’s some ways you can incentivize your employees outside of offering them more money: Increased Vacation Days or Sabbaticals Everyone loves vacation and a time to unplug and recharge, yet most companies only offer two weeks of paid vacation a year. If your employees are motivated by time-off with their... --- ### 6 Traits Of Successful Dads That Make Successful Leaders > While fatherhood and small business ownership including many layers, these six traits will guarantee success in both roles. - Published: 2017-06-18 - Modified: 2017-06-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-traits-fathers-day/ - Categories: Leadership Every year when Father’s Day rolls around, I take the time to reflect on the connection between my home life and work life. As a father and a small business owner, I can honestly say that two of my most fulfilling adventures in life are owning a business and raising children. You want your children to develop into strong, healthy, productive members of society. You want your business to thrive as a prosperous, constructive part of your community. Many of the characteristics of a great father translate into those of successful small business owners. Here are just a few of those traits. 1. Patience This one seems like a no-brainer, right? Any dad knows that one of the foundations of parenting is patience. As an entrepreneur or small business owner, patience (and level-headedness) are vital to building a business that will succeed. Without it, you’re bound to make quick decisions and rash judgements that can lead you down the wrong path (poor partnerships, wasted money, bad PR). 2. Empathy You’ve probably read over and over that business owners need to lead with an iron fist, but there’s no quicker way to alienate your employees than leading like a tyrant. Just like every father needs to find the perfect balance between parent and pal, every leader needs to toe the line between chief and comrade. 3. Discipline Discipline is profoundly important as a leader, parent and person. Without discipline, children lack direction and restraint. Without discipline, employees and leaders alike are... --- ### The 6 Best Small Business Loan Options For A Cash Flow Emergency > Cash flow emergencies can be a sink or swim situation for a small business owner. Here are the best small business loan options to prevent failure. - Published: 2017-06-16 - Modified: 2022-07-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-loan-options/ - Categories: Small Business A guest post by Meredith Wood, Editor-in-Chief at Fundera. Even the most highly-prepared entrepreneurs can sometimes run into financial setbacks. Whether it’s a pipe bursting in your retail store or a long-overdue payment from your largest client, there are unforeseen issues that arise and require small business owners to scurry for emergency financing. And with 82% of failed businesses reporting that the number one reason why they failed was cash flow, these cash flow emergencies can be a sink or swim situation for a small business owner. Below we’ll explore the seven best types of financing to ensure you’re able to recover quickly from any unpleasant cash flow surprises. 1. Short-Term Loans Short-term loans function like a traditional term small business loan, but the good news here is that the approval process is quick — some alternative lenders will approve you on the same day you apply — and the repayment schedule is short, ranging from a few months to a couple years. However, these loans can get expensive, therefore they are best for dealing with one-off issues you might run into, like a broken hot water heater in your store or a totaled vehicle in your delivery fleet. 2. Long-Term Online Loans If your emergency situation allows for a few days or weeks delay before securing cash in hand, applying for a long-term online small business loan can have some major benefits. Traditional bank loans can take many, many months, but a medium-term loan from an online lender can... --- ### How to Grow Your Facebook Following When You Have Fewer than 100 Likes > If you want to grow your Facebook following on a shoestring budget and are just starting out, these growth tips are for you. - Published: 2017-06-15 - Modified: 2018-07-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/grow-facebook-following/ - Categories: Social Media For the past few years, Facebook has been limiting how much free exposure businesses can get on the social media platform. As the billions of users grow and connect, Facebook has—necessarily—cracked down on business pages’ organic reach, instead placing greater emphasis on updates from friends and family in the newsfeed algorithm, as well as video and photo posts. This has been a constant issue for digital marketers and especially small businesses as of late. It’s well known that Facebook only shows your updates to a small fraction of your total Facebook fans—nobody knows the exact amount, but it’s less than 10 percent. So if you have 600 fans, only 60 will see your updates for sure. Facebook uses them as a de facto testing group—if they like, share, click, watch or comment on your content, then the levee opens and more of your fans will see it. There are few ways to get real exposure on Facebook in 2017. A few tactics include: paying to boost your posts beyond the walls of your limited fan base, focusing heavily on photos and videos (sticky types of content that the Facebook algorithm is said to prefer), focusing on creating shareable content, or just being freaking awesome at Facebook. Here, we’ll focus on that last one. If you want to grow your Facebook following on a shoestring budget and are just starting out—maybe you’ve got fewer than 100 likes, maybe a few more—these tips are for you. Run a Contest. We’ll start with... --- ### Is It Time To Re-Evaluate Your Sales Funnel? > The way people buy is no longer a simple path from awareness to prospect to sale — it’s much more complex. So, how can you “refresh” your sales funnel? - Published: 2017-06-14 - Modified: 2017-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/evaluate-sales-funnel/ - Categories: Sales In the past, the traditional sales funnel has been a great way to visualize the progress of business leads as they make their way towards becoming customers: They start as a lead, you nurture that lead, and move them down the funnel as they show intent to buy. Then, if all things go according to plan, they purchase. But, what happens when you're unable to get that prospect through the funnel? Is this traditional sales funnel and process d-e-a-d? And shouldn't customers who continue to purchase be part of this sales funnel? As the modern customer changes and uses dozens of different mediums available on the internet and their mobile phone, the funnel that is traditionally relied on needs to change, too. The buying experience has evolved in recent years, and so have customers’ expectations when they decide to start their purchasing journey. For example, did you know that 84% of CEOs and VPs use social media to make purchasing decisions? Social selling might seem a lot more important now than before, but where does it fall in the sales funnel? How do we better understand our customers, where they come from, and how they purchase? The way people buy is no longer a simple path from awareness to prospect to sale — it’s much more complex. So, how can you “refresh” your sales funnel? Let’s begin with these five strategies: 1. Understand Your Ideal Customer It doesn't make sense to drive a bunch of unqualified traffic and leads that... --- ### 5 Ways To Grow Your Email List With Webinars > While the concept may sound intimidating, if growing your email list is a priority, webinars are absolutely worth the investment. - Published: 2017-06-13 - Modified: 2018-07-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/grow-email-list-with-webinars/ - Categories: Email Marketing If you want to grow your email subscriber list, there are few routes better than webinars. The immersive online lectures have become a popular choice among inbound marketers, but they’re also intimidating — can you pull one off quickly? Easily? Is it cost-effective? Time-effective? While the concept may sound intimidating, if growing your email list is a priority, webinars are absolutely worth the investment. Here are some ways to make it work and see that ROI take effect. Promote your webinars on your blog. Cross-pollination between platforms is one of your best bets for encouraging repeat visitors. Regardless of whether or not you have a strong blog following, you want to make at least three announcements: once to announce your webinar, another reminder closer to the date, and a third after it’s done so people who missed it can catch up. In each instance, you can collect emails by promising to keep subscribers up to date on the event’s progress. You can offer multiple opportunities to sign up for your newsletter when promoting or posting webinars, and also encourage direct communication with a “get in touch” call to action—another opportunity to create one-on-one leads. If you’re asking people to spend up to an hour with you, it’s not a big stretch to ask to keep in touch during the process. If you’re hosting the webinar on your blog afterward, design the page with a sidebar, pop-ups or some other call-to-action encouraging newsletter signups. They’re there anyway—you’d be remiss not to... --- ### 10 Interview Questions That Will Unlock Any Candidate's True Colors > Finding and filtering out the best applicants can be incredibly hard and time-consuming. Make sure you're asking the right interview questions. - Published: 2017-06-12 - Modified: 2018-07-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-best-interview-questions/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Everybody wants to hire the best candidate, right? While some companies are really stellar at the hiring game, most are not. Finding and filtering out the best applicants can be incredibly hard and time-consuming. And most companies out there hire their top choice only for it not to work out in the end. In fact, according to the Harvard Business Review, over 80 percent of turnover is attributed to bad decisions in the hiring process. In other words, it often takes a different or innovative approach to filter out the best people for your business, and the interviewing process plays a key role here. If you keep asking the same typical “screening questions” as everyone else, you’ll always get the “right” answers if the applicant completed at least a little of their due diligence. But that doesn’t help you to get to the core of their personality or to evaluate if the candidate is the right fit for your company culture. And for us here at Hatchbuck, culture fit is everything. To uncover that perfect fit, you’ll need to get into the nitty gritty with your questions. Here are a few helpful questions that I have used in our interview process to help us land rockstar candidates. 1. Why are you sitting in front of me today? Everyone comes with a rehearsed story. However, if you dig a little deeper you may learn their true motivations and purpose. For example, some candidates are either about to be terminated or are... --- ### 5 Ways To Make The Most Of PPC On A Small Business Budget > If you’re willing to put the extra time into your PPC strategy, you can certainly make the most of pay-per-click advertising on a small business budget. - Published: 2017-06-09 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ppc-small-business-budget/ - Categories: Lead Generation, Small Business You finally took the plunge and decided to pour some money into pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. But now that you’ve made the decision, you’re staring at your screen wondering how on earth to advertise your business as cost-effectively as possible. The good news is you don’t need to hire a full-time advertising employee or an expensive outside firm. If you’re willing to put the extra time into your PPC strategy, you can certainly make the most of pay-per-click advertising on a small business budget. Create Different Campaigns for Different Networks Companies can choose to place their advertisements on two different networks: the Search Network or the Display Network. The Search Network is what you see when you run a typical Google search. Recall those ads that are displayed at the very top of the screen? Those are advertisements placed in the Search Network. The first two images are ads placed through the Search Network. The Display Network, on the other hand, is found on websites and blogs that have AdSense enabled. Essentially, if you chose to advertise your accounting firm on the display network, it may show up as a banner on a business blog featuring related topics. The networks fulfill different advertising goals. The Search Network reaches buyers in the late stage of the buyer’s cycle when they are ready to make a purchase. The Display Network targets the awareness stage of the buyer’s cycle. Instead of defaulting to display your ads on both networks (which can drive up costs),... --- ### The First 6 Tools Every New Small Business Should Sign Up For > A guest post by Dustin Ray, Business Development at Incfile. If you've taken the leap to start your own business, now is the time to dive right into the - Published: 2017-06-08 - Modified: 2024-07-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/first-6-tools-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business A guest post by Dustin Ray, Business Development at Incfile. If you've taken the leap to start your own business, now is the time to dive right into the fine details of managing your new business. One of the first steps that pays off in dividends is to research and decide what tools you are going to use to help you manage your business. Everything from how you’ll pay your bills to how you’re going to communicate with prospects and customers... these tools can save you a ton of time and money as a new small business owner. Since you are a new business, finances and resources may be strapped while you're getting started. You might think that choosing and implementing new products is exhausting, costly and time-consuming. But, choosing the right platforms, products and software will streamline your business, alleviate some of the more tedious tasks and set your business up for success. You should not have to manage every task on your own — these tools will take some work off of your already full plate as a new business owner. So, with hundreds of small business tools flooding the market, which do you choose? To save you some time and much frustration, we've done the initial heavy lifting for you. Here are the tools we think small business owners should use when starting their business: 1. Accounting Software Every thriving business has bills and employees to pay. You'll also likely have a ton of business expenses that... --- ### How to Repurpose Old Content This Summer (And Why You Should) > What's one of the easiest ways to maximize your time and money? Repurpose old content into new assets. Try these strategies to make it work. - Published: 2017-06-07 - Modified: 2018-07-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-repurpose-old-content-this-summer-and-why-you-should/ - Categories: Content Marketing Here at Hatchbuck, we love social media. We’re always looking for informative, interesting content to share with our audience. Over the years, it’s become clear to us that some posts just keep getting more love than the rest. These are just a few of our most popular subjects on social: This actionable guide to getting started on social 17 killer tools that will save you time and energy on social media Our five favorite non–Taco Bell brands dominating the social sphere We could go on! But we won’t. Because—well, let’s back up a second. You see what we just did there? We turned three old posts into a new one. In this case, we created a (truncated) listicle roundup of some of our most popular posts related to social media. We know the content is still good because the posts are good and genuinely popular. We just repurposed three old posts—and maybe even got a few more clicks. More clicks mean more engagement, more opportunities for sharing, more chances to delight and inform readers. Repurposing old content is an ideal way to maximize your time and money. It’s a found resource—you don’t need to invest more time in coming up with new content and hoping it makes a splash within its week-long lifecycle. If you’re not doing it, you should be. Here are some ways to make it work: Make a listicle. You saw what we did above—find a theme and run with it. It could be a roundup of... --- ### Improve Your Local Networking Game With These 10 Tips > Local networking is important whether you run a small or big business, brick and mortar office or an online shop. - Published: 2017-06-06 - Modified: 2017-06-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/local-networking-tips/ - Categories: Small Business Business networking is important whether you run a small or big business, brick and mortar office or an online shop. Not only can local networking enable you to meet up with like-minded people and develop your business, but you can also connect with others for motivation and support. Never underestimate the value that others, especially those not related to your business, can bring. Thanks to the internet and local organizations, there are so many fantastic ways to network with others. Here are a few ideas to get you started. Eventbrite Eventbrite evolved from an online ticket service to a full-service event hub. They now offer the ability to find events based on category and location. You can easily find local get-togethers in your vicinity without the need to troll the internet or read the actual newspaper. Query relevant keywords to see what events, meetings and expos come up on Eventbrite’s calendar. While it is not specifically aimed at networking, Eventbrite is a great place to start. Meetup Meetup, like Eventbrite, is used for all different kinds of events, but that doesn’t make it any less worthwhile. Many business networking meetings are advertised on Meetup, and upon signing, you will be introduced to some of the groups which may cover your specific needs. It is a tremendous resource which allows you to mingle with the local community and get to know your “neighbors. ” LinkedIn While LinkedIn can be a valuable site for entrepreneurs across the globe to interact online, it... --- ### Want Free PR For Your Marketing Agency? Try These 5 Tactics > When you’re a marketing agency juggling multiple clients and their extensive project plans, it’s easy to forget every week that you should still be - Published: 2017-06-05 - Modified: 2022-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/free-pr-marketing-agency/ - Categories: Agencies When you’re a marketing agency juggling multiple clients and their extensive project plans, it’s easy to forget every week that you should still be marketing your own agency. One of the best ways to gain brand awareness and attract the attention of your target audience is to earn press for your agency. When you’re able to secure press on top-tier media sites (or even secondary media sites), not only is this demonstrating thought leadership for your agency, but the article is also likely going to include a link back to your agency website within the content or in your bio. The link can drive traffic back to your site and also counts as a backlink to your site — a big plus to boost domain authority. Moral of the story: earned press is good for your brand, all around. Here are some creative ways to get free press for your marketing agency: 1. Connect with Journalists on Twitter Twitter is the only social media site where you don’t have to “friend request” someone to connect with them. Therefore, it’s completely appropriate as part of Twitter’s social media etiquette to reach out to people, respond publicly to their tweets and retweet their content. Twitter is an easy avenue to build relationships with reporters who might cover your agency in their content. As long as you provide value and slowly build a genuine relationship through Twitter, this can lead to free press coverage. In addition, many journalists tweet when they are looking... --- ### 5 Ways to Follow Up with An Unresponsive Client—Without Being Annoying > An unresponsive client can put entire projects on hold. So how do you get the attention you need—without becoming a pest? Use these strategies. - Published: 2017-06-02 - Modified: 2018-12-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-follow-up-unresponsive-client/ - Categories: Agencies Everything is humming with a client’s project—and then suddenly, silence. Your emails get no response. Your phone calls go unreturned. You try a text message. It gets ignored, too. Should you be worried? Maybe. Maybe not. There are plenty of reasons a client may go dark on you temporarily and most of them usually boil down to being busy. That said, if you’re reaching out about something that’s time-sensitive, getting the client’s attention may be critical. If you need a client’s okay to move on to the next step on a deadline project, for instance, there’s no substitute for getting a response. So how do you get the attention you need—without becoming a pest? Use these strategies. Root out communication snafus. If you’ve been reaching out to clients who aren’t responding, it’s possible that something is going wrong in the communication process. Maybe your emails are landing in an over-crowded inbox. Or perhaps a client has a new team member who isn’t as speedy as the last one. A friendly reminder is often the best first step toward re-establishing contact. For instance, you might forward the original message with a note saying, “Just making sure you saw this. ” If you’re checking on payment, you might send a note saying, “Just noticed this invoice was not paid, and 30 days have passed. I’m re-sending in case it got lost in your inbox. ” If you’re worried that your messages are ending up in someone’s spam filter, try cc’ing an alternate... --- ### Your Small Business Needs To Be Measuring These Inbound Marketing Metrics > Unless you’re measuring the right inbound marketing metrics, you won’t have a clue whether your efforts are actually bringing in new leads or customers. - Published: 2017-06-01 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/important-inbound-marketing-metrics/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing, Small Business So you’ve set up your blog, found your link-building partners, gotten 1,000 social followers in a week and search-optimized the heck out of everything. Ready to relax and let the inbound results flow in? Not quite yet. Inbound marketing is (kind of) easy—it’s the ROI that’s hard. Unless you’re measuring the right marketing metrics, you won’t have a clue whether your efforts are actually bringing in new leads or customers. If you’re just setting up your analytics, or want to make sure you’re on the right track, here’s what you need to pay attention to. Measure your conversion goals, whatever they may be. I’m going to assume you’re using Google Analytics for a moment. Though the interface can seem intimidating for first-timers, it’s actually extremely easy to set up conversion goals. The most common conversion goal is a sale. You can set this up in about five minutes. The quickest way to do this is by choosing a destination URL that indicates a sale has been made—for example, a thank you page with a URL of www. yoursite. com/thank-you. Here’s a fast way to set this up, adapted from the walk through on Shopify’s site: Log into Google Analytics and choose Admin at the bottom left Look for View, then click Goals and add a new one Choose Goal Setup, then click Template and Place an Order Change the name of the order if you need, but make sure Destination remains checked Under Goal Details, select Regular Expression and enter... --- ### The Top 4 Reasons Recipients Unsubscribe (And How to Prevent It) > If you build an email list and then miss the mark on your strategy, people will unsubscribe. These are the main reasons why and how to prevent it. - Published: 2017-05-31 - Modified: 2017-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-reasons-recipients-unsubscribe/ - Categories: Marketing Email is one of the original online marketing channels — it existed before social media, Google Adwords, SEO and blogging. And still, next to having your own business website, email still remains one of the top marketing channels to invest in. But, if you build an email list and then miss the mark on perfecting your email marketing strategy, people will unsubscribe. So, how do you prevent unsubscribes? I’ve gathered some of the top reasons people unsubscribe and how you can avoid making these email marketing mistakes. 1. You’re Sending Too Many Emails With so many websites to sign up for — in both business and personal — it’s inevitable that your customers are members of dozens and dozens of website services. Every single of those websites likely have an email marketing strategy, so people’s inboxes are often flooded with marketing and sales messages. If you’re sending messages daily, or even sometimes weekly, this is likely more than people want to hear from one service. I know that in my email inbox, a pet peeve of mine is when I sign up for a new website and immediately receive a drip campaign of emails every day or every other day after that. This influx of emails from the same sender in my inbox is cause for me to unsubscribe right away. How to Avoid Sending Too Many Emails Create a nurture campaign that is properly spaced and gives your customers time to digest the information you’re sending them. Spacing out... --- ### The 7 Best Time Management Tools For Your Small Business > Our brains aren’t designed to deliver peak performance while multitasking. Luckily there are plenty of time management tools to help. - Published: 2017-05-30 - Modified: 2021-07-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/time-management-tools-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business Running a small business requires you to be generalist, with focus on multiple daily, weekly and monthly tasks. From finance to sales to business operations, you have to be on top of it all. Unfortunately our brains aren’t designed to deliver peak performance while multitasking - that’s where technology comes in. Luckily it’s 2017 which means you have the benefit of available technology that can radically boost your productivity by improving your time and task management game. But with so many options available, it’s easy to fall into analysis paralysis. It’s important to find the right set of tools for your small business specifically, but here are a few of our favorites to get you started. 1. Trello Trello is one of the most popular project management tools. It allows you to create projects, tasks, have centralized conversations with your team and schedule the deadlines. Image courtesy of Trello It works the best if you follow the kanban method; a project management process invented by Toyota, now followed by many startups in software development companies. Trello is a favorite tool of the Hatchbuck team, but there are a ton of solid alternatives including Asana, Basecamp and Wrike. 2. Wunderlist Wunderlist is a task management app that can be used for both personal and professional prioritization. As a business solution, it allows you to collaborate on tasks with others and use it for project management. As a personal solution, it allows you to schedule events, make grocery lists and set reminders.... --- ### 5 Things To Do Before 10 AM To Make Your Day More Productive > If you’re looking to become a more productive leader, a purposeful morning routine can be a powerful tool in your arsenal. Here are five places to start. - Published: 2017-05-29 - Modified: 2017-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-productive/ - Categories: Small Business Memorial Day weekend is a great time to slow down and recharge the batteries – helping you to be more productive in the long run. But successful leaders and CEOs from Bill Gates to Richard Branson have found the secret to maintaining productivity everyday, not just after those long weekends. How? A morning routine that primes them for success. Gates reportedly hits the treadmill in his private gym, while Branson tries to spend some time with family in addition to exercising. If you’re looking to improve your performance as a leader, your ideal morning routine can be a powerful tool in your arsenal. Here are five things to do every day before 10 am to achieve peak performance. Get up an hour before you really have to. Branson is among many celebrated entrepreneurs who swear by getting up early. If you tend to wake up at 7 or eight, consider setting your clock one hour early. At first it may be hard to change your routine, but you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish in one quiet hour before emails start flowing and phones start ringing at work. If you’re a night owl, try to turn off the TV and computer an hour earlier, too, so you don’t end up sleep deprived. Getting up earlier won’t help you much if you’re dragging all day. Eat (a well-balanced) breakfast. There is some debate about whether this is the most important meal of the day, but if you want to have... --- ### How to Write an Effective Knowledge Base Article For Your Small Business > A key element of customer service is having a comprehensive knowledge base that customers can reference for a quick fix or when your team is unavailable. - Published: 2017-05-26 - Modified: 2022-01-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/write-effective-knowledge-base-article/ - Categories: Small Business Stellar customer support is a foundational part of any small business that customers love. And customer love almost always translates into revenue. Nailing your customer support is a way to gain and retain loyal customers. Studies show that as little as a 5% increase in your loyal customer base can increase revenue and profits up to 95%. In other words, investing time in a defined customer support strategy pays off. And there are many components to delivering ideal customer service. Aside from a rockstar support team, another key element is having a comprehensive knowledge base that customers can reference for a quick fix or when your team is unavailable. Putting one together may be a little time-intensive right off the bat, but the long-term returns (and time saved for your team) will be worth the work. Here’s how you build it. Pick a Topic The best source of topic ideas is your customers. Any time you notice you’re getting an influx of inquiries about a particular topic, you should write knowledge base article about it. You should even consider actively seeking feedback, to find out where your customers struggle the most. Take a Systematic Approach The big picture should be on your mind from the start when you begin to write your first article. As the number of your articles start to grow, so will the complexity of your knowledge base. A good knowledge base is well-organized and follows the user’s workflow. Poorly organized knowledge base leads to customers getting... --- ### Which Social Media Platform Is Right For Your Small Business? > The best way to build a fantastic web presence for your small business is mastering one social media platform, rather than using multiple sparingly. - Published: 2017-05-25 - Modified: 2022-07-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/choose-social-media-platform-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business As a small business owner, you’re probably painfully aware of the importance of a social media presence for your business. But with limited time and expertise to dedicate to digital marketing, how do you decide where to focus your efforts? Small business owners don’t have the same resources as larger companies. Your social media team is likely made up of just one manager: you. This doesn’t mean your social media marketing efforts are doomed. It just means you’ll need to be more focused and strategic right out of the gate. The best way to do this is by establishing a fantastic profile on one platform instead of stretching yourself thin across many. Choose a Platform That Elevates Your Brand Which platform displays your product or service in the best way? You may absolutely adore Twitter and love the idea of posting a witty tweet once a day for your business. But if you run a gym, Twitter won’t emphasize one of your biggest selling points: your clients, trainers and atmosphere. You don’t join a gym before touring it (unless you’re limited on options). You join based on the vibe, and above all, how it will help you meet your goals. That’s why gyms have top of the line equipment: to stay relevant and competitive in the fitness market. A site like Instagram that prioritizes visual content is better suited for a gym. The best part about Instagram? You still have room to show some personality in your posts like Gold’s... --- ### How To Ensure CRM User Adoption In Your Small Business > If you’re still using spreadsheets to manage your customers, it's time to find a CRM. These tips will help ensure CRM user adoption in your small business. - Published: 2017-05-24 - Modified: 2023-07-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-ensure-crm-user-adoption/ - Categories: Small Business If you’re still using spreadsheets to manage your customers, this year is the time to stop and get on board with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software. Seriously — just stop with clunky spreadsheets that have versioning problems, siloed information, lengthy data analyzation and the inability to scale with your business. Using a CRM for your small business instead of spreadsheets has many benefits. But, even if you already made the leap to a new CRM or are ready to do so this year, there’s still one very important piece of the transition you must keep in mind. User adoption. According to Forrester, a lack of user adoption is responsible for 70 percent of failed CRM projects. Humans are naturally resistant to change - and your team is no different. There are several reasons why they won’t want to make the switch to a new CRM, like: Productivity might be down while your team ramps up a new process. Your team might be opposed to using a new system because they haven’t been trained properly. If you haven’t explained how a CRM will add value to their role, they won’t see the point in using it. Lack of adoption from peers or managers can discourage your team from embracing new technology. The reasons for a lack of adoption for your new CRM software can go on and on. But, don’t worry. There are a number of steps you can take for your business to ensure your investment in CRM software doesn’t... --- ### 4 Services Your Agency Should Never Offer > Clients are always debating the value of a smaller agency over large ones with more capabilities. That doesn't mean your agency should offer new services. - Published: 2017-05-23 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-services-never-offer/ - Categories: Agencies Small marketing agencies are in a difficult situation. With an ever-increasing array of agency options, clients are always debating the value of a smaller agency over large-scale ones with hundreds of employees, specialized companies that dig deep into a particular market niche, or simply keeping the budget in-house. If you’re a growing agency in 2017, the most logical move is to focus on what you do best and choose your expansions carefully. In an industry prone to drastic changes every few months, it’s hard to keep on top of every aspect of digital marketing. But what areas are worth maintaining? Look, it’s easy to advise on what you should be offering. But knowing what to avoid is trickier. If you want to maximize your efficiency, read on. Presenting Growth Hacking As Anything Other Than What You Already Do A mindset once renowned for its ability to merge hard-nosed coding with marketing skills (see the now-infamous Airbnb example), growth hacking has fallen very much into the territory of outdated buzzwords. Roughly speaking, it refers to the practice of using data-driven technology to solve marketing problems. And it’s a catchy title: the loose concept of “hacking” makes it sound exclusive and edgy, while “growth” is simply what every marketer wants to achieve for their clients. But what is it, really? Specifically? It’s basically marketing augmented by technology. As has been noted by countless critics, most growth-hacking principles harken back to classic marketing theory. It’s a slightly upgraded form of market research with... --- ### 3 Free Employee Perks Your Small Business Can Offer To Compete With The Big Guys > 72% of small business employees say an improvement in benefits would raise their happiness level. Here are free perks that will make them feel the love. - Published: 2017-05-22 - Modified: 2017-05-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/free-employee-perks-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business When you read about the perks that famous tech firms give their employees, it’s easy to be intimidated as a smaller business. From Google’s free food to Spotify’s private concerts and Facebook’s four months of paid maternity and paternity leave, it can be hard to think of ways to match these extras without having the same deep pockets. Fortunately, small businesses have an edge in employee happiness. According to the 2017 Aflac Small Business Happiness Report, 84 percent of small business employees are happy in their current job and 48 percent say that most (or all) of their happiness in their current job is actually because they work for a small business. In fact, when they compared their situation to working at a large company, employees indicated that small businesses make them feel more appreciated (67 percent), accomplished (54 percent), productive (55 percent) and motivated (52 percent). That said, 72% of the employees said an improvement in their benefits would raise their happiness level more. The good news is that some of best perks you can give employees won’t cost you anything. Here are three free perks that will make your employees feel the love. Work From “Wherever” Days Some jobs need to be done in person, but if your team mostly does office work, consider offering employees the freedom to work from home, a café or another location of their choosing. Some small businesses offer this option on an occasional basis—for instance when an employee needs to wait for... --- ### How Soon Is Too Soon To Hire Your Next Employee? > Just 18% of small businesses plan to hire in 2017, down 7% from last fall. Against this backdrop, how do you decide if it's time to make your next hire? - Published: 2017-05-19 - Modified: 2022-10-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/too-soon-hire-next-employee/ - Categories: Small Business You’re maxed out. Customers are complaining about late deliverables or slow customer service. No matter how hard you work, you can’t get caught up. Is it time to hire your next employee? It may be. Many small business owners are seeing increased demand, with 48% expecting revenue to increase in the next 12 months, according to a recent survey by Bank of America. There’s a point where the only way to handle additional work is to hire an additional employee. But the percentage of owners projecting increased revenue is down slightly from 52% in the fall of 2016, and many are cautious about hiring too rapidly. According to the survey, plans to hire have dipped to their lowest point in five years. Just 18 percent of small business owners are planning to hire in the year ahead, down 7 percentage points from fall 2016. Instead, respondents say they are more focused on retaining existing employees. Against this backdrop, how do you decide if you should make that next hire? Here are some questions to ponder. Is the surge you are seeing in business likely to continue? Sometimes it can seem like an increase in demand will go on forever, but it turns out to be shorter-lived than expected. For instance, if you sell a product for which business-to-business customers can get a tax break, demand may be high toward the end of the year, when your clients are trying to maximize deductions. That doesn’t mean your sales patterns in December... --- ### Are Your Marketing Emails Missing One Of These Five Ingredients? > Crafting the perfect email marketing strategy is like baking a cake: what determines the success of either is science. Are you missing ingredients? - Published: 2017-05-17 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-emails-missing-ingredients/ - Categories: Email Marketing Crafting the perfect email marketing strategy is like baking a cake: there’s a certain amount of artistry involved, a bit of panache and flair to add at the end (copywriting is basically fondant). But ultimately what determines the success of either is science. Baking is measurements, timing and chemistry, just as email marketing demands a measured, focused strategy. Even the best marketers can lose sight of these four core email marketing pillars because their vanity metrics—open and click-through rates—could be strong. But you can always dig deeper, boosting those numbers and discovering untapped revenue within pre-existing email lists. So here are the key ingredients that any successful email marketer should use in 2017—consider these the flour, salt, sugar and water of the email marketing world. (Don’t worry, we’ll stop with the baking references for a bit; we’re getting hungry, too. ) INGREDIENT ONE: PERSONALIZATION Maybe you already personalize every email to use your customers’ first names—that’s a good start. But personalizing emails is so much more. Email personalization also means following up with customers based on their habits, rather than simply a generic schedule. This is where marketing automation can save you loads of time. If you send someone a coupon and they haven’t redeemed it, you can trigger an email to them again as a reminder. If they bought something from you, you can follow up and ask how they’re enjoying it. Each email offers an opportunity not just for the initial message, but to add a bit of... --- ### 8 Strategies For Stronger Brand Security On Social Media > Since the onset of social media marketing more than a decade ago, sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram have been a great channel for - Published: 2017-05-16 - Modified: 2022-09-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-brand-security/ - Categories: Marketing Since the onset of social media marketing more than a decade ago, sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram have been a great channel for brands to conduct real-time conversations with their customers, showcase brand personality and go viral with memorable content. While social media has numerous positive reasons for a brand to use it, social media can also quickly turn sour if not done correctly. Many brands have had social media branding fails — highjacking serious hashtags for a marketing ploy, hacking of accounts, posting controversial messages from a branded account and more. These types of #socialmediafails can really wreak havoc on a brand reputation. To ensure your brand doesn’t get caught red-handed in social media, follow these eight tips for social media brand security: 1. Save All Social URLs — Even if You’re Not Using Them If possible, make sure your brand owns all URLs and account names associated with your name. If fact, it’s a great idea to do social media profile research before choosing your business name. If you choose a business name that already has 12 different Twitter profiles with different variations of the same name, perhaps it would serve your business better to choose a more unique name. Once you know your business name, go through and sign-up for all social media sites with the same branded name and URL. Even if you’re not planning on utilizing a certain account for awhile, sign-up for it anyway and “hold” the name for your brand so... --- ### 5 Effortless Ways to Be a More Creative Leader > Many leaders who inspire us are known for their creativity. Becoming a more creative leader starts with feeding your creative mind. - Published: 2017-05-15 - Modified: 2017-05-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-creative-leader/ - Categories: Leadership Mark Zuckerberg. Elon Musk. Steve Jobs. Richard Branson. Many of the great leaders who inspire us are known for their creativity. You may be wondering how you can be a more creative leader, too. It starts with actively feeding your creative mind. Given the demands of running a business, if you don’t consciously take steps that enhance your creativity, it is hard to unlock your most innovative ideas. Here are a few places to start. 1. Embrace mindfulness. When you’re constantly racing to get things done—respond to an email, finish the bookkeeping, write a report—it’s hard for great leadership ideas to bubble to the surface. Make time every day for a mindfulness activity, whether that’s 10 minutes of meditation or deep breathing at your desk, an hour of yoga, or even a martial arts class like tai chi. It can be hard to force yourself to slow down and quiet your mind when you are always racing against the clock, but that is exactly why it’s beneficial. When you clear your mind and find focus, you’ll be surprised at how much more calmly you approach the leadership challenges in front of you and how new solutions bubble to the surface. 2. Get out of your office. You won’t be able to unleash your creativity as a leader if chain yourself to your desk. No matter how busy you are every week, set aside at least a couple of hours to meet with a client; attend a conference, a business peer... --- ### 4 Leadership Development Activities Your Small Business Needs > It would be an oversight to assume small businesses don’t need to cultivate leaders the same way large ones do. Try these leadership development activities. - Published: 2017-05-12 - Modified: 2017-05-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/leadership-development-activities-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business Big companies tend to emphasize leadership skills, and for good reason—with a large workforce, you need multiple people taking the lead on smaller projects, distilling information to higher-ups and, according to conventional business wisdom, a few executives at the hierarchical top to make the biggest decisions of all. So what about small businesses? It would be an oversight to assume small business owners don’t need to cultivate the same leadership qualities that larger ones do. If anything, it’s even more important for small businesses to fill their teams with leaders because every employee carries that much more weight, responsibility and impact on a small business’s success. So if you’re looking for ways to encourage more leadership in your small business, try these four options. Company activities may seem frivolous, but honestly, fostering leadership skills (and team-building) is a necessity for the future of your small business. Get Your Employees to Build a Tower Together Rarely do adults get to build things with good ol’ glue and paper anymore. In this simple activity, you divide your employees into groups of three or four, and provide them with a host of different building materials—anything from popsicle sticks to straws, pencils, cardboard or paper. Then ask them to build the tallest possible tower in 20 minutes. You’ll be able to see immediately who takes a leadership role and who doesn’t, and how the group dynamic works in a different situation. After 20 minutes, you can choose a winner—the ones with the tallest tower,... --- ### How To Implement The 9-Word Email In Your Marketing Strategy > If done well, the 9-word email works like magic. There are always potential customers among your stale leads. The strategy is a quick path to re-engagement. - Published: 2017-05-11 - Modified: 2021-01-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/implement-9-word-email-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing There’s an old fable about a farmer who sold his land to go and search for diamonds during the diamond rush. As it turned out, the new owner of his farm ended up finding a massive diamond right there on the land the original owner abandoned. How does that relate to marketing? In two words: stale leads. Put simply, finding, engaging and nurturing new leads takes a lot of effort. Obviously, that’s how you build new business and increase your revenue stream. But sometimes the greatest value may lie in what we already have - the leads that we’ve lost or that have disengaged. All it takes to find out if they still hold potential is a simple email hack. The 9-Word Email The 9-word email was developed by Dean Jackson, a successful real estate entrepreneur and online marketer, in an effort to re-engage lost prospects. Jackson’s claim was that a subject line with just the recipient’s name and a body with a one-line (originally 9-word) question is all you need to engage. For example: That’s basically it. The entire purpose of the email is to ask a question that engages and gets a response. There’s an art to it though. If you compare the example above to alternate phrasing (let’s say “are you house shopping in Ohio? ”), the difference is clear. The original version sounds less pushy, more conversational and focuses on the recipient’s already existing need. Here are some more examples: “Are you still looking at growing... --- ### How To Determine If Mobile Advertising Is Right For Your Small Business > Mobile is likely an easier path to reach your customer than desktop. It’s not only where customers are searching, but it’s where they’re purchasing, too. - Published: 2017-05-10 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/mobile-advertising-small-business/ - Categories: Lead Generation, Small Business The easiest way to decide if mobile advertising is right for your business in 2017 is to let the statistics do the talking... More Google searches take place on mobile devices than on computers in 10 countries including the U. S. and Japan. (Google, 2015) 34% of online retail purchases now happen on mobile devices. (Google, 2016) By 2019, mobile advertising will represent 72% of all U. S. digital ad spending. (Marketing Land, 2015) On mobile alone in an average week, YouTube reaches more 18+ year-olds during prime time TV hours than any cable TV network. (Google, 2016) Local searches lead 50% of mobile visitors to visit stores within one day. (Google, 2014) 78% of local-mobile searches result in offline purchases. (Search Engine Land, 2014) However... 70% of people dislike mobile ads. (HubSpot, 2016) Mobile ad blocking has increased 90% year-over-year. (HubSpot, 2016) What does this all boil down to? Well first of all, mobile is likely an easier path to reach your customer than desktop. It’s not only where customers are searching, but it’s where they’re purchasing, too. This is even more true for local businesses. While mobile search engines are where consumers are, they’re also spending a lot of time in applications and services such as YouTube. And, although mobile advertising is only expected to grow in the next couple of years, so is the dislike of consumers being disrupted by ads on their mobile phone. Already, a number of mobile ads are being blocked. Considering all of... --- ### The 9 Best Sites for Free (Or Almost Free) Stock Photos > It’s no secret that stock photos can break the bank for a small business. But times are changing, and there are plenty of free or almost free photo sites. - Published: 2017-05-09 - Modified: 2022-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-sites-free-cheap-stock-photos/ - Categories: Marketing By now, the value of including images in content should be clear to you. According to Jeff Bullas, articles with images get 94% more total views (which is why we include a photo with every blog post! ). I think we can all agree that we’d much rather read content that’s broken up by images and relevant visuals than reading through pages and pages of block text. It’s no secret that stock photos can break the bank for a small business. But times are a changin’ and you no longer have to offer up your first born child in exchange for quality visual content. There are plenty of stock photo sites with free (or almost free content) just waiting to be featured on your blog, in your whitepapers and on your social media accounts. Just make sure you read the fine print. Copyright Laws It pays to be careful. Every image you use has a license that tells you how you may use it. Breach a picture’s license terms at your peril because you could find yourself pursued by copyright lawyers for thousands of dollars. Creative Commons Six different creative commons licenses cover commercial and non-commercial use. All require you to credit the creator of the image with a link. The CC0 license is the only Creative Commons license that waives all copyright and attribution requirements. Public Domain Use of public domain images is more complicated than most people believe, but if you are confident that an image has a... --- ### 5 Reasons You Should Encourage Your Employees To Take Vacations > When your team is buried in work, the last thing on your mind is to encourage employee vacations. But if you don't, your employees could burn out. - Published: 2017-05-08 - Modified: 2017-05-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/encourage-employee-vacations/ - Categories: Small Business When your team is neck deep in work, the last thing on your mind as a small business owner is to encourage everyone to use up their vacation time. Every day looms as another day that you’ll have to find someone else to substitute for them or take on extra work. But that’s a short-term mindset. Employees who don’t take vacation are at high risk of burnout. And many workers do opt out. Project: Time Off, a national movement to transform American attitudes and behavior about vacation, found that in 2016, Americans took 16. 2 days of the 21. 9 days of vacation they were offered, on average. Project: Time Off calls this “America’s Lost Week. ” Take a stand against this trend of all work and little play. Here are five reasons to encourage your employees to take a vacation. 1. It contributes to a great company culture. When you run a small business, it’s hard to compete with the big guys in winning the war for talent. One way you can gain an edge is by offering a generous vacation policy and making it possible for employees to actually use their paid time off. Many employees don’t take a vacation because of what Project: Time Off calls the “work martyr syndrome. ” The top barriers include: Return to a mountain of work (37%) No one else can do the job (30%) I cannot financially afford a vacation (30%) Taking time off is harder as you grow in the... --- ### The Secret to Effective Online Forms > "You can't build a great building on a weak foundation. You must have a solid foundation if you're going to have a strong superstructure." - Gordon B. - Published: 2017-05-05 - Modified: 2017-05-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/effective-online-forms/ - Categories: Marketing "You can't build a great building on a weak foundation. You must have a solid foundation if you're going to have a strong superstructure. " - Gordon B. Hinckley When it comes to converting traffic to leads, there are two keys to success. First, you need to provide a strong incentive for people to sign up, such as great content and a clear value proposition. Second, you need to make it incredibly easy to do so. No matter how great your content or value proposition is, if your signup process sucks so will your results. Thus, you should think of your signup process as a foundation of your conversion funnel. And without the foundation, everything else is just a useless facade. Here’s how to build one. Make It Stand Out To collect leads, your form has to be noticed. That’s the very foundation of building forms that convert. In practice, that means you should put it in a prominent place that follows the logic of how people flow through the copy of your website. This covers the whole page. Also notice the progress bar, countdown timer and another date option. By the way, this ‘webinar’ runs every 15 minutes. Image Source: neilpatel. com Likewise, you want to have a visible CTA that stands out in terms of color, size and shape. If it’s a button, it should look like a button. Eliminate Friction Nothing kills conversions faster than annoyingly complex signup forms. The more fields you require your subscribers to... --- ### Is Your Agency Focusing Too Hard On Your Clients And Trivializing Your Own Initiatives? > Over-servicing your agency clients could mean you’re giving away services that you should be charging for and slowing the development of your own brand, - Published: 2017-05-04 - Modified: 2018-12-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-your-agency-focusing-too-hard-on-clients-trivializing-your-initiatives/ - Categories: Agencies Commitment is good. You need to prove to clients, new and old, that you’re able and willing to take on as much as they can throw at you, and that the old adage is true: the customer is always right. Your customers have got to stay happy so you can keep paying the bills. But at what cost are you keeping your clients happy? Sometimes, agencies fall into the trap known as over-servicing—doing too much to keep clients happy. Yes, it might sound like a humblebrag, but it can get serious. Over-servicing clients could mean you’re giving away services for free that you should be charging for, which hurts your growth; or you’re staunching the development of your own brand, which hurts your growth; or you’re spending more hours and manpower than necessary to keep clients happy—which, yes, also hurts your growth. Basically, what we’re saying is your growth potential might be suffering, and we want to help. Successful small and mid-sized agencies eventually hit a point where they have to evaluate how they’ve reached where they are, and where they’re going next. If you’re in this position, you need to ask yourself some hard questions. Is your agency giving away something you could be charging for? Sometimes simple bonus services, like community engagement and pushing customer marketing, can get away from you down the road. Returning clients may start to expect great work done for free—or at least included in a low-cost package—simply because you started off throwing them... --- ### Why Small Business Owners Should Write Personal Blogs > Personal blogs are a powerful tool for small business owners. In a world full of impersonal company blogs, a personal one can be attractive to customers. - Published: 2017-05-03 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-owners-personal-blogs/ - Categories: Content Marketing, Small Business We’ve all stumbled across blogs where the authors overshare—whether about a run-in with a nasty client or their personal romantic woes. But don’t let their mistakes discourage you from writing a personal blog. Personal blogs are a powerful tool for small business owners. In a digital world full of dry, impersonal company blogs, one that shares the unique spark of your personality and passion can go a long way toward attracting your ideal customers. And just because the blog is a personal one doesn’t mean you can’t optimize it with keywords you want to own in the marketplace, attention-grabbing headlines and photos, uniquely useful videos and other methods to draw visitors to your site. So how do you strike the right tone in your blog? Here are some tips. Learn from the pros. Check out the blogs of popular writers such as Seth Godin, Brad Feld and Tim Ferris and others your friends have recommended to you. Which ones do you like? What elements of your favorites make you feel connected with the authors? Are the posts you like short but meaningful? Full of personal anecdotes? Funny? Paying attention to what works in well-regarded blogs can give you ideas on how to make your own personal blog successful. Find the right medium. Some people express themselves best in writing. For others, recording a blog on video is the best way to get their message across. If you’re not sure what your best medium is as a blogger, try both methods... --- ### 5 Lessons From Wildly Successful Business Leaders > These lessons from successful business owners like Bill Gates and Richard Branson will help educate and inspire you to grow your small business. - Published: 2017-05-02 - Modified: 2017-05-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lessons-from-successful-business-owners/ - Categories: Leadership One of the best ways to grow as a small business owner is to learn from great leaders and entrepreneurs who have been in the “trenches” building their business. Fortunately, there are many inspiring examples. Here are five examples of big wins by well-known entrepreneurs that will help you unlock ideas you can use to grow your own business. 1. Mark Zuckerberg’s sizzling profits at Facebook Twelve years since Facebook was founded, it is still showing remarkable growth. CEO and Founder Mark Zuckerberg—chosen as Fortune’s Business Person of the Year—led the company to net profits that were up 166% over the previous year in the most recent quarter. Photo Credit: Wikipedia How did he pull it off? The company excels at engaging with users—and attracting new ones. In the third quarter, Facebook’s daily active users rose 17% year over year. Facebook has kept its platform interesting through additions such as Marketplace, where people can buy and sell items locally. What you can learn from Zuckerberg: Stay close to your customers. There’s no substitute for keeping your current customers engaged by understanding their needs and looking for new solutions to solve their greatest challenges. Word-of-mouth from these engaged users also helps to attract new ones and drive sales. Make this year the year the “Year of the customer” and you’ll heat up profits and growth for your business. 2. Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield’s partnership with IBM In October, the online messaging app Slack announced a crowdsourcing partnership with IBM to include... --- ### Everything Your Small Business Needs To Know About Cybersecurity > If your small business doesn’t have cybersecurity processes in place, you’re currently at risk. Take these steps to protect your business from threats. - Published: 2017-05-01 - Modified: 2025-03-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-cybersecurity/ - Categories: Small Business If your small business doesn’t have cybersecurity processes in place, you’re currently at risk. Many business owners assume they’re safe because their business is small and online attackers are more likely to target large corporations with lots of money. But, this assumption is wrong. Because small businesses often don’t have the budget or knowledge to protect themselves against online attacks, they are at a higher risk than corporations that do. According to SmallBizTrends. com, 43 percent of cyber attacks target small businesses and 60 percent of small businesses go out of business within six months of a cyber attack. Now is the time to ensure your business doesn’t fall victim to online attackers. The 6 Types of Sensitive Information Cyber Attackers Look For Cyber attackers are targeting businesses online to gather data they can use to benefit themselves. Below are the types of information that is most commonly at risk, and where you should put processes in place to protect your business: Customer records Intellectual property Customer credit card and debit card information Financial information Employee records Business correspondence The Top 10 Ways Your Business Can Be Attacked Online Below are the common types of attacks that happen when a small businesses security is breached online. If you understand how your business can be attacked, it’s easier to prevent this from happening: Web-based attack Phishing/Social engineering General malware SQL injection Compromised/stolen devices Denial of services Advanced malware/zero day attacks Malicious insider Cross-site scripting Ransomware Understand the 5 Best Ways to... --- ### Here's How To Make The Most of Your Website's 'About' Page > Your “About” page should ultimately be about your readers and what you can do for them and how your business is suited to fit their needs. - Published: 2017-04-28 - Modified: 2017-05-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/improve-website-about-page/ - Categories: Marketing At its core, your website’s “About” page isn’t really about you, but about your page visitors. In fact, every page on your website should answer site users’ unspoken question, “So what? ” once they arrive there. Site visitors want to know why they should care enough to spend time on your page, because there are billions of other ones they could be using. Your “About Us” page should ultimately be about your readers and what you can do for them and how your business is suited to fit their needs. The copy on the page should use “you” and “your” generously and avoid making it “me, me, me. ” When you make it all about you, your awards, and how great you are, you don’t come across as a company that is interested in visitors (and customers) pain points. But when you make it about the reader, and what your business can do for them, you come across as trustworthy and qualified. Here are some more tips on how to put your “About” page to work and make it earn its keep. Make Your Headline Count Your “About” page headline doesn't necessarily need to be “About Us. ” They know that from having clicked on a link to it, or from the URL. You have the opportunity with your headline to state your value proposition and let them know right away how you will solve their problems. Suppose you run a gym. Rather than “About Us” as a headline, you... --- ### 3 Keys to Writing Killer Google AdWords Copy > Whether focusing on pay-per-click advertising (PPC) or search engine optimization (SEO), Google is a marketing channel your business must be focused on - Published: 2017-04-27 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/writing-killer-google-adwords-copy/ - Categories: Lead Generation, Marketing Whether focusing on pay-per-click advertising (PPC) or search engine optimization (SEO), Google is a marketing channel your business must be focused on for growth. With more than a billion monthly searches, consumers using billions of Android devices and 100s of millions of people using Google applications such as Gmail and Google Drive, the online search behemoth is the top place to find your customers. To understand how important PPC advertising is, take a look at the numbers: businesses make on average $3 in revenue for every $1. 60 they spend on Google AdWords. But, spending on PPC advertising can be costly if not done correctly. You can look at hiring a PPC firm to help manage your business’s search advertising, or you can DIY with the help of Google Adwords online tutorials and guides. Either way, getting the most out of your Adwords investment starts with creating killer AdWords copy that entices your audience to click. Here are three tips to writing AdWords copy that converts: 1. Speak Directly to Your Customers When writing PPC ads, it’s important to focus on your customer — what will they get out of your service, what are they looking to solve? Instead of writing copy about your business and what you do, write about your customer and what they need. To write PPC copy focused on your customer, keep these two tips in mind: Use “You:” Many copywriters and marketers have studied and tested words that perform best in advertising and get people... --- ### 6 Tips for a More Organized Small Business CRM > Just like keeping a tidy desk or computer, a well-organized CRM system can be an invaluable foundation for a small business. - Published: 2017-04-26 - Modified: 2021-01-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/organized-small-business-crm/ - Categories: Small Business Many business owners find that a customer relationship management system (CRM) makes it much easier to stay in touch with clients and prospects. A CRM can be a great tool for understanding the ideal way to keep all of your contact with customers current and a smart task organizer that helps you to make sure that nothing falls through the cracks. But to get the most out of your CRM, you need to keep it organized. Just like keeping a tidy desk or computer, a neat CRM system can be an invaluable foundation for a small business. Here are some strategies to help you keep your CRM organized: Really familiarize yourself with your CRM. Many of us are so rushed we don’t want to slow down long enough to watch a tutorial or read helpful guides to maximizing our CRM. This oversight can lead to sloppiness in how you store information that makes your CRM less efficient. Even if you’ve been using your CRM for years, reach out to your account manager and take 30 minutes to make sure you’re using it as effectively as you can. Given that many CRMs get updated periodically, there are probably some features you could be using to keep it more organized that you don’t even know about yet. There may be tools for labeling or sorting information that you haven’t tried. Once you know all that you can do with your CRM, you’ll be able to keep it more organized. Make your CRM... --- ### Want to Grow Your Small Business? Take A Page From The Big Business Playbook > Sometimes, to compete with the big guys, you have to play like a big guy. Use these tips to grow your small business like big businesses do. - Published: 2017-04-25 - Modified: 2022-09-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/grow-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business There’s no shortage of advice available for those who are new to running a small business. Obviously, building lasting customer relationships and delivering great customer service is paramount to sustainability. But when you're looking to grow your business to the next level, where do you turn for ideas? Big business. I know what you're thinking... "My business is great because we're small, nimble and personal. The exact opposite of my big business competitors. " I agree. But most small businesses I talk to are afraid to play big. You simply cannot unleash your maximum potential if you don’t try to seize great opportunities or if your business goals and dreams are too small. One of the greatest ways to play big is to leverage cloud technology that gives you and your business access to amazing tools that once belonged only to huge enterprises. In other words, don’t buy into the excuse that your business can’t accomplish something simply because it’s small. With the right tools, from CRM software to email marketing to robust reporting, your small business can offer customers an alternative to larger providers, while still maintaining the strong relationships that are characteristic of many smaller businesses. Exceptional Customer Service Is Your Imperative It bears repeating: customer satisfaction is what brings existing customers back to your business. Not only is retaining existing customers far less expensive than acquiring new ones, if you build strong enough relationships with them, they’re more likely to advocate for your brand to other people.... --- ### How to Manage a Team of Copywriters Without Stifling Creativity > How do you nurture your copywriter's creativity while requesting content that generates leads and sales? Here are some strategies that work. - Published: 2017-04-24 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/manage-copywriters-without-stifling-creativity/ - Categories: Content Marketing If you’ve made a serious commitment to content marketing, you may have built a team of writers to help you. Whether that team is based in your office or is a virtual one that’s spread around the globe, it’s important to manage your writers so you don’t stifle their creativity. Creative people are often very passionate about their work, and some are sensitive. If they’re worried that you are going to criticize or nitpick what they’ve written, they may be hesitant to take the kind of risks that lead to innovative work. That said, no business can afford to publish bad writing. If a writer hasn’t delivered material that is spot-on, you’ll need to tactfully find a way to get it into shape before publishing it. So how do you nurture your writing team’s creativity while producing content that generates leads and sales? Here are some strategies to put to work. Hire the best writers you can afford. If you’ve never worked with a team of writers before and are on a tight budget, you may be tempted to hire the cheapest writers you can find. That can be a big mistake. Why? Because—as in every field—quality costs money. If one writer charges $20 a blog post and another charges $200, there is usually a reason. The person who charges $200 will generally produce better, cleaner copy and may need little to no editing, saving you time and editing costs. They will also have expertise in your niche and a... --- ### 6 Social Listening Tools for PR, Marketing and Competitive Analysis > Social listening tools will allow you to track keywords, phrases and brands that will provide insight you can leverage for your small business. - Published: 2017-04-21 - Modified: 2017-04-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-listening-tools/ - Categories: Marketing If you want to understand your customers and competitors better, and how to create the best service and content to reach them, a great way to do so is by utilizing “social listening. ” There are dozens of sites and places online that your target audience members are having conversations. By tracking just the mentions of your brand in social, you’re still missing out on conversations that could be relevant to your brand and industry. Social listening tools will allow you to track keywords, phrases and brands that will provide insight you can leverage for your small business. With social listening, you can: Find PR opportunities Discover new places to reach potential customers Uncover content ideas that will resonate Figure out ways to beat your competitors However, it’s important to understand that social listening is different than social monitoring. Monitoring tools track brand mentions, and common tools that get this job done are SproutSocial and HootSuite. Most brands today monitor sites like Twitter and Facebook for mentions of their brand, and respond when customers reach out. However, if you want to jump into the practice of social media listening in addition to monitoring, you’ll need to invest in a tool that tracks all sorts of conversations happening across the web — within forums, comments, websites, blogs, videos and more. Here are the best social media listening tools for your business: Sysomos Sysomos is an enterprise-level solution that has a ton of products to help with insights that would benefit your... --- ### 6 Takeaways From Organizations With Phenomenal Company Culture > Company culture is about much more than free beer and fancy in-office gyms. Top organizations see their culture as a major contributor to their success. - Published: 2017-04-20 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/phenomenal-company-culture/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Company culture is about much more than free beer and fancy in-office gyms. America’s top companies see their culture as a major contributor to their success. And office perks aren’t always the way to your employees’ hearts. Google Google’s perks are famous, but they’re only one aspect of the company’s “work and play hard” culture. Google is careful to recruit people who are motivated by their culture and who will fit in with their team mission. Without the right people on board, Google’s company culture wouldn’t be the inspiration that it is today. Image Credit: Glassdoor Takeaway Ensure your employees are on board with your company’s culture and build your culture around your mission or purpose. When searching for the right team members include questions about attitude, lifestyle, and culture in your interview process to be sure new recruits mesh seamlessly with existing team members. AirBnB AirBnB’s professed company mission is to change the world through authentic travel and local accommodation experiences. Employee interviews concentrate on how the interviewee’s values align with the company culture of openness and honesty. AirBnB has weekly virtual meetings that every employee participates in. Notes from executive-level meetings are distributed to every employee within 24 hours. There are no secrets. Image Credit: Glassdoor Takeaway An open management style leads to employees who are more engaged and motivated. Set up systems that allow employees to be heard without feeling threatened. Make it clear that you need to know if there is something that could be done... --- ### 9 Reasons to Get Rid of the Annual Performance Review > There are plenty of benefits associated with regular employee reviews. But traditional annual performance reviews leave a lot to be desired. - Published: 2017-04-19 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/annual-performance-review/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Are you considering finding a replacement for the traditional annual performance review? If so, you’ll be in good company. Accenture, Deloitte, Microsoft and General Electric are just four of the many US companies that have done away with the annual performance review. So, what’s wrong with the annual performance review? There are plenty of benefits associated with regular employee reviews. But reviews following the annual cadence leave a lot to be desired. Here are just a few of the drawbacks: 1. Why wait a full year? If you make employee performance reviews a recurring process, with frequent manager/employee interactions, you eliminate the “recency effect” where only the past month’s performance is evaluated and an entire 11 months of work is overlooked. Managers should provide feedback after each project. That way the employee knows that work is being recognized and understands areas that need improvement. 2. It focuses on the past instead of the present. An annual performance review looks at how an employee has performed in the past, rather than what he or she is currently doing. A better model would focus on current performance with a quick overview of past successes. Frequent assessment and feedback from managers builds a better picture of each employee and their impact on your small business. 3. It’s costly. The traditional annual performance review costs $3,500 per employee. This cost includes the 210 hours each manager spends on meetings, discussions and other activities relating to performance reviews. Frequent feedback meetings will inevitably be shorter,... --- ### 5 Reasons Clickbait Is The Worst (And How It Will Negatively Impact Your Business) > Clickbait is (thankfully) dying. Find out how using the old bait and switch could be negatively impacting your small business in a big way. - Published: 2017-04-17 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-reasons-clickbait-negatively-impacts-business/ - Categories: Content Marketing While “fake news” may be the scourge of the Internet in 2017, it would never have existed had clickbait not paved the path. A lot of marketers and savvy online readers resent clickbait now, and for good reason—the sensationalistic and vague style of headline writing, made famous by sites like BuzzFeed and Upworthy (“This Man Bought his Daughter an Ice Cream. What Happened Next Will Shock You”), created a style of web writing that enraptured curious readers audiences across the globe. But just as quickly as it arrived, it began feeling desperate and lame, and subsequently gave way to a more honest, detail-oriented style of headline writing. In this article, we’ll focus on why the old-school method died out, how following those protocols can do your brand more harm than good, and what lessons we can learn from clickbait to craft effective headlines today. Clickbait Will Attract the Wrong Visitors When growing a brand, you need brand loyalty. You need people to find your site and genuinely enjoy it, respect it and come back when they need your product again. Clickbait, based on vague adjectives and overblown promises, doesn’t do any of that. Its viral potential attracts mostly first-time audiences. As inbound marketing goes, shooting broad can draw all sorts of people, which could be good, but odds are most of them won’t really be interested in your brand—they just want to know what happened when Dad gave his daughter the ice cream. That’s because clickbait turns reading into a... --- ### The Science Behind a High Converting Landing Page > If you spent time and money creating a compelling offer for new prospects, you want to maximize the number of conversions from this offer. But what is the - Published: 2017-04-14 - Modified: 2018-11-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/science-behind-high-converting-landing-page/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing If you spent time and money creating a compelling offer for new prospects, you want to maximize the number of conversions from this offer. But what is the best way to ensure the most amount of people who visit your landing page, convert? Building a successful landing page is like a science — and much more complex than popping a form and offer on a page. We gathered some of the best advice and case studies across the web from the industry-best landing page tools and brands to help you understand the periodic table of landing page conversion: Pl (People) 37Signals increased signups by 102. 5 percent for their Highrise product — just by adding a picture of a person. They did a number of A/B tests, including testing long-form pages vs. short-form pages, pictures of customers vs. no picture, and changing the picture of the customer. They concluded that: Big pictures of smiling people/customers work It doesn’t necessarily matter who your person is (male, female or ethnicity) Short-form pages with a picture of a customer outperformed long-form landing pages Takeaway: People trust other people’s opinions. Add a picture and testimonial of a customer to your landing page, and you could see skyrocket conversion rates. Cta (Call to action) Black & Decker made a six-figure impact by testing simple CTA button copy such as “Buy Now” vs. “Shop Now. ” Through A/B tests of copy on their product buttons, they thought that ‘Shop Now” would be more successful because it... --- ### Try These Creative Incentives to Motivate Your Sales Team > How do you keep your sales team motivated and excited to sell? For small businesses, incentives can't always be monetary. Try these creative ideas instead. - Published: 2017-04-13 - Modified: 2017-04-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/creative-incentives-motivate-sales-team/ - Categories: Sales No matter how driven your sales team is, it never hurts to show them how much you care about their efforts to bring in new business. Selling requires a lot of energy and stamina, and giving your salespeople even a small boost can go a long way toward helping them power through the rejection that comes with the job. That’s especially true in a small business, where salespeople can’t necessarily ride on your brand name to get prospects to take their call or meet with them, as they might in a Fortune 500 company So how do you keep them excited and engaged? Here are some creative ideas for motivating your sales team: Say it in pictures. Highlight your top seller of the month to your audience each month. Feature them in a blog post and post their picture on your social media sites. Not only will it give a nice nod to your salesperson, but it can even help your clients and audience recognize and get to know your top performers. Send out a press release. Many local publications like to get news about movers and shakers in their community for columns they run. When your sales stars win an important award or get promoted, send a brief press release to your local news source to show your sales team how important they are to you. Not sure how to write a press release? Type “press release template” into a search engine. There are many free and inexpensive ones... --- ### PRESS RELEASE: Hatchbuck Reveals a Bold New Brand Inspired by Self-Made Business Owners > Alongside the new software version, BenchmarkONE releases a bold new brand inspired by the small business owner. - Published: 2017-04-12 - Modified: 2017-04-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/press-release-hatchbuck-new-brand/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News This press release was originally published on PR Newswire. ST. LOUIS, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hatchbuck, an innovative and easy-to-use sales and marketing software for small businesses, today reveals a bold new brand identity and messaging that puts the hero of the brand, the self-made small business owner, front and center. Hatchbuck's new visual identity coincides with the latest release and reimagination of their product, Hatchbuck v4. 0. The rebrand is the first major redesign for Hatchbuck since its conception in 2012. With the redesign, Hatchbuck steers away from the app-centric lowercase wordmark - a prolific style choice in their software category. The new logo, an uppercase wordmark paired with the diver helmet emblem, captures the adventurous and self-sufficient spirit of the small business owner. Hatchbuck's Co-Founder and CSO/CMO, Jonathan Herrick, shared that the new brand identity will help the company tell a more compelling story. "The hero of our story isn't sales and marketing software. It's the small business owner," said Herrick. "They are the creators - creating jobs, innovation and a legacy to leave behind. The iconic diver helmet logo is a direct nod to them, their willingness to take risks and propel their business forward. " To complement the new logo, Hatchbuck is trading in their mild teal and coral color palette for a bold red-orange and slate blue palette augmented by bright blues, magenta and yellow-green accent colors. Incorporated throughout branded materials are a mix of nautical icons that give a playful nod to Hatchbuck's... --- ### PRESS RELEASE: Hatchbuck Empowers Small Business Owners with Version 4.0 > This press release was originally published on PR Newswire. ST. LOUIS, April 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hatchbuck, an innovative and easy-to-use sales and - Published: 2017-04-11 - Modified: 2017-04-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/press-release-hatchbuck-version-4-0/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News This press release was originally published on PR Newswire. ST. LOUIS, April 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hatchbuck, an innovative and easy-to-use sales and marketing software for small businesses, today announces the launch of a new version, Hatchbuck 4. 0. This latest release will empower small business owners to take control of their sales and marketing process, easily manage contacts, provide seamless follow-up with prospects and customers, and seize every opportunity in their sales and marketing pipeline. Hatchbuck Co-Founder and CEO, Don Breckenridge, says that the new version will help small business owners move from cumbersome spreadsheets and batch & blast email marketing systems to an all-in-one sales and marketing tool. "The new version of Hatchbuck was built to champion our core user - the small business owner," says Breckenridge. "Hatchbuck 4. 0 is making it simpler for small businesses to be more personal in the inbox, convert more opportunities into customers, and streamline their sales and marketing process. It's energizing to know that we're helping them to take their sales and marketing to the next level. " Hatchbuck 4. 0 includes critical features and enhancements to improve usability, provide actionable insights, and increase productivity, including: Quick Insights A robust dashboard offers a real-time snapshot of the overall sales and marketing process. Hatchbuck customers now have an instant pulse on their sales and marketing activity and insight into specific areas where they drive sales. Comprehensive Views Custom list views and powerful search tools make it fast and easy to find, segment... --- ### Hatchbuck Version 4.0: What’s New? > BenchmarkONE Version 4.0 is here! Read about our new and improved features and how BenchmarkONE helps small businesses streamline sales and marketing processes. - Published: 2017-04-10 - Modified: 2017-04-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-new-features-version-4-0/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News Today we’re thrilled to introduce you to the all-new Hatchbuck v4. 0. In designing this new release, we first and foremost wanted to be sure that our platform serves its most important purpose: you, the small business owner. We took into account the past and future of our company alongside extensive customer feedback, and we’ve created our best version yet. At its core, Hatchbuck is still the same easy-to-use, effective sales and marketing software that you’re used to. But we’ve added (and optimized) several features that we think you’re going to be excited about. Let’s dive in. More Actionable Insights The dashboard now offers a real-time snapshot of your sales and marketing in one place. Paired with our re-designed activity feed, the dashboard now gives you an instant pulse on your sales and marketing pipeline so that nothing falls through the cracks. Fine-Tuned Global Search and Filter Our custom list views, powerful global search tools and customizable filters make it easy for you to find, segment and filter down to your desired list of contacts. Hatchbuck v4. 0 streamlines your workflow with our easy-to-use task manager to keep your team members on the same page. For larger teams, we’ve added user-level security so you can easily assign permissions and keep data private and protected. Enhanced Email Builder and IMAP Integration We’re so excited for Hatchbuck customers to experience our new and improved email builder. We’ve done an overhaul of our Drag and Drop builder to make email creation seamless for... --- ### Why The Rebrand? Meet The New Hatchbuck. > BenchmarkONE v4.0 is here along with our totally re-designed brand. Learn more about our research, our radical buyer and the new face of BenchmarkONE. - Published: 2017-04-10 - Modified: 2017-04-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-rebrand/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News Why the change? We know that change isn’t always easy. Especially when it comes to business. But at some point in almost any business, change is necessary for growth. And so, we’ve done it. We took the plunge on an all-new Hatchbuck, and we’re pretty pumped to tell you about it. As we were taking stock of where our business has been over the last five years (and where it’s headed), we found a common thread. You, the small business owner. You are the hero of our brand, and we wanted to make sure that Hatchbuck 4. 0 represents and serves you in every way. No longer is sales and marketing software the hero of the Hatchbuck story. You are. Today, we present you with the all-new Hatchbuck. Our Research Before our rebrand and redesign of the Hatchbuck platform, we did exhaustive research into who our radical buyer is and what it is that they want. We wanted to be sure that we were creating something that would not only bring us more buyers but also meet the needs of our existing ones through the right functions and features. Through the use of Hatchbuck data, social media, website analytics and a large customer survey, we have successfully pinpointed Hatchbuck’s most common promoters (and detractors). Here’s what we found: Hatchbuck’s Ideal Buyer Our radical buyer, Chris, is a self-made small business owner. He (or she) interacts on a personal level with clients and customers and deeply loves building relationships. Our radical... --- ### Is Inbound Marketing Right For Your Small Business? > Inbound marketing may not be the right strategy for every business, but is it the right strategy for yours? Find out with a few simple questions. - Published: 2017-04-07 - Modified: 2022-09-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business If you are a small business owner or a marketing agency that isn’t seeing the quality or quantity of leads needed to achieve your business goals, inbound marketing may be the solution. What is inbound marketing, and how does it differ from the traditional marketing efforts you may already be using? While your focus may be on reaching out to your potential customer base, inbound marketing is different because it will make your customers reach out to you to learn more about the products and services you offer. Inbound Marketing May Fit Because... This kind of marketing is more important today than it has been in the past, especially when you consider the improved technologies in ad blockers and the increased awareness of do-not-call lists. Today 87% of people in the US are online, and the majority of social media users will log-in daily. With 320 million people in this country active online and many more internationally, today’s consumers are likely to turn to this avenue when they have a need they wish to fulfill. It Doesn’t Cost a Lot of Money Think of your online presence as a top-earning salesperson who never goes off the clock. Starting a blog is much cheaper than investing in the creation of commercials and billboards, and the money you spend getting this just right will mean you will potentially be able to close many deals from a single effort. While traditional marketing efforts like cold calls, print ads, and mailers also traditionally have... --- ### Here's Why Employee Trust Is So Important In A Small Business > Employee trust is a foundational piece of any successful business. In order to keep employees engaged, make sure you’re all on the same page. - Published: 2017-04-06 - Modified: 2017-04-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-trust-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business “It’s the company’s responsibility to look after your employees first. Happy employees ensures happy customers. Happy customers ensures happy shareholders – in that order. ” Herb Kelleher – Founder and former CEO of Southwest Airlines In one of his many articles, Simon Sinek wrote: “A team is not a group of people that work together. A team is a group of people that trust each other. ” This is a wildly important lesson in leadership. To become a true leader takes more than just ability to lead by example and inspire people. Although those are both incredibly difficult tasks. However, there’s another important element, and that’s the ability to build a sense of trust within your organization. You can’t have a team without trust, and you clearly can’t be a leader without a team. Trust needs to be at the foundation of any business. Why Trust Should Be A Priority First, trust empowers your employees. This sense of empowerment leads to at least 26% higher employee satisfaction, according to a study by Yona Kifer of Tel Aviv University. That sense of empowerment translates into more authenticity and feelings of well-being, the researchers found. Ultimately, these feelings lead to much higher engagement in the workplace. And that’s where the real treasure lies. According to Gallup, over 70% of employees feel disengaged. This apathy costs US companies between $450 billion to $550 billion in lost productivity per year. If you can help your employees be more engaged, that alone sets you apart... --- ### Rethinking The Sales Funnel With CRM > A CRM will allow you to provide relevant content to leads, gauge which prospects are likely to become customers and bring leads into the sales funnel. - Published: 2017-04-05 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-funnel-crm/ - Categories: CRM, Sales If you're in the B2B space, particularly if you’re running a smaller operation, you’re in luck. Today you have tools available to you that were previously reserved for large B2C enterprises. Specifically, you have access to amazing amounts of buyer data (if you decide to use it). Unfortunately many small businesses don’t capitalize on that data in their sales and marketing strategies. If you’ve considered customer relationship management (CRM) as something with little to add (or out of reach for your micro-to-small business), think again. Not only are massive quantities of customer data being created at all times, but predictive analytics are maturing rapidly. This means that your marketing and sales efforts can become significantly more productive and efficient with the right tools. The use of a CRM will empower you to do things like provide the most relevant content to a particular lead, better gauge which prospects are likely to become high-value customers and know what the next step should be in bringing leads deeper into the sales funnel. Most of the people on your website are not in buying mode, so it's essential that you serve them the right messages at the right moments, encouraging them on that next step of their buyer's journey. Those "right messages" might include expert lead magnets, product information or demo offers, depending on their buying stage. Why Understanding CRM Is Crucial for Smaller Businesses Smaller businesses can benefit disproportionately from CRM marketing. By eliminating much of the guesswork of managing leads and... --- ### 5 Tips To Improve Your Email Open Rates Right Away > Even in the industries partial to email marketing, open rates only reach an average of roughly 26 percent. Most fall below 20. It's time to change that. - Published: 2017-04-04 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-tips-to-improve-your-email-open-rates-right-away/ - Categories: Email Marketing Even in the industries most partial toward email marketing, open rates only reach an average of roughly 26 percent. Most fall below 20. That means four-fifths of people who willingly give you their email address might never actually open the emails you’re sending them. But why? It isn’t always that they’re not interested—after all, they signed up voluntarily. The reason they’re not opening your emails could be something you’re overlooking. Open rates are generally determined by subject lines alone, so knowing how to craft the right one is an important first step. But there are other techniques that can help ensure your eager audience is seeing the content they asked for. Make Sure Your Emails Aren’t Ending Up as Spam When someone subscribes to your email list, one way to ensure subsequent emails get properly delivered is to send a friendly automated “Welcome” email. This shows people how to whitelist emails from you to prevent them from ending up in the spam folder. It’s a human approach, which is a good first impression, and the results can’t be bad: even if 80 percent of people ignore you, that extra 20 percent won’t, and that’s 20 percent of people who would otherwise have missed emails they signed up to receive. Send Your Emails at the Right Time Time of day is one of the factors we recommend split testing, and for good reason—you may find emails sent at 8 p. m. do twice as well as those sent at 4 p.... --- ### 4 Tricks For Creating More Shareable Content > No longer are likes and clicks the most important metrics for engagement. Sharing indicates successful content. Here are tips for more shareable content. - Published: 2017-04-03 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tricks-for-shareable-content/ - Categories: Content Marketing Long past the allure of “reach” numbers in the hundreds of thousands, marketers and agencies are increasingly focusing on what matters most: engagement. And there’s no better marker of engagement than shares. Even just liking something—or clicking favorite, heart, thumbs up, whatever—is a simple action that only indicates someone took the time to click something and, perhaps, din't even read it. Few people click through to an article, read it start to finish, then toggle back just to click “like” and move on. Your most engaged audiences are more likely to share it. And that’s why it’s the shares that count. To share something is to say, essentially, “This represents me,” or “This made me think. ” You’re endorsing a piece of content by placing it on your own feed. It’s such a personal commitment that political Twitter users and influencers, particularly journalists, feel compelled to clarify that “retweets are not endorsements. ” We assume that sharing content means you agree with it. It’s a very personal act. Here are a few tips to make your content more shareable. Just ask. For many content marketers, asking others to share content is an odd point of pride. But why? It depends on the content, of course, but if you’ve published something you’re proud of, there’s no shame in asking people to share it. You shouldn't take the ask for granted, of course. Asking repeatedly for readers to share everything you publish will nullify the importance of anything. But if you’re looking... --- ### 5 Ways To Guarantee Your Readers Trust Your Content > With talk of “fake news” in the headlines constantly, it’s easy to get the jitters about publishing anything. Fortunately, if you publish credible, - Published: 2017-03-31 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guarantee-readers-trust-content/ - Categories: Content Marketing With talk of “fake news” in the headlines constantly, it’s easy to get the jitters about publishing anything. Fortunately, if you publish credible, research-backed, trustworthy content, you have little to worry about. It’s hard for even the most mischievous internet troll to cast doubts on blogs, white papers or other material that is accurate, free from factual mistakes and supported by data that can be easily verified. As you might imagine, creating credible content takes some work. It requires you to slow down long enough to double check what you’re publishing and proofread it carefully. But this is an insurance policy for your brand, similar to the quality control you perform for your product or service. When readers trust your content, it helps build faith in your company. If your content is carefully crafted, it suggests that the work you do at your business will reflect a similar attention to detail. For a quick guide to trustworthy content, download our checklist below. Or read on for a deeper dive into why each checklist item is so important to master. Write about what you know. Readers can tell when you’re discussing something in which you have expertise or experience and they can especially tell when the topic is out of your element. This is why people often raise an eyebrow when they see Hollywood stars pontificating on complex political issues—unless these celebrities are actually well-versed in the subject through charitable work or direct personal experience. Whether you’re writing a blog, a... --- ### Foods To Make You More Productive and Keep You Energized All Day > The food you eat while you’re in the office likely isn't a primary concern—but a few changes to your workplace diet can have huge effects on productivity. - Published: 2017-03-30 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/foods-for-productivity-and-energy/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship We’re all trying to squeeze more productivity out of the work day, a trend toward working “smarter,” rather than just harder. But you can’t work efficiently or at a high performance level without considering how you fuel that productivity. If you’re running a business, your mind is focused on clearing your inbox, making payroll, and monitoring the results of your latest marketing campaign. For most, the food you eat while you’re in the office is not a primary concern—but just a few simple changes to your workplace diet could have huge effects on your cognition and productivity. What you put in your mouth is critical to your day-to-day performance. The right foods provide the energy your body needs to function, and the more thinking we do, the more intellectually complex our tasks, the more energy we use. Most of what we eat is converted into glucose—a sugar—that provides the energy our brains need to stay alert. When we’re low on glucose we have a tough time staying focused (or awake for that matter). Depending on the food, you’ll either get a burst of glucose very quickly, by drinking a soda or eating a lot of French bread, or more slowly, with foods that have more protein and fat. High-fat foods like fried chicken or a cheeseburger, however, require more work to digest. This overexertion reduces the levels of oxygen in the brain which makes us sleepy. When you start to feel low in energy and irritable, you’re probably not feeling... --- ### Small Business Guide to Marketing Automation > Eventually, your small business will grow enough that you’ll no longer be able to manage it using spreadsheets. That’s where marketing automation comes in. - Published: 2017-03-29 - Modified: 2022-11-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/quick-guide-small-business-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Small Business This blog post was updated on February 14, 2020. As a small business, you’re probably in direct contact with many of your existing customers. But as your business scales, it’s impossible to maintain personal relationships with everyone. Eventually, your sales, marketing, and customer service efforts will be sizable enough that you’ll no longer be able to manage it all using Gmail and spreadsheets. That’s where marketing automation comes in. What is Marketing Automation? Digital marketer and entrepreneur Neil Patel offers this simplified definition of marketing automation: “Marketing automation is the use of software to automate marketing processes such as customer segmentation, customer data integration, and campaign management, that would have otherwise been performed manually. ” It’s true that not every business is ready for marketing automation software. But how do you know if your business is ready or not? Is Marketing Automation Right for My Small Business? Here are some situations that might indicate you could benefit from marketing automation software. You don’t have a CRM, or you have a CRM that doesn’t allow you to track people through the sales process. A marketing automation software is not only going to house your contacts in an organized fashion but will also let you move them through the sales pipeline, from lead to customer. The process can be automated, meaning the contact can be moving from stage to stage based on their clicking and opening behavior. You only need to be alerted when they have become a “hot” lead or opportunity... --- ### Photo Series Part 3: How to Crop Your Photos Into Eye-Catching Images > Even if your original snapped photo isn’t exceptional, cropping your photos often allows you to create a composition that is interesting to your viewer. - Published: 2017-03-28 - Modified: 2017-03-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cropping-photos-how-to/ - Categories: Marketing Editing your iPhone photography can turn boring, dull photos into awesome, eye-catching visuals for your small business. However, if you don’t have expert photo composition to begin with, photo editing will only get you so far. Even if your original snapped photo isn’t exceptional, you can often crop the photo to create a composition that is interesting to your viewer. In the third and final installment of our photo series, I’ll teach you some basic cropping skills to create compelling images for your brand. If you missed the first two parts of this series, you can reread them here: How to Take Professional Looking Photos with Your iPhone Photo Editing Tips/Tools for Non-Creatives Creating Unique Composition with Cropping Crop Your Subject: Don’t feel like you have to include your entire subject in the frame. Sometimes cropping off someone’s head or legs will help focus on something in the middle of the subject that the photo is meant to highlight. You can also position your subject in the corner of a photo and crop the top and bottom to create an interesting, visual effect for your audience. Remove Additional Subjects with a Crop: If your photo is overly complicated or includes unwanted background noise such as a sign in the middle of your scenery photo, a crop is a great way to get rid of unwanted photo details and hone in on what your photo is supposed to portray. Crop Faces with Breathing Room: If you want to get closer to... --- ### 8 Simon Sinek Quotes That Will Change The Way You Do Business > Here are just a few slices of Simon Sinek’s wisdom that will hopefully inspire you to innovate, improve and change your business to achieve better results. - Published: 2017-03-27 - Modified: 2022-09-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/simon-sinek-quotes-will-change-your-business/ - Categories: Leadership If you’re not familiar with Simon Sinek, you should drop what you’re doing to watch his famous TED Talk: “How Great Leaders Inspire Action. ” In his talk, he explores what made people like Martin Luther King Jr. and the Wright Brothers become the leaders they were. And his infamous TED Talk is just a sample of his work. Sinek has dedicated his career to studying leaders of all fields to find patterns in their successes and to make that knowledge accessible to everyone who aspires to become a champion in their field. Here are just a few slices of Sinek’s wisdom that will hopefully inspire you to innovate, improve and change your business to achieve better results. 1) “People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. ” Many companies are focused on selling the features and benefits of their products. In reality, the what motivates people the most is your mission and vision of what you’re hoping to achieve with your business. Apple isn’t about selling personal computers, it’s about ‘thinking different’ and challenging the status quo. Airbnb isn’t about short-term rentals. It’s about connecting people so that you can belong anywhere. 2) “Great companies don't hire skilled people and motivate them, they hire already motivated people and inspire them. ” An ideal candidate is someone with an excellent attitude and a broad skillset. But in reality, you don’t always find these people and you have to choose between skills and attitude. And, that’s where... --- ### 7 Simple Ways to Lose a Lead > As a small business, attracting leads isn’t easy. The last thing you want to do is lose leads over a silly mistake. Avoid these 7 marketing blunders. - Published: 2017-03-24 - Modified: 2017-03-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-ways-to-lose-a-lead/ - Categories: Marketing Attracting leads isn’t easy. Building an effective sales and marketing funnel will likely cost your small business substantial time and effort early on. You’ll need to work hard to successfully take a prospect through all the stages of your conversion funnel. The last thing you want to do is lose leads over a silly mistake. Your small business needs an optimized website and well-executed marketing strategy to attract leads. But in order to convert those leads into customers, you need to spend time nurturing them. At the end of the day, there are countless competitors vying for the same leads you are. So, unless you’re trying to clear out your sales funnel (which we highly doubt), make sure you avoid the following lead-killing mistakes. Take Value Instead of Providing it Converting a lead is a lot like having a bank account. In order to get something out of it, you first need to put capital into it. According to Marketing Donut, 63% of people requesting information on your company today will not purchase for at least three months – and 20% will take more than 12 months to buy. Immediately asking for a sale, or taking any action that serves your business first (rather than the prospective customer), is taking money out of the account. Providing leads with a valuable content, or resources that help them and their business, is the equivalent of putting capital into it. In other words, you need to first offer value to receive it. If... --- ### The Importance of Hiring the Right Team for Your Small Business (And How to Do It) > Hiring people who are naturally motivated to contribute and serve your customers well will make your life as a small business owner much easier. - Published: 2017-03-23 - Modified: 2017-03-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hiring-the-right-team-for-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business Even if your leadership skills are top-notch, it’s mission-critical to find the right team for your small business. People who are naturally motivated to contribute and serve your customers well will be a lot easier to lead than those who have no interest in delivering rock-star performance. Many small business owners are on the hunt for talent that will help them grow their businesses. Thirty-six percent of owners projected that the number of jobs at their company would increase a little or a lot over the next 12 months in the Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index released in December 2016. That was the highest reading in the survey’s 13-year history. If you're among them, there’s a lot you can do to build the right team—even if your budget is tight. Here are some strategies that will help. Put yourself in the shoes of your customers. Try to experience your business the way customers and prospects do. Call the main phone number from a number your team won’t recognize. Does the person who greets you sound happy and professional before you identify yourself the as person who is calling? Leave a message on the company voice mail. Does someone on your team play it and return it the same day? Send a message through the contact box on your website. Does it get returned? If you’re in retail or the food business, ask a few friends to visit your business as mystery shoppers and report back to you. What is their... --- ### 5 Reasons To Jump On The Video Marketing Bandwagon In 2017 > There’s a reason video is popular. It delivers. Reach, conversions and engagement are just a few of the benefits marketers can capture from video marketing. - Published: 2017-03-22 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-reasons-to-use-video-marketing-2017/ - Categories: Marketing Video consumption has been growing steadily over the past few years, and if you’re not taking advantage of video in your marketing strategy, you’re missing out big on potential engagement and customers. Video’s popularity is evident based on the current social media landscape. Snapchat has over 100 million daily active users and just announced an IPO. Periscope has reached well over 200 million broadcasts to date. Then there’s Facebook and Instagram. Both platforms have made a dramatic shift toward video content. And it’s paying off. There’s a reason why marketers love video. It delivers results. And reach, conversions and engagement are just a few of the benefits marketers can capture from video marketing. Video Is The Key To Social Media Performance According to findings from Moz, Facebook is now a real contender with YouTube as the top video platform for brands. It’s not surprising. Research by BuzzSumo shows that video content outperforms all other content on Facebook by a notable margin. Other popular social platforms are making the move to video and LIVE video as well. Both Instagram and Pinterest introduced new video features at the end of the last year. Emails Are Better With Video Testing has shown that the use of video in email campaigns has a direct impact on click-through rates, sharing and forwarding. Another study by Forrester found that when marketers included a marketing or explainer video in an email, the click-through rate increased by 200% to 300%. Video Can (Actually) Boost Your Revenue Content marketing... --- ### Photo Series Part 2: Photo Editing Tools & Tips for Non-Creatives > It doesn’t take a professional to master the world of photography. All you need are photo editing tools, and you too can create professional photos. - Published: 2017-03-21 - Modified: 2017-03-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/photo-editing-tools-2/ - Categories: Marketing If you’ve attempted to take professional photos for your small business but they’re just not cutting it, you’re probably missing out on the world of iPhone editing. The iPhone is known for its ability to capture high-quality photography because of the technology behind the phone and its apps. Some of the best photographers in the world shoot using only an iPhone and editing apps. But the great news for you is that it doesn’t take a professional photographer to master the world of iPhone editing. All you need is a great photo editing app and the right tools, and you too can create professional photos. I’ve gathered some of my favorite iPhone photography apps that are on my personal iPhone, and included some tips on how to utilize common photo editing tools. This is the second part in a three-part photo series. If you missed the first part, you can read it here: How to Take Professional Quality Photos with Your iPhone. Choose Your Favorite Photo Editing Apps The most important tool in a photography toolbox is the right editing app. We mentioned a few in our last post, but the good news is that the amount of iPhone photo editing apps is endless. Some photographers use a combination of several different apps to alter their photos, but that’s not necessary for all businesses. Depending on the level of sophistication you’re looking for, here are a few of our favorite editing apps: Camera+: I mentioned this one in part one... --- ### A Step-By-Step Guide To Marketing Your Small Business On Instagram > If done well, Instagram marketing can build your brand, generate new leads and boost revenue at little or no cost to your small business. - Published: 2017-03-20 - Modified: 2022-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guide-to-instagram-marketing/ - Categories: Small Business Quick facts about Instagram: 600 million active users; 400 million daily active users; 80 million daily active users in the US alone. Plus, it’s still one of the fastest growing social media platforms. Instagram is a powerful social media platform that enables small businesses to market themselves for FREE. If done well, Instagram marketing can build your brand, generate leads and boost your revenue. However, you can’t use the same strategy on Instagram that you do on your other social platforms. It’s not enough to just have a profile and throw some hashtags around - that’s what everyone else is doing. To make your small business stand out and grow your Instagram following and results, you need to market yourself the right way. Here’s how to get started: Zero In On Your Goals and Strategy A man without a goal is like a ship without a rudder. – Thomas Carlyle. The same applies to your Instagram account (and your entire marketing strategy). An over-arching goal for your Instagram strategy is essential to measuring success. For instance, if your goal is to increase brand awareness, it doesn’t make sense to measure success only on the number of leads you get from your Instagram account. So, lock in on your top goal for the channel and align your strategy to it. Here are some examples of how to meet your goals on Instagram: Goal - Build Brand Awareness Grow your Instagram followers Increase engagement on Instagram Cross promote on other marketing channels... --- ### Avoid The Hump Day Blues: 4 Simple Ways To Boost Workplace Engagement > By mid-week, you and your employees are probably ready for the weekend.So how can you set up your work space to make the hump day blues a thing of the past? - Published: 2017-03-16 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/boost-workplace-engagement/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Memes abound on Wednesdays. Hump day can be one of the toughest days of the week for most employees. Most likely you have a lot on your plate and your next glorious weekend break is still days away. So how can you set up your work space so you and your employees can make the hump day blues a thing of the past? Read on for easy, inexpensive tips to give your workplace culture a much needed mid-week boost. Make Time For The Team Most companies bring employees together sporadically or during the traditional company meeting setting. Or even possibly at the mandatory happy hour that occurs after hours or on Fridays at 5. However, why wait till the monthly company meeting or an after work event to make time for your team? Instead, try moving your employee events to mid week. Look for ways to celebrate team successes and give your people a reason to push through to the weekend. If you are dead set on happy hour activities, think about scheduling an afternoon event instead. Most likely you will have better attendance and employees won't feel like they're sacrificing family, personal, and weekend time to hang together with their co-workers. Instead of the typical Monday company “state of the union” address, try changing things up a bit. Cater in lunch and use the company meeting time as a way for employees to connect with one another while covering important company initiatives. Gathering on a Wednesday to break up... --- ### Follow These Steps For Successful Website Forms > Website forms are arguably the most important element of your website design. Use these steps to make sure you're using them effectively. - Published: 2017-03-15 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/successful-website-forms/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing, Lead Generation You’ve spent dozens of hours and hundreds of dollars on building (or paying someone else to build) a new website, multi-platform advertising and product design. People are noticing. They’re visiting your site. They want to get in touch. But can they? When you think of your business that way, web forms become arguably the most important element of your website design. They facilitate a critical moment when a visitor decides they want something from you. A smooth, digestible web form can increase conversion rates, make user interaction with your site easier and seamlessly capture contact information from your audience. Web forms, really, are the connective tissue that bonds you with your most engaged audience. A well-designed form can reassure viewers that your brand is reliable and responsive. That said, few people give forms the attention they deserve. To make things easier on you, we’re going to lay out the keys to successful website forms. 1. Don’t Make Them Longer Than They Need to Be Keep your forms as short as possible by only asking for the most important information. This serves two purposes: first, it makes the filling-out process as straightforward as possible; second, it gives confidence to users. If my postal code isn’t relevant, why should I offer it? You’ll find forms have a significantly higher conversion rate when they’re simplified, attractive and concise. Spotify’s sign up form is a great example. They use white space for clarity and specific colors to guide users toward other login options (a... --- ### Photo Series Part 1: How to Take Professional Quality Photos with Your iPhone > Images are critical to your small business marketing strategy. And you don't need a fancy camera to take professional quality photos. Enter: Apple iPhone. - Published: 2017-03-14 - Modified: 2024-02-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/professional-photos-iphone/ - Categories: Marketing Professional, high-quality images are critical to your small business marketing and branding strategy. When people hear information, they're likely to remember only 10% of that information three days later. If a relevant image is paired with that same information, however, people retained 65% of the information three days later. From content marketing to social media and website graphics, killer photography should be a pillar of your brand strategy. But don’t assume you have to hire an expensive photographer to get product shots. With the technology built into iPhone cameras and editing apps, you can achieve professional looking photos by just using your phone. I’ve put together a three-part series on how you can shoot awesome brand photography with your iPhone. In this three part series, I’ll cover: How to Take Professional Looking Photos with Your iPhone Photo Editing Tips/Tools for Non-Creatives (3/21) How to Crop Your Photos Into Eye-Catching Images (3/28) Why Photos are Important to Your Brand Photos are not just important for information retention, as mentioned earlier. There has been a lot of research conducted around how marketing and communication performs when paired with an image. Here are some important visual marketing statistics to help drive home why photography is important: 67 percent of consumers consider clear, detailed images to be very important. (source) Researchers found that colored visuals increase people's willingness to read a piece of content by 80 percent (source) Content with relevant images gets 94 percent more views than content without relevant images. (source) Visual... --- ### 64 Small Business Tools To Prevent Marketing Madness > There are plenty of inexpensive and effective small business marketing tools out there to help you optimize your efforts and compete with the big guys - Published: 2017-03-13 - Modified: 2024-07-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-tools/ - Categories: Marketing Keeping all of your marketing ducks in a row is no easy feat for a small business owner. You most likely run a tight ship and don’t have the personnel or budget resources to shell out for countless expensive marketing tools. The good news is that there are plenty of inexpensive and effective tools out there to help you optimize your marketing efforts and compete with the big guys. We’ve compiled a list of our 64 favorite tools to help you avoid marketing madness. (Side note: you won’t need all 64, and we’re not comparing apples to apples here. So find a few that work for your business and invest time and energy into maximizing them. ) Read about each of these tools below the infographic. The Tools Analytics Tool of Choice: Google Analytics Chances are you’ve heard of Google Analytics. It allows you to capture and analyze data on your web traffic and visitors. When used effectively, you can greatly increase your site’s user experience and increase conversion rates. Kissmetrics Kissmetrics is a close second in our list of favorite tools. The platform is perfect for SaaS businesses, allowing you to find out where your prospects are coming from, and mapping their journey on your website from prospect to customer. Kissmetrics gives you the important data you need to optimize your marketing channels, attract more customers, and get them to convert once they reach your website. CrazyEgg CrazyEgg’s heat mapping capabilities will give you insight into what visitors are... --- ### Watch These 6 TED Talks to Improve Your Focus and Productivity > There’s no better source of inspiration than TED Talks. In 18 minutes or less, you can soak up great insights from some of the top minds around the globe. - Published: 2017-03-10 - Modified: 2017-03-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ted-talks-focus-productivity/ - Categories: Leadership If you’re feeling like you’re constantly working for the weekend or you don’t have enough hours in the day, it’s important to step back and recharge. In our opinion, there’s no better source of inspiration than Ted Talks. In 18 minutes or less, you can soak up great insights on on video from some of the top minds on the plane. And fortunately, if you’re looking to sharpen your focus and amp up your productivity, there are many excellent talks to spur you on. Here are some worth watching. The Happy Secret to Better Work by Shawn Achor: You may think you’re getting a lot done by staying glued to your desk until 10 pm, but if you’re not enjoying being there, you may be better off doing something fun, like going to dinner with a good friend. Achor, a psychologist who researches and teaches about positive psychology, has found that by raising your happiness level, you can expand your productivity. As dopamine floods your brain, it not only improves your mood but it also turns on the learning centers of your brain and helps you better adapt to the world. Result: Your creativity and energy level rise, and business outcomes improve. The Power of Time Off by Stefan Sagmeister: At his design studio in New York, graphic artist Stefan Sagermeister—who has served clients such as the Rolling Stones and Lou Reed—has made it a practice to close up shop for one year every seven years. He finds that giving... --- ### Social Media 101: Your Actionable Guide to Getting Started > If you're still skeptical about the value of social media for your small business, let us break it down for you with these easy steps to get started. - Published: 2017-03-09 - Modified: 2022-07-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-marketing-101/ - Categories: Social Media Despite the rise in popularity, there are still plenty of social media skeptics who need to understand the value of a social presence for small businesses. Don't get me wrong. I’m a huge fan of social media, but I don't consider this to be an invalid question. Really, the two major concerns are: It turns out social traffic (while being the easiest and fastest to acquire) is not that useful after all. A few years ago Chartbeat did a research to find that very few social articles had high read time. It turns out people seldom read what they share! Social shares don't bring links. Buzzsumo did further research just a few weeks ago and found that there was no correlation between the number of shares and the number of incoming links. It looks like people share and link to for different reasons. So why invest time and money into social media marketing? Let me explain. 1. Traffic If you do everything right, you will get some nice traffic spikes. Here's one of mine to get you inspired: But can a site rely solely on social media traffic? I don't honestly know a site that could succeed on social media traffic only, but there are plenty of examples of social boosting traffic. If you’re doing it well, social media can hold its own in driving web traffic. 2. Brand Awareness and Authority Don't roll your eyes on me here. Brand awareness is not one of those buzzwords a sneaky employee... --- ### 5 Tips For Getting Your Small Business Active In The Community > We’ve put together a list of simple ways to get more involved outside of the office for the good of your community (and your small business). - Published: 2017-03-08 - Modified: 2017-03-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-philanthropy/ - Categories: Small Business More and more, small business are shaping their communities—and vice versa. As locals proudly differentiate their city from the rest, small businesses are emerging as an obvious bragging right. From one-of-a-kind cafés to locally sourced markets to homegrown startups attracting fresh talent, there is a growing devotion to supporting local companies. Ideally, that kind of local notoriety can become self-perpetuating, with the business’s reputation doubling as free advertising, drawing in new business and allowing owners to focus on keeping their customers happy and reputation thriving. There’s only one real question, then: how do you get to that level? We’ve put together a list of simple ways to get more involved outside of the office for the good of your community (and your business). Become a Sponsor. Sports teams, charity runs, music festivals-- the opportunities for sponsorship are endless in most communities. Find something in your neighborhood that you believe in (and might attract your ideal buyer), and see what sponsorship options they offer. Many of these events rely on sponsorships to keep entry costs low, and if it’s in the name of charity, you also benefit from donating to a cause, getting a tax break and doing your part to keep your community thriving. Orillia Ribfest keeps its admission free by signing on several national and local sponsors. When these events go well, they’re a big win for everyone. Event sponsorships are a perfect line item for you marketing budget: you’ll earn great exposure from anyone who sees your logo... --- ### 11 Instagram Accounts To Follow For Small Business Inspiration > If you’re not quite ready to hit the ground running with your Instagram account, take some pointers (and inspiration) from these influencers. - Published: 2017-03-07 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/instagram-inspiration-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business, Social Media For a small business still building your online reputation, Instagram might seem like an unimportant platform. But that’s where you may be wrong. One of Instagram’s biggest benefits is the ability to churn out compelling content at little to no cost. That’s saying a lot when you’re a growing business on a tight budget. Sharing photos on Instagram is an easy way to give insight into your company culture and the team contributing to your small business. But if you’re not quite ready to hit the ground running with your Instagram account, take some pointers from these influencers (and get inspired while you’re at it). 1. Gary Vaynerchuk @garyvee Gary Vee is a machine that functions effectively across all social media platforms. Not only is he a firehose of inspiration, his Instagram is full of smart business tips and a killer example of how to market yourself successfully. 2. Greats @greatsbrand Greats, a Brooklyn-based sneaker brand, is an impressive example of how to build a following - and an entire business - around Instagram and social media. The brand reached its first million customers mostly thanks to their Instagram marketing. The key to their Insta-success? Unlike many other brands, they’re not pushing their brand but focus on providing value. From posts like tasty hamburgers to cool pictures of sneakers, they’ve got a nose for what’s trendy on Instagram -- and they don’t take themselves too seriously. 3. Entrepreneur Magazine @entrepreneur A classic brand in the world of small business, Entrepreneur... --- ### 7 Questions To Ask Before Hiring Your Next PPC Firm > Before you sign on the dotted line, be sure to ask the following important seven questions of every PPC firm you interview for the job. - Published: 2017-03-06 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hiring-ppc-firm/ - Categories: Lead Generation Search engine marketing is one of the number one ways to drive prospective customers to your website and then acquire these visitors as new customers. But, if AdWord groups, cost-per-acquisition numbers and Quality Scores are tying you down while trying to juggle other key pieces of your business, it might be time to let someone else handle the AdWords job. It could be a smart decision to hire outside help from a PPC agency to manage and optimize your Google AdWords campaigns. But, before you sign on the dotted line, be sure to ask the following important seven questions of every PPC firm you interview for the job. 1. Can You Share a Success Case Study from One of Your Clients? Read a case study from a previous client to understand if your prospective PPC firm knows how to drive real results. A lot of agencies charge expensive fees to manage PPC, but don’t follow through with meaningful results, so you want to ensure you’re staying away from these type of agencies. Also ask what type of results they expect to produce for your company. And for the ultimate cherry on top, ask to speak to one of their current clients. This way, you can get an unbiased view on what it’s like to work with this agency, the pain points and the successes. 2. What Analytics & Metrics Do You Track? It’s important that you and your prospective PPC firm are on the same page with business goals and... --- ### 5 Email Marketing Strategies You Can Use For Your Agency’s Clients Right Now > When your agency’s clients come to you with 10% open rates, you’ve got to turn that around. These email marketing strategies will help. - Published: 2017-03-03 - Modified: 2022-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agency-email-marketing/ - Categories: Agencies An email list is a marketer’s godsend. Not only is this a direct line to your target audience, but you’re talking to a group of people who clearly love your brand so much they have invited you into their inboxes. They’re interested in your brand, able and willing to act, and you’ve already got at least 1,000 names to get started. So when your agency’s clients come to you with 10% open rates and even lower click-through numbers, you’ve got to know how to turn that around. There are some obvious tricks you most likely understand at this point—list segmentation and email personalization are assumed. But email marketing campaigns, much like the rest of technology, are constantly changing, and strategies that worked in 2013 are minimally effective today. Knowing the latest tricks can help you surprise your clients by unearthing new levels of engagement in a list they’ve been sitting on for years. 1. Do Personalization the Right Way—Not the Creepy Way Personalization is a foregone necessity with email marketing campaigns, but many agencies and marketers still rely on the shortcode to do the trick. It doesn’t. It’s transparent and lazy. Instead of relying on using their first name (and is it even their first name? Who knows? ), you should be segmenting email lists by geographic location, purchase history or visit frequency, and using those signs to personalize your emails, instead. It’s more approachable to say, “Hey there, thanks for buying something from us yesterday! ” than it is... --- ### 7 Ways To Convert Your Blog Traffic From Readers Into Leads > What are you doing with your valuable blog traffic? Are you capturing new leads, or losing out on potential customers as they bounce from your website? - Published: 2017-03-02 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/convert-blog-traffic-leads/ - Categories: Content Marketing, Lead Generation You know that you need a blog to help your audience find you online through social media and search. But what are you doing with the valuable traffic your blog generates? Are you capturing new leads, or losing out on potential customers as they bounce from your website? As you create and share content, you’ll begin to organically grow traffic. Here’s how to make sure that blog traffic eventually converts into customers. Lead Magnets A lead magnet is something of value that you offer in return for a prospect’s contact details. It can be an eBook, a white paper, a market report, a video or anything that provides value to your audience. Lead magnet example courtesy of ChartMogul The key here is that the magnet needs to be something highly relevant and worth your prospect’s time. This ensures the you attract quality leads and filter out people who will never convert. But don’t forget to gate the content so you actually capture the prospect information! The great thing about lead magnets is that because you offer something of a higher value you can ask for more details than just their email address. As a result, you can generate high-quality leads that include phone numbers, job titles and other valuable information. Remarketing Marketing tools like AdRoll, ReTargeter, and Perfect Audience allow you to pixel your existing visitors and target them with relevant offers on websites outside your blog. Image Credit: Perfect Audience The efficiency of your retargeting depends on how good... --- ### 5 Brands Spicing Up Social Media (That Aren't Taco Bell) > There are brands doing impressive work and running clever, responsive campaigns across all social media platforms. And we're not talking about Wendy's. - Published: 2017-03-01 - Modified: 2024-03-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/brands-spicing-up-social-media/ - Categories: Social Media Hey, Taco Bell... we get it. Any time we search for brands dominating social media, your name pops up. You pull ridiculous stunts and embrace your status as a drunken late-night feast factory. In fact, you’ve made such a name for yourself on the interwebs that there have been entire listicles like this one we’re writing that are devoted to how well you alone are killing the social media game. But, today we want to recognize the other guys (and we're not talking about Wendy's). There are other fantastic brands doing impressive work, running clever, responsive, viral campaigns across all social platforms. So we’re taking you out of the spotlight, Taco Bell, and we’re going to focus on five phenomenal brands that are nailing social media in 2017. NASA When NASA announced the discovery of seven Earth-sized planets only 40 light years away (which is reasonably close, as far as planets go), within 24 hours there were scientists answering questions on Reddit. This isn’t unusual. Whenever NASA makes a breakthrough of any sort, they have a team ready to discuss their findings with curious minds in the immediate, democratic town hall–style forum that are Reddit AMAs—”Ask Me Anything” sessions open to anyone. Social media has arguably been the best public relations boost for NASA in recent years. It’s given some of America’s most brilliant minds a chance to explain exactly what they’re doing to the general public, using clear language, catchy videos and high-res photos. NASA has more than 22... --- ### 5 AdWords Metrics Every Business Should Be Tracking > If you find yourself with limited resources and budget, you want to maximize the effectiveness of your campaigns by focusing on the right AdWords metrics. - Published: 2017-02-28 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/adwords-metrics-business-should-track/ - Categories: Lead Generation Running Google AdWords campaigns can be expensive and time-consuming, especially for small businesses. If you find yourself with limited resources and budget, you want to maximize the effectiveness of your campaigns by focusing on the right metrics. It’s easy to get lost in the numbers and analytics tied to AdWords and to feel confused by jargon (CPC, CPR, CPA, etc). To make it as simple as possible for you, we’ve created a list of the five most important metrics you should be tracking in your campaigns. Click-Through Rate Top marketers who run Google AdWords campaigns most often cite Click-through rate (CTR) as the most most important metric to measure. Your CTR indicates how compelling and relevant your ads are to your target audience. If nobody clicks your ad, then they’ll never even see your landing page or website. How CTR is Calculated: The number of people who have clicked your ad divided by the number of people who saw your ad equals the click-through rate. If people aren’t clicking, then chances are your ad copy isn’t compelling and could use some work. CTR also heavily influences your Quality Score, which is how Google scores your keyword campaigns to determine how much you’ll pay per click and who will see your ads. If you visit the Keywords tab in your AdWords account and hover over the speech bubble icon on each of your keywords, Google will show you how your CTR stacks up against your competition by giving each a “below... --- ### Just Say No: How to Maintain Work-Life Balance as a Small Business Owner > A warning to small business owners: If you can't find work-life balance, you'll burn out while burning the midnight oil. Use these tips to stay on track. - Published: 2017-02-27 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/work-life-balance-small-business/ - Categories: Leadership, Small Business If you find yourself working at all hours of the day (and night) or scrolling through Facebook because you need human contact, something's gotta give. Small business owners work harder than most, and it’s not always fun. Which is why setting limits for yourself is a must. Any business owner who is willing to spend countless hours on their craft must get some sort enjoyment out of it. That said, it shouldn’t be your only purpose in life or you’ll burn out while burning the midnight oil. You need work-life balance. Learn to let go. Your business’ health depends on you hiring employees. If you keep trying to do everything yourself, you will fail. You have a limited amount of energy and a limited number of hours in your day, so you need to be careful with both. As your business grows, you need to learn to delegate. If your company is not earning enough to allow you to hire but the work is too much for a one man team, you need to make a change very quickly. There are tasks that only you can do. These include business strategy, investment decisions and networking. These are the only tasks you should be spending time on because these will affect your future. Find time to plan. If you’re updating your website, writing sales material or posting on social media accounts, you’re not being the leader your business needs. None of these jobs needs your energy or vision, so find someone... --- ### Take Your Social Media From Stale To Stellar With These 7 Tips > If you’re trying to catch the attention of your customers through social media, get creative. Your competition is vying for customer mindshare, too. - Published: 2017-02-24 - Modified: 2023-01-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-social-media-tips/ - Categories: Social Media Most of us are overwhelmed by information on a daily basis. So if you’re trying to catch the attention of your customers through a strong social media presence, you’ll have to get creative. There are legions of other businesses like yours vying for “mindshare,” too. Fortunately, it isn’t hard to up your social media game. By taking a few key steps to keep your social media feeds interesting, you’ll find it isn’t hard to stand out from the crowd. Pump up the visuals. If you’re not adding photos, graphics or videos to your Tweets and Facebook posts, you’re missing out on clicks. Many readers are more attracted to images than words. Don’t worry about springing for a professional photographer. It is possible to take very good quality photos and videos on an iPhone. If you’re feeling ambitious, design a custom graphic on Canva, a free graphic design site aimed at beginners. Declutter your web links. It’s tempting to push the “share” button on articles you like to spread the word about them Twitter and forget about them—but that can make for clunky Tweets laden down with long URLs. Take an extra 30 seconds to shrink links you post on Bitly. You’ll be surprised at how much more receptive readers are to your messages if they don’t include visual clutter. Make it about “You,” not “I. ” Most people’s favorite subject is themselves. When you’re writing about a topic that interests you, try to make the focus of your social media... --- ### Ready to Elevate Your Email Game? You Need These Free Templates. > There are a plethora of free, customizable email templates just waiting to be sent and tested, and we’ve compiled a list of some of the best of them. - Published: 2017-02-23 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/free-email-templates-online/ - Categories: Email Marketing Email is one of the easiest ways for small businesses to communicate regularly and stay top of mind with potential, current and past customers. But you need to make sure that your email looks professional (clean, well-designed) and communicates effectively (straight to the point, easy to read). Whether the recipient is on their desktop, laptop, tablet or phone, your email should easily adapt to any environment. Using a pre-designed email template allows you to create beautiful emails and newsletters, but also lets you personalize them and make those emails more likely to be read. In fact a recent study found that about one third of email marketers don’t optimize their email marketing—by personalizing emails, primarily, but also using specific subject lines and customized offers. Only about half of marketers test out different subject lines to see which ones have the best deliverability and response rates. Even though email marketing remains one of the top revenue-generators for small businesses, a surprising number of them send everyone on their email list the same email. Sending out tailored, personalized emails individually targeted to your customers can feel overwhelming - but it is well worth your time. Also, it’s not as tough as you think! There are a plethora of free, customizable email templates just waiting to be sent and tested, and we’ve compiled a list of some of the best of them: Themezy Don’t let the quirky name fool you. Themezy offers a ton of free, beautiful website themes AND email templates. It’s... --- ### Capture Your First 1000 Email Subscribers With These Five Steps > Before you can get a return on your email marketing investment, you need to have subscribers who actually want to hear from you. - Published: 2017-02-21 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/1000-email-subscribers-in-five-steps/ - Categories: Email Marketing At this point, you’ve probably realized that we Hatchbuckers are email fanatics. We write and talk a lot about the value of email marketing. And not without good reason. An eConsultancy study found that email delivers an average ROI of $38 for each $1 spent. How can you pass up that kind of deal? But before you can get that type of return on your email investment, you need to have subscribers who actually want to hear from you. And that’s definitely not as easy as it sounds. To help you build your subscriber list and reap the benefits of email marketing, we’ve put together these simple tips to get you started. 1. Start With a Plan Our good friend Benjamin Franklin famously said, "Failing to plan is planning to fail. " As is with everything, to have a successful start you have to sit down, outline your goals and determine the way you approach them. In today's digital economy, people don’t just give away their email addresses. For most people, an address is a valuable piece of private information. To receive and use that information, you need their permission. And that’s where content marketing comes in. Creating high-quality content provides your customers with a value you can exchange for the permission to contact them. So the first question you should ask yourself is: what kind of content are you going to produce? It can be blog articles, videos, podcasts, books, etc depending on the type of audience you’re trying... --- ### Have You Lost Sight Of Your Company's Core Values? > By spelling out what your company stands for in a list of core values, you can make it clear how you expect your team to behave at work. - Published: 2017-02-20 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/company-values/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship As a business owner, there may be nothing more frustrating than seeing an employee defy (accidentally or on purpose) your company’s core values. But maybe what is obvious to you isn’t as clear to your employees, especially if they’re new to your organization. Not everyone knows what is in bounds and out of bounds at work. By spelling out what your company stands for in a list of core values, you can make it clear how you expect your team to behave at work. Here is how to develop your core values and make the most of them while running your business. Put them in writing. Committing your core values to paper will help you get clearer on what your company is all about and, in turn, make it easier to convey that to your team. To begin your list, think about why you started the company in the first place, what you hoped to accomplish and how that has evolved since your launch. What values are reflected in your answers? Also consider what type of workplace environment and vibe you want to create, what type of behaviors contribute to it—and what practices you never want to see cropping up in your workplace. Look for the underlying messages about your workplace values in the answers that come to you. We went through this exact process here at Hatchbuck, and I recently had a chance to chat with WorkXO about the process and the importance of a strong workplace culture. As... --- ### 16 Skills That Make You A Proficient Digital Marketer > For many people, digital marketing is a dream job. With the onset of many technology company perks and telecommuting jobs, digital marketing experts can - Published: 2017-02-17 - Modified: 2022-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/digital-marketing-skills/ - Categories: Marketing For many people, digital marketing is a dream job. With the onset of many technology company perks and telecommuting jobs, digital marketing experts can make a six-figure salary, have unlimited vacation, and enjoy a flexible schedule that allows them to work from home — or even across the world as a digital nomad. If you’re looking to get a new job as a digital marketer this year or looking to become a digital marketing expert, make a career change, leave a desk job to travel as a remote digital worker, or improve your skills at your current digital marketing job — I’m here to help. I was able to grow my digital marketing career and take the plunge in 2016 to start my own business and travel and work in another country as a remote digital marketer. Here are the essential 16 digital marketing skills I learned throughout my career as a digital marketer that helped me advance in my digital career and ultimately start my own digital marketing agency: 1. Writing & Editing This might be the most important skill set to have as a digital marketer: I don’t think there’s one job I’ve had in digital where I didn’t have to write and edit. Because of the importance of content marketing, you’ll get very far in your digital marketing career if you know what makes a great blog post, how to source and write great content, and how to turn a bad piece of content into a good... --- ### 8 Writing Tools To Make You A Modern Day Shakespeare > If English wasn’t your favorite subject, don’t despair. There are plenty of free and low-cost writing tools to make it easier to get your point across. - Published: 2017-02-16 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/free-low-cost-writing-tools/ - Categories: Content Marketing Between blogging, email marketing and social media, there are more opportunities than ever to connect with potential customers through the written word. That’s good news if you love writing, but if English wasn’t exactly your favorite subject, don’t despair. There are plenty of free and low-cost digital tools to make it easier to get your point across in clear, colorful language. Here are a few of our favorites to consider. The AP Stylebook If the tone and style you use in your blog or thought leadership articles is very different from what your readers see in other publications they read, it can be distracting and undermine your authority. The AP Stylebook can help you effortlessly mirror the professional style used in the nation’s top newspapers, magazines and online publications. When you’re not sure of a style point, simply look it up in the online version of AP’s stylebook. Access is only $26 for a year. Focus Distraction is the enemy of stellar content. Block the time-sucking websites that are keeping you from starting that blog post you’re hoping to write today with Focus. Available for Macs, Focus offers a free trial and will run you $19. 99 if you want to keep using it after 60 days. Google Docs Every writer needs an editor. Sharing documents in the cloud through Google’s free service will make it easier to collaborate with whoever is giving your work a second set of eyes—whether it’s a spouse, a helpful colleague or a pro—and to... --- ### Turn Your Content Into a Cash Cow with These 6 Lead Generation Tools > Rather than a "publish and pray" strategy, make sure that you're equipped with lead generation tools to capture new inbound leads. - Published: 2017-02-15 - Modified: 2020-09-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-lead-generation-tools/ - Categories: Content Marketing Creating content is one of the most powerful ways to generate leads and build your email list. There are already dozens of articles listing different content ideas that work well for encouraging readers to opt-in to your email list, so I decided to go for something a little different here. This article offers some tools that can help make sure your content generates more leads. Build Lead Magnets that Answer Popular Questions Creating lead magnets that entice readers to opt in is arguably the most efficient way to build an email list and generate leads. I've been a long-time proponent of creating "content upgrades" - i. e. , allowing readers to download worksheets, checklists, cheatsheets, flowcharts, mind-maps while they are reading your article on the same topic, whatever that happens to be. But what's the best way to determine which topics are most likely to generate interest and more users willing to opt in? Many experts recommend answering a popular question on your landing page as one of the most efficient ways to increase conversions. The guiding logic here is, if your lead magnet addresses frequently asked questions, it will be easier to attract readers and convert them into subscribers and leads. Here are two of the most efficient ways to research niche questions so you can turn them into content that also has content upgrades: 1. Serpstat Serpstat is an all-in-one SEO platform that offers one of the most advanced keyword research features. One of my favorite parts of... --- ### Dear LinkedIn, I've Lost That Loving Feeling. > Instead of a social soulmate, LinkedIn now more closely resembles a dramatic high school sweetheart: stuck in the past and not sure what the future holds. - Published: 2017-02-14 - Modified: 2018-11-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/dear-linkedin-ive-lost-loving-feeling/ - Categories: Social Media Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a day filled with love, happy feelings and connecting with those that you care about most. Unfortunately, over the past several months, our Hatchbuck hearts have been crushed. And not by a customer or partner. By LinkedIn. A lot of sad ‘80s ballads come to mind when I think about what was once a valuable networking platform. Instead of a social soulmate, LinkedIn now more closely resembles an emotional, insecure, dramatic high school sweetheart: stuck in the past and not sure what the future holds. And on this day of love, I’m taking a stand once and for all and putting an end to this social saga. Viral personal stories We’ve all seen them. The incredibly sad/funny/inspirational/infuriating stories on our feed updates such as Beth who works at “Groceries to Go” but has decided to trade in her routine job to start up her own business as an architect. (Which by the way somehow garners millions of likes, comments, and shares. ) This is confusing because I thought LinkedIn was supposed to be a networking and hiring platform? If these types of posts don’t make you doubt the validity and value of a “professional” tool, then you’ve unfortunately fallen into the sob story trap. While this “realtor” got a great sample size for her “survey,” posts like this should not be included in professional feeds. This makes me doubt that LinkedIn is doing any sort of curation or review of the content they’re pushing... --- ### DANGER: Email Marketing Mistakes Ahead > If you’re feeling uninspired or your emails need a refresh, get back to basics so you're not committing one of these unforgivable email marketing mistakes. - Published: 2017-02-13 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-mistakes/ - Categories: Email Marketing Even seasoned email marketers have room for improvement - which is we we recommend constantly A/B testing your emails. But if you’ve been at it for a while, your emails can start to get stale, you can forget to optimize the old stand-bys you use week after week, and your email marketing game can slip. So, if you’re feeling uninspired or think your emails could use a refresh, get back to basics and check to be sure you’re not committing one of these 11 unforgivable email mistakes: Mistake #1: You’re Not Optimizing for Different Platforms and Mobile Not everyone uses Gmail or Outlook to read their emails. There are many different browsers and operating systems that people use to read their emails on, and each renders an email differently. But even more importantly, the majority of people today read their emails on mobile devices. If your emails aren’t optimized for mobile, you’re losing a ton of potential customers. Tools like Litmus and Email on Acid can show you how emails render across a variety of email clients and web browsers - mobile included. Testing your emails in advance can help you pinpoint problem areas so you can get an optimal response in the inbox. Mistake #2: Your CTA Doesn’t Lead to a Landing Page The goal of your email is to convert. If a prospect takes action and clicks your CTA button, you’re 80% there. Now imagine that CTA leads to a homepage... what do they do now? Every step... --- ### Read These 10 Financial Blogs To Help Your Small Business Succeed > Can’t seem to finish the bestsellers on your nightstand? Don’t sweat it. Here are 10 financial blogs to polish your skills for small business success. - Published: 2017-02-10 - Modified: 2017-02-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-financial-blogs/ - Categories: Small Business Can’t seem to finish the business bestsellers on your nightstand? Don’t sweat it. Reading blogs (on a variety of different topics) can be a great way to stay in touch with what the most interesting minds in business are discussing now—and it takes a lot less time. Here are 10 popular blogs that touch on small business financial matters—a topic that can help you keep your business growing in 2017 and beyond. A VC Well-known venture capitalist Fred Wilson, co-founder of Union Square Ventures, has been investing in entrepreneurial companies since 2003. In this daily blog, he offers his take on financial matters that will interest many small business owners, as in “What is going to happen in 2017,” his predictions for the Trump administration’s first 100 days and beyond. AllBusiness. com Chock full of articles on topics like financing, insurance, and small business borrowing, this blog can save you hours of research time. AllBusiness. com’s annual roundup of the most popular articles of the year is like the mini-executive education course you don’t have time to take. American Express OPEN Forum You may have heard of a little company called American Express. Unlike much of their other content, OPEN Forum is written for and contributed to by small business owners and entrepreneurs. The content can help you tackle many of the financial tasks that small business owners face. Their blog covers many different topics, but their forte is understandably in the “Managing Money” channel. Recent topics include 10 questions... --- ### Benefit From CRM Automation Without Losing The Human Touch > CRM automation is exploding as a way for businesses to foster relationships and fuel growth more efficiently. And that doesn't mean you lose a human touch. - Published: 2017-02-09 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/benefit-from-crm-automation/ - Categories: CRM CRM automation is exploding as a way for businesses to foster better relationships and fuel growth more efficiently. In fact Gartner predicts that by 2020, 85% of customers will manage their relationships without talking to a human. With the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, that prediction may not be too far off. But for many businesses who hear the words “CRM automation,” the first thought that comes to mind is a lack of a personal touch. Fortunately, it's completely the opposite. In this era of hyper-personalization, a CRM is instrumental in gathering rich data and triggering personalized automations to your prospects and customers. But in today's world, CRM automation alone can’t propel the “Human Side” of doing business with your customers. The intrinsic value in automating your CRM comes from the unique insights your CRM delivers--enabling you to provide a one-to-one experience with your audience. Here are 3 ways CRM automation can strengthen relationships without losing that human touch. Filling in Knowledge Gaps CRM is invaluable when it comes to collecting data. In many ways, that's the easy part. But the human element comes in when you begin mapping holes in your knowledge of your customers and your business. Factors such as who your best customers are, what stages of the sales process your prospects are in, and what products/services buyers are interested in are just a few of the insights a CRM can provide you. The key is to use that data to propel new sales... --- ### Employee Engagement Tips That Will Help You Crush Your Productivity Goals > How do you define employee engagement? Are employees engaged when they regularly show up for work daily or when they go above and beyond a job description? - Published: 2017-02-08 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-engagement-tips/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship A guest post by Claire Holland, Director of Marketing Communications at agencyEA. The term ‘employee engagement’ has been used more frequently in recent years, but it’s not always clear what defines employee engagement within a workplace. Are employees engaged when they regularly show up for work every day? Or is it referring to “engagement” in terms of going above and beyond a strict interpretation of a job description? Generally speaking, the term describes a deeper sense of commitment on employees’ parts — namely, their willingness to invest energy and skills on their employer’s behalf because they truly care about doing a great job. How many employees on your current team fit that definition? What statistics say about engagement — or the lack thereof According to a recent Gallup study, the level of employee engagement in U. S. businesses is far from impressive. Fewer than 30 percent of employees feel “actively engaged” in their jobs, with more than half feeling “not engaged” at all, and 17 percent feeling “actively disengaged. ” The Payoff to Employee Engagement from agencyEA By contrast, statistics relating to “engaged workforces” demonstrate some clear-cut benefits for employers: Highly engaged workforces outperform their peers by 147 percent in earnings per share. Companies with engaged employees experience 10-15 percent higher profit growth. Businesses that successfully engage both customers and employees see a whopping 240 percent gain in performance-related business outcomes. Whatever definition of “employee engagement” you apply, research strongly indicates that such employees deliver perhaps the most important business... --- ### 7 Indispensable Subscription Services For Small Business Owners > You’ll be surprised at how many hours you can preserve every week if you invest in time-saving, inexpensive subscription services to lighten your load. - Published: 2017-02-07 - Modified: 2022-02-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/subscription-services-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business Running a business is a time-consuming endeavor—but you’ll be surprised at how many hours you can preserve every week if you invest in time-saving, inexpensive subscription services to lighten your load. Long gone are the days of Excel spreadsheets, manually deleting unwanted emails one-by-one and sending paper contracts via snail mail if you take advantage of the best online subscription services. Although some of these services will cost you a small recurring monthly or annual fee, the best ones will help you free up hours of your life (in and outside of the office) every week. Boomerang One of the joys of running your own business is working the hours that suit you best. But if you tend to gravitate to late night or early morning hours, you may find that you’re saving a lot of emails in your “draft” folder so you can send them during normal business hours—and then forgetting about them. Save yourself the clutter and use Boomerang for Gmail or Outlook to send your emails at a future time you set. When you’re sending time-sensitive emails like invoices, getting them out at the exact time you want can be mission-critical. Boomerang starts at $4. 99 per month for the personal plan and comes in a premium version that offers features like the ability to “expire” messages at a certain interval. Image Credit: Boomerang FreshBooks It’s easy to make accounting mistakes if you don’t use online accounting software. FreshBooks, designed with creative professionals and other non-financial types... --- ### 7 Must-Have Tools For Starting A Blog > Blogging continues to gets easier for small businesses. Thanks to a variety of free and low-cost blog tools, you can start building an audience today. - Published: 2017-02-06 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/must-have-blog-tools/ - Categories: Content Marketing Thanks to marketing masters like Gary Vaynerchuk, you already know you should be blogging for the good of your company. But you’ve got a business to run, too. That means you can’t turn your blog into a second full-time job. The good news is that with each year, blogging gets easier and easier, thanks to a variety of free and low-cost tools. Here are some that will help you start and run your blog easily and efficiently—so you’ll stick with it. Wordpress Wordpress—the OG of free blogging platforms—is easy enough to master to help you get your website up and running in a single day, even if you have no web development experience. Because Wordpress is an open source platform, people all over the world are constantly contributing improvements to it—including themes and plugins that will help you customize your site. And if you run into any challenges you can’t solve, it’s easy to find help through online forums or from a developer who is familiar with Wordpress. Grammarly Can’t afford to hire a copy editor to peruse your blogs before you post them? Grammarly, a free grammar checker, can save you from egregious errors. Use it in combination with your spell checker, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how many typos you avoid. If you rely on freelance bloggers to help you write your blog you may want to spring for the premium version of Grammarly, which has a tool to catch plagiarism. Pexels Choosing the right images for... --- ### The Quick Guide to Influencer Marketing For Your Small Business > You’ve likely tried pay-per-click advertising, social media and perhaps content marketing. But have you considered influencer marketing? - Published: 2017-02-03 - Modified: 2023-04-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/quick-guide-influencer-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing If you’re looking for extra ways to drive traffic to your website in the coming year, there might be one important marketing tool you’re not considering. You’ve likely tried pay-per-click advertising with Google, social media advertising and perhaps content marketing through blogging and guest posting. But, have you considered influencer marketing? This is one channel that can offer a big bang of traffic to your site. People trust word-of-mouth recommendations more than brands — 92 percent of people actually, according to Nielsen. Here’s how you can leverage influencers to grow your small business this year. What is Influencer Marketing? Influencer marketing is the act of connecting your brand with online influencers. An online influencer is anyone who has a big social following — usually concentrated to one or two platforms, and usually in a niche market. These platforms are used by these people so they can promote the products and the services of the businesses they represent. They do this so they can make money as influencers with their ability to persuade potential customers to buy the things they are selling on the market. For example, there are a number of nutrition influencers who connect online with people who want to be more fit. Kayla Itsines, Natalie Jill and Cody Sattler are three examples of nutrition experts and trainers utilizing Instagram to build an influential audience. Influencers can also be mommy bloggers such as Dooce or The Pioneer Woman, YouTube celebrities catering to millennials such as Jenna Marbles, or even... --- ### 5 Tried & True Tools To Amp Up Your Marketing Productivity > Whether you’re a one-person army or an enterprise-level marketing team, there’s one thing we all have in common: the need to be productive all week. - Published: 2017-02-02 - Modified: 2017-02-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-productivity-tools/ - Categories: Marketing A guest post by Joanne Torres, marketer at Typeform. Marketing teams come in all shapes and sizes. Whether you’re a one-person army or an enterprise-level team, there’s one thing we all have in common: the need to be productive all week. Everyday there’s a new app, tool, or product that promises to ‘boost your productivity’. What’s the drawback? They don’t always deliver on this promise, and nobody cares enough to keep up with all of the tools. Here’s a list of the tools that have added the most value to our marketing team at Typeform and the ones you should keep up with. Trello: Organize Your Week In some companies, teams work on dozens of projects at a time. Whether it’s engineering, marketing, or people operations; there’s always lots to be done. Organizing the day-to-day might go beyond planning a meeting and setting a date on the calendar. What can you do when managing all those projects begins to feel overwhelming? Turn to Trello. It’ll allow you to collaborate more on projects and get more work done in a simple way. Hootsuite: Automate Outreach on Twitter Scheduling tweets is time consuming. That’s why my favorite feature on Hootsuite is bulk uploads. Just download a template and personalize your messages on a spreadsheet. That way you can send tweets to a large group of people in only one upload. Gmail Meter: Make Your Inbox Data-Driven I’m an analytics enthusiast. You can call me data driven or data informed if you will.... --- ### 10 Tips for Generating More Leads in 2017 > We're sharing 10 creative ways to generate leads from your marketing efforts and build up your small business's sales pipeline this year. - Published: 2017-02-01 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/generate-leads/ - Categories: Lead Generation Fresh leads are fuel for your conversion funnel. Without them, your funnel will dry up and so will your revenue. Capturing high quality fresh leads from many different channels should be at the top of your priority list. Here are 10 creative ways to generate leads and build up your sales pipeline this year: #1 Repurpose Old Content If you’ve been actively creating content for a while, you should absolutely go back to some of your existing content and share it again (or update it with fresh perspectives). You can also recycle some of your high-performing eBooks and A/B test them with new titles. Ideally, some of these tests will attract new eyes to your strongest content and bring a bump in conversion rates. Need some ideas on how to reuse and recycle existing content? Check out our blog post for 9 ways to create content - without actually writing it. #2 Event Marketing There are plenty of ways to generate leads through events. You can come as an attendee and simply network and exchange business cards or you can even run your own events through Meetup. com. Meetup. com is a great way to build a community and generate high quality leads. If you don’t want to go through all the hassle of starting your own meetup group, you can find popular, established meetups and sponsor them. Usually it will simply cost you some beers and pizza. If you’ve got a bigger budget and are attending a national conference... --- ### 19 Killer Social Media Tools To Save You Time (And Get Results) > As a small business, you want to automate as much of your content as possible without losing the personal touch. These social media tools will help. - Published: 2017-01-31 - Modified: 2022-08-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-tools-to-save-time/ - Categories: Social Media Social media marketing is a must for small businesses today. But by nature, it’s highly demanding and can become a serious productivity killer. It’s not just sending a few tweets or liking posts. It’s about engaging with followers, finding relevant content, scheduling future posts, community management, and so on. For a small business, it can become overwhelming. As a business, you want to automate as much of your social media content as possible without losing the personal touch with your followers. Here are some solid tools to help you with that. 1. Social Media Dashboards There are bunch of full-fledged social media management tools and it’s hard to recommend just one. It’s a matter of personal preference. Among the leaders in this space are Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and Agorapulse. One of the exciting new tools in the market also is Falcon. io, which allows marketers to create, launch, and measure social media campaigns in real time. Image Credit: Hootsuite 2. Buffer There are also a bunch of scheduling tools, but we fancy Buffer above all the rest. The platform allows you to easily schedule your posts across social media accounts including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. It integrates with many other tools, provides a browser add-on to make it easy to schedule new content as you browse, and has some great analytics features. 3. BuzzSumo BuzzSumo is an excellent tool to help you uncover the trending topics and content that performs across various social media the best. You can... --- ### In Defense of Snacks: 5 Office Perks Every Small Business Needs (and Why) > You probably can't offer on-site acupuncture like Twitter does, but here are office perks small businesses can provide employees that won’t break the bank. - Published: 2017-01-30 - Modified: 2018-01-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/office-perks-every-small-business-needs/ - Categories: Small Business Happy employees make a happy company, which is why workplace perks—like the oft-referenced foosball tables and free lunch—aren’t as silly as they sound. Those perks and others are a seriously important factor when it comes to employee engagement and successful recruiting. In a recent study of workplace benefits, Guardian Life found that two-thirds of workers rate workplace benefits, including company perks, as “very important” when choosing whether or not to stay with their current employers. And Glassdoor’s Employment Confidence Survey released at the end of last year found that almost 80 percent of employees would rather have new or additional benefits than a raise; a whopping 90 percent of Millennial workers prefer perks to cash. That said, it’s not easy for someone running a 10-person company to compete with the likes of Twitter - with its on-site acupuncture and improv classes - or Google, which offers so many perks it’s impossible to list them all, but among them are never-ending snacks, free gourmet food, free on-site day care and massages. So how can you compete with these deep-pocketed giants? By being nimble and creative. That’s what separates small businesses from the big guns anyway. Your perks can reflect that as well. Here are some perks small businesses can offer employees that won’t break the bank. They will, however, let your people know you appreciate them and want them happy, healthy and engaged in the work at hand. Free Lunch We get it. Gourmet lunches in a subsidized cafeteria is not... --- ### The Key To Achieving Both Personalization and Scale > The larger a business grows, the harder it is to scale personalization. Lucky for you, a small business CRM can help you achieve both. - Published: 2017-01-27 - Modified: 2017-01-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-crm-personalization-scale/ - Categories: Small Business Small businesses face a paradox. On one hand, the goal of every business is to grow. On the other, modern businesses want to offer the feeling of more personalization for their prospects and customers. The larger a business grows, the harder it is to scale personalization. Lucky for you, the answer to this age old question is actually quite simple: a small business CRM. With the help of a CRM, you can achieve both goals. You can boost sales and leave your customers secure in the knowledge that you care about their individual needs and concerns. Here are a few ways a small business CRM can help you grow while also staying connected to your customers. Pick Up Your Customers’ Signals Perhaps the most basic reason that sales opportunities are lost is that the salesperson doesn't pick up on the buyer's signals. Compounding this problem, many sales teams have limited data about their prospects and customers. The signals they do receive are usually limited to short interactions via phone or email. Using CRM software for small businesses provides amazing insights into customer behavior and gives you numerous signals you couldn’t detect before. Being able to see who has accessed pages on your website, who has clicked on links within emails you've sent, and exactly where in the sales funnel every single person is will lead to a powerful increase in sales. Having all of this data means that you can now tailor and deliver specific content for specific customers based... --- ### Simple, Yet Powerful Secrets For Building A Small Business Marketing Strategy > If you want your business to flourish, you need to have a systematic approach in place for your small business marketing strategy. - Published: 2017-01-25 - Modified: 2022-11-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-secrets/ - Categories: Marketing Outlining a solid and effective marketing strategy can feel like a scary feat for a small business marketing team or solopreneur. Luckily, there are a range of tools (free or reasonably priced) that can lead to a massive boost in sales and revenue for your small business. To take advantage of them, you can’t simply fly by the seat of your marketing pants. Having a solid system in place will add clarity to your efforts and consistency to your results. In other words, if you want your small business to flourish, you need to have a systematic approach in place. That’s what having a strategy is about. Here’s how to build and create one. Define Your Goals Before any planning and strategizing takes place, you need to be clear on your ultimate goals. That’s the first and the most important step. Ask yourself; what are you looking to accomplish? What are your ultimate business goals and how do they relate to your marketing objectives? Maybe you want to expand your business, increase revenue, or boost lifetime value of your customer base. All of that will determine your final strategy. Clear goals also provide you with benchmarks to measure your success. But most importantly, it will make everything much easier - clear goals trigger many relevant questions and narrow your focus. Define Your Target Customer “He who tries to please everybody, pleases nobody. ” In marketing, narrow focus on your market is the winning strategy. In other words, you need to... --- ### Boost Morale (and Set Ground Rules) With Pets In The Workplace > There’s no shortage of research showing the benefits of having a pet. Pets calm us, lower our stress level and blood pressure, and help us to be more - Published: 2017-01-24 - Modified: 2024-10-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/boost-morale-office-pets/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship There’s no shortage of research showing the benefits of having a pet. Pets calm us, lower our stress level and blood pressure, and help us to be more focused and productive. Pets even make us a little nicer to one another. That’s why about 20 percent of companies in the U. S. allow their workers to bring pets to the office. According to research from the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, the most common pets hanging around the cubicle are dogs (at 76 percent), then cats and, after that, small pets like guinea pigs, hamsters and fish. Benefits of a Pet-Friendly Office If you don’t allow Fido in the office you’ve got good reason to reconsider. A recent study from Virginia Commonwealth University found that employees who brought their dogs to work had lower stress during the day, higher job satisfaction and overall, a more positive view of their employer. A study a few years ago by Central Michigan University found that when dogs were present in a group of employees, they were more likely to trust each other and collaborate more effectively. Those are big benefits to an employee’s well-being and comes at a relatively low cost to business owners. He also made it clear that ground rules need to be put in place to make sure that pets are a positive addition for everyone, not just pet-loving employees. One of the participants in the VCU study told researchers that his job required complicated problem solving and that it... --- ### Kiss These Three Cringeworthy Marketing Trends Goodbye in 2017 > There are a number of digital marketing trends that have cropped up throughout the last year that we’re hoping to see hit the road in 2017. - Published: 2017-01-23 - Modified: 2017-01-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cringeworthy-marketing-trends/ - Categories: Marketing At the start of a new year, it’s time to let go of old habits and look back at the previous year to laugh — and cringe — at trends we all participated in. Many of us have done this type of end-of-the-year reflection with our personal lives, but we can also do this with business too. There are a number of digital marketing trends that have cropped up throughout the last year that we’re hoping to see hit the road in 2017. From Snapchat filters and Pokemon Go to unplanned Facebook Live videos... here’s what we had enough of in 2016: Snapchat Filter Mania When Snapchat filters became all the rage this year, we started to see them everywhere — posted as profile photos on Facebook, Tweeted and re-posted to Instagram. We just couldn’t help but to love photos of ourselves with sparkly gold eyes and a flower crown. But, the jig is up. We’re all aware that the Snapchat filters make you look a little prettier (or more horrific) than normal. And since Snapchat has 150 million users a day — more users than Pinterest, Twitter and LinkedIn combined — Snapchat filters aren’t a new thing, and people no longer wonder where you got that cool feature that made you puke rainbows. Image Credit: Business Insider We’d like to see the filter trend subside and see more brands truly leverage the platform for growth. Since Snapchat grew as much in one year as Twitter did in four years,... --- ### 5 Things You Can Do Every Day To Be A Better Leader > Your abilities as a leader may be something you’re not particularly conscious of day-to-day but rest assured your employees are. - Published: 2017-01-20 - Modified: 2017-01-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-better-leader/ - Categories: Leadership As the force behind your business, you have many titles—founder, owner, CEO, president, CFO, head of recruitment and hiring... and the list goes on. But the one thing behind all of the titles, is leadership. Your leadership, specifically. And a really good leader is more than just effective; it’s someone who is inspiring, motivating and crucial to the success of the enterprise, especially small enterprises, where there are fewer people and thinner margins, so less room for mistakes. Your leadership abilities may be something you’re not particularly conscious of day-to-day but rest assured your employees are—they are judging your competency as a leader and the decisions you make every day and look to you for guidance as leaders themselves. The success of your business is connected in many ways to your leadership ability and traits. Even if you believe in such a thing as a “born leader,” every one of us can find ways to improve our leadership skills, enhance our abilities and become better, all the way around. Here are five critical steps to take toward better, smarter leadership: Put yourself in your employees’ shoes. The operative word here is empathy—trying to understand what it feels like to work for you. One of the best ways to improve as a leader is to ask those around you for some feedback. Your employees have the most immediate and relevant perspective, so get them to weigh in—anonymously—about your strengths and weaknesses. Rather than being really specific about it, create an employee... --- ### Surefire Strategies for Increasing Website Traffic Immediately > Social media matters to your business now more than ever. Since all internet users have an average of 5.54 social media accounts, if your customers are - Published: 2017-01-19 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/strategies-driving-website-traffic/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing, Lead Generation Social media matters to your business now more than ever. Since all internet users have an average of 5. 54 social media accounts, if your customers are online, they’re using social media. The heart of social media has always been to connect and communicate with online fans, customers or community members. But it can also be a great channel for driving traffic and even new customers for your business. Here are seven easy strategies for driving website traffic using social media: 1: Focus Your Energy On the Right Social Media Accounts As a business owner, you’re likely strapped for time and resources. A lot of businesses incorrectly think they need to be on every social media site, and they then struggle to create enough content to keep every social site thriving. The best thing you can do is choose two or three social media sites to focus your energy on. Based on the demographics of your target customer, choose what sites are best for your business. Here’s a quick guide to social media demographics for you: Facebook: 72% of all internet users and 62% of adults worldwide. 77% of women use Facebook. 82% of online adults ages 18 to 29 use Facebook compared to 79% of those aged 30 to 49, 64% of those aged 50 to 64 and 48% of those 65 and older. Twitter: 23% of all internet users and 20% of entire adult population. More popular among urban dwellers than rural dwellers. 30% of online adults under... --- ### Tips For Improving Your Small Business Finances In The New Year > Before you start making plans and building strategies, you need to ensure that your small business finances are in order. - Published: 2017-01-18 - Modified: 2017-01-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-improving-small-business-finances/ - Categories: Small Business A Guest Post by Katie Alteri, Content Marketing Manager at Fora Financial. As a small business owner, it’s important to always be thinking ahead. Above all else, before you start making plans and building strategies, you need to ensure that your small business finances are in order. Maybe in the next quarter you’d like to expand a business location, purchase more inventory or hire additional employees. These are great goals to set, and they will likely benefit your business. Unfortunately, without knowing whether or not you can afford these plans, it will be difficult to execute them. In this post, we’ll offer seven strategies for ensuring that your finances are bigger and better in the year to come! 1. Reassess your budget. As you prepare your business for another year, you should review your budget and see if any revisions need to be made. Frequently updating your business budget will allow you to responsibly manage your finances, and confirm that you’re putting them towards things that your business needs. Plus, it will likely keep you from overspending! 2. Cut back on unnecessary costs. After going through your small business’s budget, determine areas that you are overspending on. This could be marketing initiatives that aren’t generating leads, or purchasing excess inventory that is going to waste. Whatever these costs are, it is likely that your business’s money could be put to better use. 3. Get ready for tax season. We hate to put a damper on your holiday cheer; but tax... --- ### Hatchbuck Secures $4 Million In Series A Funding To Fuel Growth And Innovation > ST. LOUIS, MO - January 17, 2017 – Hatchbuck, an innovative and easy-to-use sales and marketing software for small businesses, today announced the - Published: 2017-01-17 - Modified: 2017-01-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-secures-4-million-series-funding-fuel-growth-innovation/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News ST. LOUIS, MO - January 17, 2017 – Hatchbuck, an innovative and easy-to-use sales and marketing software for small businesses, today announced the completion of a $4 million Series A round of financing which includes $850,000 received earlier in 2016. Investors include Cultivation Capital, Holekamp Ventures, PinPoint Holdings, Holton Capital, Robert R. Hermann Jr. , and Missouri Technology Corporation. Rick Holton of Holton Capital and Cultivation Capital will join Hatchbuck’s Board of Directors. The investment brings Hatchbuck’s total funding to $8. 7 million and will help the company aggressively expand its sales and marketing efforts as well as accelerate product development. "Hatchbuck is already recognized as an industry leader in the small business sales and marketing space. This A round financing will give management the resources they need to continue their impressive record of servicing their clients and growing the company," said Cliff Holekamp of Holekamp Ventures Hatchbuck is an all-in-one sales and marketing software that enables small businesses to nurture prospects, reach new customers and retain existing ones. A key aspect to the software is that it unites CRM (customer relationship management) and marketing automation into one simple and affordable platform. Thousands of small business users and marketing agencies rely on Hatchbuck’s sales and marketing platform to nurture millions of prospects and customers each month. CEO Don Breckenridge is eager to fuel product innovations and further expand Hatchbuck's customer base. “We’re passionate about helping small businesses drive more sales conversations, convert more customers, and streamline their sales and marketing... --- ### Are You Sacrificing Customer Service for Performance? > Successful businesses are great at two things: excelling at customer service to drive repeat business and generating new sales. But for many businesses, - Published: 2017-01-16 - Modified: 2022-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sacrificing-customer-service-for-performance/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship Successful businesses are great at two things: excelling at customer service to drive repeat business and generating new sales. But for many businesses, it can be tough to find ways to bring in new customers while continuing to provide individualized and in-depth customer service. So what’s the solution? A small business CRM can ensure that sales and customer service coexist in perfect harmony. The Zen of CRM One of the reasons that small businesses may be hesitant to invest in customer management software is the idea that it may make things overly complex. However, when used correctly, part of the brilliance of good CRM is that it actually makes things much simpler. CRM can be customized to collect and analyze only the information you see fit, all while allowing those in sales and marketing access to what they need as soon as they need it. Imagine if instead of waiting for sales to update a spreadsheet so you can send out your marketing newsletter to all of your latest customers, you had the information right at your fingertips in your CRM. While those old spreadsheets feel familiar, making the leap to a customer relationship management system can result in a simplified, clean, and efficient workflow - the very opposite of cluttered complexity. CRM: The Missing Ingredient in Customer Service In a world filled with distractions competing for your customers attention, it can be a struggle to stand out from the crowd. Excellent customer service can be the secret ingredient to... --- ### How To Easily Build An Employer Brand That Attracts Job Candidates > Sales pay the bills, but in order to keep your small business growing, you need to make sure your employer brand is attractive to prospective employees. - Published: 2017-01-13 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/build-employer-brand-attracts-job-candidates/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship If you’re doing things right as a small business owner then your business is likely growing. Which means you have been successful with building your consumer brand’s reputation in your target market. Your products and services get great reviews, word-of-mouth referrals, social media shout-outs and you’re building an outstanding brand reputation. All of that is great—for sales. But in order to continue growing, you need to focus on building your employer brand too. Why? Because your small business needs talent, and you need it continually. Likely you’re looking for the best talent---which means you’re competing with lots of other growing businesses for a variety of qualified people. I know what you're thinking: "my business is too small, too esoteric to compete with the big guys for the best talent. " Think again. According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses provide two out of every three American jobs and—fortunately—many people want to work at a small company. In fact a recent survey from Monster. com found that 47 percent of Millennials—the largest generation in the workforce today—are employed by small businesses. However, in order to win the competitive race for rockstar candidates you need to foster and grow your employer brand. Employer brand is a term coined in the mid-1990s when London Business School examined how marketing principles we use to attract consumers could be applied to the employment marketplace. And because the talent market is increasingly tight, HR departments are now in the business of marketing their companies to... --- ### The Best Guerilla Marketing Tactics for Small Businesses > Use these guerrilla marketing tactics (not to be confused with gorilla) to drive big time buzz on a small business budget. - Published: 2017-01-12 - Modified: 2022-11-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/guerilla-marketing-small-business/ - Categories: Marketing The term guerrilla marketing refers to inexpensive, unconventional and innovative marketing tactics that are great for businesses to drive massive engagement and buzz on a limited budget. Coined in the 1984 book “Guerrilla Advertising” by Jay Conrad Levinson, the term piggybacks on the idea of guerrilla warfare by the military where they use tactics such as raids, ambushes and surprise attacks. We’ve gathered some of the best (and cheapest) guerrilla marketing ideas for small businesses so you can shed boring traditional marketing strategies and create memorable campaigns in the eyes of your target audience. Clever Sandwich Boards If you follow some of the most popular comedic Instagram accounts such as Beige Cardigan, you’ve likely seen photos of funny sandwich boards. Businesses have used chalk and a sidewalk to make jokes about everything from Tinder and politics to tacos and whiskey. Image Credit: Refined Guy Funny sandwich boards can make any passersby laugh, post pictures to social media, and ultimately step through your doors and purchase. Sandwich boards are an easy, fun and inexpensive way to promote your business in your neighborhood. Unique Infographics Infographics are liked and shared on social media three times more than other any other type of content, therefore they are an awesome way to attract visits to your website and eyeballs to your brand. An infographic usually uses data to visually represent a set of ideas in an interesting manner. You can either gather data yourself by surveying your customers, or you can take a unique... --- ### Email Elements You Should Be A/B Testing > Split testing is a continuous process that can deliver astounding results to your email campaigns. It will take time and creativity so we're here to help. - Published: 2017-01-11 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-email-elements-split-testing/ - Categories: Email Marketing We’ve already stressed the importance of split testing your emails. As I mentioned before, it’s a continuous process that can deliver astounding results to your email campaigns. But it can also take a lot of time to see results, as well as plenty of creative thinking in coming up with ideas for your split tests. It takes commitment and creativity, but the returns are worth the time. If you’re clear on the importance but don’t know where to start, here are several A/B tests you can try today. Subject Line The subject line is the most A/B tested element in email marketing. There’s nothing surprising about it; in order to see any results from your email campaigns, you first need to get your customers to open them. Your subject line is the key to open rates. There are several elements you can test here. They include a normal sentence versus a question, using urgency, specific power-words (e. g. SALE, DISCOUNT, BONUS, AMAZING, etc. ), or even symbols and emojis. Long vs. Short Copy This is actually one of the longest-lasting debates in copywriting. Which performs better, long or short copy? The answer is, it’s individual to your customer, so split test it yourself. In general, you shouldn’t have fluff in your copy and whether to even test the length depends on the promotion and the complexity of it. A simple welcome email doesn’t need to be tested for long copy. But a specific promotion could yield different results if A/B... --- ### 7 Lessons From the Titans of Marketing > Learning from the best is the way to become the best. Here are 7 lessons from some of the greatest marketing leaders ever. - Published: 2017-01-10 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-lessons-titans-marketing/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship, Marketing Marketing is not rocket science, although it feels like it at times. In fact, 99% of success lies in knowing and nailing down the core principles. Doing the right thing consistently can take you from mediocrity to greatness. Sounds simple, but the vast majority of marketers don’t even get close. In fact, the ones who do become great are simply very good at doing some smart, basic things that most marketers overlook. But what is it that exactly that makes people like David Ogilvy and Steve Jobs the legends they became? What makes modern marketers like Gary Vee or Seth Godin the successes they are? Learning from the best is the way to become the best. Here are seven lessons from some of the greatest marketers ever. David Ogilvy: Never Stop Testing David Ogilvy is the OG of advertising. He infamously used to say, “Never stop testing, and your advertising will never stop improving. ” His words have never been truer in an overcrowded marketplace. Keep testing and experimenting and applying your findings to improve your campaigns, products, and services. This kind of innovation is what makes the difference between the leader and the follower. Neil Patel: Optimize for Revenue Neil is a serial entrepreneur and the leading voice in online marketing today. His advice goes, “Don’t optimize for conversions, optimize for revenue. ” Often, marketers focus on the wrong metrics, while forgetting about the bigger picture. Conversion rates aren’t the ultimate end goal for a business. For example, you... --- ### 5 Steps to Re-Engage Lost or Angry Customers Using Email > You will always lose customers. The question is, what are you going to do about it? The first step is to learn and improve. The second is to re-engage. - Published: 2017-01-06 - Modified: 2018-08-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/reengage-lost-angry-customers-using-email/ - Categories: Email Marketing The best customer is a loyal customer. But unless your entire customer base consists of your mom and dad, 100% customer loyalty is an illusion. In other words, you will always lose customers. The question is, what are you going to do about it? The first step is to learn and improve; and (obviously) don’t give many reasons for your customers to lapse. The second thing is to re-engage. Not many businesses do it successfully (or do it at all), but it’s a great way to boost your revenue. If someone had enough trust in you to invest in you at one point, they’re more likely to buy from you again. The good news is, it’s usually fairly simple to re-engage lost customers. Often, all it takes is a couple of well-crafted emails. Here are a few examples. #1 Let Them Know You’ve Noticed They’re Gone Let your customer know you know who they are and you’ve noticed they’re gone. Send them an email and personalize it. For example, remind them why they signed up. Use their name. The point here is, show them you value them as individuals, not just as another number in your books. Sometimes, people unsubscribe or abandon their accounts by mistake. Make sure to offer them a way to get back. Obviously, this should be an automated email and not one that you should be sending manually to every single unengaged customer. #2 Offer Them an Incentive If you want them back, give them a... --- ### CRM and The Big Impact of Small Data > When it comes to the importance of using data in marketing and sales, it's a bit like the late, great Leonard Cohen might say: "everybody knows." What is - Published: 2017-01-05 - Modified: 2022-10-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-big-impact-small-data/ - Categories: CRM When it comes to the importance of using data in marketing and sales, it's a bit like the late, great Leonard Cohen might say: "everybody knows. " What is more debatable, though, is what types of data your organization should focus on collecting, analyzing and using to make a tangible impact. Many organizations have tapped into the rising trend of “Big Data. ” Afterall, it helps to give you historical insights into your sales and marketing performance. But most smaller businesses don’t have the large marketing budgets, high volume of transactions, or the resources to take advantage of the information once they have it. “Small data” on the other hand is real time, actionable data which can prove to be much more useful and easily collected within your CRM. Together, small data and the use of CRM can completely change how you approach sales and marketing for your small business- here’s how: 1: Get More Personal Small data has a number of strengths over it’s “Big” brother counterpart. One of those key strengths is that the data is more personal, both in terms of the data that your small business CRM captures and your ability to adapt your sales and marketing efforts to the need of each and every buyer. For instance, CRM allows you to identify key segments of your targeted contact base and communicate to them in the most relevant way possible. So, if B2B buyers make different purchases than say eCommerce buyers, you can tailor your marketing... --- ### Interview: The Importance of Branding For Small Businesses > Dorie Clark is the author of Stand Out and Reinventing You, and is an adjunct professor at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. We had a chance to - Published: 2017-01-03 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/branding-small-businesses-dorie-clark/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business Dorie Clark is the author of Stand Out and Reinventing You, and is an adjunct professor at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. We had a chance to speak with Dorie about branding, content creation, and reinventing businesses (and people). Tell us a bit about your background. Why are you so passionate about branding? I started my marketing strategy consulting business 10 years ago, and I quickly realized that if I were going to be successful, I'd need to differentiate myself in the marketplace. That's increasingly becoming a challenge as the number of social channels proliferates and we're all inundated with information. In learning how to build my brand and set myself apart, I realized this was a common challenge many entrepreneurs and executives face these days. I believe it's important for the best ideas to be heard, so I want to help talented professionals get recognized for their true talents. If someone were to say to you, "Branding is important for large companies; but since I'm a small business owner, I don't need to worry about it very much," how would you respond? We live in an increasingly competitive marketplace. People aren't just choosing their graphic designer or marketing consultant from down the street; they're often doing business with people around the world. You have to provide your customers with a compelling reason to choose to do business with you specifically. Otherwise, it's a race to the bottom and your business likely won't last. Since change can be scary... --- ### Four Content Marketing Predictions for 2017 > There's been a paradigm shift in the past several years away from noisy, distracting ads. A shift towards content. Customers want value and engagement - Published: 2017-01-02 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-predictions-2017/ - Categories: Content Marketing There's been a paradigm shift in the past several years away from noisy, distracting ads. A shift towards content. Customers want value and engagement before they give you their trust. Likewise, Google has made it clear that content is pretty much the only thing that matters when it comes to SEO. This means, whether it’s organic or direct traffic, content plays a key role in driving prospects and customers to your website. Smart marketers know that. In fact, we’ll see a huge increase in content marketing budgets and content production next year. Content dominates but like any good marketing tactic, it also has to evolve. So, let’s have a look at what we can expect in the coming year. #1. Niche Topics and Personalization In email marketing, personalization is key. However, it hasn’t been applied to content marketing on a large scale yet. With data about your audience being so easily accessible today, content marketing will trend towards a more customized approach. According to a recent study by Forrester, senior marketing executives agree that content creation must be personalized and contextually relevant in order to truly succeed with consumers. In fact, 67% said they used behavior-based data to develop content-based insights and emotions. Content marketing is a pretty crowded space and will be even more so in 2017. Content personalization, as well as niche, highly targeted topics is a way to stand out in the crowd. #2. Interactive Content There’s so much noise out there and, as a result, our... --- ### 6 Ways to Recharge Your Leadership Skills for the New Year > To make the most of whatever changes are in store for 2017, small business owners will need to bring their “A game” as leaders. Here are six ways to - Published: 2016-12-30 - Modified: 2022-09-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/recharge-leadership-skills-new-year/ - Categories: Leadership To make the most of whatever changes are in store for 2017, small business owners will need to bring their “A game” as leaders. Here are six ways to sharpen your leadership skills before the new year. Find innovative ways of thinking. Even the world’s most successful businesses have to start somewhere - like in a garage. Now is a great time to study what makes great businesses tick. Learn the benefits of going lean in Eric Ries’s The Lean Startup. Or peek into how a radical approach to customer service launched a company’s success and check out Zappo’s culture book. Wondering what happens when a company takes transparency to heart and makes everyone’s salaries public knowledge? Catch up on Buffer’s Open blog. Get social. If you spend all of your working hours at your own business, it’s easy to get into a leadership rut. Freshen your perspective by making time to see other entrepreneurs at least once a month. Entrepreneurs’ Organization (or EO) is a perfect example of an organization that brings business owners together to support and advise one another. Consider joining a peer group for entrepreneurs where you can learn from others who are running businesses, too. Here is a list of groups active in the U. S. and Canada. There are many excellent local organizations as well. Take a new class. If it’s been awhile since you set foot in a classroom—whether in-person or virtually—consider going back for a refresher. Sign up for a management class... --- ### 5 Email Marketing Trends for 2017 > Email marketing generates an ROI like no other digital channel. It has become a driving force behind content marketing and many other marketing strategies. - Published: 2016-12-29 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-trends-2017/ - Categories: Email Marketing 2016 has been the year of marketing fads. From Vine (RIP) to Snapchat and everything in between, businesses have done everything possible to get the attention of consumers. Some platforms have worked in driving actual leads, but most have not. So what happened to our old friend email while the young whippersnappers got all of the marketing love? It got bigger, better, more efficient, and more profitable. Email generates an ROI like no other digital channel. From its humble beginnings as a strictly promotional tool, it has become a driving force behind content marketing - the hottest topic in the sales and marketing world today. Not only is email the most efficient digital channel, it’s becoming a primary source of customer data and the best way to reach customers on mobile. In fact, for quite a while, reading email has been the number one activity on smartphones. As a marketing channel, it’s growing and evolving. So let’s take a look at what’s likely to happen in the email marketing industry next year. Trend #1: Personalization Personalization is a powerful tool. With vast amounts of customer data easily accessible today, it’s something every marketer should use in his or her campaigns. Yet, according to DMA's recent Email Tracking Report, 63% of people agree there's a lack of valuable, personalized emails in their inbox. Valuable is the key word here. Make sure you’re not blasting out cheesy, personalized emails. Personalization goes beyond the subject line. Recipients that receive emails that are personalized... --- ### 2017 Marketing Trends for Small Business > To help you stay ahead of the curve and max out the opportunities available to you, here are the top marketing trends to keep an eye on in 2017. - Published: 2016-12-28 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/2017-marketing-trends-small-business/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business If you’re a small business owner, you’re in luck. Not only is your business about to get a fresh start with the new year right around the corner, but right now is probably the best time for you to be a small business owner. With the rise in online marketing tactics such as SEO, social and video, there’s never been more avenues to promote your business. And marketing tech tools like advanced customer analytics tracking and marketing automation software, previously only available to large, wealthy corporations, are now easily accessible and extremely affordable for pretty much anyone willing to take advantage of them. To help you stay ahead of the curve and max out the opportunities available to you, here are the top marketing trends in 2017 to keep an eye on. Trend #1: More, Relevant Content With its most recent updates, Google has made it very clear that unique, quality content is the only thing that matters when it comes to SEO. Over the past year more and more small businesses embraced this. In fact, 62% of B2B marketers and 63% of B2C marketers were more successful with their content marketing efforts than the year before, according to a study by CMI and MarketingProfs. Relevancy is key to getting your content read and shared. Same goes for ads. Over 25% of desktop users now use ad blocking tools to block unwanted, irrelevant ads. The exciting part is that content marketing works. A study by CMI shows that while content... --- ### Is Your Content Marketing On The Right Track? > Small businesses may be creating and pushing out content, but if they don’t have the resources to put together a cohesive content marketing strategy,. - Published: 2016-12-27 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-marketing-2017/ - Categories: Content Marketing If you put a lot of time and energy into your content marketing and aren’t sure it’s working—or worse, you’re pretty sure it’s not working—you’re not alone. The 2016 Content Marketing Institute’s survey found that only 6% of B2B marketers think their organization’s use of content marketing is effective and only 32% of B2B marketers have a documented content marketing strategy. These challenges may be especially true for small businesses that may be creating and pushing out content, but don’t have the resources to put together a cohesive content marketing strategy. Is your content marketing setup for success? Let’s find out. 1. Do you have a documented content marketing strategy that is directly tied to your business’ values, mission and goals? If your content marketing plan isn’t clearly outlined, written down and documented, it’s not a legitimate strategy. If it is documented, it also needs to correspond with your business’ mission or it’s unlikely to succeed. Without a clear strategy your content marketing team—even if it’s one person—might be pushing out content that isn’t necessarily reaching your target audience in a meaningful way. The goal is to connect with potential customers, so make sure that your communication strategy is aligned with the overall goals of the business. Pro Tip: Have you nailed down your company’s mission? Learn how to create a killer mission and use it to grow your company. 2. Is your message consistent and seamless across all written content? Content marketing doesn’t operate in a vacuum. It’s a... --- ### 3 Ways Agencies Can Help Small Business Clients Establish Marketing Goals and Find Ideal Customers > Marketing agencies should use these tips to establish and achieve marketing goals that make a positive impact on small business clients. - Published: 2016-12-26 - Modified: 2016-12-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/agencies-help-small-business-marketing-goals/ - Categories: Agencies When a business invests in your agency to help them grow, you want them to feel like they’ve received great value. This means you’ve got to communicate and plan with your client from the beginning to determine the focus of their campaign, target their ideal customer and measure specific outcomes. Here’s how to establish and achieve marketing goals that make a positive impact on your client (and keep them coming back to you for more): 1. Establish The Type of Marketing Campaign. When establishing goals for a marketing campaign, you first want to establish what type of campaign you’re building. There are two main types of campaigns to focus on, brand awareness and acquisition. Brand Awareness Brand awareness campaigns primarily spread the word about your client’s brand, get more attention, and increase recognition. While increasing awareness isn’t directly tied to revenue and sales goals, it still impacts business growth. After all, the more people who know about your client, the more chances they have to sell. However, it’s difficult to tie brand awareness activities to sales. For instance, it’s hard to say how many people saw a billboard, or heard a radio ad then made a purchase. Instead, metrics are tied to awareness goals such as: Website traffic Social media community growth Social shares and or engagement Acquisition If your campaign is acquisition focused, then there is a dollar sign associated with the campaign. While both brand awareness campaigns and acquisition campaigns can grow your client’s business, an acquisition-focused campaign... --- ### 4 Ways to Incorporate CRM Into Your Social Media Strategy > A robust social media presence falls completely flat without access to an equally robust collection of customer data in a CRM. - Published: 2016-12-23 - Modified: 2022-11-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/incorporate-crm-social-media-strategy/ - Categories: CRM Social media is without a doubt the face of 21st-century marketing. Studies show that Americans check their various social media accounts an average of 17 times a day; factor in eight hours of sleep, and that means they’re checking more than once per waking hour of every single day. Clearly it's important for small businesses to embrace social media as a form of both marketing and customer service. However, a robust social media presence falls completely flat without access to an equally robust collection of customer data. This is why your social media marketing needs to be complemented by effective CRM. Here are a few simple ways that CRM can enhance your social media marketing and customer service strategies: 1: Facebook Messenger Is the New Phone Call One of the interesting developments of recent years, especially among Millennials, is just how much people want to avoid calling a company directly. They find more indirect methods, such as emails and messages, much more preferable. Taking this into account, businesses such as Virgin Atlantic and Amazon have found great success in inviting customers to contact them via Messenger for inquiries or assistance. When your business does something like this, though, having a small business CRM in place is an absolute must. Your CRM allows anyone in contact with customers via a chat bot or email to have instant access to the customer's detailed file and a record of all previous interactions with the customer. Better data and a record of past communication... --- ### 5 SEO Tips for Marketing Agencies > Here are five efficient things your marketing agency can do right now to boost your SEO results and attract more clients. - Published: 2016-12-22 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-tips-marketing-agencies/ - Categories: Agencies A guest post by John Jantsch, a marketing consultant, speaker and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. You’re doing your best for everyone else, but are you doing everything you can on your own behalf? Marketing has seen seismic shifts in its strategies, channels, and tactics over the last several years. Many agencies are so swept up in doing client work and keeping abreast of the constant SEO changes that they neglect to apply the new rules of marketing to their own services. But the competition is fierce. There are many more marketing agencies than ever before, and their very expertise is in getting found and hired. If you’re going to build your client base, you’re going to need to compete. But don’t just work harder; work smarter. You want to exploit every last resource you already have. You don't need to outsource SEO. Here are 5 things you can do right now to boost your agency’s search engine optimization and attract more clients. 1. Leverage your network and client base. You’ve worked hard to build a solid network of existing clients, strategic partners, advertisers, industry associations, and colleagues, so you should be finding opportunities to connect with them online. Why is this so crucial? Because you want them to link to your site. Linkbuilding has always been one of the top SEO ranking factors. Whereas once upon a time it was just about quantity — i. e. , the more links your site got, the higher it ranked — now... --- ### 5 Lessons Small Businesses Can Learn From Amazon > The lessons small businesses can learn from Amazon could fill an entire textbook and then some. Here are five of the most important lessons to take away. - Published: 2016-12-21 - Modified: 2019-01-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-lessons-amazon/ - Categories: Small Business To say that Amazon is a titan of industry would be an understatement. In its 20+ years, it has become not only a success story but a model for all growing businesses. It started in the 1990’s during the dot-com boom, made it through the dot-com crash period, and emerged as the most dominant company in the online retail world. That is no small feat. Today, Amazon nets upwards of $100 billion a year in revenues and its product range has seemingly no limits. From Amazon Web Service (AWS) to hardware like Kindle or Echo to Jeff Bezos’ personal venture, a rocket company Blue Origin, Amazon’s online success is what made it all possible. Amazon does online selling right. The lessons small businesses can learn from Amazon could fill an entire textbook and then some. But here are five of the most important lessons to take away. 1. Know Your Customers Amazon is phenomenal at understanding its customers’ preferences and using that information to increase sales. If you’ve ever shopped on Amazon, you may have noticed sections like ‘recommended items’ or ‘customers who bought X also bought Y’ or ‘frequently bought together. ’ Based on your past purchases (and other customers’), Amazon recommends other products you’re most likely to buy, which is part of its flawless online experience. They make the purchasing (and upsell) process effortless for the customer. Beyond their on-site post-purchase recommendations, most emails received from Amazon recommend products based on past choices. Or when you make a... --- ### Why Team Lunches Need To Be A Part of Your Work Culture > There are all sorts of ways to build bonds among team members. Some businesses go to extremes to do it—luxurious weekend retreats, city-wide scavenger - Published: 2016-12-20 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/team-lunches-small-business-culture/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship There are all sorts of ways to build bonds among team members. Some businesses go to extremes to do it—luxurious weekend retreats, city-wide scavenger hunts, even treks to exotic locales like Machu Picchu, Mount Kilimanjaro and Bhutan. To keep your employees connected and engaged, you don’t need to spend gobs of money and time on complicated trips or scenarios. In fact, those efforts often backfire and employees don’t find them valuable, instead resenting the time and energy consumed by the event. Or worse, team members not included resent those who do For a small business especially, team building doesn’t have to be a complicated endeavor. A small company generally has a small team, so building intimacy and bonds between employees and management can be as simple as lunch. That’s because the act of eating together is often “extraordinarily meaningful,” says Kevin Kniffin, who was a visiting assistant professor of applied economics and management at Cornell University when he and several colleagues conducted a study to learn if eating together in the office resulted in higher-performing, more cohesive teams. Kniffin and his colleagues studied firefighters who prepared and ate meals together during their shifts. The researchers wanted to know if firefighters who ate together performed better on the job than those who didn’t. The answer? They did. Platoons that ate meals together had better group job performance than firefighting teams that dined alone. Kniffin says, “Eating together is a more intimate act than looking over an Excel spreadsheet together. That intimacy... --- ### Your Simple Cheat Sheet for Better Email Subject Lines > Email subject lines are the most important part of your email copy. They’re a first impression and determine whether your email gets opened or not. No - Published: 2016-12-19 - Modified: 2020-12-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/simple-cheat-sheet-better-email-subject-lines/ - Categories: Email Marketing Email subject lines are the most important part of your email copy. They’re a first impression and determine whether your email gets opened or not. No opens = no sales. But writing a successful subject line is no easy task. An average office worker receives over 100 emails a day. We all get hundreds of newsletters and promotional emails a week. Most never get opened. A great subject line makes your emails stand out in those overpopulated inboxes. Writing one is an art that’s importance shouldn’t be overlooked. Here are some basics to follow. #1: Tell Them What to Expect When They Open the Email Sometimes marketers are tempted to use attention-grabbing subject lines just to get those opens. If you’re only measuring opens, that may seem like an attractive option. But you should never make false promises to boost your open rate. Clickbait is the worst, and you will 100% lose customer trust. Clearly let the recipient know what to expect inside. If they just subscribed to download an ebook, say something straightforward like, “Your new ebook awaits. ” No need to get fancy - save yourself and your customer time and get to the point. #2: Be Urgent or Imply Time Sensitivity Another classic tactic in marketing is urgency. If you’ve carefully planned your communications (with the help of CRM and marketing automation), there’s a very specific time you’d like the recipient to open that email. When someone glances at your subject line, you want them to take... --- ### 'Tis The Season…To Spend Wisely > Spending strategically means you can operate more efficiently, get your business in front of more people, build a strong brand reputation and grow sales. - Published: 2016-12-16 - Modified: 2016-12-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-holiday-spend-wisely/ - Categories: Small Business Spending strategically means you can operate more efficiently, get your business in front of more people, build a strong brand reputation and grow sales. It’s also important that you invest your company’s money wisely and look for strategic ways to both increase and cut spending. Let’s look at specific ways you can spend wisely and boost your bottom line during this holiday season and beyond. Evaluate your Employee Needs Before Year End As you gear up for the holiday rush and prepare for the new year, it’s important to take a step back to evaluate your team. Which team members do you need to invest in to grow leadership within your business? Are you offering compensation and benefits that will attract and keep top talent on your team? Would it make sense to hire temporary employees or use the services of a temp staffing firm as opposed to hiring full-time employees for short term projects? Are you overstaffed or understaffed in certain departments? Can talent be reallocated among internal teams? Do you have employees who can take on more responsibility in the coming year to avoid outsourcing projects? Review Successes (and Failures) The holidays are a logical time for reflection on the year gone by. It’s a wise end-of-year practice to review what’s working and not working in your business to prep for a successful year ahead. If you have a way to measure sales and marketing results, you can easily evaluate which activities were worth the spending and which... --- ### Free and Low-Cost Client Gifts To Show Your Appreciation This Holiday Season > You love your clients. And while you might intend to show your gratitude for their business year round, if time has gotten away from you, the holiday - Published: 2016-12-15 - Modified: 2016-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/free-low-cost-holiday-client-gifts/ - Categories: Small Business You love your clients. And while you might intend to show your gratitude for their business year round, if time has gotten away from you, the holiday season is an essential time to let them know. There are plenty of creative ways to show your customer appreciation (even if you’re on a tight budget). The ideas below cost little to nothing for your small business but are guaranteed to having a lasting impact with your customers in 2017. Spending a few extra hours planning your holiday outreach is sure to benefit your bottom line in the new year. Offer a Free Consultation. Send your favorite customers an offer for a free holiday consultation to thank them for their loyalty. This value-add could lead to longer, paid consultations or upgrades - a win-win for you and your clients. Give Them the Scoop Early. Let your loyal customers in on new and improved products and services your small business has in the pipeline. Faithful customers like to stay in the know about upgrades and new releases, and nothing makes them feel more valued than being given early access or asked their opinions before a new product hits the market. Showcase Your Customers. Write a blog post, include a shoutout in your email newsletter or highlight customer achievements on social media. You’ll expose more of your own customers to their services, make your customer feel valued AND potentially get in front of new audiences who could turn into potential customers. Provide Private Access.... --- ### 8 Design Tips for More Effective Emails > Great email design follows usability best practices and makes it easier for prospects to convert. Use these tips to create more effective emails. - Published: 2016-12-14 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-effective-email-design/ - Categories: Email Marketing Design can make or break your emails. Done effectively, it can increase trust, among other things, and trust is necessary to generate conversions. Great design also follows usability best practices and makes it easier for prospective customers to convert. But there’s a big difference between beautiful and effective design. That’s good news. You don’t have to be an artist or a graphic designer to create newsletter layouts and designs that convert. Instead, just follow these simple tips to building more successful emails. Tip #1: Be Mobile Friendly Mobile accounts for 60-70% more email opens than desktop, according to countless studies. That’s a huge number and one that shouldn’t be ignored. At the same time, when it comes to mobile emails, the top annoyances of mobile users are: Too small to read and interact with (32%) Website and landing pages not mobile optimized (26%) and Not well formatted for mobile phones (21%), according to a recent study by The Relevancy Group. In short, before you send anything out, make sure it’s mobile optimized. That might sound complex, but optimizing for mobile is all about keeping your reader in mind: Design a one-column email to prevent text and images from being squished on a mobile device. Stick with simple layouts and be intentional about your use of images. A simple email is likely to translate more smoothly across all devices - from a desktop to a smartphone. Use readable fonts and font-sizes. Provide a good contrast between the text and the background... --- ### 4 Ways to Capitalize on Social Media This Holiday Season > Social media is a great way to connect with customers, showcase your company’s culture, and offer exclusive specials before budgets reset in the New Year. - Published: 2016-12-13 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-holiday-season/ - Categories: Social Media ‘Tis the season to be merry — holiday parties, gift shopping, cookie baking - and closing out as many deals as you can before the year comes to a close. You might assume that social media only works for retail around the holidays, but B2Bs can definitely benefit from going all-in on social during the busy winter months. Social media is a great way to connect with customers, showcase your company’s culture, and offer exclusive specials to encourage customers to spend dollars on your services before their budgets reset in the New Year. Here are four ways to capitalize on social media this holiday season: 1. Showcase Your Business’ Holiday Cheer & Personality If your business is primarily online, or your customers typically only interact with a single account manager, chances are your customers don’t know much more about you other than what can be read about you on the About page of your website. The holidays are the best time of year to show your company’s personality and introduce the great people who make up your business. To showcase your holiday cheer, consider one of the following: Create a virtual company holiday card using a service like JibJab to post on your social sites (and to send to your email list). Create a custom holiday Snapchat filter for customers — it’ll cost a little bit of money, but it could be the perfect way to connect with your millennial customers. Post team pictures on your social sites from internal... --- ### You’ve Invested in Marketing Automation, But Can Your Small Business Stay Authentic? > Misuse of marketing automation can cause you problems. One of the biggest? It can make you come across as insincere and inauthentic to your audience. - Published: 2016-12-12 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-small-business/ - Categories: Marketing Automation, Small Business Marketing automation. Unless you live under a rock, you hear about it a lot. And there’s a valid reason why. It has radically altered the small business marketing landscape of the 21st century. It presents owners and marketers like you and I with many golden opportunities. It can help you market, sell to, and serve your customers much more effectively and efficiently. It can save you two of your most precious resources – time and money. The list of potential marketing automation benefits goes on and on. But, the news isn’t all rosy. Misuse of marketing automation can cause you problems. One of the biggest? It can make you come across as insincere and inauthentic to your prospects and customers. So What’s The Big Deal About Authenticity? Understand this – and I’ll mention it at the risk of sounding cliché, because it’s important: people buy from people they know, like, and trust. You can have the most smoothly automated marketing approach around, but if your audience doesn’t get the feeling they know, like, and trust you, your results and your sales will plummet. Read that first sentence again, and think about this part of it – “... people buy from people... ” Hootsuite CEO and founder Ryan Holmes is the face of their brand. Although it is clearly an automated, bulk email, their weekly newsletter comes directly from him and makes the organization seem more human and more relatable. People don’t do business with “brands,” or “organizations. ” They do... --- ### How to Increase Customer Lifetime Value With Onboarding Emails > Onboarding emails are a critical part of increasing customer lifetime value. In fact, the onboarding emails ARE your onboarding strategy. - Published: 2016-12-09 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-lifetime-value-onboarding-emails/ - Categories: Email Marketing Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) is the ultimate business metric. No matter how killer you are at acquiring customers, it won’t matter if you can’t make a return on your investment. A focus on boosting your CLV is even more important than ever before. That’s because customer acquisitions costs are soaring, making it extremely hard for many online businesses to survive. Then, there’s competition. More and more businesses are popping up daily which in turn means competing for the same customers. In fact, studies show that customers are exposed to over 5000 advertisements a day. Put simply, if you can’t retain your customers and maximize your ROI, the fate of your business may not be so bright. Customer onboarding is the most important part of boosting your retention rates. It’s the first experience as a customer instead of a prospect and if done correctly, it leads to the next purchase and builds customer loyalty. Onboarding emails are a critical part of that first experience. In fact, your emails are your onboarding strategy. Here are a few tips for doing it right. The Opt-In Email For many small businesses, opt-in emails are a necessity. In many marketing campaigns, they begin your customer’s onboarding journey. Make sure they’re simple, clear, and to-the-point, with a clear CTA. Such as this example from Dropbox. You can get creative here, but the main purpose of opt-in emails is to be sure a subscriber is ready to be added to the list and to confirm that your... --- ### 5 Reasons To Be Authentic This Holiday Season > Before your small business starts holiday outreach, make sure that you're being authentic. Here are a few tips to stay authentic this holiday season. - Published: 2016-12-08 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/authentic-holiday-season/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship One of the best parts of the holidays is getting to spend time socializing with family, colleagues, clients and partners. As your small business takes this opportunity to reach out to your network through email campaigns, holiday cards, invitations, and parties, what impression will you give? Throw a kicka$$ holiday party. Or a geektastic holiday party. Or a timeless and traditional holiday party. Being authentic means hosting the party you’d want to go to - whether it’s at a dive bar, your office, or an upscale venue. You’ll feel comfortable in your skin, so your guests will, too. And don’t be afraid of kicking up your quirky factor a notch - whether it’s having your intern dress up as your company mascot, or using your team's mixology skills to create a signature drink. Unique and memorable activities will have your guests talking about your party long after it’s over. Finally, your holiday party is all about showing appreciation for your employees and customers. In fact, a study from TINYpulse shows that a little recognition can go a long way in boosting the happiness of your employees. So throw them a party that aligns with your company’s culture and values. It’s well worth the cost to recognize your team for a great year. Give the best gift. Everyone can smell a lame corporate gift when it comes across their desk. And there are plenty of options for creating a gift that’s authentic to your business. Ditch the calendar magnet with your... --- ### How to Make the Most of the Holiday Downtime for Your Small Business > It's that time of year again! Here are a few ways to take advantage—yes, advantage—of the B2B small business holiday (and post-holiday) downtime. - Published: 2016-12-07 - Modified: 2022-11-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-holiday-downtime/ - Categories: Small Business The holidays are a crazy time for retailers, but if you run a B2B company, chances are business falls off during the December holidays. Many of your clients have tapped out their budgets for the year and may be closing for a week—or even two—at year’s end. And that can mean a somewhat slow start to January. In December, consumers are having all manner of holiday specials repeatedly shoved in their faces and the last thing they are thinking about is answering a sales call. They’re in holiday mode and putting off thinking about purchases, new budgets, capital expenditures, software upgrades and the like until the new year. That means you’ll likely have from mid-December to mid-January as downtime, but downtime doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do. If you use the slow period wisely you’ll set yourself up for a very good first quarter. Here are some ways to take advantage—yes, advantage—of the holiday (and post-holiday) lull: Get smart. Slow periods are the perfect time to do some continuing education, learn a new skill or finally figure out that new accounting software. You’ll find a variety of online offerings at Lynda. com, everything from courses on web development and design to managerial economics and customer service quality standards. There are also a wide array of sales training and leadership training courses online, like CustomerCentricSelling, AchieveGlobal, MindTools, TEDTalks, GrowthHacker. TV and those from the American Management Association. You can also begin working your way through all the business books and industry... --- ### 5 Shows To Watch For Small Business Inspiration > Looking for ideas on what to watch tonight? Here are five shows that will help you overcome obstacles you find in your small business and reach new heights. - Published: 2016-12-06 - Modified: 2016-12-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-shows-small-business-inspiration/ - Categories: Small Business As a small business owner, it’s most likely hard to find extra time to sit around and watch television. And once you do find the time, it might be hard to justify using that extra time to channel surf. But the tube holds more small business inspiration than you may think. From new shows to old favorites on Netflix, they can be a wealth of knowledge for your business – from innovative ideas to solutions to common problems. Looking for ideas on what to watch tonight? Here are five shows that will help you overcome obstacles you find in your small business and reach new heights: Shark Tank In this popular reality TV show, entrepreneurs in need of funding present their ideas to investors, or the ‘Sharks’ as they are called on the show. Shark Tank can be a great way to get your creative juices flowing by exposing you to new ideas in the marketplace and showing you how entrepreneurs developed them. By listening to their pitches and studying what works and what doesn’t, you can better prepare your own pitches, whether they are for lenders, investors or potential partners. By watching it regularly, you can learn to identify red flags in businesses that tend to drive investors away and close gaps in your own business plan before they derail you. If the original Shark Tank isn’t enough for you, we recommend Beyond the Tank to get an inside look into what happens after the initial show. The Sharks... --- ### Get More Engagement With These 10 Holiday Email Marketing Tips > Use these holiday email marketing tips to cut through the clutter, drown out the noise, win customer attention and end the year on a high note. - Published: 2016-12-05 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-holiday-email-marketing-tips/ - Categories: Email Marketing Email can be a powerful marketing tool for the holiday season. But this time of year, email messages can easily get lost in the shuffle. A lot of your competitors are in the midst of a year-end marketing blitz; they’re going after the same customers you are desperately trying to win over. And these customers have a lot on their minds! On both the business and personal fronts, they are bombarded with distractions that could very likely keep them from noticing you. The good news is, you can use email marketing to cut through the clutter, drown out the noise, win their attention and end the year on a high note. Check out these 10 holiday email marketing tips. Tip 1: Emulate Successful Email Marketers See something inspiring in your inbox? Try to emulate it in your own marketing. Obviously, this isn’t a call to plagiarize or steal, but to understand what makes great marketing work. By re-imagining an aspect of an email that catches your attention, you’re really uncovering why it’s so effective. So go ahead, unravel that clickable subject line and see if you can make it work for your audience. Or scour the web for your own funny gif to see if you can boost the click-through rate on your nurturing email. Tip 2: Run a Contest to Grow Your Email List Everyone loves giving and gifting during the holidays, so what better time of year to run a contest? Whether it’s awarding the best “tacky Christmas... --- ### Will Your Small Business Finish the Year On a High Note? > It's officially December which means it's time for your small business to sink or swim before the new year. Use these tips to ensure productivity in 2017. - Published: 2016-12-02 - Modified: 2016-12-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/end-year-small-business-productivity/ - Categories: Small Business Before you fast forward to a New Year’s resolutions, take a step back and answer these questions. Are you looking to finish the year strong? Or are you just waiting for it be over hoping to get a fresh new start in January? Are you busier and more productive than ever? Or are you just coasting through the final days of 2016? Regardless of how your year is going, you can (and should) finish it on a high note. Not only that, but during the next month, you can build momentum and lay the groundwork for a successful start to 2017. You just might be surprised what you can get done in a short amount of time if you set goals, focus on them and eliminate distractions. But First: A Spring Cleaning In December? So expect to have a successful conclusion to 2016. But before you proceed with the rest of the year, take a breather. If need be, and if possible, take a little time away from work to recharge and recuperate this weekend. Then decide what you want to accomplish during the remainder of this year and figure out a game plan for getting there. Look for things that are holding you back, and eliminate them. Do you need to declutter your office? Do it. Do you need to drop some commitments that are taking too much of your time and energy while delivering minimal value? Do it. Over the next several weeks, you are going to be... --- ### List Segmentation Tips to Drive More Sales > Not all customers are the same. We all differ as human beings and have different needs, habits and motivations. That's where list segmentation comes in. - Published: 2016-12-01 - Modified: 2021-01-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/list-segmentation-drive-sales/ - Categories: Sales List segmentation is one of the secret weapons of email marketing. Studies show that segmenting your emails can boost your conversion rates by more than 200%. It’s simple; not all customers are the same. We all differ as human beings; we have different needs, tastes, habits, desires, and motivations. Rather than treating each customer the same way, why not take a personalized approach? There are many ways you can get more personal with your prospects and customers. Here are a few strategies to get you started. Demographic Data Demographic data includes basic characteristics such as gender, age, location, job, salary, and so on. It’s this very basic information that should be at the core of your segmentation strategy. Often it’s not necessary to go beyond the basic demographic segments to see dramatic results. For example, just by segmenting its subscribers into male and female, an online clothing brand, Johnny Cupcakes, increased click-through rates by 42%, conversion by 123%, and revenue by 141% for each campaign. So when it comes to demographic data, it’s smart to start simple. To form your first segmenting strategy based on demographics, you can begin with these buckets: Location: Show customers a popular product in their location or even use local information for special promotions. For example, popular hotel chain, Red Roof Inn, used weather information to target customers with cancelled flights. Gender: Men and women shop differently and purchase different products. Naturally, if you’re a clothing brand, you want to target each segment with relevant... --- ### It’s Time For Your Annual Sales and Marketing Checkup > Just like your annual health exam, an annual sales and marketing checkup is a great way to make sure your business is healthy and meeting its goals. - Published: 2016-11-30 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/annual-sales-marketing-checkup/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales It’s hard to believe that a new year is right around the corner... . Just as your annual checkup is a great way to ensure you are meeting your health goals, an annual sales and marketing checkup is a great way to make sure your business is healthy and meeting its goals. Below are five of the most common issues affecting small businesses. Fortunately, each issue has an easy fix, allowing you to make your business healthier than ever before! 1: Contacts are not organized or stored in a central place. Organizing and storing contacts helps safeguard your business from many things that range from simple inefficiency all the way to key staff leaving and taking the contacts with them. How to fix it One of the key features of CRM for small business is its ability to help store and manage your various contacts. This ensures that all of your team is on the same page with where hot leads are within the sales funnel as well. 2: Lack of communication between sales, marketing, and support. Selling is all about timing, and a lack of communication between different teams can kill deals. Moments of poor timing such as sales contacting someone to pitch a new product while that person is in the middle of resolving issues related to previous purchases can be catastrophic to building relationships and closing sales. That customer is almost certainly in no mood to hear about a new product and may be quite offended that... --- ### Want To Turn Lost Leads Into Revenue? > When leads are lost, don’t fret. You can still take steps to get them back onboard and into your lead nurturing process once again. - Published: 2016-11-28 - Modified: 2016-11-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/want-to-turn-lost-leads-into-revenue/ - Categories: Sales To succeed in small business marketing, you must build and maintain an effective plan for converting more leads into qualified prospects ready, willing and able to buy from you. The process is a fragile one. No matter how hard you try, you will have leads that get “lost” and drop out of the lead nurturing process. In today’s always-on culture of 24/7/365 digital engagement, people are distracted by the never-ending stream of online content -- not to mention life’s day-to-day crazy activities. Even if they really want the solution you offer, only 50% convert into a lead and only 25% are sales-ready. When leads ARE lost, don’t fret. You can still take steps to try and get them back on board. Here a a few ways you can re-engage lost leads that have somehow slipped through the cracks. An Ounce Of Prevention... There’s an old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. ” Make this philosophy an integral part of your marketing, and your life will be a lot easier. So what can you do to try and keep leads from leaking out of your sales funnel? Examine your lead generation process to find out where it is breaking down. The problem could be friction – it could be too difficult to sign up or to download and access your content. Image Source: Conversion XL It could be your content and copy that is causing the problem. Is your content compelling and engaging, or “stuffy” and... --- ### 7 Considerations When Choosing Sales and Marketing Software > If you’re evaluating sales and marketing software, it’s going to be difficult to rely on a simple good, better, or best rating - Published: 2016-11-25 - Modified: 2018-07-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/considerations-choosing-sales-marketing-software/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales Good, better, best - if only it were that easy when choosing sales and marketing software. Automating sales and marketing requires many considerations like features, price, usability and support. It can be tough to compare products apples to apples. Some solutions are stand alone-for instance, you may need a technical resource to integrate a marketing automation platform with a separate CRM system. Others package marketing automation and CRM all in one. So, if you’re evaluating sales and marketing software, it’s going to be difficult to rely on a simple good, better, or best rating. What may be best for a Fortune 500 company won’t be well suited for a small business or solopreneur. Likewise, a B2C business will need a different set of features than B2B. While you’re in research mode, you’ll find that analysts and review sites tend to use a quadrant or grid structure when comparing sales and marketing solutions. This structure can help you find the right intersection of usability, customer satisfaction, and market presence. G2Crowd uses their CRM all in one grid, while Gartner publishes their Frontrunners Quadrant. Marketing automation is still the new kid on the block when it comes to sales and marketing technology and new platforms are popping up every day. So how do you choose the right one for you? Here are some considerations to make: 1: Address the Right Audience Do you sell to businesses or to consumers? The distinction between B2B and B2C can make a difference when evaluation sales... --- ### The Value of Leveraging Small Business Partnerships > Strategic partnerships can be a pivotal factor for growth and success, and a win for everyone involved. Here's how to get started on the right track. - Published: 2016-11-24 - Modified: 2018-12-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-partnerships/ - Categories: Agencies, Small Business Business partnerships are valuable for companies of any size. However, for small businesses, forging alliances is an important way to compete with big business. Strategic partnerships can be a pivotal factor for growth and success, and a win for everyone involved. A partner can provide capital, give your brand more exposure or help you gain additional work by offering services you don’t (perhaps while you build them for yourself). You can simplify the process of finding business partners by looking first in your own backyard. Look to your customers, vendors and suppliers—these are folks you already know and that means you also know the strengths (and potential weaknesses) in their products, services and marketing. You’ll want to figure out what you can offer another business and then target companies that can fill a need of yours. Look for a partner that wants more than a this-for-that relationship, but instead wants a relationship that lasts over time. That way not only will your needs be a complementary match, but your long-term visions and corporate cultures will be aligned as well. Seeking partners who are experts in an area where you need help will free you up to focus on activities that keep your business running. Once you find a partner (or partners), keep these tips in mind: Build a foundation of trust. Successful partnerships of any kind need trust to succeed. When you are in talks with other companies be honest about your own weaknesses and gaps. It will prevent you... --- ### The Fixings for a Perfect Small Business Marketing Stack > Like your Thanksgiving meal, your small business marketing stack should include a complete suite of tools to help you pull off every part of your strategy. - Published: 2016-11-23 - Modified: 2022-09-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-fixings-for-a-perfect-small-business-marketing-stack/ - Categories: Marketing A good small business marketing stack is like a good Thanksgiving meal. It has a little something for everything, and if executed correctly, it will keep your sales pipeline (or belly) full of delicious leads. A really good Thanksgiving meal (or small business marketing stack) has everything you need to execute an effective marketing strategy. Like your Thanksgiving meal, your small business marketing stack should include a complete suite of tools (or a variety of food) to help you pull off every part of your marketing strategy. Here are a few of the must-have foods (and corresponding marketing softwares) that you need for your small business marketing stack. Mashed Potatoes | Buffer Fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes are a cornerstone piece of any Turkey Day meal. Just like this starch, Buffer should be a foundational piece of your small business marketing stack. This scheduling tool not only makes posting to social fun and effective, but has an irresistibly delightful brand. Like mashed potatoes, Buffer plays an essential role and is enjoyed by almost everyone. As mashed potato and Buffer connoisseurs, we think you’d be crazy to dislike either one. You can never have enough mashed potatoes - just like your Buffer is never quite full. Turkey | Hatchbuck Have you ever heard of a Thanksgiving meal without Turkey? Maybe, but then it’s not really an authentic Thanksgiving meal. You just NEED turkey. And we don’t mean to brag, but your small business marketing strategy also NEEDS Hatchbuck. Just like a turkey... --- ### What You Can Do to Prepare for Small Business Saturday > You don’t have to be a traditional brick & mortar B2C retail shop to harness the Small Business Saturday buzz for your B2B. - Published: 2016-11-22 - Modified: 2016-11-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-saturday/ - Categories: Small Business Just as you’ve finished eating your last leftover Thanksgiving turkey sandwich, Small Business Saturday rolls around, helping small businesses everywhere capture a bigger piece of the holiday spending pie. More than 95 million people spent money at small businesses during last year’s event, an eight percent increase over 2014, according to a survey by American Express and the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB). In case you’re not familiar, American Express launched Small Business Saturday to promote small businesses six years ago. Today, 55% of American consumers are aware of this high-profile shopping day. You don’t have to be a traditional brick & mortar B2C retail shop to harness the Small Business Saturday buzz for your B2B. Here are some strategies that can help you make the most of this once-a-year event: Let customers know you’re participating. Badges, banners, profile pics and cover photos can help promote your involvement in your marketing emails, on your website, and on your social media profiles. Pick up a free design tool, like Canva, to create your assets. If you need something fast, American Express offers free marketing materials that you can customize for your business on its site. Looking for more creative ideas? Check out Pinterest, which has hundreds of creative examples. Get organized online. With all of your digital assets created, you’ll want to point to a central location for all the info your customers need to spend with you. Design a Small Business Saturday landing page for your website. Include information... --- ### 10 Ways Your Small Business Can Give Back To The Community This Thanksgiving > Being a good corporate citizen (regularly, if possible, not just around Thanksgiving) should really be a part of your business’ DNA. - Published: 2016-11-21 - Modified: 2016-11-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-ways-small-business-thanksgiving-outreach/ - Categories: Small Business At Hatchbuck, one of our core values is “Make a Difference,” and Thanksgiving is the perfect time to do just that. This year, our team raised money, did some shopping and assembled 35 Thanksgiving day meals for families in need - complete with the stuffing, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. It feels great to unite as a team and make an impact in our community - but giving back is more than just a feel-good endeavor. Giving back is smart, because consumers pay attention to the good deeds of businesses, whether that’s sponsoring a charity race, organizing a food drive or making an effort to try and improve the community in which the business operates. By making your company’s presence felt you are also promoting your brand in an organic way—as the byproduct of giving back, not as the main reason for it—you wind up doing some very effective marketing. In fact this kind of “cause-based” and “community-based” marketing can be done in a very small way and still resonate widely. According to May 2013 study from Cone Communications and Echo Research, 82 percent of American consumers consider a company’s social responsibility when deciding whether to buy from them. And a recent Gallup meta-analysis found that companies that encourage employees to participate in activities that benefit the community have higher productivity and profitability than those with little or no employee engagement. Customers also noticed—those same small businesses had 12 percent higher customer loyalty. Being a good corporate citizen (regularly, if... --- ### Customer Loyalty: 6 Effortless Ways to WOW Your Customers > Create a loyal customer base by delivering a customer experience that is so good, they’ll fall in love with your brand and your product or service. - Published: 2016-11-17 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-loyalty/ - Categories: Small Business ”I genuinely believe that any business can create a competitive advantage through giving outstanding customer care. ” - Gary Vaynerchuk Customers are the heartbeat of your business. The truth is, no metric is more important to the success of your business than customer lifetime value (CLV). CLV directly determines the very core of the ultimate purpose of a business--which is maximizing value for your ideal customers. High CLV is a direct result of customer loyalty. Pretty much every successful business can be defined by a loyal customer base. A big part of creating a loyal customer base is to deliver a customer experience that is so good, they’ll fall in love with your brand and your product or service. Tony Hsieh of Zappos calls it delivering a "WOW experience. " In short, this means going the extra mile, surprising your customers, and making them feel special. Here are some examples. 1. Focus on the First Experience Think about new customers as a date and existing ones as a marriage. That’s, in fact, a great perspective to think about when it comes to delivering a great customer experience. The first experience is important. Don’t believe me? Just think about the last time you walked into a hotel. The front desk staff is always your first impression and a big signal as to the quality of your stay. In your business, new customers made a fresh decision to give you an opportunity and spend money with you. Still, there’s some anticipation of... --- ### Best Software for Your Marketing Agency, According to an Expert Owner > The best software for your marketing agency helps you get more done in less time without busting your budget. Here's a list of free or affordable tools. - Published: 2016-11-16 - Modified: 2020-09-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-software-marketing-agency/ - Categories: Agencies Whether you’re a small boutique agency with a few clients or a large agency supporting big brands, your software suite means everything to your business. The best software for your marketing agency maximizes efficiency while juggling multiple clients, builds multiple marketing campaigns in one place, and communicates with all of your clients to ensure they all feel like they’re receiving the best service from you. As an owner of a boutique marketing agency, I’ve carefully chosen software that has saved me hours of time and a lot of dollars. Here are my recommendations for the best software for your marketing agency — all of which I have carefully vetted and use frequently myself: Proposals Typeforms: Typeforms is an easy way to create user-friendly, slick surveys. It’s a great way to knock a few preliminary questions about of the way in a “New Client Survey” before creating a proposal. You can ask questions that will help save time and drive the conversation forward when having your first new client call and set you up for success when moving on to creating the customer proposal. Qwilr: Proposals are a giant, time-consuming beast when you’re an agency. They can take hours or days of work, and can oftentimes result in no business despite the time spent creating them. If you’re able to save blocks of content and speed up the process, this can save your agency tons of time and money. What I love about Qwilr is that you can create slick web-based... --- ### 7 Free and Easy Small Business PR Tactics > Public relations is crucial to the success of every business, big or small. Small businesses just have to take a more DIY approach to PR. - Published: 2016-11-15 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/free-small-business-pr/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business As a small business, you may not think you’re in the business of (or in need of) public relations, but you are. Public relations is crucial to the success of every business, big or small. The difference is that a small, budget-conscious business doesn’t have the luxury of hiring a high-priced PR firm, so you have to take a more DIY approach to mastering your public relations. These days there are lots of ways for small businesses to manage their own PR. For starters, social media--that great equalizer--has made it easier for small businesses to get the attention of editors and reporters. And most journalists are happier making contact directly with a potential source, rather than having to go through an agency or publicist first. Another plus? The expanding and evolving definition of media. No longer is media limited to traditional news outlets. Now there are a plethora of influential bloggers, YouTube influencers, online publications and podcasts that can be harnessed to help publicize your business. While small businesses don’t really need a pricey PR firm to promote themselves, they do need a solid and professional media outreach strategy. Here are seven inexpensive, creative and effective strategies for putting together a small business PR plan. 1. Craft a compelling story (or two). The surest way to get a reporter/blogger/editor to write about you and your business is to get their attention. And the way you do that is with good, old-fashioned storytelling. You won’t get coverage for just being a... --- ### GetApp Recognizes Hatchbuck as Marketing Automation Category Leader > SAINT LOUIS, MO, 11-14-16. Small business sales and marketing software provider, Hatchbuck, is excited to announce their ranking as a Category Leader on - Published: 2016-11-14 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/getapp-recognizes-hatchbuck-marketing-automation-category-leader/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News, Marketing Automation SAINT LOUIS, MO, 11-14-16. Small business sales and marketing software provider, Hatchbuck, is excited to announce their ranking as a Category Leader on GetApp’s Q4 Top 25 Marketing Automation list. GetApp is a software marketplace that helps businesses discover business apps. GetApp’s Category Leader rankings highlight the top 25 cloud-based business applications for every essential business operation, from marketing automation to HR and expense management. The ranking uses five unique data points to assess apps, giving software buyers a shortlist of some of the top cloud-based solutions for their growing business. GetApp ranks apps for Category Leaders based on the following criteria: User reviews – the number and average rating of reviews on GetApp. Integrations – the number of integrations with other apps listed on GetApp. Mobile Platforms – the availability of an Android and iOS app and its rating in Google Play and the App Store, respectively. Media Presence – the number of followers and fans on Twitter and Facebook, respectively. Security – based on a security survey developed by GetApp, modeled on the Cloud Security Alliance self-assessment form. Using this list as a point of reference, software buyers and small business owners can get a good sense of the market landscape for whichever software they are looking for. GetApp user, Matthew Hill, says, “After reviewing a number of marketing automation tools for my small business, I decided on Hatchbuck. It was the right decision. It's easy to use and their support, has been terrific. ” Hatchbuck is committed... --- ### Is Your Small Business Suffering a Holiday Slowdown? This Might Help. > Just because your business may slow to a crawl this time of year doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. Let’s talk about steps to improving holiday sales. - Published: 2016-11-11 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-holiday-slowdown/ - Categories: Small Business Ah, the holidays... . The happiest time of year filled with fun, family, friends, food... and stress. And let’s face it: the stress is only magnified for small business owners like you. For a B2C retail operation, chances are the holidays are the busiest sales season. It can be a busy and overwhelming time, but at least B2C retailers are making sales. But what if your business lives in the B2B space? Or your B2C business sells products that tend to be “out of sight and out of mind” during the holiday season (like patio furniture or swimming pool accessories)? Sales are probably slow and customer engagement may be even slower. So what’s the biggest reason small business owners face so much stress this time of year? Chances are, if you fall into the last two categories, it’s caused by a lack of customer engagement. Your potential buyers have checked out and gone on autopilot and decided not to decide – they keep telling you to “call after the holidays,” or ignore you altogether. Well, here’s some great news! Just because your business and customer engagement levels may slow to a crawl this time of year doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. Let’s talk about how you can improve both and get a solid start for the new year. Get In Their Heads. Above all, it helps to understand your audience’s mindset. They are just as distracted and busy as you are. It’s tough to break through the... --- ### Sales: A Delicate Balancing Act > In a small business, you need a healthy balance: You need to win sales now while building a sales success machine for the long term - Published: 2016-11-10 - Modified: 2016-11-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-balancing-act/ - Categories: Sales As if running a small business wasn’t already a time-consuming task, you have yet another obstacle: You need sales. And you need them now. Maybe you’re just getting started. Maybe your company is in a slump. Either way, you have to keep cash flow pumping and find a way to sell more of your products. Now! A lot of business owners and managers understand this and are solely focused on driving immediate sales. But in taking this approach, they often hurt their long-term results. By focusing so much on the here and now, they fail to take the crucial steps needed to build profitable, long-term customer relationships that will lead to those all-important repeat sales and solid lifetime customer value. That’s why you need a healthy balance: You need to win sales now while building a sales success machine for the long term. Sounds easy, right? It requires a plan and a process. Here's how to do it: Know Thy Buyer To build an effective short and long-term sales approach, it all starts with delivering the right message through the right medium to the right market. Make sure the group you're marketing and selling to actually wants and can afford what you offer. Similarly, when you're communicating with them, don’t make it about you. Rather shift the focus to their needs and how you can help them solve their greatest problems. And make sure you are communicating to them through their preferred marketing channels. In other words, don’t try to... --- ### 12 Blogs Your Marketing Agency Should Be Following > As a marketing agency, the only way to stay relevant is to read. Check out these blogs to stay on top of trends for your small business clients. - Published: 2016-11-09 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/12-blogs-marketing-agency/ - Categories: Agencies Keeping abreast of what’s happening the marketing industry—especially digital and social media marketing—is important for any business. But if your business is marketing, it’s essential, and if your clients are small businesses, you need a constant stream of new ideas and inspiration. Because small businesses have limited time and often limited resources, you have to find ways to be creative, clever and innovative to improve their customer experience. With so much noise out there, that can seem like a tough mountain to scale. Not to worry! You can find plenty of inspiration from others online (for free! ). Reading blogs that talk about how other agencies, as well as big and small business, are innovating in the marketing space, as well as staying on top of recent surveys, analyses of new survey data, new industry trends and strategies, are important in order to keep your finger on the pulse of the rapidly evolving marketing industry. No matter how experienced you are, the only way to stay relevant is to read. Here are 12 marketing blogs every agency—but especially those serving small businesses—should be following: Adland (@adland) This blog has been a staple of the advertising game for years. It’s an image-driven blog featuring all kinds of ground-breaking ads on a variety of media: television, social media, print and radio, and the stories behind them. Adland has an impressive library of ads from the past as well as what appears to be an archive of every Super Bowl commercial ever made.... --- ### Finding a Sales Process That Works For Your Team (And Your Customers) > There’s really no one “right” sales process. It’s based instead on your market, internal dynamics of your company and the needs of your team and customers. - Published: 2016-11-07 - Modified: 2022-10-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-process-that-works/ - Categories: Sales Every small business owner knows the key to predictable revenue and growth is a strong sales process. And just as important as having a solid process, is making sure it fits the team. Especially for a small business, where the sales team may wear other hats (or be two people), the process needs to mesh with their particular needs. The truth is, there’s really no one “right” sales process anyway. It’s based instead on your market (perhaps even your niche within the market), the internal dynamics of your company and culture, and the needs of your salespeople and customers. Building the process doesn’t have to feel like rocket science. At its core it’s just a fairly easy-to-follow progression of steps that allows your reps to control the sales conversation with potential buyers. Creating that process requires an understanding of both your sales people and your customers. Start with the customers you have. Ultimately the sales process is about your customer, so you need to know their challenges, objections sales people might face, and what a positive sales call looks like. You also want some direct feedback from customers about your product or service (which may also need tweaking). Making these preliminary calls is essential market research, allowing you to better understand your customers’ needs, so you can determine the best way to approach and sell to them moving forward. Establish criteria for qualifying leads. Clearly, you need “Someone” to sell you products and services to-But that doesn’t mean everyone. It’s... --- ### The Dos and Don'ts of Effective Business Networking > Small business is all about networking – building relationships and, in turn, building opportunities. Follow these rules for your next networking event. - Published: 2016-11-04 - Modified: 2016-11-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-dos-and-donts-of-effective-business-networking/ - Categories: Small Business Gatherings like industry association meetings, conferences, trade shows and networking events may feel like an awful lot of work when you’re already running a business. And some events may end up being a waste of your time, but face-to-face networking is a necessity if you want to grow. In fact, small business is all about networking – building relationships and, in turn, building opportunities. Those opportunities aren’t just referrals to new customers or recommendations for new business, either. Networking also gives you opportunities to better your business by sharing ideas and experiences with fellow business owners. That said, networking is an art, not a science, and there is an etiquette to it, one that is implicit and needs to be observed if you are to be successful. Here are five do’s and five don’ts to keep in mind when you’re networking at any sort of event. Do: Smile and introduce yourself. It sounds obvious, but there are many people that stand around—or worse, sit around--waiting for someone to approach them at networking events. Initiate conversations rather than waiting for someone else to start one. The goal is to meet as many people as you can, and to make those meetings memorable, by having a conversation with someone about their business, the industry, even their kids, long before asking for their business card. Remember that the whole goal of networking is to make a personal connection. Prepare conversation starters. Being prepared to socialize will make you less anxious and help you... --- ### How to Use WordPress as a Landing Page Builder > Among its other capabilities, WordPress can be a useful and efficient landing page builder for your small business. Use these tips to get started. - Published: 2016-11-03 - Modified: 2016-11-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/wordpress-landing-page-builder/ - Categories: Marketing If you’re using WordPress to build and manage your small business website, you’ve made a fantastic decision. WordPress is used by 60 percent of all websites running on a content management system (CMS), making it the most popular CMS platform out there. It’s popularity is in part because it is easy to use and free — the best of both worlds. In addition, as a WordPress user you have access to a library of more than 45,000 free (or inexpensive) plugins that can optimize your website design and content, and integrate with many other popular marketing tools. WordPress can also be used to create landing pages for your website without wasting time and money by asking your technology department or website designer (if you’re lucky enough to have a team that big) to create landing pages. The landing pages you create in WordPress can then be used in conjunction with your marketing automation efforts to host content and promotions, and collect leads to grow your business. It’s best practice to use a specific landing page for every advertising and marketing campaign, so you can track your efforts. For example, you should use a separate landing page for different AdWords campaigns and for every content download you create. On top of that, you can use landing pages to drive customers from an email campaign to your website for additional information. The uses of landing pages are endless and a big part of a smart growth strategy for any size business. Here... --- ### 4 Keys to Expanding Your Company Overseas > Expanding your company overseas isn’t as simple as expanding to the next city over. Follow these tips to make your overseas growth run smoothly. - Published: 2016-11-02 - Modified: 2016-10-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-keys-to-expanding-your-company-overseas/ - Categories: Small Business If you want to find great success as a business owner, you’re eventually going to need to expand. While there are plenty of places to expand to in the United States, some of the emerging markets in places like Asia present golden opportunities for businesses to make millions. However, exporting your business idea overseas isn’t as simple as expanding to the next city over from your hometown. Here are a few things you need to understand in order to expand your company overseas. 1. Understand International Politics If you want to expand your business into a foreign nation, it’s not going to be as simple as signing a few forms and calling your bank to obtain a business loan. Instead, you are going to need to do some politicking to work within the foreign system that exists in another nation. Learning about your target country’s business laws and developing diplomacy skills will allow you to build the relationships needed with to make that possible. 2. Understand Other Cultures At the core of succeeding in business overseas is understanding the culture of another nation. This includes understanding the language, the daily lives of average citizens, how their government operates, their religious beliefs and values, and much more. A master’s degree in diplomacy can help you immensely if you want to learn how to deal with nations in general, but it’s advised that you extensively research and visit the specific country you’re aiming to expand to. You should also be familiar with... --- ### 5 Tips to Prevent Conversion Funnel Hocus Pocus > Before you get bogged down with a bunch of conversion funnel hocus pocus, follow these five stages to build an effective, high-converting funnel. - Published: 2016-10-31 - Modified: 2016-10-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/prevent-conversion-funnel-hocus-pocus/ - Categories: Marketing Unfortunately for your sales process, more than 95% of people aren’t ready to buy anything the first time they visit your site. Even if you’re lucky to convert website visitors into sales leads, less than 50% are qualified or ready to make a purchase. The truth is different customers will travel on different buying journeys. Some may be just looking while some are ready to buy. Your goal as a marketer is to engage with people early in their buying process and convert as many visitors into paying customers. And luck has nothing to do with it. It’s all about having a solid process and strategy in place. Think of all that hard work you’re putting into growing traffic. No matter how you attract your visitors, the reality is that you’re going to lose most of them before they enter your sales funnel--Poof, they're gone. Your goal is to guide as many visitors as possible through the marketing funnel and to minimize that leakage. So before you get bogged down with a bunch of conversion hocus pocus, follow these five stages to build a high-converting funnel and grow the pool of your new leads for your business. Conversion Funnel: What is it? The basic idea of a conversion funnel is that first you attract traffic, then some of that traffic becomes interested in what you have to offer, and from that point you have their attention and your goal is to convert as many visitors into customers as possible. The... --- ### The Small Business Owner’s Guide To Email Marketing Success: Part 5 > Lost customers are an inevitable part of business. Here are some steps you can take as you work to win them back and how you can write a win-back email. - Published: 2016-10-28 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-small-business-owners-guide-to-email-marketing-success-part-5/ - Categories: Email Marketing, Small Business The Win-Back Email Welcome to the final installment of our email marketing series. In part 5, we’re going to help you overcome the inevitable: lost customers. Despite all of your hard work, persuasive and engaging email marketing messages, and superb customer service, some of your once enthusiastic customers have “slipped through the cracks. ” You won them over. They joined your email list. They went from being enthusiastic leads to happy, loyal customers who bought from you again and again. But now, nothing. They seem to have disappeared on you. Their disappearing act could occur for a number of reasons. They could have been won over by your competitor. Or maybe they had an unpleasant experience with your company’s product or staff. Don’t beat yourself up over it. It happens. And it will happen again. But there is something you can do about it. Hint: It involves email marketing. These former customers may not be buying from you at the moment. But they are still on your email list. Use this to your advantage. Here are some steps you can take as you work to win them back. First, use your email marketing software to create a segmented list of subscribers who are also previous buyers but haven’t bought in a while. Then send an email with the goal of getting their attention and getting back on their radar. Depending on your market and your brand voice, you may want to take an approach that playfully toys with their emotions.... --- ### The Small Business Owner’s Guide To Email Marketing Success: Part 4 > You need to deliver a positive customer experience before you start asking for referrals, but once you do, here's what a great referral email looks like. - Published: 2016-10-27 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-owners-guide-email-marketing-success-part-4/ - Categories: Email Marketing, Small Business The Referral Email Yesterday we covered the easiest sale you’ll ever make. And while it doesn’t get much more simple than selling to current customers, today we’ll discuss what might be the second easiest sale to make: referrals. “The single easiest way to double any business is for each customer to bring a customer. ” Bill Glazer Think about it: People buy from those sellers they know, like and trust. Your customer who tells his friends about you knows, likes and trusts you. And because your customer has spoken highly of you to his friend, that friend is likely to feel favorably toward your brand. In his mind, you are not likely in the suspect category of “just another salesman. ” You most likely already have a distinct advantage. Are you beginning to see how this advantage can translate to more sales for you? It can. And email marketing can help you. Today we’ll show you how. But first... Let’s talk about how email marketing will not help you get referrals. If you have not delivered as you promised, if you have not provided solid products and great customer service, sending an email to your customers asking for referrals will not help you -- it may even harm the relationship even further. If a company you bought from did a poor job and left a bad taste in your mouth and then had the audacity to ask for more business, would you send your friends to it? Of course not.... --- ### The Small Business Owner’s Guide To Email Marketing Success: Part 3 > Returning customers spend 20% more than first-time customers. Here's how to stay top of mind and leverage the upsell email for increased sales. - Published: 2016-10-26 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-small-business-owners-guide-to-email-marketing-success-part-3/ - Categories: Email Marketing, Small Business The Upsell Email Here we are at part three of the small business owner’s guide to email marketing success. Your email marketing campaign is going pretty well so far. You’ve succeeded at getting people to join your email list. You’ve succeeded at lead nurturing. And now, you’ve succeeded at winning customers. But here’s a word of caution: don’t get complacent. And don’t think your email marketing work is over. It’s not. You’re just getting warmed up. “The astute business owner understands that the purpose of a sale is to generate a customer. The lousy business owner thinks that the purpose of a customer is to generate a sale. One lasts much longer and has much more fun than the other. ” Dan Kennedy A lot of business owners and sales reps miss out on a golden opportunity that’s right in front of them – repeat sales to their previous buyers. Today, let’s talk about how email marketing might look AFTER you make the sale. Delight the Your Customers Have you ever felt unappreciated and taken for granted by a company you’ve bought from in the past? Not a pleasant feeling, right? Were you eager to buy from that company again? Of course not. The customer who feels jilted and forgotten is not likely to become the repeat buyer. So, before you consider email marketing to your customers, make sure that you're delivering a stellar customer experience. That means providing a seamless, positive experience for your customers at every touchpoint -... --- ### The Small Business Owner’s Guide To Email Marketing Success: Part 2 > Today, let’s talk about using a lead nurturing email to engage prospects and build momentum that drives subscribers toward the sale - Published: 2016-10-25 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-owners-guide-email-marketing-success-part-2/ - Categories: Email Marketing, Small Business The Lead Nurturing Email Hello again! Now that you’ve introduced your awesome brand to potential customers, we’re going to talk about one of the most important types of emails in the series: the lead nurturing email. We talk a lot about the value (and necessity) of lead nurturing in your inbound marketing efforts, and email is a huge part of that. A Must-Have For Email Marketing Success Congratulations! You’ve accomplished one of the most important goals of email marketing. You have a new lead. Someone has raised their hand and said, “Yes, I’m interested in finding out more about how you can help me. ” Now is not the time to be complacent. These interested parties are leads and prospects. They are not yet paying customers. In marketing and selling, what matters most is making the sale. What does it do for you if you get leads galore but never make a sale? Today, let’s talk about using email marketing to nurture leads, build momentum that drives subscribers toward the sale, and bridge the gap between opt-in and winning a sales appointment. You Want To Go Out Sometime? Business is like dating, in a lot of ways. In email marketing, your reader’s decision to join your list is like saying “Yes” to a date with you. Lead nurturing is the courtship. You’ve made some progress in the relationship, but you still need to move it further along before you make things official (ask for the sale). So engage in rapport... --- ### The Small Business Owner’s Guide To Email Marketing Success: Part 1 > The introductory email may be the first one-to-one action a potential customer has with your brand - so you better nail it. - Published: 2016-10-24 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-owners-guide-email-marketing-success-part-1/ - Categories: Email Marketing, Small Business The Introductory Email Welcome back! Now that you’ve been introduced to the benefits and best practices for small business email marketing, we’re going to dive into the first part of the series: the introductory email. This is may be the first one-to-one action a potential customer has with your brand so you better nail it. So what do you say we take a look at a sample introductory email from our friend Bob? In a moment, I’ll explain specific aspects you will want to consider when putting together your introductory email. +++ Subject Line: Hey Scott! Thanks for Joining the Community Hi Scott, I'm delighted you've joined Rocket Marketing's email community and want to thank you for your interest in our free guide, “How to Get the Most Value from Your Website Redesign. ” I think you will love our expert tips on how to save money, time and headaches on your next website overhaul. You'll also learn how to make sure that your website generates more leads and customers after the project is finished. Be sure to access it here. If you're thirsty for even more advice on getting the most out of your next web design project, we’ve got daily updates on our blog and Twitter page daily. Have a burning question we can answer for you right away? Shoot me an email at bob@rocketmarketing. com or call us directly at 555-633-2727. Thanks again, and have a wonderful day! Bob p. s. Be sure to add us to... --- ### The Small Business Owner’s Guide To Email Marketing Success: Introduction > Email marketing offers a multitude of advantages and should play a huge role in your small business strategy.This series will help you do it the right way. - Published: 2016-10-21 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/intro-small-business-owners-guide-email-marketing/ - Categories: Small Business Here’s a tough reality for small business owners like you: You absolutely must sell your products or services to stay in business. And to experience maximum sales success, you need to support your efforts with effective marketing strategies. In this six-part series, we will talk about one of the most powerful tools available to help small business owners like you enjoy more marketing success – email. Email marketing offers a multitude of advantages. It can help you drive traffic to your website. It can help you build a powerful, well-regarded brand. It can help you make those all-important repeat sales and develop lasting, profitable customer relationships. Do it right, and you can experience a huge boost to your marketing and lead generation results. But do it wrong and not only will it hurt your marketing efforts, it could very well impact your results and damage your reputation. This series will help you do it the right way. Starting Monday, we will take a look at five recommended stages of the email marketing process: Introductory Email (New Leads) Lead Nurturing Email (Prospects) Upsell Email (New Customers) Referral Email (Current Customers) Win-Back Email (Former Customers) We will talk about the specifics of and suggestions for email messages at each stage in the customer journey. We’ll also include a written example of how each email might look. Today, let’s set the stage by talking about general practices that can help you ensure email marketing success: Make Your Copywriting Count Remember that you are... --- ### 10 Top-Notch Twitter Handles Your Agency Should Follow > Twitter is the perfect place to keep a pulse on the world of digital marketing. Here’s a list of thought leaders, experts and digital strategists to follow. - Published: 2016-10-20 - Modified: 2022-11-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-twitter-handles-marketing-agency-should-follow/ - Categories: Agencies As a marketing agency, you’re expected to be on top of your game when it comes to marketing trends and technology. But when the pace of digital marketing moves so quickly, it can be tough to keep up. Twitter is the perfect place to keep a pulse on the world of digital marketing. In real time you can spot emerging and changing trends, learn about new technology, stay abreast of news across the industry and keep up with a variety of content channels--publications, experts, authors, research groups and consultants. Not only does following marketing influencers on Twitter keep you in the know, but it can also help your audience look to your own Twitter profile as the go-to resource for trending news and information in your speciality - whether you’re an SEO expert, content marketing guru or web design master. Here’s a round-up of thought leaders, experts, top creatives and digital strategists who are tweeting about marketing. Follow these ten Twitter handles to fuel new ideas, broaden your team’s perspective and stay at the top of your game: @Adweek It may not be groundbreaking to suggest you follow Adweek, but it’s important. Adweek covers the world of marketing, media and agencies and as a publication--and a Twitter feed--its finger is on the intersection of all of them. Tweets introduce new online magazines, news about mergers and breakups, profiles of creative shops, and breaking news about all forms of media, new apps, new technology and more. @Kantrowitz Alex Kantrowitz is a... --- ### Building Trust Through Social Engagement > Looking to build brand awareness and consumer trust via social engagement, but not sure where to start? These tactics will help you get started. - Published: 2016-10-19 - Modified: 2016-10-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/building-trust-social-engagement/ - Categories: Marketing In today's social media obsessed world, it's both easier and more complicated than ever to build consumer trust. The simple solution, of course, is to get active on social media -- an approach used by 81 percent of SMBs, according to a 2014 LinkedIn study. But merely establishing a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn is not good enough; your social media presence must be tackled in a strategic way, while maintaining approachability . Additionally, your pages must be promotional (in the sense that followers understand what your business does), but never spammy. Above all else, social media content must be engaging. Looking to build brand awareness and consumer trust via social engagement, but not sure where to start? These tactics will take your social media for small business efforts to the next level: Focus on Informative Content Social media users do not follow accounts that constantly send them spammy links and videos. Self-promotion is acceptable, and at times, necessary, but it should be infused into an overarching strategy that focuses primarily on informative, useful, and engaging content. Even promotional content should teach readers something. The goal should always be to establish yourself as an authority in your industry, without coming across as overly self-promotional. Buffer, a social media scheduling tool, does a great job of adding value to their audience without pushing a hard-sell. For instance, in this post they share a guide to help marketers create more engaging video content. Instead of pushing their product, they build trust... --- ### How to Create a Killer Mission Statement – And Use It to Grow Your Company > Committing your purpose to paper in a formal mission statement can be a valuable way to align your team and attract the right employees in the future. - Published: 2016-10-18 - Modified: 2016-10-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/create-mission-statement-small-business/ - Categories: Leadership When you first started your company, your mission was crystal clear: You were going to get your business off the ground. But since your business really got rolling, the real purpose behind your product or service may have gotten blurrier. You’ve probably gone beyond just providing a product or service your customers need. For instance, a coffee shop that set out to serve great coffee to commuters may have gone beyond that and become an evening gathering spot for the local arts community. Committing your purpose to paper in a formal mission statement can be a valuable way to align your team and attract the right employees in the future. Fortunately, you don’t have to lock yourself away for eight hours at an offsite location or hire a pricey consultant to come up with a mission statement. Use these tips to create a mission statement on a small business budget. Explore your options. One of the best ways to get started on your mission statement is to look at the mission statements of companies you admire and aspire to emulate. What they have written (and the way they embody that statement) will give you an idea of what a good mission statement looks like. One good source of inspiration is MissionStatements. com, a site that includes more than 1,000 mission statements. Go to the “company” section, and you’ll find mission statements of many Fortune 500 companies whose names you will recognize. Here are some samples of well-known company mission statements:... --- ### Trick Question: Should Social Media Be a Brand Awareness or Acquisition Channel? > Social media should be seen as both a brand awareness and acquisition channel, and metrics should be associated accordingly. - Published: 2016-10-14 - Modified: 2022-09-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-brand-awareness-acquisition/ - Categories: Marketing Since the onset of social media in 2007, brands have known there is value to be extracted from sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. At the same time, they’ve struggled to measure the return on investment of their social marketing efforts and justify their spend in these channels. Even still in 2016, proving social media ROI remains the number one challenge for brand marketers, according to Social Media Examiner’s 2016 Social Media Marketing Industry Report. During my 12+ years working as a brand marketer, I have worked for large Fortune 500 companies who used light metrics to measure social media efforts - such as followers and the total reach of a campaign. I have also worked for high-growth startups who wanted to drive accounts using social media, utilizing social media as more of an acquisition channel. Which approach is correct? The truth is, they both are. Social media should be seen as both a brand awareness and acquisition channel, and metrics should be associated accordingly. Here’s how to use and track social media within these two important marketing metrics: Social Media As A Brand Awareness Channel If I had to pick between using social media as a brand awareness or acquisition channel, I would say brand awareness is more closely aligned with social media’s true function. Social media at its core is truly at the top of the marketing funnel — it is a place to begin and build relationships. It is the face of your brand online... --- ### 4 Ideas for Generating Leads Through Content Marketing   > When it comes to online lead generation for your small business, content marketing still ranks as one of the most effective tools. - Published: 2016-10-13 - Modified: 2016-10-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/generating-leads-content-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing We don’t mean to beat a dead horse here, but today it’s more true than ever that content is king. When it comes to online lead generation for your small business, content marketing still ranks as one of the most effective (and cheapest tools) to build brand credibility and drive traffic to your site. So if your online traffic has been waning, now is the time to start looking at how you can boost your online presence by revamping your content strategy. Here are a few ideas to get you started. 1. Add visual content to your content marketing strategy. Often when business owners think about content marketing, strictly text-based content is what comes to mind. However, video and images play a huge role in generating more leads. Studies show that by the year 2017, as much as 69 percent of web traffic will be attributed to video content. Not only does visual content help get your message across quickly on your website, but it generates high engagement on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Not to mention image-centric platforms like Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat are becoming social media staples as well. To work visual content into your content marketing strategy, test different types of video and images on your website and on social media. Whether it’s video product reviews or a quick tutorial video, implementing video content and visuals into your website and social platforms is sure to have a positive impact on your audience engagement. 2.... --- ### The 8 Best Leadership Blogs for Small Business Owners > Reading is one of the best tools to help you strengthen your leadership muscles. Here are some blogs that will help you stay inspired and keep growing. - Published: 2016-10-12 - Modified: 2021-09-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-leadership-blogs-small-business/ - Categories: Leadership There’s nothing more rewarding than building your own business—but running the show can also be challenging. When you’re the boss, your words and actions can be amplified in the minds of your employees, so you have to pay more attention to the messages you are sending than you may be accustomed to. Reading is one of the best tools to help you strengthen your leadership muscles and communicate to your team effectively. Here are some blogs that will help you stay inspired and keep growing. The Tim Ferriss Show (@TimFerrisBlog) Tim Ferriss put himself on the map with The 4-Hour Workweek—his guide to getting more done in less time— and has followed up with The 4-Hour Body and The 4-Hour Chef. In his never-boring blog, the larger-than-life productivity guru features podcasts from innovators such as Peter Diamandis, chairman and CEO of the XPRIZE Foundation, thought leaders including Malcolm Gladwell, and motivational speakers such as Tony Robbins and more. If you can’t get enough of Ferriss, you can also subscribe to his email newsletter, 5-Bullet Friday, where he highlights topics like “What I’m listening to” and “What I’m reading. ” Seth Godin (@ThisIsSethsBlog) Author of 17 bestselling books—among them Purple Cow and Tribes—Godin writes a blog that is short and sweet, but probes deep below the surface when it comes to leadership. An overriding theme of his blog is the importance of doing great work—even if the crowds are clamoring for something less. Consider what Godin has to say about reputation:... --- ### How to Nurture Leads The Right Way > It takes more than investing in a lead nurturing tool to nurture cold leads into sales-ready prospects. You need a solid lead nurturing strategy as well. - Published: 2016-10-11 - Modified: 2016-10-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/nurture-leads/ - Categories: Marketing If you want to generate higher-quality leads while dramatically improving the efficiency of your sales funnel, lead nurturing has to be part of your sales process - that’s a no-brainer. Forrester Research reports that companies that excel at lead nurturing generate 50% more sales-ready leads at 33% lower cost. While lead nurturing makes complete sense for businesses that want to generate more revenue and decrease customer acquisition costs, it’s not always easy to put a process in place. It takes more than investing in a lead nurturing tool to nurture cold leads into sales-ready prospects. You need a solid lead nurturing strategy to close the gap between failure and success. Lead Nurturing Tactics vs. Lead Nurturing Strategy With a small business CRM and marketing automation software, you can implement any of the lead nurturing tactics you need. For instance, you can send autoresponders to a lead that fill out a form on your website. You can create a 5-step nurturing campaign. You can automatically create follow-up tasks for your salespeople. But, without a big picture strategy, these tactics won’t add up to success. Lead nurturing is key component of your overall inbound marketing strategy. If you aren’t adding new leads to your database every month, you don’t have a need for nurturing. (If this sounds like you, check out our lead generation course for helpful tips on capturing new leads every month. ) To really excel at lead nurturing, you have to understand how you can help move cold leads... --- ### How To Avoid The Biggest Small Business Marketing Pitfalls > With all the latest marketing options available to your business it can be confusing, overwhelming and become a major resource drain. - Published: 2016-10-10 - Modified: 2022-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-mistakes/ - Categories: Marketing Since you’re reading this, chances are you’re a small business owner or manager responsible for marketing your small business. You know that if you want to grow sales, you need to invest in the right marketing tactics. But which ones? With all the latest marketing options available to your business it can be confusing, overwhelming and become a major resource drain. The truth is, we can’t keep up with it all -- social media, email marketing, content, blogs, SEO, PPC, trade shows... . . whew. But we try anyway. And in doing so, it’s easy to get distracted and lose focus on what truly matters and get enamored with marketing initiatives that in the end don’t drive sales or pay the bills. Focus on what matters. Ignore, or at least minimize, what doesn’t. So, what is it that we so often focus on that may either be meaningless or not all that important in the big picture of small business marketing success? One common area for most businesses is social media. In fact studies show that 43 percent of small businesses spend about six hours per week on social media -- buying into the hype of likes, follows and shares. Don’t get me wrong, social media can definitely be a valuable small business marketing tactic. It can help indicate the word is getting out about your business. Social may also solidify your brand and build trust as well as TOMA (or top of mind awareness) with your audience. The main... --- ### How to Effectively Leverage Social Media With Limited Time > Have your small business social accounts been forgotten? If so, don’t get discouraged. You don't have to devote a lot of time to social to be successful. - Published: 2016-10-07 - Modified: 2022-08-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/leverage-social-media-limited-time/ - Categories: Marketing A Guest Post by Katie Alteri, Content Marketing Manager at Fora Financial. As a small business owner, you’re accustomed to balancing a variety of tasks. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough hours in the day to complete everything you’d like to do to - like growing your business’s marketing efforts. Have your small business’s social media accounts been put on the back burner? If so, don’t get discouraged. It’s a common misconception that in order to be successful on social media, you have to devote a lot of time to it. We have some simple hacks that will help you develop your business’s social media presence- without taking away too much time from your other responsibilities: Determine where your customers are posting – You might think that in order to become a social media guru, you’ll need to create an account for your business on every platform. This isn’t necessary, we promise! Don’t bother posting to a platform that your customer base isn’t interested in. Instead, see which platforms your customers are interacting with you on now, and focus your efforts there. For instance, if you own a retail store, you might get great engagement on Facebook, while another industry does better on Google+ or Twitter. Not every industry or business will be the same, so concentrate on sites that your audience appreciates. Think about what content will resonate with your customers – With limited time, you’ll need to be strategic about what you share on social media. Think about your customers... --- ### Are You Failing At Content Marketing? > You may have jumped on the content marketing bandwagon like your peers, but now you're disappointed with the results. So what can you do about it? - Published: 2016-10-06 - Modified: 2019-12-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/failing-content-marketing/ - Categories: Content Marketing, Marketing Content marketing. It’s all the rage these days. Seems like everyone in business is talking about it. Many are writing about it (including us). There’s probably no topic in the modern business world and media that receives more attention. Do a Google search and you will get almost 52 million results. And there is probably no marketing tactic surrounded by more hype. Like a lot of small business owners, chances are you jumped on the content marketing bandwagon with high hopes that it would help propel you to previously unreached marketing and sales success. And like a lot of your peers, maybe you are disappointed with your content marketing results. So what can you do about it? Well, let’s talk about that. And for our purposes, we will discuss both content marketing and copywriting. As this Copyblogger article points out, you need both. By the way, Copyblogger, is a stellar resource for small business owners like you wanting to enjoy more content marketing success. But First... In today’s marketing world with all of the great technology and superb ideas available, it’s easy to fall for “shiny object syndrome” - that is to think that one single tactic or one single channel will solve all of your marketing woes. Not gonna happen. You need a strategic, unified, integrated approach to marketing, in which copywriting and content marketing play key roles. Are You Writing Wrong? The type of copy and content writing that will bring you the level of success you want... --- ### These Are the Main Reasons Your Marketing Emails Aren’t Converting > But with every email campaign you send out, you could be missing out on conversions. Which means you’re ultimately leaving money on the table. - Published: 2016-10-05 - Modified: 2016-10-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-emails-arent-converting/ - Categories: Marketing Among all marketing channels, email has the highest potential to deliver growth, revenue and return on investment (ROI). It’s the most efficient marketing tool, that returns, on average, $38 for each $1 spent according to a recent study by eConsultancy. That’s an ROI of 3800%! And companies in the top 20% report even higher ROI which means they can make returns of 7000%+. But with every email campaign you send out, you could be missing out on conversions. Which means you’re ultimately leaving money on the table. The only question is: how much? So why aren’t your email campaigns performing as well as they could be? Let’s start with the fundamentals. You Don’t Really Follow Your Data A lot of companies that claim to be data driven really aren’t - they follow the high-level best practices and don’t go beyond that. As a result, they’re not really growing, they’re not innovating, and they’ll end up as a follower rather than a trailblazer among competitors. Yes, there are plenty of case studies and valuable information out there surrounding data practices, but at the end of the day, your market and your customers are unique and nobody understands them better than you. (Unless it’s your competition, then you're in trouble) Today data rules the world of marketing. You should always be A/B testing, analyzing user behavior and talking to customers and prospects to understand their motivations. As advertising legend David Ogilvy once said: “Never stop testing, and your advertising will never stop... --- ### Gartner Recognizes Hatchbuck as a CRM FrontRunner > SAINT LOUIS, MO, 10-4-16. Small business sales and marketing software provider, Hatchbuck, is excited to announce their ranking on the 2016 FrontRunners - Published: 2016-10-04 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/gartner-recognizes-hatchbuck-crm-frontrunner/ - Categories: BenchmarkONE News SAINT LOUIS, MO, 10-4-16. Small business sales and marketing software provider, Hatchbuck, is excited to announce their ranking on the 2016 FrontRunners for the CRM Software quadrant powered by Gartner, a leading IT research and advisory firm. Similar in design to Gartner’s Magic Quadrant, the FrontRunners quadrant provides a data-driven assessment of top performing products that offer the best capability and value for small businesses. “We’re on a mission at Hatchbuck to provide small businesses with affordable, easy-to-use sales and marketing tools, so we’re delighted and honored that Gartner has selected us as one of the best CRM options for small businesses,” says Don Breckenridge, Hatchbuck’s CEO & Co-Founder. Hatchbuck’s all-in-one sales and marketing platform includes a CRM, email marketing, and marketing automation tools in one application. The app caters to small business owners who do not have the resources to implement a costly integration between CRM and marketing automation tools or to manage an enterprise system in house. The FrontRunners quadrant uses real user reviews and ratings from all three Gartner Digital Markets sites (softwareadvice. com, capterra. com and getapp. com), public data sources and data from providers. “Our product relies heavily on customer education,“ says Sarah Badahman, founder of HIPAAtrek in a review on capterra. com. “Hatchbuck makes the process of educating our customers so incredibly simple! The ability to track which articles are read more frequently is an absolute God-send. The web-page tracking and online forms help us to convert web visitors to customers as well as... --- ### Don’t Forget These 4 Simple Email Nurturing Strategies to Improve Customer Loyalty > Keeping customers engaged with your brand post-sale is a vital part of scaling revenue - if you aren’t keeping in touch, you’re leaving money on the table. - Published: 2016-10-03 - Modified: 2016-10-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-nurturing-strategies/ - Categories: Marketing Once you’ve landed a new customer, you’re on your way to earning repeat and bigger purchases. Customers that have bought from you once are three times as likely to purchase from you again, and repeat customers will spend 20% more with your business than first-time buyers. Keeping customers engaged with your brand after the sale is a crucial part of scaling revenue - if you aren’t keeping in touch, you’re leaving money on the table. That’s where email nurturing comes in. Email nurturing is an automated way to stay top of mind with your customer base through the pairing of marketing automation with your CRM database. Here are four simple nurturing emails you can use to build a customer loyalty and drive repeat sales. Welcome New Leads To Your Business An excellent, logical first step when adding a new customer is to welcome them with an introductory email. With marketing automation, you can automate your welcome email to send when someone fills out a form on one of your landing pages, or when a contact’s status is updated to “customer. ” Your welcome email can be short and sweet, but it’s a good idea to summarize in bulleted format what they can expect to receive from you in the nurture series. You can also link to further information for them to check out, and include a contact phone number or email if they’d like to get a hold of you. The following are some examples of great welcome emails I’ve... --- ### 4 Tried and True Strategies to Grow Your Email List Effectively > The struggle is real. We’ve got four fresh ideas for building what could be your most valuable marketing resource - your email list. - Published: 2016-09-30 - Modified: 2016-09-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-ways-grow-email-list/ - Categories: Marketing When it comes to marketing to your audience, email has the highest conversion rate (66%), when compared to social, direct mail and more (DMA). You can offer the lowest price or best product on the market, but if you don’t have a way to reach your prospects and customers on a one-to-one basis through email, you’ll have trouble converting prospective buyers into customers. Even if you do have an email list of thousands of contacts, your list can go stale over time. People change jobs, lose interest, abandon email addresses and so on. You have to make a conscious effort to continually build your subscriber list year over year (and ensure that those contacts are qualified and interested in what you have to offer). If you’re building your email list from scratch (or using the same tired pop-ups or display ads with less than stellar results), we’ve got four fresh ideas for building what could be your most valuable marketing resource - your email list: Give Them a Free Education Email drip courses are a powerful way to generate and nurture leads. You set up a landing page where people can signup and then you build out a campaign of emails that will be sent out periodically. Each email contains one lesson. For instance, if you run a mobile app development agency, you can create a 10-lesson course on finding and testing the right idea for a new mobile app. This would contain topics like idea generation, market research, wireframing,... --- ### Marketing Agencies: Here are 100 Ideas To Develop Your Blog > A blog can be one of the best inbound marketing tools for marketing agencies. Here are 100 simple content ideas to get you started. - Published: 2016-09-29 - Modified: 2022-11-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-agencies-blog/ - Categories: Agencies As a marketing agency, one of the best inbound marketing tools you can use to promote your agency and its services is your blog. However, when you’re busy running your agency and delivering kickass campaigns to your customers, it can be tough to carve out the time to blog. Here are 100 simple content ideas for your agency blog. All you have to do is supply the words and stellar grammar. Happy blogging! Ask an Expert 1. Ask top marketing industry influencers to chime in on a recent marketing event or topic, then feature a roundup of influencer opinions. 2. Ask marketing experts their advice on a marketing task or topic, then feature a roundup of this expert advice. 3. Do a Q&A with digital marketing experts. 4. Use Help a Reporter Out to source expert opinions on a topic that’s important to your customers. 5. Follow relevant marketing groups on LinkedIn and find recent questions from participants, then write blog posts based on these questions. 6. Search Quora for popular marketing questions, answer the question in your blog and feature some quotes and advice from Quora in the blog. 7. Poll your audience on social media and write about the results. Become a News Source 8. Run a weekly or monthly roundup series of marketing news. 9. Create a roundup of must-read marketing books for the year. 10. Curate a blog around a piece of timely marketing news and add your agency’s opinion. 11. Take a current event topic... --- ### The Basics of Setting Up an Effective Facebook Business Page > A Facebook business page can be a great, free asset for small businesses. It holds a lot of potential to reach your target audience when executed correctly. - Published: 2016-09-28 - Modified: 2022-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/facebook-business-page/ - Categories: Marketing A Facebook business page can be an integral way to keep in touch with your existing customers—and can help you plug into a massive audience of new prospects. The social media giant had 1. 13 billion daily active users as of June 2016. You may already have a personal Facebook page, but if you haven’t already created a business page, doing so may seem daunting. The good news is that’s easy to create one. As of 2015, more than 40 million small businesses had active Facebook business pages. There’s a reason that so many small business owners are spending the time and effort on Facebook: it’s free and holds a lot of potential to reach your target audience when executed correctly. Here’s a crib sheet to get you started quickly: Nail the basics. Facebook offers an excellent tutorial on how to set up your business page. Once you’ve logged in to your personal account, click the drop arrow in the top right corner and choose “Create Page. ” From there it’s a matter of choosing a business category, such as “local business or place” or “company, organization or institution,” choosing an industry-specific category such as “American restaurant,” or “Antiques and vintage,” and filling out your profile as extensively as possible. It’s important to accurately classify your business so that your company will appear in related searches on Facebook. Fill out your profile. Facebook allows you to include a lot of information about your business that can pull customers to you,... --- ### Tools Your Small Business Can Use to Evaluate Employee Personalities > Assessing employee personalities can help you sniff out the strengths and weaknesses of your team, so you can put everyone in a position to shine. - Published: 2016-09-27 - Modified: 2016-09-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tools-evaluate-employee-personalities/ - Categories: Small Business In a small business, there’s nowhere to hide an employee who isn’t pulling their weight. Hiring the right fit is a big part of small business success, but so is making the most of the awesome talent you have right under your nose. Sometimes, all it takes is a little imagination and a little rearranging to maximize the productivity of your team. Maybe you have a great employee in the wrong role. Or perhaps you’re making two team members work closely together when there’s natural friction between them. Assessing your employees’ personality types can help you sniff out the strengths and weaknesses of your team, so you can put everyone in a position to shine. Employees who use their strengths every day are six times more likely to be engaged in their jobs. In fact, many big companies, like Target, are incorporating personality assessments into their employment applications. We’ve compiled a list of the most user-friendly, easily accessible assessments to help you hire the right fit and maximize the talents of your team: Myers-Briggs Best For: Adjusting a team member’s responsibilities to help them perform better in their role. Image Credit: Washington Post You’ve most likely heard of, or even taken, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality test, as it’s one of the most popular personality assessments out there. This test breaks people down into 16 personality types, which are based on four distinct factors: Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I) Sensing (S) or Intuition (N) Thinking (T) or Feeling (F)... --- ### 8 Invaluable Lessons Small Business Owners Can Learn from Mark Cuban > Mark Cuban is an influencer in the entrepreneurship space and one of the world’s savviest business leaders. Small business owners should follow his lead. - Published: 2016-09-26 - Modified: 2016-09-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lessons-from-mark-cuban/ - Categories: Leadership Mark Cuban is the American dream. He owns an NBA team, has billions in the bank and never stops hustling. He could very easily fall off the grid and live the rest of his life on a remote island (see: Necker). But instead, he continues to be an incredible influencer in the entrepreneurship space and one of the world’s most savvy businessmen. We could also benefit from taking a page out of his book. Learn your industry like the back of your hand. “Sweat equity is the most valuable equity there is. Know your business and industry better than anyone else in the world. Love what you do or don't do it. ” Every small business owner knows that you have to be willing to put in the hours. While sales are important so is ongoing industry education. You need to be on top of new trends and changes or your competitors will leave you in their dust. Give it your all (or forget it). "Don't start a company unless it's an obsession and something you love. If you have an exit strategy, it's not an obsession. " Starting a small business is not for the faint of heart. If you’re willing to give up the stability of your 9 - 5 to venture out on your own, you better be darn sure you love what you’re doing or get out fast. Believe in your idea (and find the data to back it up). "What I've learned is that if... --- ### 5 Keys to Delivering a Stellar Customer Experience Online > The other night I went out to dinner (at a restaurant that shall remain nameless) and was totally underwhelmed by my customer experience. Crabby waitress, - Published: 2016-09-23 - Modified: 2022-07-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-keys-delivering-stellar-customer-experience-online/ - Categories: Marketing The other night I went out to dinner (at a restaurant that shall remain nameless) and was totally underwhelmed by my customer experience. Crabby waitress, poor service and the food was, well ... . meh. Not to mention the menu had about 8 million options and I had no clear idea of what they were good at or what I should order -- analysis paralysis set in. Chances are I won’t be returning to that restaurant anytime soon. I’m sure you can relate -- after all, who hasn’t had a bad customer experience? Today, a positive or negative customer experience (CX) is the make or break factor for your small business success. Especially in this hyper-connected era of online reviews and automated customer service. Consumers have access to a plethora of information online and more choices than ever. And they are impatient. They want what they want when they want it. Whether you are working in the B2C or B2B marketing world, your potential customers are busy and have short attention spans (shorter than the attention span of a goldfish, remember? ). The online world can be a distracting, chaotic place. Not only do you have to gain your readers’ and website visitors’ attention, you have to keep it. You have to deepen it. You have to reward it. You have to build momentum that leads visitors to become buyers. Succeed at delivering a great customer experience, and you will reap the rewards. Fail and your business will suffer. So... --- ### With Inbound Marketing, The Little Guys Can Compete With The Big Boys > Inbound marketing can be an incredible asset for agencies when executed successful. Jon Frank of Gorilla76 shares insights on how to leverage inbound. - Published: 2016-09-22 - Modified: 2016-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-agency/ - Categories: Agencies Jon Franko is a founding partner of Gorilla 76, an inbound marketing agency for the industrial sector. Jon has experienced the rise of inbound marketing throughout his career in advertising and took time to share his insights on the value of big data, what marketing strategies work today and where marketing is headed. Gorilla 76 specifically focuses on inbound marketing for the industrial sector. Can you briefly touch on what you mean by inbound marketing, and why it's important in today's business climate? Inbound marketing is simply the practice of attracting customers to you versus going out and hunting them down. It's pull marketing versus push. In today's B2B environment, buyers are wanting this more and more. We're all sick of the cold calls and disruptive ads. As potential buyers, we want to do our own research and reach out when we feel the time is right. One of Gorllla 76's main goals is to attract the right kind of traffic to a company's website. Can you give an example of what the right kind of traffic might be? What are some methods you might use to attract that audience? The right kind of traffic is the traffic that comes from one of our targeted buyer personas. Buyer personas are simply fictional representations of a company's buyers. There are often two or three or even more buyers that we want to target with our marketing. That's the right kind of traffic. We attract those visitors through a variety of methods... --- ### No HR Department? Use These Resources to Fill in The Gaps. > With the right systems and tools at your disposal, human resources can be an asset to your small business without taking too much of your precious time. - Published: 2016-09-21 - Modified: 2024-10-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/human-resources-tools/ - Categories: Small Business When it’s comes to human resources, you have to tread lightly. There are plenty of missteps that can be taken (which can cost you and your business dearly). But with the right resources and tools at your disposal, HR can be an asset to your small business without taking too much of your precious time. Here are a few online tools to take the pain out of human resources, recruiting sites and suggestions to make hiring a breeze and online resources to keep your small business up-to-date on everything happening in HR land. Refine Your Arsenal of Tools Based On Your Needs HR is never going to be a one size fits all process. Needs, capabilities and perks will vary from business to business. Luckily, the industry is rapidly evolving and numerous marketplaces and all-in-one tools such as factoHR, Bamboo HR, Effortless HR and Zenefits exist at varying price points and with a wide range of offerings. These tools can effectively replace your HR department when utilized strategically (if that’s what you’re looking to do). Other more niche tools such as When I Work, a scheduling and time tracking tool, can assist on the more technical side of human resources. WhenIWork offers guides, templates and checklists to make sure nothing slips through the cracks. It’s incredibly important to note that none of these tools will replace the most important aspect of traditional HR duties: company culture. So make sure that you have protocols in place for building and fostering a... --- ### Effective Lead Nurturing: Your Business Can’t Succeed Without It > While lead generation is key to driving leads to your digital doorstep, lead nurturing is fundamental if you want to convert those leads into customers. - Published: 2016-09-20 - Modified: 2023-04-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/effective-lead-nurturing/ - Categories: Marketing You need leads. You need a steady stream of prospects who are interested in doing business with you coming through that marketing funnel. Granted, you’d like them to buy your product the second they find you, but even when they’re looking for the type of solution you offer and have the means to pay for it, immediate action is a rarity - especially for B2B businesses. Lead generation takes a lot of work - whether it’s investing time and resources into a strategy like content marketing, or putting marketing spend towards online advertising. So it’s a shame to see most of your hard work go to waste when only a few your hard-earned leads buy what you’re selling. That’s where lead nurturing comes in. While lead generation is key to driving leads to your digital doorstep, lead nurturing is fundamental if you want to convert a higher percentage of those leads into customers. Here’s how it works: Provide Value From Day One. Building a relationship with prospective buyers from day one until they are ready to pull the trigger is critical to your marketing and sales success. Start the lead nurturing process from the moment your potential customers first become aware of you. Most often, this first interaction will be through your website. You want your site to be your online marketing hub, so you better be sure that it’s optimized effectively. The longer your visitors stay on your site, and the more often they return, the more likely they... --- ### Social Etiquette For Approaching Influencers and Winning Brand Advocates > As consumers change the way they engage with brands, there has been a huge shift to influencer marketing. Follow these tips to build trust with influencers. - Published: 2016-09-19 - Modified: 2024-06-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/influencer-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing Influencer marketing is all the buzz. As consumers change the way they engage with brands and buy products online, there has been a huge shift as to the importance of influencers and brand advocates. While marketing strategies such as paid advertising can be effective in reaching your audience, there’s no substitute for getting a shout-out from key influencers your customers trust. In fact recent studies reveal that 92 percent of people trust recommendations from individuals over brands. So whether your goal is to get mentioned in a popular magazine such as Forbes, on the blog or Facebook page of a guru in your industry, or an interview on a hot podcast, similar rules of etiquette apply. Those rules can seem a bit cryptic if you don’t have a background in public relations or media. Here is a quick crash course in the social etiquette for approaching influencers and building brand advocates. Don’t Waste Their Time Most influencers protect coveted relationships with their audience and followers. That means if you are going to get them in your corner you need to make it about them, not you. We all love talking about what we do best, but to succeed in winning over influencers and brand advocates, keep your focus on helping them and their fans. Read up on what they are passionate about and think of ways you can make their life easier and further their cause. If you approach them with the idea of being a resource, instead of the... --- ### Create Branded Small Business Videos on Your iPhone for Cheap > Videos are a great compliment to a content marketing strategy and make your brand voice come alive through voice and action. - Published: 2016-09-16 - Modified: 2021-10-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/branded-videos-iphone/ - Categories: Marketing YouTube is the second largest search engine next to Google, and it is predicted that by 2017, video will account for 74 percent of all web traffic. What these two statistics should tell you is that it is important to start thinking about a video strategy for your brand. Videos are a great compliment to a content marketing strategy and make your brand voice come alive through voice and action. But, having a video strategy is easier said than done - especially when videographers often charge $5,000-$10,000 or more, per video. Not to mention that creating and editing professional videos yourself can be overwhelming. So, to take the guesswork out of what to do and how to do it when it comes to building a great video content strategy, I’ve put together a quick guide to creating inexpensive, yet effective brand videos: Learn to Love Capturing Video on Your iPhone First, don’t think it’s important to buy expensive cameras and lighting to create a professional video for your brand. With the quality of iPhone cameras and editing apps, a lot of big brands and names are creating high quality videos on their phone. Recently, Kate Hudson filmed 70 percent Fabletic’s (her workout clothing brand) new commercial on her iPhone. Apple also just launched eight “Shot on iPhone” commercials that are airing to show the capabilities of the iPhone camera. Source: http://appleinsider. com/articles/16/08/04/apple-debuts-new-shot-on-iphone-ad-featuring-maya-angelou In addition, big brands such as Bentley have shot their commercials on an iPhone and edited the video... --- ### Why Your Online Marketing Needs An Offline Boost > Despite being an often overlooked medium, traditional offline marketing is not dead. At its best, it can be a valuable asset to your small business. - Published: 2016-09-15 - Modified: 2016-09-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/online-marketing-needs-offline-boost/ - Categories: Marketing Here’s an understatement for you: Online marketing has revolutionized the modern business world. With all the radical change that’s happened, an old tried and true marketing method has been seemingly swept under the rug and forgotten. So what am I referring to? Offline marketing. Despite the “conventional wisdom” so prevalent in the modern business world and media, traditional offline marketing is not dead. Far from it. Not only is it not dead, it can be a valuable asset to your small business and online strategy. It can help you tap into an uncrowded marketing channel that your competitors are most likely ignoring. But you can’t just jump into offline marketing -- you need to execute at the same effectiveness as your online strategies. So today, let’s talk about how you can effectively use offline marketing to boost your marketing and sales results in a big way. First, if you are skeptical that offline marketing can still work, consider this: Multiple studies have shown that traditional channels are still viable. Businesses are still getting great results from print, radio, TV and billboards. Chances are you can get superb results from one or more of these channels too. “The medium doesn't matter. The message and the market is what matters. ” Dan Kennedy If you are giving the right group of prospective buyers (the market) the right message, do you really think they are going to disregard it just because they aren’t reading or hearing it on their favorite online channel? Do... --- ### 3 Marketing Podcasts (+ Episodes) Every Small Business Owner Should Listen To > There's no doubt about it: podcasting is back in full force. Check out our list of three must-listen marketing podcasts for small businesses. - Published: 2016-09-14 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-marketing-podcasts-episodes-every-small-business-owner-should-listen-to/ - Categories: Marketing In 2014, the launch of the wildly popular podcast Serial marked a triumphant comeback for podcasting. Since 2013, the amount of people listening to podcasts has increased by 75 percent. Twenty-one percent of Americans aged 12 and up have listened to a podcast in the last month. Compare that to 21 percent of Americans using Twitter and 13 percent listening to Spotify each month, and it’s a pretty significant number. Podcasting is back in full force. Smart brands (both businesses and individuals) are getting in on the trend, and it’s become the perfect format for small business owners to absorb new ideas on ways to market their business, refine processes and grow. We’ve compiled a list of three of our favorite marketing podcasts (and episodes). So next time you’re unpacking inventory, walking to the post office or making your evening commute, tap into Soundcloud, Stitcher or iTunes and tune in to one of these awesome podcasts for small business owners: The Fizzle Show The Fizzle Show is self-described as the “Indie Business Talk Show” and releases a new episode every Friday. The hosts of the show are gregarious and funny, so this podcast will add some humor (and knowledge) to your day. Topics cover everything from growth to content marketing and everything in between. Their website, Fizzle. co, also features a blog that is specifically designed to help small businesses grow (just like Hatchbuck)! If you’re eager to dive into marketing-related topics, we recommend the following five episodes: Zero Budget... --- ### 7 Ways to Use Social Proof in Your Email Campaigns > Crowd mentality is stronger than ever. If you haven’t leveraged social proof in your email marketing campaigns yet, you should start doing it right now. - Published: 2016-09-13 - Modified: 2016-09-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-proof-email-campaigns/ - Categories: Marketing “Social proof, also known as social influence, is a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behavior for a given situation. ” Social proof is one of the most powerful drivers of our everyday behavior. Psychologists estimate that over 90% of our decisions are subconscious. When our brain makes decisions, it looks for cues. The strongest of those cues is to see what everyone else is doing. For example, according to a study done on airplanes, passengers were 70% more likely to order a meal if their neighbor ordered one. These social cues are what makes platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter so powerful. You can see what products and services your friends like and advocate for. So, if a customer likes your business page on Facebook, their social media friends will be more likely to follow suit and give you their stamp of approval as well. Our digital landscape has made social proof the ultimate form of peer pressure, and providing social proof is one of, if not THE, most efficient ways to market your product. If you haven’t leveraged social proof in your email marketing campaigns yet, you should start doing it right now. Here are 7 ways to use social proof in your email marketing campaigns. 1. Let Your Customers Do The Talking Potentially the easiest way to leverage social proof is to highlight ratings and testimonials from unbiased websites and vendors. Research shows that over 70% of Americans... --- ### How To Create and Nurture Leaders In Your Small Business > Where do you find people with the capability to excel as leaders? Often, they may be hiding in plain sight as part of your existing small business team. - Published: 2016-09-12 - Modified: 2016-09-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/nurture-leaders-small-business/ - Categories: Leadership When starting a small business, nurturing potential leaders on your team isn’t usually top of mind. For one thing, you may be the whole team. Out of the 28 million small businesses in the U. S. , only about 4 million have employees other than the owners. But as you grow your business, eventually you’ll reach the point where you can’t do everything alone and need to hire employees. That means you’ll need managers to lead them, so they can act quickly and effectively, even if you’re not there to make all of the decisions. So where do you find people with the capability to excel as leaders? Often, they may be hiding in plain sight as part of your existing team. Employees who know your business inside and out are often the ideal people to guide their colleagues, as long as you nurture their talents so they can lead their team successfully. Here are some strategies to uncover the leadership talent on your team. Keep your antenna up. People generally do best in leading others when they are passionate about the work they are doing (and good at it). Stay on the lookout for team members who truly seem to love their job. Genuine enthusiasm and commitment are contagious—and magnetic—and will go a long way if you opt to tap them for a leadership position. Look for “soft skills. ” Listen to almost any management guru today and you’ll hear a common refrain: Top-down leadership—where the boss barks orders—is... --- ### Four Ways to Make Sure Your Website Attracts the Talent You Need > It can be challenging in any job market for small businesses to compete for talent with bigger companies. Your website can and should be your secret sauce. - Published: 2016-09-09 - Modified: 2016-09-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/website-attract-talent/ - Categories: Small Business It can be challenging in any job market for small businesses to compete for talent with bigger companies. But when it’s as tight as it is today it can be especially daunting, so small businesses need to be where the talent is and differentiate themselves from competitors. A recent survey of small business owners by LinkedIn Talent Solutions found that very few small businesses now rely on offline recruitment like print job advertisements and career fairs—only four percent still do. Online efforts lead the way in small business hiring, used by 64 percent of those surveyed, with nearly 50 percent saying they hired successfully using online sources. The job search is also mobile now, with nearly 30 percent of Americans searching for a job on their smartphone, according to a study by Pew last year. More than half of 18-29 year olds use smartphones in one way or another as part of a job search. It’s crucial, in a tight job market or not, to make sure your website--and in fact your entire digital presence--is drawing talent to you and sending out the message that your company is a great place to work. Here are four ways to make sure your digital footprint is attracting talent: Mobilize. In other words, be mobile-friendly. If your website has not yet been mobile optimized, it should be. That means your website is easy to see and navigate on smaller screens. About one in four searches (for everything from jobs to rain boots to... --- ### 3 Reasons Growing Businesses Need Marketing Automation > Marketing automation allows you to save time, engage with and convert more customers, and to go toe-to-toe with your larger competitors. - Published: 2016-09-08 - Modified: 2022-12-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/growing-business-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Small Business Growing small businesses can face a number of challenges. These range from their own growing pains to the consistent competition from larger businesses. The obvious solution seems to be a paradox: the growing business needs to be able to do more with less - more leads and conversions with fewer resources and personnel. However, it's not a paradox at all. Marketing automation allows you to save time, engage with and convert more customers, and to go toe-to-toe with your larger competitors. It Levels The Playing Field One of the most powerful reasons to embrace automated marketing is that it effectively levels the playing field and allows your business to compete with larger competitors. Once your team develops a "content strategy" and commits to a solid "process," you can use marketing automation to start generating more leads, and it will continue to do so, which allows your business to continue growing. Best of all, the initial time and planning you invest in an automated sales and marketing software pays off by automating some of your team's tasks, allowing you to concentrate on getting even more done. This is crucial because, as Martech Advisor notes, 53 percent of small business owners say the most difficult part of their job is that they have to do multiple jobs ... something that automated marketing can make a thing of the past! Just as you have evolved as a business professional, automated marketing helps your company adapt and evolve. It's the Key to Becoming More... --- ### Crisis Control: How to Respond to Negativity on Social Media > It’s hard to get attacked on social media without reacting emotionally. Before you respond defensively, step back and consider other ways to handle it. - Published: 2016-09-07 - Modified: 2016-09-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/negativity-social-media/ - Categories: Marketing It happens to the best of businesses. A disgruntled customer takes to Twitter to vent. A competitor, hiding behind the cloak of anonymity, posts a negative review on TripAdvisor or Yelp. A former employee gripes about the company on Glassdoor. It’s hard to get attacked on social media without reacting emotionally. But before you fire off an angry response, take a deep breath and think about the possible repercussions of an impulsive reply. There are better ways to handle it. Here are a few suggestions. Get snipers out of hiding. It’s easy for detractors to indulge in bad behavior on the internet, where they don’t have to give their name and they don’t have to face the person they are firing on. Instead of getting sucked into a public fight, invite them to message you directly and arrange to speak to them one-on-one—by telephone—so you can resolve the problem. Not everyone will respond, but you will be able to send a message to other followers that you do pay attention to complaints and try to resolve them. Responding to feedback - both positive and negative - can be great for your social media presence and help build trust with your audience. You probably can’t get a social site to take down a negative review or post unless it’s violating your legal rights, but the author might be willing to do so if you have gone out of your way to resolve a problem. When you’re confident a gripe has been... --- ### Effortless Office Updates for Working with Remote Employees > With the rapid growth of remote employees, the traditional office (fluorescent lights and cubicles) has become a thing of the past. - Published: 2016-09-06 - Modified: 2022-10-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/office-updates-remote-employees/ - Categories: Small Business When you picture the typical office space, what do you see? If you instantly envision fluorescent lighting, cubicles, offices, and conference rooms, you’re not alone. After all that’s what almost every office looks like (think “The Office”). But with the rapid growth of remote employees, the traditional office has become a thing of the past. Today we live in a world of flexibility and interconnectivity. In fact it is expected that by 2020, more than half of the full-time workforce will be working remotely. That’s a pretty staggering statistic, and it showcases the need to update your office environment and technology to be able to accommodate any remote workers you currently have or will have in the future. So if you want to put your remote employees in the best position for success and boost productivity, try these simple office updates: Provide the Right Gear The reality is that for many employees, their home is their office space and their office space is their home. A comfortable, up-to-date work environment is a key to remote employees feeling engaged and a part of the team. So if you have teammates working from home, invest in them. Provide them with the necessities they need to achieve success. Items such as an ergonomic office chair, laptop, dual monitors for multitasking, and a webcam are essential in this connected era for your virtual workers to perform their daily tasks. Ergonomic solutions range from large furniture items down to ergonomic mouse pads for preventing conditions... --- ### Rethink Labor Day With These Employee Engagement Tactics > A lot of things have changed since the original Labor Day in 1882. But one thing hasn’t: employees still desire to be appreciated above all else. - Published: 2016-09-05 - Modified: 2016-08-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/labor-day-employee-engagement/ - Categories: Small Business A lot of things have changed since the original Labor Day in 1882. But one thing hasn’t: employees still desire to be appreciated above all else. Employee engagement remains one of the most important and intricate workplace puzzles. The original Labor Day “celebration” was more of an uprising. Laborers took to the streets and staged strikes to express their distaste with working conditions. Labor Day was eventually named a national holiday to honor the “working man. ” While we’ve made great strides in the treatment of employees, engagement still remains one of the most buzzed about topics in the workplace. To really engage your employees, you need to be making an effort 365 days a year. The bottom line is that good employees make your small business function effectively, and you have to make a concerted effort to keep them around in a competitive job market. The following are a few ways that you can help your employees feel valued and re-engaged in the workplace. Focus on Wellness (In and Outside the Office) As soon as you acknowledge how much of their time employees are spending at work every week, you’ll be able to understand how important it is to encourage workplace wellness. There are plenty of studies that show how harmful a sedentary lifestyle is. Make wellness a cornerstone of every work day. Friendly office competitions and apps such as WalkerTracker make health and wellness a priority. Focus on Culture Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably... --- ### How to Use IFTTT Recipes To Close More Sales > Time is money. Luckily apps like IFTTT exist to automate sales processes. We’ve gathered a few IFTTT recipes to help you crush your quotas this month. - Published: 2016-09-02 - Modified: 2016-08-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ifttt-recipes-sales/ - Categories: Sales Time is money. As a salesperson, wasted hours on busy work means less time and less money in your bank account. To maximize your productivity - and the number of deals you can close - you want to minimize the amount of time spent on sales processes. Luckily, we live in a modern world with dozens of tools to make sales processes more simple. One of the best is IFTTT. IFTTT is an acronym for “If This, Then That”. The tool allows you to connect the technology apps and devices you use regularly to automate processes that not only improve your sales processes, but also help you keep in touch with friends, stay healthy, improve productivity and more. IFTTT works with Facebook, Twitter, EverNote, WordPress, Gmail, Square, FitBit, more than a dozen appliances, and a ton more channels. We’ve gathered a few IFTTT recipes for salespeople that’ll help you crush your end-of-the-month quota: Track Your Leads’ News & Updates If you have top leads you’re tracking in hopes to close a deal, you can use IFTTT to receive alerts about their company news and updates. This will help you write warmer and more personal emails to them when checking in. Create an IFTTT recipe to send yourself an email every time a company is mentioned in blogs or online communities such as Reddit. IFTTT can track RSS feeds of major news aggregators and trigger alerts when there is a mention. Find New Leads Create an IFTTT Recipe that triggers an... --- ### How to Turn Your Employees Into Your Biggest Advocates on Social Media > Inspire your team to advocate for your small business on social media to build a positive online presence and build a strong company culture. - Published: 2016-09-01 - Modified: 2024-03-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/biggest-advocates-social-media/ - Categories: Featured Your best, most influential promoters are closer than you think. It’s no secret that inspiring your customers to rave about you on social media is a great way to build your small business’ reputation. But many business owners aren’t tapping into another group of promoters—their employees. By inspiring your team to advocate for your small business on social media, you can build a strong, positive presence for your brand online. Your employees are reservoirs of company knowledge and champions of your small business’ culture. When they share on social media, your employees can help both attract your ideal customers and recruit stellar team members that fit seamlessly with your culture. Let’s turn your team members into brand advocates on social media. Here are 5 strategies for helping your employees bolster your social presence: 1: Create a Culture Worth Bragging About Before you ask employees to post about your business on social media, make sure you are doing your best to create an environment where they love to work. Ask yourself some key questions: Would you be excited to come to work in your business if you were not the owner? If not, is there anything you can change that would create a more positive experience for your team? Even making a few small tweaks to how you run things can amplify the level of genuine enthusiasm your team has and set the tone for positive posts on social media in the future. Try something new, like: Creating a communal workspace... --- ### How to Navigate the 3 Challenges of B2B Social Selling > Think of B2B social selling like manning a ship. With the right strategies, you can overcome common challenges to make your online selling smooth sailing. - Published: 2016-08-31 - Modified: 2016-08-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/b2b-social-selling/ - Categories: Sales One of the biggest changes to B2B selling over the past few years is the emergence and growth of social. It enables salespeople to build better relationships, increase credibility, and creates a faster way to connect with potential customers online. But these changes in the sales landscape don’t come without a few pitfalls. Think of “B2B Social Selling” like manning a ship. A stronger sail could get you to your destination faster, but running into choppy waves could cause you to capsize. With the right marketing strategies for B2B social selling, you can overcome some common challenges to make your online selling smooth sailing. Problem 1: Using the Wrong Channel All social networks are created equal when it comes to driving sales for your business. If you’re focused on B2B, then chances are the channels may be quite a bit different than if you operate a B2C business: With so many options out there, a big challenge for most small businesses is deciding which social platforms to spend time and resources on. To start off, it’s important to understand who your ideal buyers are and where to find them online. While Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram have their place, according to a study by The Content Marketing Institute (CMI), Linkedin and Twitter were a top the list of sites for B2B sales and marketing: The reason? Both platforms have a large user base (LinkedIn alone boasts over 400 million profiles) yet they both enable sales to connect to prospects on a... --- ### 4 Ways to Host a Can't-Miss Webinar > Webinars are an essential tool for establishing your industry authority. The ideal webinar will also lead to significant conversions. - Published: 2016-08-30 - Modified: 2016-08-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cant-miss-webinar/ - Categories: Marketing Webinars are an essential tool for establishing your industry authority and increasing brand awareness. The ideal webinar, however, will also reliably lead to significant conversions. Whether you're brand new to the webinar scene or have held webinars that failed to convert, here are three ways to turn webinar registrants into new and returning customers. 1. Get people signed up and remind them to attend. This may seem obvious, but the most precisely planned, confidently executed webinar will never drive impressive conversions if the signup process is not refined. Be sure to get the word out on your website and on social media -- and show would-be attendees that the event will provide demonstrable value. Busy people must be thoroughly convinced that the information they gain will be worth whatever scheduling sacrifices they have to make to be present for the event. 2. Execute a strong opening. The unfortunate nature of webinars is that you are bound to lose leads every step of the way. The first big loss occurs between the initial email invite and the beginning of the presentation -- without an email reminder, many would-be attendees are bound to forget all about the event. From there, the next big hiatus occurs as your webinar begins. If participants are not blown away in the first five minutes, they will find a better way to spend their precious time. These individuals will not be nearly as excited about the webinar when the big day arrives as they were when they... --- ### How Does Your Email Marketing Stack Up? > So you’re leveraging email to stay in touch with prospects and customers. But how do you know if your email marketing campaigns are truly impacting sales? - Published: 2016-08-29 - Modified: 2022-11-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-stack/ - Categories: Marketing So you’re leveraging email to stay in touch with prospects and customers. But how do you know if your email marketing campaigns are truly impacting sales? And how do you turn small email marketing wins into big gains for your business? As a digital marketer, I’ve sent quite a few emails over the years. When it comes to seeing how your email marketing stacks up, there are some basic metrics to watch. Here is a run-down of key terms to be aware of, how to measure and interpret data, and how to boost your marketing effectiveness as you start seeing success. Open Rate Open rate is the frequency at which unique users open the emails you send them. Open rate is a commonly used way to measure engagement. The first metric I look at when I’m evaluating an email send is open rate. It can help assess a few things: Brand Awareness: Do my recipients recognize my brand? Reputation: Do my recipients trust my brand and trust that I’m delivering valuable content? Subject Line: Is my subject line compelling enough to make busy individuals want to click to learn more? If my open rate is low, I can evaluate the “From” address to see if I need to adjust it to increase email opens. For instance, if I am sending to a list of customers, they may be more inclined to open an email from their account manager than from someone on our marketing team. Then, I take another look... --- ### The 3 Non-Negotiables For Building Your Small Business Social Media Strategy > As a small business owner, social media can be an invaluable resource if executed directly. Don't ignore these three basics when building a strategy. - Published: 2016-08-26 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-social-media/ - Categories: Small Business, Social Media It wasn’t long ago that companies would hire an inexperienced intern to manage social media platforms without giving it a second thought. According to BrandWatch, there are 2. 3 BILLION social media users in the world as of July 2015. That’s a big audience for your brand; a little too big to trust an untrained intern with. As social has blown up and evolved into the huge resource that it is today, businesses finally realize the value of a strategic social media plan to propel their brand awareness, gather feedback and convert fans into customers. Or, they risk doing the opposite -- plummeting into a dark hole of negative reviews, inauthentic posts and spam bots. While social media cannot be the only fuel for your inbound marketing engine, it absolutely must complement the rest of your marketing strategy. The following tips should serve as a foundation for building out a solid social media strategy for your small business. Find Your Voice and Don’t Let It Waver A foundational part of social media strategy (or building a business in general) is understanding the audience that you’re trying to reach. Without a deep understanding of your customer base, you have no business putting together a strategy for your social platforms. At Hatchbuck, we’ve built very clear (internal) buyer personas for our software, and we take that into account when thinking through our social and blog calendars. All of our content (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blog and the like) is specifically written in a... --- ### 5 Reasons You Don’t Need a Sales Process > If you're not interested in scaling, increasing revenue or capturing more leads, then you definitely don't need a sales process. - Published: 2016-08-25 - Modified: 2016-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-reasons-sales-process/ - Categories: Sales Small business owners often think that having a well-developed sales process is something left to bigger, more sophisticated businesses. Often times owners are not only the head of marketing but also the lead (and possibly only) sales rep. And almost all small business owners, at one point or another, sold their products or services on their own. But far too many small businesses are haphazard about how they do their selling, and that includes the nuts and bolts: making the phone calls, sending emails, following up, and searching for leads. Research has shown that automating and optimizing business processes—like sales—leads to greater growth and productivity. However, many small business owners don’t feel it’s a necessity. So does an upgrade to your sales process make sense for your business? It depends. Before you dive in, here are 5 reasons you might not want to put a sales process in place. You have no intention of scaling. If you are happy just being the size you are and don’t want to grow, whether that’s revenue, employees, office space... then you’ll be just fine without a sales process. If you want to scale growth and remain vital and relevant, you’ll need to hire new people, train them and grow your customer base. Without a sales process that is well-defined, clearly communicated to your employees and that creates consistency--both in the sales process and the entire customer experience--it’s very difficult to scale. You’re left just winging it, putting out fires and following up on... --- ### It's Not Business Unless It's Personal: Tips to Improve the Customer Journey > Just because your business is digital doesn't mean it can be impersonal. Here are three reasons to use a personal touch to improve the customer journey. - Published: 2016-08-24 - Modified: 2016-08-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/personalized-customer-journey/ - Categories: Marketing When it comes to digital experiences for customers, many companies face a kind of paradox. On paper, it seems customers want a relatively "distant" experience - the ability to browse products via their phone and avoid setting foot in a brick-and-mortar store. However, a company that treats them like "just another customer" is viewed by that customer as "just another company. " Marketing automation software lets you and the customer have it both ways: a tailored, personal experience with the benefits of one-on-one marketing and the speedy convenience of online interaction. Here are three reasons to make online business personal and to improve the customer journey. 1: Customers Want a Personalized Experience Marketing automation software is able to provide a wealth of customer data for you to analyze. However, if you’re not maximizing this data for the customer experience, you’re wasting your time (and your customer’s). The key to using this data effectively is making sure that each customer enjoys a unique experience at every step of his journey through your sales funnel. For example, it's not uncommon for customers to visit your site multiple times before making purchasing decisions. When paired with marketing automation software, your CRM can detect behavior during visits to your website and begin to build a more complete picture of each individual customer. As you learn more about the customer through their online behavior, you can build personal relationships by offering information and solutions that are relevant to the customer’s unique interests. At the end... --- ### Conquer Small Business Automation With These 12 Tools & Apps > New technology makes it easier for small business owners to automate time-consuming tasks. We recommend these 12 tools to automate your business. . - Published: 2016-08-22 - Modified: 2020-09-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-automation/ - Categories: Small Business Because it’s becoming increasingly easier to automate previously time-consuming and clunky business tasks, there’s never been a better time to be a small business owner than in 2016. Technology platforms provide hundreds of ways to run your business from the cloud, creating more efficient processes that save small business owners time and money. And really, what’s better than making more money and having more time? But, with so many options for tools, it can be hard to know what exactly to use for your business. I’ve gathered a list of the best small business tools — at the best price point for scrappy budgets: Hire Someone to Manage Your Social Media Accounts with CloudPeeps Price: Free Feel like you don’t have the time to manage, moderate, and post on your business social media accounts every day? Social media community management can be really time-consuming and difficult for business owners to find the time to manage, however, it’s very important to keep an active social media presence. Instead, hire a professional and experienced social media manager within a budget that works for your business using CloudPeeps. Their professionals are handpicked from the best, creating a network of people you can trust to manage your business accounts. Easily Schedule Meetings with Calendly Price: Free Have you ever sent dozens of emails back and forth with a client or partner, trying to find a time that works for both of you to meet? With Calendly, you skip the back and forth and create... --- ### Nail Your Small Business Financial Model with These Simple Tips > When building a small business financial model, it's important to look at the past and future for perspective. Use these tips to put a solid plan in place. - Published: 2016-08-19 - Modified: 2016-08-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-financial-model/ - Categories: Small Business It’s easy to get stuck in the past when you’re building a financial model for your small business. After all, you already have data on what you’ve accomplished and how much you’ve invested in areas like marketing and payroll. But only looking in the rearview mirror won’t take you to where you need to go and it certainly won’t deliver the best forecast. Ideally, you need to understand where you've been while also looking out the windshield ahead to propel your business into growth mode. That means it’s important to know which levers to pull to multiply your revenue and profits in the future. Take a look at factors like visits to your website, conversion rates and repeat purchases as you build your model and determine what is attainable for your small business. Whether you are hoping to attract bank funding, an outside investor, or wanting to grow organically, developing a sound model based on past and future information will give you the keys to accelerate your growth. Use these simple, effective tips to nail your small business financial model: Think Like a Puppeteer The first step to creating a winning business model is to understand what drives your revenue. Keeping accurate data on the efforts you make to drive sales is a key part of understanding which strings to pull in your business to achieve the best results. Are you constantly keeping track of visits to your website—and whether they lead to customer acquisition? Are you collecting data on... --- ### Generate More Leads with These Expert Email Newsletter Tips > When building your small business marketing strategy, don't overlook the value of an email newsletter to connect with your customers and prospects. - Published: 2016-08-18 - Modified: 2021-07-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/generate-leads-email-newsletter/ - Categories: Marketing From bulk print mailings to email updates, the newsletter has long been a chief tactic for generating leads and getting them in the sales funnel. Email marketing for small business has experienced many changes over the years, and yet, use of the email newsletter has endured. This easy marketing approach has remained a go-to option for good reason -- it's effective. If you aren't already using an email newsletter to enhance your small business marketing efforts, it's time to get started. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll be on your way to building a more loyal customer base and pulling nurtured leads into your sales pipeline. Craft Relevant, Meaningful Content Many businesses make the mistake of using newsletters solely as a means of broadcasting company developments. Most recipients have no interest in reading these stories, and as a result, the unsubscribe option is chosen almost immediately. The occasional company update is perfectly fine, but the average subscriber would much rather read something relevant to his or her own life or business. Instead of sending a weekly bulletin, focus on meaningful content that will add some value to your readers' day. Ideally, the majority of your content will be educational, with promotional language taking a backseat. These proportions can be skewed on occasion when your company has groundbreaking news to report, but in general, the less sales language, the better. Instead of directly telling people about your expertise and industry authority, show them through meaningful content. Create an Effective Call-to-Action Promotional... --- ### 3 Reasons to Update Email Marketing with Marketing Automation > It's easy to overlook email marketing for newer technologies, but it is still a powerful and effective marketing tool for turning contacts into customers. - Published: 2016-08-17 - Modified: 2020-03-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-reasons-to-update-email-marketing-with-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Email Marketing - Tags: Email Marketing, email nurturing, lead nurturing, Marketing Automation This blog post was updated on February 21, 2020. It seems like a new hot marketing tactic is popping up every day (do you need to be on Snapchat? Should you invest in video marketing? ). So it’s easy to overlook email marketing - the old standby that businesses have used for decades to reach potential customers. However, email is still a very powerful and effective marketing tool for turning contacts into customers. In fact, according to McKinsey & Company, “E-mail remains a significantly more effective way to acquire customers than social media—nearly 40 times that of Facebook and Twitter combined. ” So how do you harness the power of email? Email marketing software for small business has come a long way from the “batch & blast” email systems of the past. Today, email marketing software with integrated marketing automation technology helps small businesses to dynamically respond to the individual needs of their prospects and customers. Here are three reasons to embrace an all-in-one email marketing and marketing automation software as a critical component of your company's toolbox: 1: Make the Most of Email Marketing Data Stand alone email marketing software tracks basic metrics like clicks and opens. While click-through and open rate indicate how effective your emails are, they don’t do much in the way of guiding your contacts to the next step in their customer journey. Marketing automation software is a tool that lets you do more with your email marketing data. Marketing automation tracks which email links... --- ### This 3 Letter Word Is Your Key To Sales Persuasion > As a small business, you have to target the right audience and convince them to buy your product. Use these strategies to improve your sales persuasion. - Published: 2016-08-16 - Modified: 2016-08-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-sales-persuasion/ - Categories: Sales Here’s a scary thought: In today’s economy, your company can do almost everything right and still go out of business. You can have a thorough business plan. You can have a beautiful website that’s responsively designed to help you gain more mobile customers. You can have all components of your marketing well integrated. You can even have a snappy, eye-catching logo. But if you can’t get your prospects and customers to say one, simple, three letter word to themselves or out loud, you will fail and be out of business in short order. So what is this three letter word? “Yes. ” You have to persuade buyers to say “yes” to investing in your product or service. Let’s look at a few ways you can get to that important commitment with your prospects and customers. Most buyers are often hesitant to say “yes. ” Chances are you’ve found this out the hard way. Why? “Yes” can be such a difficult answer to reach. Think about it. Unless you sell low-priced commodity items like groceries or gasoline, your prospects have a financial risk involved in their buying decision. You are asking them to part with their hard-earned money. The product may not give them the results they want. In a B2C purchasing situation, they may face the wrath of an unhappy spouse. In the B2B world, they may lose their job, or their company may be at risk financially if a large purchase goes sideways. You can bet they have their... --- ### 5 Signs Your Small Business is Ready for Sales and Marketing Software > Incorporating CRM, email and marketing automation into one software platform helps businesses to reach more new customers and drive repeat sales. - Published: 2016-08-12 - Modified: 2022-09-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-sales-marketing-software/ - Categories: Marketing If you're a small business owner, chances are you have heard about the surge of sales and marketing software tools designed to help your business be more efficient. Incorporating CRM (Customer Relationship Management), email and marketing automation into one software platform, helps businesses to reach more new customers and drive repeat sales. But maybe you’ve been slow to implement new tools into your business fearing they are overly complex, costly, or far too impersonal. Fortunately, digital technology has evolved. No longer are sales and marketing automation tools designed just for the Fortune 500. Sales and marketing software is not only affordable and easy to use, but it boosts your sales efficiency. In fact, businesses that use marketing automation for nurturing prospects experience a "451% increase in qualified leads. " One main reason for the increase in conversions and leads is that sales and marketing automation is far from impersonal: It actually makes your prospects and customers feel like you care about their individual needs, concerns, and goals. So, is it the right time to bring sales and marketing software into your business? Here are five signs that you are ready to jump in. 1. You're Not Finding Ideal Buyers While it has always been important for your business to stand out, the digital era has made it more important than ever for you to understand who your best customers are and where they are online. If you try to appeal to everyone, all of the time, then prospective customers may... --- ### 3 Simple Tests to Increase Landing Page Conversions > Make sure that you are optimizing all landing pages to maximize lead capture. Use these 3 simple tests to increase your landing page conversions. - Published: 2016-08-11 - Modified: 2016-08-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-tests-increase-landing-page-conversions/ - Categories: Agencies If you have created a few landing pages with offers for your prospective customers, congratulations you're making significant headway on becoming a marketing automation superstar. It's important, however, to not just "fix it and forget it" with your landing pages. You want to make sure you're optimizing every part of the page to maximize the number of downloads and leads you capture. Here are three easy landing page tests you can do to make sure you’re reaching your full lead capturing potential. Swap Out Images You want to make sure your landing page images are compelling, on-brand, eye-catching and convey the proper message. The use of different imagery throughout your landing page design can affect conversion on your page. According to the Association for Psychological Science, there is a direct correlation between emotions and imagery. They found that emotions could be evoked and manipulated through the use of different photos. What emotion do you want the image on your landing page to evoke? For instance, sunshine evokes feelings of happiness and freedom, as do warm colors like orange. Dark colors can evoke foreboding, sadness and unhappiness, so use dark colors wisely. Learn how to manipulate your photos to portray the emotions you want your customers to feel. It's also important to use photography on your landing pages that feels genuine and on-brand. Since being genuine is associated with trust, you want to make sure your customers perceive you as honest and trustworthy. Oftentimes, generic stock photography can portray the opposite... --- ### Past Customers: An Overlooked Resource for Your Small Business > Repeat customers spend about 67% more than new ones. Consider reaching out to former customers to improve your small business sales. - Published: 2016-08-09 - Modified: 2016-08-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/past-customers-overlooked-resource-for-small-business/ - Categories: Sales When you own a small business, you have to utilize every tool available to maximize your success. So why not leverage an existing resource? Past customers can be a gold mine of repeat business. While every business needs new customers to survive, it is expensive to acquire them. Your easiest and most predictable revenue source is from customers familiar with your business and products. Plus, repeat customers spend about 67% more than new ones. Here are ways to reach out to existing clients to get them to do just that: Offer A Bonus Put some thought into what your customers are buying and the additional needs those purchases trigger. For instance, if you sell printers, your customers are going to need ink to go with it. Stocking those complementary items can expand your gross margins. Incentives can turn one client into multiple clients. Reward customers for recommending you to their own clients or other companies they partner with by offering discounts or credits. This can strengthen your relationship with customers while generating new clients without a time or money investment. Keep in Touch Haven't heard from a major customer in a while? Give them a call, drop them a note or, if you're trying to reach a large number of customers, use automated marketing to contact them multiple ways, such as email and social media. Automated marketing allows you to schedule emails, automate social media postings, track results and more, all in less time and with less effort. Don't use... --- ### The 7 Habits of Ultra-Productive Leaders > Small business leaders need to be hyper productive to get everything done in a day. Use these 7 tips to become a more efficient leader. - Published: 2016-08-08 - Modified: 2016-08-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/productive-small-business-leaders/ - Categories: Featured, Leadership Do you ever get to the end of a day and feel frustrated that so many to-do items are still on your plate? Then you talk to a leadership peer who got twice as much done as you did in that day? Why is that? It’s time to learn what they’re doing differently so you, too, can start crossing important items off your list and feel accomplished at the end of the day (instead of being so stressed). If you want to be more efficient then read on for seven tips of ultra-productive small business leaders. Turn Off Social Media Notifications. Seriously. If you have your phone set up to notify you every time someone comments on your Facebook or Instagram post, tags you in something, or sends you a message, you’re going to spend your day reacting to those notifications instead of the items that truly move the needle for your business. After all, Winston Churchill said it best: "You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks. " The same holds true if you have Facebook or twitter tabs open on your laptop. When your eyes glance up and see activity there, such as showing how many notifications you have, it causes a Pavlov’s dog-like reaction and makes you want to click on that tab to see what’s you're missing. Just close the tab (and don’t re-open it until either during lunch or the end of the day). Make a... --- ### Considering Google AdWords? Read This First. > Google AdWords can be an effective tool to boost lead generation for your small business if used correctly. Read our tips on building successful campaigns! - Published: 2016-08-08 - Modified: 2021-11-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/considering-google-adwords-read-first/ - Categories: Marketing There are lots of tools, free and paid, that can help your small business get more attention and make more sales. One of the most potentially effective is Google AdWords. It’s a proven way to win the attention of new customers and help boost your sales. But, as with everything else in the wild and crazy world of online marketing, you have to do it right in order to get the results you want. And you have to understand that it’s not a “magic bullet”. It won’t solve all of your marketing challenges. It won’t make up for a lack of online marketing strategy. So don’t get afflicted with “shiny object” syndrome with AdWords, should you choose to add it to your marketing toolbox. Use it as part of a comprehensive, well thought out approach to winning new business. In this article I’ll give you some valuable tips to help make your AdWords campaigns more effective. Frankly, ignoring them could cost you big time. But here’s what we won’t be discussing: the technical nuts and bolts of AdWords – keyword bidding, specifics of Analytics dashboards, etc. The web is loaded with valuable info on that subject. But First... Once again, Google AdWords is not a sales and marketing cure all. It won’t make up for a poor product/market fit. And it won’t help you sell a product nobody wants. So what’s the biggest key to AdWords success? I’m going to say it’s demand for what you are selling. Make sure... --- ### What Customers Want: The Dos and Don’ts of an Effective Customer Survey > Customer surveys are a great source of objective information for small business owners. They'll tell you what you're nailing and what you need to improve. - Published: 2016-08-05 - Modified: 2019-06-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/golden-rules-customer-surveys/ - Categories: Small Business When you own a small business, every customer counts. As you build your brand, you have to know the needs of your customers inside and out. Customer surveys are a great tool for gaining insight into how your product stacks up in the eyes of your customer. Surveys can be an invaluable source of objective information on where you’re hitting it out of the park, and what areas of your product need improvement. So here are some dos and don'ts to help you get better feedback from your customer surveys. Do: Keep it short. In a world where the human attention span is now shorter than the attention span of a goldfish, your customers don’t have the time or patience to complete long-winded surveys. Avoid survey-fatigue and keep it short. Your customers will thank you by taking time to leave thoughtful feedback. Questions should be structured and concise to get the most out of the few minutes of a customer's time that you have. Take advantage of technology. Written and phone surveys make your company seem old fashioned and technology-shy. Mobile survey apps, such as Opinionmeter, SurveyMonkey, and QuestionPro, are widely available, cheap (or free! ), and convenient. In addition, these apps make it easy to tabulate data so you can quickly digest survey results and put your insights to work right away. Do your research and ask only what is important. Rather than just brainstorming with staff on what might be important to customers, do a few pre-survey interviews... --- ### 7 of the Best Sales Automation Tools for Your Small Business, According to Sales Experts on Quora > This list of sales automation tools from sales experts on Quora will improve your small business technology stack this year. - Published: 2016-08-04 - Modified: 2020-09-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/7-best-sales-automation-tools-small-business/ - Categories: Sales With so many sales technology tools out there, and the list growing even more each year, how do you decide which are best for your small business needs? From sales intelligence and customer relationship management (CRMs) to marketing automation and analytics, we’ve gathered an abbreviated list of what sales experts on Quora recommend as the best tools out of everything they’ve tested and tried. Check out this list of sales automation tools to add to your technology stack this year. PerfectLeads With PerfectLeads, you can target prospects in any industry or based on the technology they’re using. Once you build the perfect prospect list with employees and companies you want to target, you can export that list to upload it to your small business CRM tool. “The best lead prospecting tool is PerfectLeads,” said Brian Roizen, cofounder and Chief Architect at Feedonomics. “Using PerfectLeads, you can target prospects by any industry (doctors, restaurants, fashion, etc), and using any technology like Google Analytics and Optimizely. You can even do niche filters like Facebook likes, number of tweets, and advertising spend. ” Outreach. io Outreach IO offers workflows and reporting that make sales teams more efficient and successful. Their product offers a number of solutions for the sales process, including a voice dialer, SalesForce and email integration, account playbooks, analytics and more. “By far, the best product on the market is Outreach IO,” said Adam Chavez, director of product strategy at Domo, Inc. “If you want a true solution, that was built... --- ### 10 TED Talks to Motivate and Educate Small Business Owners > These 10 TED talks from influencers like Shonda Rhimes will motivate you, get your mind right, and provide valuable info for small business owners. - Published: 2016-08-03 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ted-talks-for-small-business-owners/ - Categories: Entrepreneurship, Small Business TED Talks are sweeping the world, and with good reason. They’re easy to consume in our busy world and they serve to inspire people by spreading fresh, new ideas. As a small business owner, innovation and learning is at the core of your success. But how do you search for advice on handling stress or improving your technology when you have the day-to-day responsibilities of a growing business? Don’t worry, we’ve done all the legwork and found 10 TED Talks that will motivate you, get your mind right, and keep your business competitive. 1. Two Reasons Companies Fail - And How to Avoid Them, by Knut Haanaes. In this “evolve or die” marketplace, it’s important for owners to maintain a balance between perfecting what you know and exploring new, game changing ideas for your small business. In this Ted Talk by Knut Haanaes, learn about the two reasons that companies fail and how you can reinvent your company and grow it at the same time. 2. Why the Best Hire Might Not Have the Perfect Resume, by Regina Hartley. Today’s job market is competitive and as resumes for your open positions flood in, you have to decide where your hiring priorities lie. Are you more interested in the perfectly predictable resume or life experience? Where does passion and personality come into play when interviewing potential new employees? Regina Hartley’s discussion about the “Silver Spoon” versus “the Scrapper” provides an atypical but compelling perspective on recruiting. 3. How Better Tech Could... --- ### How Your Small Business Can Create a Culture of Engagement > Creating a strong employee engagement culture is a must for small businesses. Better engagement can lead to better retention, happier employees & more. - Published: 2016-08-02 - Modified: 2022-09-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-engagement-culture/ - Categories: Small Business Think about the last time a business really wowed you—whether it was a café that served up an amazing latte or a dry cleaner that saved your favorite shirt from a terrible stain. Chances are that you came away happy because one of the employees showed they really cared. Sadly, that’s a rare experience. Most employees are just not that into their jobs—and it often shows in how they do their work. Though the percentage of “engaged” workers reached a record high in March 2016, only 34. 1% of workers made it into that category, according to Gallup. Among the others, 49. 5% were “not engaged” and 16. 5% were “actively disengaged. ” So how do you beat the odds and create a culture of engagement where the vast majority of your team is pumped up about work and passionate about delivering a great experience that keeps your customers coming back? Here are some strategies that work. Really listen to your team. Many small business owners think that because they can’t afford to replicate Google’s culture—with its on-site massage rooms and in-house nap pods—they don’t stand a chance of building a culture of engagement. Not so. One of the best ways to get employees excited about work is to involve them in making your culture better. Instead of assuming that a bowling night or employee picnic will get everyone pumped up about coming to work, ask your team for low-cost suggestions on how to improve their daily life at work... --- ### Building Your Small Business Brand This Summer > A brand is a nebulous thing, it’s both concrete—your logo, your colors, the look of your website, the feel of your store—and intangible: ideas and - Published: 2016-08-01 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-brand/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business A brand is a nebulous thing, it’s both concrete—your logo, your colors, the look of your website, the feel of your store—and intangible: ideas and feelings. Your brand is the sum total of everything your customers (and potential customers) experience as they interact with your company, from making a purchase to reading one of your email newsletters to following your business on Instagram. If your brand is strong, people come away knowing what you sell or do, the value inherent in and that the business is trustworthy. What's in a Brand? Your brand is the sum total of everything your customers (and potential customers) experience as they interact with your company, from making a purchase to reading one of your email newsletters to following your business on Instagram. If your brand is strong, people come away knowing what you sell or do, the value inherent in and that the business is trustworthy. Branding building is important because strong brands stick around for the long term, think Apple or Ikea. Yet the notion of brand building is almost cliché, it’s used so often. What does it really mean to “build your brand? ” It’s making sure those concrete aspects (the logo, the tagline, the colors) and the more ephemeral ones are present in all your interactions with customers and prospects, in your social media posts, the images you share, the blog posts on your website, the content of your marketing materials, and the way you and your employees interact with world.... --- ### What You Need to Know About Google’s ‘Zero Moment of Truth” — And How it Affects Your Customers > There's a new step in the purchasing funnel - Google calls it the "Zero Moment of Truth." Learn how it impacts your customers and their buying behavior. - Published: 2016-07-28 - Modified: 2016-07-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/googles-zero-moment-of-truth/ - Categories: Small Business It’s no secret that Google products have changed the world in significant ways—one billion people use Gmail every month, and there were 98. 5 million Android smartphone users in the U. S. in 2015. But perhaps the most significant contribution Google has made to the world is its search engine and how it changed the way we live, eat, buy and do business. In 2011, Google released research that proved their search engine had changed people’s behaviors, which led to a trickle-down effect for businesses and how they marketed to their customers. Google called this research a new marketing strategy referred to as the “Zero Moment of Truth” (ZMOT). What Zero Moment of Truth simply means is Google noticed there was a new step now in the purchasing funnel, between advertising and in-store purchasing. People everywhere, all over the world, turned to Google to research a product before deciding to make a purchase. Before purchasing, people were typing into their Internet browsers questions like, “What laptop has the best battery life? ” “What toothpaste is best for teeth whitening? ” and “What do I use to take a stain out of a white shirt? ” In fact, there was a significant rise in how many pieces of content people were consuming before making a purchasing decision. In 2010, the average shopper used approximately five sources of information before making a purchase. In 2011 they used approximately 10. And now with the rapidly growing onset of mobile, Google says it matters... --- ### How to Get Organized This Summer So You Can Hit the Ground Running this Fall > Here are a few tips on how to get organized this summer. Tie up loose ends now so you can hit the ground running as business picks up in the fall. - Published: 2016-07-27 - Modified: 2016-07-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-get-organized/ - Categories: Small Business During the summer, kids are on break, families take time off, and you and your staff are squeezing in summer vacations. While summer can be slow for many businesses, the back-to-school and back-to-work season is right around the corner. Will you be prepared to dive in and handle the uptick in activity as the cooler months breeze in? Summer is the perfect time to turn downtime into an opportunity to get organized. Here are a few tips for tying up loose ends over the summer so you can hit the ground running as business picks up in the fall: Organize Tax Records to Stay Cool with the IRS Organizing all of your business tax records isn't the most glamorous task, but the peace of mind it brings is well worth the effort. Keep all of your employee tax records as well as records documenting expenses, gross receipts, credit card charges, account statements, and sales invoices. Set aside a designated place to keep all tax documents and receipts neat, tidy, organized and accessible. Good summertime recordkeeping will keep you cool should you receive an IRS notice to substantiate items on your tax return or if your business is audited. Say Goodbye to Paper Bid paper farewell to free up more time - and more office space. Use software-based bookkeeping tools to get organized in the accounting department. Small business bookkeeping software, like Quickbooks and Bench, offers cloud-based invoicing, accounting, and billing. For other documents overflowing in your filing cabinets, you can... --- ### Seven Summer Marketing Trends to Watch and Test in 2016 > When it comes to marketing, it pays to keep an open mind. Here are seven summer marketing trends to get you out of the summer slump. - Published: 2016-07-26 - Modified: 2016-07-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seven-summer-marketing-trends/ - Categories: Marketing With the constant evolution of technology, effectively marketing your company or product means you have to keep an open mind; and keep up with the trends. Summer is traditionally a slow season for many businesses, so here are seven marketing trends to help you get out of the slump and increase your bottom line. Relationship Marketing Relationship marketing is the opposite of intrusive mass-marketing campaigns that annoy many people. It focuses less on making a quick sale and more on developing a relationship with potential customers through data mined from their online activity. This allows companies to push specifically-tailored advertising to people via social media, creating a connection to a product that often lead to word-of-mouth advertising and sales. Mobile-Only Websites With more and more people using smartphones and other devices, Google officials are predicting that the desktop version of websites are no longer necessary. If you are overhauling your site this summer, you may think twice about spending the time and money to do a traditional website and go with a mobile-only one. Check out your Google Analytics to understand how much of your traffic comes from desktop vs. mobile, and if it makes sense to go mobile-only. Marketing Automation Software platforms that allow companies to market across multiple online channels at one time (such as email, social media, and websites) are growing in popularity as marketers look for ways to do more with less, and use their time more effectively. Using a marketing automation platform, you can capture... --- ### 6 Must-Have Online Marketing Tools for Your Small Business > Here are 6 marketing tools you can use without the help of an expert - perfect for small businesses that need a marketing boost. - Published: 2016-07-25 - Modified: 2022-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/online-marketing-tools-for-small-business/ - Categories: Marketing Want More Powerful Online Marketing Results? Check Out These Tools Call me Captain Obvious, but it’s no secret to entrepreneurs like yourself that running a small business is hard work. You have lots of irons in the fire and an ever-growing to-do list. And to top it off, what may be the most important part of running your business often feels like the hardest one to do consistently and well. What part is that? You guessed it. Marketing. It doesn’t matter how well you run the rest of your business if it doesn’t have customers. Marketing done right helps you get more customers. Sounds pretty important, right? Legendary direct response marketer and copywriter Dan Kennedy thinks so. To paraphrase Dan, “focus less on being the doer of your business and more on being a great marketer of the thing you do”. So yes, marketing matters. A lot. And to be a great marketer in the modern online business world, you need the right tools. Today let’s talk about some very useful marketing tools you might not be aware of. These will all be tools you can use without the help of an expert. They will be either free or quite inexpensive. One of the most powerful aspects of digital marketing is this: You can test and tweak and optimize it. If part of your approach isn’t working, you can change it. Since copywriting and content marketing are so important to your success, let’s start with a tool that can help... --- ### How to do Market Research on a Small Business Budget > As a small business owner, you’re continually looking for ways to grow your business. What better way to do so than to launch new products and services? - Published: 2016-07-22 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/market-research-on-a-small-business-budget/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business As a small business owner, you’re continually looking for ways to grow your business. What better way to do so than to launch new products and services? But how do you know if those products and services are needed in the marketplace? Or if your current product is meeting the needs of your customers? The answer is to do your homework through market research. Yes, we know that you’re not a millionaire (wouldn’t that be nice, though? ), and don’t have a lot to spend, if anything, on your market research, which can cost up to $30K to $60K for some companies. So, how can you gather the information you need when you have a smaller budget? Here are 4 tips for tapping into your audience and find out where to improve, where to innovate and where to discontinue your product and service offering through market research: Tap into Your CRM Your current small business CRM is hopefully filled with prospects and customers you can connect to for market research. With solid data, you can segment your contacts by their contact status, title or position, and interests to get the feedback you need about your products and services. With a well-organized CRM, it's easy to pull relevant lists of contacts and email them for feedback, such as a survey or interview request. Leverage Your Contacts NPS Here's a tip for helping you slice and dice the feedback you receive from your customers: leverage their Net Promoter Score (NPS). The NPS... --- ### 10 Dos and Don’ts for Writing Email Subject Lines that Work > With so many people and businesses clamoring for attention through email, how can you make sure that your email subject lines work? - Published: 2016-07-21 - Modified: 2016-07-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-subject-lines-that-work/ - Categories: Marketing Email marketing is still one of the best ways to turn cold leads into raving fans of your business. But if you've been in your inbox lately, you know how much noise and clutter there is. With so many people and businesses clamoring for attention through email, how can you make sure that your email subject lines work? To prevent your emails from heading straight to the “delete” bin with hundreds of others, you need laser-like focus on your email subject line. Read on for 10 tips for writing subject lines that will generate interest, opens, clicks and customers: Do incorporate personalization by using the person’s first name as the first word in the subject line or the company the person works for in the subject line. You will quickly gain their attention with this method and stop them from scrolling past. Don’t click “send” on a personalized email before making sure that you have the first name or company name for everyone in your customer relationship management (CRM) database. You do not want to be the company that sends out emails with the dreaded showing up in the subject line instead of the person’s actual first name. Do include a number (a la “10 Tips” or “5 Ways”) at the beginning of the subject line. Due to today’s Twitter and SnapChat mentality, readers want to get their information in little chunks that are quick and very easy to digest. So, titles with numbers in them that show that there’s... --- ### Comprehensive List of 33 Marketing Automation Terms to Make You a Pro > Marketing automation is a whole new territory for many - we hope this list of marketing automation terms gets you a little closer to becoming an expert. - Published: 2016-07-20 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-atuomation-terms/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Keeping up on marketing to your new and existing customers can be really time-consuming — especially if you’re a small business owner. It’s sometimes hard to squeeze the full-time job of marketing between managing employees, financial tasks and generally running your business operations. Luckily in the age of technology and software as a service (SaaS), automating your marketing tasks is possible by standardizing processes to save you time. The term “marketing automation” refers to the software platforms that can help you do this. Generally speaking, marketing automation platforms help you create a wide net to scoop up prospective customers on the internet and then work to convert them to a paying customer. But the act of marketing automation, and often each platform from Hatchbuck to HubSpot to Marketo, has its own terminology. If a marketing consultant told you to ‘create content mapped to your buyer’s journey to capture leads and nurture them with drip campaigns and CTAs to convert,’ you might ask yourself, “What the heck does that even mean? ” We’ve put together a handy, quick guide to 33 standard marketing automation terms for you to refer to if you ever feel a bit lost in this new age of marketing automation. Inbound Marketing: Inbound marketing is the act of bringing visitors and leads to your website through content, search engines and social media. Instead of having to go out and get leads (outbound marketing), they come to you. Lead/Demand Generation: Demand generation is a style of marketing that... --- ### How to Write Powerful Words That Help Your Product Sell Like Hotcakes > Copywriting is the art and science of selling through the written word. Here's how to write marketing copy that will entice your audience to buy from you. - Published: 2016-07-19 - Modified: 2016-07-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-copy-that-sells/ - Categories: Sales “Copywriting that sells... ”. Let’s face it: Those words are redundant. Why? Because by definition, copywriting is supposed to sell. It’s the art and science of selling through the written word. And if you are going to enjoy the high degree of online marketing success you want, and your small business needs, you have to have persuasive copywriting. No nifty new tool will take its place. For example, although not new, we hear a lot about video marketing. Well guess what? Video marketing won’t sell just because it’s using a popular technology. You still need the right words. So how do you go about writing the right words? I’m excited to talk about this, but first, understand this: You won’t read one article and become a competent copywriter. Copywriting is a specialized skill that take time and effort to develop. Done right, it bears little resemblance to the papers you wrote in high school English. And even having an English or journalism degree is inadequate preparation to produce great copy. So you may want to invest in the services of a professional for your copywriting needs. But even if you do, you will benefit from having a basic understanding of marketing copy that sells. So here we go... Make It About Them. Not You “No one cares about your product except you" David Meerman Scott – Author of The New Rules of Marketing & PR Business owners, marketers and even professional sales reps often make a crucial mistake. In their... --- ### This Simple Contact Management Tip Will Enhance Customer Relationships > Contact management is more than keeping your friends and family stored online. In our latest article, we'll explore contact management and then some. - Published: 2016-07-18 - Modified: 2016-07-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/contact-management/ - Categories: Sales In a digital world, it is easy to think of contact management as something that has become complex and difficult. What used to be as simple as thumbing through a rolodex, or scribbling a note on the back of a business card has morphed into entire applications dedicated to tracking and managing customer relationships. While CRM software might seem intimidating, the truth is that the heart of contact management has remained the same: maintain personal relationships, collect information, and leverage your knowledge. Despite these fundamental truths, many businesses drop the ball on contact management because it has been hard, time-consuming work. However, marketing automation means it no longer has to be. Integrating with marketing automation is one simple step you can take to enhance these 4 areas of contact management: Optimizing Customer Interaction Of course, customer interaction is at the heart of contact management. Not only does interaction with the customer provide a chance for you to learn valuable information about them, but it provides a sense of reassurance to clients that they are more than just another account. Marketing automation makes customer interaction easy by providing an opportunity to create more customized points of engagement that make customers feel unique. Best of all, this automation can be done quickly and with little specialized training. For instance, you can automatically add a customer to an email campaign after they visit a specific page on your website. Or, you can email a promotion to all of your customers who are interested... --- ### What to Expect When Using Marketing Automation Software > To help get you up to speed quickly on your research, here are some things to expect when you sign up for a marketing automation: - Published: 2016-07-15 - Modified: 2020-01-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sign-up-for-marketing-automation-software/ - Categories: Marketing Automation This blog post was last updated on January 16th, 2020. Marketing automation is a wonderful tool that is meant to make the lives of marketing and sales teams easier. It helps you generate more warm leads for your business, improve follow-up with prospects, and better manage customer relationships. It's a super powerful tool, but you must know exactly what to expect so you can get the most out of the software you're using. Maybe you're beginning to look into marketing automation for your business, or you're unsure you're currently using the right software. Whatever your situation is, there's a ton of unknowns to clear up. So, to reduce any "gotcha" moments, we're going to cover precisely what you're getting yourself into when you use marketing automation software. 1. You’ll Need a Website – and Traffic If you don’t have a website or online traffic, there’s no need to invest in marketing automation. After all, the whole point of marketing automation is to better engage with people who visit your website and to nurture your leads with emails that drive them back to your website, where they will eventually convert into a customer. So, if you’re a brand new business with little to no web traffic, investing in marketing automation today may be jumping the gun a bit. Instead, focus on building a professional-looking website that converts. Then find ways to drive quality traffic to it, which brings me to the next point. 2. You’ll Need an Inbound Marketing Strategy Marketing... --- ### 12 Actionable Marketing Tips for Marketing Agencies > New agencies crop up every day - do you stand out from the pack? Check out our best marketing tips for marketing agencies. - Published: 2016-07-14 - Modified: 2024-03-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-tips-for-marketing-agencies/ - Categories: Agencies When running and owning a marketing agency, it can be easy to get caught up in the time it takes to build wow-worthy marketing campaigns for your clients and forget to market your own business. But, with hundreds of marketing agencies out there and more cropping up every day, it’s important to spend time every month on tasks that will make your company excel and stand out from the pack. Why would a new client choose your agency over all the others? With a few online marketing and thought leadership tricks, you can ensure a stamp of approval — and a paycheck — from potential clients. Here are 12 ways I’ve seen the best marketing agencies promote their services: Guest Blog Make it a top priority to contribute thought leadership blog posts to another company’s blog that has the same target audience you’re trying to reach. This will position you as knowledgeable in your industry and open up your reach to a whole new customer segment, for zero cost. It’s easy to email editors or content marketers and pitch a story idea because everyone is looking for quality blog content these days. Another great strategy is to get a content placement on a top tier marketing media site such as Social Media Today, ProBlogger or Moz. These sites have a high volume of traffic, and chances are your post will get shared a lot, driving a good amount of traffic back to your business through a placed link. Don’t forget... --- ### Automated Marketing: 3 Ways to Get Up Close & Personal > Skeptical about marketing automation? Here are 3 ways automated marketing creates that personalized experience that will bring you more customers. - Published: 2016-07-13 - Modified: 2016-07-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/automated-marketing-gets-personal/ - Categories: Marketing The notion of "automated marketing" may sound impersonal and disconnected, but it certainly doesn't have to be. In fact, it shouldn't be about creating a robotic standardized experience. What automated marketing is really about is cultivating relationships, nurturing leads and being the first choice when they're ready to buy. It's a model in which everyone wins. Your company wins more business. And your customers win by receiving a more personalized experience. If you're still skeptical, here are three ways that automated marketing creates a personalized experience that will bring you more customers: 1: It meets customer needs Marketing often feels impersonal to potential customers because they are getting the same message as everyone else - regardless of their needs. But with automated marketing, you can leverage smart email nurturing to send the right content to potential customers at the right time. So, instead of confronting a cold lead with a sales pitch right off the bat, you can use marketing automation data to figure out what they're interested in. Then, you can deliver helpful information that addresses that interest, or even solves a problem. As a result, you establish trust, boosting their "brand affinity" for your product. As you continue to nurture potential customers with content that resonates with their needs, they are more likely to engage with you. They're more likely to open an email from your company and click a link. They're more likely to pick up the phone when your company calls. When you automate your marketing,... --- ### Top 20 Small Business Marketing Blogs to Follow to Boost Your Marketing Smarts > Separate the fluff from the actionable advice you can really use to grow your business. with these top 20 small business marketing blogs. - Published: 2016-07-12 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-blogs/ - Categories: Marketing Top 20 Marketing Blogs to Follow There's a wealth of information online, but when it comes to marketing your small business, you want to separate the fluff from the actionable advice you can really use to grow your business. We've compiled your short list. Check out these 20 small business marketing blogs. Follow them on Twitter. Add them to your RSS feed. Bookmark them in your browser. Or just keep this list handy so you know just where to go to stay up to date on marketing trends, tactics and strategies. 1. StoryNeedle Those who find themselves alienated by dry marketing lingo may wish to check out StoryNeedle and its narrative-focused approach to marketing. This blog from Michael Andrews, an independent content strategist currently based in Rome, Italy provides content strategy for a "post-device era. " 2. MarketingProfs Run by a network of marketing professionals (it lives up to its name), MarketingProfs is the go-to source for comprehensive information on most any marketing topic. Headed up by Ann Handley, it's a must-read blog for marketing professionals and newbies alike. 3. Copyblogger This is a great place to start if you're new to content marketing. Get superior content marketing education so you can build a remarkable online presence in the format you prefer - Copyblogger shares content in article, audio and video format so you can easily download and digest. 4. Coschedule Coschedule is another awesome content marketing resource. And, you can check out their free headline analyzer tool to make... --- ### 5 Reasons Your Agency Should Leverage YouTube Videos for Your Small Business Clients > Every day, millions of people worldwide contribute to billions of daily views on YouTube. Through simple subscriptions, social media link shares and viral - Published: 2016-07-11 - Modified: 2018-12-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/youtube-videos/ - Categories: Agencies Every day, millions of people worldwide contribute to billions of daily views on YouTube. Through simple subscriptions, social media link shares and viral content, people from almost every corner of the globe — 80 percent of YouTube’s audience lives outside the United States — experience new content and stories. YouTube is a savvy marketer’s playground. At the same time, only 9% of small businesses are leveraging YouTube to reach their audience. This leaves the field wide open for your agency to accelerate reach, engagement and conversions for your small business clients with YouTube. With careful promotion and clever content creation, YouTube video to greatly expand your client’s audience and market. Here’s why: 1. YouTube Videos Promote Sharing Social media is a permanent fixture in today’s digital landscape. Nearly 80 percent of Americans have at least one profile, and every day millions use it to share personal photos, news stories, silly memes and eye-catching videos. All it takes is one copy-and-paste share of a YouTube link for a social media influence to create hundreds, thousands, or even millions of new audience views for your client. YouTube promotion is so powerful because it goes well beyond the native YouTube platform. Your small business client can easily use Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms to share their videos. YouTube videos can be embedded in a website or landing page to capture the attention of site visitors and increase conversions. Or, your client can email a link to an engaging video in an email... --- ### How to Get New Top of Funnel Leads to Swipe Right > Since a Tinder-like app doesn’t exactly exist for small business owners, you have to come up with other ways to find and attract new top of funnel leads. - Published: 2016-07-08 - Modified: 2016-07-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-get-top-of-funnel-leads/ - Categories: Marketing In the Tinder dating app, users “swipe right” when they are interested in a person and want to meet them to potentially date. Drumming up new business is actually quite a bit like dating. You’re working to put your product or service’s best face forward like you would on a dating app. You’ve chosen the best profile picture possible to attract your target audience. You’re also looking to generate as much interest as possible, messaging each potential partner for a while before deciding to meet up - kind of like how marketers nurture each potential lead for a while before the decision to make a purchase is finalized. Since a Tinder-like app doesn’t exactly exist for small business owners (if only it were that easy! ), you have to come up with other ways to find and attract new top of funnel leads. But don’t worry - getting those top-of-funnel leads to “swipe right” for your business is easier than you think. Write On Just like in online dating, you have to put yourself out there to get noticed. Yes, you have a great product, but does the world know that? Probably not. One way to spread the word and drum up new leads is to tell people — through writing blogs and social media posts. Use blog posts to tout yourself as an expert in your industry and discuss the latest trends and problems around that topic. As long as you’re utilizing search engine optimization (SEO) when you’re creating... --- ### Getting the Help You Need Doesn't Cost, It Pays > Asking for small business help can be tough for owners, but you have to let go of the reins sometimes if you want to grow. - Published: 2016-07-07 - Modified: 2021-07-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-help/ - Categories: Small Business I have a pal (let’s call him Len) who got into the white-hot Southern California residential real estate market in 2005, a good two years before the housing bubble there burst. As you can imagine, things started off great for Len. (Are you already guessing where this story ends up? I bet you are wrong. ) As he later told me, “I thought I was some sort of real estate savant, Steve. Everything I listed sold quickly, often with multiple offers. I was in hog heaven. ” Len didn’t even have to do a lot of marketing; deals just keeping falling in his lap. Until 2008. According to Wikipedia, “On December 30, 2008, the Case-Shiller home price index reported its largest price drop in its history. ” (Emphasis added. ) Before he knew it, Len’s business completely dried up. The problem (among many others), was that he had a new wife and baby at home at he could simply not afford to not work. So what did he do? He invested in himself. “I used to tell clients that when they bought an investment property, they should also get a professional property management company to run it for them,” he said. “My take was, ‘it doesn’t cost, it pays. ’” Len took his own advice and invested in his business at a time when the conventional wisdom was to retrench and do the opposite. What he decided was that if he was going to be doing fewer deals, he needed... --- ### The Right (Social Media) Tool For The Job > Even though you are focused on marketing, you many have overlooked certain social media “tools” that could add some real juice to your marketing results. - Published: 2016-07-06 - Modified: 2022-10-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-tool/ - Categories: Marketing As a savvy small business owner, you understand how important it is to focus on sales and marketing. Even if you don’t feel like you have this crucial business discipline wired yet, it’s at least on your radar. But even though you are focused on marketing, you many have overlooked certain “tools” that could add some real juice to your marketing results. Today, let’s focus on one of the biggest: social media. Done right, social media marketing can be a business booster for small companies like yours. But what’s the operative phrase here? You guessed it. “Done right”. The goal of this article is to give you some practical, easy-to-implement tips that can help you do social media marketing right for your small business. Remember The Big Picture Now social media is a small (and big) business hot topic. There is a myriad of options you can choose. And the current mania seems to be to try the latest social media or digital marketing tool just because it’s cool or the latest thing. Before we go any further, I have one word of advice about this: Don’t! Do not choose a social media platform, or any marketing tool, just because it’s popular. Likewise, don’t discard what’s working for you just because it’s “old”. Work from a well-designed, comprehensive marketing plan that addresses every aspect of your marketing efforts. And plan for, analyze and research every choice you make regarding social media platforms for your business. Some social media platforms will... --- ### How to Turn Small New Leads into Big Opportunities > By blowing off small, new leads to jobs that don’t look financially exciting at the outset, you may be missing out bigger and better opportunities - Published: 2016-07-05 - Modified: 2022-09-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/new-leads-into-opportunity/ - Categories: Featured You already know you should hunt for big quarry if you want to grow your business. Having a few high-spending, repeat customers can make it a lot easier to pay the bills. But it’s easy to take that thinking too far. By blowing off those smaller new leads to jobs that don’t look quite as financially exciting at the outset, you may be missing out on projects that could lead to bigger and better things. Here are some tips on how to make the most of small leads to grow your business. Look for leads that have the “exponential advantage. ” In his bestselling book Exponential Organizations, Salim Ismael celebrates companies that are 10x faster, smarter and cheaper than their rivals. Look at the new leads that you get at your business through a similar “exponential” lens. If a small lead has the potential to grow into projects worth 10x as much, it could give your business an unbeatable advantage. How do you identify new leads that could grow into “10x” the business? First, consider what type of potential customer you’re dealing with. If it’s a big company, chances are it vets new contractors and suppliers very carefully and only trusts them with small jobs until they prove themselves reliable. Your only way to win big projects may be to do a series of small ones. That takes patience but the payoff can be huge. So how do you make such clients comfortable enough to give you a significant-sized project?... --- ### How to Host the Best BBQ Ever with Marketing Automation > Ready to gather up your friends and family and put a sizzle on the grill - but wish everything could come together automagically? If your backyard - Published: 2016-07-01 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-efficiency/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Ready to gather up your friends and family and put a sizzle on the grill - but wish everything could come together automagically? If your backyard barbeque ran on marketing automation, it could. You know that marketing automation helps businesses automate workflows, manage tasks, and send timely email campaigns. Here’s how we think marketing automation would make your summer barbeque... wait for it... legendary. Pull Together an Awesome Invite List When it comes to grillin’ and chillin’, the right guest list can make or break your backyard soiree. You want to invite the right mix of people, and make sure you don’t leave out anyone important. Since marketing automation dynamically segments people by their preferences, demographics, industry, title, activity level - basically any criteria you can think of - imagine how it could revolutionize the process of choosing your guest list. If marketing automation ran your barbeque, it would identify all of the right segments for you, like: The people you have to invite (because you’ll hear about it if you don’t) Blood relations Your golf buddies It could even exclude the people you’d rather not invite into your home, like: Clients and colleagues (you’d like a well-deserved break from business) Frank-the-Tank (you want to keep things appropriate and kid friendly) Your nosy neighbor And, once your invite list was decided, sending out the invites would be just as easy. Send a Personalized Invitation You have a lot of people in your close circle - so when it comes to... --- ### 4 Website Conversion Tips You Can't Ignore > These 4 website conversion tips will help you entice visitors to stay on your website, give up their contact information, and leave them wanting more. - Published: 2016-06-30 - Modified: 2016-06-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/website-conversion-tips/ - Categories: Marketing Your website is often the first encounter that a potential customer has with your company. They may stumbled across it through a Google search, or get directed there via a social media post; an advertisement; or a friend or colleague. But, for most visitors, the journey isn't over once they get to your site. You need to make sure that they stay on your site and -- most importantly -- convert into a lead or customer for your small business. You need to design your website for conversion to entice them stay, give up their valuable contact information, and leave them wanting more. Here are 4 website conversion tips to help you do just that: 1. Serve Up Something Sweet In order to get visitors to your site to convert and become a potential lead, you need to offer them something in return for their contact information. No, offering visitors “the ability to be emailed by us repeatedly” is not an incentive. Trust me. It’s not. Instead, try offering a targeted email course that gives your website visitors real, tangible value. Putting your blog posts or articles behind registration doesn't work either. Visitors won’t register for content they expect to receive freely - like blog posts and videos. They will register for content that solves a problem they face - whether it's in the form of an infographic, ebook, white paper and beyond. Give them something that’s worth their while, and they'll happily give you their name and email address.... --- ### The Biggest Digital Barriers to Small Business Growth (and How to Overcome Them) > Domain registrar and website hosting company GoDaddy recently teamed up with Alignable, a social media network for small local businesses, to survey more - Published: 2016-06-29 - Modified: 2016-06-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/digital-barriers/ - Categories: Small Business Domain registrar and website hosting company GoDaddy recently teamed up with Alignable, a social media network for small local businesses, to survey more than 100,000 small business owners in North America to learn what they struggle with most with when trying to grow their businesses digitally. The survey, conducted in May, had some surprising results. After looking at the data Alignable came up with five areas that repeatedly emerged as problematic for small business owners: Building a website Optimizing the website Website branding Customer communication Ecommerce We spoke to Andrea Rowland, managing editor for GoDaddy’s small business community, The Garage, to better understand these and other challenges identified after analyzing the survey results. More than half of small business owners use a generic email. This is a big problem for small businesses, but they don’t seem to realize it. “When you look at the top ten online factors that influence consumer trust, a business’ email ranks fourth,” says Rowland. “When people look for at business’ email they want it to include the business’ domain name. It looks far more professional than one from gmail or yahoo. ” A domain based email is essential for increasing email deliverability and email open rates. Small business owners underestimate the importance of that—54 percent still use generic email accounts—even though consumer surveys show that email remains the preferred method of communication for consumers and the ROI for email marketing is through the roof. “Your payback for what you spend is much higher for email... --- ### Advice for Beating the Summer Slowdown > Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…maybe not when you’re a small business owner facing the screeching halt of a summer slowdown - Published: 2016-06-28 - Modified: 2016-06-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/summer-slowdown/ - Categories: Featured Summertime, and the livin’ is easy... So goes the old song from “Ragtime” and it’s true if you’re on vacation down on the beach, spending the evening grilling, or playing mini-golf with your kids. However, the lyrics aren’t so true when you’re a small business owner and business slows down and even screeches to a grinding halt in the summer. What can you do to ensure that your business survives each summer? Dial (and Email) for Dollars As a small business owner, you know that you and your sales team need to talk to your contacts, be it through emails or on the phone — or, more commonly, both. Robert Rains, Co-Founder and Chief Engineer of Wicked Easy I. T. uses the winter and spring to make those contacts to generate summer business. “I step up my sales activities to acquire more clients before the ‘summer vacation slowdown’,” says Rains. “I also offer discounts on project work during July and August. ” Who should you reach out to with your emails and calls? First, do not just start by buying a list and cold calling people. Just don’t. By doing that, you’re going to aggravate people and they’ll take their business elsewhere. That’s not what you want. Instead, use marketing automation to identify the leads who have already made contact with you and have visited your website. For example, send a promo email to warm leads who have recently downloaded a resource from your website. And start a call campaign... --- ### More Than Just a Pretty Face: How to Build a Website for Conversion > Want to generate more sales from your website? Website conversion is the art and science of persuading visitors to take the next step toward the sale. - Published: 2016-06-27 - Modified: 2016-06-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/build-a-website-for-conversion/ - Categories: Sales Imagine that you are unhappy with the way your small business’ website looks. You also don’t like how it’s performing as a sales generator. You think if you just get a pretty looking website with the latest design bells and whistles, not only will visitors love it, they will buy more of your stuff. So you hire a talented designer. You pay a small fortune and get a beautiful website redesign - complete with a trendy background video on the home page. Exciting, right? But soon, disappointment sets in. Even though you’ve focused on SEO and drive traffic to your site, no one is joining your email list. No one is contacting you to find out more about your business and the work you do. In other words, your website is not converting. So what is website conversion? In the digital marketing world, conversion, or Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is the art and science of persuading website visitors to take the next step you want them to take - this could be anything from subscribing to an email list, to requesting a one-on-one consultation, to purchasing a product or service. The whole point of having a website is to drive sales, and optimizing for conversions is a must. Don’t Prioritize Pretty It's easy to get caught up in how your website looks as compared to how it performs. But your site doesn’t have to look pretty to get you the conversion results you want and need. It can be plain,... --- ### 8 Ways Small Business Owners Can Manage Stress > As a small business owner, you know all too well about stress. There’s the stress of paying the bills; the stress of finding new customers; the stress of - Published: 2016-06-24 - Modified: 2021-12-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-ways-small-business-owners-can-manage-stress/ - Categories: Small Business As a small business owner, you know all too well about stress. There’s the stress of paying the bills; the stress of finding new customers; the stress of retaining your current customers; the stress of finding, hiring and firing employees; the stress of keeping on top of the day-to-day management of your business... And yes, the list could go on and on. But that’s not what we’re focusing on here. Instead, this article is about how to manage and ease all of that stress. Read on for eight ways you may not have considered. 1: Exercise Okay, so this one’s a no brainer, and I know you’re sitting there reading this thinking “Where am I going to find the time for that? ”. If it’s important to you, you’ll find the time and make the time to work out. Consider it officially important. Exercise in any format (spin class; boxing; running; walking; or whatever works for you) helps to heighten your level of endorphins, which are those hormones that give you a “feel good” sensation, and serves to alleviate stress. Pencil in some exercise into your calendar. It will help. 2: Meditate Thinking a hundred or a thousand thoughts a second - like most small business owners do - can take it’s toll on your ability to think clearly. Quiet down your mind by spending time quietly focusing on your breath or a chant of some kind. If you need an introduction to meditation, Headspace is perfect. You can learn... --- ### 20 Inspirational Business Quotes to Hang On Your Mirror > We hope there’s at least one inspirational business quote here that resonates with you as you start your day or as you wind down at night. - Published: 2016-06-23 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inspirational-business-quotes/ - Categories: Leadership No matter your location or job across the world, chances are you look in a mirror every day. Many of us start each morning by taking at least a quick peek in the mirror when brushing our teeth, getting ready or washing our face before bed. Because of this, mirrors have notoriously been a popular place for individuals to post positive messages of encouragement and affirmation. Spouses often leave personal Post-It notes of love or Honey-Do lists to their partners, and personal trainers will often tell their clients to post a photo of themselves on their mirror to envision their weight loss goal. As an entrepreneur, it is easy to feel discouraged or burned out and your mirror is a great place to post a quote that can make you feel ready to tackle the day or any tough situation. Here are some of our favorite inspirational business quotes to hang on your mirror: “You can't connect the dots looking forward you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something: your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well-worn path. ” — Steve Jobs, Co-founder & former CEO of Apple You can’t connect the dots looking forward you can only connect them looking backward — Steve Jobs https://t.... --- ### How a Systems Thinking Approach Can Improve the Customer Experience > Systems thinking is a way of learning how people, processes, and technology can interact for successful outcomes - primarily a better customer experience - Published: 2016-06-22 - Modified: 2022-07-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-experience-systems-thinking/ - Categories: Small Business When you think about your business, do you think about it in terms of separate, discrete elements? While this is a traditional way of thinking about your business, compartmentalizing systems and processes can result in siloed operations and lack of communication - impairing your ability to create an awesome customer experience and delight the socks off of your customers. "Systems thinking" is an approach that looks at people, processes, and technology can work together for successful outcomes - primarily a better experience for your customers. It's a way of envisioning your business not as a collection of independent processes, but as a holistic system of interdependent processes that affect not only each other, but the system as a whole. For instance, Apple took a systems thinking approach when it integrated iPod features into the iPhone - and we all know how incredibly successful it made their business. How Systems Thinking Benefits Small Businesses So, you're not Apple... how can systems thinking benefit you? Systems thinking can actually give you a better handle on your business as a whole, so you can anticipate how changes will impact the customer experience. For example, say you're considering investing in a CRM for your sales team (and if you aren't familiar with CRM, more in this later in the post). The traditional, siloed way of thinking would consider only the impact a CRM would make for the sales branch of your business: Joe needs a better way to track his sales pipeline and organize... --- ### 3 Lead Nurturing Fails – And How to Avoid Them > Here are 3 common lead nurturing fails small businesses make and how you can avoid them in your email marketing campaigns. - Published: 2016-06-21 - Modified: 2016-06-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lead-nurturing-fails/ - Categories: Marketing Lead nurturing is something that small businesses often struggle with. Here are three common mistakes that small businesses make and how you can avoid them in your email marketing efforts. A Guest Post by Adam Root, Inbound Marketing Strategist at SevenAtoms, Inc. You already know that lead nurturing is an indispensable tool for converting leads into sales, and for retaining existing customers. It helps to keep your brand squarely in front of prospects and top-of-mind. And, because most of the process can be automated, it allows small business owners to focus on what they do best – running their business. Unfortunately, lead nurturing is something that small businesses often struggle with. Here are three common small businesses lead nurturing fails and how you can avoid them in your email marketing efforts: 1. Spamming Leads with Promotional Offers Email is a powerful marketing tool, but it must be handled with care. It’s too easy to fall into the trap of sending out emails that sing the virtues of your offering but that don’t provide any actual value to the recipient. Emails should help educate and inform your contacts, not hammer them with a sales pitch every couple of days. To ensure that your email isn’t too salesy, keep your content simple, to-the-point, and helpful. Also, try to keep the design of the email straightforward, as if it was sent from a real person. Refer to your email recipient by name and use your own name as the sender, in order to build a more personal relationship with them. You can tell if you are sending spammy emails by keeping tabs on certain metrics, such as your open and unsubscribe rates. If... --- ### How to Find a CoFounder that Will Unlock New Opportunities for Your Business > Building a business is hard no matter what, but it’s often tougher on your own. Learn how to find a cofounder that will take your business further. - Published: 2016-06-20 - Modified: 2016-06-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-find-a-cofounder/ - Categories: Leadership Building a business is hard no matter what, but it’s often tougher on your own. Russell Siegelman, a former Microsoft executive, and now an investor and a professor at Stanford Business School, wrote recently that he advises entrepreneurs to seriously consider having a cofounder. “In my experience,” he wrote, “entrepreneurial teams are stronger than single founders. I know some successful single founders, so it can be done, but I think the odds of success are much higher if you have a cofounder. ” Cofounders provide inspiration, emotional support, complementary skills and accountability to one another. You may have a brilliant idea but may not have the level of technical skills and expertise to build the product you envision. Or conversely, you might have deep technical or scientific expertise but your business acumen may not be as strong as it should be. That’s why a cofounder can be so powerful. From Lone Podcaster to Innovative Media Company: The Cofounder Impact When NPR veteran Alex Blumberg started his podcasting company (now known as Gimlet Media) two years ago, he wasn’t having much success with investors. Although he knew how to tell a story, write, edit and make a great podcast, he hadn’t figured out how to make money and scale a business like that. Blumberg eventually chose to team up with Matt Lieber, his cofounder and president of the company, who not only had a background in public radio, but an MBA and a job as a consultant at the Boston Consulting... --- ### 9.5 Gifts to Avoid (at all costs) This Father's Day > Millions of dads everywhere will be celebrating their special day Sunday, chillin, barbequing, and opening their gifts. Father’s Day is a time to let the - Published: 2016-06-18 - Modified: 2016-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-5-gifts-avoid-costs-fathers-day/ - Categories: Uncategorized Millions of dads everywhere will be celebrating their special day Sunday, chillin, barbequing, and opening their gifts. Father’s Day is a time to let the dad in your life know just how much he means to you. But - one of the toughest parts of Dad’s day is figuring out exactly what to get him. So if you love your dad and want to stay in his good graces, you may want to avoid the urge to buy these 9. 5 well-intentioned, yet still awful, Father’s Day gifts: 1: DIY Coupons - Redeemable Anytime Giving the gift of time... generous, no? Unfortunately, giving dad handwritten offers to mow his lawn or to take him to lunch comes off as a last-minute gift idea. Might as well just give him an “I-O-U. ” Like most dads who love their kids, I appreciate the talented artwork and the fact that every dad should be rockin the Abe Lincoln Hat, but shouldn’t kids give their father’s hugs anyway? Instead of a coupon book that never gets redeemed, spend quality time with your dad on Father’s Day doing something together that you have in common. Take him to his favorite lunch spot or go to a baseball game together. Just stay away from the fridge art and coupon books. 2: Anti-Fart Underwear I am not sure why, but we all tend to get our dads gifts that we think solve a problem in their lives. Like nose trimmers, the always helpful tie-rack, or even... --- ### No Helpdesk? Digital Dragonfly Shares Small Business Tech Insights > No help desk? Digital Dragonfly shares their advice for managing your small business tech - from tools and systems to process and workflow. - Published: 2016-06-17 - Modified: 2016-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-tech/ - Categories: Small Business Francesca Geens is a small business tech and productivity strategist at Digital Dragonfly, where she works with solo business owners to make sure they have the right tech, tools and systems in place to run their businesses. She recently answered a few questions about how small business owners can use technology more effectively to run their ventures. Here's what she had to say: Tell us about Digital Dragonfly? What inspired you to start your business? Digital Dragonfly is a technology and productivity consultancy that I set up nearly six years ago. There are ever growing numbers of people setting up their own businesses - they work from home offices or are very mobile and though they might be independent, they need to be as professional as any bigger business. Many will have left corporate life and so were used to good tech and a helpdesk. I become their tech go-to person and will work with them to make sure they have everything in place to be productive from a tech point of view. This covers everything from the essentials like good hardware, backup, email and structures to productivity hacks and tools to make for efficient working. I love untangling and simplifying and we make sure clients are setup in the simplest and most appropriate way for them and their business. What are the most common technological needs or headaches your clients come to you with? A big one is email. Both inbox management but also making sure that they have... --- ### 5 Secrets to Solving Your Small Business Hiring Problem - Hatchbuck > For small business, hiring ranks third on the list of greatest obstacles to growing. Here are 5 tips on how you can find better talent. - Published: 2016-06-16 - Modified: 2016-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-hiring/ - Categories: Featured, Small Business Small businesses have a lot of hard spending choices to make, so it’s essential they get the most bang for the buck they spend. And this year one of the places many will have to spend is on hiring. When it comes to small business hiring, the NFIB reports that 52% of small businesses reported hiring or trying to hire, but 45% had few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill. And in fact 15% of small business owners said hiring was their single most important business problem; it’s the number three problem on the list for all small businesses (behind taxes and red tape). Because the hiring market is robust and unemployment relatively low, small businesses are competing with larger entities for the same talent. Fifty-six percent of small business say they plan on hiring this year, according to a recent survey, but 70% of those said they haven’t been able to find qualified talent; 15% of small business owners said a lack of qualified candidates was the greatest threat to their growing business. In many cases the talent is there, it’s just that small businesses don’t think they can afford to hire the people they need. They wind up turning away customers (because they don’t have enough staff to take on additional work) and leaving revenue on the table. To make the most of your resources, hire smarter—think quality over quantity. Having more employees doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be operating better. Instead, hire... --- ### 3 Ways Inbound Marketing Can Fuel Your Automation Engine > You've embraced marketing automation to manage daily tasks, but your work isn't done yet. Marketing automation is an engine, inbound marketing is the fuel. - Published: 2016-06-15 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-automation-fuel/ - Categories: Inbound Marketing, Marketing Automation You've embraced marketing automation to manage daily tasks, but your work isn't done yet. Marketing automation is an engine, inbound marketing is the fuel. You've embraced automated marketing to manage daily tasks - like collecting new leads from your website, creating follow-up tasks, and sending automated responses - but your work isn't done yet. Marketing automation is an engine, and inbound marketing is the fuel. Without a substantial flow of website traffic, your marketing automation will stay parked on the avenue to revenue growth. Even with marketing automation in place, you still have to make sure that your company gets noticed amid the clutter and competition of the online world to drive new leads to your website. Here are three ways to get noticed by prospective customers and get them into your sales funnel: 1: Embrace Visual Content When you are passionate about your work and about your product, it is easy to speak (or write) voluminously on the subject, and long form content is excellent SEO juice. The only problem is that without a compelling image or design, your amazing content can fly under the radar of your audience. According to one study, "The average attention span is just eight seconds. " That means that embracing visual content is a key part of your small business marketing. Consider outsourcing creative to create things like in-depth videos or intriguing infographics. Or, if you want to visual content in-house, products like Canva or Visage make it simple to create visual content. As Entrepreneur points out, even a freelancer with a good eye and a good iPhone can take great photos of your staff and your... --- ### Quick Guide to Creating Scrappy Tutorial Videos Like BuzzFeed’s Tasty Videos > Want to engage a bigger audience on Facebook? Check out our quick guide for creating a fast-motion video tutorial - just like a Buzzfeed Tasty video. - Published: 2016-06-14 - Modified: 2016-06-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/buzzfeed-tasty-video-tutorial/ - Categories: Marketing How do you create fast motion tutorial videos like Tasty videos to capitalize on this Facebook video trend for your business? It won’t cost you hundreds or thousands to hire a videographer or agency. In fact, you can do it with your own iPhone. Here’s our quick guide: If you haven’t been privy to BuzzFeed’s latest online media conquest — its Tasty cooking video channel — then it’s worth putting on this week’s to-do list to catch up on the hype. The mesmerizing viral videos have more than 50 million subscribers on Facebook, and every new video they post receives millions of views. The massive success of these videos can be attributed to smart video content marketing. BuzzFeed tailored the format of Tasty videos to the platform they’re posted on: Facebook. BuzzFeed doesn’t just create one piece of content and blast every single social media platform at the same time with the same content. This type of content marketing is not optimal — it’s best to tailor your message and format for each social media site. But, don’t get overwhelmed with this advice. It’s easy to start small with scrappy, tutorial, fast motion videos in the Tasty Facebook style. Tasty videos were made exclusively for Facebook’s video features, which includes autoplay without sound when you scroll your News Feed. You don’t need sound, however, to stop in your scrolling tracks and watch Tasty videos. Each video features a fast motion format of an individual cooking an easy step-by-step, drool-worthy recipe such as pizza tots, deep-fried blooming onion and s’more funnel cake fries. You heard that last one right. So, how do you create fast motion tutorial videos like Tasty videos to capitalize on this Facebook video trend for your business? It won’t cost you hundreds or thousands to... --- ### Website Visitors Not Ready To Buy? Do This. > Most visitors to your website won’t do business with you after their first visit. To convert website visitors, you've got to keep them coming back. - Published: 2016-06-13 - Modified: 2016-06-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/convert-website-visitors/ - Categories: Marketing If you are a small business owner marketing and selling your products or services online, trying to convert website visitors into customers, I have some shocking news for you. Keep reading to find out more... You can invest heavily in your online marketing in terms of money, expertise, time and effort. You can build an attractive, eye-catching website. You can enjoy massive success getting traffic to your website. You can have persuasive, engaging written copy. You can have high-quality products and services. But even if all of these things are true of your business, most visitors to your website, even if they are interested in what you have to offer, won’t do business with you after their first visit. They won’t contact you. They won’t buy from your online store. To convert website visitors into customers, you've got to do more that get them to your site one time. Now they may sincerely want to make a mental note to check out your site again in the near future. But there’s a good chance they will then get distracted and forget all about you. Don’t make the mistake of ignoring these folks in order to put all of your online marketing focus on the small percentage of your site visitors who want to buy right away. By focusing only on those visitors who want to buy now, you are costing your company a lot of sales, including repeat sales, now and in the long run. So pay attention to those... --- ### How to Cultivate, Appreciate and Grow Your Brand Ambassadors > Here’s how your small business can grow your cadre of brand ambassadors to make sure they feel appreciated and spread the word about your brand. - Published: 2016-06-10 - Modified: 2022-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/brand-ambassadors/ - Categories: Featured The term “brand ambassadors” may feel new but it’s actually just a modern-day spin on an old-school strategy: word-of-mouth advertising. And it’s still the most credible form of marketing today. The term “brand ambassadors” may feel new but it’s actually just a modern-day spin on an old-school strategy: word-of-mouth advertising. And it’s still the most credible form of marketing today. According to a survey last year by Nielsen, 83% of people worldwide say they trust the recommendations of friends and family. What’s changed over the years are the ways in which those that believe in your brand can recommend it to others. Research from Nielsen shows that trust and action are linked—83% of respondents to the survey also said they take action on opinions of friends and family at least some of the time. Millennials have the highest levels of trust in recommendations found online and in mobile formats. You can’t promote your product or service without the help of word-of-mouth recommendations from people that are truly enamored with it, so cultivating and growing your base of brand ambassadors is crucial. You don’t necessarily have to put in a formal ambassador program, you can build up a base of brand evangelists more organically, too. Here’s how to grow your cadre of ambassadors and make sure they feel appreciated: Keep your ears open. Start listening to what’s being said about your brand in conversations online. You can do that by reading and responding to comments that appear on your company’s blog, Facebook page, Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram, etc. In addition, there are both free and paid services that can be used to help you listen in on conversations about your brand happening... --- ### Personas and Segmentation: A Winning Team for Agencies (who want to keep their clients) > When a small business comes to your agency for marketing help, they want to see their investment in your services turn into real revenue. So how can you make sure your clients get the most out of every dollar they spend with your agency? - Published: 2016-06-09 - Modified: 2018-12-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/personas-segmentation/ - Categories: Agencies When a small business comes to your agency for marketing help, they want to see their investment in your services turn into real revenue. So how can you make sure your clients get the most out of every dollar they spend with your agency? When a small business comes to your agency for marketing help, they want to see their investment in your services turn into real revenue. So how can you make sure your clients get the most out of every dollar they spend with your agency? Mapping out buyer personas allows you to segment leads and create targeted campaigns that result in more conversions for your client. Here’s how: One of Us... One of Us... Before you can help your client drive new business through marketing, you need to know who their ideal customers are. Sit down with your client and talk to them about their best customers and use their insights to map out their “buyer personas”. Your client may have just one, maybe two or three buyer personas to target. Interview their current customers and dig through their customer relationship management (CRM) system to find out more about the people who have spent the most with your client, are happiest with your client, or have made the most purchases with your client to learn more about the type of customers your client should be trying to attract. Note: Unless the business’ forms ask for very detailed information, there may need to be follow-up calls/interviews with those top customers to find out all of the information you need to create the personas. Each buyer persona should contain the following information to flesh out the business’ ideal customers: Background: What is the person’s job title? How long have they been in their... --- ### 6 Marketing Tools That Make Marketing Less Expensive - and More Effective > If you’re ready to move away from traditional marketing methods and add modern marketing to the mix, here are 6 marketing tools to consider: - Published: 2016-06-08 - Modified: 2021-09-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-marketing-tools/ - Categories: Marketing If you’re ready to move away from traditional marketing methods and add modern marketing to the mix, here are 6 marketing strategies to consider: As a small business columnist for USA Today, I hear from a lot of small business owners. They tell me what works and what doesn’t. They share their tricks and tips and strategies and in turn, I share those with my readers. One thing that has become abundantly clear in the past few years is that because marketing has gone through so many big changes, and it’s a topic lots of small business owners struggle with. I’ve seen these changes in my own business. Back in the day, I practiced law (but fear not, I came to my senses long ago! ) Back then, getting clients was both an iffy and expensive process. Put an ad in the paper and hope people saw it. Record a radio spot and hope people heard it. That was a lot of hoping. Way too much hoping. These days, marketing is much different, and, though change is hard, I think modern marketing is much better. When small businesses embrace new marketing technology, marketing becomes less expensive, more effective, more targeted, and better performing. If you’re ready to move away from traditional marketing methods and add modern marketing to the mix, here are 6 marketing strategies to consider: Content marketing: People love content. Look – you are reading some right now. Using content to drive traffic and sales is called “content marketing. ” There are a lot of ways to do it, but here are my three, simple, handy dandy tips: First, create some valuable... --- ### 6 Budget Tips for Bootstrapping Your Business on a Shoestring and a Dream > Here’s a look at six budget tips designed to help you successfully run your small business on a shoestring and a dream. - Published: 2016-06-08 - Modified: 2016-06-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/budget-tips/ - Categories: Featured, Small Business Since many small businesses and startups are bootstrapping their growth without the help of loans or investors, a budget designed to keep costs down is essential. Operating a small business on a budget and properly managing cash flow can be difficult even in the best of economic times - especially if your budget is tight. Unknown variables can quickly alter your plan and impact your cash coming in the door. Unexpected events like a client going out of business, a vendor raising prices, or even losing that key employee can cause a dramatic effect on your business finances. That’s why having a solid budget in place is critical to your business’ continued operation—it helps you manage costs and determine profit goals. Since many small businesses and startups are bootstrapping their growth without the help of loans or investors, a budget designed to keep costs down is essential. Here’s a look at six budget tips designed to help you successfully run your small business on a shoestring and a dream: Create Accurate Sales and Revenue Projections Sales and revenue are the building blocks of any business budget. The key thing to remember here is not to overestimate incoming cash. Sure, you’re aiming to double sales this year, but the odds of that happening may be slimmer than you think. The best way to project sales and revenue for the year is to look at what you made last year. Be conservative in your projections—better to be pleasantly surprised than have cash flow issues. As you’re formulating what you can expect to bring in each month, keep in mind that your business and industry may experience predictable up-and-down... --- ### The Unexpected Way Your Business Can Boost Sales > Too many business owners are so focused on selling "right now," they forget something very important – maximizing lifetime customer value to boost sales. - Published: 2016-06-07 - Modified: 2016-06-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/boost-sales/ - Categories: Sales Too many business owners are so focused on selling "right now," they forget something very important – maximizing lifetime customer value to boost sales. A question for you: Of all the challenges you face in running your small business, which is the most difficult and least fun? I’m guessing that, like a lot of business owners, you said sales. I agree with you. It's hard to boost sales when you don't like selling. But guess what? Like it or not, you have to do it. Your business can’t survive without selling your product or service. But take heart. There are ways to make it easier and a lot more profitable. Interested? Keep reading... Too many business owners and even full-time sales professionals have a wrong view of selling. They are so hyper-focused on making the next sale “right now” they forget something very important – setting the stage and taking the actions that will help them make repeat sales to their existing customer base and maximize lifetime customer value. Why is this important to small businesses like yours? And what are the benefits of thinking long-term when it comes to customer relationships? The first sale you make to a customer is almost always the hardest. Why? An Old, But True, Cliché Think about the old, but true, cliché – people buy from those they know, like, and trust. Your potential customer doesn’t really know you yet. Hopefully they like you, or will grow to like you. And you definitely want them to trust you. But right now, they’re leery. They’re skeptical. You have to build a relationship in which they are convinced you have... --- ### Is Your Business Throwing Great Leads Out the Window? > No matter how many great leads you get, they won’t help you if your team is dropping the ball when comes to converting them to paying customers. Here are some common mistakes small business owners make and how to avoid them. - Published: 2016-06-06 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/business-leads/ - Categories: Sales No matter how many great leads you get, they won’t help you if your team is dropping the ball when comes to converting them to paying customers. Here are some common mistakes small business owners make and how to avoid them. Many business owners invest a lot of time and energy into attracting new leads. But no matter how many great leads you get, they won’t help you if your team is dropping the ball when comes to converting them to paying customers. Here are some common mistakes small business owners make and how to avoid them. Not moving at smartphone speed. The digital era has conditioned people to expect instant gratification—or a close facsimile. That means you literally have no time to waste if customers express interest in doing business with you. If they don’t hear back from you right away, they may decide to go elsewhere in the meantime. To avoid this problem, assign someone on team to respond to leads as they come in, so you don’t lose business to a competitor who is speedier. A bad first impression. If the team members who answer your phone sound rushed or gruff, that can be a turnoff to potential customers—and may some to walk away. One of the best investments you can make in your business is hiring someone with great manners to answer the phones and respond to emails from prospects—or sending your receptionist to a continuing education program to sharpen his or her skills at representing your business to customers. If you’re not sure what kind of reception your team is giving prospects who call, hire a mystery shopping service to give you an objective report. A digital-only approach. If your clients are very tech-savvy, they may... --- ### How to Bridge the Sales and Marketing Gap with Lead Nurturing > When you think of famous battles, you think of the North vs. the South; West Side Story’s rival gangs of the Sharks vs. the Jets; East Side vs. West Side - Published: 2016-06-02 - Modified: 2016-06-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/bridge-sales-marketing-gap-lead-nurturing/ - Categories: Marketing When you think of famous battles, you think of the North vs. the South; West Side Story’s rival gangs of the Sharks vs. the Jets; East Side vs. West Side in rap; and sales vs. marketing, right? Wait, what was that last one again? Yes, most people do think that sales and marketing folks are always butting heads, but they’re wrong. Maybe in some companies, they do, but sales and marketing work best together. Seriously. It makes sense because marketing works to generate potential leads to pass off to sales. But, those leads can’t just be found and passed off because those leads aren’t ready yet for sales. In fact, 50% of your leads are qualified but just not ready. They are top of funnel leads that need to move along the sales cycle until they reach the point where they are indeed ready to pass along to sales. Doing so before that point would be like creating Civil War 2: Sales vs. Marketing - and no one wants that. So, how can marketing help to move those potential leads along the sales cycle to get them ready for sales? Welcome to lead nurturing. Can’t Touch This It’s pretty well-known in the marketing industry that it takes 7 to 8 touches to motivate a person to take action and become a qualified sales lead. Some even say it can take 7 to 13+ touches. What does that mean? A “touch” is a way that your company interacts with a potential... --- ### What Happened to a Print Shop that Embraced Inbound Marketing > Victor Clarke transformed his commercial printing firm to an inbound marketing firm using the advantages of marketing automation. - Published: 2016-06-01 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/advantages-of-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Featured - Tags: automation, inbound, inbound marketing, Marketing Automation Victor Clarke has been the owner of Clarke Inc. for 20-plus years evolving it from strictly a commercial printing firm to an inbound and outbound marketing firm using marketing automation. We recently checked in with him to gain some of his marketing insight. Here's what he had to say: Can you tell us about how you transitioned your business from a print shop to an inbound/outbound marketing firm? My 20-plus years of experience has taught me that bigger isn't always better. The latest management fad is just that, a fad. Implement now, perfect later. I always thought that I wanted the big, fancy building as a monument to me along with dozens of employees to keep my monument humming along. I learned I not only managed 25 employees, but also their families and problems, too. I likely managed 100-plus people if you counted all the families involved with the business. The family problems became business problems, which became my problems. Bankruptcy was a distinct possibility if I didn't change how I did things fast! I spent way too much money investing in the latest management theories and software in an attempt to be perfect. Nobody and no business can be perfect. A few years ago I sold my building and laid off most of the employees, but kept all my customers and brokered out the business. Now I spend more time, and less money, growing my business rather than investing in the latest fads. What were the most important real-world... --- ### 61 Leadership Quotes to 'Keep On Keeping On' > Being a leader may be hard some days, but keep leading on with these 30 leadership quotes to live by. - Published: 2016-05-31 - Modified: 2022-09-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/61-leadership-quotes/ - Categories: Leadership - Tags: inspiration, leadership, leadership quotes, monday motivation, quotes Being the leader of the pack means that you have followers--even on days when you're not sure whether you are worthy to be followed. As you probably already know, the most effective leaders are those who are confident in their ability to lead, so make sure you keep your head on straight and your ducks in a row by remembering some words of advice about leadership. Here are 61 leadership quotes to live by: Always look for the fool in the deal. If you don’t find one, it’s you. —Mark Cuban, AXS TV chairman and entrepreneur Fall seven times and stand up eight. –Japanese Proverb To think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted. — George Knelle There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure. – Colin Powell I didn’t fail the test. I just found 100 ways to do it wrong. –Benjamin Franklin The biggest risk is not taking any risk... In a world that changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks. – Mark Zuckerberg Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy. – Norman Schwarzkopf Eventually all things fall into place. Until then, laugh at the confusion, live for the moments, and know everything happens for a reason. – Albert Schweitzer The art of leadership is saying no, not yes.... --- ### 15 Do’s and Don’ts of Working on Vacation > This blog post is for all of you who want to take a vacation, but aren’t really sure how you can possibly do so and NOT spend the whole time working and - Published: 2016-05-27 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/15-dos-donts-working-vacation-2/ - Categories: Leadership This blog post is for all of you who want to take a vacation, but aren’t really sure how you can possibly do so and NOT spend the whole time working and replying to emails and calls instead of relaxing. As a small business owner, you want to have a plan in place before you leave, so you won’t spend almost every moment of your vacation with your phone glued to your hand to anxiously check email and stay on top of everything. You’ll wind up feeling like you need a vacation from your vacation and no one wants that. Read on for 15 tips for working on vacation while still actually taking a vacation. DO trust that your employees will be able to keep your business running smoothly in your absence. Relax. You hired them for a reason. DON’T set your employees up for failure by assuming they know the tribal knowledge you have in your head. Make a list of everything that needs to be handled while you’re out and any information they may need to know about your clients’ histories and go over the list with each employee. DO figure out a plan in advance for any issues that may arise. Let your employees know when and why they should contact you, if necessary. DON’T lose new business because you’re on vacation and you didn’t think to have a process in place to handle business development. DO train one or more of your employees to be the... --- ### Complexity died with the Blackberry. Long live the simple CRM. > Steve Jobs once said that “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” and when it comes to Apple products, it’s so true. Remember when all of the tiny - Published: 2016-05-26 - Modified: 2021-01-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/simple-crm/ - Categories: CRM Steve Jobs once said that “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” and when it comes to Apple products, it’s so true. Remember when all of the tiny buttons on your Blackberry were replaced with the sleek touch screen and single round button of your iPhone? I know that operating my iPhone for the first time felt like magic. As a user, you don’t get caught up in the complexities of the technology running your device. It’s designed so well that you intuitively know how to use it to do what you want - whether it’s to take a photo and text it to a friend, or download a new app. In the past, the CRM felt more like the Blackberry - complex, clunky and used primarily by enterprise level businesses. But, like smartphones, CRMs have evolved. Web-based with intuitive user interfaces, you no longer need a technical team to install and implement your CRM, making today’s CRM super accessible for small business. Today, while there is complex technology running your CRM in the background, the CRM brings simplicity to your business in several key ways. Here are four ways that this software can handle the complicated to make your own life that much simpler: Task Automation One of the ways that a small business CRM can make your life simple is by automating tasks, including things like following up with leads and creating tasks during the sales process. With task management off your plate, you and your staff have more time... --- ### 7 Surprising Sales Lessons from a Fenway Park Hot Dog Vendor > The guys and gals in yellow jerseys you see at the ballpark selling beer, hot dogs, popcorn, water, cotton candy - they really hustle. Their paycheck - Published: 2016-05-25 - Modified: 2020-08-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/surprising-sales-lessons/ - Categories: Sales The guys and gals in yellow jerseys you see at the ballpark selling beer, hot dogs, popcorn, water, cotton candy - they really hustle. Their paycheck depends on their performance each game. So what can your business take away from a hot dog vendor’s sales strategy? NPR’s Planet Money podcast followed Fenway Park’s best food & beer vendor for one night. Here’s what we learned, and how you can apply it to your own business... You Don’t Need All the Breaks to Be the Best Vendors work on commissions, so the more they sell, the more they make. Every night, the vendors assemble to pick the food or drink they want to sell that night -- the product. They also pick the section they want to sell it - the territory. The guys who’ve been there the longest get to pick first. Naturally, the veteran vendors pick beer. For everyone else, there is some serious strategy that goes into their pick. José is the 20th pick at Fenway - which means he never gets to sell beer. Yet, he’s been the top earning vendor at Fenway for years. He’s a bit legendary. So, while, like José, your business may not get all of the breaks, you can outsell and outperform others in your market - starting with understanding your audience. 1. Know Your Audience - and Your Territory Beer is a big seller at a baseball game, but there are intricacies to every product. For instance, parents aren’t going to... --- ### Don’t Miss Bill Gates’ 2016 Summer Reading Recommendations for Entrepreneurs > Each year Bill Gates -- Seattle’s infamous billionaire who founded Microsoft — releases his must-read books for the summer. As the world’s wealthiest - Published: 2016-05-24 - Modified: 2016-06-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/dont-miss-bill-gates-2016-summer-reading-list/ - Categories: Leadership Each year Bill Gates -- Seattle’s infamous billionaire who founded Microsoft — releases his must-read books for the summer. As the world’s wealthiest person, when Gates speaks, people listen. In recent years, Gates has embraced social media like Twitter, LinkedIn and blogging to share his advice to business owners and entrepreneurs. He regularly blogs about topics such as philanthropy, energy, vaccinations, world health and books on his site Gates Notes. Each year, Gates releases a couple of book roundups. The most notable are his end-of-the-year book recommendations, and his summer reading list. In the summer, Gates tries to lighten it up just a bit and includes books that make him “think or laugh, or in some cases, do both. ” Last year’s recommended reads included Hyperbole and a Half, by Allie Brosh; The Magic of Reality, by Richard Dawkins; and How to Lie With Statistics, by Darrell Huff. Keeping up with tradition, Gates released his 2016 summer reads last week in a blog post on his site. It's just in time for reading in your favorite summer spot - with grass between your toes, or on a picnic blanket in the sunshine, or in a lazy hammock swing on the beach. “This summer, my recommended reading list has a good dose of books with science and math at their core,” he said in his post. “But there’s no science or math to my selection process. The following five books are simply ones that I loved, made me think in new... --- ### 5 Marketing Lessons Learned from the St. Louis Blues > St. Louis (Hatchbuck’s HQ) is ranked as one of the best sports cities in America, according to the Wall Street Journal. So it’s no surprise that diehard - Published: 2016-05-23 - Modified: 2016-05-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-marketing-lessons-st-louis-blues/ - Categories: Marketing St. Louis (Hatchbuck’s HQ) is ranked as one of the best sports cities in America, according to the Wall Street Journal. So it’s no surprise that diehard Blues fans and St. Louisans as a whole have ignited the city with excitement and energy as the Blues head into game 5 of the conference finals against the Sharks. Like in most cities, sports are a galvanizing force that brings the community together. For years I have been a Cardinal and Rams fan, going to games with my family and building lifelong memories. When it comes to the Blues, though, I have to admit, I have been somewhat of a casual follower. This year, however, it’s different. I haven't missed a Blues playoff game yet. The question is, why am I hooked? The Blues have done an amazing job of connecting to die hard fans over the years and have also found a number of ways to reach casual fans like myself through their marketing efforts, helping them to grow their fan base. So if your business is looking to better engage with your audience and connect with new and existing fans, here are 5 marketing lessons learned from the St. Louis Blues that can help: Make Social Personal In an era where some would rather give up their left arm than part with their mobile device, social media is nicely positioned to help brands to create a more personal relationship - right where customers and potential customers are. One way the... --- ### 10 Fascinating Follow-Up Stats That Can Impact Your Bottom Line > These 10 follow-up stats can help you be more effective at turning your lead pipeline into revenue for your business. - Published: 2016-05-19 - Modified: 2016-05-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-follow-up-stats-that-can-impact-your-bottom-line/ - Categories: Sales These 10 follow-up stats can help you be more effective at turning your lead pipeline into revenue for your business. If you market online, leads are one way to measure your success. A far better measure, however, is how good you are at converting leads to customers. In this post we’re sharing the top tips for responding to leads so they’ll convert. By taking this “best practices” approach to lead response, you can be more effective at turning your lead pipeline into revenue for your business. According to a study, Best Practices for Responding to Online Leads authored by Dr. James Oldroyd, visiting research fellow at MIT and David Elkington, CEO of InsideSales. com - when it comes to lead response, time is of the essence. Salespeople report that when a web-generated lead is responded to quickly, they are more likely to close a sale then when calling later. Even a few minutes can make a difference between a lead gone cold and a hot lead on the line. Lead follow-up best practices cover many things from what day to call on, to the best time to call, to how many calls to make. So, let’s unpack those best practices so you can stop wasting more than 70 percent of your leads: Our number one tip & most important takeaway from this post: Call back your lead as quickly as possible. When it’s time to make a follow-up call, Wednesdays and Thursdays are the best days to call if you want to contact someone (almost 50% more likely over the worst day – Friday). Morning calls are most productive between... --- ### The 6 Cardinal Sins of Website Design > Avoid these 6 sins of website design, and you’ll have no trouble landing those sought-after conversions. - Published: 2016-05-18 - Modified: 2016-05-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-cardinal-sins-website-design/ - Categories: Featured Avoid these 6 sins of website design, and you’ll have no trouble landing those sought-after conversions. A typical website visitor hangs around for a whopping ten seconds before leaving for greener pastures. In ten seconds, you must convince visitors that your site is worthy of further investigation. So don’t scare them off with these 6 cardinal sins of website design: 1. It takes too long to load. The internet is full of enticing distractions, and users are notoriously impatient. Research from Kissmetrics indicates that visitors expect sites to load in under three seconds. This can be a tall order for anybody with a minimal bandwidth budget and a desire for plenty of rich content. If forced to choose between rich media and short loading times, it's best to keep it simple -- and fast. Not to mention, keeping your site simple makes it easier to optimize the user experience across a multitude of browsers and devices. Which brings us to our next cardinal sin... 2. It isn’t responsive. If your website looks sleek on a desktop only to break when rendered on your mobile device, it’s not doing its job. In fact, Google reports that mobile searches now outnumber desktop searches. So, odds are your customers are visiting you from their smartphone. And if you want more insight into what browsers and devices your users are accessing your website from, take a look at your Google Analytics Audience metrics. 3. It features autoplay videos. Few things are more annoying than being bombarded by pop-ups and videos that begin to play the moment you enter a webpage.... --- ### 5 Tips That Will Supercharge Your Sales and Marketing > When it comes to sales and marketing, the thought of “selling” stresses you out. So shouldn’t your products sell themselves? - Published: 2016-05-17 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-and-marketing-tips/ - Categories: Marketing When it comes to sales and marketing, the thought of “selling” stresses you out. So shouldn’t your products sell themselves? You’re passionate about your business. You’re an expert in your industry. But when it comes to sales and marketing, the thought of “selling” stresses you out. After all, you’re the best in your biz, so shouldn’t your products sell themselves? The truth is, even if you have a great product, it’s tough to cut through the daily noise and reach your target audience. These 5 tips will help supercharge your sales and marketing, keeping quality leads coming in the door while you focus on the parts of your business you love best: 1. Build an Engaging Website In this modern, digital era, the face of a business is not its storefront or primary office space; it's a strong website. But you already knew that. What you may not know, though, is that your website should be working for you 24/7 to capture fresh leads that fit the profile of your ideal buyer. It’s not enough to just have information about your products and services any more. Lending your expertise to your audience will help you slice through all of the distractions they face online - and even incentivize them to leave their contact info behind so that you can start a meaningful conversation. An active blog and a great lead magnet or two are essential tools that will turn your static website into a lead generation machine for your small business. 2. Embrace Social Media If a website is the face of your company, social media is its voice. Social... --- ### Work Smart, Not Through Lunch > Enjoy your workday more, get far more accomplished, and have a real lunch break away from your desk with these productivity tips. - Published: 2016-05-16 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/work-smart-not-lunch/ - Categories: Leadership Enjoy your workday more, get far more accomplished, and have a real lunch break away from your desk with these productivity tips. It feels like the day has just begun, and yet, just as you're starting to get into your work groove, it's time to grab lunch. If you're like the 65 percent of workers highlighted in a 2011 Right Management survey, you're too busy to actually enjoy a relaxed meal. Instead, you shove food into your mouth as you gaze at the computer screen. This frantic lunch routine can be avoided if you're more productive throughout the rest of the day, so follow these tips and get ready to enjoy a real lunch. Get Started Early Often, the biggest problem with productivity is not your own work habits, but rather, your coworkers' penchant for stopping by and hassling you. If possible, show up an hour earlier, when fewer people are at the office. As a bonus, you'll avoid much of the rush hour traffic associated with the standard 9-to-5 shift. Take a Break It might seem counterintuitive, but you can actually get far more accomplished if you occasionally set your work aside. Stand up from your desk and take a lap around the workplace. This will clear your head and leave you better prepared to tackle tough projects. It's also okay to occasionally take a break to scroll your Facebook news feed; a study from the National University of Singapore indicates that those who occasionally take internet surfing breaks are actually more productive than those who work nonstop. The key is not getting sucked into a web surfing wormhole. Set a... --- ### Knowing How and When to Give Constructive Feedback > Don't be afraid to tell employees what they need to hear, but be sure to keep it positive. Constructive feedback is an essential instigator of improvement. - Published: 2016-05-13 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/give-constructive-feedback/ - Categories: Small Business Don't be afraid to tell employees what they need to hear, but be sure to keep it positive. Constructive feedback is an essential instigator of improvement. In the workplace, there is a clear difference between friend and friendly. No matter what The Office's Michael Scott insists, the ideal manager is not an employee's pal. Rather, a good employer knows how to respectfully tell employees what they need to hear, as opposed to what they want to hear. Constructive feedback is an essential instigator of improvement, but only if it is specific, actionable, and most importantly, delivered from a place of goodwill. The Feedback Sandwich A popular Toastmasters concept, the feedback sandwich has been used everywhere from elementary school classrooms to executive management. Sometimes referred to as praise-improve-praise, the process begins with an introduction that focuses on the subject's strengths. This is followed by highlighted areas for improvement. The exchange ends with another positive point, ideally different than the one used to open the conversation. Some employees respond well to the feedback sandwich, but in recent years, this common method's efficacy has been questioned. If this approach isn't executed perfectly, it comes across as hollow; 'but' is often the culprit. Many employees ignore praise that is connected by the word 'but' to criticism -- and also find criticism less effective if it is attached to obligatory praise. Thus, the feedback sandwich is all about judgment, and knowing when employees require a little additional sensitivity -- and when it's better to tell them straight. Actionable Criticism Whether you sandwich critiques in between praise or get straight to the point, the feedback you offer should always be specific and... --- ### 10 Tips You Need to Rock your Podcast > By delivering a natural, yet professional broadcast that focuses on a niche area -- you’ll be able to rock out your podcast and grow your subscriber base. - Published: 2016-05-12 - Modified: 2019-01-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-dos-and-donts-of-podcasts/ - Categories: Marketing By delivering a natural, yet professional broadcast that focuses on a niche area -- you’ll be able to rock out your podcast and grow your subscriber base. The podcast is an ingenious digital marketing tool, offering an alternative -- and highly effective -- means of promoting your brand, demonstrating your authority, and reaching a captive audience. Over the last few years podcast consumption is on the rise with over 57 million active listeners: So if you are looking for an effective way to reach your ideal buyers, chances are podcasts could be a good marketing strategy for your business. Whether you’re starting your podcast or already rolling out episodes, these 10 simple podcasting do's and don'ts will help you capture a new and more engaged audience: Do: Target a Specific Niche The podcast landscape isn't as crowded as the blogosphere, but there is still plenty of competition. Searches for general topics return hundreds of results. Fortunately, there is room for growth in many niche areas. Instead of trying to compete with a myriad of general podcasts, find a specific angle that appeals to your target audience and that you are truly passionate about. Don't: Use Excessive Jargon Although your podcast is targeted at a specific audience, you should assume that listeners know very little about the topic you're covering. Use clear language that they'll understand and avoid blanket statements at all costs. Many people use podcasts as background noise and mentally tune in and out, so it may be helpful to redefine terms from time to time. Do: Maintain a Specific Routine The best podcasts are easy to follow, in part because they involve a set routine.... --- ### The Small Business Guide To Display Retargeting > Display retargeting is an essential tactic in your integrated marketing campaigns. Don't lose another website visitor after they leave your website. - Published: 2016-05-11 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-display-retargeting/ - Categories: Lead Generation, Small Business Display retargeting is an essential tactic in your integrated marketing campaigns. Don't lose another website visitor after they leave your website. If you've ever contemplated purchasing a specific item on Amazon and then later seen an ad for that exact same product pop up on Facebook, you've witnessed a prime example of display retargeting. This effective advertising method convinces interested consumers to reconsider potential purchases -- and it captures conversions that otherwise may have been lost. Display retargeting is an essential tactic in your integrated marketing campaigns. Instead of losing a website visitor after they visit your site, they get little reminders of your brand after they’ve closed the window. The following suggestions will help you make the most of small business display retargeting: Choose Your Platform To get your display retargeting ads out in the wild, you will first need to choose the right platform for your needs. Perfect Audience is an easy to use platform where you can get your mobile, web, and Facebook retargeting ads live. What we love about Perfect Audience is the ability to serve ads to leads who opened and clicked on our marketing emails - allowing for a streamlined and targeted integrated campaign. Adroll is the most popular retargeting service on the market. Adroll provides mobile, web and social media retargeting They offer cutting-edge targeting technologies to get you even closer to your target audience. Adroll establishes a high quality standard in order to for your retargeting ads to be approved. ReTargeter is a great solution if you need aid getting up and started. You receive a dedicated account manager to help you through... --- ### Expert Interview Series: Kimbe MacMaster of Vidyard on Best Practices for Video Marketing > In the first edition of the Expert Interview Series, we dive into video marketing best practices with Kimbe MacMaster from Vidyard. - Published: 2016-05-09 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/expert-interview-series-vidyard/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: video marketing Kimbe MacMaster is a Content Marketing Manager at Vidyard, the video intelligence platform. We recently caught up with her to learn why video is so important to a brand's marketing strategy and how businesses can do it better. Kimbe MacMaster is a Content Marketing Manager at Vidyard, the video intelligence platform. She loves all aspects of content marketing and has a special place in her heart for using video to drive real business results. We recently caught up with her to learn why video is so important to a brand's marketing strategy and how businesses can do it better. Here's what she had to say: How important is video today to a brand's marketing strategy? Video is a critical component of any brand's marketing strategy mainly because it's the medium your buyers are craving. More than 72 percent of buyers are watching video throughout the entire path to purchase and nearly 50 percent are watching 30 minutes or more of video content. If you're not producing video content, then you're not meeting the content requirements of today's video-hungry buyers. And they'll probably go somewhere else to find it. That being said, using video is about more than simply pumping out content in video form on the regular. Today's high-performing, modern marketers have built a video marketing strategy into their greater marketing plans. They're using video content strategically throughout the entire funnel by tailoring different content to different personas, using video to increase brand awareness, educate prospects, and lead buyers down the next steps in the sales funnel. What makes video such a useful tool? First off, video provides both audio and visual stimulation, which automatically makes it more engaging for audiences than other content mediums. Video reels viewers... --- ### The 10 Greatest Business Leaders of All Time > G.O.A.T. = Greatest Of All Time. Here's our list of the most influential business leaders in recent history. - Published: 2016-05-06 - Modified: 2021-01-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/g-o-a-t-business-leaders/ - Categories: Leadership G.O.A.T. = Greatest Of All Time. Here's our list of the most influential business leaders in recent history. There's no greater, more fascinating story out there than world history itself. If you find yourself wanting to model your business style off of the successful leaders from decades gone by, consider these greats; they've all changed the world in one way or another. 1. Henry Ford Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. The pioneer of the Model T launched more than just engines, but, through his Model T assembly line, a more efficient means of working. This approach to production lowered the cost of materials and the final product, which changed American vehicle accessibility and the world around him; changing the course of history really does pay. 2. Steve Jobs That’s been one of my mantras—focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex; you have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. He didn't necessarily invent the wheel, but he sure did reinvent it—the computer, that is—to become more accessible and exciting to the entire world. Steve Jobs, the iconic face of Apple Inc. , is a name known by millions whose technology affects millions more. 3. Madam CJ Walker I got my start by giving myself a start. The most brilliant business leaders find an unserved corner of the market and serve it; no one better exemplifies this than Madam CJ Walker. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Walker developed hair care products that directly targeted the needs of a demographic often overlooked... --- ### How to Use Your Content to Reach Millennials > You can create the kind of content that connects your small business with Millennials and that they want to share on social media. Here’s how. - Published: 2016-05-05 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-to-reach-millennials/ - Categories: Marketing You can create the kind of content that connects your small business with Millennials and that they want to share on social media. Here’s how. There’s a reason you’re constantly hearing and reading about Millennials—those born between about 1980 and 2000—because they are an enormous group of consumers with enormous buying power. According to a report by the consulting firm Accenture, there are about 80 million Millennials in the U. S. and each year they spend approximately $600 billion. They’re not just self-involved teens anymore either, Millennials now include those in their 20s and 30s, those with careers, homeowners, parents. By 2020 Accenture projects this generation’s spending as consumers in the U. S. will balloon to $1. 4 trillion annually and represent 30 percent of total retail sales in this country. This cohort of customers has also redefined marketing, resetting expectations of what people will get from brands both on and offline. What worked with their parents and their grandparents doesn’t work for Millennials. Google Think talks about “Gen C”, which it also calls (somewhat self-servingly) “The YouTube Generation” as a “powerful new force in consumer culture... . people who care deeply about creation, curation, connection and community. ” Although Gen C isn’t defined by age, 80% are Millennials. Reaching them is both easy—Millennials are plugged in to every social network via every known device on the planet—and tricky. What works is content that’s engaging, clever, useful and/or entertaining. One example is Tasty, Buzzfeed’s food and recipe video network that launched less than a year ago and is now the largest food network in the world. Its success has to do with its ability to... --- ### Can Snapchat Help You Reach More Customers? > Snapchat is the photo-sharing app that lets users send vanishing content to their friends and followers. These photo or video "snaps" can be viewed for up - Published: 2016-05-03 - Modified: 2017-10-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/can-snapchat-help-you-reach-more-customers/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: snapchat, Social Media Snapchat is the photo-sharing app that lets users send vanishing content to their friends and followers. These photo or video "snaps" can be viewed for up to 10 seconds before disappearing from the screen - with the caveat that recipients can save snaps or capture a screenshot. Snapchat caught fire with the millennial set, and today nearly 1/3 of all U. S. millennial internet users access Snapchat regularly. In addition, Snapchat boasts 100 million daily active users. With this many eyeballs on the app, marketers are trying to leverage the platform to reach more customers. So is your business missing out on an opportunity to engage with customers and prospects on Snapchat? Well, that depends... Does it fit your audience? Sure, teens and millenials love sharing vanishing photos on Snapchat - but can you find your customers there? Snapchat hit the 100 million user mark, but it may be more conducive to some audiences than others. In fact, 45% of Snapchat users are between the ages of 18 and 24. That makes it a bit of a stretch for B2B companies who would typically target an older demographic. So if you decide you do have a viable audience on Snapchat, the next question to ask is... Do you have the bandwidth? If you've built a social media presence on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, you know how difficult it can be to build a network of followers. Do you have the bandwidth to replicate those efforts on Snapchat? Growing your Snapchat... --- ### How to Use Email to Leverage the Promise of Video Marketing > Are you leveraging video marketing in your emails? Learn the ins & outs of creating video for your marketing emails. - Published: 2016-05-02 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-video-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: Email Marketing, video marketing If you aren't already leveraging video marketing in your emails, you're behind the marketing curve. In a 2013 ReelSEO study, 93 percent of respondents said they were incorporating video in their marketing campaigns -- and 60 percent claimed to use videos specifically for email marketing. Since then, the prevalence -- and sophistication -- of these video marketing efforts has only increased. The reason for the rise in video marketing is simple: it's effective and affordable. Research from Diode Digital indicates that video marketing is 600 percent more effective than print and direct mail efforts. However, the wrong strategy can compromise your entire marketing campaign. Harness the power of video and keep the following essentials in mind as you incorporate rich media into your marketing emails: Map out your strategy for using video in your emails. If you have a smartphone, you have the ability to create a marketing video for your business. However, there’s a lot more that goes into video marketing that capturing two minutes of footage. It takes time to script out your video, plan for your shoot and edit your video post-shoot. Then you have to figure out where to host your videos and create the emails that deliver video to your audience. Having a strategy in place before you start production will ensure that you get the most out of the time and resources you put into your videos. Here are some tips for mapping out your strategy early on: Define the goal of your email... --- ### 13 Leadership Books that Every Business Owner Should Read > Too many business owners start their businesses feeling as if they're alone; don't feel that way. Here are the top business leadership books to read. - Published: 2016-04-29 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/13-business-leadership-books/ - Categories: Small Business Too many business owners start their businesses feeling as if they're alone; don't feel that way. Here are the top business leadership books to read. Too many business owners start their businesses feeling as if they're alone; they shouldn't feel that way, as history has provided many people and stories to learn from. Whether you're starting your business and deep into the process, consider reading these 13 books to arm yourself with knowledge and power. 1. Who Moved My Cheese? He knew sometimes some fear can be good. When you are afraid things are going to get worse if you don't do something, it can prompt you into action. But it is not good when you are afraid that it keeps you from doing anything. Dr. Spencer Johnson's Who Moved My Cheese? has gone down in history as one of the most iconic, important, and highest-selling business books in history. The core value of the book, which is told through a parable, is the need of adapting to and benefiting from change. 2. How to Win Friends and Influence People If some people are so hungry for a feeling of importance that they actually go insane to get it, imagine what miracle you and I can achieve by giving people honest appreciation this side of insanity. Another advice classic is Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. As its title implies, the book advises readers on how to change others' behavior by altering personal behavior. Tips on making friends, changing opinions, and inspiring others are include. 3. Built to Last The only truly reliable source of stability is a strong inner core and... --- ### 4 Data-Driven Strategies to Improve Your Sales Process > Could your sales process use a little fine-tuning? These four simple data-driven strategies will significantly boost your bottom line. - Published: 2016-04-27 - Modified: 2016-06-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/data-driven-sales-process/ - Categories: Sales Could your sales process use a little fine-tuning? These four simple data-driven strategies will significantly boost your bottom line by simplifying, automating, and optimizing your sales and marketing process. Could your sales process use a little fine-tuning? From poor follow-up to limited lead nurturing, numerous problems in the sales process may be destroying your conversion rate. The leading cause of a broken process is the lack of access to your data. These four simple data-driven strategies will significantly boost your bottom line by simplifying, automating, and optimizing your sales and marketing process. 1. Attract better leads Many businesses set their sights on getting as many leads as possible, but it's not worth sacrificing quality for quantity, as a great deal of time and energy can easily be wasted on cold leads that never had any promise in the first place. Instead, aim for those targeted niche leads that actually have a chance of becoming hot prospects. Start by surveying your customers to drill down to why your best customers love your product or service and compare them to your detractors. It’s important to get an what people don’t like for a full picture. Build out your buyer personas based on this data. Once you have locked in on your buyer personas, you can create more targeted content and marketing campaigns to bring in more quality leads. Attract these leads by focusing in on SEO, PPC, and social media. These three channels are fueled by content but are refined by looking at your data for optimization. Check out our 5-day email course on lead generation to get a deep dive into how to attract more leads. 2. Quick -- and... --- ### STAHP the Email Blasts! Why You Should Use Email Nurturing > No one wants an impersonal email blast in their inbox. Here's 5 reasons why you should adapt email nurturing and leave the blasts to the past. - Published: 2016-04-26 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/stahp-the-email-blasts/ - Categories: Marketing Every day, I go through my email and delete email blast after email blast. With every email I send into trash without opening, I think, STAHP, STAHP, STAHP! Your leads are probably doing the same if you are taking the blast approach instead of a nurturing campaign. According to Forrester Research, companies that excel at email nurturing generate 50% more sales-ready leads at 33% lower cost. By using marketing automation software, it's possible to create effective B2B email campaigns that keep prospects and customers engaged by providing them with the most relevant information when they want it. When you practice email nurturing, you S. T. A. H. P. Here's how you Strategize, Target, Adapt, Humanize, and Progress your emails with nurturing campaigns and leave those blasts to the past. Strategize How much strategy goes into an email blast? Not much it seems. It's an easy way to get your message out there, sure. However, email nurturing allows you to be more strategic in choosing when those messages are delivered. On a basic level, you can use the appropriate marketing software to make sure that clients do not receive too much email too frequently, setting limitations such as one message per week so that they don't feel bombarded. On a more advanced level, nurturing emails can be delivered via marketing automation software after certain triggers, such as the client downloading something from your site. This may trigger an email confirmation of the download, additional information about the download, or additional calls... --- ### The Most Effective Ways to Motivate Your Sales Team > Here are five effective ways to motivate your sales team to build better relationships with prospects, turning them into customers to boost sales. - Published: 2016-04-25 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-ways-to-motivate-sales-team/ - Categories: Sales Here are five effective ways to motivate your sales team to build better relationships with prospects, turning them into customers to boost sales. In sales there is a constant pressure to drive results, after all it’s one of the few gigs that resets to zero at the beginning of every month. Making sure your sales team is achieving their sales goals is key the success of any business. But what can you do to get the best out of your salespeople? What incentives make your stars want to sell more, and what incentives make your average people want to be great? Here are five effective ways to motivate your sales team to build better relationships with prospects, turning them into customers to boost sales: Include Sales in Company Decisions One way to motivate your troops is to include your sales people in company decisions. In most businesses, decisions are made in a vacuum, but if revenue is vital to growing your business then you need to find a way to include your sales staff in more than just the sale. Let your sales people sit in on customer success meetings, join marketing meetings, or give their input on the direction of your products and services. Remember, your sales team is on the front lines speaking with prospects and customers every day. Their voice is extremely valuable to the business. In addition, involving your sales leaders in company decisions can prepare them to join your business’s leadership team. They gain a better understanding of how your business works, they have opportunities to contribute to the company, and you get to observe how they interact... --- ### How to Evangelize Customers: Beyond the Bottom of the Funnel > Here’s how sales and marketing professionals can create go beyond the funnel to evangelize customers and boost revenue. - Published: 2016-04-22 - Modified: 2022-08-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/evangelize-your-customers-beyond-the-funnel/ - Tags: customer, customer growth, customer loyalty program, customer service The process of gaining customers and generating sales is long and time-consuming - especially for B2B companies with a long sales cycle. By the end of a closed sale, it can be easy for both the sales and marketing teams to figuratively “wash their hands” of the customer and move on to closing the next batch of leads. But there’s a problem with this approach. The problem is that some of the greatest value generated from a customer comes after the close—or beyond the funnel. Entrepreneur and business leader Rory Vaden explains it like this in his article, The 7 Stage Customer Evangelism Lifecycle: You don’t need customers who are pleased with their experience and so they tell no one. That’s neutral and neutral is negative. What you need is customers who are so on fire about what you have provided to them that they have no choice but to take to social media and spread the positive love to all of their friends in the same way they would tell them about a great movie. Here’s how sales and marketing professionals can create go beyond the funnel to evangelize customers and boost revenue: Provide Excellent Customer Service It may be obvious, but the first step to evangelizing customers is to provide great customer service. Customers are much more likely to come back if they enjoyed their purchasing experience - that’s a no-brainer. After they have purchased, however, there is even more you can do to bring them back for... --- ### Why You Shouldn't Wait to Start Developing Your Brand > Don't let opportunities pass you by. Focus on brand development to paint a clear picture on who you are and who you are in business with. - Published: 2016-04-20 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/develop-your-brand/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: brand, brand development, branding, buyer personas, personal brand, personal branding Don't let opportunities pass you by. Focus on brand development to paint a clear picture on who you are and who you are in business with. Procrastination is a natural human tendency, but in the competitive world of small business, it can prove devastating. The waiting game is particularly damaging when it comes to brand development, for, the longer you go without clarifying your brand and targeting the right audience, the more time and money you waste on ineffective marketing campaigns. From fear to indecision, your reasons for stalling may vary, but no matter you excuse, your failure to define and develop your brand is causing your business irreparable harm. The following are a few of the most common excuses for stalling on brand development -- and why those excuses are invalid. There's Not Enough Time Small business owners never have enough time, and while it's true that life as an entrepreneur is crazy busy, some things -- including brand development -- need to be prioritized. Ultimately, the upfront time commitment you place in creating your brand will pay off, as it will ensure that you do not waste precious time on pursuits that do not support your long-term goals. You're Lacking Financial Resources When it feels like your new business can fold at any time, the last thing you feel like doing is focusing on big picture issues such as developing your brand. However, a clear vision can ultimately make it far easier to secure the resources you require. Investors have absolutely no interest in supporting entrepreneurs who lack direction. They'll be far more likely to give your pitch the consideration it deserves if you... --- ### 4 Marketing Software Challenges - And How to Solve Them > For many small business owners, there is one thing that is almost always more complex than it needs to be: marketing software. - Published: 2016-04-19 - Modified: 2016-07-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/simple-marketing-software/ - Categories: Small Business If you're like me, you like to keep things simple. For many small business owners, though, there is one thing that is almost always more complex than it needs to be: marketing software. Until recently, marketing software was designed for big businesses - and included enough bells and whistles to make your head spin. Ultimately, this is a problem that grows as businesses grow. If you've grown your business to the point where you're getting a fair amount of website traffic and leads in the door, you're ready to look at optimizing your sales and marketing process with marketing automation. Here the most common problems you'll face as you decide which platform to invest in - and how to solve them: Enterprise Requirements Add Complexity One of the reasons that marketing software is more complex than it needs to be is because of the complexity of enterprise requirements. CRMs built for large corporations need to cater to the needs of multiple teams and multiple end users. The larger a product gets and the wider the scope it addresses, the more difficult and unwieldy it becomes for a small business to use. The Software is Designed for the Five Percent An extension of the problem of enterprise complexity is that most software is designed for the most complicated problems a business might ever face. This is because designers are working from the theory that if the marketing software "handles the requirements of the most sophisticated shipper, then it can handle any... --- ### Plant Email Seeds This Spring For Customer Growth > Just like the plants in your garden, not every customer needs the same thing. Use these handy segmentation categories to keep your small business growing. - Published: 2016-04-18 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-list-segmentation/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: Email Marketing, Segmentation Just like the plants in your garden, not every customer needs the same thing. Use these handy segmentation categories to keep your small business growing. Email still rules when it comes to the most profitable marketing channels for small businesses. And no wonder. Next year it’s estimated the number of adult email users in the U. S. will exceed 203 million. That’s all the more reason to do some springtime seeding of your email list with the goals of harvesting new customers. The best way to grow a garden is to group the same types of fruits and vegetables together, so you can give each group what it needs to be successful, whether that’s more sun or more shade, special food, physical space, fertilizers. Similarly, segmenting your email list into groups allows you to give your leads what they need to turn into high-quality customers. Why segment? You can answer that question with a quick peek into your own email inbox. It’s crowded in there, and every one of those emails is vying for your attention. Segmenting your email list gives you a better shot at overcoming the fierce competition happening in your subscriber’s inbox. There’s also data. According to eMarketer 39% of marketers that practice list segmentation see better open rates and 28% see lower opt-out and unsubscribe rates. Nearly a quarter see better email deliverability, increased sales leads and higher revenue. When it comes to segmenting your email list, the criteria that can be used is seemingly endless—demographics, psychographics, behavior, preferences, and more. But no matter how you divide things up the goal, ultimately, is to make a better match between your email... --- ### You Need Millennials. Here’s How to Attract, Hire and Keep Them Happy. > Your small business needs a Millennial. Here's your guide to effectively attract, hire, manage and retain talented Millennials. - Published: 2016-04-15 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hiring-millennials/ - Categories: Small Business Your small business needs a Millennial. Here's your guide to effectively attract, hire, manage and retain talented Millennials. More than one-third of the U. S. workforce is made up of Millennials, those born between about 1980 and 2000, and by 2025 they are expected to make up nearly half of all employees, according to the Pew Research Center, dramatically reshaping the American workforce. That makes it essential for small, growing businesses to understand how and why this generation works, what motivates them and what they are looking to gain from their jobs and careers. Nurturing this generation of workers is a delicate matter because unlike the Boomers and Gen Xers that came before them, Millennials don’t have much loyalty to an employer; if their situation frustrates them they’ll quickly move on if they can. In fact the Deloitte Millennial Survey 2016, which surveyed 7,700 Millennials from 29 countries, found that 44 percent said if given the choice they would like to leave their current employers in the next two years. Why? Because of a lack of leadership development opportunities which lead to feelings of being overlooked. Those issues are compounded by larger ones around work/life balance, the desire for flexibility and conflicting values. No wonder they don’t want to stay long. There are, however, many things you should know—and can do--as a small business owner to more effectively attract, hire and retain talented Millennials. Even Millennial business owners don’t necessarily know how best to attract and engage Millennial employees, so here’s a guide to help: First, understand them. Research shows that Millennials, the first generation to have grown... --- ### The Best Ways to Utilize Your Inbox > Without the proper organization, your email inbox can look like a hoarder's living room. Never miss an important email again by using these five tips. - Published: 2016-04-14 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbox-spring-cleaning/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: email, email inbox, inbox tips Without the proper organization, your email inbox can look like a hoarder's living room. Never miss an important email again by using these tips to keep your messages clean and tidy. Keeping your inbox clutter-free during a hectic workday can be nearly impossible. Whether it's an overload of customer invoices, annoying spam attacks, or bantering from your staff, important emails can quickly get buried, never to be found again. Prevent yourself from missing vital email updates by using these tips to keep your inbox tidy and organized. Create Folders and Automatic Filters Keep messages from overwhelming by separating them into different folders. Create several large categories, such as "Customers" or "Vendors. " From there, create subdivisions inside this hierarchy that better describe what the communication is about, such as "Customer Service" or "Billing. " That way, you instantly find the emails you are looking for without combing through your entire inbox. Once you have this system set up, use an automatic filter to direct messages into these folders as soon as you receive them. You can classify these filters to work according to the sender's email address or even the contents of the subject or message, making it easy to get emails in the right place. Delete Unnecessary Messages It's inevitable - you're always going to get a lot of spam. Instead of letting these things accumulate, delete them upon receipt. Generally, if an email has been sitting in your inbox for at least 30 days and it's not something vital like a bill or contract, you can delete it. It's a good idea to go on an email purge at least once a month, cleaning out folders and trashing anything... --- ### How to Lead: 4 Secrets to Promoting Trust > Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships. - Published: 2016-04-13 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/trustworthy-leadership/ - Categories: Leadership "Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships." For years, leadership has been a top down trait often assigned by title or rank. In fact, when we often think of leadership in business we think of CEO’s, owners and founders. But today the leadership mantle has changed. The importance of shared values in the workplace and the collaboration of leader and employee ensures that position title alone does not determine whether you can truly inspire your followers to go in the direction you lead. It takes more than being the boss or having the position of power. It takes TRUST. In fact according to a leadership study by Gallup, when thousands of followers were asked what they needed most from a leader, trust was a top the list. So if you want to achieve your mission, be a better leader to your people and ultimately grow your business, integrate trust into everything you do. Stephen Covey puts it this way: “Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships. ” Here are a few simple ways you can boost the leadership trust factor with your team and your business: Communicate and Collaborate If you are wearing the leadership hat in your small business then you are a communicator by default. Which means that whether you are sharing strategic direction with your people or giving them daily updates, it is vital to be honest and open in the way you communicate. If sales are sluggish, let... --- ### 4 Questions That Will Eliminate Wasted Team Meetings > Take the dread out of team meetings to improve efficiency and boost morale with these 4 tips. Accomplish more in the limited time you have available. - Published: 2016-04-12 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/eliminate-wasted-team-meetings/ - Categories: Small Business Take the dread out of team meetings to improve efficiency and boost morale with these 4 tips. Accomplish more in the limited time you have available. Universally dreaded by employees at all levels and across all industries, meetings are a necessary evil that, if conducted correctly, can improve workplace efficiency and boost morale. The ideal meeting is targeted, concise, and most importantly, productive. Do team meetings the right way, and ask yourself these four questions before you meet: Is This Meeting Necessary? A lot of what is accomplished in a meeting could be taken care of in a much more efficient manner -- so think twice before scheduling in the first place. The necessity of any given gathering can easily be determined by creating a clear goal and outlining an agenda. While looking over your prepared agenda, you may realize that the meeting is not as essential as you thought -- and that it is not worth adding to your employees' already packed schedules. Often, meeting objectives can be better addressed through emails, one-on-one discussions, online chats or video conferencing. We use Slack to keep discussions organized and to keep mindshare in one place so we can reference it later. What’s the Agenda? Upon determining that a given meeting is, in fact, necessary, refine your agenda to include specific details regarding the topics you wish to cover. The more details you include, the less likely you will be to get sidetracked. Be sure to print copies of the agenda and distribute them to all meeting attendees so that they also remain focused, or use a project management tool like Basecamp to organize meeting tasks. Am I... --- ### The Ultimate Hiring Guide for Small Business > Are you spread too thin? Are your employees engaged? Do you need to fill a new role? Or just need an intern? Finding strong talent that fit in with your - Published: 2016-04-11 - Modified: 2016-06-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ultimate-hiring-guide/ - Categories: Small Business Are you spread too thin? Are your employees engaged? Do you need to fill a new role? Or just need an intern? Finding strong talent that fit in with your company culture is a challenge but extremely important to the success of your business. Since you probably don’t have a dedicated team member to take care of hiring, this guide will help you find and attract the right candidate for the job. Finding the Right Candidates for Your Small Business Imagine all the people out there looking and applying for a new job. They are fine-tuning their resumes, crafting fitting cover letters, crossing their t’s and dotting their i’s. As a business owner looking to fill a new role in the company, it’s important for you to be doing the same. To give a polished first impression to potential candidates, here are some tips on writing the perfect job listing, sourcing the ideal candidate, and knocking out the interview. Write the Perfect Job Listing Listing a job isn’t as simple as buying a want ad anymore. In the age of technology, there are so many ways to reach out to the person you want, that your message could be overlooked and never noticed at all. That’s why creating the perfect job listing is so important. When people actually sort through the miscellaneous and see what you have to offer, your bid has to make an impression. Here are the things you should consider when creating the perfect job listing: Stand... --- ### How Content Once Saved the World > Next time you're wondering whether to spend precious time and energy on creating valuable content... think of these 4 examples and do it. - Published: 2016-04-06 - Modified: 2016-06-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-is-king/ - Categories: Marketing Next time you're wondering whether to spend precious time and energy on creating valuable content... think of these 4 examples and do it. Content is king doesn’t sound very original anymore. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably lost count of how many times you’ve heard this phrase. Like anything that gets repeated over and over, it has started to lose its meaning. Which is unfortunate, because the phrase is so true. Great content can help you establish expertise, make a name for yourself, and lead your perfect prospects straight to your doorstep. Getting content right earns you trust, loyalty, free marketing, and profits. It’s not stretching the point to claim that content can even save the world ... of your small business. But if a picture is worth a thousand words, an example might be worth a million. Let’s take a look at four of the best. 1. Saving Social Media Social media has a bit of a rap. Either you’re all in or have no idea what to do with it and never want to see it again. HootSuite knows social media is polarizing, which is why they went mainstream with this recent Game of Thrones ripoff. The campaign not only tells people they know what they’re talking about; it brings social media expertise into our comfort zones, catching the attention of those who might otherwise ignore their services. 2. Saving Swimming Pools Engaging, humanized content can make a difference in any business. When Marcus Sheridan’s pool business hit hard times, for instance, he turned things around with a savvy and recession-proof content marketing plan. Writing actionable content with... --- ### 4 Sure Fire Ways to Reach Your Customers > A guest post from Kelly Smith at Coursefinder to help you develop brand loyalty, repeated sales, and promote word-of-mouth advertising. - Published: 2016-04-05 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-methods-to-stay-in-touch-with-your-customers/ - Categories: Small Business A guest post from Kelly Smith at Coursefinder to help you develop brand loyalty, repeated sales, and promote word-of-mouth advertising. by Kelly Smith In sales and marketing, you're always looking for ways to stay top of mind with your customers. You want to build relationships with them to help develop brand loyalty, repeated sales, and promote word-of-mouth advertising. However, it’s a fine line to walk when you’re constantly trying to reach out to your customers without pestering them. So here are four easy methods to stay in touch with your customers without compromising your relationship with them. The Newsletter The first method is an oldie but a goodie. Having a weekly, monthly, or quarterly newsletter is an excellent way to provide valuable content and information to your customers without being intrusive. If you have a large customer base, segment the database and make sure you’re sending out content that is valuable and tailored. The amount of newsletters you send should be determined by how much quality content you can provide. Use a tool that will allow you to track open rates so that you know how effective your newsletters are. The Social Network No matter what your industry is, there is a social media channel for you. By being active on at least one platform, you’ll remain top of mind with your customers (and potential customers) in a way that’s time effective, allows for customer feedback and interaction, and allows you to differentiate yourself through your brand personality and voice. To best use this method, you need to know which platforms your customers are most likely to use and focus... --- ### The Remarkable Ways Marketing Automation Imitates Magic > 4 downright remarkable things you can do to wow your customers while marketing automation works its magic in the background. - Published: 2016-04-01 - Modified: 2018-08-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-magic/ - Categories: Marketing Automation 4 downright remarkable things you can do to wow your customers while marketing automation works its magic in the background. Most of us don't stop to question exactly how Amazon delivers packages to our door. All we really care about is that the econo-sized laundry detergent we ordered was delivered to our door in 2 days flat, and that we may never have to leave our house again on a mundane shopping trip for the essentials. Many mechanisms are at work in the background to enable Amazon to stock, warehouse and deliver individual items to our door - probably in a process that would make our heads spin. But we don't have to worry about how Amazon delivers to us, we just know that they always deliver, and that's what makes it an awesome customer experience. Like magic, we don't see the sleight of hand. We just see the end result. And it's marvelous. You may not have Amazon-size resources, but the good news for small businesses is that simple, affordable technology has made it easier than ever to deliver an exceptional customer experience. Marketing automation provides a way for small businesses to tailor a unique experience for each consumer. The best news is, today's tools are easier to use than ever before. Here are 4 downright remarkable things you can do to wow your customers while marketing automation works its magic in the background: Group and Organize Website Visitors For your first trick, all you have to do is place the marketing automation code into the back-end of your website. Typically you can just paste the code into the... --- ### 5 Proven Call to Action Buttons Missing from Your Website > These proven 5 call to action tips are vital to helping your visitors navigate through the buying process. Compel your visitors to take the next step! - Published: 2016-03-30 - Modified: 2016-06-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-5-call-to-action-buttons/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: call to action, call to actions, Calls-to-Action, cta These proven 5 call to action tips are vital to helping your visitors navigate through the buying process. Compel your visitors to take the next step! With billions of online searches done each and every day for products and services, your website is the catalyst to driving more sales for your business. But even though you may have a modern, updated site, chances are you are probably missing out on the one major factor that can turn your website into a sales machine: well placed and intentional calls to action. In fact the majority - 70% of small business B2B websites - lack a call to action according to Anita Campbell of Small Business Trends. What does a Call to Action do? A Call to Action (CTA) is a text hyperlink, button, or image on your website designed to encourage potential visitors to take an action. According to Kissmetrics, 96% of people are not ready to buy from you the first time they visit your website, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t able to capture prospects early in the buying process. Placing clear CTAs throughout your site in exchange for valuable resources - like webinars, how to guides, checklists, and product offers - transforms your website from a digital brochure to a lead generation engine. CTAs also help your visitors to better understand what you expect them to do (learn more! ) and what actions to take next (schedule a call! ). Without these call to action prompts on your website, your visitors will bounce without learning anything more about your business, and without leaving any follow-up information behind. If you want to turn your website... --- ### 8 Things to Bring to Your Next Trade Show > Creating a memorable trade show exhibit takes planning & preparation. Don't forget this checklist for your next event so you can focus on making connections - Published: 2016-03-29 - Modified: 2023-09-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/trade-show-exhibit-checklist/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: conference, event, event marketing, tradeshow Creating a memorable trade show exhibit takes planning & preparation. Don't forget this checklist for your next event so you can focus on making connections A trade show is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for businesses to strut their stuff and have fun. Employees get to cut through the emails, social media interactions, and the traditional venues to make lasting impressions on customers and peer businesses. Given the performance-like nature of the event, it's almost as if a trade show is a form of theater—and no good theater performance could succeed without a proper set, supplies, and preparation. At your next trade show, don't catch yourself on the receiving end of proverbial tomatoes; bring these items to help ensure a resounding applause. 1. Signage "Follow the signs" is a great adage for personal philosophy and trade shows alike—but it's difficult to follow signs that just aren't there. When planning for your trade show appearance, make sure you have multiple signs—posters, banners, etc. —that are visible to people from many angles. Draw attention to your booth in a noticeable and classy way. 2. Presentation Media Signs draw attention; proper presentation media helps to keep it there. When setting up your display, be certain to have some kind of engaging presentation media. Slideshow presentations, short video clips, and demonstrations packed with visual aides can go a long way to engaging potential customers. 3. Promotional Items Everybody likes free stuff—it's a universal truth. Before your convention, reach out to a business that makes customized gifts—t-shirts, calendars, mugs, wristbands, tote bags—and emblazon some with your company’s logo, motto, and color scheme. You can also make well-designed promotional brochures and pamphlets to... --- ### Choosing Your Leadership Style? Start with The 5 Must-Have Traits > While there is a long list of desirable traits every leader should aspire to, learning the following five will build a solid foundation for leadership. - Published: 2016-03-28 - Modified: 2024-10-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/choose-your-leadership-style/ - Categories: Leadership While there is a long list of desirable traits every leader should aspire to, learning the following five will build a solid foundation for leadership. Whether you are the owner of a business or without a leadership title, you can choose the type of leader you want to be. There is a lot of research on this topic with articles and books devoted to the types of leadership and the many different leadership styles. Many leaders believe that others must conform to their style or their methods, but the all this research indicates that it is not only possible to pick the style of leader you want to be, but it is desirable to do so. Some respected business consultants such as Peter Drucker, John Maxwell, and Kevin Kruse believe that the only thing needed to be a good leader is followers. Sadly, they are short-sighted. Good leadership is not based on the number of followers a leader has, but how helpful a leader is in helping his or her fellow coworkers get the job done right. The question is, can leadership qualities be learned? The answer is a big yes! While most leaders exhibit innate traits that make them effective, the best leaders aren’t the ones who settle for just their inherent traits. The best leaders seek out every good trait they can find so that they can become more adaptable and relatable to those they lead. The Five Must-Have Leadership Traits While there is a long list of desirable traits every leader should aspire to, the following five build a solid foundation for the best of leaders: 1. Integrity The greatness of a... --- ### 8 Excel Features That Will Make Your Life Easier > Don't get bogged down in spreadsheets. These 8 Excel features help you organize your data quickly and easily (Unless, of course, it's time to move to a CRM) - Published: 2016-03-25 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-excel-features-will-make-life-easier/ - Categories: Small Business Don't get bogged down in spreadsheets. These 8 Excel features help you organize your data quickly and easily (Unless, of course, it's time to move to a CRM) Microsoft Excel is an exceptionally useful tool for small businesses, but if used incorrectly, it can make the time frame for completing projects feel hopelessly long. Fortunately, it's easy to pick up the pace if you're aware of the program's hidden gems. If Excel is currently occupying far too much of your time, it's to start using these nifty Excel features: Flash Fill A shockingly underutilized feature, Flash Fill saves time by detecting patterns and using that information to automatically fill in data. Flash Fill can be used to: Format phone numbers and email addresses Separate first and last names Concentrate already separated names Extract first or last initials from names Watch Window Unsure about a particular formula's calculations? Confirm your suspicions with Excel's Watch Window, which prevents constant scrolling by letting you watch cells (and their attached formulas) that are not currently visible. Conditional Formatting Conditional formatting isn't exactly hidden -- the icon for it is right on the home tab. However, few Excel users think to use this handy tool, which offers easy access to a variety of options for shading cells based on the data they contain. Icon Sets Conditional formatting includes a useful option known as icon sets. This formatting tool features a vast array of icons, including directional icons, shapes, and a variety of other indicators. These can be managed via the conditional formatting rules manager. Paste Special Typically, when data is copied from one cell and pasted into another, all of the information from... --- ### 4 Reasons Why Cold Calling is Dead > Before you pick up the phone, consider why you should give cold calling the cold shoulder and what you can do instead to boost sales for your small business - Published: 2016-03-24 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-reasons-cold-calling-dead/ - Categories: Sales Before you pick up the phone, consider why you should give cold calling the cold shoulder and what you can do instead to boost sales for your small business. For a modern small business, cold calling is dead -- or at least it should be. It may have worked in the days before caller id - when phones were attached to a desk or a wall. But today, sales and marketing channels are fragmented, putting consumers in the driver’s seat when it comes to who they want to engage with. So before you pick up the phone, consider the following reasons why you should give cold calls the cold shoulder: 1. It's Outdated According to the International Smartphone Mobility Report, Americans prefer text communication over phone call communication. Nowadays, people are more likely to screen phone calls and avoid unfamiliar numbers. Even random calls from familiar business numbers provoke fear from otherwise willing customers. When it comes to calling business clients, it's increasingly more difficult to navigate extensions, operating systems, and voicemails. Many people refuse to give out direct lines and refer inquiries to email addresses instead. And, given the myriad communication options available today, cold calling is no longer creative or optimal. 2. It Wastes Time As the adage goes, time is money; small businesses desperately need to conserve both. In fact the average sales rep makes 8 dials an hour and prospects for over 6 hours to set just 1 appointment (Source: Ovation Sales Group) Both as an input and success output, cold calling wastes time. The act itself forces the caller to sit through: Phones ringing Dial tones Gatekeeper blocks Voicemail recordings Directory messages Dropped calls... --- ### The Number One Marketing Issue for Small Business > Customer Acquisition: learn more about your customers, nurture relationships, and acquire new customers for continuous growth - Published: 2016-03-23 - Modified: 2022-09-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-acquisition/ - Categories: Marketing Customer Acquisition: learn more about your customers, nurture relationships, and acquire new customers for continuous growth Every business should be concerned about growing, and that means one thing: acquiring new customers. Unfortunately, many businesses go about this the wrong way. For example, Luxury Daily reports that over half of small businesses in America spend over $1,000 every year on local advertising without having a solid customer acquisition strategy. Fortunately, there are three easy steps to help you learn more about your customers, nurture mutually satisfying relationships, and acquire new customers to maintain continuous growth. Building Relationships Whatever your business, it's important to know every aspect of it. While this obviously applies to your own company, it's also vitally important to understand fellow businesses and fellow business leaders in similar fields. This is partly to help you network - to develop the cordial relationships that may eventually become professional relationships. However, it also lets you develop ideas for how to stand out from the competition by developing products and services that other businesses do not have, encouraging them to turn to your company as a pioneer within the field. Use customer relationship management software to analyze sales. Considering the sheer amount of software and hardware for small businesses that is available, the task of picking the best one for customer acquisition may be daunting. However, the answer is simpler than you may think: Customer relationship management software is absolutely vital for your company. If building relationships is one of the first major steps in acquiring new business, then relationship management software is the next step because it... --- ### 6 Last-Minute Tips for Generating Leads on the Road > The last time you headed to a trade show, conference, or other event, did you come back with a stack of leads to follow-up with and a way to track ROI? - Published: 2016-03-22 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-effective-strategies-getting-leads-events/ - Categories: Small Business The last time you headed to a trade show, conference, or other event, did you come back with a stack of leads to follow-up with and a way to track ROI? Or did you come back wondering what you actually spent money on? Trade shows, conferences, and other events can be valuable tools for lead generation. However, without a well-thought-out strategy, the time and money you invest will not result in quality leads. Here are a few last-minute marketing strategies you can employ to capture leads at your next tradeshow, conference or event: Traditional Sign-Ups Generating event-based leads can be pretty simple. As you network and make connections with new people, you can gather contact details like their name, their phone number, and their email address. Merely leaving a form within eyeshot is not enough, however. Leads are best captured after you’ve made a real connection with a person - a connection like having a great conversation, giving away a fun door prize, or offering to email a valuable ebook post-event. Tablet-Based Sign-Ups If you are setting up a booth at a conference or trade show geared at a younger, more tech-savvy audience, your brand will feel more relevant if you opt for tablet-based sign-ups. More importantly, tablet-based sign-ups are very efficient, taking away the need for later data entry work, and allowing you to automatically follow up with hot leads, making sure nothing slips through the cracks. This advanced take on the sign-up process can extend beyond mere email... --- ### 3 Lessons Small Business Can Learn From "The Profit" > If you want to build a sustainable business, take a page from the TV show - The Profit. Stick to a formula, know your numbers, and don't go at it alone. - Published: 2016-03-21 - Modified: 2016-06-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/business-lessons-from-the-profit/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: people, process, product If you want to build a sustainable business, take a page from the TV show - The Profit. Stick to a formula, know your numbers, and don't go at it alone. Running a small business is no easy feat – it’s a truth that Marcus Lemonis knows all too well. If you don’t know who Marcus Lemonis is or haven’t watched the show “The Profit” on CNBC, you are missing out. Marcus, the CEO of Camping World and Good Sam Enterprises is a successful entrepreneur who has invested over $35 million of his own money and expertise back into struggling small businesses to help them grow. Along with catching some great TV, small businesses can learn a lot from the way Marcus helps fellow owners and entrepreneurs get unstuck and clear the daily hurdles of running a business. Here are 3 lessons your small business can learn from The Profit: Stick to the Formula A tried and true formula for success that Marcus subscribes to is investing in people, process and product to accelerate small business growth. Focusing on these three areas of your business sheds light on what you can improve to create a repeatable, sustainable business model that attracts, wows and delights customers. People There isn’t a single episode of The Profit that Marcus doesn’t drive home the importance of people in small business. After all people are your most important asset. Think strategically about what key team members you need to drive the business forward. As a small business, it is easy to look at the bottom line and make decisions based on expenses or salaries. On episode 17 Vision Quest Lighting- a manufacturer of custom lighting- was... --- ### Top 5 Volunteering Opportunities for Your Small Business > Keeping the local community at the heart of your business is extremely rewarding. Here's how to get your team active and volunteering in your community. - Published: 2016-03-18 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-biz-volunteering/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: community service, volunteer, volunteering Keeping the local community at the heart of your business is extremely rewarding. Here's how to get your team active and volunteering in your community. If you want to get your name out there and impress members of your community, consider setting aside a little time for volunteer work. Volunteering has great intrinsic value, of course, but it can also show potential clients and customers that you and your employees are passionate, caring people who have the best interests of your community at heart. At Hatchbuck, one of our core values is Make A Difference. As a team, we are always looking for ways we can give back to the St. Louis community. The following volunteering opportunities double as excellent marketing strategies for small business: Organize 5Ks, Marathons, and Other Races Local races get community members off the couch -- and they're great team building opportunities. What could be better than bonding over matching sweaty shirts and sore feet? The best races are run for a good cause, such as the food shelf, humane society, or some other local charity. These events can be tough to pull off, so volunteer your company's efforts for the setup process, runner guides, or serving food to those who have completed the race. Feel free to donate prizes to the race's winners, as well as the runner-up contestants. They'll appreciate your thoughtfulness and recall your business in the future. Community Gardens Not everybody is eager to run a marathon, but plenty of your neighbors love eating fresh fruits and veggies. Whether you and your employees make a commitment to weekly sessions in a community garden or you simply choose... --- ### 6 Simple Ways to Automate Your Workflow With Zapier > Less data entry, more time for doing what you love. Automate your sales and marketing with Zapier integrations. - Published: 2016-03-17 - Modified: 2017-04-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/automate-your-workflow-with-zapier/ - Categories: Small Business As a small business owner, you don’t have time to deal with bottlenecks. Luckily there are many ways to automate the kinks in your daily workflow. Hatchbuck has partnered with Zapier to provide our customers a no-brainer way to automate time consuming administrative tasks so you can focus on running your business - not exporting and importing contacts into your sales and marketing software. So which pesky administrative tasks can you leave for the robots? Here are a few scenarios: 1. Hosting a webinar? Automatically start your webinar registrants on a follow-up campaign. Zapier can add or update contact records. Hatchbuck can then trigger your event-based campaign to send Go-to-Webinar registrants information before and after the event. Don’t forget to send a targeted follow-up campaign to build on those relationships. 2. Surveying your customers? Once a customer completes your survey on SurveyGizmo or SurveyMonkey, Zapier can add a tag to the survey taker. That way, you can stay organized, send any follow up communications (like a tasty treat as thanks - we love sending our customers digital Starbucks giftcards) or avoid sending another ask to complete the survey. 3. Chatting with new prospects? Chat tools are a great addition to your website to answer any questions a visitor may have on the fly. Some people may be too busy to give you a call, but chat tools allow a quick and easy form of communication. When you capture the information of a new prospect on a tool like Pure Chat,... --- ### 5 Areas You Should Be Investing In Now > Cultivate Now, Reap the Benefits Later. Here are 5 areas you should be investing in to grow your small business. - Published: 2016-03-16 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/growing-a-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business Cultivate Now, Reap the Benefits Later - Where to invest when growing a small business Cultivate Now, Reap the Benefits Later. Springtime is a good time to be thinking about growth and renewal, taking stock of your business and deciding in what areas you should be investing for long-term benefits. You can’t grow your business without putting some money into it, but if those investments are smart ones the result will be a thriving business. One of the most important things in which to invest if you haven’t already, is technology and automation. In fact, a survey last April by Capital One found that nearly 60 percent of small business owners planned to invest in technology and improving businesses processes. That could be as simple as updating your website and making sure it’s mobile-ready. Wherever you can and wherever it’s cost-effective, automate. Even if investing in software for things like accounting, invoicing or maintaining customer loyalty programs seems awfully expensive, calculate how much money it will save you in the long run, by making those processes more efficient and less time intensive. Here are a few areas where investment and cultivation today will yield big benefits to your business for years to come: Training: The more things you and your employees can take care of in-house, the more money you’ll save and the more engaged your staff will be. Expanding their responsibilities, however, requires training. Make sure to provide that training either on-the-job or outside of it. Training will also enable your employees to grow in their role and in your business, perhaps working their... --- ### 9 Tips to Boost Email Conversion Rates > Make email marketing work for you and increase engagement and email conversion rates with these tips. - Published: 2016-03-15 - Modified: 2018-12-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-tips-to-boost-email-conversion/ - Categories: Agencies - Tags: Email Marketing, email nurturing Make email marketing work for you and increase engagement and email conversion rates with these tips. Smartphones have invigorated email marketing as an important medium for Internet marketers. And just how big is mobile email use? Check out these statistics for 2015: 45% of email opens occurred on mobile, 36% on desktop and 19% in a webmail client. 67. 2% of consumers use a smartphone to check their email 75% of Gmail users access their accounts on mobile devices. Gmail now has 900 million users. Mobile email click-throughs grew 22. 8 percent on Black Friday, from 44. 7 percent in 2014 to 54. 9% in 2015. This increase is noteworthy because mobile opens were up only 2. 7 percent, from 56. 1% in 2014 to 57. 6% in 2015. 68% of Gmail and Yahoo! users’ opens occur on a smartphone or tablet Email is used in a variety of ways and plays an integral part in any business’ model. An effective email marketing strategy keeps existing customers while expanding your prospects. So what do you do to improve your email conversion rates? The following tips will provide you with the ideas you need to make the most of this giant market: Optimize for mobile - With so many people accessing email on their device, it pays to make sure your emails look great on mobile. Use mobile-optimized email templates and test your emails using a service like Litmus to make sure everything looks good across the most popular mobile and desktop email clients. Offer an incentive - Offering coupons, discounts, contests, demos, and free downloads all... --- ### Small Business Doesn't Have to Mean Horse and Buggy > 21st-century marketing automation software is affordable, versatile, and can provide a quantum leap in marketing effectiveness for your small business. - Published: 2016-03-14 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/21st-century-marketing-automation-software/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business - Tags: Marketing Automation, small business 21st-century marketing automation software is affordable, versatile, and can provide a quantum leap in marketing effectiveness for your small business. When it comes to marketing software, many small businesses dismiss the idea as something too expensive, too complex, and too much the exclusive province of major global companies. However, nothing could be further from the truth: 21st-century marketing automation software is affordable, versatile, and can provide a quantum leap in marketing effectiveness for your business. What is Marketing Automation Software? Marketing automation software is designed to help businesses automatically manage multiple business campaigns, to automate a variety of daily businesses practices, and to measure the impact of different business strategies. Ultimately, the goal of such software is to allow businesses large and small to take advantage of advanced marketing tools like digital communication without creating new logistical problems that end up hampering overall marketing effectiveness. How does it benefit small businesses? When it comes to ways for marketing automation software to benefit small businesses, the sky is truly the limit. Software can help manage business leads via dynamically segmentation via online forms, and then automatically generate a reply to interested queries. In fact, this software can help track and manage all leads while helping to facilitate communication within the business and, most importantly, with clients. The longer you use such software, the more useful it becomes, because as you gather more data about clients, leads, and marketing campaigns, you are better able to tailor future marketing strategies to your specific audience through marketing messages. What's the catch? It's not often that sales professionals are on this side of a pitch,... --- ### How Building a Personal Brand Converts > Your personal brand is how you present yourself in the office, online, and even in your personal life. How do you want to be perceived? - Published: 2016-03-11 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-build-a-personal-brand/ - Categories: Leadership - Tags: personal brand, personal branding Your personal brand is how you present yourself in the office, online, and even in your personal life. How do you want to be perceived? Personal branding is a hot topic in today's marketing landscape, but few business owners truly understand what it means or how it can promote better conversions. With personal branding, you position yourself as a brand alongside your company. Your employees also have a personal brand of their own. Your personal brand is how you present yourself in the office, online, and even in your personal life. An improved understanding of this concept and how it applies to your own professional trajectory could spell the difference between new opportunities and a stale career. Stand Out From The Crowd Whether your goal is to score new opportunities or grow as a thought leader, personal branding can set you apart from your competitors. Find unique ways to produce value. Your personal brand is about taking ownership and sharing your views. Think about your online presence as a picture you are painting. Do you post with purpose? If you are thoughtful with your personal posting strategy, your point of view and expertise will come across strongly in the long term. In today's competitive market, mere competency is no longer good enough; employees and clients desire to work with those who possess a few specific strengths, as well as a thorough understanding of the industry. If you have multiple passions or areas of interest, Shama Hyder insists finding a unified theme in your narrative to stand out positively. Know Yourself Everyone has unique traits, and ideally, every business or project will include a mist of... --- ### Headed to a Conference? Don't Worry, Networking Doesn't Have to Be Hard. > As with most things in life, you get out what you put in while attending conferences. Here are some networking tips to arrive armed with a plan. - Published: 2016-03-10 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/networking-tips/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: conferences, events, networking Sometimes it can be tough to venture away from the refreshments table to meet new people. Industry conferences are valuable networking opportunities, but they're also chaotic and nerve-wracking. Entering a crowd of fellow professionals feels a bit like making those initial introductions at college orientation. But putting yourself out there is essential, for, just as that coed you forced yourself to talk to in college became your late night pizza eating partner, the professional you bravely walk up to might be your ticket to a new and exciting business opportunity. Put your best foot forward and follow these networking tips the next time you attend a conference: Figure Out Who to Meet If you stumble blindly into a conference with no idea of the speakers or attendees' identities, you will come away with few valuable connections. Chatting with a few random strangers is fine, but be sure to also target people who can help you further your business. These include keynote speakers and panelists, of course, but also other attendees with inside knowledge surrounding partnerships, clients and other opportunities you'd like to explore. Many conference websites offer lists of confirmed attendees and where they work, so take some time to scour these lists and look up a few registered conference attendees on LinkedIn. Connect First on Social Media Typically, conference attendees meet one another first and then send social media invites after the conference. Switch up the pattern and, after checking out the list of attendees, send a few of... --- ### How to Stop Complexity from Choking Your Business > Four key ways to make the complicated, complex world of small business both simpler and more productive. - Published: 2016-03-09 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/making-the-complicated-simple/ - Categories: Leadership - Tags: small business Four key ways to make the complicated, complex world of small business both simpler and more productive. For small businesses, complexity is particularly mystifying. Getting as many employees to do as many things as possible to attract as many customers as possible is, on paper, a gateway to productivity. In reality, trying to do too much, too soon, and with too few resources is a recipe for disaster. Fortunately, there's a few key ways to make the complicated, complex world of small business both simpler and more productive. 1: Don't compromise When facing difficult business challenges, it is often tempting to take the simpler, easier path. After all, they all lead to the same goal, right? Not exactly. It's actually simpler and more productive to tackle the toughest situations directly. This helps to define your values and work ethic to employees and customers alike and may actually lead to new opportunities. This, of course, should already be a major part of your SWOT analyses - sifting through threats to discover hidden opportunities to help the business and its employees grow. 2: Focus on core services As Steve Jobs himself once noted, it's highly important for companies to focus on doing "simple" things and doing them well. An iPhone, for instance, is one of the most sophisticated devices in the world ... yet it is simple enough for a child to intuitively use. In terms of running a business, the focus on simplicity should be on the core services provided by that company. Instead of confusing clients and employees alike by adding a non-stop bevy of new bells... --- ### Springtime is The Right Time to Grow Your Customer Base > Aaahh, spring. Buds on the trees, birds singing and ground ready for planting. Springtime (or anytime, for that matter) is the perfect time to plant the - Published: 2016-03-08 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/springtime-right-time-grow-customer-base/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: customer growth Aaahh, spring. Buds on the trees, birds singing and ground ready for planting. Springtime (or anytime, for that matter) is the perfect time to plant the seeds for customer growth. With the right nurturing—feeding, fertilizing and yes, even weeding--those seeds will sprout and grow and in the process, they will also help your small business grow. You don’t want to plant any old seeds, you want to cultivate the types of plants and flowers you really want to grow. It’s the same with growing your customers base. You want to nurture relationships with the right type of customer, one that not only comes back again and again but spreads their love through word-of-mouth recommendations, social media mentions and positive online reviews. Here’s how to plant the seeds that will lead to great customers: Get the ground ready. Strategically growing your customer base means you don’t aim for everyone who could potentially be a customer, instead, you think about the customers you really want to target. In the same way you wouldn’t buy every variety of tomato seed at the store, it doesn’t make sense to try and reach everyone who could, potentially, be a customer. Be more strategic about it, considering which folks are likely to need or want what you offer and are also likely to want it more than once. Are they active on social media? Will they interact with others who might need or want what you’re offering? These are all attributes that make for a quality... --- ### A Quick 5-Step Intro into A/B Testing > AB testing is one of the most important things you will do in email marketing. Here are the 5 easy steps to implement a successful experiment. - Published: 2016-03-02 - Modified: 2016-06-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/quick-intro-to-ab-testing/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: ab test, ab testing, email, email markketing, split test, split testing AB testing is one of the most important things you will do in email marketing. Here are the 5 easy steps to implement a successful experiment. When you first hear AB testing, it can easily take you back to college statistics, where you begin to envision standard deviation graphs and complex test conditions. Many people even shy away from A/B testing because they believe once they understand the basics, they won’t have the time or resources to run tests. Testing is one of the most important things you will do in email marketing. Everything from your subject line to your call to action will impact whether or not the contact chooses to engage with you. Small tweaks over time can drive big results, and help keep your contacts engaged during every stage of the buying process. Let’s break down the basics: What is AB Testing? In simple terms, A/B testing (or split testing) is when you take 2 variations and test them against each other to identify which performs best. Common A/B Tests: Sender (John@ vs. Marketing@) Subject Line Personalization vs. Non Personalization (Hi John vs. Hi There) HTML vs. Plain Text Call-To-Action (Free Trial vs. Start For Free) Day/Time of Email Send Timing Between Communications (Once a Week vs. Once a Month) Landing Page Testing on different parts of your emails and campaigns can be critical to your overall conversion process. For example, subject lines and day/time of your email send will impact whether your email gets opened, while your call to action will determine whether or not someone chooses to convert. How to A/B Test Testing emails is an easy and simple way to... --- ### Why Your Agency Should Use a Subscription Based Pricing Model > If you think that subscription based pricing is best left to SaaS companies, you're missing out on building a healthier marketing agency. - Published: 2016-02-29 - Modified: 2018-12-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/subscription-based-pricing/ - Categories: Agencies - Tags: marketing agency, pricing, subscriptions From Netflix to Dollar Shave Club, some of the best businesses on the planet are winning over consumers with subscription based pricing. And, if you think that subscriptions are best left to software as a service (SaaS) businesses - like Dropbox, Freshbooks, and Hatchbuck - you're missing out on a business model that can increase revenue for your marketing agency. In a subscription-based pricing model, consumers benefit from the ultimate convenience of set-it & forget-it products and services delivered when and where they need them. At the same time, subscription-based businesses benefit from predictable, scalable revenue and better customer retention. If your agency spends too much time scrambling to find new clients or staff new projects, moving to a subscription based pricing model can help you build a healthier business that serves a more satisfied customer. Still a Project Based Agency? What You’re Missing... Predictable Revenue: Project-based work can be a chaotic roller coaster. One minute you’re scrambling to find your next client. The next moment, you’re hit with a big project and struggle to ramp up staff. With a subscription-based model, you have steady revenue from your client base month after month. You can focus on delivering stellar campaigns instead of focusing on business development or coordinating the outsourcing of work. Steady Staff: Staffing your agency can be quite tricky if you’re working on a project-by-project basis, and you may have to turn to contract employees to help you scale up or scale down as project work ebbs and... --- ### The Key to Small Business Success In Sales: Caring About People > Honestly caring about your prospects and customers is the key to success in sales for your small business. - Published: 2016-02-26 - Modified: 2022-10-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-biz-success-in-sales/ - Categories: Sales Honestly caring about your prospects and customers is the key to success in sales for your small business. Caring - Defined as displaying kindness and concern for others. It’s a term not often heard in the sales process. In fact, for most businesses, sales is just a means to an end. A way to get a potential customer to buy your products and services and bring in the bacon. But Dale Carnegie said it best: “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you. ” Honestly caring about the people who buy what you have to sell is the key to success in sales. So if you are looking to increase sales in your small business, here are a few ideas that can help to win the hearts of your prospects and customers: Put down the bullhorn. People don’t care what you know until they know that you care. It is a truism in life and in sales. Before you try to persuade your prospects and customers to buy your product or service, they need to first know that you truly care about solving their problem. Showing your prospects and customers that you care is not just about being all mushy and emotional. It’s more about being a genuine and authentic at every step of the communication process and being a great listener. That means asking questions with a sense of curiosity and truly looking for ways to provide valuable solutions to your prospects challenges. At the end... --- ### Why WorkXO Powers Their Newest Project with Hatchbuck CRM > by Maddie Grant, Founding Partner of WorkXO We are WorkXO, a small business in the exciting process of what we call Mapping the Workplace Genome(™). We - Published: 2016-02-25 - Modified: 2016-07-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/getting-started-hatchbuck-transformed-crm-process/ - Categories: Leadership by Maddie Grant, Founding Partner of WorkXO We are WorkXO, a small business in the exciting process of what we call Mapping the Workplace Genome(™). We help companies of all sizes to map their own Workplace Genome, create an authentic brand story that helps to recruit people who are truly aligned to their business, and effectively push the culture transformation they’ve been dreaming of. We are still in the launching process, so in the past few months, we have been busy shoring up our internal processes so we hit the ground running. This includes finding the right CRM so we can build better relationships with our prospects and customers while scaling our business at the same time. The Challenge: Following Up with Prospects and Customers One of the first things we wanted to do to facilitate the launch of the Workplace Genome project - partly because we were combining an existing culture change consultancy with a new partner and new technologies - was consolidate all of the different ways we were reaching our customers. Email Lists: We had email lists all over the place. We had been in a referral business, meaning our pipeline consisted of “being lucky that people email us to ask us to do work”; we had no concept of what a true CRM process would look like. Contact Management: We had a low-tech way (basically a Gmail plugin) of keeping track of certain prospects and whether we needed to follow up or not, but it lacked... --- ### The Top 4 Most-Used Drag and Drop Website Builders > These days, getting a new, modern website is simple and easy without breaking your budget. Check out these 3 popular drag and drop website builders. - Published: 2016-02-24 - Modified: 2020-03-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/popular-drag-and-drop-website-builders/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: drag and drop website builders, website development These days, getting a new, modern website is simple and easy without breaking your budget. Check out these 3 popular drag and drop website builders. Think you need to hire an expensive website vendor to design and develop a new, modern website? Think again. If you need to update your website for your business, there are a surprising number of drag and drop website builders available. Before, building a website required a lot of technical knowledge; but today, not so much. The process of designing a website is so simple that one simply “drags” and “drops” design elements onto pages. On top of that, you can get a brand new website quickly. There are many of these services, but not all of them contain the same features and capabilities. Here are the four most popular “drag and drop” website builders: Squarespace Pros Squarespace is among the top three sites. It features beautiful, sophisticated templates that are mobile-responsive that are more customizable than their. In addition, there are plenty of gadgets and integrations you can add to the site you build. Additionally, the site automatically optimizes your site for searches. Cons Although there are many options to create a customized look, Squarespace has a limited template library. The style editor can be overwhelming and it is not the easiest drag and drop builder to use. Should You Use Squarespace? Yes! Squarespace has excellent customer support and they are very reliable with updates. Finished sites rival those sites built for your competitors by professional website designers. Pricing starts at just $12. 00 per month. Wix With Wix, you can create a beautiful, sleek, clean-looking website, and for... --- ### The Unexpected Secret to Effective Leadership: Listening > You have all of the qualities of a good leader... However, there is one key difference between mediocre and effective leadership. Are you a good listener? - Published: 2016-02-23 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/secret-to-effective-leadership/ - Categories: Leadership You have all of the qualities of a good leader... However, there is one key difference between mediocre and effective leadership. Are you a good listener? You have all of the qualities of a good leader: You are sincere, honest, accountable, and have a respectable attitude. However, there is one key difference between leaders who are truly successful in their business and those that are just mediocre. The most effective leadership requires skilled listening. As a leader who listens to and understand their employees, you will foster a relationship that encourages employees to achieve their own personal goals, and in turn, be more willing to give their best to you and your company. What are the consequences of not being a good listener in a leadership role? When you fail to listen to what your employees need to say, a communication gap grows that can hinder business relationships and be a stumbling block in business growth. Employees have a need to be heard by their employer, whether it is when they have personal issues that compromise their performance or want to voice a concern about their position. A disconnect between you and the people you are trying to lead means a break in transparency, which will inhibit loyalty from developing for the long term. How do you effectively evolve into a leader with good listening skills? There are many benefits to reap as a leader who effectively listens to your employees. However, listening is about far more than just being quiet while an employee talks. There are a handful of ways you can show that you are growing as a leader who is a good listener.... --- ### Save Time with Marketing Automation > Here are some ways marketing automation saves you time, standardizes your process and helps your business shine to convert more leads into customers. - Published: 2016-02-22 - Modified: 2020-09-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/save-time-with-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Marketing Automation - Tags: Email Marketing, email templates, lead nurturing, lead scoring, Marketing Automation With marketing automation, you can create a hands-off process that sends the right message at the right time in the buyer’s journey, turning cold leads into hot prospects for your business. This blog post was updated on February 7, 2020. Modern marketing campaigns are fragmented with different channels and lots of moving parts. An interested buyer might see your ad in a trade magazine, see your AdWords ad in a Google search, like your social media page, and subscribe to your email newsletter all before deciding to buy from you. It can get a little complicated. It’s no surprise, then, that small business owners want the most help when it comes to creating a sales and marketing process. Segmenting contacts, sending catered messages, nurturing, tracking, and converting can take a lot of manual labor and time. That’s where marketing automation comes in. Marketing automation is key to saving you time while making sure that every contact is being nurtured for your best chance to turn them into a customer and a loyal fan of your business. Let’s take a deep dive into the various features and areas of marketing automation that save you a ton of time. Tasks Marketing Automation Takes Off Your Plate 1. Lead Nurturing Wish you could regularly communicate with leads so that they’d move closer to being sales-qualified leads? One effective marketing automation functionality is a drip-email campaign. Pre-written emails are sent out to specific individuals at the right time when they perform a specific action. Once you’ve written them, your marketing automation software handles the timing and sending, allowing you to nurture leads without spending your entire day sending emails. Each customer has a path to... --- ### Be a Leader: Title or Not > How can you be a leader? Choosing to be proactive. It doesn't require a title, just taking ownership in any role in life. - Published: 2016-02-19 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-be-a-leader-title-or-not/ - Categories: Leadership How can you be a leader? Choosing to be proactive. It doesn't require a title, just taking ownership in any role in life. Everyone has a role to play in business. There are people who can always be counted on to provide solid work, there are others who ask really important questions, and then there are others who motivate everyone to perform better. Some of these people have titles and some of them do not, but when it comes to being a leader, titles really don’t matter. How Can You Be a Leader? Being a leader has to do with one thing: choosing to be proactive. Yep, that’s it! The only thing you need to do to be a leader is to make a conscious choice to become one. Although some people may have a natural leadership instinct, everyone can make the choice to be a leader and then work hard at it. The following are some simple ways you can become a leader—title or not: Work like crazy. Leaders identify themselves as such by doing really good work. By always going the extra mile, leaders earn the respect of others who also want to work as hard or as well. Another result of working extra hard is trust; other employees and superiors trust that you can take on more difficult and challenging tasks. When a respected person does excellent work and makes a supreme effort, coworkers notice and mimic that effort. Help others. Leaders are part of teams who are striving to accomplish the same thing, often by ensuring everyone is up to speed and on board. When someone is struggling to... --- ### 3 Ways Marketing Automation Software Makes Salespeople Happy > The goal of marketing automation software is to provide high-quality & organized leads, driving productivity and more revenue for the business. - Published: 2016-02-18 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-software-2/ - Categories: Marketing Automation, Sales - Tags: Marketing Automation The goal of marketing automation software is to provide high-quality & organized leads, driving productivity and more revenue for the business. If you own a small business, then chances are you spend your hard earned money on marketing channels such as SEO, PPC and social media to drive leads. But often times those leads don’t convert into sales and long term customers. It can be a big frustration not only for you but a source of contention for your sales reps as they often blame the marketing campaigns for bad leads. So if you want to make your salespeople happy and help them close more sales, then it’s time to think about bringing marketing automation software into your business. Here's why: 1. Improved Insights Salespeople are happy when they have as much information as possible about their leads and prospects in the sales pipeline. In today's fast-paced online world, a sales professional needs to have more than just the basic contact info in their CRM (Customer Relationship Management System) such as: name, phone number, email, address, etc. By leveraging marketing automation software within your CRM, sales people have insights at their fingertips such as what pages of their website their leads have visited, what emails they have clicked on and what online forms they have filled out. Not only does this help salespeople to build relationships faster, but ultimately allows them to respond to leads more quickly - and we all know speed wins deals. In fact, according to Inside Sales, when leads are called within 5 minutes, they are 100 times more likely to convert into a sale than leads... --- ### What the GIF?! How to Use Visual Content In Your Marketing Campaigns > The best practices for using a GIF in your small business marketing campaigns. Time to have fun! - Published: 2016-02-17 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-with-gifs/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: content, content marketing, email, Social Media, visual content The best practices for using a GIF in your small business marketing campaigns. Time to have fun! Today we live in a visual culture – screens are everywhere, ranging from smartphones, tablets, laptops, computer monitors, to gigantic home televisions. Wherever we go, there is an image or video close by to snag our attention. This makes visual content one of the most important marketing techniques for small businesses. The Graphics Interchange Format AKA the GIF was developed in 1987 and in the past couple years, the internet has waged a full on love affair with these animated images. Some say it with a soft G, others a hard G but we've all noticed them on social media, emails, blog posts, websites... pretty much everywhere! So why should you bring them into your campaigns? GIFs get noticed Sites with GIFs look better than those without; people stay on your page longer and are more likely to browse your site. A site that is noteworthy impresses potential customers and clients so they are more likely to buy In the past companies in business for long periods of time were seen as safe and trustworthy – today they are seen as antiquated and out of touch – sites with eye-popping images are seen as modern and trendy. And today modern and trendy are seen as more trustworthy, giving you more sales. People love GIFs You don't need to know how to make a GIF to use them. Sites like Giphy or Reddit provide a platform to search and browse through GIFs from all over the internet. Here are some best... --- ### 6 Tips For Price Testing Your Subscription-Based Digital Marketing Services > If you are going to offer your digital marketing services as a subscription or with a retainer fee, you first need to figure out the appropriate price. - Published: 2016-02-16 - Modified: 2018-12-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-tips-for-price-testing-your-subscription-based-service/ - Categories: Agencies If you are going to offer your digital marketing services as a subscription or with a retainer fee, you first need to figure out the appropriate price. If your marketing agency currently offers digital marketing services as a subscription (or retainer), you know the benefits of using a subscription-based model to generate dependable, recurring revenue. But, how do you know if you're maximizing profits? Testing your subscription or retainer pricing can ensure that you're priced appropriately and making the most of every new client that enlists your monthly services. While there is no hard and fast rule, there are several key aspects to consider when testing your pricing. Here are 6 tips to help you determine what price will give your digital marketing agency the greatest chance for success: 1. Ensure Profit The first thing you need to know is the profit margin that is required to keep your business going. Knowing your boundaries and your opportunities for profit will give you a bracket to consider in picking out your subscription price: Know your profit margin Calculate customer lifetime value Create a sales forecast You may find that you can’t afford your ideal price due to your costs. This will bring up essential discussions about cutting costs or being creative with your marketing. 2. Scope Out the Competition Price testing doesn't occur in a void. How your competition positions their services has an impact on your pricing as well. Before you test a new pricing model, compare it to what your competition offers to hypothesize how a pricing change might impact your business's ability to acquire new customers. What pricing model has worked well for your competition?... --- ### How to Write a Popular Blog Post - Without Writing > How do you become a leading voice in your industry? For that matter, how do you even get your foot in the door? The answer is content —blog posts, eBooks, - Published: 2016-02-15 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-write-a-popular-blog-post-without-writing/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: blog, blogging, content marketing, list post How do you become a leading voice in your industry? For that matter, how do you even get your foot in the door? The answer is content —blog posts, eBooks, whitepapers, articles, infographics and more. BUT - what if you don't like that answer? What if the thought of sitting at your desk and hammering out a blog post on your keyboard sounds about as appealing as gouging out your eyeballs with a dull spoon? Then this post is for you! Finding the motivation to Write relevant blog posts and consistently share great content positions you and your business as an industry leader. But finding the time and mustering up the talent to put together great content can be really tough. That's where lists - those irresistible listy listicles - come in. You don't have to be much of a writer to create content that gets eyes on your brand and people to your website. By curating content, you can leverage excellent articles that already exist to keep current and potential customers engaged. You'll become trusted voice in your industry, a disseminator of trusted and reliable information. And you won't have to do the dirty work of writing original content. Creating a List Post that Gets Found and Shared Online Just like where you sit at lunch dictates your popularity in high school, the company you keep online can make or break your brand. The power of list posts is that by linking to and mentioning other websites, thought leaders... --- ### 20½ Small Business Tips For Blogging > Starting a blog is the easy first step. Here are tips for blogging valuable content your audience will want to subscribe to. - Published: 2016-02-12 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-blogging/ - Categories: Content Marketing, Small Business - Tags: blog, blogging, content, content marketing, tips Starting a blog is the easy first step. Here are tips for blogging valuable content your audience will want to subscribe to. Content is the driving force behind your marketing strategies. You want something to send your potential customers in an email. You want to connect and reach more people on social media. You want a way to communicate the value you provide as a business owner in a conversational way. Blogging is a great way to expand your reach, build a relationship with your audience, and start converting more website visitors. Starting a blog is the easy part. Creating a place where potential customers return for valuable content is where there hard work comes in. Here are 20. 5 tips for blogging we put together to keep in mind as you start building up your blog content: Know your audience. Create personas. Write to that one person. Your blog posts will resonate more when you know who you want to reach, their motivations, and how to speak to them. Set a goal for your blog and create your strategy. Start with picking the right platform for your blog. There are so many platforms out there for you to use depending on the personas you create. Just make sure it’s mobile-responsive! Make a big list of topics you want to blog about. Then start writing potential headlines for each topic. These lists are great to have when you hit a block and are not sure what to write about next. Decide if you or someone on your team will write for the blog. We encourage having more than one person on your... --- ### Google Analytics Can Be Overwhelming: Start With These 5 Features > Google Analytics can be intimidating to a small business owner, but learning how to use it can open up a whole world of digital marketing. - Published: 2016-02-10 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/starting-google-analytics/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: google analytics Unless your small business is focused on internet marketing already, it will probably feel like you are staring at a foreign land when you sign up for a free Google Analytics website tracking account. The bottom line is, Google Analytics can be pretty complicated for even those with a lot of technical website experience. But, before you give up or throw your computer out the door, take heart! You can overcome the overwhelming initial impressions of this insanely beneficial website tracking platform by just getting to know five basic features. 1. Acquisition Whether you are getting high traffic numbers to your website or your numbers seem to be falling, it is helpful to see just how visitors are getting to your site. The Acquisition report shows you what route visitors took to pay you a visit. For instance, you can see if visitors hit the site through a search engine, email, social media, another website that links to your site, or if they came to your site directly. The Acquisition report also shows what page on your website these visitors entered your site on. Is traffic arriving at your site from social media campaigns? Email marketing? Organic search? Knowing which channels most of your traffic is coming from can show you where your marketing efforts are paying off, and which channels are worth investing more in. Are there opportunities to turn traffic into customers? Seeing which landing pages are getting a lot of traffic can clue you into places to... --- ### 9 Practical Ways to Boost Website Conversions > If you have a business, you have a website - that’s a given. But is your website doing its job? A good website design is optimized to convert as many - Published: 2016-02-09 - Modified: 2016-06-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/boost-website-conversions/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: conversion rate, roi, website conversion If you have a business, you have a website - that’s a given. But is your website doing its job? A good website design is optimized to convert as many visitors into customers as possible. While there is no one silver bullet to conversion optimization, there are a host of elements that can be tested to improve conversion rates. These small improvements add up to big gains in customers over time, so if you're just letting your website sit stagnant, you're missing out on opportunities to add revenue to your business. Improving the conversion rate of your website doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are 9 practical ways to improve website conversions: 1. Measure Your Conversion Rates We all know the saying that you can’t improve what can’t be measured. The first step to improving website conversions is to track your current website conversion rate. Google Analytics is a free website tracking tool that gives powerful insights about the traffic coming to your website - including conversion rates for specific goals, like signing up for a free trial of your product or subscribing to your email newsletter. Here’s how to set up goals, track, and improve the conversion rate of your website: Create a Google Analytics account and add the tracking code to your website. Decide on the conversion goal or goals you want to measure. Set up your conversion goals in GA. Here’s a simple guide on setting up goals in Google Analytics. Run an a/b experiment to test... --- ### Brand Loyalty Isn’t Dead. How to Create a Lovemark with Your Customers. > Build brand loyalty by making your customers feel warm and fuzzy. - Published: 2016-02-08 - Modified: 2021-07-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/brand-loyalty/ - Categories: Marketing Growing up, I always wanted to rock the same shoes — Air Jordan’s of course. When one pair wore out, my next pair was an easy decision — the next model of MJ’s. I was not only rockin' the coolest shoe on the planet, but looking back, the brand connected with me. After all, what kid didn’t think he could Be Like Mike? Nike drove my... er, my mom’s... buying decision. Then, I loved my Air Jordan’s — and nothing could convince me otherwise. Today, well, it’s a different story. The power has shifted from the business to the customer and everyone is on brand overload. Internet, social media, and TV make it easier than ever for your audience and customers to tune out your message, delegating your business to the commodity game. With information at our fingertips, it's always easy to scour the internet for the cheapest option. That doesn’t mean brand loyalty is dead. It does mean that in order to create brand advocates that come back and repurchase from your business, you have to show the real story behind the brand they buy, now more than ever. Consumers want to connect with businesses on a meaningful level. Which means as business owners and leaders we need to build brands that are more than just logos and taglines. We need to tap into the heart and soul of our audience, imprinting our lovemark on their mind. The question is, how? Champion the Customer No longer can you push... --- ### Feeding the Masses: Build an Empire with Social Media Marketing > Stop shying away from your social media marketing. Get in front of your customers and potential customers to round out all your marketing campaigns. - Published: 2016-02-04 - Modified: 2022-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/feeding-the-masses-with-social-media-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: Social Media Stop shying away from your social media marketing. Get in front of your customers and potential customers to round out all your marketing campaigns. Your website is elaborate and beautiful in its functional design. You have a steady list of customers who have signed up for email alerts from your business. Your marketing efforts are pretty set and ready to grow, right? Unfortunately, if you are skipping out on social media marketing, you are potentially walling off a whole sector of consumers and clients that spend most of their internet time on social media. If you really want to build your small business into an income-generating empire that has the ability to reach the masses and feed them enticing information, social media is the way to go. You may think that sticking your foot into the social media marketing door sounds a little too offbeat compared to your usual marketing strategy, but this is actually the key to seeing major changes. If the whole social media marketing idea is lost on you, there are a few facts that you will find interesting. Social Media gets more attention than anything else online. Period. The average person usually has about five social media accounts that they check regularly, accounting for more than 28 percent of the total time spent online. So even if people don't check their emails, hit up a shopping site to see what's on sale, or even try to find a quick answer to a weird question their kid asks, they will almost definitely be on social media at some point in the day. The key to consumer marketing is to be visible... --- ### How I Grew Our Facebook Likes by 6400% > The mysteries of Facebook... Here is my strategy that helped grow BenchmarkONE's Facebook Likes over 6400 percent! - Published: 2016-02-03 - Modified: 2016-06-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/growing-smallbiz-facebook-likes/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: facebook, Social Media The mysteries of Facebook... Here is my strategy that helped grow Hatchbuck's Facebook Likes over 6400 percent! The mysteries of Facebook. Would you believe (assuming you don’t remember) that this powerhouse of global sharing technology which has overrun our very existence has only been around since 2004? Just eleven years into its history, Facebook is ranked as the number two most visited website in the world, with 1. 44 billion active users each month. Alexa, an internet ranking website, says that Google is the only web page with more hits. Facebook is a juggernaut of marketing power that anyone can use. What was started as a photo and information sharing site among college friends, has also quickly turned into an important advertising tools for all businesses. It’s the best way for a smaller business to connect with their customers on a daily or weekly basis. As Facebook grows, they find more ways to keep their users active and engaged with the platform. Your job is to get in front of the right people with your Facebook page by providing relevant, quality content. You also want to stand out against everything you are competing with on the Facebook algorithm - it’s not just your competitors you should pay attention to. So how do you figure out how to create the perfect Facebook audience, reach more prospects and attract more customers to your business? When I first started Hatchbuck, we had 174 Page Likes. Now, we have over 11k followers. Here are the steps I took to grow Hatchbuck’s Facebook Likes by 6400%: Target The Right Demographic You find... --- ### 10 Deadly Landing Page Mistakes that are Costing You Conversions > The landing page. It's a tried and true way to drive leads, but are you committing landing page mistakes that kill conversions? Find out more. - Published: 2016-02-02 - Modified: 2016-06-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/landing-page-mistakes/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: conversions, landing page, landing pages, roi Getting visitors to your website is a chore, no doubt. But your hard work to build a social media following, rank for your top keywords, and develop a paid advertising strategy can be quickly squandered if your website isn’t doing it’s job to convert. So, how do you make sure that your landing pages are more than just a spot where potential customers and clients land when they click the link? Avoid these 10 deadly landing page mistakes that can kill your conversion rates: The Mistake: Sending All Traffic to Your Home Page If you’re sending all of your online traffic to your homepage, you’re missing out on a big opportunity to connect with more customers. Home page visitors arrive from all sorts of sources. They could be coming from an email, social media, google search, or even just by typing your web address in their browser. Home page visitors are also at various stages of the sales process. They could be a customer, a prospect doing research, or an opportunity who is ready to talk to your sales team. Because of these variables, home page messaging is a bit more general. Here's an example of Life Time Fitness's home page. It includes everything a visitor might be looking for, from programs & events, to finding a club, to shopping in their store. Life Time Fitness also has an Adwords campaign for the keyword "yoga classes. " They know that visitors from their "yoga classes" Adwords campaign are interested in... --- ### The 4 Essential Steps of Building a White Paper that Converts > Coming up with things to say and bundling it all together can be difficult. Learn how to build a white paper that converts and start driving leads today! - Published: 2016-01-28 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/building-a-white-paper/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: white paper White papers help businesses to earn trust and ultimately generate more sales, especially for B2B companies. In fact, nearly three-quarters of professional service companies think that whitepapers are a great way to generate leads. White papers are also the most consumed kind of marketing—more than webcasts, blogs, podcasts, reports, or any other format of information. In addition, more than half of the professionals who read white papers pass them on to colleagues. So, for every 10 people you reach with a white paper, six of them will pass it on to others, helping you get more eyeballs on your brand. Now the question is, how do you create an effective white paper that will attract the right type of buyer and ultimately convert more customers? Here are the four essential steps to building an effective white paper: 1. Decide on Your Topic White papers are a marketing tool - not a sales tool - and are most effective when they answer a burning question for your audience. The goal is to connect to prospects very early in their buying journey. For example, if your business plans corporate events, a great white paper might be “10 Ways to Stretch Your Venue Budget that Only the Pros Know. ” White paper topics are built on the needs of your ideal buyer. So, if you haven’t pin-pointed who your ideal customer is, now is a great time to take a step back and build out an ideal buyer persona to help direct your... --- ### Be A Better Leader This Year > The best leaders nurture talent, encourage innovation and foster creative thinking. Here's how you can start improving your leadership skills this year. - Published: 2016-01-27 - Modified: 2022-09-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/better-small-business-leadership/ - Categories: Leadership - Tags: entrepreneur, leadership The best leaders nurture talent, encourage innovation and foster creative thinking. Here's how you can start improving your leadership skills this year. Being a great leader doesn't always come naturally. Small business owners and entrepreneurs often get started because of their passion and skills — in software development, marketing, finance or IT, for instance — but becoming a good manager or great leader requires it's own unique skill set. Well, new year, new you, as the saying goes. Why not work toward being a better leader this year? As the owner of your business you set the tone and create the company culture, and you set an example for your up-and-coming leaders to follow. No matter how talented your team is, you are still leading it, and the better you are, the better they will be. Be open to learning the skills and strategies that enable you to inspire and motivates others. The best leaders nurture talent, encourage innovation and foster creative thinking. Here’s how to be one of them: Be transparent. Be straight with your employees and, in turn, they will be more loyal and more understanding through your business’ ups and downs. Keep them involved in as many conversations as possible about the direction of the business, growth strategies and changes in workplace policies like flexible scheduling, bonuses and vacation time. If they know where they stand within the company--and where the company stands within its market and industry--they will feel more secure and more engaged. Keeping your employees in the communication loop will help them feel unified as a team and committed to the company for the long-term. Be... --- ### 5 Clever Ways to Reward Your Customers > Repeat customers spend 67% more on a purchase than a new customer does. Here are some cost-effective, clever ways to start a customer loyalty program. - Published: 2016-01-26 - Modified: 2022-11-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-loyalty-program/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: customer loyalty program, customer service Repeat customers spend 67% more on a purchase than a new customer does. Here are some cost-effective, clever ways to start a customer loyalty program. Studies repeatedly show that customers want to be rewarded for their loyalty, and those rewards just make them more loyal to the business. A study by Manta and BIA/Kelsey, “Achieving Big Customer Loyalty in a Small Business World,” found that 64% of businesses with a customer loyalty program in place report it has been been effective-- it makes more money than it costs to maintain. There are other benefits too. Customers that feel appreciated are far more likely to talk positively about your company and recommend it to their friends. And rewarding your customers incentivizes them to make additional purchases. That Manta report also found that repeat customers spend 67% more on a purchase than a new customer does. More than 60% of small business owners in the study say they generate the majority of their annual revenue from repeat customers. Loyalty programs and rewards points have become the standard in many industries, like airlines, hotels and restaurants, even fitness centers. But as a small business owner, you have the flexibility (and lack of bureaucracy) to take the road less traveled and reward your best customers in clever, unusual ways. Doing things differently than big companies will both engender your customers’ loyalty and give your business more cachet. Here are five clever ways to reward your customers: Partner up. Team up with other, complimentary businesses to offer gifts or reciprocal discounts. An example might be a sports clothing and accessory shop that offers a discounted membership at the local gym... --- ### Tips and Tricks for Using Emojis in Email Subject Lines > You're seen them before and now they're finding their way into marketing messages. Boost your open rates by introducing emojis in email subject lines. - Published: 2016-01-25 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-and-tricks-for-using-emojis-in-email-subject-lines/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: emoji, subject lines You're seen them before and now they're finding their way into marketing messages. Boost your open rates by introducing emojis in email subject lines. “When you look back at the year in language, one of the most striking things was that, in terms of written communication, the most ascendant aspect of it wasn’t a word at all, it was emoji culture. ” - Caspar Grathwohl, president of Oxford Dictionaries Emojis—the little picture expressions fastened to text messages, web pages, and now emails—are everywhere. Emojis were born and thrive in the mobile environment. As Americans spend more and more time on their mobile devices, it's hard to ignore emojis as a new marketing technique to effectively reach your audience. Emojis are succinct and fun means of expression. Feeling silly? Send the "Dancer. " Approve of a decision? "Thumbsup" it is! Having a tough day, but want to remain optimistic? The smiling "Poop" emoji might be the ideal fit. People of all ages are warming up to emojis, and now savvy businesses are including them in their email subject lines. Before getting too "Heart Eyes" over the idea, consider these tips before using emojis in email subject lines. Subject Line Emojis Offer Benefits The average Internet user is inundated with a lot of digital information: tweets, posts, comments, emails, updates, notifications, the list continues. When advertising your brand, standing out is key. Emojis, through their color and whimsy, pop in an otherwise homogeneous landscape. Studies indicate emails with emojis in their subject lines get opened 45% more often. Brevity is a cornerstone to communication. Readers get bored easily and don't have time to waste on deciphering... --- ### Before You Hire an SEO Company, Try These 16 DIY Tips > You may think you need to hire an SEO company, however don't do it until you've read through these 16 DIY SEO tips. - Published: 2016-01-22 - Modified: 2022-11-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hire-seo-company/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: seo So you want to drive more online visitors to your website or increase your rankings in Google’s search engine, but don’t know where to start. Should you hire an SEO company or go at it yourself? When it comes to search engine optimization it can be an overwhelming process, but it doesn’t have to be. An SEO expert or agency can help ensure that when consumers do a web search, your website is one of the first resources to appear in the search results. But prior to paying someone else to help facilitate improved web results, you may want to enlist a few DIY tips yourself to give your SEO a boost. Here are 16 do-it-yourself SEO tips that small business owners should try before hiring an SEO firm: 1. Start with Personas Driving more visitors to your site starts with knowing the persona of your ideal buyer and understanding what makes them tick. Why? Because websites are ultimately built for humans and not robots. So dig into their challenges, understand why they buy, and create a customer persona. This will help you to best align your SEO and website strategy so you can get found online by your ideal customer. 2. Plan Your Keyword Research Before you push up a bunch of content and copy on your website, make sure you plan out your keyword strategy. Keywords are the words or phrases that your target audience searches for when looking for products and services or when trying to solve... --- ### Hysterical Ideas That Are Actually Marketing Techniques for Small Businesses > These funny ideas can give your marketing initiatives a boost in engagement. Don't be afraid to get silly with your small business marketing techniques! - Published: 2016-01-21 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hysterical-ideas-that-are-actually-marketing-techniques-for-small-businesses/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: content marketing, Email Marketing, guerrilla marketing, Social Media, viral marketing These funny ideas can give your marketing initiatives a boost in engagement. Don't be afraid to get silly with your small business marketing techniques! Risk-taking is best embraced in the ever-changing digital marketing landscape. Daring marketing initiatives often pay off, as they capture the attention of otherwise uninterested individuals -- and make them see small businesses in a new light. If your marketing strategy could use a boost, consider drawing inspiration from these small business marketing techniques that push the envelope: Made-Up Holidays Companies requiring an extra push during the slow season can benefit greatly from made-up holidays, which if given the appropriate hype, can greatly increase consumer interest. At Hatchbuck, we talked like a pirate for a day in September. Another excellent international example involves the made-up Japanese holiday of Kurisumasu ni wa Kentakkii, in which residents skip out on Christmas altogether and instead eat at Kentucky Fried Chicken. When this influential marketing effort first launched in 1974, it seemed crazy, but it was just out-there enough to attract attention -- and now it's one of Japan's most notable holiday traditions. Cat Craze It's no secret that the internet loves cats, but some clever businesses have harnessed this feline adoration and used it to drive up business. The best example of this is Uber, which celebrated National Cat Day 2013 by delivering kittens and cupcakes to people living in San Francisco, New York City, and Seattle. Although the recipients were only allowed to keep the cupcakes, they had the opportunity to spend 15 minutes cuddling with kittens. Cat delivery is not an option for most companies, but any marketing efforts involving cats can... --- ### 5 of the Best Practices for Email Marketing Subject Lines to Boost Response > Email subject lines are the key to driving more opens in your email marketing activities. Take a look at these best practices and get in front of more eyes. - Published: 2016-01-20 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-practices-for-email-subject-lines/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: email, Email Marketing, subject lines Whether its a white paper that helps your prospects solve a nagging problem, or a special email notification of a "secret" sale, when a customer sees something from your company in their inbox, there are two things that can happen. One, the customer will be attracted and enticed by what you have to say, or two, your email efforts will go on a one-way trip straight to the trash bin, or even worse, flagged as spam. So how do you keep your email reputation clean and effective? Believe it or not, there is one sneaky little trick that every successful business email creator knows: It is all about the marketing email subject line. This is the one-liner that shows up when a message arrives in an inbox and is potentially the only chance you have to make the best impression. There are five easy-peasy ways to make sure that the subject lines of your business emails are effective enough to encourage your customers to take that next step and click to open because they want to know what more you have to say. 1. Get Local, Vocal, and Personable If you really want to catch a reader's attention, talk to them like you would a valued, well-known customer. Head the subject line with their first name or even mention their location. You want to exude a familiar tone that comes across as personable and personal. 2. Don't Be Generic Don't continually use the same subject line in your emails, no... --- ### Simple Tips to Make the Most of Inbound Marketing > Inbound marketing is modern marketing! Follow these simple inbound marketing tips that will make business generation easier than you ever imagined. - Published: 2016-01-19 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/simple-inbound-marketing-tips/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: inbound marketing, lead gen, Lead Generation, metrics, seo, Social Media Inbound marketing is modern marketing! Follow these simple inbound marketing tips that will make business generation easier than you ever imagined. In the fast-paced and competitive small business environment, every second counts. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs spend way too much time worrying about ineffective marketing schemes instead of focusing on day-to-day business concerns. With an effective inbound marketing strategy, you can let prospective clients and customers come to you, instead of spending all of your time attempting to attract the attention of uninterested parties. If implemented incorrectly, inbound marketing can be every bit as inefficient as other marketing approaches; however, with a carefully-crafted strategy, it is possible to expedite the process and significantly grow your customer base -- all with minimal effort. The following simple inbound marketing tips will make business generation easier than you ever imagined. Optimize Your Site Inbound marketing is all about search engine optimization, which is used to improve a site's ranking on Google and other prominent search engines. The higher your site lands on Google's front page, the more visitors it will attract. Carefully-researched keywords should be used in your site's URL, in any content featured on the page, and in image names. Avoid the temptation to stuff your page with keywords; this could actually harm your search engine ranking. Instead, create relevant content that solves a problem for your ideal customer. Help Prospects Convert Your website is more than just an attractive brochure - it’s a handshake with new visitors that helps you to begin the sales conversation. As SEO drives traffic to your site, you should be able to capture qualified prospects with forms. Helpful... --- ### Mind Your Social Media Manners > Social media is one of the most powerful inbound marketing tools that small businesses have at their fingertips. Set guidelines to strengthen your brand. - Published: 2016-01-18 - Modified: 2022-10-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/mind-your-social-media-manners/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: Social Media Social media is one of the most powerful inbound marketing tools that small businesses have at their fingertips. Set guidelines to strengthen your brand. Social media is one of the most powerful inbound marketing tools that small businesses have at their fingertips. You can conduct business with, market to, or gather information from anyone no matter where they are in the world! Demographics that were once unreachable are now right there, a click away. Getting your employees involved in your social media marketing efforts is a great way to expand your reach. Your employees, who are passionate about your business, can become your best advocates and sales tool online. However, to ensure that you have strong branding, it’s important to set social media guidelines. Leverage Key Employees Don’t try to force your whole team to be active online because some just aren’t. Find the employees who are already active online and start nurturing their social media involvement for your brand. Leverage those key, customer-facing employees to help carry the conversation about your business and build your network of connections. Be Professional To create a strong, professional brand, first create business pages on each platform you want to target with your strategy. This creates an easy platform your employees can repost blog posts, resources, and other useful brand information. This is a simple way to ensure that your employees remain professional when mentioning your business online. One of the more popular marketing buzzwords of the past few years has been personal branding. Just like your business, each person in business can control their online brand and presence. It’s pertinent to allow your employees who are... --- ### Reclaiming Thought Leadership > Your industry thought leadership strategy will help you look ahead to the future, driving innovation in your respective field. - Published: 2016-01-14 - Modified: 2016-05-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/industry-thought-leadership/ - Categories: Leadership - Tags: leadership, mission, Social Media Your industry thought leadership strategy will help you look ahead to the future, driving innovation in your respective field. Great leaders constantly look ahead to the future, driving innovation in their respective fields. True disruptors like Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Steve Jobs-the pioneer of Apple, and marketing guru Seth Godin have revolutionized the way we market and consume some of the most important products and services in our daily lives. Over the years as leaders have made their mark, the term-“Thought Leadership” has emerged as a label assigned to these individuals and others for their ability to see future trends and share their knowledge and experiences with others. For most people, the concept of becoming a thought leader used to be out of reach, only reserved for the elite. But with the rise of content, professional and social networking platforms such as WordPress, Linkedin and Twitter, it has become easier than ever to pole vault yourself into the desired position of knowledge kingpin. In fact nearly 2 million blog posts are published on the WordPress platform daily and over 200 billion tweets were sent in 2015. This is both good and bad. While the opportunity exists to brand yourself as a thought leader within your industry, it has also has created a lot of noise in content land-watering down what it truly means to be a thought leader. In other words- to truly reach your audience and make an impact it takes more than re-tweeting a bunch of tweets all day, recycling random content on Linked in, and hearing yourself talk on periscope. The real definition of a thought... --- ### Search Engine Marketing: SEM Best Practices (And Why You Need Them) > SEM best practices include SEO (Search Engine Optimization), keyword research and analysis, paid advertising, and organic referrals from search engines. - Published: 2016-01-13 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sem-best-practices/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: google adwords, keyword planner, keywords, pay per click, ppc, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, SEM, seo Search engine marketing, or SEM might sound intimidating, but really it just means promoting your business online. Take a closer look at SEM best practices, including keyword research and analysis, paid advertising, and organic referrals from SEO. Search engine marketing, or SEM might sound intimidating, but really it just means promoting your business online. SEM best practices include keyword research and analysis, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), paid advertising, and organic referrals from search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo. Using Search Engine Marketing to Find More Customers Actually, with search engine marketing, you don’t find more customers - they find you! Successful search engine marketing means getting in front of potential customers who are doing research online, searching for solutions to problems you can help them with. Keyword Research & Analysis When you have question - whether it’s where to eat or what software is the best for your business - most likely you’ll type it into a search engine to learn more. Your customers are no different, and that’s why a solid SEM strategy starts with identifying the right keywords. Most advertisers use tools like the Google Keyword Planner to find those keywords and phrases that their potential customers are searching for. When thinking about your keyword strategy, think outside the box for terms that could attract customers early in the sales process in addition to when they’re ready to buy. These terms could be directly related to your business, or they could be an area where your customer’s problem and your expertise intersect. For instance, if you’re a crossfit gym, your keyword strategy might include phrases like “crossfit gym” as well as “workout of the day” or even “eating healthy around the holidays. ”... --- ### What is Inbound Marketing? More Importantly, Is It Better? > What if instead of a marketing campaign that you hope finds new prospects and customers or clients, your online marketing campaign is designed to have - Published: 2016-01-12 - Modified: 2022-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-is-inbound-marketing/ - Categories: Agencies - Tags: content, content marketing, search engine optimization, seo, Social Media What if instead of a marketing campaign that you hope finds new prospects and customers or clients, your online marketing campaign is designed to have them find you? Inbound marketing is just that, marketing focused on being discovered by customers! Marketing used by most startups and small or medium-sized business is the more traditional, outbound marketing. However, expert internet marketers understand the limitations of outbound marketing, as reflected by these stats from Voltier Digital: 86% of people skip through television commercials 44% of direct mail is never opened 200 million Americans have registered their phone numbers on the FTC's "Do Not Call List" The outbound marketing methods used to work when marketers controlled the conversation, market, message, and channels. Now, there are infinite channels through which we get our information. Though outbound marketing still is in use and still has its place, it is more expensive than an inbound marketing program and less effective. Why Inbound Marketing Works Most people hate sales calls, do not open emails from people or businesses they do not know, block phone calls from anonymous callers or blacklisted marketers, do not read printed newspapers, and record TV shows to avoid commercials. In other words, consumers really don’t appreciate aggressive advertising - and now have the technology to avoid it. It's the consumer who's in the driver's seat when it comes to conversation. Inbound marketing works well as it is non-intrusive. Potential new customers and existing customers crave quality content and they choose the channels where... --- ### Cultivate Sales With Customer Service: How To Sell More To Your Best Customers > How To Sell More To Your Best Customers -- Customer Service is an important sales tool in your arsenal that can help you differentiate from big competitors. - Published: 2016-01-11 - Modified: 2022-07-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/cultivate-sales-with-customer-service/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: crm, customer service How To Sell More To Your Best Customers -- Customer Service is an important sales tool in your arsenal that can help you differentiate from big competitors. No matter what industry you’re in, as long as you have customers, you’re also in the service industry. And it’s been well documented that improving customer service increases sales and, ultimately, profits. A survey by American Express found that two-thirds of consumers are willing to spend more at a company they believe provides excellent customer service; three out of four said they spend more with companies where they have a history of positive customer service experiences. It’s also much easier to sell products and services to existing customers as opposed to new ones, with whom you have no track record. So take good care of your current customers and pay attention to their needs; if they like your products or services chances are they will buy others from you too. Existing customers are the most cost-efficient sales targets for a small business because they spend more and refer others. At the same time, all customers are not the same. Some add more long-term value to your business than others. If you want to sell more to existing customers it makes sense to start with your very best customers. Here’s how to identify who they are and build a solid and profitable relationship with them: Your best customers aren’t necessarily the ones who buy the most. If you rank your customers’ importance by the amount of stuff they buy, you’re leaving out some critical information—namely, how much it costs to sell to them. A customer might provide a good deal of... --- ### Small Business Sales Forecasting: 4 Things to Consider Before You Plan > What is Sales Forecasting? How can you adopt it for your small business? Here are the four things to consider before you plan. - Published: 2016-01-08 - Modified: 2020-10-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-sales-forecasting/ - Categories: Sales - Tags: Sales, sales and marketing process, sales forecasting What is Sales Forecasting? How can you adopt it for your small business? Here are the four things to consider before you plan. As a small business owner, the success of your business relies not only on executing in the moment but knowing where you are headed in the future. If you’re like most owners, it is easy to get sucked into the “one day at a time” mantra as you roll up your sleeves and run multiple aspects of your business. But in order for you to grow revenue, reduce expenses and thrive in the long term, it helps to step back and have a healthy focus on honing your skills at sales forecasting. What Is Sales Forecasting? Sales forecasting is a term that is often over complicated with enterprise jargon and tossed around without much explanation in the small business marketplace. Yet as an owner, you need to understand its importance and how it affects all aspects of your business. Let’s take a look at what a sales forecast is, the benefits and why to adopt a predictable model for your small business. The Definition of a Sales Forecast A sales forecast allows you to determine what your estimated sales (Revenue, New Customers, etc. ) will be for a given time period. The forecast is generated from an analysis of previous data about your sales, the sale of similar products by your competitors, and market response to your offerings. Essentially, the sales forecast is a critical component of your management framework and it enables you to assess and improve key business initiatives such as: More accurate forecasting of expenses and cash... --- ### Be Yourself - Business Attire and Your Personal Brand > The tried and tired business professional attire for women and men is out. Create your own uniform and personal brand! - Published: 2016-01-05 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/get-a-uniform/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: business attire, personal brand, personal branding The tried and tired business professional attire for women and men is out! Create your own uniform and personal brand! You could read the same magazines and shop at only at one store but you are still uniquely you. You get up every morning and choose your uniform for the day. So why do clothes cause so much stress in life and in the workplace? Expectations. Expectations on what is business professional attire for women and men and what is casual. Expectations on what to wear and what not to wear. And what exactly is business casual? Why does this all matter? This blog post started out with words like: acceptable for best for both sexes blazer in the winter tying back long hair Oh, and my favorite, “Leave your loud colors and cleavage-baring clothes at home. ” As a small business owner, you set the tone in the office. Eventually we all align ourselves with others who think, look, and act similarly. One of my favorite sayings is, get in where you fit in. And it’s so true! If you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation based on how you dress, either change how you dress to be more comfortable in your own “skin” or change your environment. Be Yourself is our number one core value for a reason. If you are not yourself, you are not able to do the right thing, keep it simple, work hard, have fun, or make a difference. If you want to be taken seriously as a business person, being your authentic self is your best branding tool. What you wear to work... --- ### How Do You Prefer to Work? The 4 Office Personality Types > Before you can lead a team, you need to know yourself first. By knowing the 4 office personality types, you can better lead and manage your employees. - Published: 2016-01-04 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/office-personality-types/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: meyers briggs, office types, personality test, personality types Before you can lead a team, you need to know yourself first. By knowing the 4 office personality types, you can better lead and manage your employees. Do you know your personality type? Before you can lead a team, you need to know yourself first. By knowing what makes you tick, you will be able to create a productive and healthy working environment. The Meyers & Briggs test is a fun little test to understand yourself and your own tendencies and how they stack up against the other personality types. It's a great tool to have in your back pocket to know how to engage with others in the workplace. It is important to understand the motivations of different people around you and the dynamic that occurs between personalities. How do you prefer to work? There are 8 personality traits that every person has to varying degrees. By observing which traits are dominant in yourself and your employees, you’ll be able to be a better leader with a productive and happy team. Extroversion vs. Introversion How you manage and replenish your personal energy is a very important trait you should be aware of because it allows you to take better care of yourself in the workplace. Extraverts thrive working on teams and brainstorming with others. Always looking for ways to connect and interact, you’ll find them at happy hours and enthusiastic for company events. Introverts, often thoughtful, reserved, and focused, prefer to work independently. They also tend to be sensitive to external stimulation. Intuition vs. Sensing How you gather and process information determines whether you are intuition or sensing oriented. This is the way you view the... --- ### Awww, Shucks. Feeling the Love at Hatchbuck. > We wouldn't be BenchmarkONE without our awesome customers. We show up, work hard, and do the right thing so we can make a difference in business owners' lives. - Published: 2015-12-31 - Modified: 2016-06-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-reviews-2015/ - Categories: Small Business We wouldn't be Hatchbuck without our awesome customers. We show up, work hard, and do the right thing so we can make a difference in business owners' lives. And they notice! :) We wouldn't be Hatchbuck without our customers. We show up, work hard, and do the right thing so we can make a difference in business owners' lives every day. Our customers constantly remind us that we are heading in the right direction and that they are with us. We just can't resist sharing their feedback. Here's what are customers are saying about us: GetApp: 4. 47 / 5 stars “I love, love, love Hatchbuck! It's very user friendly and they are open to suggestions for improvement from their customers. Their support team is also fabulous! ” - Jessica Dugas | Executive Strategy Group “I love being able to assign tasks to specific contacts or companies in particular. I've been using it for nearly a year, and I'm still finding ways to use it better! ” - Matthew Sewell | Happiness Engineer at Flocknote “Customer support rocks. Anytime I don't know how to do anything, our consultant is quick to answer emails and send me in the right direction. ” - Keisha Page | Green Vine Marketing G2Crowd: 4. 8 / 5 stars “Awesome Marketing Automation Platform That Small Business Owners Can Afford... One thing we love about Hatchbuck is how easy it is to learn and use. We were up and running in just 1 week and our email marketing staff was able to quickly learn the platform so there was no lack in productivity due to training. ” - Mandy McEwen | Mod Girl Marketing “1. It streamlines our... --- ### Establishing Yourself as an Authentic Leader > As a small business owner, it can feel like you are trying everything you can to grow your market share and sell products. But have you tried being your - Published: 2015-12-31 - Modified: 2015-12-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/establishing-yourself-as-an-authentic-leader/ - Categories: Leadership - Tags: authenticity, core values, leadership As a small business owner, it can feel like you are trying everything you can to grow your market share and sell products. But have you tried being your authentic self? Consumers respond to companies who feel true and likable. It's the same reason why we vote for people we would want to share a beer with. I'd like to share why it is critical to establish yourself as an authentic leader if you want to stay competitive and how to do just that. Why Authentic Leadership Pays Off for Your Business Being authentic has a range of benefits, both for you and your business. When you are not trying to be "all things to all people," you have more energy to focus on your skills and passions. You will be more productive. Staff and customers will be able to perceive this difference. So don't be afraid to let your true self shine! I know that my strengths are on the product development side, so I've been intentional from the beginning about bringing key team members into the fold at Hatchbuck, from my business partner, Jonathan Herrick - strong on the sales and marketing side - to our director of customer success, Erin Posey, who is responsible for creating the awesome customer experience that our customers rave about. When I bring the right team members aboard, I am free to focus more on my passion - shaping the product vision and roadmap for Hatchbuck. As a small business owner, you... --- ### 4 Branding Strategies for your Small Business > Have you fully defined your brand - -and are you following through with consistency across all platforms? These tips will help you focus your branding efforts and get the results you want. - Published: 2015-12-30 - Modified: 2024-10-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-branding-strategies-for-your-small-business/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: branding, marketing, small business Have you fully defined your brand - -and are you following through with consistency across all platforms? These tips will help you focus your branding efforts and get the results you want. Is your branding message truly getting across or are you simply blowing hot air? If you don’t have definitive guidelines for your brand and if you are not following them across all platforms, you could be missing out. Here are several ways to boost your branding and ensure that you are actually creating a cohesive and recognizable brand for your small business. Define Your Brand Guidelines Make sure that every promotional piece, press release, and Tweet that leaves your office conforms to your branding guidelines. Clearly outlining your brand expectations and how your logo, mascot, and merchandise are to be referred to can prevent mismatches and mixed messaging for your brand. Disney is one of the masters of branding and everything they put out is designed to clearly represent the brand. From the annual blockbuster movie to the whimsical, talking trash cans at the theme parks, every single item is carefully created and screened with the big picture in mind. A simple list that depicts phrases or things we “always” do when speaking with customers or promoting the brand can help create a consistent and positive message across all of your platforms. Putting together a Brand Guideline for your company can help you make sure everyone is on the same page - even if your business is small. Here are a few areas to address: Logo: Using your logo consistently across all channels adds cohesiveness to your brand. For example, is it ok to display your logo without your tagline,... --- ### The Most Important Online Marketing Lessons of 2015 for Small Businesses > What were the most important small business online marketing lessons for in 2015? Take a gander at this post to find out. - Published: 2015-12-29 - Modified: 2016-07-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-online-marketing-2015/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: marketing, new year, online marketing, small business Can you believe that 2016 is just a few more days away? If you’re like us at Hatchbuck, you’re ready to jump into the new year and continue the momentum you’ve built in 2015. While we’re setting the deck for 2016, we thought it was a good time to look back on the year and reflect on what worked best on the marketing front. To help, we’ve tapped into small business influencers to ask them the most important marketing lesson they learned in 2015. Here’s what they had to say: The Cloud Is a Given, The Focus is on Tools Marketing technology is evolving fast, and the beauty of SaaS (software as a service) is that it gives small businesses the ability to quickly implement cloud-based technology without being tied down to long-term contracts or manual maintenance and upgrades. This is a unique advantage to small businesses, as their counter-parts in the enterprise space can find it challenging to switch out legacy systems and adapt. Today, SaaS is the obvious choice for small business, changing the conversation from, is it in the cloud? to does it work for my business? "Cloud is out, usefulness is in," says Anita Campbell, Founder and CEO of Small Business Trends: The focus going forward is on what that software can do for your small business -- whether it's marketing software or any other kind of software. And since cloud software is now the default choice of small businesses, the emphasis is on the ability... --- ### Small Business Goal for 2016: Kick Some SaaS With Marketing Automation > Robots and automation are among us, so what is a small business owner to do? Luckily small business marketing automation is a real thing - learn more here. - Published: 2015-12-28 - Modified: 2023-11-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: Marketing Automation, SaaS The rise of the robot is upon us, and no industry has been transformed by automation more than marketing. A well-organized automated marketing campaign can address the specific interests of thousands of companies in a warm, personalized manner. At the same time, software as a service (SaaS) has made it simple for businesses of every size to access technology without the hassle of manual software updates and complicated installs. These two technological advancements go hand-in-hand. SaaS is the perfect way to make marketing automation accessible and affordable, while marketing automation is the perfect way to help any SaaS company find and keep more customers. To make the most of SaaS marketing automation, focus on: Message Management Effective marketing automation strategies for SaaS companies require messages that appeal to specific target audiences. To craft such messages, you must account for: Buyer Persona- Position your product to appeal to the different types of customers you serve. For instance, a company that has recently been started may be researching your type of product for the first time. They may not have even yet chosen whether to install software or buy it as a service. For new businesses, the conversation will be more towards educating them about all of the options available. They will view your product differently than a long-established business that already has a legacy product in place. For an established business, the conversation may be more around switching from a competitive software. Problems and Solutions- Once you've chosen buyer persona, think... --- ### The Pulse of Marketing Automation Platforms in 2016 > Marketing automation platforms - though still in their infancy compared to traditional tools like email marketing software - will continue to gain steady - Published: 2015-12-22 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-pulse-of-marketing-automation-platforms-in-2016/ - Categories: Marketing Automation - Tags: marketing automation platforms, marketing automation stats Marketing automation platforms - though still in their infancy compared to traditional tools like email marketing software - will continue to gain steady ground in 2016. What used to be viewed as a toy for either the big boys or tech related companies has proven to be core tool for any business that wants to increase leads and grow profits. So what's in store for marketing automation in 2016? Here are 22 marketing automation stats and why they matter to you as we head into the new year: Marketing automation adoption is rising quickly across companies of every size. In 2014, marketing automation adoption was at 60% for companies with $500m or more in revenue, at 10% for companies between $20-$500m in revenue, 5% for companies between $5-$20m and 3% for companies less than $5m in revenue. (Raab Associates, 2014) Key Takeaway: Originally accessible to only enterprise or tech-related businesses, there has been a trickle-down effect for marketing automation into the small business market. Although market penetration was only at 3% for businesses less than $5m in revenue in 2014, this number is continuing to rise thanks to software solutions like Hatchbuck that cater to the small business market. Early adopters in the small business market will reap the biggest benefits from implementing marketing automation to optimize their pipeline. Marketing automation runs on marketing strategy. Only 38% of businesses that have implemented marketing automation are using more advanced marketing tactics like progressive profiling. (Webmarketing 123, 2015). 85% of B2B marketers... --- ### The 8 Disastrous Small Business Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them > There is a slim line between success and failure for any small business. Eliminate these eight costly small business marketing mistakes. - Published: 2015-12-21 - Modified: 2022-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-common-small-business-marketing-mistakes/ - Categories: Marketing There is a slim line between success and failure for any small business. Eliminate these eight costly small business marketing mistakes. Marketing is an essential part of promoting your small business and growing sales. Yet too often small business owners try new marketing tactics without measuring the results and knowing how it aligns to their goals. It can cause a small business to put the clamps down on the marketing budget--or skip it altogether. So in order know how and where to spend your marketing resources, you need to first avoid the marketing pitfalls so many owners fall into. Here are eight common marketing mistakes small businesses make—and how to avoid them: Treating marketing as an expense vs. an investment. An expense is something you buy and depreciate. An investment is something you purchase that will deliver value in the future. The sole purpose of marketing is to drive more leads into customers and keep them as raving fans. So if you run your small business looking at marketing as an expense-ready to cut marketing campaigns and programs when things get tight, you may want to reshape your perspective on small business marketing. Often when turbulent times hit and sales fall in the tank the first inclination is to reduce your marketing spend. This is the absolute wrong decision. Marketing is the very catalyst you need to spur growth and drive new opportunities. Not developing a written marketing plan and marketing budget. It an old adage that still holds true today: Failing to plan means you are planning to fail. Small businesses that don’t have a rock solid marketing plan have... --- ### The Force Awakens: 5 Marketing Lessons Small Business Can Learn From Star Wars > The Star Wars buzz is as big as its opening music. Join the light side and create that kind of power with your small business marketing. - Published: 2015-12-18 - Modified: 2016-06-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-force-awakens-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: marketing lessons, star wars The Star Wars buzz is as big as its opening music. Join the light side and create that kind of power with your small business marketing. Nearly 40 years ago when the original Star Wars movie was created I don’t think anyone would have imaged another Star Wars movie to hit the box office some 38 years later with revenue total estimates north of 8 billion dollars. But a lot has gone right for the empire and in large part due to how it has approached marketing. If you are like me, you grew up with Star Wars lunch boxes and the motion pictures being a big part of your early childhood. In fact every time a movie came out, it seemed like everywhere - stores, restaurants - was overrun with Star Wars hype and merchandise. It almost seems unfair, doesn’t it? So how can you tap into Star Wars-like buzz for your business? As the latest of the Star Wars movie descends upon us, “The Force Awakens” gives us a chance to look at what the Star Wars franchise has done right to remain a thriving business venture after all of these years, and what lessons your small business can take from it. 1. Develop Raving Fans Star Wars didn’t become a franchise phenomenon overnight. Before there was the prequel trilogy, Star Wars developed a cult following. Yep, these movie-goers are more than just fans, they are die-hard Star Wars fanatics. A fan likes the movies, but a Star Wars fanatic belongs to the Church of Jedi (yes, this is for real). The Star Wars movies didn’t set out to gain mass appeal. Instead, the... --- ### Are You Measuring What Matters? 3 Sales Performance Metrics You Aren’t Thinking About. > Check out these 3 sales performance metrics you might not be thinking about. - Published: 2015-12-17 - Modified: 2016-06-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-performance-metrics/ - Categories: Sales - Tags: customer lifetime value, metrics, pipeline, Sales, sales performance Many shops and small businesses use core sales performance metrics such as the number of monthly sales made and revenue as common benchmarks to measure success. While these are associated with the bottom line, they can be lagging indicators and don’t necessarily tell the whole story. In order to get a bigger picture owners tend to lean on traditional metrics such as activities and proposal generated. When it comes to your business, it’s not just about where you’ve been, but where you’re going. While the number of sales or proposals generated last month doesn’t always provide a good indication of where you’re headed this month. But, with the right sales performance metrics, you can easily gauge the pulse of your business and make adjustments to keep your business healthy and humming. Don’t Call Me, I’ll Call You In this new digital era, sales happen differently. No longer do sales occur only by picking up the phone and making cold calls. Think about it... when was the last time you responded to a cold sales call? Today, buyers are doing their research online first before talking to a sales person. With intelligent automation, it is now possible to reach people who are in research mode, driving leads inbound to your small business and talking to them only when they are sales ready. The buying process has changed, but have you? If you haven’t changed the way you are measuring sales performance metrics and you don’t have insights into the process that... --- ### Do Your Employees Care About Your Success? > Promote passion and productivity in your small business workplace by knowing how to properly recognize your employees' hard work. - Published: 2015-12-16 - Modified: 2015-12-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/employee-recognition-ideas/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: employee, employee recognition, management Promote passion and productivity in your small business workplace by knowing how to properly recognize your employees' hard work. Employee Recognition Ideas to Boost Motivation and Performance Remember when stickers were exciting, and you loved getting that extra gold star on your school work? Though you may have outgrown your love for gold stars, you can still tap into the same principles behind those stickers and leverage the power of recognition to boost productivity in your small business. The Value of Employee Recognition Think of a business as a thriving ecosystem—particularly as one that's made up of many interdependent moving parts. Different teams in business handle different tasks, and they're all important in their own unique way. To keep the ecosystem in its best state, every part of it must be in its healthiest and happiest state. If your employees are unhappy or feel undervalued, then their work suffers and so does the entire business. Employee recognition, in its many forms, is a key way to keep employees happy. Employee recognition reaps many benefits, including: Increased loyalty to the company A sense of ownership for one's work Enhanced engagement within the work community Best of all: better business results As a small business owner, fostering a positive work environment is vital. That sense of camaraderie and community is what sets small businesses apart from their larger and more corporate counterparts. Just one excluded or unappreciated employee can have detrimental effects on clients. Instead, creative incentives make sure your co-workers feel valued. How to Validate Your Team Members There are three core ways through which you, a small business owner,... --- ### Crafting Your Email Marketing Message: How to be a Good Communicator Where it Counts. > Coming up with the perfect email marketing message can be a chore for a time-strapped small business owner. Check out these examples for inspiration. - Published: 2015-12-15 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-message/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: Email Marketing, voice There are many benefits to email marketing for small businesses, but you know that. What's tough about email marketing, however, is that your communication skills can make or break those benefits. Email gives you the opportunity to connect with existing and potential customers, engage them with helpful resources, and introduce them to your services or products. When done right, email marketing can increase customer loyalty, maximize your marketing ROI, and drive more sales. But to do it right, you have to be a good communicator where it counts, or your message won’t hit the mark. Keep in mind that “how” you say something matters just as much or more than “what” you say. Here are some tips on how to be a good communicator in email campaigns. Be Authentic Folks opening emails from your small business don’t want to be treated as if they’re dollar signs. Instead, they want authentic communication. Perfect your brand’s voice by talking to people on a human level. Maintain an authentic tone that relates directly to your audience. Provide meaning instead of superficial promises. Remember, the best brands are really just people that happen to be associated with your product or service. For instance, a simple check-in email from Hazel at Canva feels authentic and personal for a few reasons: Sender: The email comes from Hazel, not from Canva in general Tone: The tone is easy-going and friendly Format: It's mostly text, giving it a friendly feel Timing: The email was sent at just the... --- ### Cut the Crap: 5 Ways to Communicate Effectively in the Workplace > Are you speaking the same language as your employees or is it time to cut the crap? Here's how you can cultivate effective communication in the workplace. - Published: 2015-12-14 - Modified: 2024-01-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/effective-communication-in-the-workplace/ - Categories: Small Business Are you speaking the same language as your employees or is it time to cut the crap? Here's how you can cultivate effective communication in the workplace. Small businesses spend a lot of time trying to perfect their communications. After all, marketing is all about communicating your message to potential customers. There are so many different mediums to communicate through, it takes a ton of time and resources to stay on top of it all Putting all this effort into communicating with the customer comes at the expense of effective communication in the workplace. If your team members aren’t getting their message across to each other, or if you aren’t getting your message across to them, you can hardly expect to work together efficiently. It can create a stressful office environment where tempers flare and jobs aren’t getting done. Good communication helps to create a happy and productive workplace. Are You Speaking the Same Language? The 4 Communication Styles Communication is everything in an effective work environment. Productivity, and your sanity, relies on it. There are various styles of communication in the workplace, yet no one in particular is the right one. As a manager, it is important to understand the style of communication that is most effective with each employee to ensure that the message is clear. Here is a simple breakdown of the four most effective communication styles found within work environments. The Supporter This is the most patient style of communicator - a listener. The supporter tends to avoid conflict; however, they make good mediators because of this. To best communicate with a Supporter, provide reassurance, earn trust, and give them time to think... --- ### Your Mom (Is On Social Media) > All you need to know about social media demographics from millennials to baby boomers. And yes, your mom. - Published: 2015-12-10 - Modified: 2016-07-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-demographics/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: baby boomers, demographics, gen x, millennials All you need to know about social media demographics from millennials to baby boomers. And yes, your mom. What You Need to Know About Social Media Demographics Millennials, Gen X, Baby Boomers... all these generations to consider when creating your buyer personas. And what are they doing online? We can safely say, pretty much everyone is on social media. And that's just between Facebook and Twitter. You've also got your Snapchats, Tumblrs, Pinterests, Reddits, Instagrams... We are a social-hungry culture. We put together some quick facts on the generations and how they are engaging with social media so you can decide which platforms you should be on to reach your ideal customer. The Millennials Love Visual Media Born in the early 1980's to the early 2000's Now in their mid 20's to early 30's Getting established into their careers Still have decent credit ratings Otherwise known as Generation Y, this generation has grown up with touch screen technology, and are very hip to the tech world that changes very quickly around them. Facebook is very important to them so the audience you will get through pages on that site are valuable to explore with your marketing. The Millennials are also very good with visual media such as Snapchat, and Instagram. They are more likely to share photos of things they like, and themselves then write long word heavy posts on all their social media interactions. Videos are very popular with this group who is happy to watch endless YouTube vlogs, and are even hip to the new web streaming video site, Periscope. Generation X Is Savvy To All... --- ### What's So Great About Marketing Automation? > Marketing automation is the star sharpshooter for your small business. So how can marketing automation improve your game? - Published: 2015-12-08 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-sharpshooter/ - Categories: Marketing Automation Marketing automation is the star sharpshooter for your small business. So how can marketing automation improve your game? Everybody say Warriors! The hottest start in NBA history keeps on rolling. The Golden State Warriors, now 22-0, are the most exciting team to watch in basketball right now. Before, teams won by controlling the paint, but this underdog team is playing ball out on the edge with the most efficient offense in the NBA. The Warriors, led by Stephen Curry, their star point guard, have leveled the playing field for a new type of player in the game of basketball. As I've been watching, I can't help but see the connections the Warriors and Curry have with the small business world. Before, big business dominated the market with more power and more money; they went hard in the paint and controlled the game. With a new breed of marketing automation tools, small businesses can now tap into that same power big business benefited from for a fraction of the cost. How Does Marketing Automation Improve Your Game? The main benefit cited by small businesses using marketing automation is that they can shorten the time it takes to make sales by automating their efforts. Why? Sales works more efficiently by only working with the leads and prospects that are ready to buy. By taking specific actions such as submitting an online form, customers are giving businesses the signs that they are interested. Potential customers and clients get filtered the sale funnel in a more efficient way, so marketers can concentrate on closing sales and not prospecting for leads. How? If... --- ### 6 Small Business Investments to Plan on Before the Year is Out > For profitable small businesses, it’s all about smart spending. Consider making these small business investments before the end of the year. - Published: 2015-12-02 - Modified: 2020-12-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-investments/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: investment, section 179, small business, taxes, year end This blog post was updated on December 14, 2020. Like every year, the shopping season is jam-packed with Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday deals. And this year, since most of the holiday shopping has moved online, it seems like every time you open your email or log on to social media you're being inundated with promotions and discounts. And while you've probably already planned out your holiday shopping, what about shopping for your small business? Small business owners dedicate a lot of time to their customers and improving sales. However, if you want your business to thrive, it's important that you find ways to invest in tools that will improve it long-term. You can't expect to rise above your competitors if you are still being held back by less efficient processes and a lack of insights into your strategies. You're probably thinking that now is really not the best time to make a business investment of any kind. But the truth is, now is one of the most strategic times to be dipping into your budget. Sure, investing in tools and products will require some fees upfront, but doing so will afford you benefits in the next year that you won't want to miss out on. If you are a small business owner that runs a profitable operation, accelerating your expenses for the end of the year could help to offset taxable income. So if you have been planning to make a purchase of any kind, but... --- ### Finding a Freelancer for Your Small Business > Could freelancers help your business grow? Yes! Here are 10 places to find a freelancer to help get your projects done without adding to payroll. - Published: 2015-12-01 - Modified: 2024-09-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/finding-a-freelancer/ Could freelancers help your business grow? Yes! Here are 10 places to find a freelancer to help get your projects done without adding to payroll. If you thought the only real reason to hire a freelancer was to do things you don’t know how to do, you’re limiting yourself. Many valuable - but time-consuming - tasks can be outsourced, and it’s often a great way for startups and small companies to save money and scale their business. It’s no surprise then that 90% of Elance customers are small businesses. After all, why pay a full time employee to do things that can be compensated on-demand? Most small businesses hire freelance workers for projects like web and mobile app development, cross-platform app development, content production, and online marketing, but you can find freelance workers to do all sorts of tasks, ranging from creating spreadsheets to putting together a video to acting as a virtual assistant. So where are these secret resources hiding? There isn't just one place to hire temporary or remote workers. Some sites cater to just about every talent or specialty, but there are some specialized freelancing sites that might be better for specific projects. While some choices are better for highly skilled workers, others are great for simple and repetitive tasks. These sites often offer reviews of past work and let workers showcase their experience and talent. They usually also make it pretty easy to figure out how much the work will cost, if there are any guarantees that the job will get done correctly, and how to make payments. 10 Places to Find Freelancers for Your Small Business These are some of... --- ### 8 Marketing Podcasts Every Entrepreneur Needs to Hear > As an entrepreneur, you’re always in learning mode. These podcasts offer valuable insights into starting, running and growing a business. - Published: 2015-11-30 - Modified: 2015-11-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-podcasts-for-entrepreneurs/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: entrepreneurship, podcasts, small biz, small business As an entrepreneur, you’re always in learning mode. These podcasts offer valuable insights into starting, running and growing a business. If you are an entrepreneur, you’re always in learning mode, and most of that learning happens as you go—making mistakes, regrouping, evaluating and reiterating. But not all the lessons have to be reactive. With the rising popularity of podcasts—spurred, in large part, by the runaway success of the podcast Serial—there are a host of informative and entertaining podcasts focused on entrepreneurship and small business. With so many to choose from, we’ve compiled a list of seven of the best podcasts right now for startup founders and small business owners. Each one offers valuable insights into starting, running and growing a business. Entrepreneur on Fire: hosted and founded by John Lee Dumas, who interviews entrepreneurs to get insights and information from them to guide listeners on their entrepreneurial journey. That includes, for instance, advice about creating the right products and services for your audience, tips for boosting blog traffic or how to create an effective 60-second sales hook. Entrepreneurs talk about their failures and the lessons learned and every interview features that founder’s “Ah-Ha! ” moment and the steps they took to turn that moment into success. ConversionCast: hosted by Tim Paige, this podcast helps marketers find measurable results to use in marketing their business and increasing revenue. Each episode features real-life case studies from seasoned marketing professionals who share tactics they’ve used to increase their numbers. And every marketer on the show gives hard data about before-and-after results. Stories From The Influencer Economy: hosted by Ryan Williams, an entrepreneur and... --- ### How Small Business Owners are Celebrating Thanksgiving in 2015 > So, just how does a small business owner celebrate Thanksgiving? We interviewed some of our customers to find out, take a peek. - Published: 2015-11-25 - Modified: 2022-11-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-thanksgiving-2015/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: owner, small business, Thanksgiving This Thanksgiving we want to turn our attention to small business owners. With Black Friday around the corner and Small Business Saturday close behind, we're wondering if small business owners are getting caught up in the frenzy, or taking time to be present with family and friends. Their answers may surprise you - or, maybe they won't. Here's what 11 small business owners had to say about how they're spending Thanksgiving this year. 11 Small Business Owners Share Their Thanksgiving Traditions We host a traditional Thanksgiving meal at our home with extended family. We don't travel on Thanksgiving which makes it much more enjoyable in my view. After the meal we often attend a movie with our kids or work on a large puzzle spread across the kitchen table. The day following Thanksgiving my mother-in-law hosts a broiled Cajun shrimp feast! I also look forward to starting a good book during Thanksgiving. I close my small business and give my staff two paid days off to enjoy a four day Thanksgiving break with their family. Thanksgiving is my favorite time of year! John Kinskey, Founder and President of AccessDirect Thanksgiving to me is a time for family and for a few days out of the year it is alright to forget about business and just relax. Each year I look forward to seeing all of my friends and family, attempting to cook (it always ends in some sort of disaster), gorging myself on way too much food, and just kicking... --- ### Don't Waste Money on the Wrong Freelancer > 5 techniques for hiring the right freelancer for your project I know from experience that hiring a freelancer can give small teams the agility to - Published: 2015-11-24 - Modified: 2015-11-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/dont-waste-money-on-the-wrong-freelancer-2/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: freelancer, hiring, hiring a freelancer 5 techniques for hiring the right freelancer for your project I know from experience that hiring a freelancer can give small teams the agility to accomplish their goals - without adding another person to the payroll. Hiring a freelancer is a lot like hiring a permanent employee, but there is one difference – the freelancer is in a more precarious position than the applicant is. The freelancer knows this isn’t a permanent gig for them – they can only hope that you decide to use them frequently. Benefits, salary, vacation time and any of the other things that come with permanent employment are not on the table. That includes the comfort of knowing that their bills are satisfied on a monthly basis and that they are allowed to have an off day. It behooves them to look good, but what should be done isn’t always what is done. So it's good to know that hiring a freelancer is easy. You can do it right now, if you really want to. There are people out there clamoring to do the kind of work you need done – whatever it is! You can find someone online, offer them the job, and they’ll take it with little to no questions asked. Lots of people do it. What's not easy, though, is finding the right fit for your project. Here are some things you should consider when hiring a freelancer: Define Your Project Much like when writing a job listing, you need to know... --- ### Building a Small Biz Audience Using Facebook Ads > There are 900 million people logging into Facebook every day. Create an audience for your business using these cost-effective Facebook Ads. - Published: 2015-11-23 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-biz-facebook-ads/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: buyer persona, content marketing, facebook, facebook advertising There are 900 million people logging into Facebook every day. Create an audience for your business using these cost-effective Facebook Ads. There are 900 million people signing into Facebook every single day. And those people are discussing trending topics, sharing content with each other, and even looking to build their own business. You won’t have the time or the money to boil the ocean and reach every single persona on Facebook but you can carve out your own slice of the pie and reach the people that will be most likely to share and engage with your content. To help create a map that points you in the right direction of how to use Facebook for marketing success, consider some of the most popular ads on the site, how they work, and most importantly, why they work. So what is going to make them click your ad? Get Eyes on Your Ads The Facebook flow might be familiar to you... the blur of scrolling past political arguments, baby pictures, complainers, positive thinkers, on and on. And you want your brand to stand out amongst all that noise. Visual ads grab the attention of the individual and stop them from scrolling right past it. Even with the most intriguing content, if your ad isn't attractive, no one will respond. So what can you do to get your ads seen? Use high-quality images Use the recommended dimensions: 1200 x 628 pixels Use images of people, especially your real customers. Avoid stock photography that's too generic or cheesy. Your logo alone isn't going to cut it unless your company is well known - plus,... --- ### 8 Popular Project Management Tools for Small Businesses Doing Mighty Things > Project management tools can help the busy small business owner delegate tasks and monitor progress - without micromanaging their team. - Published: 2015-11-20 - Modified: 2020-11-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-popular-project-management-tools-for-small-businesses-doing-mighty-things-2/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: project management, project management tools, small business Some small business owners believe that only large corporations need to use sophisticated tools to help manage projects. This might be because many activities conducted in smaller companies are of short duration and only conducted by a single person or a very small team. However, it might be fairer to say that many companies have grown large and prosperous because they do employ the right tools to manage all of their business activities. What is a Project That Needs Management? Sean Maserang, of the University of Missouri, points out that almost every business activity should be considered a project that needs management. If you are sitting down with an agency to discuss marketing strategies for small business or getting your accountant to prepare a tax report, it's still a project. The right tools can make management simpler and more seamless. Because many of these tools are now delivered online, prices are often very friendly for small-business budgets. 8 Project Management Tools to Try Consider these eight popular tools for your own small business: Basecamp: This software works well for smaller teams of people. It includes tools for both project managers and team members to help schedule meetings, set due dates, and communicate. The monthly rate is based upon the number of projects, but the company allows unlimited users. When discussing small business project management software, Basecamp often gets mentioned first. The software also comes with online messaging. Slack: Slack is an app for teams that helps them organize projects by... --- ### 4 Ways to Stop a Leaky Sales Funnel > Spot the leaks and patch the holes. Your sales funnel will thank you. - Published: 2015-11-18 - Modified: 2016-06-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/leaky-sales-funnel/ - Categories: Marketing Spot the leaks and patch the holes. Your sales funnel will thank you. Investing in marketing channels such as SEO, PPC , trade shows and inbound is key for businesses to fill the funnel full of ripe leads. But, If you’re spending hard earned money on marketing to bring in leads only to drip out a few customers through the sales pipeline each month, you’ve probably sprung a leak. (And duct tape won’t fix it this time) A leaky pipeline is bad news. It can mean that your pool of customers stays stagnant - or even shrinks. Here’s how to spot leaks in your sales funnel and patch any holes so that your pool of customers can grow. Spot the Leaks We all remember the devastation that resulted along the Gulf of Mexico when BP pipelines burst and caused the biggest oil spill in U. S. history. Just like an oil company uses a pipeline to shift goods from wherever they are to wherever they are needed, companies use their sales pipelines to transport leads to sales conversions. Your sales pipeline should be built to take each lead at whatever point they are in the sales process and help them move in the right direction towards a purchase. One small crack in a poorly maintained pipeline can mean a disastrous result. So how do you know if you have a leak? Dive into Your Data In order to assess the main reasons for losing potential sales, you need to be able to understand what opportunities are won and lost by each channel and... --- ### 3 Small Business Website Tracking Tools - and How to Use Them > You can better understand the online behavior of your prospects and customers with the right website tracking tools. And it's not as hard as you would think - Published: 2015-11-17 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-small-biz-website-tracking-tools/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: website tracking You can better understand the online behavior of your prospects and customers with the right website tracking tools. And it's not as hard as you would think! People regularly look up businesses online. They're finding out more about your business before stepping through your storefront or hiring you for your services. It’s a two way street, though. Having a website means that you can find out just as much about your customers as they can find out about you. With website tracking, you gain insights into which pages are being visited, where your traffic is coming from, and even who is visiting your website. Here is how to use website tracking to learn more about the people who want what you have to offer: 3 Small Business Friendly Website Tracking Tools Google Analytics is a popular free tool that allows you to track your website analytics. Not only is Google Analytics free, but it’s also fairly easily to install without the help of a programmer or web developer. With Google Analytics, you can get super simple, yet game-changing information, like: How many people are visiting your site each day What channels (SEO, Paid, Direct, Referral) traffic is coming from How many pages visitors are viewing per visit The average amount of time people spend on your website Which landing page people are entering your website from Which pages are getting the most traffic As a free app from the most popular search engine, Google Analytics is a must-have when it comes to website tracking. But there are other tools in town that can help you track your visitors and make the most out of your website traffic.... --- ### Hatchbuck Best Practices: Email Subject Lines > We did our research on email subject lines so you can start getting more opens. - Published: 2015-11-16 - Modified: 2016-07-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-subject-lines/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: subject lines Getting your emails opened is sometimes half the battle. Here's our research on crafting great subject lines straight from the Hatchbuck knowledge base. Your opening line is always important. Whether you are performing a comedy sketch, making a political speech, picking up a date, or crafting a great email, you need a great opener. But how do you do this? What rules do you follow? After compiling some research from companies like Litmus, Sendgrid, Return Path, and some quick data analysis of our Hatchbuck marketing emails, I found a few email subject lines best practices that might help as you are crafting your great emails! How long should my subject line be? According to Sendgrid, 3 word subject lines have the highest engagement while 7 word subjects are the most common. What’s always important to remember is that mobile devices (where about 50% of your contacts are reading their emails) typically only display 25-30 characters. Are there any keywords that will help my cause? ReturnPath did a study of their own and found that these 3 “types” of subject line keywords performed best: Urgency: expiring, extended, hurry, running out Benefit: best, cheapest, fastest, easiest Command: add, buy, call, get What else works? There are 3 other types of subject lines that perform well and are worth considering: Asking a question Using humor Offering a promotion The one caveat here is that variety is the spice of life. Don’t do the same thing every time or you will wear out your list. A Hatchbuck Study. To confirm, deny, or illustrate these stats I decided to look at some of the great emails our marketing... --- ### Buying Into Buyer Personas > If your product or service is good enough, people will buy it. At least, that’s what we’d like to think. It's time to drive more sales with buyer personas. - Published: 2015-11-13 - Modified: 2016-07-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/buying-into-buyer-personas/ - Categories: Marketing Getting the right buyer in front of what you are selling requires strategy: research, understanding your demographics, and marketing to those demographics with a hook that will put your product or service in their hearts and minds. If your product or service is good enough, people will buy it. At least, that’s what we’d like to think. But it seems that the old “if you build it, they will come” doesn’t apply to small businesses. What you offer your customers may be good enough to sell itself. But if your prospects aren’t coming, your product doesn’t even get a chance to toot its own horn. And with all of the avenues now available for advertising, it’s difficult to drive people in the right direction. Or rather, it’s difficult to drive the right people in the right direction. Getting the right buyer in front of what you are selling requires strategy: research, understanding your demographics, and marketing to those demographics with a hook that will put your product or service in their hearts and minds. That’s where creating a buyer persona comes in. Buyer personas and demographics differ in that they attack the problem in different ways. Demographics give you a range of people – a group, if you will – that is best suited for your product. Demographics can give you an geographical area, culture, or age group that you should focus your marketing efforts towards. While this is great information, there is a way to go a little deeper and find more precise matches for your product or service. Buyer personas delve deeper into the psyche of the buyer and reveal what it is about them that drives them to make the purchasing decisions they do.... --- ### Online Photo Editing Tools (For the Design Pro to the Design Illiterate) > For the Design Pro to the Design Illiterate, here are some photo editing tools you can use to make great looking images for your small business marketing. - Published: 2015-11-12 - Modified: 2021-11-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/photo-editing-tools/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: content marketing, design, photo editing Stand out from the competition with these photo editing tools and tips for creating great looking images for your small business marketing. As much as copywriters would like to believe otherwise, images are the key to engaging browsers. Social posts are significantly more effective when a photo or video is included, and blogs, articles, and copy all rely heavily on images to capture attention in time – you typically have only a few seconds to grab it before they leave your page without reading anything more than the heading. But what if you have no digital photo editing skills! ? Fortunately, there are helpful tools that can make photo editing easier. You don't have to be a pro to create great-looking photos for your company. Just get to know some of the tools that you can find online or download to your computer. PicMonkey PicMonkey has a free version that anyone can use to create photo collages or enhance existing photos by adding text and graphic elements. Beginners can learn the PicMonkey program pretty quickly. For advanced elements, you can used the paid version. You can use PicMonkey's templates or upload your own for editing. The site is used to create images for Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram. The biggest drawback is that it can be slow at times. Canva Canva is similar to PicMonkey, although it is easier to navigate. It doesn't have as many free graphic elements, but it starts you off with the perfect size image for each type of social media. Also easy to learn, Canva has more free options when it comes to grids and layouts, but does... --- ### 21 Great Small Business Blogs > Everyone is blogging about small biz so which small business blogs are actually helpful? - Published: 2015-11-10 - Modified: 2018-08-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/21-great-small-business-blogs/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: blog, blogging, business, small business, small business blogs Everyone is blogging about small biz so which small business blogs are actually helpful? If you’ve ever searched for small business blogs, you know how ubiquitous they are—everyone, it seems, is blogging about small business (as well as entrepreneurship and startups). Most of these blogs are just marketing tools--their creators try to lure you in with a few bits of generic information and advice and then comes the pitch for whatever they want to sell to small businesses. There are some blogs, however, that do provide guidance, insight and advice for small business owners about how to build successful ventures. Here are twenty-one of the best blogs out there for small business owners—providing education, information and inspiration: BizSugar A blog with small business news and tips that is crowd-curated. BizSugar’s community of readers share business blog posts, videos and other content from which readers of the blog can learn something, For those that share content, they are reinforcing their reputation and brand and bringing online visibility to their content. The community votes on member-submitted tips, advice and information, advancing the most popular (and what’s considered by the community to be most useful) posts to the home page. Top posts are pushed to the top or can make it into the BizSugar Top 10 list. Kabbage Kabbage is redefining how small business find and apply for loans online and their blog is full of tips to grow, manage, fund, or innovate your small business. Social Triggers A blog from Derek Halpern, who writes about sales, marketing, entrepreneurship and the world of social media. Halpern was... --- ### Letting Go: How to Move from Micromanager to Small Business Leader > When you are passionate and invested in your business, it's hard to loosen up the reins. - Published: 2015-11-06 - Modified: 2016-06-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/letting-go-small-business-leadership/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: leadership, management, small biz, small business "Owners of thoroughbreds never stop their horses mid-race to remind the horse and jockey how to run, where the finish line is, or that it'd be good to finish first. Why? It would slow them down." You started your business, so who could possibly know more about your business than you? Right? After all my dad used to say all the time, “If you want something done, you need to do it yourself. ” But as your business grows, you need to hire, train and retain great employees. Leading your employees and keeping them accountable is a huge part of running a thriving small business. However, the difference between “Leadership” and “Micromanagement” is often a murky one. As an owner, you want to focus on the vision and mission of your business. So you strive to encourage your team to run with day-to-day tasks and projects. But when it comes to actually handing over the reins to your employees, it can be tough to let go of control. In Scott Berkin’s Open Letter to Micromanangers he shares a great analogy on owners and leaders who are a bit too controlling: "But if you are in fact a micromanager, you started over-managing the first day others worked for you. You have no idea what they are capable of. You’re probably treating at least one potential Seabiscuit as if he were a toy pony at the county fair. " The term “micromanagement” carries a lot of baggage with it, and for good reason. It is estimated nearly 80% off employees have suffered from being micromanaged (aka having to complete the dreaded TPS Reports). 1/3 have changed jobs because of being under the thumb. After all, people don’t leave... --- ### Struggling with Content Marketing Strategy? Nail it with these 5 Tips. > Be bold, be relevant, and be impressive. Here are some content marketing strategy ideas to get your small business noticed online. - Published: 2015-11-05 - Modified: 2024-05-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-content-marketing-strategy/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: content, content marketing, marketing, seo, Social Media Be bold, be relevant, and be impressive. Here are some content marketing strategy ideas to get your small business noticed online. You want to be seen. So, do something. Something big. If you want to catch people’s eye in your content marketing endeavors, you have to do three things: Be bold, be relevant, and be impressive. If you want to make an impact and get your business noticed you have to go the extra mile. To reach and engage your audience use these 5 tips to nail your content strategy: 1. Know Who You Are Knowing who you are takes a deep understanding of the product or services you offer, why you offer them, and a bit of the roadmap that lies ahead of you. Once you understand your business, you have to create a brand around it - and this is the tough part. You know who you are, but does your audience? Branding is how you communicate; it's your face to the world and while it may change over the years, it should remain a version of itself. Think of Q-Tips, Kleenex, Xerox. These companies are so inextricably linked to their product that most time people don’t know whether you are talking about the company of the item. That’s what you want for your business. 2. Know Your Audience Knowing who you are also means knowing your audience. Successful businesses don’t try to be everything to everyone. Instead, they are super intentional about putting their stake in the ground and defining their audience. Herb Kelleher, co-founder and former CEO of Southwest Airlines, took this exact approach. He decided that... --- ### Culture Counts! 13 Ways to Create the Best Workplace > The thing that motivates us to work the hardest is being under-appreciated. Said no one ever. Here are 13 ways to create a positive, productive workplace. - Published: 2015-11-04 - Modified: 2018-01-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/workplace-culture-counts/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: workplace culture The thing that motivates us to work the hardest is being under-appreciated. Said no one ever. Here are 13 ways to create a positive, productive workplace. The thing that motivates us to work the hardest is being under-appreciated. Said no one ever. It goes without saying that everyone would prefer to work for a company that appreciates them and their efforts, but – because many people need jobs – we don’t always get to be overly picky. When you are the one running the business, it isn’t just about having employees. Your business will be more productive, more profitable, and more conducive to low turnover-high loyalty when your employees are there because they want to be - not just because they need to be. The bottom line is that workplace culture counts. Here are 13 ways to make a motivating, positive, productive workplace happen. 1. Care About Them This may sound like an easy one, but for an employer the ability to look at your employees as more than just your “minions” is very important. 2. Be a Little Personal If you know your employee has a family, then ask about them in a polite and considerate way. Making basic conversation with your employees is a sign that you know they have a life outside of work. 3. Motivation Is Important Being able to manage your team with positive reinforcements is going to help your business in the long run. Productivity will shoot through the roof with the right motivation. If your staff has goals it doesn’t hurt to run a contest or two with prizes as motivation. It doesn’t even have to be something extravagant.... --- ### Getting Started with Marketing Automation in 5 Easy Steps > A solid foundation is the best starting point when implementing marketing automation. Follow these steps for a quick and easy transition. - Published: 2015-11-03 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/getting-started-with-marketing-automation-in-5-easy-steps/ - Categories: Marketing Automation - Tags: Email Marketing, lead capture, Lead Generation, lead magnet, lead nurturing, Marketing Automation, white paper A solid foundation is the best starting point when implementing marketing automation. Follow these steps for a quick and easy transition. If you are moving from an email marketing strategy to a marketing automation strategy, it can be overwhelming the first time you see how it all works. Once someone sees the level of sophistication of a marketing automation tool, it can cause spontaneous paralysis and a quick retreat into the old way of doing things. Don’t give in! Be ready to make a change... and... EVOLVE. I speak with customers every day about how to get started with marketing automation and how to avoid getting lost in the details. Marketing is not an exact science. You have to test, try new things, learn what works and improve. A solid foundation is the best starting point. Here are 5 steps to get started: Make an Offer Capture Leads Engage your Audience Stay in Touch Keep customers up to date Make an Offer The best way to attract a new client? Offer something that you have that they don’t have and want to have. Identify what that offer is and give them a taste of it. Come up with an enticing incentive, or lead magnet, to offer people in exchange for their contact information: Your offer could be something like: White paper Case study Report Free sample Free 30 minute consultation Leveraging existing content/expertise is the most efficient way to go. If you have multiple offerings, use them all. Test out different offers to see what works best to attract the right audience. Protip: Don't give more than two offers on a... --- ### Is Halloween Tax Deductible for your Small Business? > When it comes to Halloween goodies, how many costs are you eating? Halloween offers up spooky fun that can bring a unique and attractive atmosphere to - Published: 2015-10-30 - Modified: 2016-10-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-halloween-tax-deductible-for-your-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: business, finance, halloween, tax deductions When it comes to Halloween goodies, how many costs are you eating? Halloween offers up spooky fun that can bring a unique and attractive atmosphere to your business, but it can be another expense on top of the normal, frustrating overhead you deal with every other day of the year. Good news! When done right, the holiday can actually give your business a tax deduction. Many small businesses pour loads of money into making their small business festive for the holiday. But you don’t need to count these expenses as a complete financial loss. Save all of your receipts for Halloween-related items in order to claim them as a deduction on your annual return. Halloween Candy The most surprising tax deduction for Halloween is candy. That big giant bowl of candy you keep at the front of your business for trick-or-treaters can actually be a write-off. Moreover, if you create custom candies branded with your company logo, the expense to make the product is another deduction. Even business cards and promotional flyers attached to Halloween candies are tax deductible. Got plenty of leftover candy? There are many charitable organizations that collect unused Halloween candy to send overseas to troops. Just make sure the charity you’re donating to has 501(3) status with the IRS. Keep in mind that chocolate is usually not accepted by many organizations since it will likely melt during transport. Plan on sending an expensive box of candy or chocolate to new or existing clients for Halloween? The... --- ### When it Comes to Sales and Marketing Software, We’re Drinking Our Own Champagne > Using BenchmarkONE, our own product, gives us an edge in developing an innovative, user-friendly product. - Published: 2015-10-29 - Modified: 2016-07-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/when-it-comes-to-sales-and-marketing-software-were-drinking-our-own-champagne/ - Categories: Marketing Eating your own dog food, or drinking your own champagne is what tech companies do when they use their own product for their business. At Hatchbuck, we’re doing just that, and we’ve found that using our own product gives us an edge in developing an innovative, user-friendly product. Call it putting your money where your mouth is. Eating your own dog food, or drinking your own champagne is what tech companies do when they use their own product for their business. At Hatchbuck, we’re doing just that, and we’ve found that using our own product gives us an edge in developing an innovative, user-friendly product. How The Hatchbuck Team Uses Hatchbuck to Grow Hatchbuck isn’t just a peripheral product we make an effort to incorporate in our business process. We aren’t something like talent acquisition software that we might use occasionally to make new hires. Instead, every function of our company runs on Hatchbuck, which is truly unique. Marketing We use Hatchbuck for sustainable lead generation. It starts with connecting to new small business owners, warming them up through lead nurturing, and sending hot prospects to our sales team. Small business owners find us through social media, SEO and referrals. We connect with them through Hatchbuck lead generation forms on our website. Hatchbuck lead gen forms capture newsletter subscribers, ebook downloads, and requests to demo Hatchbuck. Then, form actions segment new leads and start them on the appropriate campaign or send the appropriate autoresponder. As new small business owners are added to our database through lead forms, Hatchbuck tracks how they interact with our emails and pages on our website. With these insights, we use email nurturing campaigns to move prospects into the next stage in the buying journey. To measure success, we use deals to track our... --- ### Sell Them with a Story: How to Use Storytelling to Grow your Small Business > The art of storytelling can define your content marketing. Use our tips to connect to your audience and hook them with your story. - Published: 2015-10-28 - Modified: 2016-06-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sell-them-with-a-story/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: b2b, content creation, content marketing, marketing, small business One of the most effective marketing strategies for your small business has been around since the beginning of time. Storytelling. Even before the modern digital era storytelling was used by ancient leaders to move crowds to action, preserve history and change nations. Storytelling is a powerful tool that you can use to market your brand and connect in a more real and personal way with your audience. The Power of Storytelling “We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories. ” – Jonathan Gottschall (@jonathangottsch), The Storytelling As a small business, cutting through the noise and getting more of your audience talking about you can leave you feeling like David in a match against Goliath. Lots of companies create content, and it’s getting crowded out there. Getting attention is tough, unless you can connect with people on a human level and tap into their emotions. Crafting a compelling, memorable story that shows why your business is unique is a powerful way to stamp your brand on the hearts and minds of your audience. Create a story worth sharing, and your audience will reward you by passing it on to their family, friends and colleagues. But does storytelling really work? The answer: It sure does. The reason storytelling is so effective is because the buying process is not just a rational decision backed by data points for your customers; it’s also an emotional one. In Chip... --- ### Four Things You Didn't Know About Marketing Automation > Everything you think you know about marketing automation is from a different crop of solutions. Now, the game has changed in favor of small business. - Published: 2015-10-27 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/four-things-about-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Marketing Automation - Tags: b2b, inbound marketing, Lead Generation, Marketing Automation Everything you think you know about marketing automation is from a different crop of solutions. Now, the game has changed in favor of small business. Running a small business requires being ultra resourceful when it comes to managing your time and your budget. We know you've got limited bandwidth, but we also know that neglected leads result in a dry profit pool down the road. No worries - marketing automation is here to help. Here are four important things you might not realize about marketing automation and how it can boost productivity for your small business. 1. ROI May Take Time – But, Your Patience will be Rewarded! Focus Research found that 75% of companies using marketing automation see ROI within 12 months and see positive results even sooner. This is both a very quick and very slow period of time to wait to see your investment bring about profit. Too often, when a new tool is implemented, companies are impatient to see immediate results. It is important to realize that the ROI is measurable and real, but it may take time to create the kind of impact that moves your audience towards purchase decisions. In the long run, this is a short-term investment that will pay out in a great way for the company if implemented correctly. 2. Your Leads are Segmented While 61% of B2B marketers send all of their leads straight to sales, only 27% were found to be qualified, according to MarketingSherpa. This is why it is so important to analyze the position of leads and then nurture them accordingly. Yet, gathering the right data to sort and segment leads would... --- ### Donut Mondays and Free Lunch Friday: Do Workplace Incentives Make a Difference? > Workplace incentives are all the rage. Large companies are able to provide most of what their employees would want. So what about us little guys? - Published: 2015-10-26 - Modified: 2016-07-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/workplace-incentives/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: b2b, employee engagement, leadership, management Large companies, like the Googles and Apples of the world are able to provide everything under the sun for the employees- from steak lunches to free child care. So what about us little guys? How can we create a great workplace for happy employees? The workplace environment has changed through the years. In many companies, even the terminology has changed. Employees are “associates” or “team members” and bosses are “team leaders” or “directors”. This change in the work environment, in most cases, is for the positive. Today’s “work” is more incentivized and even gamified. “Company culture” has become a term engrained in business spawning casual Fridays, in-company day care, and everything from bagel Tuesdays to free lunch Fridays. At Hatchbuck, we certainly have our own unique culture. The real question is do workplace incentives make a difference? We Went Right to The Top For the answer, we went right to the top, going to Hatchbuck’s Chief Sales/Marketing Officer Jonathan Herrick. Already knowing our culture it was no surprise to us that Jonathan felt company culture is critical, especially in the early start-up years of an organization. “I believe our culture has been a key catalyst for our growth here at Hatchbuck. ” Jonathan explained. “I wanted to be purposeful about giving team members the power to own and drive the culture. I wanted to better align them to the purpose of the business. ” Hatchbuck’s Core Values A good place to start is with a discussion of your company’s core values. While mission statements have their place, for modern companies, especially small companies, mission statements can sound corporate or disconnected. Core values, however, simply get down to it. They express what should be the focus of everyone involved, every day. At Hatchbuck our core... --- ### An Inside Look: Successful Leadership Traits > Leaders aren't born, they're made. Here's an inside look on the successful leadership traits that engages employees to drive your business forward. - Published: 2015-10-23 - Modified: 2015-10-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/successful-leadership-traits/ - Categories: Small Business Leaders aren't born, they're made. When thinking about marketing strategies for small business, one of the hardest to define is leadership. Successful small businesses are driven by business leaders who inspire the people around them. These leaders attract like-minded people who are drawn to the message and the values they instill to create a dynamic team. Together, these teams build unmatched experiences, products, and businesses. At Hatchbuck, we believe that leaders aren't born, they're made. Here are a few successful leadership traits to start cultivating to grow your small business. Vision In order to create marketing strategies for small business or turn a small business into a large business, a business leader must have a vision. A vision is an overriding image or goal that they can see in their minds that spurs them forward. In other words, a leader sees the future of their company, and they can tell everyone what that future is. Their vision drives their company and all of their employees forward. Communication A business leader knows how to communicate their ideas to other people. They can discuss ideas with people of all levels of knowledge and excite them about their ideas. The business leader learns how to communicate effectively and inspire others to adopt the ideas as their own. A leader learns how to evoke emotions through communication to give followers a reason to invest in their beliefs. They communicate well with employees, customers and the general public. Confidence Business leaders exude confidence in the face of all odds. They... --- ### The 4 Fundamental Ways to Improve Employee Engagement > A whopping 87% of employees are not actively engaged in their workplaces. Improve employee engagement to create a stellar workplace environment. - Published: 2015-10-22 - Modified: 2015-10-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/improve-employee-engagement/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: employee engagement, management A whopping 87% of employees are not actively engaged in their workplaces. Improve employee engagement to create a stellar workplace environment. Creating a great workplace means keeping employees around longer, increasing employee advocates, and boosting productivity. Companies that are looking to improve their business activity and meet higher goals need to consider implementing a workplace that fosters invigorated workers that care about their jobs. According to Gallup, a whopping 87% of employees are not actively engaged in their workplaces. So what are other companies doing to keep employees engaged and motivated? 1. Company Direction While many employers might believe the workplace happiness comes down to salary and direct compensation, employees show different ideas about what makes the workplace worth working in. Employees list top results as: Trusting employers and management Being proud of the work they do Enjoying the people they work with What does this mean for companies? Rather than working to spend more money on higher compensation packages and paying for increased turnover rates, companies can reduce their costs by focusing on the environment of the workplace and the direction their company is heading. While each industry and type of employee will have differing preferences on what a top workplace looks like, these common factors remain constant; people want to like the company they are working for. 2. Room to Grow Employees have to have a place to move up towards if they are going to stay actively pursuing their professional development within the company. Employees of companies that offer clear and comprehensive paths towards higher levels of employment will be more engaged and motivated to improve. Professional development... --- ### Tackling The Whole “Automation" Thing > Marketing automation software is the new darling in the marketing world and now it's coming to small business. How can you start automating your marketing? - Published: 2015-10-21 - Modified: 2016-07-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tackling-marketing-automation-software/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: #marketingautomation, b2b, marketing Marketing automation software is the new darling in the marketing world and now it's coming to small business. How can you start automating your marketing? Everyone’s talking about marketing automation software and how life changing it can be for a business. I agree completely. Automation can make your workplace life a lot easier. For some though, marketing automation is a bit daunting. Trying to come up with your process and set up the steps correctly can take some time at the beginning, but automation will ultimately become your favorite coworker. Start small Jumping right into an elaborate automation strategy is 1) time-consuming and 2) overwhelming. Instead, add automation here and there as you learn more about the system and your strategy. For example, webpage tracking will help you gauge customer interest. Once someone has visited your pricing page, create an automated task for a sales rep to follow up with them. Small step, HUGE result. Instead of someone manually remembering to check and see who visited a webpage for calls (or not knowing at all), automation systems know to tag website visits and link automated actions based on that visit. Automation helps reduce clients slipping through the cracks. Now your sales team will have a list of tasks to call prospects and offer more information faster than your competition. Add pieces along the way Once you have small one-step automation in place, you can start to link multiple actions to accomplish what you want. Let’s say you have a tried and true sales process that works for your business; why not create a campaign with your sales steps? My own sales process looks something like... --- ### The DOs and DON'Ts of Marketing Content That Works > These 14 content marketing rules will help put you on the pathway to success! Your blog will thank you. - Published: 2015-10-20 - Modified: 2016-09-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-content-dos-and-donts/ - Categories: Marketing These 14 content marketing rules will help put you on the pathway to success! Your blog will thank you. Marketing strategies for small business can be a bit overwhelming at first, but when you break them down into simple steps they are more understandable and actionable. If you are new to creating content for the Internet, then there are some simple DOs and DON'Ts to follow to ensure that you are engaging your customers. It is important to keep SEO in mind while creating marketing content; however your primary purpose should always be the user experience. Here is a list of 14 rules that will put you on the pathway to success: Don't plagiarize copy, steal or borrow other people's content. You can link or refer to it. Do infuse your content with personality, humor, drama and excitement where it is appropriate. Readers like to get to know the "real you" as they follow you in your journeys. Don't keyword-stuff your content. Google has become sophisticated enough to find content via context. Do use SEO wisely to help Google define your content to appeal to your target market. Keywords should be used in context in a natural manner, and links to valuable information added. Do create content that is a minimum of 300 words for articles, and write as much information as it takes to offer your information fully. Longer is better, but only if you are providing substance. Don't create worthless, fluff content. Create valuable and helpful content that people will want to read. Don't create content on large broad topics. Focus on small, niche topics. Don't try... --- ### The Cost of Losing Your Good Employees (And How to Avoid It) > Losing good employees or having unengaged employees inadvertently takes from the bottom line. Check out the stats and how you can retain your best employees - Published: 2015-10-19 - Modified: 2015-10-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/losing-your-good-employees/ - Categories: Small Business Losing good employees or having unengaged employees inadvertently takes from the bottom line. Check out the stats and how you can retain your best employees. Did you know 23% of employees change companies because of a lack of development opportunities and training, according to the National Research Business Institute? Other reasons employees often leave include feelings of inadequacy, a dislike for their manager's leadership style, feeling overworked, and wanting to pursue a more meaningful job. Companies who struggle with employee retention find they are stalling productivity levels, increasing training costs, raising recruitment expenses, and struggling to interest top talent. Just What Does Employee Turnover Cost a Company? When an employee leaves, the company is faced with many costs. First, the company has to increase efforts to hire and train new talent. Additionally, high turnover rates may make it very difficult to attract top talent – since the top candidates will want to work in a place that keeps employees happy. This also may mean that processes are lost as experienced professionals walk out and inexperienced talent try their own hand at the task. Center for American Progress reported the average turnover cost was 21% of the employee’s annual salary when they compared actual costs in 30 case studies across various industries. Unengaged Employees Cost Money Gallup reported that companies with highly engaged employees have workplaces that outperform their competitors by 147% in earnings. Companies with engaged workers see fewer quality defects, less safety problems, and face lower absentee issues. It isn’t surprising that the average company with engaged employees face 65% lower turnover rates than those who do not have engaged employees. Yet, Gallup also... --- ### So Your Small Business is Thinking of Hiring an Intern > Internships are an excellent way to grow your business and make a positive impact. Here are a couple of things you should consider when hiring. - Published: 2015-10-16 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-biz-internship-tips/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: hiring, intern, internship Internships are an excellent way to grow your business and make a positive impact. Here are a couple of things you should consider when hiring. You want to hire an intern; someone to photocopy forms, file papers, backup drives, run out and get coffee for the office, set up meetings, and make lunch reservations? If that’s what you’re thinking, it will be beneficial for you to reevaluate your definition of an intern; they are not a gofers, whether they are paid or not. An intern is a person who is interested in your business or industry for a reason – they want to get a foot in the door or the business or want to try the industry on for size. Either way, they are a valued resource that your company should view as potential candidates rather than free help. There are a couple of things you should consider when thinking about bringing an intern onboard: Know What Your Goals Are What are you planning to expose your intern to? What tasks are they responsible for while working with you? Planning out an intern program ahead of time makes more sense than just bringing someone in to expose them to working in an office. The process of interning should be respected by both parties. As such, both of you must come prepared. Internships with a Purpose If your small business is considering bringing on an intern it makes sense that the motivation is two-fold. You not only want to have entry-level help for specific project and ramp ups, but you are also interested in cultivating a potential employee. Be sure that you are taking the... --- ### The Difference Between “Selling” and “Nurturing” > Rushing Right In: Is it Only For Fools? When it comes to your small business sales and marketing, do you know the difference between selling and nurturing? - Published: 2015-10-15 - Modified: 2022-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/selling-vs-nurturing/ - Categories: Sales - Tags: lead nurturing, sale and marketing, small business Rushing Right In: Is it Only For Fools? When it comes to your small business sales and marketing, do you know the difference between selling and nurturing? Rushing Right In: Is It Only For Fools? The Difference Between “Selling” and “Nurturing” The song, "Fools Rush In," offers a sentiment that can sometimes be applied to small business sales and marketing strategies. While some products and services can be sold with a bold, brash approach, many larger investments need a more subtle, nurturing sales technique. The inbound marketing trend actually plays well in the areas that require a nurturing type of sales. How do you know the difference between selling and nurturing and when should you apply either strategy? Assumption vs. Reality We tend to make assumptions regarding the positive or negative connotation of a situation. For instance, we often view "selling" as an image of the stereotypical car salesman: In your face, and slightly annoying. In contrast, the common image of "nurturing" may be a mother cradling her child. It is clear that selling, in this context, has a negative connotation, while nurturing has positive one. The truth is that both selling and nurturing can have positive and negative aspects, but it is the job of the sales representative to determine which approach is the best fit. Most people take their time making what they consider a major purchase for their home or family such as a car, house, large appliance or vacation. Smaller purchases are made more quickly. Therefore, logic dictates that smaller purchases should be handled with a sales approach and major purchases with a nurturing approach. Like many assumptions, this one is only partially... --- ### Blogging on a Budget: Which Platform is Right For Your Small Business? > We give you the best, budget-friendly blogging sites to get your content marketing strategy rolling. - Published: 2015-10-14 - Modified: 2015-10-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/blogging-on-a-budget/ - Categories: Marketing We give you the best, budget-friendly blogging sites to get your content marketing strategy rolling. It sounds too simple to be true, but one of the most essential marketing strategies for small business is to have – and use – a blog. If you don't have one for your company, you are missing out on an opportunity to market your company in a relaxed, informal manner that customers love. Blogging is an excellent way to talk about your employees, upcoming events, new product launches and wish your customers well. You can also add personal touches, giving your customers insight to the people behind the company. Blog posts are easily shared to social media platforms, and give your website activity that looks good to search engines. You don't have to spend an arm and a leg to start a blog. Here are some blogging sites to consider when getting started: Wordpress. org WordPress is one of the most popular platforms online today. It offers limitless varieties for appearance, and configuration. Wordpress. org is the self-hosted version of Wordpress. com. You do need to buy a URL for this platform, but you are totally free of any restrictions when using it, unlike Wordpress. com. It seems a little bit tricky at first until you get used to the way it is set up, however it has numerous add-ons and plugins, and can be upgraded at any time. There are many free themes, and you can move to a paid theme when you are ready. Blogger Blogger is Google's blogging platform and one of the oldest on the... --- ### Six Quick Fixes For Improving Your Customer Service > People rarely forget a bad customer service experience. These 6 tweaks will help ensure everyone at your company is providing top-notch customer service. - Published: 2015-10-12 - Modified: 2023-09-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-service-quick-fixes/ - Categories: Small Business People rarely forget a bad customer service experience. These 6 tweaks will help ensure everyone at your company is providing top-notch customer service. Customer service is important for every business but especially for small businesses, where losing one or two customers can have a significant impact on the bottom line. Yet it can also be a challenge for small businesses to keep up with customers, because they have smaller staffs and employees often wear multiple hats. That means everyone is already doing several jobs at once which makes it tougher to be responsive to customers. Customer service, however, needs to be a priority. It is especially important for a small business, because it can be the differentiator that keeps customers coming back even if there are larger, big-name companies that offer a wider selection or lower prices. Here are six ways to ensure everyone at your company is providing top-notch customer service: Monitor your feedback on social media and business review sites. Negative feedback is healthy when growing your business but it can hurt your brand if you appear aloof. Google and other search engines look at Twitter, Facebook, Yelp and other third-party review sites--negative social media feedback often shows up in results. When you find a negative comment or review, respond to it right away. A survey from market research firm Dimensional Research found that a whopping 86 percent of consumers are influenced by negative online reviews, so whenever you can, you want to address those online complaints and try to solve the customer’s problem. Don't let any comments or reviews fall through the cracks. Make sure you are receiving emails from... --- ### Get Personal: Say Goodbye to Batch-and-Blast and Hello to Email Personalization > Your email marketing efforts are dead if you're still blasting your list. Get personal with your customers and prospects with email personalization. - Published: 2015-10-07 - Modified: 2016-06-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-personalization/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: Email Marketing, personalization Your email marketing efforts are dead if you're still blasting your contact list with a one-to-many email. Get personal with your customers and prospects with email personalization. Without question, email is one of the most effective marketing tools in a marketer’s toolbox and most small businesses rely heavily on it. Email marketing is an efficient and direct way of communicating with customers and prospects. But here’s the rub. The way you’ve likely been handling email —using the ‘batch-and-blast’ method of sending the same message to all customers—doesn’t work anymore. It’s gotten much harder for small businesses who send an email to their entire database to get a good response. Sure, it might seem from a statistical perspective that sending more emails will net you more responses and, ultimately, more money. But if you’re sending emails that are irrelevant to those receiving them you’re more likely to lose a potential customer, because those people unsubscribe, both physically and mentally. The next time they see a communication from your company, they’ll send it to the junk pile without opening it. Blasting emails across the board to customers and prospects generally doesn’t turn prospects into customers, it just wears out their goodwill. There’s simply too much competing for our attention now. Inboxes are overflowing with marketing messages and our social media feeds are buzzing with posts from both people and brands. Nothing about an email that is sent to thousands or millions of people is going to stand out, and the conversion rate for batch and blast emails reflects that---it’s just below one percent. When you put down the bullhorn, however, and nurture relationships with more personalized, one-to-one communication, sales... --- ### Tips For Setting Small Business PR Goals and Measuring Your Success > If you are looking to grow your business, small business PR will expand your audience and improve your marketing efforts. - Published: 2015-10-06 - Modified: 2015-10-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-pr-tips/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: pr, public relations If you are looking to grow your business, small business PR will expand your audience and improve your marketing efforts. Although it’s often confused with marketing, public relations isn’t the same thing. PR aims to create, maintain and enhance your company’s reputation, position it in the public eye and communicate messages about it through traditional and social media. When you share the story of your business in a way that makes reporters sit up and take note, that’s public relations, and it does things like build awareness of your brand and raise your profile publicly. Those goals are all very important for a business but they are also hard to measure. PR does affect sales, but indirectly. It generates and builds audiences, and then sales and marketing turns those audiences into sales leads. And that means you need metrics outside of sales to measure the return on investment you’re getting from your public relations efforts and a focus on outcomes, as opposed to outputs. Gauging the overall effectiveness of your PR requires examining how well you’re reaching your target audience and how that’s affecting your customers and prospects. Here are some suggestions for setting PR goals for your business and measuring their success: Answer the question “Why? ” Before you start a PR campaign or initiative, ask yourself: “Why are we investing the time and money to do this? What do we want to get from it? ” Once you know those objectives your PR efforts can support them. Don’t put together a plan without knowing the desired results and don’t confuse results with strategies. Getting articles about your business... --- ### How to Find the Right Employee for Your Small Business > Finding the right employee for your small business has two sides: the qualities to look for in a candidate and how you attract those top candidates. - Published: 2015-10-02 - Modified: 2024-09-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-find-the-right-employee/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: hiring Finding the right employee for your small business has two sides: the qualities to look for in a candidate and how you attract those top candidates. You went into business because you believe in the product or service it supports, right? But now you realizes that you can’t do it all on your own. You want to bring in the right people to help grow your business but have no idea how to do that? There are several things you need to pay attention to when looking for the right candidate to join your company, so much so that the process can seem overwhelming. But don’t worry. This article will help you put it all in perspective so that you can successfully apply it to your hiring processes. Here are some qualities that you want to look for and how to find them in candidates: Are they any good? This seems like a simple point, but you would be surprised how many people don’t do the due diligence required to figure this out. Their resume may list several degrees, but does your position call for a bunch of acronyms after (or before) their names? Does having a Ph. D. in English really matter for a Project Management position? It is easy to become blinded by all the years of schooling but it is important to keep your feet grounded and see what is unimportant: can they do the job they are applying for? Do they have soft skills? You may have a person who is technically sound and knows how to configure hardware better than anyone else in the industry but can they relay that information... --- ### The 140 Character Email Approach to Sparking Conversations > Get your emails read and spark more conversations. Add the 140 character email to your email marketing best practices. - Published: 2015-10-01 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-140-character-email/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: #email markeitng, b2b, email, marketing Email marketing success is delivered in 140 characters. Give your prospects quick, digestible information to spark those conversations. There are 3 things we can assume about the people we send emails to: 1) they receive a lot of email, 2) they don’t have a lot of time to devote to sorting/reading/responding, and 3) they receive a lot of the same requests. The minute Outlook opens, most people are swarmed with a pile of 25-50 emails, with the goal of QUICKLY eliminating the majority. The first consideration is going to be – “Which subject lines looks like mass produced junk? ” Ok delete those. Once the bad subject lines are sent to trash, the next thought is going to be “Which emails have the highest priority? ” If at first glance an email appears to be flirting with the lines of a best-selling novel – most won’t think twice about tossing it to the trash alongside the bad subject line victims. So with the assumptions that people don’t have time or energy to devote to long emails and elaborate requests – Which emails do get read? What makes up good email? How do you get a greater response? I think we can take a lesson from our friends over at Twitter with the 140-Character Approach (roughly 20-30 words). This method allows you to quickly get information to your contacts in a digestible amount. It can be a challenge in itself to downsize your emails, but is a practice that will help spark more conversations as the world changes the way it prefers to receive content. Let's look how to... --- ### Social Gone Small Part 3: Creating a Cult Social Media Following > How do you engage with your social media audience enough to keep coming back to see what’s new? The answer is simple: be interesting. - Published: 2015-09-30 - Modified: 2016-08-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-following/ - Categories: Marketing How do you engage with your social media audience enough to keep coming back to see what’s new? The answer is simple: be interesting. You’ve done your due diligence. You’ve invested in all the platforms you need to use to create buzz, you’ve hired staff to create that buzz or boned up on practical methods to do it yourself. You’ve called a printer for promotional slicks then thought better of that route. You cyber stalked the companies you think have it down pat and tried to figure out their special sauce. You’ve researched marketing methods until you’re blue in the face. You created a respectable web presence with people who like what you have to offer and have even subscribed to your YouTube channel and are following you on Instagram and Facebook. So... now what? How do you get people to go to your website? How do you engage them enough to keep coming back to see what’s new on Facebook? In essence, how do you create that cult following on social media that you keep hearing about? The answer is simple: be interesting. Easier said than done, right? For most companies this is the hardest thing to do consistently. And it is the most important thing to affect the success of modern businesses. While there is no real magic, there are some things you can do to make sure you are visible to who will potentially butter your bread. These ideas won’t come across as disingenuous or irrelevant if done properly. Indeed, if you execute these well, the people you are reaching toward will tell their friends who will start following you, and... --- ### 12 Awesome Examples of Small Business Content Marketing Done Right > Learn from the best. Get ideas for your strategy with this showcase of great content marketing on social media. - Published: 2015-09-29 - Modified: 2016-07-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/awesome-content-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing Get ideas for your strategy with this showcase of great content marketing on social media. Content marketing can get a lot of attention from the right target audience with consistency and engaging material. Here are 12 impressive companies that might be small, but know how to work their crowds: 1. PetaPixel: Introducing a new app for tracking pricey photography gear, PetaPixel created this infographic on filched gear. 2. Donald Bittar: The motivational speaker, author, teacher and CFO is best known for his books on financial freedom, but he often uses great quotes paired with visual aids to get his audience to engage with likes and Retweets. Some of his most recent posts include quotes from Socretes and "Don't let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning. " from Kiyosaki. It isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me. Rand #BusinessPlan #SmallBiz- http://t. co/BM5HNAgE2e pic. twitter. com/jbgFDtqr9r — Donald Bittar (@DonaldBittar) August 30, 2015 3. Bravas Food: Keeping their sense of spunk and personality, the local food joint uses fun ads (and pictures of their amazing burgers) to remind followers to come visit them for their next meal. Tomorrow we start our first ever regular deal buster. Come get you some, yo. A photo posted by Bravas Food (@bravasfood) on Jul 20, 2015 at 3:30pm PDT 4. Birch Box: From blog post instructographs on how to remove makeup stains to YouTube video featured box reveals, to an extremely active Pinterest account (13k pins and counting), Birtchbox uses catchy images and intensive efforts to create a smart... --- ### Six Essential Time Management Strategies for Small Business Owners > You can’t add more hours to the day but you can manage your time more effectively. Keep your days focused on the tasks that move your business forward. - Published: 2015-09-28 - Modified: 2017-04-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/time-management-strategies/ - Categories: Small Business You can’t add more hours to the day but you can manage your time more effectively. Keep your days focused on the tasks that move your business forward. Running a small business can seem like a job without end--work weeks that include late nights, early mornings, weekends and the feeling that without you, the place will fall apart. No wonder small business owners often feel overwhelmed by everyday tasks like answering emails, customer phone calls or trying to solve a technology problem. What small business owners should be doing, however, is ditching all those hats and focusing on things that really matter—like strategies for increasing sales, critical hiring decisions and developing people, products and services. You can’t add more hours to the day but you can manage your time more effectively, which is essential for increasing productivity and efficiency. Here are six ways to keep your days focused on the tasks that move your business forward (and keep you from burning out): Set a schedule everyday. You know the feeling---you’ve spent nine hours at the office, feel stressed and tired, but can’t point to one thing you’ve actually accomplished. This is where prioritization comes in. There are a variety of ways to set and prioritize your schedule each day. The most straightforward is a task list with the tasks that must get done that day up top. A great resource small business owners find helpful is David Allen’s book: Getting Things Done. It’s an approach to your crazy work week that organizes and divides everything you need to do into the right buckets so you can focus on the most important initiatives everyday. Set goals for the month... --- ### How to Survive—And Thrive—During Slow Times > Business Slow? You’ll Survive. Use this time to implement smart cash management and business practices. - Published: 2015-09-25 - Modified: 2022-08-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/survive-slow-times/ - Categories: Small Business Business Slow? You’ll Survive. Use this time to implement smart cash management and business practices. No matter what industry you’re in, or product or service you offer, your business will have financial ups and downs. There will be times when sales are booming, and droughts, when business is slow. Whether you’re navigating tough economic times, a difficult moment for your industry or just a cyclical slump, as a business owner you’ll need strategies for not only surviving the slow periods but thriving afterward. So when business is slow, don’t panic. Instead, look at slow times as an opportunity to fine-tune the business, retrench and find ways of cutting costs. These things will help you weather downturns but also position your business for greater profitability and efficiency in the long run. Here’s how to not only survive the slow times but make the most of them: Closely monitor your cash flow. Look at what you’re spending each month and make sure that your current expenses and planned expenditures for the next several months are in line with accounts receivable. You should be projecting your cash requirements three to six months ahead. Take stock of your inventory. During downtimes businesses usually have an imbalance between sales and inventory—too few sales and too much inventory. Cull your inventory – if you usually stock 150 units of your slowest-moving products, cut the number to 100. Then, most importantly, watch what happens. If it looks like you can do a little more pruning, go head. You have to find the balance between having too much of a product and cutting... --- ### The Dreaded Finance Hat: 21 Small Business Budget Tricks > Quick small business budget tricks for those wearing too many hats with too little time. - Published: 2015-09-24 - Modified: 2025-02-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-budget/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: budget, finance Quick, small business budget tricks for those wearing too many hats with too little time. Even a simple personal budget can be complicated, so putting one together for a small business is a feat unto itself. As if sticking to it weren’t bad enough, creating a budget is often so daunting that we simply avoid it (or do it poorly to get it out of the way). There are so many moving parts. It can be difficult to get a handle on what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, and–most importantly–how you’re going to pay for it. Small business owners find themselves wearing many different hats, but the Financial Planning Hat is one we often worry will look terrible on us. But you can’t let your vanity cause your head to freeze. If you need to determine unique ways to plan for things like purchases for your business and investing in marketing, this is a very timely article for you. So get your pencils (and hats) ready for the 21 small business budget tricks! 1. Plan your needs. The first step is the most important one: You have to plan out what you need. Look at it in segments; you can separate them into quarters, projects, or events, but be sure to make a distinction between the “buckets” so you can asses how money should be allocated and budgeted. 2. Rank the buckets. Determine which buckets are most important, and rank them. Be methodical about your approach to this: Weigh the impact of the thing you are planning to spend money... --- ### SEO Tips to Start Using Right Now > SEO can often be hard to keep up. Stay ahead of the curve with these basic SEO tips. - Published: 2015-09-23 - Modified: 2022-11-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/seo-tips/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: seo, seo tips SEO can often be hard to keep up. Stay ahead of the curve with these basic SEO tips. Search engine optimization (SEO) has changed a lot in the last several years. Like the Internet itself, SEO has become more sophisticated and complex. With search-engine software becoming more adept at understanding keywords from context, marketers no longer have to win the race by splashing keywords everywhere. Instead, that type of SEO is frowned upon. Google is focusing primarily on what searchers want. The new buzzword is "user intent. " If you are thinking about your prospects and customers when you market your content, then you are already sailing in the right direction. What other SEO tips will help right now? Focus on Your Audience Focusing on your audience in every way possible will help you beat your competition, and even better, build your audience. Fine-tune your content strategy to please your customers, answer questions that prospects have and connect your customer service directly with queries. People are doing a lot of searching on the Internet before they call or come into your shop. If you start your interactions online, then you are sailing in smooth waters. Don't Forget about Mobile Customers are searching on mobile, smartphones and tablets, more than you might think. In 2014, 60% of total digital-media time spent was on mobile devices. This statistic means that your company can no longer ignore mobile SEO. Your site needs to be mobile friendly, preferably mobile responsive. You need to improve your on-page SEO to match how your mobile users see the pages on their mobile devices. This segment... --- ### What Our Core Values Mean to Us > The leaders of Hatchbuck, Don and Jonathan, don't have to work hard to promote the Hatchbuck values because we all embody them. We were hired because we - Published: 2015-09-22 - Modified: 2018-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-core-values/ - Categories: Leadership The leaders of Hatchbuck, Don and Jonathan, don't have to work hard to promote the Hatchbuck values because we all embody them. We were hired because we are true Hatchbuckers. After reading an interview with Jonathan on our company culture, I wanted to know how the team felt, so I asked: Tell me about one of the core values and why it's important to you. 1. Be yourself: Promoting authenticity allows every Hatchbucker to be the best version of themselves. It creates an environment of mutual respect and acceptance, allowing every team member to contribute without fear or hesitation. It also promotes an atmosphere of creativity and motivation to do the right thing without hesitation. We celebrate each other's strengths and embrace our differences, that's what makes us more than just a team- it makes us a family. I mean, if you can't be yourself, who are you? - Tricia Be yourself: So cool that we have this as one of our core values. It really allows everyone to keep their individual identity. Customers definitely relate to this and really appreciate our authenticity. I love how Hatchbuck embodies that each one of their employees are special and unique in their own way. Great (and different minds) are powerful! - Lindsay The one that sticks out to me the most is "Be Yourself". I love that I am given leeway and flexibility to come up with new ways to do my job better - new ways to delight my customers. There... --- ### Social Gone Small Part 2: Social Media Content Hacks > Show your personality and get to know your followers with these 8 social media content hacks. - Published: 2015-09-22 - Modified: 2016-08-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-content/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: content, marketing, social media content, social media marketing Show your personality and get to know your followers with these 8 social media content hacks. In Part 1 of Social Gone Small, we explored the different social media platforms and the popular demographics found on each. Now, we're going to dive into they type of content that will get your audience engaged with your brand. In Part 3, we'll look at how you can grow a following of avid fans. Social media is different than other types of marketing in that you are promoting to a social channel. The keyword there is social, and you need to keep in mind that people are on each site to interact with their friends and acquaintances. The best way to get your audience to engage is to be genuinely social with them. Here are 8 social media content hacks to show your personality and get to know your followers: 1. The Rule of Thumb This rule of thumb hack is true of most social media sites. People will follow you if they are interested, and stop following if you are not sending them what entertains or educates them in some way. Therefore, you have to mix up your content. For every marketing-focused piece, you should post a few personal pieces. They can be about your employees. They can be about the current news. They can be funny videos that you find online. You can't bombard followers with advertising. If you do, you will lose them. 2. Visual Content Is King Images are extremely important on all social media sites with added importance on sites such as Pinterest, Snapchat,... --- ### 5 Keys to Effective Email Marketing > Your business needs a game plan for sending emails that not only make the cut, but also drive conversions and loyalty. Here are 5 tips for doing just that. - Published: 2015-09-21 - Modified: 2016-08-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/effective-email-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing Your business needs a game plan for sending emails that not only make the cut, but also drive conversions and loyalty. Here are 5 tips for doing just that. Email marketing is one of the easiest, most affordable ways to keep customers engaged with your brand. It can also be a great way to drive revenue. Almost half of all email recipients made a purchase last year based on a promotional email. But email marketing isn’t a guaranteed win. Without the right timing, targeting, and permission, even the best emails are often ignored or even marked as spam. And nobody wants to waste time shouting into a digital void. The good news is, people still read commercial emails: according to a recent email marketing study, 60 percent of consumers read emails they receive from businesses. It’s just that they’ve been blasted with such a deluge of spam and irrelevant content that they’re more selective about what they read. Your business needs a game plan for sending emails that not only make the cut, but also drive conversions and loyalty. Here are 5 tips for doing just that: 1) Send Targeted Content While email marketing is admittedly less personal than its close cousin lead nurturing, you can still send emails that align with the unique interests and buying stage of your prospects. One of the best ways to do this is through list segmentation. Use your marketing automation software to divide your contacts into smaller lists, grouped by common behavioral attributes or demographics information (for example, a list of adult males who live in the Southeast, or a list of customers that have made multiple purchases). You can also use... --- ### What Can Your Small Business Learn from the Google Rebrand? > Is your small business ready for a face lift? The recent Google rebrand provided valuable insight into making a big change. - Published: 2015-09-18 - Modified: 2016-06-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/google-rebrand/ - Categories: Marketing Is your small business ready for a face lift? The recent Google rebrand provided valuable insight into making a big change. The behemoth that is Google might seem about as far from a small business as you can get, but the company’s recent rebrand, which included a redesigned logo and name change, has a lot of valuable lessons for small businesses. So what can we learn from the Google rebrand? Be responsive to customer needs. All businesses today need to be accessible from the mobile web. Google’s new logo has softer colors and a new font--sans-serif--which is more modern than the old one but more importantly, works well on all screens, not just desktops. Sans-serif shrinks down to smaller sizes more easily than other fonts, which is better for smaller screens and lower resolutions. And Google’s new mobile logo is a 306-byte, four-color capital G—easy to load and easy to see. Now that consumers spend more of their media time on mobile devices than desktop computers, it’s more critical than ever that your business reach customers through mobile search and display. Make sure your business’ site is optimized for the mobile web—that means it loads quickly, is easy to navigate and makes it easy for customers to locate and contact you. Have a conversation with customers. Because Google is Google, it’s new logo and company name were covered extensively in the press. But the company also posted a blog post explaining what they were doing and why, and included two videos as well, one that gave the entire evolution of its logo and the other about the variety of offerings Google... --- ### 11 Big Content Ideas on a Small Business Budget > Expand your content marketing strategy without breaking your budget. Make a big impact with these content ideas. - Published: 2015-09-18 - Modified: 2016-11-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-ideas/ - Categories: Marketing Expand your content marketing strategy without breaking your budget. Make a big impact with these content ideas. Creating engaging content for your business may seem like a daunting task, especially when trying to do it on a small business budget. It doesn’t have to be expensive nor daunting however, especially when you consider these 11 big content ideas on a small business budget. Use key personnel in creating content. Every business has key players who have interesting stories to tell. It doesn’t even have to be business related. Employees can talk about their backgrounds, hobbies and like and dislikes. This can help create a more personal feel for your organization and allow your prospects and customers to put faces with names. Use these same employees to brainstorm other ideas. Listen to your customers. The questions your customers are asking about your company are great fodder for content articles. Your customers may even have ideas on articles they would like to read about or may volunteer to submit a guest article. This also helps you stay interactive with them. Tell stories. You probably have an endless array of stories from being in business that are interesting, funny or that you learned great lessons from. Share them with your readers using your own voice and personality. Use trade publications. Obviously you don’t want to plagiarize, but something you read may give you a great spin-off idea of your own. It could be a good idea to give credit to the original writer. How can your readers make use of this idea? Use product history as broad subject. What is... --- ### How Automation Has Revolutionized Small Business Marketing > Marketing automation software —which is used to develop, execute and track marketing campaigns--has changed the landscape for companies of all sizes. - Published: 2015-09-17 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-software/ - Categories: Marketing Automation, Small Business Marketing automation software—which is used to develop, execute and track marketing campaigns--has changed the landscape for companies of all sizes, but especially small businesses. Marketing automation software—which is used to develop, execute and track marketing campaigns--has changed the landscape for companies of all sizes, but especially small businesses. Automating much of the communication and follow-up that used to be done manually allows small businesses, with their small staffs and limited resources, to shift priorities and use employees’ time more effectively. In fact nearly all—98%--of small business software buyers are shopping for marketing automation software, according to a new report by research firm Software Advice, a division of Gartner. This kind of software helps companies manage lead generation, allows marketers and sales people to build relationships with those leads, and lets management track and analyze the performance of campaigns. That automation can be a game-changer for small businesses, which are often overwhelmed with managing clients, contacts and leads, according to the Software Advice survey. Here’s how the right marketing automation platform can transform your small business: Eliminates a lot of the guesswork that goes into sales and marketing. Business owners will know for certain things they used to guess at, like which content gets the most traction and what is most relevant to different leads and how long to wait before sending a second email to a prospect. Reduces errors. Everyone makes mistakes, and that’s the reason why data entered into a CRM system manually almost always has erroneous information. Marketing automation software automatically populates web forms, greatly reducing errors. Hatchbuck’s tools add a new contact record every time someone fills out an online form,... --- ### Social Gone Small Part 1: What Social Media Platforms Are Your Customers On > Finding your niche in the realm of small business social media can be tough. Your first step is choosing the right platform to focus your efforts on. - Published: 2015-09-16 - Modified: 2022-09-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/smallbiz-social-media-1/ - Categories: Marketing Finding your niche in the realm of small business social media can be tough. In this 3 part series, we explore how to go small with your social media marketing strategy. Social media has become one of the most useful channels for small businesses to engage and interact with their customers. If you are ignoring this marketing channel, then you are missing out on one of the best ways to keep in touch with your customers and find new customers. This three-part series is going to explore how you can connect with your ideal customers, engage in personable conversations, and grow your social media following. In the first part of Social Gone Small, we'll explore the popular social media platforms and who is on them so you can decide where to devote your time. In Part 2, we'll look at a few content hacks to develop your social media voice that will best engage your ideal buyer. Finally, in Part 3, we'll explore how you can grow a cult-like social media following. Which social media platforms are your customers on? Let's see who's talking and where they are meeting up. 1. Facebook According to Statistica. com, Facebook is the most used social media site in the U. S. by far. Over 45. 6 percent of social media visits are on Facebook. Therefore, it is a good chance that your customers are spending significant time on this site. Facebook started out with college students using it primarily, but now it has become a mainstream site with users from age 16 to 65 and older spending time there in groups, chatting with friends and posting their activities. In fact, 45 percent of Internet... --- ### Crafting The Perfect Subject Line > Why is a subject line so important? A good subject line results in higher open rates leading to more clicks and more sales. - Published: 2015-09-15 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/perfect-subject-line/ - Categories: Marketing Want more clicks and more sales? A good subject line is the starting line to getting more opens on your marketing emails. Why is a subject line so important? If you have great content it shouldn’t really matter, right? WRONG! It’s usually the only information a reader has (besides the sender email address) to help them determine if they should open or toss. A captivating subject line can equate to a higher open rate, and can then result in a higher click-through rate. Your great content becomes insignificant if someone deletes it before they can read that fabulous text, or view your perfectly formatted images. Make a conscious effort of glancing through the unread emails in your inbox. What triggers you to immediately delete an email and what makes you interested enough to click and open? Your prospects are no different. They are sifting through numerous emails and trying to eyeball the select few that spark their interest. What to avoid? Words like free, savings, guaranteed, don’t wait, and last chance can not only put you in spam filters, they can turn prospects off. Your subject line is your teaser, think about enticing your readers. It is best to avoid ALL CAPS and excessive exclamations. People know immediately that you are trying to sell them, and they are turned off by this. Another common mistake is changing the day or date but leaving the rest of the subject line material the same. Have you ever seen this, “January Newsletter, February Newsletter, March Newsletter? ” This doesn’t work. It isn’t original and people will start to grow tired of this. Instead, try highlighting... --- ### 101 #MondayMotivation Quotes for Small Business Owners > Owning and leading a small business has its fair share of highs and lows. For those low days, here are 101 Monday Motivation Quotes. - Published: 2015-09-14 - Modified: 2020-09-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/monday-motivation-quotes/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: inspiration, monday motivation, motiviation, quotes A little extra inspiration for those days you feel buried by your small business. Owning and leading a small business has its fair share of highs and lows. Some days it feels like you’re on top of the mountain. Other days, well... . everything seems to unravel. It’s healthy to take a step back and remember why you took that step of independence to be an owner, to drive your dream. Today may just be the day you need a little encouragement and a reminder to not give up and “keep on keeping on” (Joe Dirt). Accepting help when it's offered is nothing to be ashamed of. Help can take many forms, too. It can be that small business CRM you're using to help track your customers and prospects. Or, it can be in the form of some inspirational quotes you keep by your desk. In case you could use a few more, here are 101 of my #MondayMotivation quotes for small business: The most dangerous poison is the feeling of achievement. The antidote is to every evening think what can be done better tomorrow. – Ingvar Kamprad, IKEA founder The secret of leadership is simple: Do what you believe in. Paint a picture of the future. Go there. People will follow. – Seth Godin Please think about your legacy, because you’re writing it every day. – Gary Vaynerchuck Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler. – Albert Einstein The successful man is the one who finds out what is the matter with his business before his competitors do. –... --- ### 7 Small Business Hiring Hacks You Can't Live Without > Finding strong talent is important for building a great team. These hiring tips will help attract top talent to work for your small business. - Published: 2015-09-11 - Modified: 2015-09-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/smallbiz-hiring-tips/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: hiring, recruiting Struggling finding strong talent for your small business? These hiring hacks make it easier to attract and keep prospective employees. Finding strong talent is important for building a great team. However, small businesses often struggle with recruitment, since they can’t dedicate an entire department to the process and don’t always have the same things to offer that big companies do. Rather than settling for the lower talent pools, here are some hiring tips for hacking your recruitment process. Streamline the Process When you designed your website for the consumer, you probably put a lot of time and effort (and money! ) into making the process easy to navigate and conversion-friendly. However, most companies don’t put much thought into their application process to encourage potential talent. Make it a one-click process and don’t require your talent to fill out page after page of information they have already entered elsewhere. To really streamline the process, you can even embed an “Apply with LinkedIn” button directly onto your website and remove barriers applicants might face with lengthy forms and indirect processes. Treat Candidates Like Customers As we just stated, you want to make the application process as easy to navigate as your product website is for your customers. At the same time, you want your listings to read like enticing products that peaks the interest of top talent. Be Authentically You Your brand needs to be a realistic place with a realistic approach to appealing to candidates. Stop purchasing cheesy stock photos and using them as-is. Instead, create your own images and visual aids that resonate with candidates because of the authenticity shown.... --- ### 7 Ways Small Businesses Can Compete with SEO Giants > Can your business compete with the SEO giants? Take the advantage with these cost-effective small business SEO tips. - Published: 2015-09-10 - Modified: 2022-07-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-seo/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: seo Can your business compete with the SEO giants? Take the advantage with these cost-effective small business SEO tips. Can your small business compete with giant competitors when it comes to SEO? The bad news is, there are simply areas where being outspent by large corporations is going to be tough to break through. There are areas, however, where small businesses can have an advantage. Before you outsource your SEO, take a look at these 7 ways to improve your small business SEO. Start by making sure your website is well-optimized. There are a lot of factors in determining a well-optimized website, including having one that is responsive and mobile capable. This ensures your site can be viewed well on a variety of devices. If you seek to show up when users enter different keywords, create pages for each keyword as opposed to cramming them all into one page. Make sure pages load quickly and that there are no broken links. The best way to know that your website is not optimized is that is it not generating the leads you expect. Compete with a long tail keyword strategy. Odds are you will not compete against the big boys in the keywords you both are battling for but a well-executed long tail keyword strategy can bring results. This is especially true if your business is a local or regional one. By adding your location to your keywords you can create a strategy that is difficult for the big boys to adapt to. Small businesses can create better content marketing. In many cases, small business content marketing is created by... --- ### Supercharge Your CRM with Marketing Automation in 7 Steps > Your CRM will perform better for your small business when you automate tasks and data entry with marketing automation. - Published: 2015-09-09 - Modified: 2019-07-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/supercharge-your-crm/ - Categories: CRM - Tags: Marketing Automation Automate tasks and updates to data in your CRM by supercharging it with marketing automation. These 7 steps will help your CRM perform better for your small business. Every small business should have a plan for customer relationship management (CRM). Sometimes CRM is managed through spreadsheets, notes, datebooks and page mark. Many small businesses seem to struggle with CRM while others are sailing along. As technology has advanced, so has CRM. Today, it is possible to automate tasks and updates to data in your CRM. By supercharging your CRM with marketing automation, you can lower overhead cost and receive better metrics to track your CRM activities. Learn the system. If you don’t use all the features of your new cellphone, it’s no big deal. But not learning about and using the features of your CRM and marketing automation system can cost you money in lost prospects and customers. Take the time to learn as much about your CRM and marketing automation as possible. And steer clear of CRM and marketing automation systems that are overly complex for your business needs. Enter data consistently. Your CRM and marketing automation will function only as well as the quality of the data that you enter. Reduce human error by automating as much data entry as you can. When importing bulk data from spreadsheets, make sure data is formatted correctly and that fields are correctly matched. Use drop-down fields instead of text boxes to reduce data inconsistency. Make it a part of your daily routine. Once you get your customer data entered, it is important to use this valuable tool daily. Start with simple tasks like setting automation to absorb data from... --- ### The Ultimate Marketing Automation Guide > If you are a small business ready to turn your website into a sales machine, it's time to consider marketing automation. - Published: 2015-09-08 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-guide/ - Categories: Marketing Automation If you are a small business ready to turn your website into a sales machine, it's time to consider marketing automation. If you are a small business thinking about automating your marketing process, congratulations! You are about to embark on improving your customer relations and your bottom line. Automating your marketing and CRM will turn your website into the ultimate sales machine. Find out how by downloading this marketing automation whitepaper. In this free download, we discuss the three steps prospects go through before making a buying decision: awareness, consideration and decisions. If you have ever told a salesperson “I’m just looking” you’ve experienced the first of these steps. This whitepaper explains how and why you should engage prospects as early in the process as possible. It discusses the three ways you can capture these leads: Use Lead Forms: Make it easy for your web visitor to give you information. You want to use forms in a way that the visitor won’t feel like they’re being sold to, but rather that they are excited to give their information and learn more about your company. Give Value: For a visitor to give away their information, they need to feel like they’re getting something valuable. Think about what challenges visitors are facing and what solutions they are looking for. It’s not about you and your products, it’s about your prospect and what they need. Don’t Sell, Nurture: When you have your prospect, don’t sell right away. Help them first. Don’t hound them, nurture them by communicating in a consistent and relevant way by providing them with information that helps their buying process. This... --- ### 6 Ways to Sharpen your CRM Data to Improve Sales and Marketing > Sharpening your CRM data will increase your ROI, revenues and profits, and it will reduce frustration and wasted time. - Published: 2015-09-03 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-ways-sharpen-crm-data-improve-sales-marketing/ - Categories: CRM - Tags: crm, CRM data, drop down, duplicates Sharpening your CRM data will increase your ROI, revenues and profits, and it will reduce frustration and wasted time. Here are 6 ways you can sharpen your data to boost your marketing and sales efforts. Using customer relationship management (CRM) software to administer and prioritize your prospect and customer base will increase your revenue. However, sales, marketing and CRM work more efficiently if the data is accurate. Inaccurate and incomplete data means that your marketing efforts are wasted because your prospects are not receiving your emails and other communications. The more fine-tuned your marketing system is, the more prospects and customers you will reach. Sharpening your CRM data will increase your ROI, revenues and profits, and it will reduce frustration and wasted time. Here are 6 ways you can sharpen your data to boost your marketing and sales efforts. 1. Verify New Data As you receive data from your various marketing channels such as your shopping cart or landing pages, the first step is verifying it. Adding new email addresses can look good on paper, but if they are inactive or misspelled, then they won't add any revenue to your bank account. Anyone can type incorrectly or transpose numbers when entering them. Double check new data before entering it in your system. 2. Add Missing Data Not all data is available when you first get a prospect's or lead's contact information. If you want to plan an email campaign, you can't send it to leads if you don't have their email addresses. Spend time periodically to update and complete prospect information by reaching out to your leads, researching online or calling their company for missing data. It is common for attendee lists from trade shows... --- ### 3 Unique Trends to Watch in Marketing Automation > In today's digital landscape, marketing automation is a necessity for businesses that want to grow. Here's where we see marketing automation going: - Published: 2015-09-02 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-unique-trends-watch-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Marketing Automation - Tags: Marketing Automation, mobile, streamlined software, trends Small business owners consistently have competing priorities. Your time is limited, and often that time gets consumed with solving crises. It can be tough to continually find new leads, nurture them and convert them to new customers. If leads are neglected, your revenue will dry up. Luckily, there's a solution for small business owners. Marketing automation has been developed to help businesses work with their leads more efficiently, alleviating the strain on resources and time allocation. Marketing automation also helps prioritize leads and alert you when they are ready to buy so that you don't let them slip away by inaction. In today's digital landscape, marketing automation is a necessity for businesses that want to grow. The technology is becoming more sophisticated as developers respond to marketers’ feedback. Here's where we see marketing automation going in the future: 1. More Streamlined Software As the buying experience becomes more fragmented, marketers will want to work with increasingly streamlined software. Streamlined marketing automation means giving marketers all of the sales and marketing data they need in the same place, prioritizing leads and offering up holistic reports for marketing campaigns. By putting sales and marketing data together, each team has a better idea of what the other is doing, so that they can work together to increase revenue. Sales teams can offer feedback to marketers to help make campaigns more targeted, while marketers can prepare the sales team when a new marketing campaign is launching. As the marketing automation industry becomes more complex,... --- ### Ready for the Future? You'll Need an All In One CRM Software > An all in one CRM software solution puts all the tools you need for your small business in one place. - Published: 2015-09-01 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/all-in-one-crm-software-magic/ - Categories: CRM - Tags: crm Wish that you could predict what the future holds for your small business? Part of preparing a business for the future is having a strategic plan. Combining this plan with customizable marketing tools will protect you and your customer base from the future unknown. Plan For Your Future Customer relationship management (CRM) software is a tool that you can use to prepare your company for the future. An all in one CRM software solution puts all the tools you need for your small business in one place to improve your ROI for prospect interactions, marketing campaigns and sales calls. The right solution should take administrative work out of your hands and automate the process, leaving the all-important direct customer interactions to you and your team. Personalize Your Marketing Consumers are savvy and are looking for a more personalized experience with the brands they do business with. So, instead of blasting your contacts with a generic email, all in one CRM software can automatically tag and send relevant content to your prospects based off their activity on your website. Nurture Long-Term Relationships When you start personalizing your marketing messages, you begin nurturing a healthy relationship with your contacts. Since most of your website visitors are not ready to buy the first time they visit your site, it is important to use email campaigns to educate them on what you do and how you can help them. That way, when they are ready to buy, your business is top of mind. Also,... --- ### How to Hire the Right Employee for Your Small Business > There are few things more crucial to the success of a company than its people. Hire the right employee for your small business with these best practices. - Published: 2015-08-31 - Modified: 2024-04-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hire-the-right-employee/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: hiring, management, recruiting There are few things more crucial to the success of a company than its people. Make sure your hiring practices allow you to find the best candidates for every position. There are few things more crucial to the success of a company than its people, especially for a small business. With a small workforce, each new hire has an outsized impact on the company’s culture and achievements. Brett Lewis, who co-founded Skillbridge, an online platform for business freelancers, has said, “Great people versus okay people is the difference between success and mediocrity. ” Hiring the right people is also important for controlling costs. Recruiting is a big expense for a business of any size, and if that employee isn’t a good fit it’s expensive to replace them. The median cost of replacing an employee is 21 percent of that person’s annual salary according to the Center for American Progress. For employees earning less than $50,000 annually it’s about 20 percent; for positions that pay $30,000 and under—which includes more than half of all U. S. workers—it’s 16 percent. That’s significant, especially to a small business. Make sure your hiring practices allow you to find the best candidates for every position. First, write out all the tasks involved in the role you need to fill. Then add to that the personality you feel is best for the role, the salary, benefits, time commitment and the other employees that person will be working with regularly. Write out the overall goal of the position, even if it’s very general. Then include the specific skills needed for the job, whether that’s knowledge of Java, QuickBooks, Excel, Wordpress, etc. Devote time to hiring. As a... --- ### 5 Simple Content Marketing Tweaks for Your Small Business Strategy > Writing content can be hard and time consuming. Expand your small business content marketing strategy using these simple tweaks. - Published: 2015-08-28 - Modified: 2016-06-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/smb-content-strategy/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: content strategy, small business content marketing strategy, strategy You are not alone if you have a hard time writing content for your marketing channels. Expand your small business content marketing strategy using these simple tweaks. Do you have a content marketing strategy? Content marketing is an extremely valuable way to help build your inbound marketing. Content provides value for your prospects and helps position you as an expert in your field. The challenge for small businesses is that content like emails, eBooks, blogs, etc. can be time-consuming and expensive to create. Here are 5 simple content marketing tweaks for your small business. Use Guest Bloggers. If you have a blog on your website encourage guest blogs, perhaps from some of your satisfied customers. Share these blogs via your social media channels and other online sources. Ask guest bloggers to create blogs about subjects of interest to them, and they will likely appeal to your prospects as well. You can ultimately build an army of guest bloggers to provide a wealth of content for you. Make Use of Surveys. Interesting survey’s make for good content marketing, especially when you post their results and associated comments. Surveys can be used to engage prospects and clients and exchange feedback. You’ll want to be careful however, to avoid the two hot buttons of conversation: religion and politics. You don’t want your content to get off the rails. Instead, create business or personal related surveys that may spur discussion. “What percentage of your gross revenues do you spend on marketing? ” or “How Many Tattoos Do You Have” are very different questions but both could provide interesting insight into your readers. Use this insight to create relevant content. Use Video.... --- ### B2B Company? Here’s 3 Reasons You Need Marketing Automation > Business to business marketing automation is more than just a trend. It makes doing business easier. Here's 3 reasons you need marketing automation. - Published: 2015-08-27 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/b2b-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Marketing Automation - Tags: b2b Are you getting enough attention to keep you sailing strong, or are you fighting against the currents without the right tools? Other businesses won't know about your company or trust you if they don't know you exist. You need to prove your value, show your company can be trusted and captivate interest. Companies are able to do this by marketing their products and brand to the companies they want to work with. You can improve your reach by implementing marketing automation. Here’s three reasons why: 1. A Stronger Approach Towards the Key Decision Makers Business to business marketing automation is often overlooked as a marketing tactic only for B2C companies. However, B2B companies are struggling to reach their key decision makers. Forrester Research reported that 2 out of 3 marketers say identifying key decision makers is their top challenge. Automated B2B marketing helps companies to keep content working the pipelines. Think of automated marketing like the sails on your ship. While you could manually row your boat with sales reps working round the clock, you could take a great load off with sails. Your sails, or automated marketing, offers a flow of content that snags the wind and moves the ship without as much time and effort wasted. Businesses who initially board your boat are able to move through your sales funnel smoothly, with little or no interaction from a direct sales team. When your sales team is reserved for the harder jobs and more difficult questions, your company is... --- ### 7 Out of the Box Ways to Automate Your Small Business Operations > Automation isn't just for big businesses anymore. Now, there are many affordable ways to bring automation to your small business operations. - Published: 2015-08-26 - Modified: 2024-04-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/smallbiz-ops-automation/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: automation, automation small business, small business operations Automation isn't just for big businesses anymore. Here are some affordable ways to bring automation to your small business operations. Automation in business has become the latest buzz. If you have an automated phone system, have a shopping cart on your website or have an email that can send vacation messages, you are already participating in the business automation buzz. For years, large businesses have been using technology for marketing efforts in a variety of ways, but it has recently become more affordable for smaller businesses to adopt automation. If you own a small business, here are 7 ways you can further automate your small business operations. Automate Lead Collection and Nurturing Automated sales and marketing software is designed to collect leads from online resources like social media, your website, and incoming emails. It can also nurture those leads to eventually become customers. Small businesses have endless options when it comes to automating their lead collection. Many small business owners don’t have the time to dive deep into lead collection, so using a software that automates lead collection and nurturing is often the best solution. Automated CRM and Sales and Marketing An automatic Customer Relations Manager (CRM) will improve your sales and marketing process. It stays connected with prospects and customers, accounting for every connection. It will even let you know when a prospect has reached the buying point. This is key for small business owners. It is hard to keep track of where leads are in the sales funnel. An automated CRM and marketing tool keeps track of this for you, and sends the right material to potential customers.... --- ### Email Campaigns - Simplified! > Most prospects aren’t quite ready to buy when you first connect with them. With a good email campaign, when they are ready to buy they will remember the company that did the best job of educating them. - Published: 2015-08-25 - Modified: 2020-06-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-campaigns-simplified/ - Categories: Marketing Most prospects aren’t quite ready to buy when you first connect with them. With a good email campaign, when they are ready to buy they will remember the company that did the best job of educating them. What’s a Drip Campaign? You meet someone, talk to them over the phone, complete a demonstration and follow up with a great personalized email. Things usually stop there. You don’t hear back and you don’t earn their business. Fix this with email campaigns. Drip campaigns allow you to slowly drop kernels of knowledge while staying in touch with your prospects (in a helpful, non-pushy non-salesy way). Drip campaigns allow us to educate prospects over a period of time with the hopes of converting them to customers when they are finished. Let’s say someone has visited your website and filled out a form to receive your e-book, Low Cost Ways to Get in Shape. They’ve also called you to discuss gym rates and ask if you offer group classes at your gym and opened your email follow-up containing your class schedule. What have you learned? Your client wants to work out affordably, and probably wants the motivation of others to help them reach their goals. To email blast them offering costly one on one personal training sessions is a waste of time. So what can we do to simplify the process and create our first campaign? 1) Segment your list Your email messages are not one size fits all. You need to clearly define your audience by their interests so that you can develop detailed content. Ask smarter questions and allow your prospects to segment themselves. How does someone segment themselves? They might fill out a form and check their interests,... --- ### How To Easily Scout Sales Leads For Your Small Business > Check out how BenchmarkONE can improve your marketing success by nurturing sales leads into loyal customers. - Published: 2015-08-24 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/scout-sales-leads/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: Sales, sales leads Check out how Hatchbuck can improve your marketing success by nurturing sales leads into loyal customers. A constant infusion of qualified leads is the lifeblood of your business. Without the steady stream of leads, you cannot work with prospects, determine their needs and convert them into sales. However, sourcing leads can often be a problem, especially in a small business where every moment is filled with tasks including putting out fires. It is important to have a proper system in place that will continue to scout out leads for your business whether you get distracted by other matters or not. Just the knowledge that your company continues to source sales leads can lower tension. So, how do you solve this problem by putting into place a system that will build your prospect list? One answer to this issue is adopting a program that manages your lead sourcing and follow-up without hands-on attention on a constant basis. Does that mean you can ignore the process? Of course not. You will still need to pay attention to the way the system is used. But it does mean that you can free up some of your attention to details and get back to managing your company, coordinating efforts and looking forward to the future. Hatchbuck has multiple methods of improving your lead sourcing and managing the leads once you collect them. Using Hatchbuck, you will find that your ROI increases, meaning your team can work smarter, instead of harder. Better results increase confidence and establish pride in skills and abilities for your whole team. The best way to understand... --- ### 4 Quick and Easy Tips for a Tidy CRM > Don't let an unorganized CRM allow your prospects and customers to fall through the cracks. Tidy up your CRM with these tips. - Published: 2015-08-21 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/tips-for-tidy-crm/ - Categories: CRM - Tags: crm tips, hatchbuck, Small Business CRM The first step in getting your sales and marketing process organized is implementing a CRM. However, contacts can still fall through the cracks with an unorganized CRM. Use these Imagine... A new lead – we will call him Matt Smith - comes through a form on your website and you eagerly pick-up the phone to introduce yourself. “Hi Lindsey – Thanks for the call, but Erin on your team has already reached out and I am scheduled for a time to speak with her next week. ” Your hot new lead now identifies themselves as an existing opportunity for someone else within your company. Where did you go wrong? Chances are your CRM is not working in your favor. With a poorly structured database – you can miss out on valuable opportunities, send irrelevant information, or appear lazy to your contacts. In this example, Matt Smith was entered in as a duplicate contact, and had already been in contact with another sales rep. I see this scenario roll out far too often, and I credit that to an unorganized CRM. There are many steps you can take now to ensure your team is set-up for communication success. Tidy Up Your Spreadsheets Prior to importing data into your CRM, it’s important to tidy it up as much as possible. Deleting unnecessary fields is a good starting point; consider which data is critical, and which is disposable or could create potential confusion down the road. If you are moving from one CRM to another, take note of the additional fields that systems include in your export. Often times there will be unnecessary fields that you may have used in a previous... --- ### How to Bring Your CRM and Marketing Automation Together > CRM and marketing automation go together like peas and carrots. Coordinate them for more conversions and better customer relationships. - Published: 2015-08-20 - Modified: 2020-03-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/bffs-crm-marketing-automation/ - Categories: CRM - Tags: crm, personalization, Small Business CRM CRM and marketing automation go together like peas and carrots. Improve your overall marketing and sales ROI, sales funnels and ongoing customer relationships by coordinating them together. How well do you coordinate your company’s customer relationship management (CRM) and marketing automation? Are these two related processes managed separately, or do they work together? What are the benefits of bringing these two systems together, and why should I consider doing so? These are all questions you should ask yourself when looking for ways to improve your overall marketing and sales ROI, sales funnels, and ongoing customer relationships. And let’s be honest, as marketers, those are things you’re trying to do on the daily. Bringing your CRM and marketing automation software together results in the best partnership since peanut butter and jelly. Let’s take a deep dive into why this coordination gives you a leg up and how to go about doing so. But first, let’s address the basics. What’s the Difference Between CRM and Marketing? While CRM and marketing are related, they are not the same thing. Marketing is the process by which your company invites prospects to try your products or services and raises awareness of your brand. Marketing can be divided into two main categories: Outbound Marketing - consists of traditional commercials and advertising that broadcasts your brand message to prospects. Inbound marketing is the process of creating content to attract customers to your brand by answering their questions before they are ready to buy. Inbound Marketing - focuses on starting prospects down the sales funnel by offering free information in return for a conversion with a lead magnet. While some of the methods of reaching... --- ### 7 Surefire Ways to Get Your Small Business More Leads > Social media can be an effective channel to generation small business leads when done correctly. Here are some ideas to get you started. - Published: 2015-08-18 - Modified: 2022-11-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-leads/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: Social Media Figuring out your social media lead generation strategy can be tough. Here are 7 surefire ways to get in front of your audience and begin capturing leads for your small business. Being creative in finding new ways to get qualified small business leads can keep you several steps ahead of your competition. Many companies are using social media to find leads to nurture into prospects and sales. How can you make the most of your social media accounts to get in on the action? There are many different techniques that work for both B2B and B2C companies which you can adapt for your own prospecting. Here are some valuable tips to help you get more leads from social media. 1. Establish yourself as an authority in your field. Establishing yourself as an authority in your field will help prospects focus on what you have to say. Good social media prospecting is related to offering valuable content for shoppers to read, watch or listen to before they are ready to buy. You can offer information that you have gained over the years by answering the typical questions that new customers have on your website, blog or in outlying articles on third-party sites. The more you establish yourself as an expert, the more potential customers will trust you. 2. Set up your Facebook page as a lead-generation tool. While getting likes on Facebook is nice, it is not as valuable as getting leads. If you set up your Facebook page as a lead-generating tool, you can drive business from your page without spending oodles of time. You can add tabs to your page and customize them to offer contests, gather contact information and... --- ### Making Your Website the Ultimate Sales Machine > Capture more prospects early in the buying process turning your small business website into a sales machine. - Published: 2015-08-17 - Modified: 2023-02-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ultimate-sales-machine/ - Categories: Marketing Did you know that 96% of people are not ready to buy from you the first time they visit your website? Turn your small business website into a sales machine and capture more prospects earlier. There are a lot of platforms, media and vehicles you can use today to help increase your sales. Still, the flagship of your online marketing efforts should be your website. Consider the way you shop online for a product or service. You’ll likely conduct some preliminary research and begin to whittle down your choices. Your prospects are likely doing the very same thing... right now. Is your website prepared? Is it ready to grab and nurture these prospects? Let’s take a look at how to turn your website into a sales machine. The Three Stages of Making a Purchase There are three stages to the buying process. They are: Awareness (Just Looking) Consideration (Actual Shopping) Decision (Making the Purchase) Research indicates that most prospects would like to remain anonymous through two-thirds of this process. But engaging them and getting a prospect’s name and email address earlier in the process is one of the first keys of turning your website into a sales machine. Why Getting Engaged Early is Critical When you get engaged early in the process, you have a better chance of surviving “the cut” during the shopping process. You also have the ability to get valuable information to the prospect to help them in any future buying decision. By positioning yourself as an expert, you are in a better place to ultimately get the sale. Three Keys to More Leads from Your Website There are three fundamental ways to get more leads flowing in from your website. Use... --- ### 9 Reasons to Integrate Your CRM with Marketing Automation > The marketing seas are filled with tools that can help you with Customer Relationship Management (CRM). These tools store your contacts but can leave a - Published: 2015-08-13 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/9-reasons-integrate-crm-marketing-automation/ - Categories: CRM, Marketing Automation The marketing seas are filled with tools that can help you with Customer Relationship Management (CRM). These tools store your contacts but can leave a hole in your boat when it comes to helping you market your business effectively. There are some very good reasons to integrate your CRM with marketing automation, especially an all-in-one marketing automation system. Here are nine of them. There is less chance you will miss a prospect. Marketing automation gathers and sorts inquiries. Rather than missing an inquiry from a prospect, they can immediately be sent a relevant reply. The reply can be much more targeted than a generic “we’ll get back with you” message. You can immediately grab their attention with your responsiveness and it can all be done automatically. There is less chance you will lose a prospect. Without automating your CRM, there is a good chance you can lose prospects along the way. They can slip through the cracks or may not be getting appropriate follow-up. Using marketing automation keeps you in contact with prospects until they decide they are no longer a prospect or until they become a customer. It makes you more effective. Small business entrepreneurs are required to be jack of all trades. They are the ship’s captain but they may have to occasionally swab the deck or grab an oar. By automating your CRM, you are able to spend more of your time doing what you like to do and the things you are probably good at. It... --- ### Content, The Driving Force Behind Your Small Business Marketing Strategy > Content is a powerful driving force behind your small business marketing strategy. Learn how creating content can set you apart in the minds of your buyers. - Published: 2015-08-11 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-strategy/ - Categories: Marketing Content is a powerful small business marketing tool but not all content is effective. These 5 tips will help you build an engaged audience and tell the story of your small business. Earlier this year Gartner reported that by the end of 2015, digital marketing budgets will be up about eight percent. Yet despite that, nearly 40 percent of small businesses don’t use core digital marketing tools—like a blog, an email newsletter, or a website. But as they dive into digital marketing, small businesses have to figure out the most cost-effective way to market themselves online. Digital marketing--essentially any kind of advertising or marketing effort done online--is different from traditional marketing in that it involves one or more forms of electronic media and incorporates tools (for example, Google Analytics) that enable an organization to analyze the effectiveness of their advertising. That said, digital marketing is also a little like the Wild West: a lot of new things are being tried and those tactics are constantly evolving. Small businesses with limited budgets often rely on social media, like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Instagram, to spread the word about their products and services in an organic way. (You tell two friends and they tell two friends and so on. ) Outside of that, one of the least expensive ways to capitalize on both social media and the power of search is content marketing. Not all content, however, is the same and none is effective if you don’t build an audience for it. So how do you do that? Use multiple channels. Lots of companies have corporate blogs and although they are important, they aren’t the only way to use content to build an... --- ### Is Your Social Media Strategy Consistent? > Defining a consistent social media strategy is a struggle for some small businesses. Here we've outlined simple steps for a consistent social media strategy - Published: 2015-07-24 - Modified: 2020-08-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/consistent-social-media-strategy/ - Categories: Marketing Social media marketing can quickly become overwhelming when you have the reigns of your small business. Developing a social media process will help you become more consistent and marketing your business a little easier. Creating a social media strategy can get complicated quickly. Or worse, there isn’t a strategy at all. With so many channels and tactics, something simple can get overwhelming. A simple, daily process will provide a consistent strategy to meet your goals and deliver a higher social media ROI. Follow these 5 tips to develop a social media strategy for your small business. Know your audience. Figuring out your ideal audience and where they are having conversations on social media is a critical first step in developing a healthy social media strategy. Profiling your ideal customer will help tailor all your marketing messages to attract them at the right place and time. By knowing more about your ideal customer, you can determine which social media channels to focus your time and resources on. Each channel should have a clear purpose; whether it’s strengthening brand awareness, building your online community, or delivering great customer support. If you’re scratching your head on whether Facebook,Twitter, Google Plus, Pinterest, or Linkedin is right for your audience, here is a great resource from Wix that can help. Social can also be an effective platform for selling to your ideal customers, just remember to put down the bullhorn and don’t push too hard or else you’ll end up with low engagement and a lot of unlikes. Get SMART. Once you know which channels to focus on and their purpose, you can set goals for each. Setting SMART social media goals can be tricky. With so much data,... --- ### Tap Into the Power of Your Customer’s Voice > Customer voice can be a powerful tool in promoting your business. Encouraging reviews online, testimonials and case studies can be the proof prospects need. - Published: 2015-07-10 - Modified: 2024-07-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/customer-voice/ - Categories: Small Business Your customer's voice is the cornerstone for building your brand reputation. Here are a few ways to tap into your most valuable resource- your customers. One of the most potent ways to promote your small business is through your customers. You’ve got a reason to promote your product or service-more sales. But your customers don’t and that makes them influential, credible evangelists for your business. That’s important, because today we all rely on platforms like Yelp, TripAdvisor and Angie’s List--or tap our connections on Facebook--to guide our purchasing decisions. Here are some ways small businesses can tap into and leverage the power of customer voice: Encourage customers to post reviews online. Few marketing strategies are more effective than authentic, positive customer reviews. Not only do they drive customers to your business they also boost its search rank and reputation. (For more detailed information on how that works, and how to craft a “review acquisition strategy” see this primer from Shopify. ) Most of us look at reviews before we decide to buy, so wherever your customers make their purchase--be it an online shopping cart, at a physical register or by invoice--encourage them to post a review. Have links to review sites at your online checkout and place a sign about those sites at the cash register. If you invoice customers, add a few lines asking them to post a review on your Facebook page, Yelp, Google Reviews or other appropriate sites. You can also encourage customers to “check in” on Foursquare—a social media app that allows people to share their location—and leave a rating or “tip” (Foursquare lingo for a review). Ask your customers what... --- ### Small Business Marketing On A Budget: 5 Low Cost-High Impact Strategies > Marketing is often an afterthought for small businesses. Here are 5 low-cost, high-impact small business marketing strategies to take it to the next level. - Published: 2015-07-07 - Modified: 2024-03-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-strategies/ - Categories: Small Business It doesn’t take a ton of cash to market your small business effectively and grow sales. These low cost, high impact strategies will help you get more bang out of your marketing budget and in front of your ideal customers. For many small businesses with limited resources, marketing is often an afterthought. Even for those that do have a marketing plan, the budget that supports it is generally a pretty meager one. About 70 percent of small businesses spend less than $500 on marketing each month; 83 percent spend less than $1,000 per month, according to BrightLocal’s annual small businesses marketing survey. Yet it doesn’t take a ton of cash to market your small business effectively and grow sales. Here are five low-cost, high-impact small business marketing strategies to consider: Optimize and Mobilize. Search engine optimization (SEO) may sound like a cliché now but it’s the cornerstone of any strategy for increasing visitors to your website, and one that’s far lower cost than advertising channels like pay-per-click (PPC). If you want to boost your chances of getting found online, optimize the content on your site for search engines. Make the content relevant to your ideal buyer and align it to the keywords they are searching for. For a simple explanation and SEO checklist, check out: https://moz. com/blog/the-beginners-checklist-for-small-business-seo. In today’s digital world it’s not enough just to have a website and optimize it, you also need to mobilize it. In fact, Moz has found that 61% of mobile users who land on a non-mobile-friendly site will leave and go to a competitor's site. The experience of your online visitors is key to converting more lookers into to buyers. Design your website so it loads quickly and can be read and navigated... --- ### Need A Vacation? Here's How To Get One As A Small Business Owner > Are vacations for small business owners a myth? We don't think so. These quick tips will help any owner get from behind the desk to behind the sailboat. - Published: 2015-06-23 - Modified: 2015-06-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-owner-vacation/ - Categories: Small Business When was the last time you went on vacation from your small business? Either way, now is a great time to fly the coop and relax. Here are some tips on how to leave your business without feeling like everything will fall apart. Small business owners are notorious for not taking vacations. Instead, they calculate how much it will cost, how much money they may lose and then list all the things that could go wrong while they’re gone. Yet there’s an argument to be made that your business isn’t really successful if you can’t take vacation without everything falling apart. According to the latest Office Depot Small Business Index, 66 percent of small business owners find it difficult, at least sometimes, to take time off from work during the summer; 76 percent will stay connected to their business in some way even if they do take time off. Vacations are actually a very important part of your success as a business owner. Long periods of work without one leads to reduced productivity, diminished creativity and strained relationships--none of which is good for you or your business. For certain kinds of small ventures--for instance, a bicycle repair shop or a bakery--it sometimes makes the most sense to just close up shop and have your staff plan to take their vacations at the same time you do. But if that’s not possible, here are five strategies that will help you to disengage and enjoy a vacation this summer (and any other time you need one). Delegate. Small business owners often find it hard to cede control but the only way you’ll be able to take a vacation is to delegate--not just dumping tasks on people but giving them the authority to do what’s needed... --- ### Be A Dad Every Day: A Letter For Father's Day > Dear DAD's, As a fellow DAD, I understand what comes with the role of fatherhood. Long days, late nights, financial pressures; but there are an abundance - Published: 2015-06-19 - Modified: 2016-06-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/dad-every-day-letter-fathers-day/ - Categories: Leadership Dear DAD's, As a fellow DAD, I understand what comes with the role of fatherhood. Long days, late nights, financial pressures; but there are an abundance of joys that cannot be matched by any other part of being a father. I wake up every day and head off to the office looking at the blessings I have - my kids. Father's Day is not about us. It's a reminder to work on building a relationship with our kids by encouraging their dreams, spending time with them, and showing them love. They grow up faster than we think. Encourage their Dreams In the book, The Last Lecture, Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon who is dying of cancer, delivers his last lecture - a father’s lifetime of advice into one talk. He talks about how his parents always supported his dreams growing up. In fact, they let him paint whatever he wanted on the walls of his room to nurture his creativity. He even painted an elevator in his bedroom and he said looking back he wished he wouldn’t have only made it go to the 3rd floor. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ji5_MqicxSo How can we support our kids' dreams and goals? Their lives are bigger than starting on a sports team or fitting in at school. Our goal should be to help them achieve their goals and leave their legacy. It starts with acceptance and encouragement, no matter what grand idea they have in their head. Spend Time With Them... --- ### 3 Types of Mobile Payments Explained > By Kristen Gramigna, Chief Marketing Officer at BluePay Can accepting mobile payments give your business an edge with consumers? Mobile payments give - Published: 2015-06-03 - Modified: 2023-03-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-types-mobile-payments-explained/ - Categories: Mobile - Tags: mobile payment, small business By Kristen Gramigna, Chief Marketing Officer at BluePay Can accepting mobile payments give your business an edge with consumers? Mobile payments give both customers and business owners more flexibility in how transactions are handled. According to data from ChangeWave Research, consumer interest in mobile payments has increased over the last six months. In it, a quarter of respondents said that they are “very” or “somewhat” likely to give mobile payments a try within the next 90 days. According to experts at Accenture, one try may be it all it takes to convert curious customers into mobile payment devotees. Though “mobile payments” has become a buzzword of sorts, many consumers and businesses do not realize that the industry remains fragmented. In fact, there are three types of payment technologies with unique features and benefits, despite that they are often described under the generic term “mobile payments. ” Can mobile payments work for your business? Here’s a look at how the three types of mobile payments work, and the conveniences they can offer both small businesses and their customers: Mobile payments with a credit card. Mobile payments that involve swiping or inputting credit card information into a mobile device (like a smartphone or tablet) or small card reader (called a dongle) that plugs into the headphone jack of a mobile device are particularly cost-efficient options for small-business owners. Not only might the business owner already own the mobile device required to process credit or debit card transactions (once he/she has established a... --- ### 6 Sticky Lead Magnets to Create for Your Website > Want to attract more leads for your business? Solving a problem for your ideal customer makes your business irresistible to new leads. What is a Lead - Published: 2015-05-26 - Modified: 2022-02-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-sticky-lead-magnets-create-website/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: Lead Generation, lead magnet Want to attract more leads for your business? Solving a problem for your ideal customer makes your business irresistible to new leads. What is a Lead Magnet? A lead magnet is an enticing incentive for a prospective customer to leave you with their information. A good lead magnet attracts not just anyone in your market, but your ideal customer. It does this by addressing a specific problem that your ideal customer commonly needs to address. Why Include a Lead Magnet on Your Website? Whether we’re making a small decision like choosing a spot for happy hour, or making a major purchase like buying a car, we all do a hefty amount of research online before we’re ready to make a purchase. The same is true of your audience. A great fit for your product or service may visit your website to do preliminary research. But, they may not be ready to buy. Offering up a resource they can use now, without making a commitment to buy, is a great way to capture their contact info. For example, Less Accounting is accounting software for business owners. One of their lead magnets is to sign up to receive a weekly article about becoming a less stressed business owner. So, while Less Accounting’s ideal customer - a business owner - may not be interested in buying accounting software right now, they can always use tips on reducing the stress that comes with running a business. With this lead magnet, Less Accounting can capture... --- ### 10 Fool-Proof Emails to Send to Your Audience > Email marketing reportedly has an ROI of $40 for every $1 spent. But your traditional monthly newsletter isn’t getting the engagement it used to. What - Published: 2015-05-14 - Modified: 2016-09-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-fool-proof-emails-send-audience/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: Email Marketing, personalized email Email marketing reportedly has an ROI of $40 for every $1 spent. But your traditional monthly newsletter isn’t getting the engagement it used to. What should you send to increase engagement with your audience and create new and repeat customers? With an organized email list, you can pull contacts by their relationship to you (customer, prospect, vendor, lost deal, etc. ) and their interests (puppies or kittens? red wine or white wine? homeowners or life insurance? ). Then, you can send targeted emails that increase opens and click-throughs, driving sales for your business. Here are 10 ideas to fuel your email marketing efforts: 1. I thought you might like this article Perfect For: A new contact you’re building a relationship with. Not everyone on your email list is ready to buy right now. But that doesn’t mean they should be dismissed. Stay in touch with new contacts by sending a relevant industry article their way. Say you’re in the insurance industry and met a new contact, Joe, at a networking event. You find out that he’s thinking about buying a house for the first time. He’s not quite ready to think about homeowners insurance, but it’s definitely a concern that will need to be addressed in the next 6 months or so. Sending an informative, helpful article on homeowners insurance is a great way to stay top-of-mind with Joe and earn his trust. He'll be happy to turn to you when he's ready to buy. 2. Quick question... are you... --- ### Mom, Here is what we think of you…. > Here at Hatchbuck, family is important to who we are as a company. It starts with having awesome people (Aka Hatchbuckers) but great people aren’t just - Published: 2015-05-08 - Modified: 2016-06-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/mom-think/ - Categories: Leadership Here at Hatchbuck, family is important to who we are as a company. It starts with having awesome people (Aka Hatchbuckers) but great people aren’t just born, they are made. Like you, often times we get busy in our daily lives of growing our small business and we forget to thank the very person that has helped to nurture us into the leaders and passionate people that we are today, MOM. I think this video by Kid President, Says it best: So this Mothers’ Day the Hatchbuck team would like to let our Mom’s know just how we feel about them and how much of an impact they have made in our lives. We join a national movement of #iwishmymotherknew in celebrating MOM’S everywhere: Erin: I wish my mom knew how my dad looks at her when she’s not looking. Winky face icon Jonathan: I wish my mom knew how much I miss her hugs and smile. That her legacy of love and servant leadership has made a huge impact on our family for generations to come. Jessica: I wish my Mom knew that when I didn’t want to join the swim team in 6th grade and she asked me to try it “for just two weeks” (and I stuck with it) that I use that trick all the time to survive and thrive through anything that seems hard to do. Katie: That she is the strongest woman I have met. I wish she knew that no matter her perceived... --- ### Celebrating the Customer this Small Business Week > It’s National Small Business Week, and we wanted to focus on small business’s most powerful asset - their customer base. There are so many reasons to love - Published: 2015-05-06 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/celebrating-customer-small-business-week/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business - Tags: customers, loyal customers, repeat customers, small business, small business customers, small business week It’s National Small Business Week, and we wanted to focus on small business’s most powerful asset - their customer base. There are so many reasons to love small business, including the fact that more than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and small businesses create about two out of every three new jobs in the U. S. each year. Doing business with small business makes you feel like part of a friendly community - whether it’s the neighborhood small engine repair shop you visit each spring for your lawn mower tune up, or that online retailer in another state that creates the one-of-a-kind handmade collars Fido always gets for his birthday. You love that the repair shop owner knows you by name and that you always get a handwritten thank you note from the online retailer. It’s those personal relationships that drive repeat customers and small business success. According to a report by Manta and Dell, 37% of small business owners rank getting repeat customers as their most important business milestone. So, if you’re a small business owner, you may not have celebrated that first sale or the first profitable year as much as you celebrated that first repeat customer. Why Loyal Customers Rock Your World Loyal, repeat customers drive small businesses and help entrepreneurs to turn their small business dreams into reality. Here’s how: Customer Lifetime Value: The more repeat purchases customers make with your company, the more customer lifetime value will increase across... --- ### Why Are 98% of Buyers Seeking Marketing Automation? > Small business can't ignore marketing automation any longer. In a recent survey from Software Advice, half of small business owners are still using manual methods. Check out why they are looking to make the switch to marketing automation. - Published: 2015-04-29 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/98-buyers-seeking-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Marketing Automation - Tags: Marketing Automation, small business, smb Small business can't ignore marketing automation any longer. In a recent survey from Software Advice, half of small business owners are still using manual methods. Check out why they are looking to make the switch to marketing automation. Even though small businesses have less capital to invest in marketing technology, marketing automation is a resource that can move the needle in a big way. Why small business can’t ignore marketing automation any longer... According to a recent Software Advice survey of small business owners looking for marketing technology products, 98% of buyers are looking for dedicated marketing automation software for the first time. Half of these buyers are still using manual methods to manage and email contacts. If you are still using these manual methods (pen and paper, spreadsheets, and one off emails), it’s time to learn how marketing technology can help you grow your business without growing your business footprint. Marketing Automation optimizes your sales and marketing process. Lead management is the number one reason small business owners are looking for marketing automation according to the Software Advice research. Marketing automation allows you to automatically and dynamically organize contacts and score sales leads. That’s a huge time saver for small businesses who have relied on manual methods to update their database in the past. Marketing automation places contacts in the right bucket automatically so that you can send more meaningful content to different segments of your audience. This tailored approach builds brand awareness and trust to move contacts down the sales funnel from prospect to customer. Core functionality is at the top of the marketing automation buyer’s list. 74% of buyers say that contact management is an important marketing automation feature. On the contrary, only 4% mentioned... --- ### Do You Need to Update Your Website? > Your #1 sales rep may not be who you think. In fact, 9 out of 10 people will do online research long before coming into a sales conversation with you, - Published: 2015-04-14 - Modified: 2015-04-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/need-update-website/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business - Tags: small business, squarespace, web design, website, weebly, wix, wordpress Your #1 sales rep may not be who you think. In fact, 9 out of 10 people will do online research long before coming into a sales conversation with you, making your website a key tool in your sales and marketing process. Is your website as effective as it can be in helping you to capture the attention of new business? Is it mobile responsive? Can you make quick content updates? Can you capture new leads from your site? If your online presence is just a digital version of your printed marketing material, you’re missing the boat. Static websites with content that never changes are offending to search engines as well as visitors to your site. Just because you're a small business doesn't mean that your website has to look amateur. An updated site with clean design is a reassuring sign to your prospects and customers that there’s great energy and activity behind your online calling card. Outsource Web Design When you’re ready to make the move to a new website, you can outsource the work to an agency or web developer. While this route is more of an investment, there are major benefits to your business: You’ll benefit from professional design that is inline with the latest trends. Your site will adhere to the more technical aspects of web design, like site structure, cross-browser compatibility, mobile responsiveness and search engine visibility. When you outsource development, you can also outsource ongoing technical support. So, when a new Google update comes... --- ### How to Make your Small Biz Look Big (Without Growing Your Footprint) > You don't need to grow your footprint to make your small business look big for buyers. Learn how design, content and more can help biz size image. - Published: 2015-04-07 - Modified: 2016-07-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/make-small-business-look-big/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: crm, Email Marketing, small business, Social Media, web design You’ve worked for corporate America, and know what big business feels like. You didn’t like it. But that doesn’t mean you don’t want to grow revenue while staying true to your small business roots. While putting more boots on the ground can help your small business win more customers, hiring a bigger sales force increases payroll and requires more management on your part. Today, though, there are innovative ways your small business can live large, attracting the bigger fish with less work - and without growing your small biz footprint. Your Website If your online presence is still a static website that is more like an online brochure, it’s time to update. Building a CMS-based (content management system) website on a platform like Wordpress can give you the power to update your website whenever you please. With frequent updates to your website - like a new blog post or timely homepage announcement - you’ll actually look like you’re in business. It’s reassuring to your prospects and customers knowing that there’s activity going on behind the scenes of your online calling card. Even if your business relies on highly personal relationships, you can bet that visiting your website online is one of the main steps prospects will take before they decide to do business with you. A modern, up-to-date website that clearly communicates who you are, what you do, and how you benefit your customers can make you look a lot larger - without adding a single person to your team.... --- ### Harness the Power of Your Customers to Build Brand Awareness for Your Small Business > Your best customers work with you because they support what you’re doing. Use the right combination of marketing channels to the right audience, at the right time will strengthen your brand and customer relationships. - Published: 2015-04-02 - Modified: 2022-05-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/harness-power-customers-build-brand-awareness-small-business/ - Categories: Marketing Your best customers work with you because they support what you’re doing. Use the right combination of marketing channels to the right audience, at the right time will strengthen your brand and customer relationships. In basketball, you need defense and offense working together to set picks and set the pace of the game. You might have one all-star scoring points but you still need your other players on the court. You have to coordinate and bring everyone together to create the magic of a winning team. Likewise, driving success to your business requires a bird’s eye view of all your moving parts. Cross-channel marketing to your customers will help you develop game-winning plays that will conserve budget and make your audience work for you to build brand awareness. Here’s how to create a cross channel marketing campaign for your business: 1. Find Your Best Customers Start by listening to what your best customers are saying about you: Do you know who your promoters are? What do your best customers say about your company? What do you do that your customers love the most? A simple question to ask your customers is how likely they are to refer your company on a scale from 1 - 10. This is called a Net Promoter Score (NPS): Detractors: 1-6 Neutral: 7-8 Promoters: 9-10 2. Discover What Makes Them Tick Your promoters are those who believe in your mission. They get why you are in business and are attracted to your company culture and values. Using their feedback will help you develop messaging and campaign ideas to get similar folks' attention and strengthen your brand. After you have determined who your promoters are, interview them to get further... --- ### Small Business Leadership: 5 Lessons from the Basketball Court > Learn how tips from the hardwood can lead to increases in the bottom line from BenchmarkONE VP Jonathan Herrick. - Published: 2015-03-18 - Modified: 2016-06-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-leadership-5-lessons-basketball-court/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: leadership, small business Growing up, I always had a basketball in my hand. I remember shooting hoops in the driveway of my parents' house late at night with the driveway flood light on. After the 10th time of my mom asking me to come in and go to bed on a school night, she would turn the light out. I continued to shoot. My drive, determination, and passions lead me to where I am today. A basketball coach, dad and business leader who loves to grow people and companies. So I thought with the NCAA tourney kicking off it was a great time to reflect on the lessons I have learned in my years of playing, coaching as well as studying some of the best coaches in the game. Here are my 5 leadership lessons for small business owners: Cast the Vision To go from where you are to where you want to be: you have to have a dream... – Jim Valvano Jimmy Valvano, the legendary coach for NC State, is known for his heroic battle with cancer and the legacy he has left behind: He was also an amazing leader. As a coach at NC State he took time out once a year to have a vision celebration with his team. They would celebrate what it would feel like to win the national championship. In 1983 his vision became reality and the Wolfpack pulled off one the biggest upsets and best finishes in NCAA tournament history. : https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=8l5N2eKdvL4... --- ### The Small Business Playmakers You Need on Your Team > Like a college basketball recruiter courting the best players to get their team to the NCAA championship, small business owners can use personas to - Published: 2015-03-10 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-playmakers-need-team/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: customers, marketing, persona Like a college basketball recruiter courting the best players to get their team to the NCAA championship, small business owners can use personas to attract their best customers - winning more deals with less effort. With personas, you can uncover the motivations and challenges of the very best customers within your customer base. Then, you can develop targeted messaging to recruit more customers who are just like them. Identify and create personas for these small business playmakers to attract the right type of customer (and repel the wrong type of customer) for your business: The MVP There is no “I” in team, but there’s always that one key player - Most Valuable Player - that coaches wish they could clone. The same goes for your customers. You have customers of all kinds, but you can probably name your “Most Valuable Customers. ” Your MVCs are the customers you wish you had more of. This ideal buyer spends more money with your company, sticks with you longer, and has less gripes. The Playmaker There's no great team without a great point guard. A great floor general in basketball knows when to the pass the ball. The same is true for your playmaking ideal buyers. Not only is your solution a great fit for them, but they are raving fans of your business. They know when to pass the word to others who could benefit from your solution set. A big part of boosting your bottom line without adding a lot of... --- ### In a World of Marketing Madness, Simplicity Rules > Today's multi-channel approach to marketing can feel overwhelming, but there is relief. In a complex world of marketing madness, simplicity is key. Here are five ways to simplify marketing - Published: 2015-03-02 - Modified: 2015-03-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/world-marketing-madness-simplicity-rules/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: audience, campaigns, design, messaging, simple, simplify, technology, testing Today's multi-channel approach to marketing can feel overwhelming, but there is relief. In a complex world of marketing madness, simplicity is key. Here are five ways to simplify marketing Marketers and advertisers used to control the message sent to consumers. But a lot has changed. For instance, we can opt out of watching TV commercials and skip the radio for our favorite podcast. Today there are lots of different channels from which your audience consumes information. This also means that many forces are at work to influence customers to make decisions. Word of mouth, peer recommendations on social media, online advertising, thought leadership, online searches > all of these channels work together to turn prospects into customers. Today's multi-channel approach to marketing can feel overwhelming, but there is relief. In a complex world of marketing madness, simplicity is key. Here are 5 ways to simplify marketing: Simplify Your Messaging > Do you know who your best customer is? If your messaging is generic, and you’re trying to speak to everyone, you’ll find it difficult to capture anyone’s attention. Instead, boil down your company’s mission, purpose, vision and unique value proposition to attract only your best customer. Your messaging will resonate much better with your audience, cutting through the noise to pull in more (and better! ) customers. Simplify Your Design > Website design is trending toward big images, flat icons, and shorter, succinct copy. Sites and design are getting simpler in order to adapt more easily to a fluid landscape of devices, social media channels, email, video and online ads. Design is a communication tool. It should get to the point and aid in conveying your message. Design shouldn’t... --- ### Do You Have Fun With Your Social Media Strategy? > Do you have fun with your small business social media strategy or is it a chore? Build your social media foundation around having fun for more better results. - Published: 2015-02-19 - Modified: 2022-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/fun-social-media-strategy/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: small business, Social Media, social media marketing Do you have fun with your small business social media strategy or is it a chore? Build your social media foundation around having fun for more better results. Does your social media strategy feel like a chore? Do you create posts that your audience doesn’t engage with? It’s easy to get discouraged when your social media strategy just isn’t working despite your best efforts. When social media marketing isn’t fun, it’s time to change something. "I live by the rule, if it's not fun, I'm not doing it. " - Kim Doyal Social media can provide you answers, inspiration, and motivation. So how can you centralize your social media strategy around having fun? Use your heart. You’re emotionally and personally invested in your business, so replicate that in your marketing. Your biggest fans will be the ones that know without a doubt that you love what you do. Talking about your passions and having others respond is so rewarding. Get in front of your customers online. If you provide great customer service, they will provide the engagement you seek. Explore your creativity. Through my years exploring social media channels and the web, I’ve found that I have the most fun when I find my niche. Social media allows you to find like-minded people with similar interests, voice, and style. Get out of your comfort zone and put yourself out there! Explore and you will find your treasure chest. Break from what you know and dip your toe in other social networks; stick with the channels you enjoy participating in. Being creative and real will help you break from the noise. Show some personality. Don’t be afraid to be... --- ### How to Love On Your Audience in 2015 > You don’t have to have a large team or an unlimited budget to show your audience the love this year. Build individual relationships through personalized email, surprise and delight your customers, align your business to an overarching mission and purpose, and add value to your audience to gain their trust. With these simple tweaks, you’ll find your audience sending the love right back atcha. - Published: 2015-02-11 - Modified: 2015-02-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/love-audience-2015/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: customers, mission, personalization, personalized mail, purpose, small business You don’t have to have a large team or an unlimited budget to show your audience the love this year. Build individual relationships through personalized email, surprise and delight your customers, align your business to an overarching mission and purpose, and add value to your audience to gain their trust. With these simple tweaks, you’ll find your audience sending the love right back atcha. This year, getting more personal with your audience is more important than ever before. Reuven Gorsht introduces us to Mike, your consumer in 2015: Mike never loses sight of his iPhone. He’s very opinionated and not afraid to share his opinion using his social media channels (whether good or bad). He doesn’t trust advertising and only connects with brands that he feels are authentic and stand for higher purpose. So how do you connect with Mike and the rest of your audience members who are just like him? Leverage Personalized Email Marketing 63% of female and 73% of male smartphone owners in the US don’t go an hour without checking their phone. This means that they’re also tied 24/7 to their email. With email so attached, so integrated with our favorite device, it is an extremely powerful business tool. But, with all of the competition for your consumer’s attention, you’re tasked with cutting through the white noise of a crowded inbox. Instead of sending the same blanket newsletter to everyone on your list, get Mike’s attention with email marketing that addresses his unique interests. Download our guide to personalized email marketing for a few ideas on how to reach your entire audience on an individual level. Turn Customers into Raving Fans 34% of consumers have turned to social media to share their feelings about a company. Consumers are quick to share products they like, and also quick to express dissatisfaction with a disappointing experience. In addition, 51% of consumers aim... --- ### Why You Need a Love Connection Between Email and CRM > In any relationship, communication is key. The same goes for your small business tools. Getting them to "talk" can keep your business running smoothly - - Published: 2015-02-06 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/need-love-connection-email-crm/ - Categories: CRM, Email Marketing - Tags: crm, email, Email Marketing In any relationship, communication is key. The same goes for your small business tools. Getting them to "talk" can keep your business running smoothly - without the drama of systems that just can’t relate. Integrating systems is valuable. You get better, more accurate visibility into your data. You can easily share information across your company so that everyone can do their job better. And, you can automate and streamline processes so you can scale. While integrating your tools benefits your business, it’s not always easy or feasible for smaller business that don’t have a boatload of time or money to spend on integrating tools they’ve already invested in. That’s where an all-in-one CRM and email marketing system can come in handy. You get the benefits of integrated sales and marketing tools without the pitfalls of integration. Getting Sales and Marketing On the Same Page If you’re like a lot of businesses, you’ve got a CRM that houses your customer and prospect data, managed by the sales team. On the marketing side, you may have an email marketing tool. When these systems are standalone and siloed, marketing is often left blasting the same content to everyone on their email marketing list. They have no insight into: Contacts currently in the sales process Hot prospects that are ready for a bottom-of-the-funnel call to action Cold leads who are still getting to know the brand At the same time, sales has no insight into which email marketing campaigns their contacts have received or... --- ### A Content Strategy Playbook for Your Small Business > Like a championship Super Bowl team, you’d never come to the game without a plan. So don’t try to just wing your content strategy. Identify your audience, brainstorm compelling topics, pin-point the right content channels, create your content and measure and repeat your way to content marketing success. - Published: 2015-01-29 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-strategy-playbook-small-business/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: content marketing, content strategy Like a championship Super Bowl team, you’d never come to the game without a plan. So don’t try to just wing your content strategy. Identify your audience, brainstorm compelling topics, pin-point the right content channels, create your content and measure and repeat your way to content marketing success. Imagine you’re Tom Brady suiting up in the locker room on Super Bowl Sunday. You wouldn’t walk out onto the field without a plan - that would be crazy! Instead, you’d feel prepared and confident with a solid playbook and defined strategy for defeating the Seahawks. If Deflate-Gate taught us anything, it’s that the best teams - forthright or not - definitely come to the game with a strategy to win. You should approach content creation the same way - prepared with a strategy instead of just winging it. In fact the Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs reported on the small business content marketing trends, budgets and benchmarks for 2015. The report shows that 39% of companies who have a documented strategy are “more effective in nearly all aspects of content marketing than their peers who either have a verbal-only strategy or no strategy at all. ” How To Build Your Content Marketing Playbook So how do you get your content strategy on paper? Start by tackling these steps: 1. Identify and Segment Your Audience You wouldn’t just slap together a bunch of plays and hope they work against your opponent - that would be crazy! Instead, you’d study game tape like a boss and uncover each specific rival’s weaknesses to prepare for game day. It’s the same in content marketing. Know who you are trying to attract, then pin-point their greatest challenges so you can serve up content that engages and appeals to your ideal buyer. According to CMI’s... --- ### 5 Sure-Fire Lead Generation Tips for Your Blog > When it comes to building business, blogging is a no-brainer. But, is your business blog working as hard as you do to generate fresh leads for your company? Here are 5 fool-proof lead generation strategies that can turn your blog traffic into revenue for your business... - Published: 2015-01-23 - Modified: 2022-09-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-lead-generation-strategies-blog-havent-thought-yet/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: blog, blogging, lead gen, Lead Generation When it comes to building business, blogging is a no-brainer. But, is your business blog working as hard as you do to generate fresh leads for your company? Here are 5 fool-proof lead generation strategies that can turn your blog traffic into revenue for your business... Blogging leads to small business success. In fact, small businesses that blog gain 126% more leads than businesses that don't. When it comes to building business, blogging is a no-brainer. But, is your business blog working as hard as you do to generate fresh leads for your company? Here are 5 fool-proof lead generation strategies that can turn your blog traffic into revenue for your business: 1. Add a Blog Subscription Sign-Up There are over 78. 5 million Wordpress blogs across the globe. That doesn’t even include the millions of blogs on Tumblr, Blogger, Technorati and more. People love blog content, but there is so much info online. It can be tough to build a loyal following of visitors. Adding a form to your blog so that visitors can easily subscribe to new posts helps you stay top of mind, instead of getting lost in a sea of millions of other blogs. To make sure you don’t miss out on sign-ups: Include a clear call to action to sign-up on your blog Indicate how often you'll be emailing blog updates to avoid spam complaints Losing out on connecting with ideal prospects who are visiting your blog is scary. Instead, capitalize on the excitement visitors feel when they've hit your blog. Capture prospect info by offering a subscription to your awesome content so that you can stay in touch. 2. Tap Into Evergreen Content for Conversions Some content never goes out of style. Those blog posts or articles that light up... --- ### 3 Quick Ways to Build Traffic to Your Next Blog Post > Ever wonder how some bloggers arrive out of nowhere and skyrocket their blog’s traffic and subscriber numbers, while some others struggle forever to move the needle? With over 164 million blogs already out there, you need to do a lot more than just write good content and present it well. You need to begin the groundwork even before you press that “Publish” button. Want to know how? Read on. - Published: 2015-01-16 - Modified: 2022-10-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-quick-ways-build-traffic-next-blog-post/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: blogging, content, facebook, Social Media Ever wonder how some bloggers arrive out of nowhere and skyrocket their blog’s traffic and subscriber numbers, while some others struggle forever to move the needle? With over 164 million blogs already out there, you need to do a lot more than just write good content and present it well. You need to begin the groundwork even before you press that “Publish” button. Want to know how? Read on. A Guest Post by Chuck Aikens, Founder & CEO of Volume Nine You already know how valuable blogging is, which is why you already have one. But if you don’t have enough people visiting your blog, the whole purpose of having a blog is lost. Ever wonder how some bloggers arrive out of nowhere and skyrocket their blog’s traffic and subscriber numbers, while some others struggle forever to move the needle? With over 164 million blogs already out there, you need to do a lot more than just write good content and present it well. You need to begin the groundwork even before you press that “Publish” button. Want to know how? Read on. You spent all week writing a great piece of content that your industry is going to love, and now you're ready to relax. But wait a minute, this new blog post is going to get published on Tuesday morning and you have to get the word out. Don't worry, go enjoy your weekend! Here are three things painlessly simple you can do on Monday morning to increase the traffic to your blog post. 1. Boost Your Facebook Post Facebook has an astonishing 1 billion active users, and an average user spends about 22 minutes every day on this social network. No matter who your target audience is, chances are high that they will be on Facebook, so you should try everything possible to leverage this. Facebook’s Boost Post is a good starting point. Boost post is... --- ### 4 Resolutions You Can Stick to with Marketing Automation > We’re just over a week into the new year...have you broken your new year’s resolutions yet? Each year, small business owners strive to get more organized, build better relationships with their customers and prospects, create a sales and marketing process and drive sustainable growth. Marketing automation tools built for small businesses can help you achieve and stick to these four resolutions in 2015. - Published: 2015-01-09 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-resolutions-can-stick-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Marketing Automation - Tags: growth, Marketing Automation, new year, organization, relationships, resolutions, sales and marketing process, small business We’re just over a week into the new year...have you broken your new year’s resolutions yet? Each year, small business owners strive to get more organized, build better relationships with their customers and prospects, create a sales and marketing process and drive sustainable growth. Marketing automation tools built for small businesses can help you achieve and stick to these four resolutions in 2015. We’re just over a week into the new year... have you broken your new year’s resolutions yet? Each year, small business owners strive to get more organized, build better relationships with their customers and prospects, create a sales and marketing process and drive sustainable growth. Marketing automation tools built for small businesses can help you achieve and stick to these four resolutions in 2015. Get More Organized Fresh year, fresh start. If you’re like a lot of small businesses, you probably have one homogenous bucket of contacts that you would love to clean up and organized. Maybe you have two lists - one of customers, and one of prospects - but you can’t get much more detailed than that. Marketing automation helps you automatically and dynamically segment your contacts by their unique interests, their stage in the buying journey and their readiness to buy. It’s a bit like going from grayscale to a rainbow of contacts that each fit in their own ribbon of color. Contacts fit nicely into their own compartments. With an easier way of keeping your contacts organized, you can deliver more strategic, organized communication, increasing engagement. Build Better Relationships with Customers and Prospects This new year, many of us are striving to put away distractions - like our smart phones and tablets - and put more time into building better relationships with the people who really matter. While you may think that marketing automation is just one more technology that separates us from the people we... --- ### The Last Minute List: 5 Ways to Give the “Perfect” Gift this Christmas > There’s only one week until Christmas and if you are like most holiday gift givers you’re probably waiting to the last minute, struggling to find that - Published: 2014-12-18 - Modified: 2024-02-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/last-minute-list-5-ways-give-perfect-gift-christmas/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: christmas, gifts, holiday, small business There’s only one week until Christmas and if you are like most holiday gift givers you’re probably waiting to the last minute, struggling to find that perfect gift for that loved one or coworker this time of year. Let me guess - another pair of socks? A gift card? Or how about another necklace for the wife? Before you throw the towel in and go to the old stand-bys, it’s not too late to boycott the traditional go-to presents and give the perfect gift this year. In his transformational book, “The 5 Love Languages” Gary Chapman talks about how everyone feels loved (valued) in the following ways: Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch. You, your family, friends, and coworkers can take the test here. I recommend it to anyone wanting to master the holidays and have an A-plus relationship with family members, friends and coworkers. For instance, if your primary “love language” is receiving gifts, getting another thoughtless gift - like pair of gold toe socks - can really deflate your love tank this time of year. Also, because your love language is receiving gifts, you’re probably an awesome giver, showing love to others by giving great gifts (You know who you are. Everyone in your office always wants to get your gift during the white elephant exchange at the company Christmas party) But what if your spouse or son’s primary love language is quality time? Maybe all they want for Christmas is... --- ### Entrepreneurs Share Their Secret Sauce in Hatchbuck’s #FirstBuckStory Contest > What does it take to be successful as an entrepreneur? 12 of our small business contestants in our First Buck Stories contest shared their achievements and advice to their fellow entrepreneurs. - Published: 2014-12-17 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/entrepreneurs-share-secret-sauce-hatchbucks-firstbuckstory-contest/ - Categories: Small Business What does it take to be successful as an entrepreneur? 12 of our small business contestants in our First Buck Stories contest shared their achievements and advice to their fellow entrepreneurs. What does it take to be successful as an entrepreneur? 12 of our small business contestants in our First Buck Stories contest talked about how they got their start and what keeps them going as entrepreneurs. Here are some awesome takeaways: Age doesn’t matter. “If you have something that you think is a good idea, then you should go for it, especially when you’re young, but even if you’re old... it’s an opportunity to make a difference,” says Mark of Displays That Pay. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. “If we could just make a swimsuit that fits, we’d have a goldmine,” was the idea that kicked-off Lori Coulter’s swimwear and apparel line. That idea turned into a presentation, then a business plan, and eventually Lori’s first check from an order with Macy’s. Lori’s competition is fierce in the fashion industry but she perseveres to continue doing what she loves. Have fun with it. Steve Ewing of Steve’s Hot Dogs made his first buck with his band, the Urge. He had the idea of selling hotdogs so he bought a hotdog stand and hopped off stage after a show, and then started cooking and selling them to the attendees. He encourages entrepreneurs to “take your time, find out what it is that you want to do, and develop it by actually having fun with it. ” “Take a class, meet new people, try something new” with Dabble if you’re looking for inspiration to become an entrepreneur. Being around others who... --- ### 2015 Small Biz Trend - Social Media Drives Your Spending > Build conversation around your brand on social to utilize social buying buttons on social media in 2015. Learn how this new “buying” power will be able to help small businesses provide a more human experience. - Published: 2014-12-11 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/2015-small-biz-trend-social-media-drives-spending/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business Build conversation around your brand on social to utilize social buying buttons on social media in 2015. Learn how this new “buying” power will be able to help small businesses provide a more human experience. As you make your marketing plans for 2015, don’t forget to allocate budget to social media. In 2014, both Facebook and Twitter began testing “buy” buttons, making it simple for social media users to buy products and services in a couple of clicks without leaving the platform. This update is actually a really exciting opportunity for small businesses, who have dedicated time and resources to building a presence on social media, but are often left scratching their heads when it comes to, “How is social media driving ROI for my business? ” Buying products straight from a social media feed builds on another trend in 2015 - adding the human touch back to marketing. Here’s how this new “buying” power will be able to help small businesses provide a more human experience: Instant social recommendations mean that consumers will be able to buy from small businesses that their friends and peers are liking and buying from. With small business marketing automation technology, small businesses will be able to nurture new customers automatically, introducing them to a personalized selection of more products and services. Like social media ads, small businesses will be able to target “buy” posts to their ideal buyer - offering the right products and services to the right type of buyer. While Facebook and Twitter “buy” technology has only been rolled out to a handful of small businesses, you can bet it’s coming, and can prepare your small business in the meantime. Brand awareness is going to tie... --- ### Marketing: Connecting People & Ideas > A Guest Post by Eric McCarty of ITD Interactive Let’s whittle “marketing” down to its lowest common denominator. What is this marketing business about, - Published: 2014-12-03 - Modified: 2014-12-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-connecting-people-ideas/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: content marketing, inbound marketing, infographic, Small Business Marketing A Guest Post by Eric McCarty of ITD Interactive Let’s whittle “marketing” down to its lowest common denominator. What is this marketing business about, at its core? Every marketing endeavor, regardless of which form it takes, is about connecting people and ideas. You have a product or service that makes another person’s life better. That is, in its purest form, an idea. In marketing, you need to plant that idea, that knowledge of a potentially improved life, into the mind of your prospect. How Thoughts Became Chicken Sandwiches The first best-selling “self help” book ever published (over 10 million copies) – Think And Grow Rich – had this message at its core: thoughts are things. They are real. Though you cannot touch them or hold them, they are capable of changing people’s lives and producing things that you can touch and hold. Ever enjoyed a Chic-Fil-A sandwich? You can thank, in part, Andrew Carnegie, the steel industry magnate who commissioned Napoleon Hill to interview the world’s leaders and write Think And Grow Rich. Truett Cathy read the book and said it influenced him to help build Chic-Fil-A. Carnegie’s thoughts influenced Hill’s thoughts which gave Cathy ideas and, voila, you enjoy a chicken sandwich. Thoughts turned into things. Notice that there were real people involved in this process. Truett Cathy read the book because of the people who were interviewed for it and because Carnegie commissioned it. He had trust in those names. Names Names Names Trust in people goes a... --- ### 4 Quick Tips for a Thanksgiving You Won't Forget > Thanksgiving kicks of the start of the holiday season. Tomorrow many of us around this great nation will celebrate turkey day with family and loved ones - Published: 2014-11-26 - Modified: 2016-06-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-tips-make-thanksgiving-memorable/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: email template, holiday, Thanksgiving Thanksgiving kicks of the start of the holiday season. Tomorrow many of us around this great nation will celebrate turkey day with family and loved ones and dig into that turkey feast. Oh and don’t forget Grandma Ruth’s famous pumpkin pie. It’s one of my favorite holidays, I love the smell of the bird cooking in the morning and all of the long standing family traditions. Check this out you’ll see what I mean: I do love the tasty food but the real reason I love Thanksgiving is because it is a time to truly reflect and give thanks for the blessings in my life. Thanksgiving lands every year on the 4th Thursday of the month but it wasn’t always that way. Our great leader and president, Abraham Lincoln, proclaimed the date to be the final Thursday in November in an attempt to unite and bring healing to our great nation. We now celebrate “Turkey Day” as a day set aside for coming together, reflection and giving thanks. So in that light I thought I would share a few tips to help make this year’s Thanksgiving the most memorable one yet: Give Thanksgiving is a time to remember what is most important in your life and your work. It helps you to reflect on the things most precious to you. Winston Churchhill said it best: “We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give” This holiday, find a cause you can truly... --- ### Celebrate Achievements With Milestones > Amplify your successful small business moments with Facebook Milestones. Don't know how or what to post? We have you covered. - Published: 2014-11-04 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/celebrate-achievements-milestones/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business - Tags: facebook, Social Media Amplify your successful small business moments with Facebook Milestones. Don't know how or what to post? We have you covered. A great way to step back and recognize your achievements is through social media. As a small business owner, you’re hustling to get as much done in a day so it’s hard to celebrate those achievements and goals you have met. Facebook has a cool, underused feature that can help you document and showcase your achievements in a simple, easy way: Milestones. Here’s how simple it is to upload your Milestones to Facebook: Step One: Go to your Facebook page. Step Two: In the section that Facebook asks you “What have you been up to? ” and where you type out your status, there are three tabs in that box. Click “Offer, Event +” Step Three: Select Milestone Step Four: Complete the form (don’t forget to add a bit of background in the story section & a photo! ) and be sure to keep ‘Hide from News Feed’ unchecked! Publish! Milestones can serve as a post in your social strategy to increase engagement! Your milestones will show in your About section under Life Events. You can use this as a quick reference and a source of inspiration to see how far you have come with your business! Add your milestones to Facebook when you complete a large goal such as earning your first buck and other big events. Other great milestones ideas are highlighting when your rockstar employees came on board, when you hit your 10th, 100th, and 10,000th customer, facelifts to your company with rebranding, and the launch of... --- ### What's Your #FirstBuckStory? Share it with us for a Chance to Win a $25,000 Marketing Makeover. > For entrepreneurs and business owners, it all starts with that first buck. Maybe it was the first buck you made on your paper route as a kid that enticed - Published: 2014-10-23 - Modified: 2014-10-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/whats-firstbuckstory-share-us-chance-win-25000-marketing-makeover/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: #firstbuckstory, first buck, first buck stories, small business For entrepreneurs and business owners, it all starts with that first buck. Maybe it was the first buck you made on your paper route as a kid that enticed you to pave your own way. Maybe it was your business's first customer - the one who validated your idea and brought to fruition all of the blood, sweat and tears you'd put into your company in one triumphant sale. Which ever first buck you hold the most dear, we want to hear about it! It's Time to Celebrate the First Buck See, we know that as an entrepreneur or small business owner, you’re always looking ahead with your sites on the next horizon. You don’t always take the time to stop and celebrate those small, but significant milestones, like the first buck. That’s why Hatchbuck has launched First Buck Stories. First Buck Stories is partially a contest, but more than that, it's a social movement to encourage entrepreneurs to share stories about what motivated them to become entrepreneurs, how they made their first sale, and what inspires them to keep moving forward. As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to feel like you’re on an island. But the more we reach out and share where we started, how we faced challenges and how we thrived, the more we can learn from each other and push each other to succeed. Share. Vote. Win. To get the conversation around the first buck started, we’re calling all entrepreneurs and business owners to share a video... --- ### Fall is for Community > Fall is for small business. Fall is for community. Fall is for magic and spirit and joy. Start building a community during the best season of the year! - Published: 2014-10-10 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/fall-community/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: community, fall, seasonal, small business Fall is for small business. Fall is for community. Fall is for magic and spirit and joy. Start building a community during the best season of the year! Fall is for small business. Fall is for community. Fall is for magic and spirit and joy. When fall kicks in, there is magic in the air. Green leaves have soaked up enough color from the hot, summer sun to change hues, harvest moons are the sign for the last of the crops to come in before winter, and the air gets comfortably crisp. There’s a communal sense about as everyone preps for the winter - to soak up the last bits of fresh air. Vacations are over and it’s time to be as productive as possible. The best part of fall traditions is that we all help each other out. Transition seasons are our favorites at Hatchbuck... spring is the time for growth and fall is for productivity. Work hard and have fun is a strong fall theme and a Hatchbuck core value. By working together to get the ‘harvest’ taken care of, we can then sit back and reap the rewards of our hard work. Apple picking, pumpkin patches, canning parties, Oktoberfest are all celebrations of the labor that began in the spring but also continuing to prepare for the winter. There is beauty in the fall because it’s a celebration of the hard work that was put into the summer months but still wrapping up those rewards. Slowly, we’ll switch gears after this month to reward ourselves and others during the holidays and thank those that helped us prosper during the year. Make a difference! The first... --- ### The White Paper - A Cornerstone of Marketing Automation > When it comes to marketing automation, content is key to attracting new prospects and nurturing them through the sales process. A white paper is one of - Published: 2014-10-03 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/white-paper-cornerstone-marketing-automation/ - Categories: Marketing Automation - Tags: content marketing, Marketing Automation, white paper When it comes to marketing automation, content is key to attracting new prospects and nurturing them through the sales process. A white paper is one of the primary building blocks of your marketing automation strategy. Here’s how white papers fit into marketing automation, and how to build one: Attract New Prospects Marketing automation uses online forms to capture information about the leads that are visiting your website via search engines, online ads, and social media properties. However, most people don’t just offer up their name and email address online without getting something in return. Offering a white paper on your website creates a give/get scenario. You can give your audience a great white paper that will educate them on an challenge and it’s solution. In return, they’ll give up their credentials, like name, email address, title, company size and other information. You get a new lead. Nurture Prospects Leads generated through inbound marketing are extremely valuable. By downloading your resource, they’ve raised their hand and said, “Hey, I’ve got a problem you can help me with! ” Once you’ve collected information about a contact through an online form submission for a white paper you’ve offered on your site, you have a fresh new lead. The worst thing to do would be to let that lead sit on the sidelines, waiting for them to come back to your site on their own, or putting them on your generic email blast list. Instead, marketing automation nurtures these leads with relevant content until... --- ### 4 Reasons Marketing Automation Helps Businesses Be More (Not Less) Human > Marketing automation software actually helps businesses be MORE human. Take a look at these 4 reasons why - Published: 2014-09-24 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-for-humans/ - Categories: Marketing Automation - Tags: Marketing Automation Marketing automation doesn’t suck the human element out of your marketing. In fact, it augments it by giving owners and marketers better information about their prospects so that they can get into real, authentic conversations. With marketing automation, you don’t eliminate the human relationship with your prospects and customers - you can actually strengthen it. Here’s how: Turns Handshakes into Conversations When you meet someone for the first time, it’s customary to give them a handshake (or a high-five if you’re on the Hatchbuck team). In our increasingly digital and global economy, your website is often the first interaction someone will have with your business - it’s like a handshake with new prospects. But where does your relationship go from there? In the physical world, you’d introduce yourselves, exchange business cards and have a brief conversation, advancing your relationship. Marketing automation does the same thing. A prospect visits your site. If you’ve caught their attention, they’ll leave their credentials behind by filling out an online form. Then, you can send them an introduction email, and track their visit the next time they come to your site. Without the ability to collect those important contact details, it would be as if you’d never met. Helps You Get to Know One Another So you’ve met your new prospects, and got the conversation rolling. As they continue to interact with your brand, you’ll have a better idea of what types of content they find the most engaging. You’ll learn more about their challenges... --- ### Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day! > Avast! All ye small business owners are pirates and rebels, savvy? Throw up your jolly rogers and celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day! - Published: 2014-09-19 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/happy-talk-like-pirate-day/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: small business Avast! All ye small business owners are pirates and rebels, savvy? Throw up your jolly rogers and celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day! “It's better to be a pirate than to join the Navy” - Steve Jobs Small business owners are pirates and rebels. We don’t accept the status quo and we set out on our own paths. This doesn't necessarily mean we’re lawbreakers but we are troublemakers. Without a little disruption, we wouldn't have the internet, smart phones, or even the United States of America. This country wasn't built for big business but rather a community of people sticking it to The Man working together to actualize their ideas. That’s why we are recognizing Talk Like a Pirate Day... just another excuse to celebrate small business owners with big dreams and the wind in their sails. Ahoy, me Hearties! Would ye like t’learn how t’talk like a pirate? All hand hoay! - All hands on deck Batten down the hatches! - Put everything away on the ship and tie everything down because a storm is brewing... that’s a metaphor and as a small business owner, I think you know what it means ;) Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! - Pull up the anchor and the sail and let's get going! Walk the plank! - Punishment for bad email marketing. The consequence is a visit to Davy Jones' Locker! Davy Jones' Locker – Where your business could go when things make a turn for the worse Scallywag – Your competitor Hornswaggle – What your competitors do Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! --- ### Marketing to Millennials > Stuck trying to figure out how to market your small business to millennials? Observe music festivals for best practices, branch out your social channels, and creating a visual content strategy to tap into the next generational gold mine. - Published: 2014-09-12 - Modified: 2016-06-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-millennials/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: instagram, millennials, Segmentation, small business, Social Media Stuck trying to figure out how to market your small business to millennials? Observe music festivals for best practices, branch out your social channels, and creating a visual content strategy to tap into the next generational gold mine. This past weekend, a few of us from Hatchbuck attended a local music festival, Loufest, filled with great music, local beer, delectable food, perfect weather, and a swarm of millennials. Festivals are sensory overload and an experience that lives on with the attendee. I’ll never forget the colors and friendly warmth of Coachella, the torrential down pour that always occurs during Lollapalooza, or 3 days on the beach. However, when you really get down to it, how is one festival any different than the next on the business end? If anyone tells you that the music industry is dead, they aren’t paying attention to these festivals popping up all over the country. Here are a few things that I believe small business can learn from these millennial playgrounds: Great Visual Content Millennials love pretty pictures. Instagram and Tumblr are for millennials which are both the social channels designed for visual content. Check out the full Millennials and Social Media infographic from Marketing Strategies. Instagram is an excellent channel to start with because users aren’t as guarded as they are on Facebook and it’s easier to create a successful strategy. Your visual content strategy will lead to your success on this social channel. Use Instagram to showcase and tell the story of your brand. Here are a couple examples of a few brands I follow on Instagram: Coca-Cola Coca-Cola is a great example because they are clever and creative while making it looks so easy. Not much else needs to be... --- ### Marketing Campaign Lessons from the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge > To make your marketing campaign a success, make sure you keep it simple and have a strong, strong message like the ALS ice bucket challenge. - Published: 2014-08-27 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-lessons-als-ice-bucket-challenge/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business - Tags: als ice bucket challenge, campaigns, marketing, marketing campaigns, measure, social The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is the type of campaign marketers dream of - a viral, revenue-producing campaign that has everyone talking about your brand. While you may not come up with the next Ice Bucket Challenge, you can run with a few key takeaways to make sure your next marketing campaign is a success. Simplicity is Key. There is no secret formula for making something go viral - often it’s a perfect storm of creativity, influence and current events that boil down to the perfect recipe for an infectious campaign. But you have to start somewhere on your quest to reach more people with your message, so start with simplicity. The ALS challenge is super simple to understand and act upon, so that anyone, and everyone, can participate. Audit your next marketing or social media campaign for ease of use and eliminate any unnecessary steps that may hinder involvement. Influence is Everything. Former Boston College baseball captain, Pete Frates, is credited with helping the Ice Bucket Challenge go viral. Frates, who is battling ALS, participated in the challenge, and his connections in the sports world took it from there. Since then, global celebrities like Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey have participated in the challenge, using their star power as a platform to reach millions of people with the campaign. Before you launch your marketing campaign, think about how you can rally the influencers in your network to participate so you can get the most leverage... --- ### Leadership, Customer Service, Small Business and Scalability > How to scale your small business to build a culture of customer service, leadership and servant leadership. - Published: 2014-08-15 - Modified: 2022-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/leadership-customer-service-small-business-scalability/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: growth, scalability, small business With a scalable process and a scalable culture, your small business doesn’t have to worry if a customer gets a hold of the CEO or the newest employee. Everyone delivers, so you can maintain the level of service your customers love you for, while expanding your reach and growing your customer base. Today, Jonathan, our CMO & CSO, was helping out a team member and made a follow-up call to an opportunity in our pipeline. It struck me that we are fortunate at BenchmarkONE to work with leaders who drive home the idea that true leaders don’t just lead, they serve. At BenchmarkONE, we know that our leaders are always willing to roll up their sleeves and pitch in so we can achieve the important objective we’re passionate about solving every day - helping small businesses to grow. It also brought up another truth: Scalability is everything if you want to grow. Jonathan is phenomenally passionate and knowledgeable about our product and our space. If he could speak to each and every small business that raised their hand to learn more about BenchmarkONE, he would. But that’s not realistic, and if that were our business model, we could never grow. Scalable Process As soon as he hung up, Jonathan put notes into BenchmarkONE and assigns the opportunity to one of our sales reps. They’ll follow up to walk the prospect through BenchmarkONE to make sure it’s the right fit and close the deal. Everyone, from the tippy-top of our company to each marketer, BDR and sales rep knows our process. So as we continue to add new team members and grow, the small businesses we touch can continue to get the same great customer service experience that they’ve come to expect. The beauty of small business is that we’re close to our... --- ### The Hidden Superpowers of Small Biz > Fewer employees and fewer resources aren’t disadvantages, but rather superpowers that help small businesses do great things, and do them better than their larger counterparts. - Published: 2014-08-07 - Modified: 2014-08-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hidden-superpowers-small-biz/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: small business Fewer employees and fewer resources aren’t disadvantages, but rather superpowers that help small businesses do great things, and do them better than their larger counterparts. You may have read Elizabeth Gilbert’s book, Eat, Pray, Love, and if you haven’t, you probably know several people that have. But this story starts before Gilbert became a best-selling author. At first, Gilbert wrote for magazines. In an interview with Jesse Thorn, Gilbert talks about traveling the world alone as a young female journalist. The perception is that it’s dangerous for women to travel alone. However, Gilbert points out that she had an advantage - no one was afraid of her. With the advantage of not being feared, Gilbert had the opportunity to get stories that her male counterpart couldn’t get. While a strange man can seem threatening in some situations, people let Gilbert - a stranger to them - hold their babies and come into their homes during her travels. Being a bit vulnerable turned out to be a big advantage for a journalist trying to get the scoop. “I’m vulnerable because I am a woman,” Gilbert says, “but I have a superpower that is no one fears me. ” Gilbert’s take on hidden superpowers actually got me thinking about the vulnerabilities-turned-superpowers that come along with being a small business. Small businesses can seem vulnerable because they have less capital, less employees, less time. But these vulnerable spots actually give small businesses some unique advantages. Small Biz Superpower: Fewer Employees While big corporations have big payrolls, more bodies in seats doesn't always correlate with being more effective. Small businesses have plenty advantages by running lean: Employees are treated... --- ### Cultivating Ripe Sales Leads: Lead Nurturing Strategies for Small Business > Are you lead nurturing or lead smothering? Cultivate ripe sales leads with information at the right time and increase your chance at the sale. - Published: 2014-07-31 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-lead-nurturing/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: Lead Generation, lead nurturing, Segmentation Not all of your sales leads are ripe enough to convert to customers right now - but someday, a lot of them will be ready to be harvested (according to Gleanster Research, that number is around 50%). Will your business be poised to reap the benefits? Maybe you’ve over-watered a perfectly good tomato plant and watched it shrivel up and drown. Or maybe an overdose of fertilizer has burnt up your yard. Whether it’s water or plant food, too much of a good thing can be, well, bad. See, in nature (and in sales), there’s a fine line between nurturing and smothering. A little TLC can create a flourishing environment, while too much fuss can stifle growth. Not all of your sales leads are ripe enough to convert to customers right now - but someday, a lot of them will be ready to be harvested (according to Gleanster Research, that number is around 50%) Will your business be poised to reap the benefits? With a balanced lead nurturing strategy, you can. Lead nurturing engages contacts with relevant, personalized content over a period of time until they are ready to buy. By sending digestible nuggets of information that strike a chord with their needs, you’ll build credibility over time. But just like too much fertilizer will burn up a plant, dumping too much knowledge on your contacts can cause information overload, spurring potential leads to pull the plug on your relationship. The Old School Sales Process - A Lead Landfill In a lot of businesses, marketing acquires leads from sources like list rentals, pay-per-click campaigns, tradeshows and other sources, then tosses them right over the fence to sales. Sales picks out the choice leads to try to close. Though many leads will be well qualified to buy,... --- ### Lead Nurturing Starts with Segmentation > Segmentation of your customers and web visitors helps send more targeted email and offers and helps nurture leads with what they care about. - Published: 2014-07-21 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lead-nurturing-starts-segmentation/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: lead nurturing, personas, Segmentation In gift-giving, and in marketing, there’s no one-size-fits all solution. Just like an ill-received gift, a generic email blast is going to end up in the trash. Even though it’s July, I can’t help but have the winter holidays on my mind. It’s not that I’m itching to sing Christmas carols, or can’t wait to shovel snow. It’s that I'd like a relaxing holiday that doesn’t involve navigating icy mall parking lots at the last minute, or ringing up staggering rush shipping charges. You see, it takes time to find the perfect gift for each special someone on your list. It would be much simpler if you could just buy 25 pairs of lipstick red Isotoners in a ladies size small and call it a day. But imagine the holiday woes. Your teenage nephew would scoff, and your kids would probably cry. Even your aunt might be hurt that you didn’t remember that her favorite color is lilac, not red. Let’s face it, most of your fuzzy glove gifts will find their way to the Goodwill bin or the trash. In gift-giving, and in marketing, there’s no one-size-fits all solution. Just like an ill-received gift, a generic email blast is going to end up in the trash. That’s where segmentation comes in. Organizing your prospects by their unique preferences helps you tailor your message to their needs. It’s kind of like getting your aunt the right size slippers in her favorite shade of purple. It shows you care, and shows you can be trusted. For prospects, sending messaging that fits them like a glove keeps them engaged with you until they are ready to buy. So how... --- ### Be a Door Opener: Lead Generation Basics for Small Business > Use these lead generation basics and e a door opener for your customers. Leveraging web forms and more helps leads become customers. - Published: 2014-06-26 - Modified: 2016-11-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/door-opener-lead-generation-basics-small-business/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: lead capture, lead gen, Lead Generation Do you hold the elevator door open, or frantically push the close button as you see others approach? As Hatchbuckers, we try to be door-openers - not door closers. You’re probably a door-opener, too. But when small business build websites, they don’t always think about opening their virtual door for leads that visit their site. You work hard to get the word out about your brand and to drive traffic to your website through: Social Media Online Ads Direct Mail Print Ads Blogging Networking Events So the next time you think about website optimization or redesign, ask yourself: How can we hold the door open for online leads? Letting web traffic bounce from your site and leave without a trace is like slamming the door shut on a window shopper. You’ll never know who they are, or what challenges your business could help them solve. If you don’t have a way to identify interested site visitors, you’re missing a big opportunity to generate new leads. Lead Generation Forms One mistake we see a lot of business websites make is an absence of lead generation forms. Lead generation forms invite prospects to learn more by offering something of value in exchange for a few contact details so that you can assist them down the line. For example, if you sell eco-friendly cleaning products, your best customer might be interested in eliminating toxins from their environment. You can offer a report, like “10 Shocking Toxic Chemicals Haunting Your Home. ” When a... --- ### A Dad's Life > As Father’s Day approaches, I can’t help but think of where we would be without the wisdom, support, and inspiration from our fathers. More than anyone other influence in our lives, at an early age dads shape the leadership DNA within us that enables us to mentor and grow our own families, businesses and communities. - Published: 2014-06-13 - Modified: 2016-06-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/dads-life/ - Categories: Leadership - Tags: advice, dads, fathers day As Father’s Day approaches, I can’t help but think of where we would be without the wisdom, support, and inspiration from our fathers. More than anyone other influence in our lives, at an early age dads shape the leadership DNA within us that enables us to mentor and grow our own families, businesses and communities. As Father’s Day approaches, I can’t help but think of where we would be without the wisdom, support, and inspiration from our fathers. More than anyone other influence in our lives, at an early age dads shape the leadership DNA within us that enables us to mentor and grow our own families, businesses and communities. It’s really not until I became a dad myself, that I fully gained perspective on the sacrifices, life lessons, and the little things Dads do to mold and shape the lives of others around them. Check out this video and I think you will see what I mean: https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=DOKuSQIJlog So on a more serious note, I thought I would reflect back on my own life growing up and share just 5 of the many life lessons that my Dad has passed on and how it has shaped me into the Dad and leader I am today: Being a dad means LEADING: When you wake up every day someone is following you (well, not in a creepy kind of way). In every situation you have a chance to LEAD and shape someone’s path for the better. “Being a dad and a leader is a gift and an honor, don’t take that responsible lightly” my dad would say. At times as a dad, an entrepreneur, or even a boss, people will follow you by what you do and not by what you say. Make your actions and your word count. Being a dad means... --- ### How to Stay In the Inbox and Out of the Spam Folder > Ready to send a bulk email to your list? Well, before you press send, we need to have “the talk.” You may have the best intention of sending helpful, informative correspondence to your contacts. But if it starts to resemble the profile of spam in anyway (even accidentally), your email reputation takes a hit. - Published: 2014-06-09 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/stay-inbox-spam-folder/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: Email Marketing, inbox, spam, spam folder Ready to send a bulk email to your list? Well, before you press send, we need to have “the talk.” You may have the best intention of sending helpful, informative correspondence to your contacts. But if it starts to resemble the profile of spam in anyway (even accidentally), your email reputation takes a hit. Ready to send a bulk email to your list? Well, before you press send, we need to have “the talk. ” The internet is actually just like high school. Your reputation always precedes you - and it means everything. Sure, you may be a straight-A student taking the right extracurriculars. But as soon as you sit at the wrong lunch table or go to the wrong party, your status takes a hit. It doesn’t take long for crummy associations to stick, damaging your sterling reputation for the rest of your high school career. It’s not always fair, but that’s how it works. Spam filters are like that, too. You may have the best intention of sending helpful, informative correspondence to your contacts. But if it starts to resemble the profile of spam in anyway (even accidentally), your email reputation takes a hit. Here’s How Email Works Your email resides on an email server. For example, if you have a gmail email address, then your email resides on gmail’s servers. When you send an email, your email server delivers your message to the recipient’s email server. It is the recipient’s email server that decides whether to deliver the email to their inbox, stick it in the junk folder, or not even deliver it at all. Email servers are picky - only about 80% of email actually makes it to the inbox. Now, when you send one-off emails from your personal or business email account, they will most likely make it to... --- ### Modern Marketing is Inbound Marketing > Traditionally, outbound marketing methods have worked well, but the landscape has changed. Today, Inbound marketing allows marketers to education and engage with consumers, nurturing them until they are ready to buy. - Published: 2014-06-02 - Modified: 2016-06-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/difference-traditional-modern-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: inbound marketing, modern marketing, outbound marketing, traditional marketing Traditionally, outbound marketing methods have worked well, but the landscape has changed. Today, Inbound marketing allows marketers to education and engage with consumers, nurturing them until they are ready to buy. Maybe you have tried outbound marketing methods such as cold calling, direct mail or advertising to reach prospective customers and haven’t seen the results you would like. While these outbound methods have their place, they are becoming less effective as a stand-alone strategy. Outbound marketing methods used to work. Consumers had fewer choices of what they could purchase and how they could purchase it. They couldn't go to Amazon to buy organic toothpaste in bulk. Instead they were restricted to the choices at the corner store. In traditional scenarios, marketers drove the conversation. They controlled the market, the message, and the channels. But things have changed... Today, consumers are driving the conversation and have a plethora of options when it comes to buying products and services. There are infinite channels through which we get information. We are no longer limited to traditional media, like television, print ads and radio. Because of the explosion of channels, it's more and more difficult for marketers to interject their message without getting tuned out. Voltier Digital recently reported that, on average: 86% of people skip through television commercials 44% of direct mail is never opened 200 million Americans have registered their phone numbers on the FTC’s “Do Not Call List” Why? First, people don’t want to be interrupted in the middle of their busy day with pushy sales and marketing tactics from a business they don’t know or trust. Secondly, the growth of the internet has changed the game, forever. Did you know that... --- ### Who’s it From? Five Questions to Ask to Increase Email Opens. > Does your From Address shout, “Open Me, I’m Important!” or does it scream, “Proceed with Caution!”? It’s worth taking a second glance to make sure that your emails are delivered and opened. - Published: 2014-05-19 - Modified: 2021-07-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/whos-five-questions-ask-increase-email-opens/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: deliverability, Email Marketing, email opens, from address, open rate, spam Does your From Address shout, “Open Me, I’m Important!” or does it scream, “Proceed with Caution!”? It’s worth taking a second glance to make sure that your emails are delivered and opened. When an email hits an inbox, there are two elements that are integral to the email being opened: 1. A compelling subject line. 2. A trustworthy from address. Subject lines get a lot of attention in the world of digital marketing, but the “from” field is just as important in getting your marketing email from “sent” to “opened. ” Have you ever received an email that looked like a garbled mess of letters and numbers, or a suspicious sounding domain? A from address like that automatically signals to you, “SPAM” and “DELETE. ” If you want to stay out of the virtual trash bin, it’s worth taking a few moments to ask yourself five important questions about your from address before launching your next marketing email. Is the From Name Friendly? Every email address has a human-friendly name that lets the recipient know who the email is from, like “ABC Company” or “Jane Smith. ” While this may seem like a no-brainer, it’s worth taking a minute to check the name associated with your email address. For example, if all of your prospecting emails come from a sales person’s email address, using their name instead of your company name might be a friendlier way to reach potential customers. Is the From Address Familiar? Every email address is made up of a username and a domain name: user@domain. extension. This is the format we expect, and a garbled username or uncommon extension is all it takes set of our internal “spam”... --- ### Content Grid: What to Send and When to Send It > Part of a great personalized email campaign is knowing what types of content to send throughout a campaign as your audience travels down the sales funnel. Here is a handy grid to help visualize what to send to your contacts, and when to send it. - Published: 2014-05-08 - Modified: 2016-06-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/content-grid-send-send/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: content, content grid, content marketing, email best practices, email campaigns, Email Marketing Part of a great personalized email campaign is knowing what types of content to send throughout a campaign as your audience travels down the sales funnel. Here is a handy grid to help visualize what to send to your contacts, and when to send it. Part of a great personalized email campaign is knowing what types of content to send throughout a campaign as your audience travels down the sales funnel. Here is a handy grid to help visualize what to send to your contacts, and when to send it. You don't need every type of content on the grid, but working toward a good mix of content for each stage of the sales funnel will help you fuel email marketing campaigns that raise awareness of your brand, deliver resources to prospects, help opportunities evaluate your product or service, and keep customers engaged. (p. s. Don't forget that you don't have to create every piece of content on your own. Supplementing email campaigns with curated content can also add value to your audience. ) --- ### To Create or Curate? Content that Feeds Your Email Marketing Campaigns. > Creating your own content is extremely valuable, but can be time consuming. Don’t be afraid to supplement the content you've created with awesome third party resources. Your audience will love seeing something fresh, inspiring, entertaining or educational, and you’ll gain a bit of good karma by sharing in today's social economy. - Published: 2014-05-01 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/create-curate-question/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: content, curate, email campaigns, Email Marketing Creating your own content is extremely valuable, but can be time consuming. Don’t be afraid to supplement the content you've created with awesome third party resources. Your audience will love seeing something fresh, inspiring, entertaining or educational, and you’ll gain a bit of good karma by sharing in today's social economy. Your small but mighty business is running a tight ship. You know that content helps to entertain your audience, educate prospects, and convert opportunities into customers, but not many small businesses have resources that can be completely dedicated to creating content. When our small business customers think about sending an email marketing campaign, they often feel overwhelmed by producing enough content to power their email marketing. But feeding your email marketing engine can actually be pretty simple. Here are a few tips on what to create and what to curate: What to Create: Repurpose existing assets. Some content is evergreen and never goes out of style. Recycle your existing content to expand your content library. Combine 10 related blog posts into an ebook. Break up a guide or report into 10 new blog posts. Upload an existing presentation to SlideShare. Reimagine print material like brochures, handouts and packets into online presentations, articles, and guides. Customer stories. Your best customers are advocates of your brand who want to help you succeed. Interview your customers for powerful collateral you can share with your prospects. Ask how your business has impacted your customer for a compelling case study. Ask your customer how they have tackled a problem that your audience faces for an easy how-to article. Survey results. It’s the age of big data, and we love using data to draw conclusions and to back up opinions. Send out a quick poll to check the pulse of your audience and write up a... --- ### Three Tips for Email Marketing that Creates Customers > Today's consumer is desensitized to generalized batch & blast email. A more effective approach to email marketing is to create a pitch with a single call to action that speaks to a potential customer's interests and their place in the sales funnel. - Published: 2014-04-24 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/three-tips-email-marketing-creates-customers/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: call to action, Email Marketing, email tips Today's consumer is desensitized to generalized batch & blast email. A more effective approach to email marketing is to create a pitch with a single call to action that speaks to a potential customer's interests and their place in the sales funnel. We know that email is a primary channel for revenue. So how can you maximize the effectiveness of your email marketing to produce more customers so your business can grow? Speak to the needs of your prospects: Segmenting prospects by their interests helps to deliver personalized messaging that potential customers can relate to. To engage prospects, uncover their unique challenges and provide them with a solution. Example: You are a real estate agent and your customers’ pain-points include determining how much they can afford. You provide a mortgage calculator on your website, and drive your prospects there through email. By helping your prospects answer a question or overcome a challenge, you add value and increase awareness of your brand. Evaluate your prospects’ place in the sales funnel: A prospect who is just browsing has a different set of priorities than a prospect who is ready to buy. Serve up helpful, value-added content at the awareness level, and save the feature and benefit comparisons for hot leads in the buying stage. Example: A prospect in the awareness stage is just beginning to research buying a new home. They aren’t sure what they can afford. A mortgage calculator is valuable at this stage. Down the line, they determine their price range and are ready to shop. At this stage, sending home listings in their price range keeps them engaged. Finally, they find the right home and are ready to buy. Resources that help them secure financing are going to be of the... --- ### Turning the St. Louis Startup Scene into Reality > The St. Louis startup scene has been growing and growing. Hear how local resources have started making this dream a reality. - Published: 2014-04-18 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/using-strong-local-resources-turn-st-louiss-tech-hub-aspirations-reality/ - Categories: Leadership - Tags: local, st. louis, startup, stl The city of St. Louis and the surrounding region has continued to build up a vibrant startup community over the past decade. Today we have the same catalysts in place that helped launch Colorado’s thriving startup success. A recent article in Fortune asks if St. Louis can become the next tech hub. At Hatchbuck, we certainly think so, and being fresh back from visiting an area that has exploded on the tech scene, Denver and Boulder, I can’t help but draw the parallels. The city of St. Louis and the surrounding region has continued to build up a vibrant startup community over the past decade. Today we have the same catalysts in place that helped launch Colorado’s thriving startup success. Supporters in the Denver and Boulder region who are invested in helping startups and the economy grow are big contributors to Colorado’s success. In a 2013 startup report, 151 Colorado startups were launched, and 122 additional companies raised $461 million in funding. What is perhaps most notable is that of the $461 million in funding, only $9 million was raised by companies outside of Colorado. The local presence of Brad Feld’s venture capital firm, Foundry Group, the Techstars accelerator which Feld founded, as well as the Galvanize incubator, are among the pillars that fuel Colorado’s digital ecosystem. Our team had the opportunity to visit Galvanize, where we soaked up the same excitement and buzz that is being generated in T-REX, the tech incubator that Hatchbuck calls home. You could feel the innovation catching on through the osmosis that occurs when ideas, capital, and vision come together in the same place. St. Louis has its own homegrown support system, including accelerators like Capital Innovators, Arch Angels, Arch Grants,... --- ### An Easy Guide to Creating Customer Personas > Personas are fictional people, but to understand their motivations and challenges, you want them to feel as real as possible. Check out the simple steps to creating an effective customer persona - workbook included! - Published: 2014-04-16 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/create-customer-personas/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: customer personas, personas, Segmentation Personas are fictional people, but to understand their motivations and challenges, you want them to feel as real as possible. Check out the simple steps to creating an effective customer persona - workbook included! Customer personas are the foundation of personalized marketing that converts. Armed with airtight personas, you can address your prospects' pain-points and tap into the motivation behind their decision to buy. Customer Persona: A fictional person, rooted in research, that represents the needs and interests of your audience. Hint: Learn why personas are an important building block for marketing in our Simple Introduction to Customer Personas. Personas are fictional people, but to understand their motivations and challenges, you want them to feel as real as possible. To build an effective persona for each segment of your audience: Create an identity. Understand their day-to-day challenges. Uncover the problems that your business can help solve. Bonus: Grab our Persona Workbook to start building your own personas. Craft an Identity Find out who your persona is and give them a backstory. Ask: What is their name? What generation are they from? What is their home life like? What is their level of education? Joe the single twenty-something is going to have different motivations than Mary the 40-something divorcée with 2. 5 kids. Construct a Day-in-the-Life Think about the routines and processes your persona embarks upon every day. Ask questions like: Where do they go every day? Do they wake up and head to the office each day? Are they the jet-setting type? How do they communicate? Do they pick up the phone and dial? Do they send out a Tweet? What is their role? Do they wear many hats each day? Are they in... --- ### A Simple Introduction to Personas > Creating personas for the main types of people in your audience helps you to address the challenges they face and understand what motivates them to buy so that you can deliver the content and messaging that helps your business to grow. - Published: 2014-04-15 - Modified: 2016-06-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/simple-introduction-personas/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: personalized content, personas Creating personas for the main types of people in your audience helps you to address the challenges they face and understand what motivates them to buy so that you can deliver the content and messaging that helps your business to grow. Imagine you’ve been asked to speak at an event to a group of 500 people. How do you engage each person in the room? If you ask a public speaking expert, they’ll likely tell you to imagine the audience naked you are having a conversation with a single person. Then, they’d suggest you make eye contact with just a handful of people in the room. By taking your communication to a personal level, everyone in the room feels like you’re speaking directly to them. Today, marketers are taking the same personalized approach. Small business customers have become desensitized to generalized, batch & blast messaging. Instead, they expect a personalized experience based on their unique agenda, obstacles and level of interest in your business. To deliver this personalized experience, you need to know your buyer so intimately that you understand their pain-points and can anticipate their needs. Personas Uncover How and Why Your Customers Buy Your target market may be hundreds, thousands, or millions of contacts. Instead of trying to formulate messaging that is generic enough to address them all, lock your sights on two or three types of people on your list. For example, if you’re an architectural firm, your target audience may be made up of general contractors, engineers, and business owners. When you segment your list by these types of leads, you are able to address them in a more personalized, engaging way. Take segmentation one step further. Personas take initial segmentation one step further by assigning an... --- ### 6 Simple Ways to Get More Mileage Out of Your Blog Post > There is no better feeling than wrapping up an interesting, funny, educational, or entertaining blog post. But don't just click "publish" and forget it. With a few extra steps, your hard work will get way more mileage, reaching a bigger audience with your brand. - Published: 2014-04-02 - Modified: 2014-04-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/6-simple-ways-get-mileage-blog-post/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: blog post, call to action, design, drip campaign, image, social media There is no better feeling than wrapping up an interesting, funny, educational, or entertaining blog post. But don't just click "publish" and forget it. With a few extra steps, your hard work will get way more mileage, reaching a bigger audience with your brand. Keeping up with your business blog isn’t easy. Even for someone like me who enjoys writing, coming up with new ideas and posting consistently is really challenging. So if you’ve conquered inertia, sat down and written a great blog post, give it the finishing touches- and the attention- that it deserves: 1. Add a great image. Whether you’re flipping through articles on Flipboard, or scrolling through your Facebook feed, you’ll find that marketing is becoming more and more visual, and a great image can help grab a reader’s attention. Here are a few ways to whip up an image for your blog post: If you’ve got an artistic side, put your graphic design skills to the test and create your own image. Sometimes a smaller canvas brings out the most creativity. You might surprise yourself. Inspiration is all around you. Grab your smartphone, snap a pic and slap a filter on it for an insta-image. Take advantage of others’ talents and search for eye-candy on Google images, Flickr and more using CreativeCommons image search. 2. Create a post excerpt. It's tempting to move onto the next thing once your post is in the can, but one tiny extra step can make a big difference in your marketing. Write a short teaser in just a couple sentences. If you already have a great lede that entices your audience to read on, you may not even have to write anything. The content is already there. 3. Add a call to action. Your... --- ### Gmail Tabs Just Got More Pinteresting > Remember when marketers everywhere panicked over Gmail’s promotions tab? Well, Google has done it again, and is taking the promotions tab one step further. - Published: 2014-03-27 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/gmail-tabs-just-got-pinteresting/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: Email Marketing, gmail tabs, personalized content, visual promotions tab Remember when marketers everywhere panicked over Gmail’s promotions tab? Well, Google has done it again, and is taking the promotions tab one step further. Remember when marketers everywhere panicked over Gmail’s promotions tab? Well, Google has done it again, and is taking the promotions tab one step further. Gmail is experimenting with a new layout that resembles Pinterest, and is turning emails into an infinite scroll of thumbnail images. Now, instead of just a subject line and from address, marketers will be able to attract attention with a compelling image right in the inbox. Google released this image to show us how: What a Visual Promotions Tab Means for You The latest development from Gmail means that there's even less room for junky, irrelevant email marketing spam. Your email content will still need to be personalized and targeted to your audience. And if your email lands in the visual promotions tab, your email image will play just as big of a role as your subject line does in getting your message opened and read. Gmail's visual promotions tab is another development stemming from the trending dominance of visual communication. The popularity of online video, infographics, Pinterest, and Instagram all point to the ability of great design to help us digest information in a noisy and complex world. Tackling images and design may sound overwhelming to small business marketers, but it’s actually a great opportunity for the SMB space. Unlike a large Fortune 500 corporation, small businesses are nimble. As a small business marketer, you can adapt quickly to changes like this one, take risks to find out what works best, and carve out an... --- ### Razor Sharp Email Nurturing - Dollar Shave Club > This is a great example of a personalized email campaign that compels customers to convert. Dollar Shave Club's call-to-action campaign gets right to the point and asks for the sale. Here's what Dollar Shave Club gets right, and how you can add these tips to your own call-to-action campaign. - Published: 2014-03-21 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-nurturing-inspiration-dollar-shave-club/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: email best practices, email nurturing, sample email campaign This is a great example of a personalized email campaign that compels customers to convert. Dollar Shave Club's call-to-action campaign gets right to the point and asks for the sale. Here's what Dollar Shave Club gets right, and how you can add these tips to your own call-to-action campaign. At Hatchbuck, we love seeing awesome email nurturing campaigns in the wild. Here is a great example of a personalized email campaign that compels customers to convert. Dollar Shave Club's call-to-action campaign cuts to the point and asks for the sale. Here's what Dollar Shave Club gets right, and how you can add these tips to your own call-to-action campaign: Segmentation This campaign speaks to those abandoned cart leads who filled out a form to sign-up, but didn't pull the trigger to make a purchase. These are super hot prospects that have already engaged with Dollar Shave Club, and liked the product enough to almost buy. Key Takeaway: When developing a call-to-action campaign that asks for the sale, hone in on your most engaged prospects. Perhaps they signed up for a free service, abandoned a shopping cart, downloaded a competitor comparison, or visited a pricing page. The more engaged they are with your brand, and further along they are in the sales process, the more receptive they'll be to this type of campaign. Single Call to Action Following best practices, there is only one path for prospects to take: sign-up/join now. Each of these emails has a single call to action that funnels prospects to the same landing page that also has a single call to action. There are no other distractions from the main intent of the email - getting prospects to convert to customers. Key Takeaway: Focus on a single call to action, whether it's to connect with... --- ### Spring Cleaning: Reorganize & Refresh Your Email Marketing > Spring is officially here, and with that comes the promise of longer days and warmer weather! Like many of you, I have spent the last few months trying to - Published: 2014-03-20 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/spring-clean-email-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: email deliverability, landing page, lead bait, surveys Spring is officially here, and with that comes the promise of longer days and warmer weather! Like many of you, I have spent the last few months trying to execute on my “New Year’s Resolutions” both personally and professionally. Unfortunately, we often fall into a rut as the winter months stick around, and we welcome the idea of spring cleaning to de-clutter our lives for the upcoming months! While you take the time to re-organize your household, I encourage you to take the same approach to your email marketing. What better time than now to reassess goals you set at the New Year and make the appropriate changes. Here are a few good places to start: Provide Surveys: What do your subscribers want to hear from you? Now is a great time to issue a survey via email or take a quick poll on social media. To encourage participation, give a fun incentive like a coupon, raffle drawing, or company swag. Renew Campaigns: The landscape of your business and the industry you serve can change quickly, making old content feel a bit stale. Revisit your campaigns and refresh your emails with your latest blog posts, offers and resources. Also take this time to incorporate the feedback from your survey into your content and email campaigns. Refresh Your Contacts: Not everyone is a good fit for your product or service, so don't take it personally when someone chooses to unsubscribe or doesn't engage with your campaigns. Take this time to remove... --- ### Beyond Email Clicks: Why Small Biz Marketers Want to Measure More > Simply measuring email clicks isn't enough for small businesses that want to get ahead. Hear what BenchmarkONE suggests to get out of the vanity click game. - Published: 2014-03-13 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/measuring-clicks-isnt-enough/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: click-through rate, clicks, Email Marketing, open rate, opens, Small Business CRM It's easy to obsess over opens and click-throughs because they’re simple to measure. But do you ever feel like something else should be there? Small business marketers are reaching for more meaningful metrics that go beyond click-through rates. Marketers love delivering email open rates and click-through rates that go through the roof and beat industry standards. The smallest percentage increase in click-through can be exciting, especially as your list size grows. We like to obsess over opens and click-throughs because they’re simple to measure. Even the most basic batch & blast email marketing tools track clicks and opens, and even show you who has clicked. But do you ever feel like something else should be there? Small business marketers are itching to reach more meaningful metrics, metrics that go beyond click-through rates to measure how email campaigns are driving sales and generating revenue. Sure, you know that they’re clicking. But are they converting? Email opens and clicks are the first steps to conversion. With these metrics in hand, there are still questions left unanswered: Are you sending the right mix of content? The modern marketing approach is to provide value-added content that informs, educates or entertains your audience. However, we can’t forget to ask for the sale as well. As you build a track record of delivering awesome content to your list, your email opens and clicks will rise. At the same time, only sending value-added content may not lead to conversions. Email clicks can tell you that your list loves your content, but they can't tell you if you are sending the right balance of value-added content and call-to-actions that ask leads to learn more about your product and services, shop or buy. What happens when leads... --- ### Best of Small Business - Week of March 3, 2014 > Happy Friday, Hatchbuckers! We have our weekly roundup of great small business articles for you today that focus on keeping the customer front and center - Published: 2014-03-07 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-march-3-2014/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: Best of Small Business, content marketing, customer sservice Happy Friday, Hatchbuckers! We have our weekly roundup of great small business articles for you today that focus on keeping the customer front and center whether you need to refocus on customer service, create better content to educate your customers, or put the customer at the center of every business meeting. Check these out: 1. 40 Eye Opening Customer Service Quotes by Ekaterina Walter Keeping your customers happy and coming back is a high priority in all business, but even more so for small businesses. Here are some great, inspiring quotes about customer service to keep you motivated. http://www. forbes. com/sites/ekaterinawalter/2014/03/04/40-eye-opening-customer-service-quotes/ 2. 5 Business Goals of Content Marketing by John Hall Setting goals with your content marketing strategy is crucial for making it successful. Not only will these goals give you something to shoot for, but they are also a reminder that content marketing has boundaries and limitations, so don't set lofty goals that you can't reach. http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20140303155824-86319010-5-business-goals-of-content-marketing? trk=cha-feed-art-title-214 3. The Man With the Folding Chair by Don Peppers I loved the concept behind this article. Asking yourself what your customers would think if they sat in your meetings is a great, eye opening way to always keep the customer in mind. http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20140304160716-17102372-the-man-with-the-folding-chair? trk=cha-feed-art-title-204 Happy reading and have a great weekend! --- ### The Ultimate Key to Email Marketing Effectiveness > A catchy subject line that gets clicked, a sleek HTML email template that’s easy on the eyes, and an irresistible call-to-action can’t do their job if you're missing this one crucial element - Published: 2014-03-05 - Modified: 2024-07-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ultimate-key-email-marketing-effectiveness/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: clean data, email list, Email Marketing A catchy subject line that gets clicked, a sleek HTML email template that’s easy on the eyes, and an irresistible call-to-action can’t do their job if you're missing this one crucial element As a small business marketer, you already know that email marketing drives revenue. That’s why you spend lots of time crafting enticing email messages that speak to your prospects. However, while we often dedicate a hefty helping of TLC to email copy and design, it’s easy to overlook the ultimate deciding factor in getting your emails read: A squeaky clean email list. A catchy subject line that gets clicked, a sleek HTML email template that’s easy on the eyes, and an irresistible call-to-action can’t do their job if your email never gets delivered in the first place. The Low Down on Dirty Email Addresses Data decay and human error both contribute to inaccurate, undeliverable email addresses that clutter up your email list or small business CRM. So how bad is it? According to Experian, US companies believe that 25% of their data is inaccurate. Yikes. That’s a quarter of sent emails that never even see an inbox. Okay, so maybe some addresses slip through the cracks. That’s alright. Those were probably bad eggs anyway, right? Actually, those dirty addresses not only affect the contacts with bad email addresses, but they affect the deliverability of your entire list. A Good Business Reputation Relies on a Clean Email List Let’s break it down. ISP: Internet Service Providers Domain name: The address of your site (meant for humans) that points to your IP address Internet Protocol (IP) Address: An address (meant for computers) that corresponds to your domain name Sender Reputation: The score... --- ### Small Business Marketers Are Losing to Dirty Data > Feel like you're fighting a losing battle to dirty data? Work smarter (not harder) to gather clean data through dynamic segmentation in your CRM. - Published: 2014-02-28 - Modified: 2016-07-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/clean-data/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: data, dirty data, leads, Segmentation, tag scoring Marketers face an ugly truth about data. It’s a bit like buying a new car. As soon as you drive it off the lot, it begins to depreciate. As soon as you capture a contact’s information, they've changed their identity or changed their minds. Small business marketers have more ways to capture and analyze data than ever before. Even with a small business budget, we can capture lead data with free tools and affordable SaaS solutions geared toward SMBs. We are constantly measuring and being measured. So the more data points, the better, right? Well, maybe. The Ugly Truth About Data It’s like buying a new car. As soon as you drive it off the lot, it begins to depreciate. As soon as you capture a contact’s information, they’ve changed their identity or changed their minds. A top decision-maker may have just broken up with her company. A self-declared lager-lover may have just cracked open a life-changing IPA. Preferences and statuses change, and marketers can't wait around for a data cleanse to keep up. Nothing Gold Can Stay When we talk about data, segmentation, and targeting at Hatchbuck, it’s all really about one overarching goal: Uncover your prospects’ needs so that you can educate and add value. The issue is that needs evolve, and you can’t effectively segment with stale data. With Hatchbuck, and other marketing automation software, you can use forms to capture highly relevant data about your contacts. But it's easy to fall down a rabbit hole of text fields and drop downs that end up capturing a lot of data that doesn't really make you a more effective marketer. That’s why dynamic segmentation - not data collection- is the better way to tap into data to identify the biggest pain points... --- ### Warm Customers, Hot Profits > Being physically warm triggers the emotional warmth that makes customers want to buy more and pay more. But, we can’t always control the temperature. So why not go straight to the source? Use your small business CRM to shine emotional warmth on prospects, increasing the likelihood that they’ll buy. - Published: 2014-02-26 - Modified: 2016-07-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/warm-customers-hot-profits/ - Categories: Sales - Tags: sales and marketing process, Small Business CRM Being physically warm triggers the emotional warmth that makes customers want to buy more and pay more. But, we can’t always control the temperature. So why not go straight to the source? Use your small business CRM to shine emotional warmth on prospects, increasing the likelihood that they’ll buy. According to researchers, customers who experience physical warmth are more likely to make a purchase. The researchers found that: Online shoppers were 46% more likely to hit a “Purchase” page when the daily temperature averaged 77 degrees Fahrenheit than when it averaged 68F. Customers in a warm room were willing to pay more that those in a cool room for 9 of 11 consumer items shown to them. Customers were willing to pay 36% more for items when holding warm, versus cool, therapeutic pads. Researchers say that physical warmth actually activates the concept of emotional warmth, drawing out positive feelings and increasing the perceived value of products. So, being physically warm triggers the emotional warmth that makes customers want to buy more and pay more. But, we can’t always control the temperature. Why not go straight to the source? Use your small business CRM to shine emotional warmth on prospects, increasing the likelihood that they’ll buy. If your CRM is more of a catchall for contacts than a sales and marketing machine, you’re missing a great opportunity to warm up to your prospects and customers, compelling them to make a purchase, spend more, and buy more often. The Cool Customer An American Express survey found that 78% of consumers have bailed on a transaction or not made an intended purchase because of a poor service experience. Customer relationship management is more than keeping contacts organized. It’s making your contacts feel valued, known, and well cared for. A better customer experience... --- ### Put the Heart Back into Marketing, Integrate Email with CRM [Infographic] > Put the heart back into your marketing by integrating CRM and email marketing. Check out the infographic to learn more. - Published: 2014-02-13 - Modified: 2018-06-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/crm-email-marketing-infographic/ - Categories: CRM - Tags: crm, Email Marketing, email nurturing, infographic, Small Business CRM Integrating the power of CRM to track contact information with the nurturing capabilities of email marketing is a one-two-punch that increases engagement and drives sales. No one wants to be just another face in the crowd, they want to be known. So put the heart back into your messaging. Track your contacts' information, preferences, and pipeline status with CRM. Then, use that data to nurture them through email marketing tactics. By marrying your CRM with email marketing, you can ditch the one-to-many blast and give your customers and prospects the warm fuzzies with one-to-one communication that they can actually relate to. In turn, they'll show their love with higher engagement and increased sales. Stats & Sources: Email marketers estimate 30% of email revenue derives from targeting to specific segments. - DMA "National Client Email Report" (2013) 61% of US and UK internet users want marketers to demonstrate knowledge of the types of offers they like in email marketing messages. -e-Dialog "Manifesto for E-mail Marketers: Consumer Demand Relevance" (2010) Relevant emails drive 18 times more revenue than broadcast emails. - Jupiter Research Triggered messages average 152% higher click-through rates than "business as usual" marketing messages. - EmailInstitute "3 Key Trends in Email Marketing & What to Do Now" (2013) Despite relatively low volumes, trigger email campaigns accounted for 21% of email revenue. Over 75% of email revenue is now generated by alternatives to generic one-size-fits-all campaigns. - DMA "National Client Email Report" (2013) Marketers who take advantage of automation—which includes everything from cart abandonment programs to birthday emails—have seen conversion rates as high as 50%. - eMarketer "Email Marketing Benchmarks: Key Data, Trends and Metrics" (2013)... --- ### How to Stock Your CRM with Fresh Leads > Catch and release is great for conservation, but when it comes to business, you’re playing for keeps. - Published: 2014-02-10 - Modified: 2020-10-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/stock-crm-fresh-leads/ - Categories: CRM - Tags: crm, lead capture, Lead Generation, lead nurturing Catch and release is great for conservation, but when it comes to business, you’re playing for keeps. Catch and release is great for conservation, but when it comes to business, you’re playing for keeps. Don’t let great prospects slip by. Keep your small business CRM from going stale by capturing leads in person and online. 1. Convert Casual Site Visitors into Nurtured Leads If your website feels more like a static brochure than a lead generation machine, it’s time for an upgrade. Feed your CRM by placing forms throughout your site to convert the casual website visitor into a nurtured lead. Try one (or all) of these: The Contact Form If you have a web presence, chances are that you have a generic contact form. That’s a great place to start. Contact form leads are actually nice and warm. Someone has actively hunted down a way to reach out to you. They are aware of your business and your product or service offering, have done some research already, and are likely in a buying state of mind. But don’t stop here. A contact form only captures a fraction of the people who come to your site. What about those visitors who are just browsing, but aren’t ready to commit? They could be great opportunities down the road. Capture their info now so you can nurture them until they’re ready to buy. Newsletter Sign-Up Most businesses send out some form of correspondence on a weekly or monthly basis, whether in digital or physical form. So why not leverage that content to stay in touch with prospects? A newsletter... --- ### 3 Gmail Tab Realities and How They Affect Your Small Business Email Marketing > Has the Gmail Tab impacted your small business emails? Learn how this newer feature can impact your email opens. - Published: 2014-02-07 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-gmail-tab-realities-affect-small-business-email-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: Email Marketing, gmail, gmail tabs, opt-in email As a Gmail user, I – like many marketers – was taken aback by the changes that took place to my inbox overnight, and fearful of the dive my open and response rates would take. But here we are in 2014, and email marketing hasn’t taken the catastrophic hit that we may have anticipated. It's been quite some time since Gmail introduced tabs to its inbox. While all of your emails use to land in one inbox, now they are automatically separated into multiple categories (Primary, Social, and Promotions tabs) via a Google algorithm. As a Gmail user, I – like many marketers - was taken aback by the changes that took place to my inbox overnight, and fearful of the dive my open and response rates would take. But here we are in 2014, and email marketing hasn't taken the catastrophic hit that we may have anticipated. Here's why: 3 Gmail Tab Realities and How They Affect Your Small Business Email Marketing 1) Gmail Tabs Don’t Actually Affect Too Many Gmail Users – While Gmail is the most popular email provider with 425 million users, the new inbox change hasn't even affected a fourth of the overall user base. Why such a low number of email users affected by the change? It's due to the rise in popularity of mobile devices. As of now, the tab feature is only supported in official Gmail apps for Android and IOS. This means that those who read email through the mail device on their iPhone or Android device are not affected by the email layout change. Litmus recently conducted a study on 5 million Gmail users and found that only 19% of Gmail users actually open their emails using Gmail. The take away? The new tabs feature might not affect as many Gmail users as we... --- ### How to Build an Unshakable Business Online > Keep all of those handy online platforms in your marketing mix, but don’t over-rely on their role in your business model. Instead, focus your energy on building something unshakable and owned. - Published: 2014-02-06 - Modified: 2022-01-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/building-unshakable-business-online/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: marketing mix, opt-in email Keep all of those handy online platforms in your marketing mix, but don’t over-rely on their role in your business model. Instead, focus your energy on building something unshakable and owned. Let’s take a quick ride in the wayback machine. It was 2009 and for a hot minute, I had a store on Etsy. You know, that site for handmade goods. I sewed and sold handmade mittens. It wasn’t so much that I had a deep desire to make mittens (though I do like projects and making things). It was the platform. It was so easy to set up “shop” in this digital world. I loved every aspect of marketing my mittens on Etsy, from capturing the perfect photo and crafting a snappy product description to making my own packaging and sending my mittens on their way. It made me feel like I was running my own little shop. But I wasn’t. I didn’t have a brick-and-mortar storefront. I didn’t have a web presence outside of Etsy. I didn’t have an opt-in email list. I didn’t have a really business. What I had was a hobby. The problem was, I didn’t have any say in what direction Etsy took next, no real ownership. Etsy decided if they changed the pricing for a product listing or a featured ad. Etsy controlled the rules for what types of products could and could not be sold. If Etsy would have gone up in smoke, my nifty little mitten shop would have been gone, too. Poof! Now, I didn’t really have an online business on Etsy, but many thriving companies have presence there. These are real businesses with a website. They have an opt-in email... --- ### 5 Unmistakable Signs of a Broken Sales and Marketing Process > Missed opportunities, dropped balls, and lack of communication are all symptoms of a sales and marketing process that needs a little love. - Published: 2014-02-05 - Modified: 2016-07-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-unmistakable-signs-broken-sales-marketing-process/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: sales and marketing process Missed opportunities, dropped balls, and lack of communication are all symptoms of a sales and marketing process that needs a little love. Process - sounds boring, right? But it’s actually a valuable tool in scaling growth while maintaining the size of your workforce. For businesses on the the precipice of explosive growth, taking another look at your sales and market process can be the difference between impactful penetration into the marketplace, or faltering while you attempt to ramp up new staff to do things the old way. Missed opportunities, dropped balls, and lack of communication are all symptoms of a sales and marketing process that needs a little love. Is your sales and marketing process watertight? Or can you see any of these scenarios happening within your process? 5 Unmistakable Signs of a Broken Sales and Marketing Process from Hatchbuck --- ### Want to Influence Buyers Better Than the Super Bowl? Personalize Your Approach > For small brands, watching the big guys' ads play out on one of the biggest televised events of the year can make some envious. But in reality, your personalized, small business efforts are more effective at bringing in the Super dough. - Published: 2014-01-31 - Modified: 2016-10-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/want-influencer-buyers-better-super-bowl-personalize-approach/ - Categories: Marketing For small brands, watching the big guys' ads play out on one of the biggest televised events of the year can make some envious. But in reality, your personalized, small business efforts are more effective at bringing in the Super dough. The Super Bowl holds a unique excitement for me, as it does for most. There's yummy food, an exciting game to watch and... the commercials! While many will be watching this year to see whether it will be Peyton Manning or Russell Wilson holding the Lombardi trophy at the end, there are plenty of you out there who watch solely for the commercial breaks. Superbowl ads have become as much of a tradition as the game itself. For small brands, watching the big guys' ads play out on one of the biggest televised events of the year can make some envious. Who doesn't want to be in a position where you can pay $4 million ( According to CNN Money, that's the standard for a Super Bowl ad in 2014) for a 30 second slot without blinking an eye and reach millions of prospect's TVs? So, for all of the money and all of those eyes, a Super Bowl ad must result in Super Conversions, right? -- wrong! It's well known that despite the hefty price tag and millions of viewers (last year a reported 108. 41 million tuned in) Super Bowl ads actually convert less than other ads. Why is that? Even though the reach is huge, the impact is small. These giant ads are designed to reach everyone, not speak to the individual. While they will get a lot of views, they won't make a lot of sales. There are two things that your small business can do... --- ### Working with a Lean Crew? Get Shipshape with a Better Sales and Marketing Process. > For small business owners, the goal is always growth. With an optimized sales and marketing process powered by CRM, your small business can really open its sails, growing your customer base without growing your team. - Published: 2014-01-30 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/working-lean-crew-better-process-can-fill-gaps/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business For small business owners, the goal is always growth. With an optimized sales and marketing process powered by CRM, your small business can really open its sails, growing your customer base without growing your team. When you started your small business, you scrambled to stay afloat - stomping out fires and reacting to immediate challenges. With a bare-bones team, everyone pitched in and wore as many hats as needed. As your SMB has grown, you’ve been able to add more team members and normalize some of your processes. But you aren’t quite the well-oiled machine you’d like to be. You could add more employees to decrease the overlap between roles - but new team members are a big investment for small businesses. Your challenge is to continue to serve and grow your customer base without adding hefty expenses. For small businesses teetering on the edge of hiring more employees or doing more with less, intelligent growth is vital. It’s all about putting together the best people, process, and technology to help your business run at its highest efficiency. When you’re pushing your resources, but not ready to add extra workforce, a better sales and marketing process can help fill in the gaps. Start by defining roles within your team: Marketing: Marketing feeds your database with quality leads and opportunities through engaging campaigns. Sales: The sales team divvies up sales opportunities between them, qualifies leads, and converts opportunities into customers. Fulfillment: Fulfillment delivers upon the agreement made during the sales cycle. Service and Support: The support team handles customer issues. In many small business scenarios, the same people may fill more than one of these roles. That’s why defining roles and responsibilities is even more imperative.... --- ### 5 Social Media Myths Small Businesses are Being Sold > While small businesses are testing the waters of social media, many have not been able to transfer the potential of social media into real results. - Published: 2014-01-21 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-social-media-fallacies-small-businesses-sold/ - Categories: Marketing While small businesses are testing the waters of social media, many have not been able to transfer the potential of social media into real results. Social media is often touted as a game changer for small business. But the fact is, many owners are still scratching their heads when it comes to the real impact social media is having on their small business. Are you being pressured to buy into these social media fallacies? 1. Social Media is Free. Technically, it is free to set up an account on most of the social media channels that small businesses use. However - beyond claiming your profile - building a following and generating engagement can cost quite a lot. Either you’re paying in house talent to manage your social networks, or outsourcing, which can cost in the ballpark of $4500/month just to manage your Facebook and Twitter presence. That doesn’t even include the cost of refining your strategy or generating social-friendly content like blog posts, infographics, and videos. Small businesses should be prepared to approach social media as they would any marketing channel, and allocate a portion of their budget to building and implementing an effective strategy. 2. Small Businesses Should Tackle Every Channel. Every business has different models, different prospects and different customers. What works for you might not work for the next guy. Instead of spreading your efforts over every channel, focus on the ones that fit your business model and resources. For instance, if your target prospect is a 20-something female, you may find you get the most mileage out of a presence on Pinterest rather than Facebook or Twitter. 3. Social Media is... --- ### How Small Business Can Give Customers What They Want > Small business marketers can deliver the resources customers need at the moment they need them. - Published: 2014-01-15 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-can-give-customers-want/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: Sales Funnel, Segmentation, Small Business Marketing I’m pretty savvy I guess, and you better believe that small business customers are savvy, too. They see right through spray & pray messaging, and if your business, product, or message isn’t relevant, they have no problem tuning you out. I hate shows with laugh-tracks. It feels condescending to be told when to laugh and what degree of laughter is appropriate. If something’s funny, trust me, I’ll know it. And if I don’t think something is amusing or entertaining, not only can I change the channel, but I can change the medium altogether. Goodbye cable TV, hello Netflix and Hulu. I’m pretty savvy I guess, and you better believe that small business customers are savvy, too. They see right through spray & pray messaging, and if your business, product, or message isn’t relevant, they have no problem tuning you out. It’s 2014, and the audience decides what they want, when they want it, and how they want it. Today’s landscape is ideal for consumers, who have lots of choices on what to buy, how to buy it, and how to share feedback. And, though it sounds a bit scary, it can be great for small business marketers, too. We have access to an unprecedented plethora of mediums and channels. With a more diverse landscape comes accessible, sophisticated insights that allow us to deliver the resources customers need before, during and after they buy. So how do you meet your customers at the intersection of what, when and how? What They Want Segment your database by interest so you can target your messaging. Send dog lovers the chew toy of the week, and cat lovers the best pick in kitty litter. Deliver a relevant message so that when the time comes... --- ### Don't Get Eliminated From Inboxes This Play-off Season - 3 Email Marketing Mistakes to Avoid > Email marketing can be a lot like playoff football. Or maybe I just compare the two because I see them a lot. Either way, here are some mistakes you may - Published: 2014-01-13 - Modified: 2014-01-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/dont-get-eliminated-from-inboxes-this-play-off-season-3-email-marketing-mistakes-to-avoid/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business Email marketing can be a lot like playoff football. Or maybe I just compare the two because I see them a lot. Either way, here are some mistakes you may be making in your email marketing that get your recipients to hit "unsubscribe" or "spam" and eliminate you from their in-boxes, just like 2 teams will be eliminated from the Superbowl next weekend. 1. No game plan Can you imagine if the Patriots or Broncos came to the divisional play-offs next week with NO game plan? That would be ridiculous. You should always develop some sort of "game plan" for your email marketing. Ask yourself some questions to get started: - who are you emailing? customers? Prospects? - what action do you want them to take in your emails? - is the content you are sending interesting? Once you have an idea of who your are sending to, what you want to send them and what actions you would like them to take, you should write out a flow chart to visualize the sequence before putting it together. 2. Confusing plays One of my favorite things to watch is when you see a play obviously gone wrong, like this "Alex Smith hand off to nobody" (who was that going to? ? ) Just like some plays might confuse players... . confusing subject lines or email text will confuse your readers. Your subject line should be clear, concise and informative. In the email body, you should keep your text short and... --- ### Best of Small Business - 2014, the year of the customer > 2014 is the year of the customer! At least it is here at Hatchbuck, because, well, every day is about our customers! Here are some fantastic articles to - Published: 2014-01-03 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-2014-year-customer/ - Categories: Small Business 2014 is the year of the customer! At least it is here at Hatchbuck, because, well, every day is about our customers! Here are some fantastic articles to start of 2014 with a goal to make your customer service top-notch. 1. 10 Ways to Rule at Customer Service -- Hint: Watch out For Astroturfing by Craig Newmark This is a great, easy to-the-point list. #1 should be every businesses first rule when communicating and developing relationships with customers. http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20131227145328-5062-10-ways-to-rule-at-customer-service-hint-watch-out-for-astroturfing? trk=cha-feed-art-title-207 2. New Year, Fresh Start, Happy Customers by Sarah Crumbaugh Crumbaugh makes some great tips here on how to keep your customers happy year round. Keep these in mind in all of your customer interactions! http://www. rewardsnetwork. com/blog/new-year-fresh-start-what-makes-good-customer-service/#! 3. Building World Class Customer Service by Andreas von der Heydt Love this point from von der Heydt: Customer service is not a department, it´s an attitude and everybody´s job! It needs to be at the very core of the company´s DNA. Practice it everyday. http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20140102151650-175081329-building-world-class-customer-service? trk=cha-feed-art-title-207 --- ### Your 2014 Sales & Marketing Resolutions > The start of a new year is a great time to get motivated and make changes to your everyday life- which is why so many people make personal resolutions - Published: 2013-12-30 - Modified: 2013-12-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/your-2014-sales-marketing-resolutions/ - Categories: Small Business The start of a new year is a great time to get motivated and make changes to your everyday life- which is why so many people make personal resolutions this time of year. This new year, consider making some business resolutions. Around this time of year, there are many articles put out predicting trends in business and marketing for the upcoming year, so it's a great time to do some research and anticipate what should change with your small business for 2014. At Hatchbuck, we communicate with small business owners everyday and it seems like there are a lot of common resolutions for their marketing efforts. Here are some things that we hear our customer base wanting to improve on: 1. Create content consistently Creating content on a consistent basis amps you up for a great, planned out content marketing strategy. Many small business owners get overwhelmed at the thought of content creation (check out an article on content creation here), or have trouble doing it consistently. Keep in mind that you are an expert at your business and writing about things you know should come easily. Create a content calendar and make deadlines for when you want specific content to be done and then just stick to it. Whether it's easiest for you to spend 10 minutes a day or a few hours in one sitting, find what works to you and stick to it. 2. Follow up with prospects better It is the norm for a small business... --- ### Best of Small Business, 2014 Marketing and Sales Trends > I don't know about you, but this year has flown by to me. It seems like I was just sitting down to write my first blog of 2013, "4 Marketing Habits to - Published: 2013-12-27 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-2014-marketing-sales-trends/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business I don't know about you, but this year has flown by to me. It seems like I was just sitting down to write my first blog of 2013, "4 Marketing Habits to Adopt With a New Year! " Now that the holidays are coming to an end, it's a great time to begin thinking of your 2014 Marketing and Sales goals. To get you inspired, I've compiled some great articles related to sales and marketing strategy in the upcoming year. Here are my picks for articles this week relating to the 2014 Marketing and Sales Trends: "The Five: 2014 Marketing Trends" http://www. dallasnews. com/business/small-business/20131225-the-five-2014-marketing-trends. ece - Shama Kabani, CEO of the Marketing Zen Group, highlights her five recommendations on upcoming marketing trends for small business owners. My favorite trend? Context and Relevancy take center stage. With a saturated market, it's so important to provide the right information at the right time! "3 Key Business Marketing Trends for 2013" http://smallbiztrends. com/2013/12/2014-business-marketing-trends. html -Small Business Trends has released a short article highlighting its predictions for marketing trends in the upcoming year. Biggest surprise (IMO)? The number one prediction that video will take the cake this year over social media and mobile devices. "12 Key Sales Trends for 2014: Meet the Enlightened Seller" http://www. brw. com. au/p/marketing/key_sales_trends_for_meet_the_enlightened_dG9M4sTAKQJ7cSm37B9KeJ - Great article highlighting emerging sales trends for 2014. It's no surprise that consumers are now expecting to work with sales professionals who bring expertise and solutions to the table. Who else is happy that the... --- ### Happy Holidays from Hatchbuck > This Holiday Season, Our Thoughts Turn Gratefully To Those Who Have Made Our Progress Possible. It Is In The Spirit That We Say... Thank You & Best - Published: 2013-12-23 - Modified: 2013-12-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/happy-holidays-hatchbuck/ - Categories: Small Business This Holiday Season, Our Thoughts Turn Gratefully To Those Who Have Made Our Progress Possible. It Is In The Spirit That We Say... Thank You & Best Wishes For A Happy & Healthy Holiday! *** Holiday Hours The Hatchbuck office will be closed Wednesday December 25th (Christmas day) and Wednesday Jan. 1. (New Years Day) If you need support please please reach out to our team: support@benchmarkone. com. All urgent issues will be responded to within the same day, non urgent issues will be responded the next business day. Hope you enjoy a little time off, some holiday egg nog, and we look forward to growing with you in the New Year! --- ### Spread Holiday Cheer Through Email > Over the past couple of months, I (as well as other marketers) have encouraged you to ramp up your marketing to drive holiday sales. Hopefully the advice - Published: 2013-12-18 - Modified: 2013-12-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/spread-holiday-cheer-email/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business Over the past couple of months, I (as well as other marketers) have encouraged you to ramp up your marketing to drive holiday sales. Hopefully the advice has brought you a worthwhile experience during the hectic season. That aside, now is a great time to just step back from all of the sales and marketing strategy, and simply express gratitude and spread holiday cheer (no sales pitches allowed! ) Here is how our Hatchbuckers are using email marketing to spread holiday cheer: STL Rent a Box - www. stlrentabox. com The Delve Group - www. delvegroup. com Syzygy Coaching - http://syzygy-co. com/ Remember to express gratitude to all of those who have helped your business along the way. It's simple in Hatchbuck to create a short holiday email (not to mention cost efficient and extremely thoughtful). Happy Holidays! Lindsey --- ### Gmail Image Change Affecting Your Email Opens > We get asked a lot how Hatchbuck (and other email marketing services) track email opens. To track an email open, we place a super-small, single pixel - Published: 2013-12-16 - Modified: 2013-12-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/gmail-image-change-affecting-email-opens/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business We get asked a lot how Hatchbuck (and other email marketing services) track email opens. To track an email open, we place a super-small, single pixel sized image into each email. Hatchbuck will track an open when this pixel is viewed (or when someone clicks on a link within the template). Gmail recently made a change in how they display email images. They will no longer ask you to "display images below. " Initially, Gmail wanted to protect it's users, by requiring you to click to display images. Now they will be checking all images for viruses and malware ahead of time. So how will this affect your Hatchbuck opens? It depends on how many of your email list recipients use Gmail really. Since there are a LOT of Gmail users, this change should be a good one for e-mail marketers. In theory, this should make Hatchbuck more efficient in tracking unique email opens. You can check out an article on the update from Mashable here: http://mashable. com/2013/12/12/gmail-automatic-image-display/ --- ### Best of Small Business - Week of December 9, 2013 > Welcome to the end of another work week! Like many of you, I find myself constantly reading other Small Business blogs. There is a lot of great marketing - Published: 2013-12-13 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-december-9-2013/ - Categories: Small Business Welcome to the end of another work week! Like many of you, I find myself constantly reading other Small Business blogs. There is a lot of great marketing and sales advice out there for Small Businesses, and I really enjoy finding it and sharing it with you all. This week I have compiled some of my favorite blogs from others trying to empower Small Business Owners. Why Your Marketing Still Sucks - http://www. bigmarketingsmallbusiness. com/2013/11/19/why-your-marketing-still-sucks/ - Great article from the blog "Big Marketing For Small Businesses. " Within this article, founder Rajan Soji talks about earning the trust of the customer with marketing vs. trying to sell them on an idea that may or may not be entirely true. Like any relationship, the first steps of successful marketing is earning trust and telling the truth. 5 Lessons They Don't Teach You At Marketing School - http://www. getbusymedia. com/5-lessons-they-dont-teach-you-at-marketing-school/ - Within this blog article, Kevin Anderson, account director for Online Rep Management talks about the valuable lessons one more learn and adapt to within the marketing field. My favorite lesson? Everything Changes. Everything Will Change. 10 Local Business Marketing Tips You Should Read Before Breakfast - http://diymarketers. com/2013/12/10-local-business-marketing-tips-read-breakfast/- A great comprehensive overview of what a Small Business should implement in order to create a strong web presence. An excellent read for any small business just starting out or looking to refresh their current internet marketing strategies. What sales and marketing blogs are you a huge fan of? Would love to hear! --- ### When Email Newsletters Work > How many company promotion emails and newsletters do you get daily? If your inbox looks like mine-- probably A LOT. So what differentiates one from - Published: 2013-12-09 - Modified: 2013-12-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-newsletters-work/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business How many company promotion emails and newsletters do you get daily? If your inbox looks like mine-- probably A LOT. So what differentiates one from another? And what gets the recipient to open your newsletter? Or better- click through to look at products or back to your site? Here are four keys to optimize opening behavior: 1. Subject Line Your subject line needs to do two things-- draw attention and explain the email content. People sometimes try to get super creative with email subject lines, which can have an adverse affect. If the reader sees a cheesy subject line, they may assume it's promotional. Also, the subject line should tell me what I'm about to read. Assuming that your newsletter is full of content that I want to read, then the subject line should let me know that so I will open the email and get to all of that exciting content. 2. Personalize At a minimum, if you have all of your list's first names and are using an email marketing system, use merge fields to make it seem a more personally written. Make your newsletter look less newsletter-y. Limit your images and links. If your recipients think that this letter was personally written, they are more likely to take action. 3. Get to the point! Some people love reading- just not your newsletter. Keep all sections short and link back to your site. If the reader is interested, they will click-through. This drives more traffic to your site... --- ### Best of Small Business Week of December 2, 2013 > Happy Friday! Here are our small business article picks of the week.   1. What's Holding You Back From Online Marketing Success? by Randy Milanovic - Published: 2013-12-06 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-december-2-2013/ - Categories: Small Business Happy Friday! Here are our small business article picks of the week. 1. What's Holding You Back From Online Marketing Success? by Randy Milanovic Many of our Small Business customers want to be found online but struggle with doing so. Is one of these reasons holding you back? http://socialmediatoday. com/randy-milanovic/1965341/whats-holding-you-back-online-marketing-success#! 2. 5 Things Every Small Business Owner Should Know About Social Media by Stephanie Frasco By now, everyone knows social can be a great extension of your brand presence, but small businesses struggle with how to use it effectively. These are some great tips on how to up your social presence. http://socialmediatoday. com/stephaniefrasco/1965111/5-things-every-small-business-owner-should-know-about-social-media#! 3. 14 Customer Experience Predictions for 2014 by Jeannie Walters The customer experience is a GIANT part of what will make your business succeed or fail. We love looking at predictions and ways to make the customer experience a great one. http://www. customerthink. com/blog/14_customer_experience_predictions_for_2014#! --- ### Inbound Marketing vs. Outbound Marketing > Often when meeting with clients, I am asked the question "What exactly is inbound marketing?" There tends to be confusion surrounding inbound marketing - Published: 2013-12-04 - Modified: 2016-06-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/inbound-marketing-vs-outbound-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: inbound marketing Often when meeting with clients, I am asked the question "What exactly is inbound marketing? " There tends to be confusion surrounding inbound marketing vs. outbound marketing. I've searched high and low to find a comprehensive infographic to explain the key differences between each! To recap some common differences: Inbound Marketing focuses on getting found by people searching for what you offer while Outbound Marketing focuses on pushing the message out to people Inbound Marketing typically uses Search Engines, Blogging, Social Media, and Opted In Email Lists to drive sales, while Outbound Marketing focuses on Advertising, Trade Shows, Direct Mail, and Cold Calling to drive sales Inbound Marketing is cost effective, while Outbound Marketing can be costly --- ### Make sure your Small Business Stands out this Cyber Monday > How did your Small Biz fare this Small Business Saturday? The statistics are in and it looks like it was a big day for small business! According to the - Published: 2013-12-02 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/make-sure-your-small-business-stands-out-this-cyber-monday/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business How did your Small Biz fare this Small Business Saturday? The statistics are in and it looks like it was a big day for small business! According to the Huffington Post an estimated 103 Americans shopped at small businesses this Saturday which exceeded the projection of 89 million made before Thanksgiving! Forbes states that $5. 5 Billion was spent on Small Business Saturday! Miss out on Small Business Saturday? Or want to make sure that you can expand on that success? Here's a great infographic found on Mashable (http://mashable. com/2012/11/21/small-business-online/) on how to optimize your small businesses online presensce- Just in time for Cyber Monday! This cyber Monday, don't forget to utilize your social media channels and reach out to your current contact via email marketing with special offers and coupons! Good luck! :) --- ### Why you should be Thankful to work for a Small Biz > There are many advantages to working for a small business. With Thanksgiving in a few days and Small Business Saturday this weekend, it got us thinking - Published: 2013-11-25 - Modified: 2013-11-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/thankful-work-small-biz/ - Categories: Small Business There are many advantages to working for a small business. With Thanksgiving in a few days and Small Business Saturday this weekend, it got us thinking about why we should be grateful to work for a small business: Flexibility If you need a day off, most likely, you can take it. The flexible schedule of working at a small business is one of the biggest perks. Your Co-Workers Whether you are the owner or an employee, you get a say in new hires and the people that work around you. The people you spend such a great amount of time with, can greatly impact your day. By surrounding yourself with people that are intelligent and that get along with you, you can ensure a more positive working environment. Customer Relationships Big businesses don't have the bond with customers that small businesses do. You get to listen to your customer's suggestions and actually put them into play. Small businesses thrive on the customer relationship and it's what makes doing business with a small business so unique. There are so, so many more benefits to working and shopping small. Let us know your favorite part of working at or owning a small business! --- ### Best of Small Business: Small Business Saturday Resources > Two of the BEST days of the year are fast approaching, Thanksgiving and Small Business Saturday! Did you know that 103 million Americans participate and - Published: 2013-11-22 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-november-18-2013/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business Two of the BEST days of the year are fast approaching, Thanksgiving and Small Business Saturday! Did you know that 103 million Americans participate and around 5. 5 million is spent on Small Business Saturday? The awareness that has been raised in the past few years is remarkable. After all, small businesses drive the economy and are the heart of America. We've compiled some great Small Business Saturday articles and resources for you to enjoy: Black Friday Week: 5 Tips For Keeping Your Small Business In The Game: http://www. forbes. com/sites/thesba/2013/11/21/black-friday-week-5-tips-for-keeping-your-small-business-in-the-game/ - Within this article, Forbes gives you 5 unique and easy-to-implement tips for competing with big box retailers the week of Thanksgiving! Why promote your business one day of the week when you can participate the entire week? 5 Tips For Small Business Saturday Procrastinators: http://batchbook. com/blog/small-business-saturday/ - Has your small business recently been busy and neglected to even think about Small Business Saturday? Check out this blog from Christelle Lachapelle that gives you 5 last minute ideas for participating in SBS! Free Resources For Small Businesses: http://www. nerdwallet. com/blog/2012/small-business-saturday-free-resources/- Unsure of the resources available for your Small Business on SBS? Check out this great resource guide full of free offers available to you! We love Small Business at Hatchbuck! If you have any last minute email marketing questions related to Small Business Saturday, do not hesitate to reach out to us! --- ### Hatchbucker Highlights: STL Rent A Box > With ‘Small Business Saturday’ approaching we are excited to highlight one of our St. Louis clients (STL Rent A Box) on the blog! The Eco-friendly company - Published: 2013-11-20 - Modified: 2013-11-20 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbucker-highlights-stl-rent-box/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business With ‘Small Business Saturday’ approaching we are excited to highlight one of our St. Louis clients (STL Rent A Box) on the blog! The Eco-friendly company has taken the headache and waste out of the residential and commercial move. STL Rent a Box offers an eco friendly alternative to cardboard boxes! They rent industrial strength plastic moving crates to those who are relocating in the St. Louis area. The boxes are dust proof, stack-able, lockable, cleaned after each rental, weather resistant, can come with file folder holders, AND can be used over and over (unlike cardboard). The best part? They are recyclable, have ergonomic handles, and they are very a budget friendly alternative! STL Rent a Box is a small start-up that evolved between a husband and wife who have background in real estate and small business ventures. They developed their business plan and the company began to grow! The hardest part of them starting their new business? Keeping all of their information in one location. Hatchbuck came into focus when they realized they needed a marketing plan that pulled all of their ideas and new business connections together under one roof. So it began... Their contact list grew, and their connections turned relationships into building blocks of their future. STL Rent A Box is celebrating their 1st year Anniversary this month! A year of success, and fond community and business connections that will continue to put them into the future where they want to be! Their goal is eliminate... --- ### Recycle your content > Hey guess what! You can reuse your content and actually you should reuse your content. Creating content sometimes can seem like climbing Mount Everest to - Published: 2013-11-18 - Modified: 2017-08-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/recycle-your-content/ - Categories: Marketing Hey guess what! You can reuse your content and actually you should reuse your content. Creating content sometimes can seem like climbing Mount Everest to a small business marketer. Most likely, on top of creating content, you are doing a zillion other things. So, when you sit down to write and know you need stuff to market across your blog, email, social and direct mail channels, you might feel a tad overwhelmed. Here are a couple of easy ways to save time and don't let that already-created content go to waste: 1. Re-post old blogs across your social channels When blogs have been sitting on your site for a while, most likely people aren't going to your blog archives to read them. A couple of times a week, take good, old blogs and re-post them across your social channels as archived blogs, retro blogs, a blast from the past or whatever you would like to call them! This helps you drive some traffic back to your website/blog and gets that old content some love. 2. Blogs are great email content Many marketers stress over great email copy. While your email content and subject line are SUPER important, remember that you most likely already have blogs that can educate your prospects on the same topic. Because no one likes to read copy-heavy emails, keep it short and sweet. Introduce your topic and link back to your blog. Again, this achieves the goal of getting your email recipients to click through and... --- ### Best of Small Business, Week of November 11, 2013 > Once again, Happy Friday! Here are our small business article picks of the week!   1. How Small Businesses Should Plan For Disasters by Karen E. - Published: 2013-11-15 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-november-11-2013/ - Categories: Small Business, Uncategorized Once again, Happy Friday! Here are our small business article picks of the week! 1. How Small Businesses Should Plan For Disasters by Karen E. Klein The U. S. Small Business Administration estimates that one quarter of s businesses that are hit by disaster fail as a result. Get prepared in case disaster hits. http://www. businessweek. com/articles/2013-09-06/how-small-businesses-should-plan-for-disasters#r=hpt-fs#prclt-ih6F19F9 2. Yet Another 6 Ways to Use Social Media Branding by Anita Campbell Campbell has some really great, easy tips on how your small business should be utilizing social media. http://www. sba. gov/community/blogs/yet-another-6-ways-use-social-media-branding 3. Thinking of Starting a Blog? Tips to Help you Start, Maintain & Grow a Small Business Blog! by wreynolds Blogging can be an important addition to your marketing and SEO business. If you're thinking about starting one, check out this article! http://www. sba. gov/community/blogs/community-blogs/small-business-matters/thinking-starting-blog-tips-help-you-start-maintain-grow-small-business-blog --- ### Small Business Tips to Survive the Holiday Season > With the holidays right around the corner, you may be wondering if the season will bring your Small Business holiday joy or horror. To help prepare your - Published: 2013-11-13 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-holiday-survival/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business With the holidays right around the corner, you may be wondering if the season will bring your Small Business holiday joy or horror. To help prepare your Small Business prepare for the busier times ahead, I've compiled some tips to help you survive the holidays. Send a Holiday Email vs. Handwritten Card - I love handwritten cards, and I do think they have a time and a place for a Small Business. However, the holidays may not be one of them. They can end up taking valuable time you may not have to spare (besides the fact that it can also cost a fortune! ) Why not take a load off of your Small Business this holiday and put together a holiday email? You can save money, time, and have your communication received instantly. You can still attach valuable coupons or discounts to reward your customers with holiday cheer! Start Early! - According to a statistic just released by National Retail Federation, 53. 8% of shoppers have already started their holiday shopping. If your Small Business plans to promote its products or services this holiday, now is the time to start promoting it. Don't lose valuable sales to your competitor who started promoting their holiday offers earlier than you. Hire Helping Hands - One of the most important things your Small Business can do during the busy holiday season is provide excellent customer service. The customer experience is directly related to whether or not a customer is likely to do... --- ### Social Media Mistakes for your Small Biz to Avoid > Social media can be a great way for a small business to promote and grow their brand, but there are also a lot of opportunities for mistakes. Here are 5 - Published: 2013-11-11 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-mistakes-small-biz-avoid/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business Social media can be a great way for a small business to promote and grow their brand, but there are also a lot of opportunities for mistakes. Here are 5 mistakes to avoid with your social media efforts: 1. Unrealistic Expectations Social media is not going to be your #1 sales effort. Social is a great way to do outreach, commit to great customer service and get your brand known. However, your audience does not go to social media to be sold, so most likely, your social channels are not going to close a ton of sales. If you can promote good, educational content through your social channels, you can nurture your audience through content and hopefully drive them back to your website for more information. 2. Promoting yourself Again, social media has become a marketplace for marketers, but that isn't what the general public heads there for. Be conversational, friendly and post good, educational material to keep your audience engaged. Posting special offers and discounts is fine, but only posting sales materials will guarantee that your contacts will hit the "unfollow" button sooner rather than later. 3. Too much talk There's a reason Twitter only allows you 140 characters. Just because Facebook and LinkedIn don't limit you, does not mean you should write page-long posts here. Social should be about quick updates, and when you need to post longer content (like blogs), you should link back and keep the post short. 4. One-way Communication The great thing about social... --- ### Best of Small Business, Week of November 4, 2013 > Welcome to another beautiful fall Friday, Hatchbuckers. This week we have gathered some great articles useful to any Small Business! With the holiday's - Published: 2013-11-08 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-november-4-2013/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business Welcome to another beautiful fall Friday, Hatchbuckers. This week we have gathered some great articles useful to any Small Business! With the holiday's right around the corner - you may be thinking that now is the time to run your first social media contest, or begin a revamp on your existing website or marketing strategy. We hope our Friday favorites serve you well! How To Maximize Email Lead Capture - http://www. ducttapemarketing. com/blog/2013/11/04/email-lead-capture/: Did you know that email marketing still produces the highest return on investment of any marketing practice? Within this article, Joan Jantsch outlines the tools and form placements needed to provide the yield the highest capture! How To Run a Successful Social Media Sweepstakes - http://www. socialmediaexaminer. com/social-media-sweepstakes/#: Within this detailed overview, Social Media Examiner walks you through the 5 steps of running a social media sweepstakes. With the holidays approaching, your Small Business may consider running a contest or promotion, and this article provides all of the information you need to get going. The Beginners Guide to Online Marketing - http://www. quicksprout. com/2013/11/07/the-beginners-guide-to-online-marketing/: Saving the best for last, a GREAT resource for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs. In this guide, you will walk through 14 well-written, easy to understand chapters packed with great information about online marketing --- ### Create Your Own eBook > Often times your Small Business will get a suggestion to create an eBook. Don’t feel alone if you've wandered what an eBook consists of - or how to start - Published: 2013-11-06 - Modified: 2013-11-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/create-ebook/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business Often times your Small Business will get a suggestion to create an eBook. Don’t feel alone if you've wandered what an eBook consists of - or how to start creating your own. What Are The Characteristics of an eBook? eBook Electronic Book Typically Not Used For Lead Capture (Do Not Require Information to Acquire) Short Interactive Visually Appealing (Graphics) Casual Designed for Skimming Bulleted Points Can Be Easily Distributed Often Landscape Design Create Your Own eBook: eBooks can be a great avenue for a Small Business to create and distribute valuable information to their audience. --- ### Email Campaigns Made Easy > Getting started with email marketing campaigns can feel like a big task. Many people who get started with new email marketing software get stuck on - Published: 2013-11-04 - Modified: 2013-11-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-campaigns-made-easy/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business Getting started with email marketing campaigns can feel like a big task. Many people who get started with new email marketing software get stuck on creating all of content up front. When you realize how effective nurturing campaigns can be, many people want to set up a year long campaign with all of the content right away. This is great if the content is no problem for you, but for many, this task seems daunting and they give up before even starting. Here are the main 3 types of campaigns we see created and how to save yourself some time when creating them! Campaign type #1: Nurturing Campaign What it is: A nurturing campaign should be a series of emails that give your contacts educational information. This campaign should not sound self- promotion-y or sales-y at all. The purpose of this campaign is to introduce and educate your industry and products to your email list without being a pushy salesperson. By educating your contacts on the benefits of your product or services, you are helping them come to a decision. Make it easy: Use content you already have or use other people's content. If you write a blog or have any good educational material, repurpose that for your emails in this campaign. If you find other articles by a third party (non competitor, of course) then link to that article. Always make sure to give credit to the author and keep your email short. Write 1 or 2 sentences about... --- ### Best of Small Business Week of October 28, 2013 > At Hatchbuck, we love our Hatchbuckers (also known as customers). They keep us running and are always giving us amazing feedback on how to create a better - Published: 2013-11-01 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-october-28-2013/ - Categories: Small Business, Uncategorized At Hatchbuck, we love our Hatchbuckers (also known as customers). They keep us running and are always giving us amazing feedback on how to create a better product. For any small business, your customers should be your number 1 concern. It took a lot of time and effort for you to sell your customers in the first place. You should also put stress on keeping those customers happy. Our best of small business articles are all focused on the customer this week! Enjoy and have a great weekend! :) 1. How 'Customer Healthy' Are you? 4 Questions by Don P. At Hatchbuck, our "customer health" is very important to us. Keeping your customers happy and having a consistent strategy in your customer service responses, is crucial to any business. Ask yourself the 4 questions here to see how your customer health is! http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20131101133205-17102372-how-customer-healthy-are-you-4-questions? trk=tod-posts-recentPosts-ptlt 2. 5 Considerations for your Customer Rewards Program by Colin Shaw Sticking with our customer theme today... here's some points to consider for your customer rewards program. Your customers are THE most important aspect of your business (after all, without them, where would you be? ). Let them know that by rewarding them. http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20131101103243-284615-5-considerations-for-your-customer-rewards-programs? trk=tod-posts-recentPosts-ptlt 3. How to Create Customer Loyalty by Frank Lio Getting customers is one big hurdle for a small business, and keeping them is another. Read Lio's tips on how to create customer loyalty. http://franklio. weebly. com/1/post/2013/10/how-to-create-customer-loyalty. html#! --- ### Top 3 Email Horrors To Avoid This Halloween > As Halloween approaches, I started thinking of some of the email “horrors” I see Small Businesses make every day. Top 3 Email Horrors To Avoid This - Published: 2013-10-30 - Modified: 2013-10-30 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/avoid-3-email-email-horrors-halloween/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business As Halloween approaches, I started thinking of some of the email “horrors” I see Small Businesses make every day. Top 3 Email Horrors To Avoid This Halloween! Horror #1: Spamming Your Contacts: Spam accounts for nearly half of all emails received (yikes! ) The key is to build a reputable list, sent targeted communications, and know your contacts. Check out our blog, “Spam I Am (Not): Top 5 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Sending An Email” to make sure you are not contributing to a huge problem. Horror #2: Infrequent Communication: Often times I see small businesses with little direction in their approach. They will send emails randomly, with little thought behind their email content and its timeliness. This leads to infrequent and irrelevant email communication that appears unorganized to your contacts. I encourage each of my clients to map out a sequence before starting any email campaigns to avoid this horrifying approach. Horror #3: Writing A Sales Pitch: If you look at the emails you tend to read and respond to, you will most likely find that they are personalized to you. Write your emails in the same tone as your emails to your friends and family. If you write your emails with wordy sales garbage, people will quickly disregard you (and probably unsubscribe/mark you as SPAM). I can’t stress enough, aside from sending relevant content – how important tone and personalization is. Write as though you are having a conversation with one person vs. the masses. --- ### Best of Small Business, Week of October 21, 2013 > Welcome to another wonderful end of your work week. We all have our favorite websites we browse daily for news (besides Facebook, of course) - and mine - Published: 2013-10-25 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-october-21-2013/ - Categories: Small Business Welcome to another wonderful end of your work week. We all have our favorite websites we browse daily for news (besides Facebook, of course) - and mine would happen to be Mashable! It's a one-stop shop for both quirky news, and solid marketing and sales articles. This week Mashable had some great articles a Small Business may find relevant. With that said, here are my top picks for the week of October 21! Study: 30% of Americans Get Their News On Facebook: http://mashable. com/2013/10/24/1-in-3-americans-get-news-on-facebook/ How To Use Google Analytics To Create Killer Content: https://www. openforum. com/articles/how-to-use-google-analytics-to-create-the-ultimate-content/ FedEx Simplifies Shipping for Small Businesses: http://mashable. com/2013/10/24/fedex-small-business-shipping/ --- ### [Infographic] Email Marketing vs Lead Nurturing > As a growing business looking to market your products and services more effectively, one of the most important concepts to leverage is the difference - Published: 2013-10-23 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/infographic-email-marketing-vs-lead-nurturing/ - Categories: Marketing As a growing business looking to market your products and services more effectively, one of the most important concepts to leverage is the difference between email marketing and lead nurturing and the ROI benefits Lead Nurturing delivers. Here is a great Info-graphic by Marketingstar that easily breaks it down. Email Marketing vs Lead Nurturing, Let's Rumble: To learn how Hatchbuck can boost your click through rates and put your sales & marketing on autopilot view our software here: --- ### Growing Your Small Business: A Lesson From A Pumpkin Farmer > In lieu of fall and after visiting my first pumpkin patch of the season, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite concepts from entrepreneur, author, and - Published: 2013-10-23 - Modified: 2013-10-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/growing-small-business-lesson-pumpkin-farmer/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business In lieu of fall and after visiting my first pumpkin patch of the season, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite concepts from entrepreneur, author, and speaker Mike Michalowicz. In 2012 Mike spoke at an Entrepreneurs Organization of Saint Louis about entrepreneurial approaches he learned from pumpkin farmers. I immediately became interested in the correlation between a budding entrepreneur and a farmer. The concept behind The Pumpkin Plan is simple and straight forward – you can grow your business by pertaining to everyone (growing both good pumpkins and bad pumpkins), or by focusing in on perfecting one niche (growing good, colossal pumpkins). When you become ridiculously good at your niche and stop serving everyone, you in fact – grow something colossal. The Pumpkin Plan states the following: Plant the right seeds (what is the one thing you do better than anyone else? Do that. ) Spend time nurturing those seeds (nurturing = spending all of your time, money, and energy with your “right seeds”) Weed out the bad, rotten pumpkins (Those that drain internal resources = under pay, over demand) Over nurture the good, healthy pumpkins (Over serve and satisfy your ideal customers) Sit back and watch your pumpkin patch grow with winning pumpkins (Filling your business with winning customers who help your business grow) Never thought such a simple business concept would make such a huge impact on me. Check out Mike Michalowicz or The Pumpkin Plan if you are looking to learn some great, out of... --- ### Social Media Selling for Small Biz > Social selling or social media selling is a hot topic now. Most businesses know that they can reach a larger pool of potential customers by creating and maintaining social media profiles. Creating and maintaining the profiles are a start, but then how do you find prospects for your business? And how do you pull them into your sales funnel? - Published: 2013-10-21 - Modified: 2013-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-selling-for-small-biz/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business Social selling or social media selling is a hot topic now. Most businesses know that they can reach a larger pool of potential customers by creating and maintaining social media profiles. Creating and maintaining the profiles are a start, but then how do you find prospects for your business? And how do you pull them into your sales funnel? In May, we posted this blog, "4 Must- Dos For Selling on Social Media", which had some great tips on how to find prospects and develop relationships: http://benchmarkcrm. com/blog/4-must-dos-for-selling-on-social-media/. So what do you do now? The answer is: you must capture their information. To do this, you need a contact capture form and you need to offer something of value. If your audience already likes your content, they will sign up for something like a whitepaper or ebook. If you are online retail, coupons or specials always work great as lead bait. You can leverage this form differently across social platforms. Here's a brief list of the main social media platforms and how to utilize contact capture forms across them. Facebook: Facebook lets you embed a form onto a thumbnail image on your company page here: Make sure that after you embed your form, you also post status updates so that your pages fans know that the form is there. Facebook also now allows you to use hashtags. Using a strategic hashtag in this post can expand the views for your status update and increase your form submissions. Here is a... --- ### Best of Small Business, Week of October 14, 2013 > Happy Friday once again Hatchbuckers. Here's our weekly round up of small business articles for your reading pleasure- enjoy!   1. Today in Small - Published: 2013-10-18 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-october-14-2013/ - Categories: Small Business Happy Friday once again Hatchbuckers. Here's our weekly round up of small business articles for your reading pleasure- enjoy! 1. Today in Small Business: The Aftermath by Gene Martks The New Your Times does a weekly roundup of small business related articles. Specifically, these articles are what is affecting the author, his clients and other small business owners this week. http://boss. blogs. nytimes. com/2013/10/18/today-in-small-business-the-aftermath/? _r=0#! 2. 6 Tips to Help you Build Your Mailing List Using Social Media by Pam Lawhorne Pam has some great tips on how to get your social media audience engaged and enrolled in your email marketing list http://pamlawhorne. com/6-tips-to-help-you-build-your-mailing-list-using-social-media/ 3. 6 Email Marketing Mistakes to Avoid by Jackie Van Meter Van Meter points out some very common mistakes that people make when sending out marketing emails. Avoid these and get better results! http://www. projecteve. com/6-email-marketing-mistakes-to-avoid/? utm_content=buffer74e74&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer --- ### 3.5 Tips for Boosting your Email Click Through Rate (CTR) > Email is one of the most effective ways to market and grow your small business. But reaching prospects and customers and getting them to take action in - Published: 2013-10-16 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-5-tips-boosting-email-click-rate-ctr/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business Email is one of the most effective ways to market and grow your small business. But reaching prospects and customers and getting them to take action in their inbox can be a bit of a challenge if you’re not using email in the right way. Here are 3. 5 simple tips to boost your click-through rates from your email marketing efforts: 1. Make it Transparent It all starts with getting your emails opened and that means starting with your subject line. First, make sure you are sending your emails from a live person, for example: bob. smith@yourcompany. com not the proverbial info@yourcompany. com email address. Next, your subject line has a huge impact on your click-through rate. There are thousands of opinions on “How To” get your Subject Line Opened, but think for a minute: What’s the goal of your email? If it’s only to get it opened, then go with the “Someone is hiding in your closet” subject line and drive a 90% open rate. (JK) Rather, the goal of your email marketing efforts should be to get your audience to click within your email, take action on your email and convert into leads and customers. The key is making sure your subject line is transparent with the content and offer of your email. This will help to bolster your click though rates and drive better results. 2. Make it Personal Did you know that 53% of buyers stop engaging if they receive irrelevant content? (Thanks Valeo Marketing) How... --- ### Do your Email Marketing Goals Need a Reality Check? > I absolutely love when new Hatchbuckers come on and are super motivated to get their email marketing going. However, sometimes people shoot a little too - Published: 2013-10-14 - Modified: 2013-10-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-goals-need-reality-check/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business I absolutely love when new Hatchbuckers come on and are super motivated to get their email marketing going. However, sometimes people shoot a little too high with their email marketing goals. Setting unrealistic goals will only ensure failure. When starting any new marketing process, you should aim for something realistic and hope that your numbers increase over time. Here are some of the unrealistic expectations that we hear, and what makes them unattainable. Expecting a 50% open rate with a cold list While a 50% open rate is definitely doable, it's likely not going to happen for you at first, especially if your list doesn't know you well. A 20% open rate is a pretty high, but more realistic number to shoot for. Keep in mind, as your list cleans itself out (by unsubscribe, bad emails and bounces), your numbers will get higher. Many people will see a 10% open rate when they first start sending. In fact, a 10-15% rate is pretty standard. Expecting the phone to start ringing off the hook You work hard to get your content perfect. In a perfect world, prospects would realize that and they would call you to say "that email is fantastic, I would love to do business with you! " However... not gonna happen! You will still need to monitor opens and clicks and determine when the right time is to make a sales call (unless you are online retail, in which case, your e-mails should have product and easy purchase... --- ### Best of Small Business Week of October 7, 2013 > Happy Friday to all of our Small Business friends! This week we've compiled our favorite articles related to hiring! As a Small Business, you will be - Published: 2013-10-11 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-october-7-2013/ - Categories: Small Business Happy Friday to all of our Small Business friends! This week we've compiled our favorite articles related to hiring! As a Small Business, you will be doing a healthy amount of hiring in the near future. It's important to add the right people to your team to help reflect your vision, and grow your business with you! Here are our article picks: How I Hire: The Top Four Traits Every Employee Needs To Have: http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20130924105039-135221-how-i-hire-the-top-four-traits-every-employee-needs-to-have? trk=tod-home-art-list-large_0 How I Hire: Don't Just Think They Are Right, Feel They Are Right: http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20130924095836-26312694-how-i-hire-don-t-just-think-they-are-right-feel-they-are-right? trk=tod-home-art-list-small_1 How I Hire: Right Person, Wrong Resume? You're Hired: http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20130924102856-766323-how-i-hire-right-person-wrong-resume-you-re-hired? trk=tod-home-art-list-large_0 --- ### Unclog your Marketing Funnel > Capturing website visitors is a vital part of the marketing process. While capturing the information to start with is key, after that, many people get - Published: 2013-10-07 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/unclog-marketing-funnel/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business Capturing website visitors is a vital part of the marketing process. While capturing the information to start with is key, after that, many people get stuck at a standstill. They come in through an online form and then they just sit in your database. This is what's clogging your marketing funnel-- all of those leads and no place to go. The answer: email nurturing. Here are some tips to help your funnel flow freely: Include forms on your site to find out what people are interested in Because the contact is able to identify what exactly they want to receive using a form like this one, you should be able to send them exactly the information that they want to receive. From here I would simply include them in any multi-step campaigns or email sends related to their interests. Not every lead that comes in is the same. If they filled out a form like "request a demo now" or "get a proposal", something that signals they are serious buyers, you should have a task triggered to call them. Anyone else should be started on a drip email marketing campaign. First, you want to think about which form that they filled out. Let's say a contact fills out a form for a white paper about social media marketing on Hatchbuck's site. I should identify that they came in from that specific form and are interested in social media marketing. From there, I am able to send them information that they... --- ### Best of Small Business Week of September 30, 2013 > Once again, it's Friday and that means it's time for our small business articles of the week! This week we found some great articles on customer service-- - Published: 2013-10-04 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-september-30-2013/ - Categories: Small Business Once again, it's Friday and that means it's time for our small business articles of the week! This week we found some great articles on customer service-- something that all small business strive to do great! Here's our picks: 1. Does Social Media Equal Good Customer Service by Christianna Giordano Social media can be a great way to have a direct link to your customer base. It can also be a place where customers turn to gripe about brands and companies. Giordano breaks this post into 2 sections--Pro Social Media and Pro Old School Customer Service. http://socialmediatoday. com/christiannag/1790241/does-social-media-equal-good-customer-service#! 2. 3 Ways CEOs Can Drive A Culture of Customer Success by Nick Mehta Mehta points out something that pertains to all businesses-- the excitement and celebration of achieving sales numbers. While this is exciting for any small business, it's only the beginning of the customer's journey. Here are some great points on how to achieve a culture of customer success: http://www. ceo. com/leadership_and_management/3-ways-ceos-can-drive-a-culture-of-customer-success/#! 3. Elevating Your Customer Service: Going Above and Beyond by Amy Kirkegaard Kirkegaard has some great tips on how to keep your customers happy and returning for business! http://www. returncustomer. com/2013/09/30/elevating-your-customer-service-going-above-and-beyond/#! --- ### Social Spam: How To Avoid Being A Spammer Or Attracting Spammers > There has been a lot of talk about Social Spamming recently. I stumbled across an article on Mashable, “Social Media Spam Increased 355% in First Half of - Published: 2013-10-02 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-spam-avoid-spammer-attracting-spammers/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business There has been a lot of talk about Social Spamming recently. I stumbled across an article on Mashable, “Social Media Spam Increased 355% in First Half of 2013” that I think Small Businesses will find relevant. After all, many of you are using social media marketing (in addition to email marketing, of course) to grow your businesses. I don’t think you should let the growing Social Spam rates scare you away from social media marketing. There are still many opportunities to create and blossom relationships using Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, Google+, Etc. However, I think it’s important to 1) Not be a spammer yourself 2) Not attract spammers into your community. Some Social Spamming Tips: Avoid Being a “Spammer” Produce Good Social Content – Release valuable, relevant content to your social networks will want to like, comment on, and share with their friends. Add Supporting Visuals – Rather than always sharing links, try mixing it up by adding in videos, pictures, and stories to supplement your marketing. Post Within Reason – If you notice your new blog is not getting any views/likes/comments/or shares, it is probably not a good idea to continually blast it to your community. Re-evaluate your content and scrap content that yields little to no response rate for the risk of annoying your community. Finish A Conversation – If others are engaging in conversations in your community, contribute to it! Don’t let your network think you only care about distributing content, and have no intention to interact with... --- ### Best of Small Business - Week of September 23 > All About Email Marketing Here at Hatchbuck, we believe in the power of email marketing! A study by ExactTarget found that around 77% of consumers - Published: 2013-09-27 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-september-23/ - Categories: Small Business All About Email Marketing Here at Hatchbuck, we believe in the power of email marketing! A study by ExactTarget found that around 77% of consumers prefer to receive emails over other methods of communicating. We've compiled some of our favorite articles this week to help you make sure your email marketing is the best that it can be! Write Emails That Get The Results You Want - Within this informative LinkedIn Article, Bruce Kasanoff elaborates on how to stop using email the wrong way, and start using the email the right way! - http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20130922211225-36792-write-emails-that-get-the-results-you-want? trk=todhome-art-list-large_0 Why Your Email Marketing Should Focus on Mobile First – A recently published Forbes article that talks about the importance of considering how your emails appear on a mobile device before a desktop computer. -http://www. forbes. com/sites/stevecooper/2013/09/20/why-your-e-mail-marketing-campaign-should-focus-on-mobile-first/ 7 Ideas For Better Ecommerce Marketing Emails –According to this article by Practical E-commerce, 44% of promo mail recipients made at least one purchase based on receiving an email marketing message. This article suggests how to optimize your Ecommerce emails for the highest return. - http://www. practicalecommerce. com/articles/59077-7-Ideas-for-Better-Ecommerce-Marketing-Emails --- ### Make your content more engaging > Many small business we work with know that creating content is necessary for marketing their business. Almost all of them have the same gripes-- not - Published: 2013-09-23 - Modified: 2013-09-23 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/make-content-engaging/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business Many small business we work with know that creating content is necessary for marketing their business. Almost all of them have the same gripes-- not enough time to create content or not knowing where to start. Don't waste your time (which we know is precious) creating content that isn't read. Here are some tips on creating content that is more engaging. Write what you know Although you may not be a "writer", you are an expert in your field which makes your qualified to write about your industry. Stick to what you know and your content will come across as knowledgeable. Make it relevant Think about how your customers and prospects view your industry. You probably get questions from them every day-- this is a great place to start! Each question you get is a possible content topic. You know your industry backwards and forwards, but your audience doesn't, keep this in mind while writing. Keep it clear and short No one wants to read long articles. In fact, many people just skim the articles and read the headings and subheadings. Keep this in mind and split your content up using heading or numbered points. Put the most relevant information at the top to engage from the beginning. For email content, paraphrase the blog or article to 2-3 sentences and link back to the original article. This keeps the email short and drives traffic back to your site. Incorporate social Make sharing easy. This is an important, easy way to... --- ### Best of Small Business, Week of September 16, 2013 > Happy Friday Hatchbuckers! Here's our small business picks of the week.   1. No, Gmails Promotions tab didn't Just Kill Email Marketing by DJ Waldow - Published: 2013-09-20 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-september-16-2013/ - Categories: Small Business Happy Friday Hatchbuckers! Here's our small business picks of the week. 1. No, Gmails Promotions tab didn't Just Kill Email Marketing by DJ Waldow We have been getting a ton of questions about Gmails new tab for promotional emails. Waldow explains why this is not the death of email marketing and why it's just too early to tell. http://www. entrepreneur. com/article/227668 2. 8 Web Design Mistakes Small Businesses Make by Ilya Pozin As a small business, a lot of your livelihood relies on your website, whether you realize that or not. Pozin gives some good tips on what to avoid with your site. http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20130917155848-5799319-8-web-design-mistakes-small-businesses-make? trk=cha-feed-art-title-214 3. 5 Ways to Measure Engagement of Your Business Website by Randy Milanovic Engagement with your business can greatly indicate future sales... but how do you know if your audience is engaged with your website? Milanovic shares his concept here. http://socialmediatoday. com/randy-milanovic/1755641/5-ways-measure-engagement-your-business-website#! --- ### If Your Small Business Was a Social Media Site... > People have a lot of fun comparing social media sites to actual people. It's easy to relate because each social media platform has it's own, distinct - Published: 2013-09-16 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/business-social-media-site/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business People have a lot of fun comparing social media sites to actual people. It's easy to relate because each social media platform has it's own, distinct personality. So which social site would your business be? and why should you care? While it is ideal to have a presence across all social platforms, many small businesses don't have the time to keep up to date on them all. Find out which social site meshes with your business, brand, customers and prospects and focus there for the best return. Facebook Your business is classic, laid back and has a lot of friends. Your stamp of approval or "like" is influential. Facebook businesses have a close knit fan base or community. With Facebook now implementing hashtags, it is going to be easier to reach larger audiences. In the past, it was harder to grow an audience on Facebook than on Twitter and you really needed to have a good audience base to have much of a following on Facebook. Facebook is great for sharing content with your fans. When you post a blog link, it pulls in a thumbnail image as well. (read "Use New Facebook Hashtags to Market Your #SmallBiz" to learn more about hashtags on Facebook) Twitter Your business has a lot to say and wants to reach a large audience. Your business follows trends and news. Twitter is great for a small business to reach a large audience. You can use twitter to post any content you have, like blogs,... --- ### Best Of Small Business - Week Of September 9, 2013 > Said to be the most wide-spread superstition in the US, Friday The 13th is once again before us. If you are like many Americans, today you will be - Published: 2013-09-13 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-small-business-week-september-9-2013/ - Categories: Small Business Said to be the most wide-spread superstition in the US, Friday The 13th is once again before us. If you are like many Americans, today you will be avoiding stressful situations by all measures. I recently read a statistic that says on Friday The 13th, Small Businesses lose nearly 900 million dollars’ worth of business is lost from people avoiding everything from traveling to shopping. Some business analysts even speculate that Small Businesses take the hit on this particular day. Why not turn this day into a lucky one for your Small Business? I’ve collected a few articles that will help you make sure your sales and marketing isn’t scary this Friday The 13th! The Scary Movie Guide To Improving Your Marketing Campaign - http://www. impactbnd. com/the-scary-movie-guide-to-improving-your-marketing-campaign/ Three Effective Content Marketing Lessons from Your Favorite Scary Movie - http://blog. contentboost. com/2013/07/29/three-effective-marketing-lessons-from-your-favorite-scary-movie/ 13 Lucky Marketing Benefits From LinkedIn Groups - http://www. visualinspiration. com/blog/bid/298073/13-Lucky-Marketing-Benefits-From-LinkedIn-Groups TGIF! --- ### Be Easy To Do Business With: A Lesson From Warby Parker > Let’s face it; we want things to be easy – especially when doing business. It’s like we expect our experience to be handed to us on a silver platter. All - Published: 2013-09-11 - Modified: 2013-09-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/easy-business-lesson-warby-parker/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business Let’s face it; we want things to be easy – especially when doing business. It’s like we expect our experience to be handed to us on a silver platter. All it takes is a couple of roadblocks to deter us from doing business with someone. I recently had a refreshing experience with a company called Warby Parker (they did not pay me to say this, by the way! ) I stumbled on their website after my eye appointment, and found that they will personally mail you 5 pairs of glasses to try on and wear in the comfort of your own home for FREE! There is no catch. All you have to do is select your 5 pairs of glasses, answer a couple of questions, and put a credit card on file (they won’t charge you unless of course you do not return their glasses. ) I had a couple of questions, so I hesitantly picked up the phone to call the 800 number listed on their website. To my surprise, a live person with a wonderful attitude picked up the phone on the 2nd ring! She introduced herself, answered all of my questions, and made casual small talk – a huge difference from most of my calls to other companies. Once I hung up the phone, I jumped on Twitter and gave them a shout out for the excellent customer service. Within 5 minutes, I had a reply and a link to Youtube with an employee video introduction. In... --- ### Take your Small Business Back to School > Maybe it's just me, but every fall I miss that going back to school feeling. Every year feels like a new start to do something exciting. Buying new - Published: 2013-09-09 - Modified: 2013-09-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/take-your-small-business-back-to-school/ - Categories: Small Business Maybe it's just me, but every fall I miss that going back to school feeling. Every year feels like a new start to do something exciting. Buying new clothes, new school supplies. . it all feels so fresh, new and promising. That sort of fresh feeling inspires and motivates new students. Many small business employees and customers get that beginning motivation as well. . but then it wears off. Not only do your employees need to stay motivated and educated, but your customers need to be reminded why they did business with you in the first place. Here are a couple of ways to give that fresh new year motivation to your employees and customers: Set Goals The beginning of the school year was always full of more resolutions than New Year's for me. It's a great time to try to improve upon something. In the workplace, it's easy for workers to lose that sort of new-year feeling. Give updates to all of your employees regularly so that everyone is up to date. A little team competition (between your sales team or whole team based on performance) can keep the team motivated as well. Set goals for yourself regarding your customers. Goals like following up with current customers more often just to check in and stay top of mind (how often are you doing this now? ). By just saying hi and checking in, you are doing much more than other businesses they have done business with. These friendly conversations... --- ### Best of Small Business, Week of September 2, 2013 > It's that time again--Friday! Here's the best articles (that we found) for our small business friends and the rest of you Hatchbuckers! Enjoy!   1. - Published: 2013-09-06 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-september-2-2013/ - Categories: Small Business It's that time again--Friday! Here's the best articles (that we found) for our small business friends and the rest of you Hatchbuckers! Enjoy! 1. Should Everyone Work in a Startup at Least for a While? by Richard Moran We love start up culture and love the great points that Moran shares about working for one. http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20130904151601-10878085-should-everyone-work-in-a-startup-at-least-for-a-while? trk=cha-feed-art-title-214 2. Inbound Marketing Vs. Content Marketing- Whats the Difference? by Frank Isca While many times, people use these terms interchangeably, Isca points out the differences between the two and how they support each other. http://www. business2community. com/content-marketing/inbound-marketing-vs-content-marketing-whats-difference-0606015 3. Four Steps to Build Brand Awareness Through Storytelling by Cynthia Montgomery Montgomery discusses why you need to tell your story and how it can affect your brand. http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20130905134835-204276375-four-steps-to-build-brand-awareness-through-storytelling? trk=cha-feed-art-title-204 We hope you enjoyed our picks this week! Have a great weekend! --- ### 19 Easy Ways To Celebrate Your Employees > Held on the first day of September, Labor Day is a national holiday honoring our work force. While an extra day off is always welcome, it is important to - Published: 2013-09-04 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-can-learn-labor-day/ - Categories: Small Business, Uncategorized Held on the first day of September, Labor Day is a national holiday honoring our work force. While an extra day off is always welcome, it is important to celebrate and reward your employees on a regular basis. Reason being? Happy employees make for productive employees - while unhappy employees drain resources and produce a lower quality of work. According to the Healthways-Gallup Health Index, it is estimated that disengaged employees make for more than $300 billion in lost productivity annually. Employee recognition delivers a double-bonus: It boosts employee morale and also recognizes and rewards ideal performance. Here are some easy ways to celebrate your employees: Give a Starbucks Giftcard Include The Employee In Your Business Newsletter Honor The Employee At A Company Meeting Give Your Employee A Flexible Work Schedule For A Week/Month Throw A Pizza Party (... Think Elementary School! ) Give A Complimentary Day Off Flowers Create An Employee Of The Week/Month Program Assign Reserved Parking Spots Take Your Rockstar Employees Out To Lunch Invite A Masseuse To The Office For Free Massages Handwritten Thank You Notes Host Company Cook Outs Free Tickets To A Movie/Sporting Event/Concert Stock The Kitchen With Free Breakfast Recognize Hard Workers At Business Meetings Extra Long Lunch Breaks Celebrate Employee Birthdays Allow Employees To Work From Home When Needed --- ### Labor Day Pinspiration! > Happy holiday weekend to all of our hard-working friends! We know that as a Small Business, a break is hard to come by. We hope you take some time this - Published: 2013-08-30 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/labor-day-pinspiration/ - Categories: Small Business Happy holiday weekend to all of our hard-working friends! We know that as a Small Business, a break is hard to come by. We hope you take some time this weekend to enjoy family, friends, and a day of relaxation. We've gathered some Labor Day Pinspiration for your pleasure! Labor Day History: (Thanks Arkansas Flag and Banner! ) Inspirational Message: Travel Forecast: (Thanks Triple A! ) Labor Day Humor: "The Best Burger, Ever! " Link to recipe: http://www. littlemissmomma. com/2011/10/best-burger-ever-recipe-with-secret-sauce. html --- ### How To Stay Human In A Technological World > “I Fear the Day That Technology Will Surpass Our Human Interaction...” - Albert Einstein Is it safe to say that Albert Einstein’s biggest fear is finally - Published: 2013-08-28 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/importance-staying-human-technological-world/ - Categories: Leadership, Marketing, Sales, Small Business, Uncategorized “I Fear the Day That Technology Will Surpass Our Human Interaction... ” - Albert Einstein Is it safe to say that Albert Einstein’s biggest fear is finally coming true? Majority of businesses are now powered by messaging systems, automated interactions, and complicating software. In a world ruled by technology, it seems almost unheard of to meet over coffee, or receive a handwritten thank you card after meeting. You can almost do anything today without ever having to see or speak to another person. Here are some ways you can remain human in your small business: 1) Use technology to trigger human interactions Majority of us are too busy to remember to eat breakfast and brush our teeth these days. The beauty of technology is that it can keep track of our to-do’s and remind us of our open tasks. Use technology to help spark actual human interaction. A system like Hatchbuck will send email reminders to trigger phone calls, emails, and meetings so you can maintain good follow-up practices. 2) Write hand-written thank you cards to express gratitude When is the last time you received a handwritten thank you card from someone other than a friend or family? It’s probably been a while, but chances are it made a huge impact on what you thought about the person or business on the other side. Handwritten cards add a human-like element that an email or text message cannot match, and people remember them! 3) Create lasting relationships with customers Customers are... --- ### 3 Things Pre-Season Football Can Teach Us about Small Business Marketing > It's almost here. I can smell it in the air-- football season is upon us! I know that probably gets you thinking about your small business marketing - Published: 2013-08-26 - Modified: 2013-08-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-things-pre-season-football-can-teach-us-about-small-business-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business It's almost here. I can smell it in the air-- football season is upon us! I know that probably gets you thinking about your small business marketing tactics, right? No? Well here's 3 things that the pre-season can teach us about small business marketing. 1. Don't be afraid of a little team competition Competing for the number one quarterback position isn't really that different than striving to be the best in the workplace. . except for that whole risk of being tackled thing. However, this message can be transferred to any workplace. Whether you have a full marketing team or a few employees who split marketing duties, everyone should focus on what they do best. Is someone better at content writing? Give them the responsibility of the blog. If someone is best at design or staying in touch, have them design and send out an e-mail newsletter. All small businesses approach marketing very differently. Some of you may have 1 person who handles all of these things. That works too, but don't be afraid to hand some tasks to someone else--who may do them better. 2. When your audience is bored-- they will leave Nothing is more boring than watching a non-competitive pre-season football team. I know that many coaches want to save their big guns and surprises for the regular season-- but look at the stands! The majority of these games look pretty sparse after half time. This principle applies to a lot of things, but it definitely rings... --- ### Best of Small Business Week of August 19, 2013 > It's that time again, Hatchbuckers-- Friday! If you need some reading for the weekend, here are our top small business articles for the week. 1. 37 Tips - Published: 2013-08-23 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-august-19-2013/ - Categories: Small Business It's that time again, Hatchbuckers-- Friday! If you need some reading for the weekend, here are our top small business articles for the week. 1. 37 Tips for Writing Emails that Get Opened, Read, and Clicked by Henneke Duistermaat I work with small businesses who do email marketing every day. These tips are a fantastic outline that all email marketers should look towards when setting email marketing protocols. While I think 37 tips are a lot to read through, this is a great one to archive and look for when setting up your next email marketing campaign. http://www. copyblogger. com/37-email-marketing-tips/ 2. Sales Mistake: The Tempation of Hot Prospects by Jill Konrath At Hatchbuck, we are huge advocates for nurturing your cold and warm leads and not spending all of your time on your hot prospects. Konrath shares a personal experience of when she got distracted by the gleam of a hot prospects and what she learned from that experience. http://www. jillkonrath. com/sales-blog/bid/112292/Sales-Mistake-The-Temptation-of-Hot-Prospects 3. 5 Ways to Build a Better Team by Peter Economy The team you employ and work with on a daily basis makes the greatest impact on your daily happiness as well as the success (or failure) of your business. These tips ensure you build a team that will deliver the results that you want. http://www. inc. com/peter-economy/5-ways-build-better-team. html 4. 5 Reasons why No One Is Reading Your Email Newsletter by Sean D' Souza We see these mistakes on a daily basis with email newsletters! D' Souza points... --- ### The What, Why and How of Lead Nurturing For Small Businesses > Let’s say you are car shopping. Are you going to buy the first car you look at without searching anymore? Probably not… Chances are you going to shop - Published: 2013-08-21 - Modified: 2013-08-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-what-why-and-how-of-lead-nurturing-for-small-businesses/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business Let’s say you are car shopping. Are you going to buy the first car you look at without searching anymore? Probably not... Chances are you going to shop around with a checklist, do some research, ask for opinions, and negotiate costs. Why would you think that a prospect is going to stumble onto your website and immediately do business with you? The “Rule of Seven” says that is takes approximately 7 touches to close a deal, and THIS is where lead nurturing comes in. What is “Lead Nurturing” Lead nurturing is a marketing process designed to educate and build relationships with your leads and prospects who are not quite ready to buy yet. Why Do Small Businesses Do Need Lead Nurturing The Rule of Seven As already mentioned, the “Rule of Seven” claims that it takes approximately 7 touches to close a sale. If you are doing marketing well, then you are targeting your ideal customer with customized, targeted messaging on a regular basis. So why isn’t your ideal customer ready to buy RIGHT NOW? For a lot of reasons... they don’t know you well enough, they don’t need what you offer at this very moment, or you simply haven’t earned their respect. Lead nurturing helps you establish those relationships, build trust, and stay top of mind over time. Automate your follow up Following up with new leads and maintaining communication with current customers is a problem that all small businesses face. It is easy to only focus on “hot”... --- ### Best of Small Business - Week of August 12, 2013 > Hatchbuckers - Welcome to the end of another successful work week! What helps you be more productive at work? If you are anything like me, you love - Published: 2013-08-16 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-august-12-2013/ - Categories: Small Business Hatchbuckers - Welcome to the end of another successful work week! What helps you be more productive at work? If you are anything like me, you love utilizing technology to your advantage. It helps make your job easier, more productive, and cuts costs. I've scrounged up some great articles this week with "cool tools" your small business should considering using. I hope the articles find your small business well! 13 Must-Have Mobile Apps For Business - http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20130620161843-15077789-13-must-have-mobile-apps-for-business 30 Terrific Tools For Small Businesses - http://www. forbes. com/sites/jasonnazar/2013/05/28/30-terrific-tools-for-small-businesses/ 5 Must-Have Tech Tools For A Small Business - http://smallbusiness. foxbusiness. com/technology-web/2013/04/26/5-must-have-tech-tools-for-small-business-marketing/ What tools does your Small Business love? --- ### How-to: get referrals from current clients > Most likely, you have had customers refer you to an acquaintance. Many businesses thrive solely on referrals. Customers will refer you when they trust - Published: 2013-08-14 - Modified: 2016-11-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-get-referrals-from-current-clients/ - Categories: Small Business Most likely, you have had customers refer you to an acquaintance. Many businesses thrive solely on referrals. Customers will refer you when they trust you, have had a good experience doing business with you and are satisfied with the product or service that they purchased. Today's referrals extend to online reviews as well. Recently, I had a fantastic experience renting a Uhaul from a separate provider to move a few things across town. I wasn't sure if I would be able to return the Uhaul in time for the next scheduled renter that the company had because I wouldn't have a ride until after work hours. I let the woman know and she offered to give me a ride home (and assured me that they give rides often). My experience there was great... no added cost for returning the Uhaul late and a free ride home, when I was going to get a cab. During the ride home she casually mentioned online reviews. Well guess who went online later that day to write a positive review. . this girl! Sometimes, simply a good customer experience will make a customer want to refer you to someone else. However, you also probably have many customers who are just as happy but have not referred you to anyone. Many times, people just simply don't think to do this or don't know how. Here are some tips to turn your customers into super fans and referral generators: Follow up with your customers Although your... --- ### Reasons To Celebrate Being a Small Business > As a small business marketing consultant, my job on a daily basis is to help my clients use marketing strategies to GROW their businesses. That's what we - Published: 2013-08-12 - Modified: 2013-08-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/reasons-to-celebrate-being-a-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business As a small business marketing consultant, my job on a daily basis is to help my clients use marketing strategies to GROW their businesses. That's what we all want after all, right? Now - I’m not saying that you shouldn't have goals to grow your business into a larger business. However, while we’re here – why not celebrate? There are so many overlooked advantages to being a small business! Here are some Reasons To Celebrate Being a Small Business You can be closer to your customers You can make changes easily You can be flexible You can make mistakes and learn from them You can make quicker decisions You can address issues quickly You can enjoy a unique company culture You can provide superior customer service You can be a "Jack (or Jill)of All Trades" You can create impact through your passions Also check out this infographic with some great Small Business Stats! (Source: Paychex) --- ### Best of Small Business Week of August 5, 2013 > Happy Friday to those of you who are taking a couple of days to wind down and to those who will be working through the weekend! Here are our favorite - Published: 2013-08-09 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-august-5-2013-na/ - Categories: Small Business, Uncategorized Happy Friday to those of you who are taking a couple of days to wind down and to those who will be working through the weekend! Here are our favorite small business articles for the week... Enjoy! 1. What Honeybees Can Teach Marketers by Don Peppers Love Pepper's comparison here! He describes how customer and social interaction are always increasing and how this affects marketers. http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20130809103036-17102372-what-honeybees-can-teach-marketers? trk=tod-posts-art- 2. Why Troublemaker Kids Make Great Entrepreneurs by Jeanette Mulvey Mulvey expands on some interesting data from a Swedish study that showed that many children who became entrepreneurs (over a 40 year period) were often the ones who got into trouble as kids. http://smallbusiness. foxbusiness. com/entrepreneurs/2013/08/09/why-troublemaker-kids-make-great-entrepreneurs/? cmpid=cmty_twitter_fb 3. Andy's Answers: 3 ways to use social media to wow your fans and customers by Andy Sernovitz Social media can be your best customer service rep if you use it correctly! Check out Sernovitz's recommendations here: http://smartblogs. com/social-media/2013/08/08/andys-answers-3-ways-to-use-social-media-to-wow-your-fans-and-customers/ --- ### Small Business Marketing-Speak to Your Buyers' Emotions > For small business, 80% of purchases are driven by emotion. Learn "How To" tap into your buyers emotions with this short small business marketing video. - Published: 2013-08-02 - Modified: 2013-08-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/small-business-marketing-speak-to-your-buyers-emotions/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business So you’re a small business looking for new ways to market your products and services and drive sales. Did you know that more than 80 percent of purchases are driven by emotion? You would think that most buyers are rational, strategic, and simplistic in their buying process, but they aren't. For most people, emotions often drive their decision to select one vendor or product over another and they rationalize it later. Don’t believe me? Why do people buy Volvos? Marketing studies show it’s because they feel safe. How about Toms shoes? Because they are comfortable? Nope. It’s because they support kids in third world countries with every shoe purchase and tap into the emotions of their buyers to want to make a difference in the world. So if you want to really get the most from your marketing efforts and drive sales for your small business, you’ve got to market and speak to the inner emotions of your prospects and customers. In this short video you will get the 3 critical questions that will help you identify and target your prospects hot buttons. I guarantee that answering these questions will help you tap into your buyers emotions and give you the boost in sales you have been looking for: Everybody has their hot buttons and those hot buttons usually are related to a pain they’re trying to solve, a risk they are trying to reduce or an opportunity they’re trying to gain. In order to get anyone’s attention, you must... --- ### Best of Small Business - Week of July 29, 2013 > Wrapping up July week and transitioning into August all in one week made me feel like I plummeted into a new season. The kids are beginning to get ready - Published: 2013-08-02 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-july-29-2013/ - Categories: Small Business Wrapping up July week and transitioning into August all in one week made me feel like I plummeted into a new season. The kids are beginning to get ready to go back to school, the days are getting a tad shorter, and the aisles are stocked with school supplies. There is something refreshing about the start of August, am I right? The same way children are getting organized for their new year, I feel like it's the perfect time for a Small Business to reflect, reassess, and reorganize! Here are 3 of my favorite blogs from this past year that can help you refocus your efforts! 4 Marketing Habits to Adopt With a New Year - http://benchmarkcrm. com/blog/4-marketing-habits-to-adopt-with-a-new-year/ 5 Small Business Lessons From Pinterest Quotes - http://benchmarkcrm. com/blog/5-small-business-lessons-from-pinterest-quotes/ Marketing Strategy 101 for Small Business - http://benchmarkcrm. com/blog/marketing-strategy-for-small-business/ --- ### Be Simple To Do Business With > I shop a lot – and one of the main things I remember about a business is whether or not it was EASY to do business with them. In fact, it sets the - Published: 2013-07-31 - Modified: 2013-07-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/be-simple-to-do-business-with/ - Categories: Sales, Small Business I shop a lot – and one of the main things I remember about a business is whether or not it was EASY to do business with them. In fact, it sets the foundation for rather or not I am a repeat customer. Large corporations really drop the ball on making life easy, am I right? Press 5 for this – 7 for this – wait for 45 minutes to talk to a live person, blah blah. Small Businesses are really in a position to pick up corporate slack. People want to do business with people who make their lives easier, their experience more pleasant, and do both in a reasonable amount of time. Being simple to do business with can drive customer loyalty and set you miles apart from your competitor. Be Simple To Do Business With Offer Free Consultations – If you are in a business where consultations or demos are useful, make them quick and painless! Not only do you want to be right for your prospects, but you want them to be the right fit for you. Make it easy for people to check out what you offer without timely, costly interaction. Make Payment Methods Hassle Free – If someone is willing to give you their money – make it easy for them! Offer various methods for people to make a payment with you both on and offline. Have a Frictionless Website – Within the research stage of buying, people will want to browse your website... --- ### Make Your Emails Mobile Ready > With such a huge proportion of our emails being read on mobile devices, you need to make sure that your emails are easy to read for mobile. Here are some things to keep in mind when designing your next e-mail. - Published: 2013-07-29 - Modified: 2017-06-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/make-your-emails-mobile-ready/ - Categories: Mobile With such a huge proportion of our emails being read on mobile devices, you need to make sure that your emails are easy to read for mobile. Here are some things to keep in mind when designing your next e-mail: 1. Keep your e-mail width no more than 600 pixels iPhone devices will scale to fit your email to the width of the screen, but other operating systems do not do this so keep your width under 600 pixels to ensure that your email is readable. Also remember that in most email clients, the recipient will need to hit "show images" to see your pictures. Keep photos to a minimum so that your e-mail doesn't show up as a bunch of empty boxes. 2. Keep your font large Nothing is more frustrating than trying to read tiny font on your phone. Keep your font at least at a 13 font size. 3. Keep links and calls to action a good distance apart It is hard enough to click a tiny link on your phone. How many times have you been frustrated that you hit the wrong one with your clumsy thumb? Putting links too close together makes touching the correct one harder. 4. Keep your template at one column This makes the email clean and ensures that none of your content disappears into the far right mystery section-- does anyone scroll over on their phone email? 5. Keep your content short and simple This is good advice for any email.... --- ### Best of Small Business-- Week of July 22, 2013 > Happy Friday, Hatchbuckers! We have our weekly roundup of "best of small business" articles this week. This week's focus is entrepreneurs and start up - Published: 2013-07-26 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/na-best-of-small-business/ - Categories: Small Business, Uncategorized Happy Friday, Hatchbuckers! We have our weekly roundup of "best of small business" articles this week. This week's focus is entrepreneurs and start up companies. 1. 'What do Failed Startups Have in Common? ' by Erin Griffith Griffith points out common threads in failed start ups. Are you guilty of any of these at your small business? http://pandodaily. com/2013/07/23/what-do-failed-startups-have-in-common/ 2. '6 Suggestions for an Aspiring Founder' by Joel Gascoigne Gascoigne has some great advice here for any start up company or small business. http://joel. is/post/56112942414/6-suggestions-for-an-aspiring-founder? utm_content=bufferf9a4c&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer 3. '10 of the Most Counter-intuitive Pieces of Advice From Famous Entrepreneurs' by Belle Beth Cooper I absolutely love this article. Just because you want to go against the grain-- that doesn't mean you will fail! Look at these successful entrepreneurs who give their advice, which is a bit different than the norm! http://blog. bufferapp. com/10-of-the-most-counterintuitive-pieces-of-advice-from-famous-entrepreneurs? utm_content=bufferd0de0&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer Do you have any thoughts or advice on start ups and what helps them succeed or causes them to fail? Leave your comments below! --- ### Our Favorite Social Responses To The Royal Baby > Like most of you, we have been anticipating the birth of the royal baby. If you are anything like me, you were following the news on your favorite social - Published: 2013-07-24 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/our-favorite-social-responses-to-the-royal-baby/ - Categories: Marketing, Uncategorized Like most of you, we have been anticipating the birth of the royal baby. If you are anything like me, you were following the news on your favorite social network in real-time. Brands jumped on the opportunity to welcome the royal baby - and a lot of the responses were pretty freaking clever! Here is a list of our favorite social responses to the royal baby: Starbucks: Hostess Snacks: Domino's Pizza: Proctor & Gamble: Honorable Mentions: Charmin: Oreo: What were your favorite social responses to the birth of the royal baby? ! --- ### Capture and Engage with Leads on your Website > If you’re a small business and you’ve already invested in SEO, PPC, blogging, and social media, the next step is to engage with leads on your website. - Published: 2013-07-22 - Modified: 2013-07-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/capture-and-engage-with-leads-on-your-website/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales If you’re a Small Business and you’ve already invested in SEO, PPC, blogging, and social media, then congrats! You’ve made it past a big hurdle that every small business faces; getting found online. But did you know that even if you are driving visitors to your site, 96% of people are not ready to buy from you the first time they visit your website? (Source Kiss Metrics) Today’s prospect loves to research and will visit your website, your Competitor’s website, industry publications, online review sites and social media. Why? To whittle down their list of potential vendors long before ever contacting your business or any sales representative. Below is a typical process that many of your prospects go through before making a buying decision from your small business: Most prospects only want to chat with a sales rep in the last third of their buying process; the decision or buying phase. So, for two-thirds of their shopping and research process, they want to remain anonymous while they research and gather information. Think about it, don’t you do the same? The last time you went to the mall to buy some new threads (That’s St. Louis for clothes) a sales associate probably asked “May I help you? ” Did you say; “No thank you, I am just looking? ” Chances are you did. Chances are also good that the sales associate didn’t catch your name, your info or what you were looking for in the first place. You were in the... --- ### Use New Facebook Hashtags to Market Your #SmallBiz > It used to be, that when your friends hashtagged words in their Facebook status, you just silently cringed and thought "that's not how you do that." (just - Published: 2013-07-22 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-your-smallbiz-can-use-new-facebook-hashtags-to-grow-your-audience/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business It used to be, that when your friends hashtagged words in their Facebook status, you just silently cringed and thought "that's not how you do that. " (just me? ) Well, Facebook has FINALLY made their hashtags clickable. This is really great for your small business. Why? -- Because hashtags are great for marketers. They can expand your audience and enhance your messaging. Why hashtags are great: They compile a common thread of updates. So, #SmallBiz, for example, will be a thread of everyone who has used that hashtag. Using a hashtag specific to your business is an easy way to see all of your updates in one place. They increase your reach. Normally, only people who "like" your business page will ever see your updates. Now, your fans as well as people scanning through the hashtag thread can see your messaging. With new features, there are always some marketing rules. Here are our tips on what to do and not do with hashtags: What to do: Use a creative hashtag brand-specific hashtag to group all of your messaging. This will also help you track audience engagement as your update thread will also show anyone who is using that hashtag (customers and prospects). Use hashtags to reach out to a bigger group-- when they make sense, use new hashtags to reach more eyes. What not to do: Post incredibly long posts with multiple hashtags - there is a reason that Twitter limits to 140 characters and that is because long,... --- ### Best of Small Business - Week of July 15, 2013 > Like many of you, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. It’s a great place to reconnect and make new connections. Every now and then I stumble upon a - Published: 2013-07-19 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-july-15-2013/ - Categories: Small Business Like many of you, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. It’s a great place to reconnect and make new connections. Every now and then I stumble upon a suggested article at the top of my page that I will read and enjoy. I've been commenting on articles and saving them for my own files, but wanted to share them with all of you. Here are my 3 Favorite LinkedIn Articles This Week 10 Ways That Small Businesses Can Enchant Their Customers - Need I say more? A Small Business must read! My favorite tip in the article – “If you trust me, I’ll trust you, and we can build a relationship. ” - http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20130719120914-2484700-10-ways-that-small-businesses-can-enchant-their-customers? trk=cha-feed-art-title What I Learned From A Sex-Crazed Short Order Cook – How fun (or not so fun) is it to relive your first job? Chances are you have relived that job over the years with a new fond appreciation of the life lessons you have carried throughout the years. - http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20130313143038-5434591-best-advice-what-i-learned-from-a-sex-crazed-short-order-cook? trk=cha-feed-art-title Treasure The Ride – “Remembering to stay thankful is also critical for keeping perspective in a business where the lows are so deep and the highs so stratospheric. ” - http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20130226120818-2223090-best-advice-treasure-the-ride? trk=cha-feed-art-title --- ### Everyone In Your Business Should Be A Marketing Expert > Everyone IN your business is marketing FOR your business in some way. From the person answering the phone, to a sales rep – every action dealing with prospects and customers is either increasing opportunities or decreasing opportunities. - Published: 2013-07-17 - Modified: 2013-07-17 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/everyone-in-your-business-should-be-a-marketing-expert/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business Just recently I had a flat tire (ugh! ). On a whim, I stopped by a shop that I had a coupon for and had used several times in the past. After a couple of hours of waiting for the repair, I presented them with my 10% off coupon – basically enough to offset the tax of the service. When I handed over the coupon, they made a huge deal about honoring it because I didn't tell mention up front I had it (I figured give it to them when I’m checking out, right? ) The person who answered the phone told me it was fine, the person who worked on my car was oblivious to the situation, and the person who checked me out was enforcing a random policy to the highest degree. It ended up where I had to talk to the bad attitude manager, who said he would only make this exception ONE TIME (BTW: I had been to this auto shop and spent upwards of 500. 00 within a few months in repairs). I - the customer giving money, was so frustrated with their lack of communication and customer service, that I made sure to let them know I would tell others in my position not to use them and would migrate elsewhere for all future repairs. We’ve all been in the position where a business and employees make a bad impression on us. So much that we can’t wait to tell everyone about our horrible... --- ### Optimize Current Site Traffic Before Focusing on SEO > Many small business want to drive more traffic to their sites to ultimately get more leads. Is that wrong? no, of course not. However, a mistake that a lot of small businesses make is focusing on SEO and traffic generation and not focusing enough on the traffic that is already going to your company's site. - Published: 2013-07-15 - Modified: 2022-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/optimize-current-site-traffic-before-focusing-on-seo/ - Categories: Marketing Many small businesses want to drive more traffic to their sites to ultimately get more leads. Is that wrong? No-- of course not. However, a mistake that a lot of small businesses make is focusing on SEO and traffic generation and not focusing enough on the traffic that is already going to your company's site. So how do you get the most out of what you are currently working with? Here's our checklist: 1. Contact Capture Forms You should have at least one contact capture form on your website. If you don't have a way for visitors to submit their information, you are definitely losing leads! Here is an example from Baby Sleep Whisperer: 2. Calls to Action You should offer "lead bait" for your contact capture forms-- ask visitors to fill out the form but offer something of value in return-- a discount, a whitepaper or a free demo are great examples. You should have calls to action on multiple pages each with different offers to optimize your forms submissions. 3. Automated Email Campaigns Use a small business marketing automation software to create automated drip nurturing campaigns. With e-mails going out automatically, you don't need to follow up with every single lead-- the software will do it for you! This way, you know that you are reaching out to all of your leads. 4. Sales Rep Follow Up Again, if you are using a small business CRM or marketing automation software (not sure if marketing automation is right for... --- ### Best of Small Business Week of July 8, 2012 > It's Friday which means we have our weekly roundup of must-read small business articles to share. - Published: 2013-07-12 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-week-of-july-8-2012/ - Categories: Small Business It's Friday which means we have our weekly roundup of must-read small business articles to share. Enjoy and happy Friday! 1. "6 Ways to Keep Entrepreneurship Alive in Your Company" by John Oringer Your small business needs to keep that entrepreneurship attitude! Here are some tips on how to keep that vibe alive in your small business. http://www. linkedin. com/today/post/article/20130711155343-3569651-six-ways-to-keep-entrepreneurship-alive-in-your-company? trk=cha-feed-art-title 2. "8 Ways to Win at Marketing by Being Useful" by Jay Baer Baer gives some great marketing tips. His advice is on how to be useful is, well, useful! Any small business should follow his advice. When you are useful to your leads, prospects and customers, they respect you and want to give you their business. http://www. jeffbullas. com/2013/07/11/8-ways-to-win-at-marketing-by-being-useful/ 3. Big Presentation 5 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid by Eric V. Holtzclaw Giving a big presentation or pitch? Avoid these mistakes on the big day. http://www. inc. com/eric-v-holtzclaw/big-presentation-5-rookie-mistakes-to-avoid. html --- ### Am I Allowed to do that? How to follow the Email Marketing Laws > Because BenchmarkONEers use our software to send e-mail marketing communications to their leads, we get a lot of questions about what is legal, right and acceptable. Others may not be aware that there are laws that guide the e-mail marketing space. - Published: 2013-07-10 - Modified: 2013-07-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/am-i-allowed-to-do-that-how-to-follow-the-email-marketing-laws/ - Categories: Marketing Because Hatchbuckers use our software to send e-mail marketing communications to their leads, we get a lot of questions about what is legal, right and acceptable. Others may not be aware that there are laws that guide the e-mail marketing space. Here are the basic laws for e-mail marketing: Don’t use false or misleading header information. Don’t use deceptive subject lines. Identify the message as an ad. Tell recipients where you’re located. Tell recipients how to opt out of receiving future email from you. Honor opt-out requests promptly. Monitor what others are doing on your behalf. Sounds easy enough right? If you are trying to manage your list manually, handling opt ins and opt outs can get messy. Using a software that can do this for you will minimize your chances of missing an opt out request. Here is a full article on these points from the Bureau of Consumer protection that goes into these points more in depth: http://www. business. ftc. gov/documents/bus61-can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business --- ### The 4 Keys To Startup Success for Incubators > According to the Harvard Business Review nearly 75% of all startups fail! From a startup perspective, I would like to share my 4 Keys to Startup Success for Incubators. - Published: 2013-07-08 - Modified: 2013-07-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-4-keys-to-startup-success-for-incubators/ - Categories: Small Business Startup companies are key to driving our economy. But an idea and a little capital is hardly enough to keep the small business dream going. After all according to the Harvard Business Review nearly 75% of all starts ups fail (yikes! ) There is a resurgence in entrepreneurism and a big reason for all the growth in "Startupville" has been the support and mentorship of Business Incubators. Incubators are a vital resource in helping budding entrepreneurs bring their ideas to market and give young companies the resources they need to grow successfully. Our company, Hatchbuck was originally hatched in an incubator in Downtown St. Louis called T-Rex. It is a great environment where businesses and entrepreneurs receive the tools and resources they need to build something gigantic. From a startup perspective, I would like to share my 4 Keys to Startup Success for Incubators 1. Don't Forget the Purpose - Startup companies join an incubator for a myriad of reasons. It takes more than just a new idea and a little cash to make their dream reality. Business Incubators offer financial, human capital and physical resources needed to get their business off the ground and allow them to bring in the bacon. But it is easy to overlook a central purpose of the incubator. Mentorship. A startup can find everything an incubator offers outside of an incubator, but I can speak firsthand to the value that a Business Incubator can add when they have an attitude of mentorship. 2. Create... --- ### Best of Small Business This Week > It's Friday which means we have our "Best of Small Business" this week for you. Here are some great articles we have found to share with our readers this week. - Published: 2013-06-28 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/best-of-small-business-this-week-na/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business, Uncategorized It's Friday which means we have our "Best of Small Business" this week for you. Here are some great articles we have found to share with our readers this week. 1. Avoid these Four Email Marketing Mistakes by Kelly Gregorio Email marketing is a great way for small business to directly communicate with prospects as well as customers. Avoid these four mistakes to stay on top of your game! http://www. successful-blog. com/1/avoid-these-four-email-marketing-mistakes/? utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+successful-blog%2FWuQV+%28Liz+Strauss+at+Successful+Blog%29 2. SEO Primer for Startups by Bryan Janeczko SEO can be an intimidating topic for small business owners. Janeczko does a great job of pointing out a few things that anyone can do to rank a little higher in a search without spending a ton of money or time on search engine optimization. http://blog. score. org/2013/bryan-janeczko/seo-primer-for-startups/ 3. How to Reduce Your Cycle Times by Doug and Polly One thing that a lot of small businesses struggle with is identifying current processes and how to improve them. This article has some great, simple suggestions including documenting the process, eliminating unnecessary steps, reducing wait time, processing in parallel and automating to save time. http://www. dougandpolly. com/managing-operations/564-how-to-reduce-your-cycle-times 4. 3 Business Safety Tips for Summertime by Donna Fuscaldo Not a lot of business owners think about, or realize that summertime can bring additional risks to small businesses. Fuscaldo lists here some risks to consider. http://smallbusiness. foxbusiness. com/entrepreneurs/2013/06/21/3-business-safety-tips-for-summertime/ --- ### 8 Easy Ways To Stay Top Of Mind With Prospects > We know that in order to convert prospects to loyal customers, we must build relationships and stay in touch. Although we know we SHOULD follow-up, lack of time often prohibits us from doing so as often as we 'd like. - Published: 2013-06-26 - Modified: 2016-11-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/8-easy-ways-to-stay-top-of-mind-with-prospects-3/ - Categories: Marketing We know that in order to convert prospects to loyal customers, we must build relationships and stay in touch. Although we know we SHOULD follow-up, lack of time often prohibits us from doing so as often as we 'd like. Staying top of mind with your prospects doesn't just have to be a lengthy phone call or personalized email. There are many easy ways you can stay on your prospects radar without wasting internal resources and time or overwhelming them. Don't let lack of time or money within your small business be an excuse for not staying top of mind. Chances are, if you aren't following up on a regular basis - your competitor is. 8 Easy Ways To Stay Top Of Mind With Prospects Send an Occasional Email Newsletter With Helpful Info & Tips - Chances are you have some great content on your fingertips that you can share in a newsletter format. Make sure if you are highlighting products and services that you also provide some educational and relevant content. Send a Card - A handwritten card still goes a long way in showing you took the time to personalize a message for the individual. Distribute a Helpful Article You Came Across That Is Relevant To The Prospect - Come across a helpful article or recent news story you think someone may appreciate? Email a quick link and show others you took the time to think they may appreciate the content you came across. Secure an Automated Follow-Up... --- ### Capture Emails at your Next Event > Events can be a huge lead source, but statistics show that more than half of trade show leads are not followed up on. If you have ever worked a trade show, you can see how this is easy. People show their "interest" by dropping off their business cards, and you get your "leads" from the e-mail list that the event producer gives to everyone. T - Published: 2013-06-24 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/capture-emails-at-your-next-event/ - Categories: Marketing, Sales, Small Business Events can be a huge lead source, but statistics show that more than half of trade show leads are not followed up on. If you have ever worked a trade show, you can see how this is easy. People show their "interest" by dropping off their business cards, and you get your "leads" from the e-mail list that the event producer gives to everyone. This causes a few issues: A lot of leads, but not really interested ones Too many leads to follow up with individually How do you tell who is interested? Well, you can call or email each contact individually or plug the whole list into an e-mail marketing software and send an e-blast OR you can have the contacts who are interested enter themselves into a database and then be able to track who is interested while having the Hatchbuck software follow up with them automatically. Here is how Hatchbuck can make lead generation at trade shows much, much simpler: 1. Have the leads enter themselves! Using an online form, open on a blank landing page, interested booth visitors can fill out a form, which will enter their information straight into your database. You can even go a step further and include options in the form so that you can identify which products or services that the contact is interested in. You can also send them an auto-responder email or automated multi-step marketing campaign. Make sure that you offer something of value to help entice attendees to... --- ### 3 Social Infographics Every Small Business Must See > 3 Social Infographics Every Small Business Must See - Published: 2013-06-14 - Modified: 2013-06-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-social-infographics-every-small-business-must-see/ - Categories: Small Business 3 Social Infographics Every Small Business Must See Click any infographic to redirect to a larger image! --- ### Email Marketing Roundup > Once a month, we try to compile a few articles related to email marketing or small business that we want to share with our readers. Here is this month's e-mail marketing Roundup! - Published: 2013-06-12 - Modified: 2013-06-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-roundup-3/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business Once a month, we try to compile a few articles related to email marketing or small business that we want to share with our readers. Here is this month's e-mail marketing Roundup! 1. 10 Ways to Integrate Your Social Media and Email Marketing by Jeff Bullas We love email and we love social media. At Hatchbuck, we are firm believers that to get the best responses and help grow your email list and social following, you need to integrate the 2 together. Bullas gives some great pointers here on how to do so. http://www. jeffbullas. com/2010/07/01/10-ways-to-integrate-your-social-media-and-email-marketing/ 2. Why You Should Use a Strategy for your B2B Email Marketing by Marc Bergers Great points on how and why to develop a strategy for your email marketing for your small business. https://exploreb2b. com/articles/caution-very-boring-why-you-should-use-a-strategy-for-your-b2b-email-marketing 3. Email Marketing: change in incentive offer causes a 25% increase in email subscribers in one day for nonprofit by Courtney Eckerle Lead bait is a big factor in the amount of subscribers you will receive. This is a great case study on how adjusting your incentive offer can increase subscribers. http://www. marketingsherpa. com/article/case-study/incentive-change-increase-email-subscribers# --- ### 4 Must-Do’s For Selling on Social Media > A recent statistic from Forbes says that 78% of sales people outperformed those not using social media. . If you want to sell on social media, there are some things you will want to do to ensure you don’t outcast yourself as the pushy sales type. - Published: 2013-05-31 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-must-dos-for-selling-on-social-media/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business A recent statistic from Forbes says that 78% of sales people outperformed those not using social media. Whether we like it or not, social networking is here to stay and we can learn to adapt and use it to our business advantage. Understanding your buyers footprint – where they spend their time, what their conversing about, and what problems they are facing is crucial to converting them to life-long customers. If you want to social sell effective, there are some things you will want to do to ensure you don’t outcast yourself as the pushy sales type. 4 Must-Do’s For Selling on Social Media 1) Find Out Where Your Potential Buyers Hang Out Before you can ever engage in an active conversation with a lead, you must know where they are spending time online. Are they in LinkedIn groups, following certain Twitter hashtags, or maybe gathered around blog conversations? Do your research up front to pinpoint where those you wish to engage with are spending most of their time on the web so you are able to create a social selling strategy with focus. 2) Use Common Courtesy Each social network has its own set of implied common courtesies, so make sure you familiarize yourself with them before you begin using social networks to sell. For example, on Facebook it’s not generally acceptable to add people to your friends that you do not previously know, while on Twitter following just about anyone is encouraged. On LinkedIn, you are able to... --- ### Use Email To Retain Customers > A lot of email marketing strategy is focused on sales and nurturing leads and prospects with the ultimate goal being to convert them to customers. While this is a huge advantage that e-mail marketing gives to small business, you also don't want to forget to nurture your customers. - Published: 2013-05-29 - Modified: 2013-05-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/use-email-to-retain-customers/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business A lot of e-mail marketing strategy is focused on sales and nurturing leads and prospects with the ultimate goal being to convert them to customers. While this is a huge advantage that e-mail marketing gives to small business, you also don't want to forget to nurture your customers. Just because they bought from you once, doesn't mean that they will always be around, so remind them why they chose your business. Keeping in touch with your customers and following up is extremely underrated. When a business makes an effort to ensure that the consumer is having the best possible experience, the customer will take note. Here are some ways to utilize your email marketing campaigns to retain your current customers: 1. Appointment or Renewal Reminders If you have a business where the customer needs regular appointments or has scheduled renewal dates, using an automated e-mail campaign can help you to keep track of the dates and send a friendly, personalized automatic e-mail to remind the client as well. 2. Rewards or Referral Programs Rewards programs are a great way to interact with a customer. Give them rewards points for how engaged they are or give them points or a discount for referring new clients. However it works out, giving back to your customers is a great way to keep them around. 3. Holiday and Birthday Emails Some email marketing systems can send e-mails or campaigns based around a specific date. This is a great way to help remember all of... --- ### What Small Businesses Can Learn During Disasters > When disaster hits, there is one thing that is inevitable-- the marketers jump on the opportunity and the public responds via social media. And it's usually not pretty. One great thing about the reach of social media is that the public can now voice our opinions when we see something that we know is wrong. However, as a small business marketer, it can now be confusing to know what is appropriate marketing-wise during a disaster. - Published: 2013-05-22 - Modified: 2013-05-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-small-businesses-can-learn-during-disasters/ - Categories: Small Business When disaster hits, there is one thing that is inevitable-- the marketers jump on the opportunity and the public responds via social media. And it's usually not pretty. One great thing about the reach of social media is that the public can now voice our opinions when we see something that we know is wrong. However, as a small business marketer, it can now be confusing to know what is appropriate marketing-wise during a disaster. With the Boston attacks still recent in everyone's minds and the the Oklahoma tornadoes that just occurred many marketers are "news jacking" (inserting your ideas into current news issues, to generate more coverage for your business). I have also personally seen hatchbuck users who are helping out in disaster areas and have handled their marketing strategy appropriately. Here are some tips on how to show sympathy and appropriately adjust your marketing strategy during a disaster time: 1. Hold off the self promotional tweets When a disaster hits, it might be wise to un-schedule any tweets and hold off any promotional posts your were planning for a day. Post out something to show you are sympathetic and are aware of the issue. Consumers relate and would rather do business with a company that they can relate to. Show that you are just as affected by the tragedy as everyone else. Companies that continue to promote themselves and leave scheduled tweets (especially ones that could be perceived wrongly) only seem concerned about one thing-- themselves. 2. Help,... --- ### How Prospects Can Segment Themselves Using Hatchbuck Forms > We often preach the importance of segmenting your contacts. In order to email your prospects and customers relevant content, you must know their - Published: 2013-05-15 - Modified: 2013-05-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-prospects-can-segment-themselves-using-hatchbuck-forms/ - Categories: Marketing, Uncategorized We often preach the importance of segmenting your contacts. In order to email your prospects and customers relevant content, you must know their interests. For example, if I am an insurance agent and I sell both Renters & Homeowners insurance – it’s important that I identify my homeowners and renters up front so I send emails with content that meets their needs. It wouldn't make sense if I knew this information up front to email my homeowners information about renters insurance and vice-versa. Many of you use Hatchbuck forms on your website or social media profiles. One of the most powerful overlooked features of our forms is the ability to add "tagging" options. When a prospect chooses particular options or interests, their information will be imported into the system and will add the appropriate tags. This powerful feature allows your prospects to auto segment themselves before you or a sales rep has ever engaged with them. A Tag Comb & Tag Checkbox are great form options to allow your prospects to auto segment themselves. For example, "Do you own or rent your home" is a tag comb and "Interests" is a tag checkbox. When a prospect selects whether they own or rent their own home and their quote interests, they will automatically enter Hatchbuck with the appropriate tags. Once a prospect enters the system with the appropriate tags, you can filter contacts and begin communicating with them with information that meets their needs and interest without ever having to have... --- ### Great Subject Lines > While testing e-mails that have different content inside of them can alter the actions that people take (like clicking a link, watching a video or visiting your website), you have to get the recipient to open the e-mail first. If a subject line looks uninteresting or spammy the e-mail is not going to get opened. This is why I believe that testing e-mail subject lines is the most important piece of the e-mail that should be tested when sending to a large group. - Published: 2013-05-15 - Modified: 2013-05-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/great-subject-lines/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business When your primary job is to assist small business owners and employees with their e-mail marketing practices, you get a lot of questions about what criteria to test. I believe that testing is key to finding out what will work for your business and receive the most opens. While testing e-mails that have different content inside of them can alter the actions that people take (like clicking a link, watching a video or visiting your website), you have to get the recipient to open the e-mail first. If a subject line looks uninteresting or spammy the e-mail is not going to get opened. This is why I believe that testing e-mail subject lines is the most important piece of the e-mail that should be tested. So how do you know if your subject line is good? 1. Be interesting If you can put something that is relevant to the recipient into the subject line you are better off. For example, if you separate your list by city, putting something geographically relevant into the subject line can improve your open rates. Also, questions work well as long as it's not super cheesy. Think about what questions apply to your audience. Something like "Is your Marketing Stuck in the 90's? " and not "Looking for a marketing software? " The reason the first is better is that it focuses on a need without directly promoting your product. 2. What's in it for them If people believe that they will receive or learn... --- ### Hatchbuck Software Overview > Want to know exactly how the hatchbuck software can help you retain more leads and convert more prospects to customers all while saving you time? Check out the slideshow below to see all of our features! - Published: 2013-05-10 - Modified: 2013-05-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-convert-more-leads-to-customers-2/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business Want to know exactly how the hatchbuck software can help you retain more leads and convert more prospects to customers all while saving you time? Check out the slideshow below to see all of our features! Hatchbuck overview final from Hatchbuck Hatchbuck is designed to simplify sales & marketing automation for small business and is super easy to use. Say adios to manual follow-up or reminders. Get all the tools you need to stay organized, automate your prospect and customer follow-up and make it rain sales. --- ### Hatchbuck: Rebranding With Purpose > If you haven’t heard the big news, we are in the transition of rebranding our company Systematic Revenue into Hatchbuck. Here is the story of our - Published: 2013-05-10 - Modified: 2013-05-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-rebranding-with-purpose/ - Categories: Marketing If you haven’t heard the big news, we are in the transition of rebranding our company Systematic Revenue into Hatchbuck. Here is the story of our discovery into finding our greater purpose, and decision to redefine our business with that in mind. Our Humble Beginning: As lifelong entrepreneurs and small business owners, we have always searched for an easier way to drive sales and revenue with limited time and resources. In our previous business, we were crazy successful driving over 1000% growth through marketing automation, but we quickly became frustrated by the lack of affordable, intuitive and easy to use solutions available to small business. In 2012 we decided to roll up our sleeves and invest our own heart, soul, and mind into building the ideal sales & marketing solution to help other small businesses grow their dream. Systematic Revenue was born. Reflecting On What We Do (And Why): Over the last six months we decided to take a step back and truly understand WHY we do what we do, who we serve, and how we can work together to make the biggest difference . While the name Systematic Revenue describes what we do – We felt that we needed a Brand Identity that better delivered on our PURPOSE to our team members, clients, and the world. We feel that hatchbuck better represents who we are, where we’re going and why we exist. We are fanatical about helping others grow their business, nurture their contacts, and achieve their dreams, and... --- ### hatchbuck Presentation on 1 Million Cups > Check out our founder and CEO, Don Breckenridge discuss the Hatchbuck software on 1 Million Cups this morning. His intro is at the 36:50 mark.   - Published: 2013-05-08 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/hatchbuck-presentation-on-1-million-cups/ - Categories: Leadership, Small Business Check out our founder and CEO, Don Breckenridge discuss the Hatchbuck software on 1 Million Cups this morning. His intro is at the 36:50 mark. Original Link: http://new. livestream. com/accounts/1447117/events/2084658 --- ### Writing Relevant Content > To many business owners, writing marketing content can seem daunting. It does take some time to sit down and write content so don't waste it writing something that everyone will delete! - Published: 2013-04-29 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/writing-relevant-content/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business To many business owners, writing marketing content can seem daunting. It does take some time to sit down and write content so don't waste it writing something that everyone will delete! Here are a few things to remember to keep you content relevant so that it will get read: 1. Keep it educational Trust me-- no one wants to read your sales pitch. People are always scouring the web for information on something. Use that to your best interest. Here's an example: pretend that my business is an online wine shop. What do you think will get read more out of these two articles: "5 New Red Wines we Carry at the Wine Shoppe" "5 Tips on Pairing Red Wines with Dinner" The second will get read more. No one is searching Google for the new wines that your shop offers. Regular shoppers will want to know which new wines you are offering-- so send that in an e-mail to people who have already bought from you. the "5 Tips. . " article would make a better website blog though. There will be people searching for something to pair with the dinner they are cooking tonight and you can still mention your 5 new red wines in the article. By posting something that has taught your website visitors something, you have gained credibility and they will come to your site next time they look for wine. 2. Segment your contacts by interest You probably have customers and prospects that are... --- ### The 3 R’s of “Go Green" Marketing > As you may know, April 22 was Earth Day. A day growing in popularity, Earth Day aims to inspire awareness and appreciation of the planet. While committing yourself or small business to help the environment, you can transition your marketing into the same “Go Green” mentality. The 3 R’s of “Go Green” Marketing: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. - Published: 2013-04-26 - Modified: 2013-04-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/the-3-rs-of-go-green-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business As you may know, April 22 was Earth Day. A day growing in popularity, Earth Day aims to inspire awareness and appreciation of the planet. While committing yourself or your small business to helping the environment, transition your marketing into the same “Go Green” mentality. The 3 R's of "Go Green Marketing" Reduce: Did you know that direct mail accounts for more than 2% of landfill waste? Besides that direct mail is costly and offers a very low response rate, it’s also contributing to the waste that fills our environment. The first place you should consider going green in your marketing efforts is by switching to email. According to PR Daily, email marketing will maintain a consistent 10% growth over the next five years which is great news for a small business! Email is cost efficient, track-able, and received almost instantly. If your small business has not made the switch to email marketing over direct mail, what better time than now? Reuse: In the same way natural resources are scarce, so are small business dollars, resources, and budgets. A great way to cut down time and spending in your small business is to reuse and re-purpose content on multiple platforms. Wrote a great blog article recently? Why not reuse it in your monthly newsletter, on your small business Facebook page, or turn it into a compelling e-book that you can offer in exchange for a prospects information on your website? There are many ways you can reuse content that will... --- ### Marketing Automation vs. E-mail Marketing > If you are a small business employee or owner and are completely confused by how to get started on your e-mail marketing simply because you don't understand all of the terminology, you are not alone! Marketing automation, lead nurturing, e-mail marketing, e-mail blasts and newsletters among some of the many words you will hear in the industry. - Published: 2013-04-24 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-automation-vs-e-mail-marketing/ - Categories: Email Marketing, Marketing Automation If you are an insurance agent and are completely confused by how to get started on your e-mail marketing simply because you don't understand all of the terminology, you are not alone! Marketing automation, lead nurturing, e-mail marketing, e-mail blasts and newsletters among some of the many words you will hear in the industry. This can be extra confusing when searching for a software to enhance your e-mail marketing tactics. Do you go for an e-mail marketing software? A marketing automation software? or a lead nurturing software? Because of all of the confusion, we thought we would break down 2 common terms in this blog: e-mail marketing and marketing automation. E-mail Marketing: E-mail marketing itself is a marketing process that means sending your leads and prospects direct communications via e-mail. An e-mail marketing software can have a wide range of features, but most e-mail marketing software programs provide: html-style designed newsletters ability to send to a large list ability to see opens and link clicks There are some advantages to sending newsletters and mass mailings. That said, its not what we preach at Hatchbuck for a few reasons: HTML- style newsletters are more likely to hit SPAM filters than a text only e-mail Sending to a large list may be identified by SPAM filters as well. Also, it just seems less personal and the information is less targeted than if you were sending to small sub-sets of contacts based on their interests. Marketing Automation: Marketing Automation refers to the process... --- ### Tell A Business Story Worth Hearing > As a small business, you are not stranger to the concept of building better relationships with prospects and customers. After all, people do business with companies and people they know, like, and trust. One of the easiest ways to lay the foundation for a successful relationship is to tell a business story the prospect or customer can relate to from the beginning. - Published: 2013-04-19 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/telling-a-business-story-worth-hearing/ - Categories: Leadership, Marketing, Small Business, Uncategorized "I realized the importance of having a story today is what really separates companies. People don't just wear our shoes, they sell our story. " - Blake Mycoskie, Founder of TOMS Shoes As a small business, you are not stranger to the concept of building better relationships with prospects and customers. After all, people do business with companies and people they know, like, and trust. One of the easiest ways to lay the foundation for a successful relationship is to tell a business story the prospect or customer can relate to from the beginning. In my blog post 5 Small Business Lessons from Pinterest Quotes, I mentioned one way angle to tell your small business story - Own what makes your business unique. Products and services between businesses are often similar yet their culture, hardships, shared belief are so different from one another. A great way to tell a great story is to elaborate on those distinct differences which make your small business unique. What inspires your small business? Who do you look to for inspiration? What keeps you motivated? I urge you to answer questions like this and really pinpoint a time your small business faced a challenge and overcame adversity. Allow people to connect with your small business story - you will find that they celebrate your success with you once they become a part of your unique story. --- ### Our Short Guide to Successful E-mail Marketing > There are 3 main things that every e-mail marketer needs to do: Get your Emails Opened, Optimize your Response Rates and Track, Analyze and Test. Here are our tips throughout the e-mail marketing process - Published: 2013-04-17 - Modified: 2016-10-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-get-better-email-open-rates/ - Categories: Marketing MarketingSherpa’s 2012 Email Benchmarking Report identified that 67% of organizations increased their email budgets last year, with one-fifth of them increasing it by more than 30%. While e-mail marketing is the new standard for businesses, there are a lot of factors to consider when starting an e-mail marketing campaign. Should you get an html template? Should you send to your whole list? Which e-mail address should it come from? How do you optimize opens and clicks? Should you do testing? Overwhelmed yet? --Don't be. The first step to e-mail marketing is... just get started! There are certain things that every e-mail marketer should know before getting started. However, your business and audience is unique to you, and you will learn what works for you best as you proceed. There are 3 main things that every e-mail marketer needs to do: Get your Emails Opened, Optimize your Response Rates and Track, Analyze and Test. Here are our tips throughout this process: 1. Get your Emails Opened It has to get opened to get read! Here are some tips on getting your e-mails opened: Subject Line: Keep it short and don't get too creative. If it sounds like you're marketing, the recipient will hit delete. Who is the Sender? Make sure that the e-mail is coming from you (the person), not you (the company). Having a personal touch makes the e-mail seem like it was written just for the recipient and not part of some mass marketing mailing. Segment your recipients: Sending... --- ### 3 Foolproof Ways To Get More Referrals > Many small businesses would like more customer referrals, but don’t necessarily know how to go about receiving them. If you are frustrated by your companies lack of referrals despite the positive feedback you consistently receive, give the following a try - 3 Foolproof Ways To Get More Referrals. - Published: 2013-04-15 - Modified: 2013-04-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-foolproof-ways-to-get-more-referrals/ - Categories: Small Business Many small businesses would like more customer referrals, but don’t necessarily know how to go about receiving them. Ideally our enthusiastic customers would reach out to their dearest friends and colleagues and recommend our product or service, but we know that is not typically the case. If you get frustrated by your companies lack of referrals despite the positive feedback you consistently receive, give the following a try. 3 Foolproof Ways To Get More Referrals Simply Ask Sometimes the easiest and most effective way to go about getting referrals is to simply ask for them! A happy customer leaving your office or emailing you to thank you is the perfect time to slip in and ask for a referral. You may be surprised that more times than not, a happy customer is willing to hand you over some contacts if you ask! Give To Get While trying to receive referrals yourself, don’t forget to also give referrals for others. Often times referring someone else can create a larger network of contacts. In return, the person or company you referred will mostly likely jump at the opportunity to recommend you. Don’t forget the principle, you got to give some to get some – this attitude can go a long way in growing referrals! Use Email To Your Advantage If your customer has just purchased a new product or service from your company, an email should follow immediately after offering them a “refer a friend” opportunity. Remember to keep your emails tailored... --- ### 2 Types of Questions You Probably Aren't Asking In The Sales Process > Asking the right types of questions during the sales process can be crucial to producing a high quality sell. The problem with so many sales people is that they ask low quality questions and make pitching their product/service the forefront of their conversation. - Published: 2013-04-12 - Modified: 2013-04-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/2-types-of-questions-you-probably-arent-asking-in-the-sales-process/ - Categories: Small Business Asking the right types of questions during the sales process is crucial to producing a high quality sell. The problem with so many sales people is that they ask low quality questions and make pitching their product/service the forefront of their conversation. In this case, they never help find the root of the prospects problem to begin with. Quite frankly, when you listen and ask the right questions, you will learn more about your prospect and put yourself in a better place to help solve a problem and make someone’s life easier. This also helps lay the groundwork for a relationship that strengthens credibility and enforced trust over time. 2 Types of Questions You Probably Aren't Asking In The Sales Process Qualifying Questions Not prospect you run into will be an ideal fit for you and vice-versa. It may be a huge waste of time if you’re trying to sell to someone who just isn't the right fit for what you are offering. Asking qualifying questions up front can help you identify whether you should move to the next stage of the sales process with the prospect. Open-Ended Questions Getting the prospect directly involved in the conversation can allow you to truly expose and understand their needs. Often times, sales people try to sway prospects into answering questions a certain way that reinforces what they are trying to say. Open-ended questions usually start with “who, what, when, where, why, how,” and build conversation. Asking open-ended questions allows the prospect to... --- ### Why NOT to create an HTML style newsletter > HTML style newsletters are the trendy thing in e-mail marketing. We've written articles on how and when a html- style newsletter is appropriate to use. However, there are many reasons why you should opt for a text-only style e-mail instead. - Published: 2013-04-10 - Modified: 2013-04-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/why-not-to-create-an-html-style-newsletter/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business HTML style newsletters are the trendy thing in e-mail marketing. Most of our competitors offer an array of flashy newsletters which are appealing to many businesses. In fact, many of them only offer sending this type of e-mail in a large mass blast. We've written articles on how and when a html- style newsletter is appropriate to use. However, there are many reasons why you should opt for a text-only style e-mail instead. 1. Heavy HTML may get marked as SPAM There are a few things that may get your e-mail sent to someone's SPAM box. My guess is that if you're sending out an e-mail blast, you would actually like your recipients to read it. It's more likely to be viewed as SPAM because so many businesses use this tactic to market (or SPAM) their contact list. 2. Text looks more personal I know personally that when I receive an HTML newsletter, I assume it was sent by a company to their entire contact list. However, if I receive a text only e-mail addressed to a person from a person, I may take that as something that was written to me personally. E-mails like this tend to have higher open rates and link click throughs because they seem less like a marketing tactic. These two reasons are why, at Systematic Revenue, we advocate for sending text only e-mails to more specific segments in your contact list versus sending a newsletter to your entire list. Utilizing this tactic will yield... --- ### Marketing Health Check for 2013 > Creating a great product or service, hiring a few good people, and opening the doors to your business is no longer enough to sustain your business, much less grow in today’s market. - Published: 2013-04-03 - Modified: 2013-04-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-health-check-for-2013/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business Creating a great product or service, hiring a few good people, and opening the doors to your business is no longer enough to sustain your business, much less grow in today’s market. Your customers are shopping and researching online and constantly getting marketed to in both traditional and online methods (Search Engines, Social Media, email marketing). Doing the same old thing or relying on referrals and word of mouth is a death sentence. Here are 5 things you must be focusing on in 2013; no doubt some of your competitors are already there. 1) Capture and organize your contacts: Do you have a clean list of your contacts? (Prospects, Customers, Past Customers, Lead Sources, etc. ) Can you quickly and easily see what your customers buy from you? Or what products or services your prospects are interested in? Most likely the answer is no. Even companies that have a CRM tool (Customer Relationship Management) often are not diligent about capture notes on their contacts or segmenting them effectively. Whether you have been in business for 1 year or 30, your most valuable asset is your contact list; 80% of new business can come from your existing customers. Most businesses focus on new business and neglect their existing contacts. Why spend the time getting in front of new people if you can’t keep track of the contacts you already have? You must effectively capture and organize all of your contacts. The pile of business cards on your desk gathering dust is... --- ### Email Deliverability 101 > "I’ll just hit send…" How many of us have put together an email and sent it to our list with high expectations? I would venture to say all or most of us, - Published: 2013-03-29 - Modified: 2013-03-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-deliverability-101/ - Categories: Marketing "I’ll just hit send... " How many of us have put together an email and sent it to our list with high expectations? I would venture to say all or most of us, only to find out oh my, my open & click through rates are poor, my bounces and complaints are high oh dear what happened? This is a common misconception with email sending mail business to consumer or business to business is a different game all together then sending a personal email to a friend. When sending to your contacts you first need to know a bit about them and their interests. Here a couple points to consider before hitting the send button: Target/Segment your mail – the first thing I go when I get a mailing from a company that does not speak to my interests is delete the mail. I will quickly scan it but if you do not capture my attention and make me want to click through your mail chances are I will just delete it. Critically look at your mail; if you were the consumer would you open it? SPAM, SPAM, SPAM – One of the biggest issues facing mailers is the battles with the receivers. Some days your messages may inbox and others they go to spam. What accounts for this you may ask and the answer is complicated. Receivers may block your mail for a variety of reasons from they have received too many complaints about your mail, lack of engagement... --- ### Email Marketing Roundup > I love when we find other articles that share our thoughts about e-mail marketing strategy! Here are some really great ones that I came across this week - Published: 2013-03-27 - Modified: 2013-03-27 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/email-marketing-roundup-2/ - Categories: Marketing, Uncategorized I love when we find other articles that share our thoughts about e-mail marketing strategy! Here are some really great ones that I came across this week and wanted to share with our readers. 1. 'The Surprising Secret to Getting Your Emails Read' by Drake Baer at Fast Company: At Systematic Revenue, we always tell our clients to put the most relevant information at the top of your e-mail. This article puts a very interesting spin on that strategy! http://www. fastcompany. com/3007432/surprising-secret-getting-your-emails-read 2. '3 Overlooked Aspects of Automated Messages' by Daniel Burstein at Marketing Sherpa Marketing Sherpa always has the BEST email marketing advice. This chart is a great example of how businesses use automated e-mails and describes the ways that they are missing out on opportunities as well. http://sherpablog. marketingsherpa. com/email-marketing/3-overlooked-aspects-automated-messages/ 3. 'Email Marketing: How to Maintain Low Opt-Out Rates' by info@meclabs. com (b2b Roundtable Blog) This is all around great advice. Brian Carroll gives some good advice on why people opt- out of lists. http://www. findandconvert. com/fnc-industry-news/? vaid=babb37a52019d64445ab39d745005ebc --- ### 10 Inspiring Small Business Quotes > 10 Inspiring Small Business Quotes - Published: 2013-03-22 - Modified: 2022-10-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/10-inspiring-quotes-for-small-businesses/ - Categories: Marketing 10 Inspiring Small Business Quotes “If you don’t believe in your product, or if you’re not consistent and regular in the way you promote it, the odds of succeeding go way down. The primary function of the marketing plan is to ensure that you have the resources and the wherewithal to do what it takes to make your product work. ” - Jay Levinson “Be yourself--everyone else is taken. " - Oscar Wilde “Whether you think you can or can’t - you’re right”- Henry Ford “For every sale you miss because you’re too enthusiastic, you will miss a hundred because you’re not enthusiastic enough” - Zig Ziglar "Our job is to make change. Our job is to connect to people, to interact with them in a way that leaves them better than we found them, more able to get where they’d like to go. Every time we waste that opportunity, every page or sentence that doesn’t do enough to advance the cause is waste. " - Seth Godin "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it. " - Simon Sinek "Don't wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don't wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don't wish for less challenges, wish for more wisdom. " - Jim Rohn "I’ve seen life as one long learning process. ” - Richard Branson "Effective people are not problem-minded; they're opportunity-minded. They feed opportunities and starve problems. " - Stephen Covey "Never doubt that a small group... --- ### What Small Business Should Take From Big Business Marketing > Small businesses should not model there marketing tactics after their large rivals. However there is plenty to learn from the big guys. Some big business marketing tactics are great models for small business and some should be taken with a grain of salt. - Published: 2013-03-20 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/what-small-business-should-take-from-big-business-marketing/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business Do you envision your small business to be the next Coke or Apple? Those are 2 of the most well known and recognized brands and many small businesses owners out there dream of being recognized so widely. Running a small business is dramatically different than running a business like Coca Cola, which has been around since 1886. Despite the differences, many small business owners still spend a lot of time, energy and finances to use big business marketing techniques. There are a lot of things that small business can learn from big business marketing, including what to do and what not to waste your time on. Where to let Big Business influence your marketing 1. Website Your website is one aspect of your business that you should not skimp on. The majority of sales leads come in through a search engine now and do plenty of internet research before making a buying decision. You should offer them something of value and request a sign up on your site. Something like a white paper, educational video or a free consultation is great. You want to give them something that helps them with the buying process and is NOT pushy or salesy. Doing this allows you to capture their contact information and add them to your sales process, while educating them and gaining credibility. 2. Social Look at this image from Coca-Cola's Twitter account. Small businesses need to use their social media channels to be interactive like this with their customers and... --- ### eBook vs White Paper > You'll often hear marketing experts suggest your small business provide educational content to your prospects via eBook or White Paper. Don't feel alone if you've wandered what the difference between the two is. Here is a quick run down of the typical differences between an eBook vs White Paper. - Published: 2013-03-15 - Modified: 2013-03-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/ebook-vs-whitepaper/ - Categories: Marketing You'll often hear marketing experts suggest your small business offer educational content to your prospects via eBook or White Paper. Don't feel alone if you've wandered what the difference between the two is. Here is a quick run down of the typical differences between an eBook and White Paper. eBook Electronic Book Typically Not Used For Lead Capture (Do Not Require Information to Acquire) Short Interactive Visually Appealing (Graphics) Casual Designed for Skimming Bulleted Points Can Be Easily Distributed Often Landscape Design White Paper Formal Research Typically Used For Lead Capture (Require Information to Acquire) More Intensive Read Heavy Text Persuasive Fact-Based Plain In Design Logical Problem/Solution Format Often Portrait Design --- ### Sales and Marketing Email Campaign Examples > Many e-mail marketing software providers have different explanations of campaigns. At Systematic Revenue, we think that a campaign has multiple steps and serves a purpose-- sales and marketing. - Published: 2013-03-13 - Modified: 2013-03-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sales-and-marketing-email-campaign-examples/ - Categories: Marketing Many e-mail marketing software providers have different explanations of campaigns. At Systematic Revenue, we think that a campaign has multiple steps and serves a purpose-- sales and marketing. Many other email marketing software providers will call what we call an e-mail blast or mass email a campaign. Mass e-mails have their purpose as well-- for example, a monthly newsletter or one-off communication should be sent as a mass e-mail, because they are only one step. Campaigns can be designed to have 2 steps or 200. This is of a completely different use than sending a mass e-mail. Campaigns can follow up with new sales leads, nurture and educate prospects and opportunities and keep communication with your current customers. This is an advantage because using an automated system enables you to accomplish this without having to manually start each step. Here are a few common sales and marketing campaigns: Sales Follow-up Campaign: Because you shouldn't be e-mailing a list that you don't know, when trying to add new, cold leads to your list, you should call them first. Then, provided that they don't buy right away, you should start them on a follow-up campaign, which might look something like this: Day 1: Initial phone call You should introduce yourself and what you do. Ask them if they would like to receive more information about your business. Day 3: Follow- up e-mail: This e-mail should summarize who you are and what you do. An added bonus would be adding some sort of... --- ### Top 3 Lessons A Small Business Can Learn From Paula Deen > A small business can learn a lot from Paula Deen's business mentality. - Published: 2013-03-08 - Modified: 2013-03-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-3-lessons-a-small-business-can-learn-from-paula-dean/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business, Uncategorized Just last week I found myself glued to the television when it “somehow” landed on the Food Network Chanel (perhaps I was hungry? ). Anyway, Paula’s Home Cooking was airing when I discovered my T. V. was on The Food Network. Honestly, it’s the most wholesome show I've watched on T. V. in a long time. It was 30 minutes of her and her family cooking together, sharing personal stories with friends, and visiting customers at her Savannah based restaurant. Now I know she has had her ups and down in the public eye (Diabetes PR nightmare) – but that aside, I think there is a lot a small business can learn from her mentality. I thought to myself – this woman is a celebrity chef worth millions, yet I feel like I could run across the street and ask to borrow a cup of sugar. Top 3 Lessons A Small Business Can Learn From Paula Deen: Lesson 1: Treat Your Customers as Friends “Love love love this place. We even met Paula and her family once! She was super nice and we even have pics with her. ” – Customer Review On Yelp When people visit Paula’s restaurant, they know they will not only receive immaculate service, but will most likely run into Paula at some point during their meal. If you treat your customers as you would your dearest friend, they will become your biggest cheerleaders. Customer loyalty is extremely important for a small business. Make sure to... --- ### Find the Right Sales and Marketing Software for Your Small Business > If you own a small business, the marketing options are endless and overwhelming. Using a sales and marketing software to streamline your efforts and reduce the time you spend on e-mail marketing and follow-up is becoming a necessity. - Published: 2013-03-06 - Modified: 2013-03-06 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/find-the-right-sales-and-marketing-software-for-your-small-business/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business If you own a small business, the marketing options are endless and overwhelming. Using a sales and marketing software to streamline your efforts and reduce the time you spend on e-mail marketing and follow-up is becoming a necessity. There are tons of options out there-- how are you supposed to decide? There are many things to consider when narrowing your options, here are a few that we have run into: Talk to Current Users If the company has a blog, ask questions to current users in the comments as well as read the current comments to see what people are saying. Search for forums where people are discussing products that they have used as well. Check out their social media sites and see if their current customers are saying anything there. You can get a good idea about the pros and cons of a software by what the current users are saying. You don't want to waste your hard earned money on something that won't be effective for you. Compare Price versus Features This is a pretty obvious one. Price is everyone's first concern when shopping around. That said, if you go with the cheapest option with software, you will get what you pay for-- less features. Make a list of what is important to you and then find 3 or 4 systems with those features and then compare prices between those few. Many will offer free trials as well, give your top 2 a try. Getting started with these... --- ### A-B testing, How and When to do it > We get asked a lot about A-B testing for e-mail marketing. When you are sending to a large group, testing is a vital part of the process. - Published: 2013-03-04 - Modified: 2013-03-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/a-b-testing-how-and-when-to-do-it/ - Categories: Marketing, Uncategorized We get asked a lot about A-B testing for e-mail marketing. When you are sending to a large group, testing is a vital part of the process. However, when your list is so small that you would have to be testing groups of 20 or smaller, the results won't be as clear, so it's smarter to just send to the whole group. Ideally, each test group should be at least 100 contacts. if you have an extremely large contact list, bigger is okay. In fact, the bigger the test groups, the easier it will be to see distinct differences. Remember that a good open rate is somewhere around 20% , so with groups of 100, you will probably be seeing 10-20 opens per groups. You want to be able to judge the different groups by the number of opens and the number of link clicks. If one group has 10 opens and one has 20 you can clearly see that the group that had 20 opens yielded a better result. However, if you are testing groups of 1,000 and one group has 100 opens versus a group that has 200 opens, that's a bigger difference so you can feel more confident that the test group with 200 opens is a significant difference. Here are a few items that should be A-B tested Subject Line This is what directly influences someone to open an e-mail. If you only test one thing, this should be it. Subject lines ideally should be straight... --- ### 3 Easy Ways To Keep Up With Your Customers > 3 easy ways you can keep with your customers that won't take hours of planning or take attention away from where you need it most. - Published: 2013-03-01 - Modified: 2013-03-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-ways-to-easily-keep-up-with-your-customers/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business, Uncategorized Employees within a small business are likely wearing several hats at any given time. The number one complaint I hear from clients is, "I just don't have enough time in my day, and therefore I've neglected to follow-up with my customers. " We are all human, and if you've ever felt this way - rest assured you are not alone. With that said, here are 3 easy ways you can set yourself up for success that won't take hours of planning or take attention away from where you need it most. 3 Easy Ways To Keep Up With Your Customers: Send Text-Only Emails Creating a huge HTML newsletter sounds intimidating, right? You have to find all the right images, articles, and then try to come up with the content on top of that. Where newsletters fall short, text-only emails stand out. Sometimes all a customer needs from you is a short follow-up, "Hey just wanted to check in and see how everything was going," - or a thoughtful, "Found this great article that I wanted to share with you, check it out and let me know what you think! " Interact On Social Media Social Media allows you to quickly and easily interact with your customers upon short notice. Instead of using Facebook or Twitter to merely self-promote, try providing a mix of business information and general news. Stumbled across a great article or blog? Why not share it with your customers and start a discussion. It's a simple way... --- ### The How and Why of Lead Nurturing for Insurance Agents > What is lead nurturing, do I need to do it and how do I start? Read here to find out how and why small businesses can get a big benefit by nurturing their leads. - Published: 2013-02-27 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/lead-nurturing-for-small-business/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: content creation, Email Marketing, email unsubscribe, following up, lead nurturing, Small Business Marketing, Social Media What is lead nurturing? Lead nurturing is a marketing process designed to educate and build relationships with your leads and prospects who are not quite ready to buy yet. Why do agents need lead nurturing? 1. Only 25% of new leads are ready to buy and another 25% are not going to buy. You need to properly maintain communication with the other 50% without being the pushy, sales type that they are now conditioned to ignore. By sending them informative, educational information about insurance and financial products, you are building a relationship. The prospect needs to be able to trust your advice, so that when they are ready to purchase, they know where to go. 2. Automate your follow up Following up with new leads and maintaining communication with current customers is a problem that all insurance agents face. It is easy to only focus on "hot" leads and let all others fall by the way side. By using a system that will allow you to send automated email marketing campaigns and trigger tasks and reminders to you, you minimize the time and effort on your part to follow up with all of your contacts, which gives you more time to focus on those 'hot' leads and make more sales. 3. Score your leads Whether you purchase leads or simply collect business cards, all leads you get are at a different part of the buying cycle. Tracking behaviors such as email opens, link clicks, white paper downloads and webpage visits... --- ### Top 3 Things Your Lead Capture Form Must Do > 9 out of 10 people research online prior to buying. What this means for your small business is that 90% of people are out researching on their own before they ever speak to you (if they ever do). Catching leads during early in their buying process can be crucial for converting them a customer over time. Chances are if you do not have an optimized lead capture form on your website (or Facebook), you are missing valuable leads that are out researching their problem that your product/service solves. - Published: 2013-02-25 - Modified: 2013-02-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/optimize-your-lead-capture-form-convert-more-leads/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business, Uncategorized As you remember from our very first School of Revenue lesson – 9 out of 10 people research online before buying. What this means for your small business is that 90% of people are out researching on their own before they ever speak to you (if they ever do). Catching a lead early in their buying process is crucial for converting them to a customer over time. Chances are if you do not have an optimized lead capture form on your website (or Facebook), you are missing valuable leads that are out researching their problem that your product/service solves. Creating a lead capture form is easy, but optimizing it to its full potential is the hard part if you do not know what good form consists of. The Top 3 Things Your Lead Capture Form Must Do: Offer Something Of Value People generally do not just give out their contact information without receiving something in return. When people stumble onto your website or Facebook page - what are they searching for an answer to? What problem does a lead have that your product/service solves for them? As you see in the example below, Ingrid Prueher of The Baby Sleep Whisperer, has identified a problem within her target market and offers a unique solution! Ask yourself what problem your product or service solves. Once you identify this – create a compelling PDF, White Paper, EBook, or List that you are willing to share with your leads in exchange for their contact... --- ### 4 Infographics Every Small Business Must See > A small business may not have the time to sit down and keep up on industry trends via lengthy articles. Infographics are easy-to-understand, visually appealing, and can be shared instantly. - Published: 2013-02-22 - Modified: 2013-02-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-infographics-every-small-business-should-see/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business, Uncategorized If you are anything like us, you love infographics! The are visually appealing, contain minimal text, and are easy to understand. As a small business, you may not have the time to sit down and keep up on industry trends via lengthy articles. Infographics allow you to get the information you need to know instantly, with little unfamiliar jargon. You can see more of our favorite infographics on our Pinterest board: Small Business Infographics 4 Infographics Every Small Business Must See: (Click any Infographic to link to a larger image) 1. Marketing Tips For Small Businesses {Created By: www. incion. com} 2. Ten Things Your Customer Wish You Knew About Them {Created By: www. helpscout. net} 3. Top 5 Online Marketing Mistakes {Created By: www. prestigemarketing. ca} 4. Influence and Social Media {Created By: www. dashburst. com} --- ### Why Google+ is still relevant for small business > Many people and businesses have written off Google+ as their social media marketing network of choice. This is understandable, looking at how big networks like Facebook and Twitter are. - Published: 2013-02-20 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/why-google-is-still-relevant-for-small-business/ - Categories: Marketing Many people and businesses have written off Google+ as their social media marketing network of choice. This is understandable, looking at how big networks like Facebook and Twitter are. That said, Google+ has some real advantages that can help your small business--- so don't write it off yet! 1. Google+ allows you to focus your marketing on specific segments using "circles" You can share posts with specific "circles. " Businesses might have different circles for people interested in different products or services that they offer, or maybe you have a circle just for referral sources. This way you can share your updates with the most relevant segments. 2. Web pages that have been +1'd (basically the equivalent of "liking" something on Facebook) by users in your circles will get bumped up in your search results This is great for your business if people within your network +1 your webpages or blog posts. 3. Businesses that have a Google plus page will show up higher than those who do not. This pretty much speaks for itself. It's always a bonus to show up higher in search results. If adding the content that you are already producing to your G+ page is all you need to do to get an SEO boost, it seems like an easy decision. 4. Use the Google Hangout feature This is a great alternative to something like Skype and it has more of a group feel to it. For example, you could host a Google Hangout Q... --- ### Infuse Social Media into your current Marketing Campaigns > If your company does not have a social media presence, you are falling behind. Starting out with social media marketing does not need to be a big production. Many small businesses will hire a social media consultant to take over this initiative, but many others do not have the resources to do so. - Published: 2013-02-18 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/infuse-social-media-into-your-current-marketing-campaigns/ - Categories: Marketing If your company does not have a social media presence, you are falling behind. Starting out with social media marketing does not need to be a big production. Many small businesses will hire a social media consultant to take over this initiative, but many others do not have the resources to do so. In this case, you must still try to develop a social media presence and the easiest, most time efficient way to do so is to infuse social media efforts into your current marketing campaigns. You are probably utilizing other forms of marketing-- email campaigns, direct mail campaigns or advertisements for example. If you are spending your resources here then you should be directing contacts to your social media sites as well as to your website. Here are 3 simple ways to add social media to your mix: 1. Use image links in your signature block to direct contacts from your e-mail campaigns to your social media accounts Using an image is more visual than a link. You want to optimize your e-mails in this way. As many links as you can have, without being overkill, is the key. You should have link images to all of your social sites, blog (if you have one) and definitely a link to your website. 2. Hold a contests on Twitter or Facebook and announce it via your other channels Make sure that the prize is something of value-- a free trial, a discount or just something free if you can... --- ### Identify Your Ideal Client For Sales Success! > Every small business has an ideal client and a nightmare client. If you find yourself having a lot more nightmare clients then you might be trying to sell to everyone (the impossible). - Published: 2013-02-15 - Modified: 2013-02-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/sell-to-your-ideal-client/ - Categories: Small Business Sit back for a moment and think of a client that makes your job easy. The client who needs, doesn't mind paying for, and whose life tremendously benefits from what you offer. The same client who advocates what you do, and truly sees the value in your product or service. Now imagine the opposite client – the one that exhausts every ounce of energy you have. The same client you have to work hard to sell and support, and more importantly, offers little return on your time. Every small business has an ideal client and a nightmare client. If you find yourself having a lot more nightmare clients then you might be trying to sell to everyone (the impossible). The problem with selling to everyone is that you never truly understand your target market and they never truly understand you. Take some time now to sit down and brainstorm your ideal client. Give your ideal client a name as well as an identity. Understand the life of your ideal client – their likes, and their pain points. Once you discover your ideal client and understand their problems, you can offer the best solution. A few things to think on as you create your ideal client profile: What is the age, gender, occupation, and marital status of your ideal client? What industry does your ideal client work in? What role does he/she play in the company? What motivates your ideal client? What are his/her fundamental beliefs? What does a typical day... --- ### How Small Business can use Pinterest for Lead Generation > Confused about how to generate more traffic to your website using social media? Not sure how to utilize Pinterest for your business? Here are some tips to add Pinterest followers, market your business and increase traffic. - Published: 2013-02-13 - Modified: 2016-11-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-small-business-can-use-pinterest-for-lead-generation/ - Categories: Marketing The first step in social media marketing for small business is to learn which social media platforms to focus on (Check out "Social Media Overload-- How to Get Focused). After you have determined this, the next step is to break each platform down and determine it's best uses. More and more businesses are using Pinterest for marketing their business. Pinterest is very different from other social sites and isn't good for all businesses. Businesses that have visually appealing products can benefit highly from Pinterest. Businesses that are service providers and don't have visually appealing products can still find benefit by posting things like infographics, images and videos about their industry. 1. Post pictures of products and link back to your website This is the essence of Pinterest and the reason that Pinterest is good for marketing. People are extremely visual. Retail stores, especially boutiques, have really been able to optimize Pinterest's benefits. You can insert a url straight from your website to pin the image or you can upload it from your computer. Once the image is uploaded, you can go to "edit" on the pin and see what url is in the "link" box. This is where people will be directed when they click through your pin. 2. Have a contest Pinterest allows you to create public boards and let everyone contribute. Set a time frame and see who can upload the best, worst, funniest... (you get the idea) image with a caption that is relevant to your business... --- ### Give Your Customers A Sweet Deal This Valentines Day! > Valentines Day typically works a couple ways for most – either you love to celebrate the holiday or consider it a day of corporate misery (Singles Awareness Day, anyone?) With all personal issues aside, there are many reasons your small business can enjoy the holiday. - Published: 2013-02-08 - Modified: 2013-02-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/give-your-customers-a-sweet-deal-this-valentines-day/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business Valentine’s Day typically works a couple ways for most – either you love to celebrate the holiday or consider it a day of corporate misery (Singles Awareness Day, anyone? ) With all personal issues aside, there are many reasons your small business can enjoy the holiday. As a small business, you know the value of a loyal customer. You worked hard to get their business, and probably work equally as hard to maintain their business (if you are nurturing your relationships like you should). Instead of boycotting Valentine’s Day all together for all of your personal issues with it, use it as a chance to reconnect and thank your customers for their continued support. Now I’m not saying go out and buy a $20. 00 box of chocolates and send it to all thousands of your customers. There are some “sweet deals” that you can offer to your customers that remind them how much you truly appreciate their support and won’t break the bank. Send A Friendly ECard Sending an electronic greeting card is one of the most cost efficient ways to show your appreciation to customers. It’s super easy to make your own in an email marketing software or find pre-made ecards online (Hallmark allows you to send select Ecards for free, FYI. ) Simple to make and low in cost, an Ecard is the perfect way to thank your customers this Valentines Day without spending a lot of money. Support A Charity You Love People love to give... --- ### Is Marketing Automation right for my Small Business? > Marketing automation can be an intimidating term to small business owners. How do you know if you need it? - Published: 2013-02-06 - Modified: 2018-06-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/is-marketing-automation-right-for-my-small-business/ - Categories: Marketing Automation, Small Business Small businesses all have some common problems with their marketing and organizing their contact databases. Here are some reasons that you might find a marketing automation software helpful. 1. Either you don't have a CRM, or you have a CRM that doesn't allow you to track people through the sales process A marketing automation software is not only going to house your contacts in an organized fashion, but will also let you move them through the sales pipeline, from lead to customer. With a software like this, the process can be automated-- the contact can be moving from stage to stage based on their clicking and opening behavior, you only need to be alerted when they have be come a "hot" lead or opportunity so that you can follow up with them. 2. You have trouble following up with leads and staying in touch with your customers A marketing automation software can send an automated campaign that you have designed to all of your leads, prospects and customers. Staying in touch with your customers is important, so they don't go elsewhere for their business. While you don't have time to manually follow up with everyone, putting your customers on a quarterly stay-in-touch campaign will accomplish the same thing, without you having to remember to do it yourself. Putting your leads and prospects on an educational nurturing campaign can send them educational material on your services and products and trigger tasks for you to call them. 3. You have no way... --- ### Marketing Strategy for Small Business > Developing a marketing strategy and plan is key to being successful at marketing your small business. A lot of small business owners don't feel that they have the time to dedicate to marketing their business, so they don't take the time to sit down and really think about how it should be done correctly. - Published: 2013-02-04 - Modified: 2022-11-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/marketing-strategy-for-small-business/ - Categories: Marketing Developing a marketing strategy and plan is key to being successful at marketing your small business. A lot of small business owners don't feel that they have the time to dedicate to marketing their business, so they don't take the time to sit down and really think about how it should be done correctly. Besides that, because many small business owners do not have the resources to hire someone to do their marketing and may feel that they are not knowledgeable enough about marketing. Due to these reasons, many small business either don't market themselves at all, or they waste precious dollars on marketing channels that aren't the most successful. Here are a few ideas to help you develop an over all marketing flow for you business and stick to your plan. 1. Research marketing strategies and marketing proposals Even though you won't be hiring a marketing firm or consultant, look into what they would be preparing for you if you were. Research marketing proposals to learn the key components to build a proposal for your business for the next year. 2. Brainstorm with your employees about your brand Having a cohesive idea about who you are and what you do is extremely important. You should develop 3-4 core messages that explain your purpose. Then, all of your marketing materials should come easier because you know what you need to say. Also think about who would your brand be if it was a person? What do you logo and colors... --- ### 5 Small Business Lessons From Pinterest Quotes > Motivation is important for setting a positive atmosphere for a small business and its employees. Sometimes all it takes is a short quote to have a large impact on a person or business. With that said, here are my Top 5 Small Business Lessons From Pinterest Quotes - Published: 2013-02-01 - Modified: 2022-08-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-small-business-lessons-from-pinterest-quotes/ - Categories: Small Business A short background story - For the past 5 years or so, my mom has e-mailed me a daily bit of inspiration, or what she calls a "Cinnyism" (her name is Cindy). I've looked forward to receiving a quote from her daily to help start my day off in the right mindset, or boost a mediocre day to a magnificent one. Sometimes all we need is a short quote to feel inspired to make change or reinforce an existing belief. It's no surprise that the day-to-day of a small business owner if often hectic and tiring. It is easy for a business to lose focus of the bigger picture as they take on addressing all the smaller pictures - or the "hurdles". Motivation is important for setting a positive atmosphere for a small business and its employees. Perhaps all it takes is a short quote to have a large impact on a person or business. With that said, here are my Top 5 Small Business Lessons From Pinterest Quotes. If you haven't already - don't forget to check out our Inspirational Quotes board. I would love to hear what quotes most inspire your small business! Top 5 Small Business Lessons From Pinterest Quotes Define Your Business Story We are story-tellers by nature, and people like to feel that they are a part of something inspiring. Ask yourself who your ideal customer is - what do they look like? What do they do for fun? What are their pain points? Once... --- ### Increase Sales with Efficient Follow-Up > Every small business owner wants one thing-- more sales! Making your follow-up more efficient can help you to increase sales, save time and all over, feel less stressed out and more organized. - Published: 2013-01-30 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/increase-sales-with-efficient-follow-up/ - Categories: Sales As a busy insurance agent how are you supposed to know who to follow up with and when ? Not only do you not have the time to follow up with everyone that you would like to, but most likely, you also waste a good amount of time following up with people who aren't ready to buy. So how do you cut down on the wasted time and only focus on those who are ready to buy? Here are a few tips that may help: Start "cold" leads on an educational campaign Cold leads need to be be nurtured (What is lead nurturing? Click here). They are 'cold' leads because they don't realize why they need your product or service-- so tell them. But don't tell them in that pushy sales way, educate them. Send them interesting, educational information about financial products and insurance and why this benefits them. Remember the 'whats in it for them' factor. If a prospect doesn't see a benefit, they will have no interest. Key point: Don't waste time calling prospects who aren't ready to purchase but stay top of mind by sending email communications. Start "warm" leads on a more sales oriented campaign Once the prospect has some understanding and is starting to engage with your e-mails, it is okay to send the occasional sales piece. Create a sales or prospecting marketing campaign for this specific group. It should still be focused on educating, so that you don't push them away. However, at this... --- ### Provide Exceptional Customer Service and Keep Your Clients > we know that businesses that master exceptional customer service truly gain the long-term edge over the competition. - Published: 2013-01-28 - Modified: 2013-01-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/provide-exceptional-customer-service-and-keep-your-clients/ - Categories: Small Business What sets you apart from your competitor? Most likely this question gets harder to answer each year as technology allows every business to advance at the same rate. The gap that differentiates competitors pricing and features has become smaller than ever before. Out of desperation to maintain an edge, many small businesses resort to the “we are cheaper than our competitors” approach to try to drive prospects to buy and customers to stay. However, we know that businesses that master exceptional customer service truly gain the long-term edge over the competition. There will always be a competitor that is cheaper than you, but do you really want your business to have a reputation of cheap anyway? If your features or list of services is more wide-ranging than your competitors, it’s likely they will quickly adopt the same given that it is successful with the consumer. Now - If you let your focus be on your customer experience, you will surpass your competitors and keep customers for a lifetime. 4 Ways to Provide Exceptional Customer Service 1) Provide the Solution Ironically people love to buy and shop, but cringe at the thought of being sold to. Instead of rambling off a sales pitch, ask a lot of questions and customize your sales approach as the solution for the problem. You can learn about what a customer wants if ask, listen, and then help solve the problem they are facing. 2) Build a Solid Team Exceptional customer services starts with building the... --- ### A lesson from my kid's school about getting email addresses... > It is all in how you ask your customers for their email address. My kids elementary schools sent out a green piece of paper that said "We're Going Green" - Published: 2013-01-25 - Modified: 2013-01-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/a-lesson-from-my-kids-school-about-getting-email-addresses/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business It is all in how you ask your customers for their email address. My kids elementary schools sent out a green piece of paper that said "We're Going Green" (the paper wasn't even cut properly). They didn't ask families, they told them. They even told me to look in my junk folder and make sure I mark them as "safe". Position it with your customers the same way; as an expectation, not a request. "I expect you to do your part in my going green. " --- ### Are You Sending Emails Too Often? > Email marketing is a great tool for your business if done correctly. With that said, many people misuse their ability to communicate with prospects and customers through email by sending too many emails, too often. - Published: 2013-01-25 - Modified: 2013-01-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/are-you-sending-emails-too-often/ - Categories: Marketing, Uncategorized Email marketing is a great tool for your business if done correctly. With that said, many people misuse their ability to communicate with prospects and customers through email by sending too many emails, too often. I recently discovered a member’s only online boutique that requested my email address to let me browse. As someone who appreciates a good deal, I didn't mind giving my information way in exchange for awesome deals (even if I know they will add me to their email list). Little did I know, this online boutique would not only keep me up to date, but would also flood my inbox each week. As you can see, my inbox consists of a ton of emails from this particular company (not to mention all the emails I receive from other companies). How do they ever think I could process all the information that they are sending me when I am receiving 2-5 emails per day? As a side note, I would probably shop more often with the online boutique if they sent more tailored emails, less often. At this point, I will most likely un-subscribe from their list so I can get my email back to normal. Email frequency really can vary depending on the type of business, your contact lists, email content, etc. However, with the company above, I was only interested in browsing the website one time. I had not purchased any item with them before or expressed interest in receiving 2-5 daily emails from them... --- ### Social Media Overload-- How to get focused > Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google Plus, YouTube, Instagram-- Oh My! Social Media can me overwhelming. Small business owners should put together a small plan to stay focused. - Published: 2013-01-23 - Modified: 2016-06-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/social-media-overload-how-to-get-focused/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business With all of the social media networks in existence it can be hard for a small business to keep up or even get started in social media marketing. Most bigger businesses seem to have a presence on every social media platform and update them all multiple times daily. While they make this look easy, remember that they have employees whose jobs are to content create and manage their social media presence. How can a small business still have a social media presence? Here are a few tips: 1. Start a blog While blogging seems intimidating to many small business owners, content creating is becoming a must if you want to keep up with your competitors. A blog will also give you content to post across your social media networks. The blog is the source that will keep your social presence consistent. Blogging multiple times a week is best, but when first starting, shoot for whatever time frame you deem manageable. That could be posting 2X a month. If you have other employee, ask them to contribute 1X a month as well. 2. Use an editorial calendar for your content Planning out your topics ahead of time makes writing them that much easier and gives you deadlines to stay focused. 3. Determine where to post your content: Some small business blogs are mostly written content, for others your blog may consist of more visual content. If you have the visual content, then you should be utilizing Pinterest and Instagram. If you... --- ### Mass Emails or an Email Campaign ? > Knowing when to send an email campaign or when to send an individual e-mail blast can be a confusing decision when using a marketing automation software. - Published: 2013-01-21 - Modified: 2013-01-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/mass-email-vs-email-campaign/ - Categories: Marketing Knowing when to send an email campaign or when to send an individual email blast can be a confusing decision when using a marketing automation software. I have had many users struggle with the distinction. Although being able to develop and send a multi-step email marketing campaign is exciting, it's not always necessary. Sometimes it just makes sense to send out a single communication. Here are a few key questions to ask yourself to help decide: 1. Is the content time sensitive? An email campaign is a series of steps, usually comprised of more than one e-mail. In a campaign, everyone starts at step one and goes through the entire process and the campaign can be initiated at any time. When you have a seasonal newsletter or want to send out a communication that has information relevant to the season, a holiday or other specific event, it should not be a part of a campaign. It won't make sense to send it to someone later, so just send it as a one-off e-mail to all of your recipients. 2. Is the content evergreen? Content that is evergreen means that it is always useful and relevant. If you have written articles or archived content from other writers that won't "expire", that material is what makes a great educational drip marketing campaign. It won't matter if someone is started on step one today or a year from now, because the information is always good. Educational campaigns can serve many purposes, including educating... --- ### Fragmented Sales and Marketing Sucks! > Historically sales and marketing teams either: a) don’t talk, or b) hate each other, but don’t know why. The key is alignment and communication which in this case is the responsibility of marketing. - Published: 2013-01-18 - Modified: 2013-01-18 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/fragmented-sales-and-marketing-sucks/ - Categories: Marketing, Uncategorized Marketing is more to sales than just pretty banners and graphics, sales is more to marketing than whiny complainers. They are brothers or sisters and must exist in harmony to get things done. Historically, however, sales and marketing teams either: a) don’t talk, or b) hate each other, but don’t know why. The key is alignment and communication which in this case is the responsibility of marketing. Why is it the responsibility or marketing? Because, let’s face it, sales isn’t likely going to say “hey, come take a look and learn about what we’re doing and what our processes are”. It’s not because they don’t want to share, it’s because they are focused on closing business (hopefully business you brought them). The first step is to get buy in from sales leadership. You’ll need to ask for access to the sales pipeline, the sales process and any data not currently available to you. Why not just use your marketing automation tool? Because they can leave out details that can help you work better together in the future. Next, take a look at actual sales data to understand how marketing qualified leads (MQL) are faring. Are the leads marketing sends getting past the sales qualified lead (SQL) phase? Are there good reasons for that? Find out those answers by looking at the data first and then approaching your buddies in sales and present solutions to the problem. Sometimes it’s an easy fix like arming the sales folks with a relevant piece... --- ### Events and Email Campaigns > Many businesses host events. Whether it's a networking event, an educational lunch or an online event such as a webinar, it should be incorporated into your e-mail marketing campaigns. Here are a few ideas: - Published: 2013-01-16 - Modified: 2016-08-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/events-and-email-campaign/ - Categories: Marketing Many businesses host events. Whether it's a networking event, an educational lunch or an online event such as a webinar, it should be incorporated into your e-mail marketing campaigns. Here are a few ideas: A sign up form: A form like this can serve a few purposes, if you are using a marketing automation system: 1. It can automatically send them details of the event or any communications you would want an attendee to receive. If it is a event that requires payment, you could have the form send them to the ecommerce page after submittal. 2. This form can "Tag" the contact with their choice: This will enable you to be able to pull a list of everyone who completed the form, or everyone who is attending as well as everyone who is not. This is important because then you can split up your database to send the specific communications. Ask those who replied "no" why they aren't coming You need to know if the event is something they are unable to attend or just don't want to. Send your attendees a "thank you e-mail" as well as details about the event. This again can all be automated within your system. Get Creative Depending on the event, you can use an email campaign to get creative with the attendees. Have a contest and send clues every week in an email. Let the guests respond with their guesses and award the winner with a prize. Don't forget to get responses... --- ### 4 Must-Haves For Every Small Business Website > People go online to learn about you and your business before they ever walk through the door or pick up the phone to call you. 4 Things Every Small Business Website Needs. - Published: 2013-01-14 - Modified: 2013-01-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/4-must-haves-for-every-small-business-website/ - Categories: Small Business As a small business, you are facing a lot of competition, especially if you are still establishing presence within your community. People go online to learn about you and your business before they ever walk through the door or pick up the phone to call you. First and foremost, if you do not have a website – you are missing a great deal of opportunities to your competitor who does. Secondly, if you do have a website – there are key things that should exist for you to get the most benefit from having one in the first place. 4 Must-Haves For Every Small Business Website 1. About Us Page People need to find who you are and what your business does quickly, and in one place. If a prospect cannot understand what you can offer them in a short period, they will wander elsewhere. Distinguish in easy-to-understand language who you are, what you offer, and what sets you apart from the competition. Don’t forget to include physical address, phone number, email, and methods for easily contacting you. Nothing is more annoying than not being able to quickly get the contact information for a business. Don’t lose prospects because you didn't give them a clear way to reach out to you. 2. Social Media Icons Show that you’re engaged with the online community by displaying your social media icons through your home page. Social media is a powerful tool for a small business by itself, and displaying it among the... --- ### SPAM I Am (Not): Top 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Sending an Email > Did you know that SPAM accounts for almost half of all the emails received daily? Ask yourself these top 5 questions before sending an email out! - Published: 2013-01-11 - Modified: 2013-01-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/spam-i-am-not-top-5-questions-to-ask-yourself-before-sending-an-email/ - Categories: Marketing, Small Business, Uncategorized Did you know that SPAM accounts for almost half of all the emails received daily? If you take a look in your SPAM folder, you will most likely find a ton of junk emails compiled, and maybe some even made it into your inbox. You most likely spend time in the mornings sifting through junk email to find the important emails that you need to read. If you do not want to receive SPAM yourself – then make sure you are not creating and distributing SPAM to others. Ask yourself these 5 questions before sending an email out: 1. Do I Know You? The easiest way to prevent looking like a spammer is to know the contacts you are emailing. Have you met the person before? Had a conversation, or completed business with them? These are good things to consider when sending an email to a contact. If you are purchasing mass lists of people you do not know – chances are you are spamming them. 2. Do You Know Me? If you have not been in touch with your contacts in a while, send out a reintroduction email. Provide your contacts with a reminder of who you are and what your business does. Also let your prospects or customers know they will be receiving more emails from you, and you care about their approval. State the benefits of remaining on your list to keep contacts! 3. Is This Subject Line Full of Crap? No-one appreciates an e-mail that reads... --- ### Anatomy of a Newsletter > This birthday newsletter is a great example of how businesses can send a friendly communication to their prospects and customers but also optimize it for - Published: 2013-01-09 - Modified: 2013-01-09 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/anatomy-of-a-newsletter/ - Categories: Marketing, Uncategorized This birthday newsletter is a great example of how businesses can send a friendly communication to their prospects and customers but also optimize it for business purposes. 1. Sending a communication to a customer or prospect for their anniversaries or birthdays should be standard in industries like insurance. Staying top of mind in necessary, or else the prospect will go elsewhere. 2. Notice how SIG has done a great job promoting all of their social media networks. Just because this is meant to be a friendly communication, that doesn't mean you can't add some business in. It works too-- I was curious about what an insurance agency would be using Pinterest for, so I looked and followed their boards. 3. Contact information on the e-mail is vital. A friendly communication is still an e-mail to a business connection and should have your phone number, e-mail and website. --- ### Use Multiple Marketing & Sales Channels for Success > With so many ways to market your business and try to make sales, it can seem overwhelming, and a lot of times costly. - Published: 2013-01-07 - Modified: 2021-07-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/use-multiple-marketing-sales-channels-for-success/ - Categories: Marketing With so many ways to market your business and try to make sales, it can seem overwhelming, and a lot of times costly. While it's easy to fall into a rut and stick to one way of marketing as many small businesses do-- that means you aren't reaching out to your full audience potential and could be missing people who need your service or product. If you aren't utilizing all of the marketing and sales channels below, you are missing out on many (mostly free) opportunities. 1. Written Content Written content overwhelms many small business owners, but it doesn't need to be anything scary. You're an expert in your business which makes you qualified to write about it. It's free to start a blog and write your own content. If you're busy, just try to write one blog a week and ask another employee to do the same. The hard part is coming up with the topics, so in your free time, brainstorm a list of 20-30 topics and then you won't struggle for coming up with one at the last minute. If you want more in-depth content that you don't have time to write, consider hiring a writer (look at sites like zerys. com or BlogMutt. com as examples). 2. Visual Content Not all businesses have intriguing visual content, but people, in general, are drawn to things that are visually appealing. If you are a retail store or restaurant, pictures of food, clothes, or other products can inspire the... --- ### So You Provide Heating and Cooling Services... > You'd like to have more customers, sell more heating and cooling units and sign more annual service contracts. Watch this video to see if Systematic - Published: 2012-12-31 - Modified: 2012-12-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/so-you-provide-heating-and-cooling-services/ - Categories: Marketing, Uncategorized You'd like to have more customers, sell more heating and cooling units and sign more annual service contracts. Watch this video to see if Systematic Revenue can help you achieve your dreams! Systematic Revenue for Heating and Cooling from Systematic Revenue on Vimeo. --- ### Blogging Matters! > Blogging does not have to be a daunting task, but can have a tremendous impact for a small business if done regularly. - Published: 2012-12-31 - Modified: 2012-12-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/blogging-matters/ - Categories: Marketing, Uncategorized As a small business owner, you may be intimidated or uncomfortable with the thought of blogging for your business, or maybe you just aren't sure how to start. Blogging does not have to be a daunting task, but can have a tremendous impact for a small business if done regularly. According to BlogHer, 81% of U. S. online consumers trust information and advice from blogs, and 61% of those consumers have made a purchase based on a recommendation from a blog. What impact does blogging have on your business? People research about your products or services long before they are ready to speak with you People read into conversations forming around products and services to help shape their beliefs People are influenced by the experiences (good & bad) that other people have with products and services Blogging will help you develop deeper, more meaningful relationships with prospects and customers in a community-like atmosphere, and lets you to share expertise in your industry in a more laid-back, conversational fashion. Don’t underestimate the power of a blog – blogging can help a business’s search engine optimization (SEO) tremendously, and can drive more traffic than other methods. What effect does a blog have on SEO? To put this in perspective, let’s say there is a local wine shop. The wine shop owner has a website where prospects and customers can venture on to purchase their favorite wines. However, the wine shop owner also has a blog that is updated weekly with interesting articles... --- ### So you're an Insurance Agent... > As an Insurance Agent - you probably face a challenge with following up with your leads and customers in a relevant and meaningful way on a regular basis - Published: 2012-12-28 - Modified: 2012-12-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/so-youre-an-insurance-agent/ - Categories: Marketing, Uncategorized As an Insurance Agent - you probably face a challenge with following up with your leads and customers in a relevant and meaningful way on a regular basis. After all, there is only so much time within a day. Does this sound familiar to you? Someone buys an insurance policy from you and rarely hears from you (with the exception of a yearly Christmas card). You generate a quote for a lead that does not buy from you, so you toss them aside to focus on incoming leads. You often wish you had enough time in a day (but don't) to make phone calls and send emails to follow-up with all of your leads and customers. Systematic Revenue for Insurance from Systematic Revenue on Vimeo. --- ### How to Market -- and Save Time > For a small business, knowing how to market is a task all it's own. For most business owners in this situation, "figuring it out", means spending a lot of time or money, but it doesn't have to. - Published: 2012-12-26 - Modified: 2012-12-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-to-market-and-save-time/ - Categories: Marketing For most small to medium sized businesses, learning how to market themselves is a daunting task. The time and money that it is expected to take is overwhelming... but it doesn't have to be. If you are spending a lot of time or a lot of money (or both), on your marketing efforts, you should re-evaluate your process. There are many tools and methods out there designed for business owners who don't have the dough to shell out to big marketing agencies or don't have the time or experience to spend to do their own marketing. 1. Social Media Schedulers Social media is a must for marketing. Not only is it FREE but it's also where consumers are most influenced by brands. If your business is not utilizing social media, you are missing out on leads. Because it's new to some people it can be intimidating but learning how to use social media for business doesn't have to be difficult. There are plenty of resources out there to assist. Part of the struggle with using social media for business is scheduling posts for the right time, possibly multiple times and scheduling it for time that the most people will read it. Depending on your price range, there are many options out there to help you schedule your posts. Here are a couple of popular tools that will help you save time: Hootsuite-- This program has a free or pro version (9. 99/month). The free account allows up to 5 social... --- ### 3 Reasons to be Thankful for Email Unsubscribes > Thanksgiving is past us, but shouldn't we still be giving thanks? How about we try to be thankful for something unexpected... Email unsubscribes! - Published: 2012-11-28 - Modified: 2012-11-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/3-reasons-to-be-thankful-for-emailunsubscibes-this-thanksgiving/ - Categories: Marketing - Tags: email unsubscribe, Thanksgiving, unsubscribe Yeah, Thanksgiving is past us, but shouldn't we still be giving thanks? How about we try to be thankful for something unexpected... email unsubscribes! Why, you ask? You work hard on your e-mail marketing strategy and seeing people unsubscribe is frustrating but there are a few reasons that we should be Thankful for this group that we really want to feel frustrated towards. 1. They wouldn't be reading it anyway-- Most likely someone has unsubscribed because they either don't like the information you are sending to them or it isn't relevant to them. Your goal with your e-mail marketing strategy is to turn leads and prospects into customers. Someone who unsubscribes may not be that potential customer, so you shouldn't sweat the fact that they unsubscribe. 2. It helps you judge your content-- If you get a lot of unsubscribes on one specific campaign or e-mail template, maybe you should take a hint. It's not good or people don't like it. Use your unsubscribes to judge which content people don't like just like you would opens and click through rates to judge how much people like other content. 3. Keeps you on your toes: Readers lose interest and that accounts for a lot of your unsubscribes. This could be a sign that your material is getting redundant or you are getting lazy with your writing. The unsubscribe should be an awakening for you to try to find some fresh, interesting content. The gist here is, yeah, email unsubscribes are maddening,... --- ### How a Small Business Can Make Every Day “Small Business Saturday" > If you haven’t yet heard, Saturday November 24 is “Small Business Saturday,” a day American Express started a few years back with the hope that consumers - Published: 2012-11-16 - Modified: 2012-11-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/how-a-small-business-can-make-every-day-small-business-saturday/ - Categories: Small Business - Tags: inbound marketing If you haven’t yet heard, Saturday November 24 is “Small Business Saturday,” a day American Express started a few years back with the hope that consumers would “shop small” the Saturday of the busiest shopping weekend of the year. The day has since then taken off – attracting positive publicity and adding eager participants each year. In an effort to help small businesses better market themselves, American Express even provides the essential marketing material needed to be successful for the day. From store-front signage to social media templates, small businesses can quickly gain access to marketing resources that they otherwise might not have had access to. How does this apply to your small business? Well, we want to share 3 marketing strategies you can adopt from “Small Business Saturday” so that every day you are converting consumers to long-term customers. 1) Use Social Media to your Advantage: Social Media is easily one of the most cost efficient and effective marketing tools of our time. Click here to check out this really informative info graphic regarding the 2012 Social Media Statistics from Digital Buzz. http://www. digitalbuzzblog. com/social-media-statistics-stats-2012-infographic/. As a small business, you’re in a great position to build relationships through interaction, educate your followers with useful information, and provide great customer service responses. 2) Create a Cohesive Brand Identity: If you take a closer look into the marketing material American Express provides small businesses, you will notice a consistence image throughout. You can apply this same concept to your business. Nothing... --- ### Use Twitter to Nurture Cold Leads > Here's a few ways to use your business Twitter account to nurture prospects who are not ready to buy your product or service yet. - Published: 2012-11-14 - Modified: 2023-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/use-twitter-to-nurture-cold-leads/ - Categories: Marketing We all know that Twitter is a great networking tool. It's great to follow news, celebrities, your friends and get your thoughts and opinions out to your followers. If you're using Twitter for you business you need to be doing much more than that. Social media outlets should play a big part in your marketing strategy. Here's a few ways to use your business Twitter account to nurture prospects who are not ready to buy your product or service yet: 1. Always reply to questions and interact: remember that all of your Twitter followers are leads. If they mention you or re-tweet your content, thank them or reply! These small interactions can yield big results. 2. Post all of your content on Twitter: If you write a blog, post your content daily on Twitter-- preferably multiple times daily. Most people just look at their running timeline and don't go to personal Twitter profiles so posting multiple times daily optimizes the chances that your content is seen. Don't worry- you don't need to remember to post throughout the day-- use a Tweet scheduler like Gremln or Hootsuite and schedule them all at once. Most scheduling programs like this will also let you run a report on the link clicks, which is a great tool. 3. Post special offers: If you are going to offer a free month of service, discounted products, host a webinar or have a white paper or case study to give out post a link to a sign... --- ### Top 3 Reasons Educating Prospects Works! > 1) Most People Aren't Ready To Buy (For Now) In an ideal world, people would be ready to buy at the exact time we are trying to sell to them. In - Published: 2012-11-07 - Modified: 2012-11-07 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-3-reasons-educating-prospects-works/ - Categories: Uncategorized 1) Most People Aren't Ready To Buy (For Now) In an ideal world, people would be ready to buy at the exact time we are trying to sell to them. In reality, the majority of people you run into at the beginning of your sales cycle are not at the stage of needing what you offer. Whether they do not have a genuine need, aren't aware they need what you offer, or just don’t plain understand what you do– you can help them across the sales pipeline by educating them. 2) Positions You As The Expert When you are able to provide educational content that adds value to the lives of those on the receiving end, they will look to you. For example, if I am a wine shop that provides you with food and wine pairing recommendations, or instructions on how to properly taste wine – you will likely look to me when you are ready to make a purchase of wine, considering I provided you with a piece of knowledge you didn't previously have. The same technique of becoming the expert can apply to any service or product a business offers. 3) Keeps You Top of Mind Calling excessively is not the way to stay top of mind (at least not in a positive way). You can stay top of mind by utilizing not only email, but also through other cost-efficient avenues like social media – which is more welcomed on a day-to-day basis. A weekly or monthly... --- ### 5 (Easy) Tips for Writing Email Subject Lines With Higher Open Rates > The average corporate user receives 100 emails a day. If you are not providing valuable information within the readable email subject line, your emails - Published: 2012-11-05 - Modified: 2012-11-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/5-easy-tips-for-writing-email-subject-lines-with-higher-open-rates/ - Categories: Uncategorized The average corporate user receives 100 emails a day. If you are not providing valuable information within the readable email subject line, your emails are not getting read. After all, we are busy and constantly sifting through our emails with the intent of disregarding as many as possible. If you have a good subject line, your click through rate will increase – if not double, and you will have more effective communication. With that being said, your sole purpose of the email subject line is to gain attention, and entice your contact to further want to read in to what you have to say. Here are the criteria for better email subject lines: Avoid “Spammy” Words We are continually on high alert for red flags in our inbox that read as spam. It’s important that you avoid trigger words that will be quickly disregarded as junk. Common SPAM words are: Free, Earn, Save, Insurance, Affordable. If you use these types of words, you can almost guarantee you will end up in the delete folder, if not marked as SPAM. Use Power Words Adding words to your subject lines that pack punch can mean the difference between your email getting read or disregarded. Power words are proven to get more email opens, and ignite drive within contacts to further read in to what you have to say. Common Power words are: Learn, Discover, Profit, You, and How-To. To further develop words that ignite interest, use tools like the Google Keyword Tool... --- ### A Newsletter That Can Learn > First, The Problem With Newsletters Too Much Stuff That Doesn't Matter To Me Companies try to create content that appeals to the broadest possible - Published: 2012-10-10 - Modified: 2012-10-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/newsletters-that-learn/ - Categories: Marketing First, The Problem With Newsletters Too Much Stuff That Doesn't Matter To Me Companies try to create content that appeals to the broadest possible audience - everyone. They pack it with all kinds of different topics that cover every aspect of everything about their business - their products, services, company news, industry trends, and about anything else. Then they blast it out to their entire mailing list. The problem? They Don’t Get Read OMG! is often my first thought when I open one. Newsletters tend to be packed with so many different things that you don’t know where to start. Too much stuff, too poorly organized. Graphics, fonts, headers, links. If there was something useful for me in there, I would never know it. So I don’t start at all. Close it up for later or just delete it. Soon it becomes a conditioned response. They aren’t opening it. They just delete it. Finally, they unsubscribe. They Don’t Get Done Someone has to research it, assemble all of the content, get it designed and laid out. Surprise, surprise - it just doesn’t happen. Small companies are understaffed and overworked. They tell themselves they’ll do it, but they never do. So they wind up sending nothing at all. Make Your Newsletter Useful Use Your Newsletter To Identify Interests! Newsletters can be good for when you don’t know anything about your audience. Sometimes serving up a bunch of choices can help you identify what they really do care about. Make it easy... --- --- ## Resources ### How to Put Together a Social Media Calendar > How to Put Together a Social Media Calendar Everyone uses social media. We use it to find new recipes, DIY hacks, interior design inspo, and the best - Published: 2022-10-31 - Modified: 2022-11-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/social-media-calendar/ - Resource Categories: Marketing How to Put Together a Social Media Calendar Everyone uses social media. We use it to find new recipes, DIY hacks, interior design inspo, and the best products and services out there for our needs.   Download Your Social Media Calendar Template Download Should be Empty: We protect your info, promise 55% of consumers use social media to learn about new brands Yes, once social media was just a platform used to engage with friends and acquaintances. However, now, with the amount of data social platforms are able to obtain from users, social media is a great way for brands to get in front of potential buyers. It makes sense. So many people are active on social media, engaging with content and scrolling through videos, pictures, and tweets. If brands want to widen their reach and make themselves known, why not use platforms where their audience is already engaged? What's more, brands can use their social media profiles and posts as an extension of their marketing efforts. They can showcase products, special promos, and offers to help spike interest and conversions. And, since they have total control, brands can use their social profiles to tell the world more about who they are as a brand. Social media helps break down walls and barriers between your brand and its target audience. It makes your brand more accessible and when you're more accessible, trust can be formed. With trust comes a stronger relationship that definitely helps boost sales. If your brand wants... --- ### LinkedIn and BenchmarkONE Lead Generation Webinar > Generate 100+ New Leads Now How to Create a High-Power Lead Engine with LinkedIn An instant recipe for using LinkedIn to find and connect with new leads - Published: 2022-10-14 - Modified: 2024-10-21 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/benchmarkone-lead-generation-webinar/ - Resource Categories: Marketing Generate 100+ New Leads Now How to Create a High-Power Lead Engine with LinkedIn An instant recipe for using LinkedIn to find and connect with new leads in your target audience. WATCH THE WEBINAR What You'll Learn Generating leads for your small business is an ongoing struggle. If you're going to keep your small businesses profitable, you need to be actively generating leads, setting up meetings with prospects, and increasing sales. However, when it comes to these efforts, it can feel like you've exhausted all your resources. But that simple isn't true. In this webinar, Kevin McCann, President and CEO of Lead-Launcher, walks you through how to use LinkedIn alongside marketing automation tool BenchmarkONE to create successful outreach campaigns that keep your lead funnel flowing. What You'll Learn How to create a targeted list in LinkedIn and connect with that list at scale. How to generate meetings with your ideal customer profile. How to turn those leads into new customers with a step-by-step process. Start creating and sharing the right content with the right leads at the right time. WATCH THE WEBINAR --- ### Free Valentine's Day Email Templates > Free Valentine's Day Email Templates Go ahead. Send some love. Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, - Published: 2022-02-02 - Modified: 2023-02-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/free-valentines-day-email-templates/ - Resource Categories: Marketing Free Valentine's Day Email Templates Go ahead. Send some love. Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Get the Pack We protect your info, promise Learn everything you need to know about Valentine's You're sweet on your customers, and we want to help you let them know! Download this Valentine's Day email template pack to get your hands on email templates that you can copy, paste, tweak, and send through your email marketing software. Templates include: Announcement email for your customers Blog Update email for prospects you want to keep in touch with Sales email to drive new business Win-Back email to help you re-engage lost customers Fill out the form and we'll email your free Valentine's Day templates. Includes images and HTML files. Send through your favorite email marketing software. Blog Post Update Win-Back Email Valentine Sale Announcement --- ### Marketing Automation Webinar > How Marketing Automation Fuels Content Creation and Amplification A webinar on how marketing automation enables you to create the right content and share - Published: 2021-04-29 - Modified: 2021-05-10 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/marketing-automation-webinar/ - Resource Categories: Marketing How Marketing Automation Fuels Content Creation and Amplification A webinar on how marketing automation enables you to create the right content and share it with your leads effectively. WATCH THE WEBINAR What You'll Learn A lot of time, effort, and strategy goes into your content marketing. There's brainstorming topic ideas, the process of actually creating and editing the content, implementing an SEO strategy, and making sure you share it out on the right channels so the right people see it and engage with it. That's why having a marketing automation tool is so important. In this webinar, Allie Wolff, Director of Product Marketing at BenchmarkONE, discusses how marketing automation helps you take the content you're creating and use it strategically in your email nurture campaigns, sales outreach, and other marketing campaigns for optimal engagement. What You'll Learn How marketing automation enables you to send the right content to your leads How marketing automation provides you with another channel for content distribution How tapping into the data within your marketing automation and CRM tool can help you determine what kinds of content you need to create Start creating and sharing the right content with the right leads at the right time. WATCH THE WEBINAR --- ### CareerPlug Webinar > Remote Hiring: Creating Exceptional Experiences A Webinar on How Small Businesses Can Tackle Remote Hiring WATCH THE WEBINAR What You'll Learn Hire the - Published: 2021-03-05 - Modified: 2021-04-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/careerplug-webinar/ - Resource Categories: Small Business Remote Hiring: Creating Exceptional Experiences A Webinar on How Small Businesses Can Tackle Remote Hiring WATCH THE WEBINAR What You'll Learn Hire the right people for your small business, no matter where they're located COVID-19 has changed the way we do business. Tons of small businesses are adjusting the way they sell, the way their employees work, and the way they hire. In this webinar, hosted by BenchmarkONE, Natalie Morgan, Sr. Director of People at CareerPlug, discusses key data from the CareerPlug 2021 Hiring Trends Report. What You'll Learn Hiring stats, trends, and common practices from CareerPlug's 2021 Hiring Trends Report Why remote hiring is here to stay Steps small businesses can take to ensure they hire the best employee for their needs The list collection and management practices that lead to higher deliverability Tips for small businesses to enhance their employer brand Expand your talent pool and get the most qualified employees to work for your small business. WATCH THE WEBINAR --- ### 50 Articles To Make You An Email Marketing Expert > 50 Articles To Make You An Email Marketing Expert Must-read articles to help you ace your email marketing   Become an Email Expert Your information - Published: 2020-12-11 - Modified: 2021-05-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/email-marketing-roundup/ - Resource Categories: Marketing 50 Articles To Make You An Email Marketing Expert Must-read articles to help you ace your email marketing   Become an Email Expert Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Get the Roundup Learn Everything You Need to Know About Email Marketing Staying up to speed on the best email marketing tactics is no easy feat. There are always new trends and strategies out there to try. How do you know if you're doing all you can to make your efforts effective? Email marketing is just one aspect of your job, and you don't have time to go digging around for education on new ideas and tactics. That's why we compiled 50 of our best email marketing-focused articles that cover everything from deliverability to strategies to tools. So next time email marketing has you scratching your head, pull up this roundup for some helpful information. Happy reading! --- ### K12 Email Marketing Guide > Email Marketing for Educators Everything you need to implement and facilitate effective email marketing for your K12 school.   Download your K12 - Published: 2020-10-28 - Modified: 2022-10-31 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/k12-email-marketing-guide/ - Resource Categories: Marketing Email Marketing for Educators Everything you need to implement and facilitate effective email marketing for your K12 school.   Download your K12 email marketing guide Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Download Form Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Download We protect your info, promise Cut through the communication confusion and keep your contacts informed with email marketing At a time when education professionals find themselves in an increasingly competitive marketplace, with overhead costs growing by the day, new ways to derive greater efficiency and value from stretched marketing budgets is crucial. Which makes email marketing one of the best tactics educators and educational professionals can implement. Download our free guide, and you'll access:   How to design email marketing campaigns to attract new buyers while maintaining the loyalty of existing ones. How to tackle the challenges of maintaining adherence to government legislation and the education industry's self-regulation standards. Relevant statistics to gauge the effectiveness of email marketing utilized by other education facilities nationwide. How strategic, tailored email marketing campaigns can help you achieve and maintain the maximum benefit possible. --- ### Email Deliverability 101 Webinar > Improving Email Deliverability 101 A Webinar on Understanding the Basics of Making it to the Inbox WATCH THE WEBINAR What You'll Learn Learn everything - Published: 2020-08-27 - Modified: 2022-10-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/email-deliverability-webinar/ - Resource Categories: Marketing Improving Email Deliverability 101 A Webinar on Understanding the Basics of Making it to the Inbox WATCH THE WEBINAR What You'll Learn Learn everything you need to know about email deliverability Marketers spend a lot of time creating and optimizing email campaigns to build relationships with their subscribers and drive business. But even the most well-crafted message won't serve its intended purpose if the message isn't delivered to the recipient's inbox. Download this webinar, hosted by our friends at Kickbox, an email deliverability tool, and learn: What You'll Learn Essential tips for increasing deliverability and maximizing email ROI Why sender reputation is the key to consistent deliverability, and how to manage it Dealing with the Drawbacks The list collection and management practices that lead to higher deliverability The top myths that keep marketers from achieving higher deliverability --- ### The K12 Back to School Icon Pack > The K12 Back to School Icon Pack Inform parents and students of COVID-related school protocols with these creative icons   Get the K12 Icon Pack Sent - Published: 2020-08-06 - Modified: 2021-05-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/back-to-school-pack/ - Resource Categories: Marketing The K12 Back to School Icon Pack Inform parents and students of COVID-related school protocols with these creative icons   Get the K12 Icon Pack Sent to Your Inbox Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me the Icons Access professionally-designed COVID-related icons and keep everyone in-the-know. We can all agree that COVID has thrown us a huge curveball, and heading back to school this year will undoubtedly look different. It's up to you to make sure parents, students, and your education community are fully aware of the protocols necessary for a safe and productive school year. In our K12 Back to School Icon Pack, you'll have access to eye-catching, creative images to help you communicate any special procedures and rules your school is implementing to keep everyone as safe as possible. Images include classroom safety and distancing icons, as well as other sanitary and school-related assets. Download the pack and make your COVID-related communication a little easier. --- ### The Small Business Guide to Going Remote > The Small Business Guide to Going Remote Covid-19 changed everything. To stay safe and avoid the spread, many businesses had their employees leave the - Published: 2020-04-02 - Modified: 2022-12-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/the-small-business-guide-to-going-remote/ - Resource Categories: Small Business The Small Business Guide to Going Remote Covid-19 changed everything. To stay safe and avoid the spread, many businesses had their employees leave the office and work from home. And now that the storm has calmed a bit, businesses have decided to embrace working from home and make it the norm, or at least use a hybrid working model. While the beginning may have been quite an adjustment, many of us have found that working from home has its perks. But even if you've come to love working from the comfort of your home office, there are still obstacles that come with not being in the same physical location as your coworkers. Shifting productivity and collaboration efforts is one thing. But client and prospect interaction, along with sales efforts, all required adjustment. To help the modern "worker from home," we assembled all our resources related to working remotely so you can do so with ease. We've got tips for optimizing email marketing, remote meetings and webinars, building a website, and so much more. How To: Communicate with Customers There's a lot going on right now - a looming recession, inflated costs of goods, shipping delays, and more. Not only are small businesses and their remote employees having a tough go at it, but so are small business customers. Making a sale or even connecting with customers and prospects may seem even more difficult than usual. Make sure you handle with care and use the right approach. Here are some tips... --- ### How to Build a Successful Agency Retainer Business > How to Build a Successful Agency Retainer Business Learn to Build More Predictable, Reliable Income With a Retainer-Based Strategy WATCH THE WEBINAR What - Published: 2020-02-26 - Modified: 2021-03-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/agency-retainer-webinar/ - Resource Categories: Agencies How to Build a Successful Agency Retainer Business Learn to Build More Predictable, Reliable Income With a Retainer-Based Strategy WATCH THE WEBINAR What You'll Learn Grow your agency with recurring revenue and more engaged clients Having predictable, reliable income is something agencies strive for. It not only ensures their businesses will stay afloat, but it also allows them to shift their focus towards other important things, like servicing customers well and increasing client value. In this webinar, agency experts BenchmarkONE and Wordstream join forces to discuss the value of building a successful agency retainer business, and how to go about doing it. Join Katie Culp, Partner and Customer Success at BenchmarkONE, and Nick Byrne, Agency Consultant at Wordstream, as they cover: What You'll Learn The value of growing agency retainer business How to determine bundles that will attract clients Sales & marketing platform features to consider How to drive ongoing ROI for clients and more! --- ### The Power of B2B Reviews > The Value of B2B Customer Reviews A 30-Minute Webinar to Harness the Power of Reviews In Your Marketing WATCH THE WEBINAR What You'll Learn Let Your - Published: 2019-04-22 - Modified: 2021-03-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/power-of-b2b-reviews/ - Resource Categories: Marketing The Value of B2B Customer Reviews A 30-Minute Webinar to Harness the Power of Reviews In Your Marketing WATCH THE WEBINAR What You'll Learn Let Your Customers Brag So You Don't Have To Chances are, as a consumer you're familiar with reviews. Whether it's Amazon, Yelp or TripAdvisor, reviews impact purchases. But reviews aren't just for B2C brands: They are also an essential part of B2B marketing. In fact, displaying reviews for higher-priced products can increase conversion rates by 380%. What You'll Learn The impact of reviews: How they impact sales and customer retention How to use reviews in your marketing materials The dos and don'ts critical to success A step-by-step action plan to implement a review strategy --- ### The Strongest Channels for B2B > The Strongest Channels for B2B and B2C Lead Generation Finally a webinar to help you put your precious marketing dollars where they really count! WATCH - Published: 2019-04-16 - Modified: 2021-03-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/b2b-b2c-lead-generation/ - Resource Categories: Marketing The Strongest Channels for B2B and B2C Lead Generation Finally a webinar to help you put your precious marketing dollars where they really count! WATCH THE WEBINAR Say goodbye to wasted marketing dollars and hello to more leads! As a small business, it can be difficult to consistently drive inbound leads for your business. With so many channels to choose from and a limited budget to work with, it's vital that you're identifying the right channels for reaching your ideal customer. Join Chris Farrell of Liscio and Jonathan Herrick of BenchmarkONE as they discuss the most reliable channels for driving both B2C and B2B inbound leads for your business month after month. --- ### 30-Day Follow-Up Template Pack > 30 Days of Agency Follow-Up 30 days worth of email templates to make your prospect follow-up a breeze   Get Your Agency Email Templates Your - Published: 2019-03-07 - Modified: 2021-10-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/agency-email-template-pack/ - Resource Categories: Agencies 30 Days of Agency Follow-Up 30 days worth of email templates to make your prospect follow-up a breeze   Get Your Agency Email Templates Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Download Win More Business With Automated Follow-Up Inside you'll find a collection of 30 days worth of follow-up email templates agencies can use to stay in touch with valuable prospects while leveraging automation.   We've outlined a suggested email schedule you can modify to suit your needs and included recommended responses for prospects you've quoted and those you haven't. --- ### Roundup: 50 Articles to Grow Your Agency > 50 Stellar Articles to Grow Your Agency We've got a roundup of must-read articles to scale your shop.   Start Scaling Your Agency Your information - Published: 2019-02-14 - Modified: 2021-05-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/agency-growth-roundup/ - Resource Categories: Agencies 50 Stellar Articles to Grow Your Agency We've got a roundup of must-read articles to scale your shop.   Start Scaling Your Agency Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me the Roundup Put Your Agency Into Growth-Mode With This Arsenal of Marketing Knowledge We've said it before and we'll say it again: agency life is not easy. You've got a team to lead and new business to attract all while facing hundreds of other competitors vying for the same clients. So how can you make sure you stay on top of your A-game? Fresh ideas. As an agency owner, you've got to always be researching, learning and expanding your horizons. We've compiled 50 of the best agency-focused articles covering everything from automation to subscription-based pricing to email followup. So next time you're tempted to mindlessly scroll through your Instagram feed, you can pull up this roundup and get some new perspectives on growth. Happy reading! --- ### Campaign Structure from Start to Finish > Campaign Structure from Start to Finish A 30-minute webinar on uncovering hidden treasure with campaigns WATCH THE WEBINAR What You'll Learn Uncover new - Published: 2018-12-20 - Modified: 2021-03-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/campaign-structure-webinar/ - Resource Categories: Marketing Campaign Structure from Start to Finish A 30-minute webinar on uncovering hidden treasure with campaigns WATCH THE WEBINAR What You'll Learn Uncover new leads with marketing campaigns You might be sitting on a treasure trove of hot leads in your contact list who are just waiting to hear from you. Learn how to build a campaign structure that converts new leads into happy customers. What You'll Learn An in-depth view into the progression from a general nurturing campaign to a current client campaign An overview into winning email content that converts Take-away material for building your own dynamic campaigns Let us help you navigate through campaigns to make sure your marketing strategy is headed in the right direction! WATCH THE WEBINAR --- ### 10 Reasons Your Website Visitors Aren't Converting > 10 Reasons Your Website Visitors Aren't Converting - And How to Change That A workshop to walk you through 10 marketing mistakes to avoid WATCH THE - Published: 2018-10-26 - Modified: 2021-03-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/10-reasons-website-visitors-arent-converting/ - Resource Categories: Marketing 10 Reasons Your Website Visitors Aren't Converting - And How to Change That A workshop to walk you through 10 marketing mistakes to avoid WATCH THE WEBINAR They'll cover It's Easy to Turn Visitors Into Customers With These Tips Join Jonathan Herrick of BenchmarkONE and Lindsey Morando of Hello Bar as they discuss how to successfully capture and convert more leads into customers. This workshop is bursting at the seams with real-life examples of how brands are capturing more leads with their valuable marketing spend. They'll cover: The vital lead generation campaigns your business needs How to create marketing messages that actually work How to effectively capture website visitors The action steps to take once you've captured those visitors Sign up to join the workshop instantly, and you're sure to turn your website into a conversion engine in no time! WATCH THE WEBINAR --- ### The Ultimate SEO Checklist > The Ultimate SEO Checklist Drive more inbound traffic with an SEO-optimized website   Get The Checklist Your information will be shared with - Published: 2018-10-19 - Modified: 2021-08-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/seo-checklist/ - Resource Categories: Marketing The Ultimate SEO Checklist Drive more inbound traffic with an SEO-optimized website   Get The Checklist Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me the Checklist Audit Your Website with Our 23-point SEO Checklist There's a lot about SEO that's outside of your control. Search algorithms, which sites are linking to yours, and what customers are saying about you are just a few examples. But when you focus on improving elements that you can control (often referred to as on-page SEO), you'll often see a dramatic boost in traffic - and as a result, more leads and more engaged audiences. We've created the ultimate SEO checklist for your website to help you have a successful site audit, and clear up any confusion about the latest best practices in search optimization. This list shows the main steps you'll need to take to improve your site's SEO, in chronological order. --- ### Halloween Email Templates > Halloween Email Templates Download The Templates Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and - Published: 2018-10-12 - Modified: 2023-02-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/halloween-email-templates/ - Resource Categories: Sales Halloween Email Templates Download The Templates Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Get The Templates We protect your info, promise It's all treats and no tricks with these Halloween templates! Spread some spook to customers and prospects with three pre-designed emails. Fill out the form, choose your template, then copy and paste the HTML code into your favorite email editor to edit and send. --- ### Conquer Content Marketing - 5 Day course > Conquer Content Marketing In 5 Days Learn how to execute a flawless content strategy for your business.   Start the Content Marketing Course Your - Published: 2018-10-01 - Modified: 2021-05-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/content-marketing-course/ - Resource Categories: Sales Conquer Content Marketing In 5 Days Learn how to execute a flawless content strategy for your business. Start the Content Marketing Course Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me Take Your Content Marketing from Stale to Stellar In Days Stellar content plays a huge role in any B2B business: from marketing to sales to onboarding to customer service. Among a few of its benefits? Social proof, trust, engagement, list building and more. But shockingly many businesses either aren't practicing content marketing or don't have a solid strategy in place. That changes now. Over the next five days, we'll walk you through everything you need to know to execute a flawless content strategy for your business. --- ### How to Create a Content That Generates Leads > How to Create a Content Strategy That Generates Leads A Webinar to Walk You Through the Ideation, Creation and Execution of a Stellar Content Strategy - Published: 2018-09-26 - Modified: 2021-03-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/how-to-create-content-that-generates-leads/ - Resource Categories: Marketing How to Create a Content Strategy That Generates Leads A Webinar to Walk You Through the Ideation, Creation and Execution of a Stellar Content Strategy WATCH THE WEBINAR They'll cover Say So Long to Content That Falls Flat Join Jonathan Herrick of BenchmarkONE and Brittni Kinney of Influence & Co. as they discuss how to successfully use content to generate more leads. They'll cover: how to create a content strategy content tactics that generate leads how to measure success with your strategy the tech you need to execute your strategy Sign up to watch our webinar today, and you're sure to turn that content into a lead gen machine in no time! WATCH THE WEBINAR --- ### The Dog Days of B2B Sales > Beat The Dog Days of B2B Sales A 20-Minute Webinar to Turn Your Sales Around WATCH THE WEBINAR No More Dog Days For Your B2B Sales Funnel Stuck in a sales - Published: 2018-07-30 - Modified: 2021-03-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/dog-days-b2b-sales/ - Resource Categories: Marketing Beat The Dog Days of B2B Sales A 20-Minute Webinar to Turn Your Sales Around WATCH THE WEBINAR No More Dog Days For Your B2B Sales Funnel Stuck in a sales slump? Getting traffic to your website can seem like a daunting task, especially during those slow summer months. But all you need is a strategic plan to drive more quality leads to your website. We'll cover both short-term and long-term strategies for getting more people to your website and turning website leads into new customers. Make next month your best sales month yet. Sign up to watch our webinar today, and you're sure to turn those dog days into dazzling days in no time! WATCH THE WEBINAR --- ### Facebook Video Webinar > Facebook Video Marketing How To Increase Your Reach, Results & Revenue Using VOD and Live Broadcasts WATCH THE WEBINAR Is Your Facebook Business Page - Published: 2018-06-11 - Modified: 2021-03-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/facebook-video-marketing-webinar/ - Resource Categories: Marketing Facebook Video Marketing How To Increase Your Reach, Results & Revenue Using VOD and Live Broadcasts WATCH THE WEBINAR Is Your Facebook Business Page Video-First? Facebook is focusing aggressively on a VIDEO FIRST approach for the platform, ultimately competing in the digital streaming television space alongside Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and YouTube. BUT, most businesses struggle to properly integrate, optimize and monetize VIDEO in their content marketing efforts. Savvy marketers need to gear up for establishing their video content marketing strategy and video ad strategy. In this dynamic training, Premier Facebook Marketing Expert, Mari Smith, will guide you through her recommended step-by-step process for generating more leads and sales using video on Facebook. --- ### White Paper Template > Free White Paper Template An Inbound Marketing Resource for Your Businesses   Download our White Paper Template Your information will be shared with - Published: 2018-03-27 - Modified: 2021-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/white-paper-template/ - Resource Categories: Sales Free White Paper Template An Inbound Marketing Resource for Your Businesses   Download our White Paper Template Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me the Template Why Create a White Paper for Your Website? When it comes to inbound marketing, having a great offer on your website is key to growing your list of leads. With a rock solid white paper that outlines an issue your audience regularly faces and provides effective solutions, you have lead gen gold.   For businesses using marketing automation, the white paper is one of those cornerstone elements of the marketing strategy. A gated white paper generates new leads. And, white paper content can be repurposed during the nurturing process as well. You can send it out in a nurturing campaign, or use it as a tool in the sales process.   We love any resource that is multi-purpose, like the white paper - but we know putting together new resources can be tough.   Download this Microsoft Word white paper template to get a head start. --- ### Facebook News feed Armageddon > The Facebook Newsfeed Armageddon Survival Guide 10 Tips to Survive Facebook's Changes and Keep Your Impressions Alive WATCH THE WEBINAR Is Your Business - Published: 2018-03-08 - Modified: 2021-03-16 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/facebook-news-feed-armageddon/ - Resource Categories: Marketing The Facebook Newsfeed Armageddon Survival Guide 10 Tips to Survive Facebook's Changes and Keep Your Impressions Alive WATCH THE WEBINAR Is Your Business Prepared for the Armageddon? With Facebook's recent changes to the Newsfeed, your social media presence could be majorly impacted. And if your lead generation strategy relies heavily on Facebook, your impressions could take a hit. Join Jonathan Herrick of BenchmarkONE and Larry Kim of MobileMonkey as they talk through 10 tips to keep your Facebook presence alive. Sign up to watch the webinar via email today, and we'll help you develop a plan to crush your Facebook goals. --- ### 2019 Marketing party pack > 2019 Essential Marketing Resources 3 Free Blueprints For Filling Your Marketing Funnel in the New Year   Get Your 3 Free Resources Your information - Published: 2017-12-15 - Modified: 2022-09-08 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/2019-marketing-resources/ - Resource Categories: Marketing 2019 Essential Marketing Resources 3 Free Blueprints For Filling Your Marketing Funnel in the New Year   Get Your 3 Free Resources Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Download We protect your info, promise Kickstart Customer Growth It's time to put on your marketing party pants! Download our resource for a solid framework for attracting, capturing and closing more customers than ever before! Our Marketing Party Pack includes three comprehensive resources to help you develop your marketing strategy, get your content engine running at full efficiency and outline a budget to meet your goals every step of the way. Resources Include: Marketing Planner Workbook Content Marketing Workbook Marketing Budget Worksheet Sign up to receive the Marketing Party Pack via email today, and you'll head into the next fiscal year with a plan for crushing your revenue goals. --- ### Annual Marketing Budget Worksheet > The Comprehensive Digital Marketing Budget Worksheet Plan Next Year's Initiatives to Keep Your Marketing Ship Afloat   Download Our Digital Marketing - Published: 2017-12-12 - Modified: 2022-10-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/annual-marketing-budget-worksheet/ - Resource Categories: Marketing The Comprehensive Digital Marketing Budget Worksheet Plan Next Year's Initiatives to Keep Your Marketing Ship Afloat   Download Our Digital Marketing Budget Worksheet Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Download the Guide Outline Your Year-Long Digital Marketing Initiatives Unless you're an enterprise firm, you're likely not drowning in extra money. In order to be efficient, you need to understand every part of your marketing strategy and where every piece of your budget is going. Setting monthly and yearly goals is the most successful way to keep your strategy on the right track. This marketing budget worksheet will help you: Plan out new initiatives Make sure your spend is allocated effectively Determine your yearly projected goals and see how you can meet them Tired of flying by the seat of your marketing pants? Sign up to receive the marketing budget worksheet via email today, and you'll have a formula to more clearly plan and understand where you're headed. --- ### Announcement Email Templates > Announcement Email Pack Send Better Announcements Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and - Published: 2017-11-17 - Modified: 2021-11-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/announcement-email-templates/ - Resource Categories: Marketing Announcement Email Pack Send Better Announcements Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Get The Templates It's important to keep your prospects and customers in the know about all things happening with your business. Fill out the form to get 9 free templates immediately. We'll also send you the link via email. Fill out the form, choose your template, then copy and paste the HTML code into your favorite email editor to edit and send. --- ### Holiday Email Templates > Free Holiday Email Templates Send Season Greetings Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and - Published: 2017-11-16 - Modified: 2021-11-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/holiday-email-templates/ - Resource Categories: Small Business Free Holiday Email Templates Send Season Greetings Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Get The Templates The holidays are the perfect time to reach out to your customers and prospects and thank them for supporting your business all year long. Fill out the form to get the templates immediately. We'll also send you the link via email. Fill out the form, choose your template, then copy and paste the HTML code into your favorite email editor to edit and send. --- ### Lead Nurturing Bundle > Lead Nurturing Bundle The Best Lead Nurturing & Lead Gen Content from the BenchmarkONE Blog in One Pack   Download Your Lead Nurturing Bundle - Published: 2017-10-27 - Modified: 2021-08-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/lead-generation-blog-posts/ - Resource Categories: Sales Lead Nurturing Bundle The Best Lead Nurturing & Lead Gen Content from the BenchmarkONE Blog in One Pack   Download Your Lead Nurturing Bundle Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me the Pack Attract Quality Leads and Convert More to Customers How do you get your brand in front of new, qualified leads? What's the right strategy for following up? And how do you turn your hard-won leads into new, paying customers for your business? We've bundled our best blog posts on lead generation and lead nurturing to help you answer those burning questions.   This blog bundle includes tips and advice on attracting the right leads, capturing their contact information, and following up to produce more customers: What You'll Learn Lead Generation Basics for Small Business Lead Nurturing Starts with Segmentation Lead Nurturing Strategies for Small Business How Small Business can use Pinterest for Lead Generation 5 Sure-Fire Lead Generation Tips for Your Blog --- ### Krakens Suck - Published: 2017-10-17 - Modified: 2019-05-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/krakens-suck/ - Resource Categories: Marketing --- ### Build Your Marketing Stack - Published: 2017-07-13 - Modified: 2017-07-13 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/build-marketing-stack/ - Resource Categories: Marketing --- ### 64 Small Business Tools > 64 Small Business Tools Read The Original Blog Post   - Published: 2017-04-06 - Modified: 2020-11-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/small-business-tools/ - Resource Categories: Marketing 64 Small Business Tools Read The Original Blog Post   --- ### B2B Holiday Marketing Guide > The B2B Holiday Marketing Guide Tips for Driving Brand Awareness and Sales This Year into the Next   Download the Holiday Marketing Guide Your - Published: 2017-01-28 - Modified: 2021-08-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/b2b-holiday-marketing-guide-for-small-business/ - Resource Categories: Marketing The B2B Holiday Marketing Guide Tips for Driving Brand Awareness and Sales This Year into the Next   Download the Holiday Marketing Guide Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me the Guide Holiday Marketing Tips for B2B It's the most wonderful time of the year for businesses. Customers are ready to spend with you during the holidays - in fact, some annual business budgets MUST be spent before the end of the year due to a "use it or lose it" budgeting system. However, while your customers are likelier to spend money, the holidays present a challenge. With all of the clatter of businesses, retailers, family and friends competing for their attention, it can be tough to get your own business on your customers' radar. Not to worry! We're taking the stress out of your holiday marketing with the following strategies: Unwrap Important Data Make a list (and check it twice) Regift Winning Content Deliver Cheer with Every Email Campaign Use Social Media to Stay on the Nice List Download our free guide to get your holiday marketing in gear! --- ### Agency Guide to Growing with Wordpress > The Agency Guide to Growing with Wordpress Turn a One-Off Website Build into a Steady Stream of Revenue for Your Agency   Download Our Three Part - Published: 2017-01-27 - Modified: 2023-02-15 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/wordpress-guide-for-agencies/ - Resource Categories: Agencies The Agency Guide to Growing with Wordpress Turn a One-Off Website Build into a Steady Stream of Revenue for Your Agency   Download Our Three Part WordPress Guide Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Download the Guide We protect your info, promise Your WordPress Clients Need More Than Just a Website The uncertainty of where your next gig is coming from is stressful, and finding new clients is tough. But when you can help your WordPress clients convert visitors to their site into customers, you can enjoy steady, recurring revenue each month. This three part guide for marketing agencies includes: Part 1: Collecting Fresh Leads Part 2: Personal Conversations in the Email Inbox Part 3: Listening to Buying Signals Tired of starting fresh each month to find new clients? Download the Agency's Guide to Getting the Most Out of WordPress today, and you'll have a formula to generate steady revenue from your WordPress clients. --- ### Email Marketing Course > 6 Days to Email Marketing Success A Course for Marketers, SMB Owners and Everyone In Between   Sign Up for the Email Marketing Course Your - Published: 2017-01-11 - Modified: 2021-05-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/email-marketing-course/ - Resource Categories: Marketing 6 Days to Email Marketing Success A Course for Marketers, SMB Owners and Everyone In Between   Sign Up for the Email Marketing Course Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me the Course Send Personalized Emails That Convert Successful Businesses are Sending Email at Every Stage of the Buyer's Journey Email marketing is an essential marketing tool for businesses. It can drive traffic to your website. It can build a powerful, well-regarded brand. It can drive repeat sales and develop lasting, profitable customer relationships. Done right, email marketing gives a huge boost to lead generation and sales results.   But it's not always easy to get email marketing right. Done poorly, email marketing can damage your reputation and negatively impact your business.   This series will help you use email to market like a pro. Sign up for our six day course. We will take a look at the recommended stages of the email marketing process: Introductory Email (New Leads) Lead Nurturing Email (Prospects) Upsell Email (New Customers) Referral Email (Current Customers) Win-Back Email (Former Customers) Each day we will break down email messages at each stage in the customer journey. We'll also include a written example of how each email might look. Sign up today to start putting a more sophisticated, more effective email marketing process in place. --- ### Build a Lead Gen Strategy - 5 Day Course > Lead Gen 101: A 5-Day Course for B2Bs Get access to our proven framework for generating a steady stream of quality leads. The best part is, you don't need - Published: 2016-12-02 - Modified: 2021-05-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/lead-generation-strategy/ - Resource Categories: Marketing Lead Gen 101: A 5-Day Course for B2Bs Get access to our proven framework for generating a steady stream of quality leads. The best part is, you don't need a huge team or big budget to pull it off. Sign up for our free 5-day email course and start attracting quality leads today. Start Your 5-Day Lead Gen Course Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign Up Love your business, but hate scrambling to get new customers? In this 5-day email course, we'll cover how to: Captivate more, higher-quality prospects. Turn website visitors into real, bonafide leads Read their minds (sort of). Start a real conversation - 'cause you're not a robot. Close the deal. We know you're passionate about your work, but you gotta eat, too.   How do we know it works? We're proud to say that we've used this exact same framework to grow BenchmarkONE and have helped countless of our customers do the same with easy-to-use sales and marketing tools. Learn Lead Gen in 5 Days Captivate More Prospects Meet Your Ideal Buyer Coax More People to Your Website Connect with Visitors Create a Lead Magnet Capture Info with Landing Pages Organize Your Data Tag and Segment Your Leads Score Your Leads Get to Know Marketing Automation Turn Emails into Conversations Personalize Email Build Campaigns Close the Deal Identify Who's Hot and Ask for the Sale Continue to... --- ### Broken Sales & Marketing Process > Is It Time for a CRM? Do you recognize the five unmistakable signs of a broken sales and marketing process?   Fix Your Broken Processes Your - Published: 2016-11-20 - Modified: 2021-10-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/broken-sales-marketing-process/ - Resource Categories: Thought Leadership Is It Time for a CRM? Do you recognize the five unmistakable signs of a broken sales and marketing process?   Fix Your Broken Processes Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Download the Guide Take a Closer Look at Your Sales and Marketing Process Process - sounds boring, right? But it's actually a valuable tool in scaling growth while maintaining the size of your workforce. For businesses on the precipice of explosive growth, taking another look at your sales and marketing process can be the difference between impactful penetration into the marketplace, or faltering while you attempt to ramp up new staff to do things the old way.   Missed opportunities, dropped balls, and lack of communication are all symptoms of a sales and marketing process that needs a little love - and a little help from tools and technology like a CRM.   Is your sales and marketing process watertight? Or can you see any of these scenarios happening within your process? --- ### Turn Your Website Visitors into Customers > Turn Your Website into a Sales Machine Sales Strategies for Businesses and Agencies with an Online Presence   Turn Your Website into a Sales Machine - Published: 2016-09-12 - Modified: 2021-11-11 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/turn-website-sales-machine/ - Resource Categories: Sales Turn Your Website into a Sales Machine Sales Strategies for Businesses and Agencies with an Online Presence   Turn Your Website into a Sales Machine Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me the Ebook Put Your Website to Work for Your Business Most businesses are always looking for the "silver bullet" to drive new and repeat sales. If you've already invested in SEO, PPC and social media, then congrats! You've made it past a big hurdle that small businesses face; getting found online.   But did you know that 96% of people are not ready to buy from you the first time they visit your website? (Source Kiss Metrics)   Today's prospect will visit your website, your competitor's website, industry publications, online review sites and social media.   Why? To whittle down their list of potential vendors long before ever contacting your business or any sales representative.   This guide explores how to capture more prospects earlier in the buying process so you can earn their trust and convert them into sales. --- ### Ultimate Guide to Online Marketing > The Ultimate Guide to Online Marketing Simple, Cost-Effective Tips for Getting Your Business Found Online   Learn how to get your business found - Published: 2016-08-30 - Modified: 2021-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/small-biz-guide-online-marketing/ - Resource Categories: Small Business The Ultimate Guide to Online Marketing Simple, Cost-Effective Tips for Getting Your Business Found Online   Learn how to get your business found online Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me the Guide Drive More Leads to Your Website You spend your day managing employees, helping customers, fulfilling jobs, putting out fires, just to wake up and do it again tomorrow. (Oh, and did someone mention that there was a life outside of your business? ) Being an entrepreneur is a full-time job to which few can relate. The problem is, being pulled in every direction means you don't have the time or resources to be effectively marketing yourself and driving new business.   Fill out the short form and we'll send you the guide for simple, cost-effective strategies to get your business found online and to turn up the dial on your lead generation and inbound marketing efforts. --- ### DIY Guide to SEO > The DIY Guide to SEO Get The Help You Need With Search Engine Optimization   Learn SEO Basics for Your Business Your information will be shared with - Published: 2016-08-27 - Modified: 2021-12-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/the-diy-guide-to-seo/ - Resource Categories: Marketing The DIY Guide to SEO Get The Help You Need With Search Engine Optimization   Learn SEO Basics for Your Business Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me the Guide Search Engine Optimization Tips for Your Business Hire an SEO Agency? Or Take a DIY Approach? So you want to drive more online visitors to your website or increase your rankings in Google's search engine... But, where do you start? You could hire an SEO agency, but you might be able to boost your SEO yourself. If you're ready to improve SEO, but not quite ready to hire outside SEO help, download our DIY Guide to SEO for 16 SEO tips you can put into action today. What You'll Learn Essential tips for increasing deliverability and maximizing email ROI Why sender reputation is the key to consistent deliverability, and how to manage it Dealing with the Drawbacks The list collection and management practices that lead to higher deliverability The top myths that keep marketers from achieving higher deliverability --- ### Content Marketing Playbook > The Content Marketing Playbook A Workbook for Small Businesses   Download the Content Marketing Workbook Your information will be shared with - Published: 2016-08-02 - Modified: 2021-08-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/content-marketing-playbook/ - Resource Categories: Marketing The Content Marketing Playbook A Workbook for Small Businesses   Download the Content Marketing Workbook Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Download Nail Down Your Business's Content Strategy As a busy business owner, you are in the trenches every day, keeping your business running smoothly. Creating content might not be at the top of your list... But it should be. Attracting the right buyers, boosting SEO, and staying top-of-mind with your audience are all powerful reasons why your content strategy matters. The Content Marketing Playbook will help you get your content strategy out of your head and down on paper, giving you another effective tool to move the ball down the court for your business: What You'll Learn Identify & Segment Your Audience Discover Where Interests & Expertise Intersect Create & Deliver the Content Measure & Optimize Your Strategy Content Marketing Worksheets - so you can get your strategy on paper in a jiff. --- ### Content Grid Infographic > Content grid infographic To download the full infographic in PDF format, click here. - Published: 2016-07-27 - Modified: 2020-11-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/content-grid-infographic/ - Resource Categories: Marketing Content grid infographic To download the full infographic in PDF format, click here. --- ### You've Got (Personalized) Mail! > The Guide to Modern Email Marketing Hello. You've Got (Personalized) Mail   Get your guide to modern email marketing essentials Your information will - Published: 2016-07-27 - Modified: 2021-05-25 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/personalized-mail/ - Resource Categories: Marketing The Guide to Modern Email Marketing Hello. You've Got (Personalized) Mail   Get your guide to modern email marketing essentials Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me the Guide The New Rules of Email Marketing We live in a sea of distraction. Everything from our inbox to our favorite social media feed is buzzing with people and brands competing for our attention. It's becoming increasingly difficult to cut through the noise to reach leads and customers. And amid the chaos, your one-size-fits-all email blast just doesn't grab anyone's attention anymore. It's like a contest where everyone gets a trophy. When you send the same email to everyone, no one feels special. It's time to get personal again. Your small business probably sends email blasts or monthly newsletters to tell leads and customers about new products, services, and special offers. Connecting with your contacts through email is a great start, but that shouldn't be where your relationship-building stops. If you want leads and customers to stop in their tracks and engage with you, you need to appeal to their own personal agenda. When you put down your bullhorn and nurture relationships through one-to-one communication, trust is built, problems are solved, and sales skyrocket. Download our email marketing guide to learn how. --- ### Marketing Planner Workbook > Create Your Winning Marketing Plan Download our Marketing Planner   Download Our Marketing Planner Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. - Published: 2016-06-27 - Modified: 2021-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/2016-marketing-planner/ - Resource Categories: Marketing Create Your Winning Marketing Plan Download our Marketing Planner   Download Our Marketing Planner Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me the Workbook To Succeed in Your Business, You Need a Marketing Plan When it comes to marketing in the digital age, there are a lot of moving parts. But don't feel intimidated by modern marketing. In our Marketing Planner, we'll help you tackle a plan for defining your target buyer, attracting the right type of prospect, converting more prospects into customers, and turning your customers into raving fans of your business. Download our simple marketing planner and fill out the included worksheets for a complete outline of your marketing initiatives. --- ### Content Distribution Checklist > Content Distribution Checklist Must-Do Tips for Drawing Readers to Your Blog   Get Our Content Distribution Checklist Your information will be shared - Published: 2016-06-25 - Modified: 2021-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/great-blogging-checklist/ - Resource Categories: Marketing Content Distribution Checklist Must-Do Tips for Drawing Readers to Your Blog   Get Our Content Distribution Checklist Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me the Checklist Don't Just Post and Pray. Be Proactive About Sharing Your Content. Keeping up with your business blog isn't easy. So if you've conquered inertia, sat down and written a great blog post, give it the finishing touches- and the attention- that it deserves. Before you hit publish, take these next steps to make sure that your post doesn't just sit on your site, but grabs the attention of new prospects and drives them down the sales funnel. Print out this checklist and keep it within arms reach to get more mileage out of your blog posts. --- ### The Big Guide to Small Biz Marketing > The Big Guide to Small Budget Marketing Get More Bang For Your Marketing Bucks   Download the Big Guide to Small Budget Marketing Your information - Published: 2016-06-13 - Modified: 2021-10-14 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/big-guide-to-small-business-marketing/ - Resource Categories: Marketing The Big Guide to Small Budget Marketing Get More Bang For Your Marketing Bucks   Download the Big Guide to Small Budget Marketing Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me the Guide Brought to you by the SMB experts at BenchmarkONE and Kabbage. Small Budget, Big Ideas BenchmarkONE and Kabbage have teamed up to bring you the best marketing strategies for businesses that need to do more with less. In today's digital landscape, small business marketing is more complex and technical than it was in the past. Without a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to launch a successful marketing campaign, it's difficult to know where to start, how you should be investing your marketing budget - or when to ask for help. So, how do you start creating a successful marketing campaign on a small business budget? What You'll Learn Know your target market inside out Recognize the best opportunities for increasing market share Connect with leads before they become customers Nurture leads for future sales Automate repetitive aspects of your marketing campaign Personalize communication to make your prospects feel valued and appreciated Build a reputation based on your business's unique vision and culture And add a host of other benefits that come with gaining exposure   This handy guide will give you expert insight into the best marketing strategies in use today, as well as a game plan for... --- ### Ultimate Guide to Marketing Automation > The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Automation Everything Your Business Needs to Know About Automation   Download the Ultimate Guide to Marketing - Published: 2016-06-03 - Modified: 2022-02-28 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/ultimate-guide-marketing-automation/ - Resource Categories: Marketing The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Automation Everything Your Business Needs to Know About Automation   Download the Ultimate Guide to Marketing Automation Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me the Guide We protect your info, promise Marketing Automation for Your Business Streamlining Your Process with Marketing Automation As a business owner, the center of your business operations and information revolves around you. But what happens if you can't be reached? What happens if you want to take some time to work on big picture projects for your business? And, we know it's a long shot, but what happens if you want to take a vacation? The fact is, you're never too small to put a process in place. Yet, for many businesses, creating a sales and marketing process is one of the biggest hurdles faced. If you know you can leave the office and your business will hum along to a happy tune, congratulations. You probably have a great sales and marketing process. But, if you spend all day putting out fires and feel like your business would burn to the ground without you, this is your guide. Let's take a deep dive into how to put a sales and marketing process into place with the help of sales and marketing automation. --- ### Buyer Persona Workbook > Build Buyer Personas for Your Business A Free Workbook with Templates to Help You Identify Your Radical Buyer   Get Our Buyer Personas Your - Published: 2016-05-27 - Modified: 2021-08-05 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/buyer-persona-workbook/ - Resource Categories: Marketing Build Buyer Personas for Your Business A Free Workbook with Templates to Help You Identify Your Radical Buyer   Get Our Buyer Personas Your information will be shared with BenchmarkONE. We may reach out with relevant content, product and service updates. You can unsubscribe at any time. Send Me the Workbook Buyer Personas Drive Better Results for Your Business According to MLT Creative, using buyer personas in an email campaign can increase email open rates by 2x and boost clickthrough rates by 5x. Personas are an imaginary depiction of your ideal customer - but they are rooted in real life. When you align your sales, marketing, and business model to cater to your personas, you can attract better leads and win more customers. And if you think you're too small to leverage buyer personas, think again. One of the advantages of being a small business owner is that you connect with your customers every day. Likely, you're more in touch with your customers than say the CEO or VP of Marketing at a large corporation. The first versions of your personas might be built on educated guesses and hypothesis. That's a great start, since you innately know things about your customer base. But don't assume anything. Reach out to your customers and prospects in your target market to continue to learn about their identity, motivations and challenges. Continue to revisit your personas and let them evolve as you discover more about their real-life counterparts. --- ### Celebrating Small Business Customers > Improving Email Deliverability 101 A Webinar on Understanding the Basics of Making it to the Inbox   You put in a ton of work at the top of the - Published: 2016-04-06 - Modified: 2020-10-29 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/small-business-customers/ - Resource Categories: Small Business Improving Email Deliverability 101 A Webinar on Understanding the Basics of Making it to the Inbox   You put in a ton of work at the top of the funnel to drive new leads to your business, growing your customer base. But what happens after that sought after lead becomes a customer? While you’re chasing new business, don’t forget about the customers you’ve already won. Nurture current customers to increase customer lifetime value and add more dollar signs to your bottom line. --- ### CRM + Email Marketing = Great! > CRM + Email Marketing Like PB & J, Some Things are Just Better Together Put the heart back into your messaging when you marry the info-tracking power - Published: 2016-03-27 - Modified: 2020-11-02 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/resources/crm-email-marketing/ - Resource Categories: Sales CRM + Email Marketing Like PB & J, Some Things are Just Better Together Put the heart back into your messaging when you marry the info-tracking power of CRM with the nurturing touch of email marketing to increase engagement and drive sales. --- --- ## Customers ### Goodness Dental - Published: 2020-02-24 - Modified: 2020-02-24 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/goodness-dental/ --- ### Bay Leaf Digital - Published: 2019-04-11 - Modified: 2019-04-12 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/bay-leaf-digital/ --- ### High Touch High Tech - Science Made Fun - Published: 2019-04-04 - Modified: 2019-04-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/high-touch-high-tech-science-made-fun/ --- ### Organizers Direct - Published: 2019-03-22 - Modified: 2019-03-22 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/organizers-direct/ --- ### End Brain Cancer Initiative - Published: 2018-04-12 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/end-brain-cancer-initiative/ --- ### TSV Sound & Vision > TSV Sound & Vision is a pro audio, video & lighting production company. Their expertise makes TSV the clear choice for all of your A/V and event production needs. - Published: 2018-03-05 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/tsv/ TSV Sound & Vision is a Pro Audio, Video & Lighting Production Company. Our expertise makes TSV the clear choice for all of your A/V needs. What was your greatest business or sales & marketing challenge(s) before using Hatchbuck? We had a CRM software, but had no email marketing or marketing automation capabilities. We really needed another system that allowed us to reach the contacts we had been housing in our CRM. What measurable results have you seen with Hatchbuck? Once we implemented Hatchbuck, we were able to kick-off our email marketing efforts. Now, we’re getting more quotes, and our audience is more aware of our products and services. One of the first emails we sent was sent to our customers to encourage them to opt-in to our company newsletter. That email saw a 35. 55% click-through rate. We were also able to acquire 2 new customers and drive $70,000 in sales from our email marketing efforts. What Hatchbuck features do you find to be the most helpful? The contact filters have been very helpful for us, especially the “Actions” filter. You can easily see who has opened emails, who has not been sent an email and who has filled out a particular form. It’s really nice. Email templates have also been key in helping us to customize great looking newsletters. With Hatchbuck, we now have forms on our website that generate leads and pull contact information all into Hatchbuck’s CRM, so our contacts are all in one place. Once they fill out the form, we can see when these new leads click on links and visit other pages of our website. We can also send... --- ### Artisan Council - Published: 2018-03-04 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/artisan-council/ --- ### InfusionPoints - Published: 2018-03-03 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/infusionpoints/ --- ### Maddie's Fund > Maddie’s Fund is a family foundation dedicated to revolutionizing the status and well-being of companion animals. We provide grants and other resources to animal shelters and rescue organizations throughout the United States. - Published: 2018-03-02 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/maddiesfund/ Maddie’s Fund is a family foundation dedicated to revolutionizing the status and well-being of companion animals. We provide grants and other resources to animal shelters and rescue organizations throughout the United States. What was your greatest business or sales & marketing challenge(s) before using Hatchbuck? We had a CRM software, but had no email marketing or marketing automation capabilities. We really needed another system that allowed us to reach the contacts we had been housing in our CRM. What measurable results have you seen with Hatchbuck? Once we implemented Hatchbuck, we were able to kick-off our email marketing efforts. Now, we’re getting more quotes, and our audience is more aware of our products and services. One of the first emails we sent was sent to our customers to encourage them to opt-in to our company newsletter. That email saw a 35. 55% click-through rate. We were also able to acquire 2 new customers and drive $70,000 in sales from our email marketing efforts. What Hatchbuck features do you find to be the most helpful? The contact filters have been very helpful for us, especially the “Actions” filter. You can easily see who has opened emails, who has not been sent an email and who has filled out a particular form. It’s really nice. Email templates have also been key in helping us to customize great looking newsletters. With Hatchbuck, we now have forms on our website that generate leads and pull contact information all into Hatchbuck’s CRM, so our contacts are all in one place. Once they fill out the form, we can see when these new leads click on links and visit other pages of our website. We can also send... --- ### University At Albany - Published: 2018-03-01 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/university-at-albany/ --- ### J/E Bearing & Machine > J/E provides CNC machining, general machining, repair/overhaul and bearing & power transmission products to industries across North America. From the farmer down the road to multi-million dollar manufacturers, J/E provides lasting machining solutions. With the ability to supply more products and services in-house, they can help improve productivity, reduce costs and provide an increase return on investment. - Published: 2018-02-28 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/je-bearing-machine/ J/E provides CNC machining, general machining, repair/overhaul and bearing & power transmission products to industries across North America. From the farmer down the road to multi-million dollar manufacturers, J/E provides lasting machining solutions. With the ability to supply more products and services in-house, they can help improve productivity, reduce costs and provide an increase return on investment. What was your greatest business or sales & marketing challenge(s) before using Hatchbuck? We had a CRM software, but had no email marketing or marketing automation capabilities. We really needed another system that allowed us to reach the contacts we had been housing in our CRM. What measurable results have you seen with Hatchbuck? Once we implemented Hatchbuck, we were able to kick-off our email marketing efforts. Now, we’re getting more quotes, and our audience is more aware of our products and services. One of the first emails we sent was sent to our customers to encourage them to opt-in to our company newsletter. That email saw a 35. 55% click-through rate. We were also able to acquire 2 new customers and drive $70,000 in sales from our email marketing efforts. What Hatchbuck features do you find to be the most helpful? The contact filters have been very helpful for us, especially the “Actions” filter. You can easily see who has opened emails, who has not been sent an email and who has filled out a particular form. It’s really nice. Email templates have also been key in helping us to customize great looking newsletters. With Hatchbuck, we now have forms on our website that generate leads and pull contact information all into Hatchbuck’s CRM, so our contacts are all in one place. Once they fill out the form, we can see when these new leads click on links and visit other pages of our website. We can also send... --- ### Kitchen Tune Up - Published: 2018-02-27 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/kitchen-tune-up/ --- ### Fit Chicks! > Coach Roz's sales and marketing challenge: My email provider services were limited and lacked both customization and client follow-up systems. I wasn’t - Published: 2018-02-26 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/fit-chicks/ Coach Roz's sales and marketing challenge: My email provider services were limited and lacked both customization and client follow-up systems. I wasn’t able to follow-up constantly and consistently with leads, former clients, prospects and especially current clients in a way that saved me time, money, but was effective at the same time. The top three Hatchbuck features she loves: I use tag rules to segment my list and trigger autoresponders and email campaigns. Custom fields are a life saver in setting up Hatchbuck's CRM specifically for my needs, while tasks and notifications keep me focused on priority follow-ups so I can get back to helping my clients reach their goals. The problems Hatchbuck solved that all Small Businesses can relate to: It’s a marketing tool whose ROI is a no-brainer. You can see how your emails are performing, and get insights into your sales pipeline. It's a tool that actually shows you where your marketing efforts are paying off the most so you can continue to invest in those campaigns or channels. Measurable results Coach Roz has seen since she started using Hatchbuck: I was able to create and execute a contest involving 40 clients using Hatchbuck. The contest, Fit Chicks! Survivor, was so much fun and a huge community builder. Using Hatchbuck, new client and lead follow-up is seamless. Once the campaign is built, it just works. I’m starting a 12 week nurturing campaign to massage old leads and former clients and expect to see 2-5 new clients walk... --- ### Harbinger Labs > Harbinger Labs uses Hatchbuck to capture online visitors, message contacts and prospects and keep all tools in one spot. - Published: 2018-02-25 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/harbinger-labs/ Harbinger Labs uses Hatchbuck to capture online visitors, message contacts and prospects and keep all tools in one spot. Summarize three points of frustration you faced before you started to use Hatchbuck. How has Hatchbuck specifically addressed those problems? We didn’t have visibility as to what our prospects and subscribers were doing on the site. We’ve used the higher-end marketing automation tools and it is missed with email transmission tools. Basically we were stuck in the middle of not enough functionality with simple email submission tools and didn’t want the bloat or costs of higher-end marketing automation. Hatchbuck fit right in the middle and gave us a feature-set similar to the marketing automation tools and powerful enough to chain emails together and set campaigns based on visitor interaction. We’re marketers, so having a smarter system that was similar to what we’ve used in the past was very refreshing. Another problem we were having was with tracking sales activities. Hatchbuck has a simple CRM component that is integrated into the marketing and email tools, so keeping prospects engaged is actually very easy. We were paying for a bunch of separate tools. We had a form management tool, an email transmission tool and were always bouncing between systems to send emails etc... . Hatchbuck has it all built in and is super simple and super clean which allowed us to drop the other subscriptions and only work out of the one tool. What was the big a-ha moment when you decided you needed to try Hatchbuck? I had seen Hatchbuck at a local tech event and knew the CEO, so I... --- ### Textel > Textel provides landline texting for the SMB market. We text-enable a company’s existing business phone number so they can communicate with customers the way they prefer. Our product is cloud-based and very easy for a business to set up...takes less than 15 minutes. We use both inside and outside sales efforts to call on a variety of verticals across the country, ranging from insurance agents to car dealerships to salons. I am CMO and oversee our sales and marketing efforts. - Published: 2018-02-24 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/textel/ Textel provides landline texting for the SMB market. We text-enable a company’s existing business phone number so they can communicate with customers the way they prefer. Our product is cloud-based and very easy for a business to set up...takes less than 15 minutes. We use both inside and outside sales efforts to call on a variety of verticals across the country, ranging from insurance agents to car dealerships to salons. I am CMO and oversee our sales and marketing efforts. What was your greatest business or sales & marketing challenge(s) before using Hatchbuck? We had a CRM software, but had no email marketing or marketing automation capabilities. We really needed another system that allowed us to reach the contacts we had been housing in our CRM. What measurable results have you seen with Hatchbuck? Once we implemented Hatchbuck, we were able to kick-off our email marketing efforts. Now, we’re getting more quotes, and our audience is more aware of our products and services. One of the first emails we sent was sent to our customers to encourage them to opt-in to our company newsletter. That email saw a 35. 55% click-through rate. We were also able to acquire 2 new customers and drive $70,000 in sales from our email marketing efforts. What Hatchbuck features do you find to be the most helpful? The contact filters have been very helpful for us, especially the “Actions” filter. You can easily see who has opened emails, who has not been sent an email and who has filled out a particular form. It’s really nice. Email templates have also been key in helping us to customize great looking newsletters. With Hatchbuck, we now have forms on our website that generate leads and pull contact information all into Hatchbuck’s CRM, so our contacts are all in one place. Once they fill out the form, we can see when these new leads click on links and visit other pages of our website. We can also send... --- ### Bodies Health & Fitness > What challenges were you facing prior to using Hatchbuck? We were looking for a way to systematize our intake process. Our goal was to provide great - Published: 2018-02-23 - Modified: 2020-05-19 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/bodies-health-fitness/ What challenges were you facing prior to using Hatchbuck? We were looking for a way to systematize our intake process. Our goal was to provide great customer services to our clients while saving time (and labor). Which Hatchbuck features have made the most impact on your business? Three things - We love that it's easy to use and helps us leverage our time while still providing quality attention to our clients. Hatchbuck has saved us a lot of money by replacing our weekly email newsletter subscription. It's given a whole new level to track clients, prospects and even former clients. The campaigns are quick and easy to build. What specific problems has Hatchbuck solved that other Small Businesses might be able to relate to? If you have a follow up process, Hatchbuck can do everything for you! Including simple things like emailing yourself a reminder to call or reach out. What measurable results have you seen since you started using Hatchbuck? With Hatchbuck, we've grown our email database by 1,000's of new emails. In addtion, Hatchbuck also has more affordable payment levels for the number of emails you have than other systems, meaning that we get even more ROI from our inbound marketing efforts and email campaigns. What is the single biggest reason you would recommend Hatchbuck? Hatchbuck has so many options to help you with your business. It really offers a more complete system than anything else I've seen! --- ### SKY ZONE > I knew that if we were going to grow, I needed to find the right marketing solution to reach more NEW customers and bring repeat customers back in the door. - Published: 2018-02-22 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/sky-zone/ I knew that if we were going to grow, I needed to find the right marketing solution to reach more NEW customers and bring repeat customers back in the door. 1) What challenges were you facing prior to using Hatchbuck? I purchased a park with the worst possible combination of challenges: Poor location, low customer retention and ineffective marketing, to name a few. We were using Constant Contact to send out newsletters on a mass scale to our contact list; more of a one size fits all approach with mediocre results. I knew that if we were going to grow, I needed to find the right marketing solution to reach more NEW customers and bring repeat customers back in the door. 2) What are the top three features you like about Hatchbuck? The CRM is easy to use and makes it simple to stay in touch with all of my contacts and send them the right emails, offers or discounts when they need them most. We really like the notifications feature. We use it to delegate tasks to our staff and trigger calls when contacts are warm - not cold! ! This saves us time and leads to higher conversions on sales calls. Also, the contact tagging feature has been invaluable. It helps us bucket our prospects and customers by what they are interested in after a website visit, email click, or even when they fill out our website forms. So, if someone visits our “Events” section on the site, we’ve set-up Hatchbuck to begin sending them information specific to events to upsell them on our events program and trigger a notification to our team. That’s a huge win. In... --- ### The Clix Group > The Clix Group is an online marketing company that specializes in constructing and managing Google Adwords campaigns, search engine optimization, and strategizing and managing social media campaigns. - Published: 2018-02-21 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/clix-group/ The Clix Group is an online marketing company that specializes in constructing and managing Google Adwords campaigns, search engine optimization, and strategizing and managing social media campaigns. The Clix Group is an inbound marketing company in St. Louis, and our team specializes in delivering search engine optimization, pay per click, website design, conversion optimization, and email marketing services to our local, regional, and national clients. We pride ourselves on being available and collaborative. We're not the type of firm that forgets to respond to their inquiries. What was your greatest business or sales & marketing challenge(s) before using Hatchbuck? I think this really applies to many of our clients. Hatchbuck creates the opportunity for us to do more with the consumers our clients service. With Hatchbuck, we can create and implement strategy designed to nurture our clients' consumers and keep our clients' brands top of mind. What solutions/tactics did you try before you started using Hatchbuck? What were the results? We never really attempted to market this solution. If anything came close to this, it was mailchimp, and its ability to run linear email marketing campaigns lacked automated intelligence. It's not even comparable. How has the one-two-punch of email marketing and CRM specifically addressed your challenges? Hatchbuck is a powerful piece of software that has helped us consolidate software providers and keep things simple. With the email marketing features, we can pull leads from the website right into a campaign that will nurture them. It's a perfect relationship. What measurable results have you seen through incorporating your email marketing with CRM? Click through rates, open rates, conversions, etc... We've just begun implementing Hatchbuck with our clients. We... --- ### Executive Strategy Group > Hatchbuck’s integrated CRM and email marketing increased our efficiency 2-fold. Now, we always place a follow-up call after sending an email, or vice versa. It’s the only way to efficiently create as many touches as needed to engage new prospects. - Published: 2018-02-20 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/executive-strategy-group/ Hatchbuck’s integrated CRM and email marketing increased our efficiency 2-fold. Now, we always place a follow-up call after sending an email, or vice versa. It’s the only way to efficiently create as many touches as needed to engage new prospects. What was your greatest business or sales & marketing challenge(s) before using Hatchbuck? My biggest sales and marketing challenge was creating a systematic approach to capturing leads, nurturing those leads in an automated, but personal way and creating systematic follow-ups for deals in the pipeline that tended to go cold. What solutions/tactics did you try before you started using Hatchbuck? What were the results? I hired additional Inside Sales Reps to test putting more boots on the ground to expand my business. I also tried Infusionsoft. We got okay results with the inside sales reps, but they were too expensive to justify the ROI. Results with Infusionsoft were also good, but the platform is way too complex to establish any sequences I could reasonably hand off to my employees and expect it to go flawlessly. How has the one-two-punch of email marketing and CRM specifically addressed your challenges? Hatchbuck's integrated CRM and email marketing increased our efficiency 2-fold. Now, we always place a follow-up call after sending an email, or vice versa. It's the only way to efficiently create as many touches as needed to engage new prospects. What measurable results have you seen since you began using Hatchbuck? The greatest impact we've seen since using Hatchbuck has been a pipeline increase of over 40% year over year. What specific problems has integrating email marketing with your CRM addressed that other small businesses might be able to relate to? Using CRM only is at best, a singular approach to engagement... --- ### Scheffey Marketing > The #1 reason why Hatchbuck is so simple is because of their amazing support! Here’s my story on how their support saved me from having to obtain outside help, and increase my budget. Not to mention the time they saved me… all while sustaining my client’s campaign success! - Published: 2018-02-19 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/scheffey-marketing/ The #1 reason why Hatchbuck is so simple is because of their amazing support! Here’s my story on how their support saved me from having to obtain outside help, and increase my budget. Not to mention the time they saved me… all while sustaining my client’s campaign success! Scheffey is a marketing communications firm that serves the most amazing group of clients. We are a small group of BIG thinkers that have a true passion for all things marketing – especially when it comes to integrated campaigns. One of the tactics we feel is important to any integrated campaign is email marketing. This is where Hatchbuck’s automated email features and benefits come into play, not only for us, but also, for our clients. The #1 Reason It’s So Simple To Use A Hatchbuck Automated Email Campaign As a long-time marketer (over 20 years), I’ve seen and experienced a lot of email marketing platforms. Some were good, but most were not so good. Now, with the trend, and success, of developing and running automated email campaigns, there’s a whole new level of learning and it can easily become overwhelming – especially for a smaller-sized marketing firm like mine. However, Hatchbuck makes it so easy to understand and develop, you can have an automated campaign up and running in no time... and still have time for that water cooler chat! Why is it so easy? I’ll tell you... The #1 reason why Hatchbuck is so simple is because of their amazing support! Here’s my story on how their support saved me from having to obtain outside help, and increase my budget. Not to mention the time they saved me... all while sustaining my client’s campaign success! My client had finally approved my marketing plan and I had spent a ton... --- ### The Database Diva > With Hatchbuck's combination of sales and marketing automation and its integration with Zapier, we are now down from 6 to 3 pieces of technology (so far). Now we can set up a webinar in about 15 minutes with no extra time on the back end after an event. And I can use my tags to look up my attendance activity. We can actually do more marketing now because it isn't so exhausting. - Published: 2018-02-18 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/the-database-diva/ With Hatchbuck's combination of sales and marketing automation and its integration with Zapier, we are now down from 6 to 3 pieces of technology (so far). Now we can set up a webinar in about 15 minutes with no extra time on the back end after an event. And I can use my tags to look up my attendance activity. We can actually do more marketing now because it isn't so exhausting. What was your greatest business or sales & marketing challenge before using Hatchbuck? One of our biggest challenges was reducing the number of software programs, apps, plugins we used to run our business. For example, we do a lot of webinars and needed 6 different pieces of technology to automate our sign-up process. It took 2 people way too long to set up a meeting - keeping track of who signed up and who didn't, who attended and who didn't - so we could automatically show those results in our CRM in real time and market to them properly. With Hatchbuck's combination of sales and marketing automation and its integration with Zapier, we are now down from 6 to 3 pieces of technology (so far). Now we can set up a webinar in about 15 minutes with no extra time on the back end after an event. And I can use my tags to look up my attendance activity. We can actually do more marketing now because it isn't so exhausting. What solutions/tactics did you try before you started using Hatchbuck? What were the results? Previously we were Act consultants who also used Act CRM and email marketing to run our business. Although our mission is to help clients with lead generation using database marketing principles, we found ourselves, instead, helping clients fix their broken software and training them how to use it more effectively. That was so tiresome for our technophobes--and so expensive--that many didn't want to take the... --- ### goBRANDgo! > For fun I am an Ironman that loves rock climbing, traveling to foreign countries, and living on my motorcycle (and yes my awesome wife goes with me). This year it’s Switzerland and Germany. To keep up with the outdoor activities I work out 30 hours per week. - Published: 2018-02-17 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/gobrandgo/ For fun I am an Ironman that loves rock climbing, traveling to foreign countries, and living on my motorcycle (and yes my awesome wife goes with me). This year it’s Switzerland and Germany. To keep up with the outdoor activities I work out 30 hours per week. Tell me about yourself and your business For fun or to pay for the fun? For fun I am an Ironman that loves rock climbing, traveling to foreign countries, and living on my motorcycle (and yes my awesome wife goes with me). This year it’s Switzerland and Germany. To keep up with the outdoor activities I work out 30 hours per week. Fun Fact: I once raced in an Ironman with Lance Armstrong - and yes he is fast. goBRANDgo! is the 4th company I’ve launched, and the 1st company I launched out of college. Our history is the same as many entrepreneurs. We started with a passion. We grew that passion into an idea. We developed that idea into a plan and then we evolved that plan into a mission. We have faltered. We have struggled. We have adapted and we have overcome. Our experiences and our challenges have shaped us. Our successes and our triumphs have been humbly celebrated. goBRANDgo! started as an undergraduate’s idea over a decade ago; transforming over time and with care into a creative marketing community, built by a team to withstand the perils of entrepreneurship. Our competitive advantage lies in our cultivated ability to adapt to the needs of our environment and our marketplace. Our path is guided by our passion for efficiency, effectiveness, and excellence. What I love most about goBRANDgo! is that it’s a place where people come to work to do their life’s work. We foster an environment where you... --- ### BlueStrata EHR - Published: 2018-02-09 - Modified: 2020-12-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/bluestrata-ehr/ --- ### Erudite Ingenuity - Published: 2018-01-26 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/erudite-ingenuity/ --- ### High Touch High Tech - Published: 2018-01-20 - Modified: 2019-04-04 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/high-touch-high-tech/ --- ### My Amazing Maid - Published: 2018-01-13 - Modified: 2018-10-26 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/my-amazing-maid/ --- ### CROSStrax - Published: 2017-04-18 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/crosstrax/ --- ### Crevand Digital Marketing and SEO - Published: 2016-09-02 - Modified: 2020-12-01 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/crevand/ --- ### CEV Consulting > Our greatest business sales and marketing challenge was trying to get standalone technology to work together and give us better insights into how our sales and marketing activities were performing. - Published: 2016-03-09 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/cev-consulting/ Our greatest business sales and marketing challenge was trying to get standalone technology to work together and give us better insights into how our sales and marketing activities were performing. What was your greatest business or sales & marketing challenge before using Hatchbuck? Our greatest business sales and marketing challenge was trying to get standalone technology to work together and give us better insights into how our sales and marketing activities were performing. What solutions/tactics did you try before you started using Hatchbuck? What were the results? Before using Hatchbuck, we were using a CRM and an email marketing platform that didn't communicate. We were constantly exporting and updating information in both systems and still couldn't easily segment lists and set up automation. It was frustrating and time consuming. Unfortunately, reporting took more time than actually creating and implementing campaigns. How has an all-in-one email marketing and CRM specifically addressed your challenges? With Hatchbuck, everything is in one place and we can easily segment our database to reach the right contacts with the right message at the right time. What measurable results have you seen through incorporating your email marketing with CRM? Without setting up complex excel based reports, we can see what emails are performing best, what contacts have the highest scores, and see how contacts with deals relate to the two. What is the single biggest reason you would recommend/why you love pairing email marketing and CRM together with a product like Hatchbuck? Hatchbuck is a game changer because you can easily look at your data and put it into action - without time consuming activities like importing and exporting contacts from one system to another, or cobbling... --- ### Desoto Consulting > Some people say I am a different kinda guy, I am cool with that. I wear cargo shorts to the boardroom and in my spare time I love to hang with my family and use my hobby, photography to help homeless in inner-city Arizona. - Published: 2015-02-13 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/desoto-consulting/ Some people say I am a different kinda guy, I am cool with that. I wear cargo shorts to the boardroom and in my spare time I love to hang with my family and use my hobby, photography to help homeless in inner-city Arizona. Tell me about yourself and your business. Desoto Consulting is a marketing consulting firm that is extremely different than your traditional advertising or digital agency in that we help our clients establish organic growth through counterintuitive methodologies. Prior to launching up Desoto Consulting, I was the CMO of 2 multi-million dollar businesses, developed patented software to ease the process of vehicle wraps. I have been blessed to see what works and what doesn’t. Along the way I developed a counterintuitive methodology for marketing and growing businesses. For the past 8 years, as a consultant, I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to implement our methodology and build some amazing brands and companies, delivering unprecedented results. Some people say I am a different kinda guy, I am cool with that. I wear cargo shorts to the boardroom and in my spare time I love to hang with my family and use my hobby, photography to help homeless in inner-city Arizona. What were your sales and marketing challenges before you used Hatchbuck? My clients and I struggled with being able to communicate with contacts in an authentic and personal way that didn’t feel automated. With the email marketing tools I was using I could send a mass email but it wasn’t personal. I needed an easy way to be able to communicate on a mass level but keep it real and have more of an intimate conversation with our contacts and customers. Also, managing the results of my marketing efforts was... --- ### Compass Strategies > I like to say that I’m a serial entrepreneur - Compass Strategies is my third business. Our services include web development, maintenance, email marketing and other digital services. - Published: 2015-02-13 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/compass-strategies/ I like to say that I’m a serial entrepreneur - Compass Strategies is my third business. Our services include web development, maintenance, email marketing and other digital services. Tell us about yourself and your business I like to say that I’m a serial entrepreneur - Compass Strategies is my third business. Our services include web development, maintenance, email marketing and other digital services. I also have a secondary business, DeannaFenton. com, where I teach other entrepreneurs how to do digital marketing themselves, including coaching and training. How are things going with Hatchbuck so far? Really great. I just love the application. It works great for my business, and I’ve even recommended it to one of my largest clients. What were your sales and marketing challenges before you used Hatchbuck? Like Kim Doyal, I had used Infusionsoft, and I had tried it twice. I tried it for about 18 months the first time and gave up on it. I waited another year and tried it again, but I just wasn’t happy with it. I’m a techie person. I’m used to working in this world and have done so for pretty much my whole career. But it wasn’t even just difficult for myself. If I had virtual assistants or others working for me, it was very difficult to get them up to speed to get the work done that I needed. I was really looking for something that provided marketing automation that was easy and would give me the ability to do the type of tasks I needed to do, get the reporting and be able to see the results easily. In the meantime, I had spent thousands of dollars... --- ### Inbru Coffee Flavors > Inbru is an innovative, new coffee flavoring product made from California Rice Hulls infused with aromatics and essential oils. - Published: 2014-05-09 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/inbru-coffee-flavors/ Inbru is an innovative, new coffee flavoring product made from California Rice Hulls infused with aromatics and essential oils. Tell us a little about Inbru Coffee Flavors and what makes you unique. What makes Inbru unique is that it’s added, along with coffee, at the point of brew. Inbru allows the drinker to use ANY coffee they prefer and flavor it the way they like it – without adding fat, calories, carbs or chemicals. What was your greatest business or sales & marketing challenge(s) before using Hatchbuck? Our biggest challenge, before Hatchbuck, was developing an email marketing plan for current and prospective customers. We also had no way to organize our contacts or collect contact information on our website. What solutions/tactics did you try before you started using Hatchbuck? What were the results? There really was no method to our madness, and the results reflected that! How has the one-two-punch of email marketing and CRM specifically addressed your challenges? Hatchbuck has allowed us to capture new contacts and reach out to both current, and potential, customers. We can now focus our messages to get maximum results with much less effort, and we are beginning to build campaigns that are tailored to a customer’s specific interests. What measurable results have you seen through incorporating your email marketing with CRM? With Hatchbuck, results are at our fingertips. Within minutes of sending an email, we have access to all the information we need. We finally have a way to measure whether our communications are reaching the people we want to reach, and if those communications are directly impacting sales. It was so... --- ### The Wordpress Chick > The Wordpress Chick is Wordpress happiness made easy. Kim Doyal helps the everyday user build their business and make money with Wordpress through coaching and consulting, custom Wordpress site design, classes and training, and Wordpress products. - Published: 2014-02-02 - Modified: 2020-12-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/wordpress-chick/ The Wordpress Chick is Wordpress happiness made easy. Kim Doyal helps the everyday user build their business and make money with Wordpress through coaching and consulting, custom Wordpress site design, classes and training, and Wordpress products. Tell us about yourself and your company, The Wordpress Chick. I have been online fulltime for 8 years. I started my business when I was widowed in 2003. I lost my husband in a car accident, and our kids were only 6 and 2. I was working full time, and I just hit a point where I had a bit of a cushion and I decided I wanted to do something from home that was more fulfilling, and I made a go of it. My audience is the everyday user, the person building their business with Wordpress, or who wants to make money with Wordpress. Your site has to look good and represent your brand. And I like stuff to be easy - which is obviously why I like Hatchbuck. What were your sales and marketing challenges before you used Hatchbuck? Who haven’t I used in terms of email marketing? I started with One Shopping Cart. I loved Aweber, but they were very limited. Twice I’ve gone to Infusionsoft. They’re a great company, and I’m happy for their success. At the same time, I do consider myself pretty technical. My frustrations were that I want to get logged in, set a campaign up, segment my subscribers, and do it easily. I didn’t want to have to dive into something twelve levels deep just to get a campaign up. I ended up needing someone to manage it for me. How has Hatchbuck specifically addressed your challenges? Hatchbuck has completely pulled out... --- ### MaterialMix > The Material Mix software features a disruptive technology that commoditizes the trade of reusable materials within the current waste collection industry. - Published: 2013-12-05 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/materialmix/ The Material Mix software features a disruptive technology that commoditizes the trade of reusable materials within the current waste collection industry. Tell everyone about your Company: Material Mix is an easy-to-use exchange platform for waste and recycling professionals with built-in tools for logistics, best practices, and regulatory compliance. At Material Mix, we are creating an online community where waste and recycling professionals can tailor a materials management solution that meets their unique needs. We are dedicated to helping bridge the gap between businesses with excess, undervalued reusable byproducts; and those who seek materials for use as an input in their own production process. What was your greatest business or sales & marketing challenge(s) before using Hatchbuck? We work with prospects and clients all over the world, which can make schedule meetings and coordinate calls difficult. Reaching a global community while still remaining capital efficient presents a unique challenge as a startup business. It is important to give each of our clients the personal attention they need, while still maintaining a realistic business development budget. Most importantly, our staff must equally balance time between marketing and daily operations. What solutions/tactics did you try before you started using Hatchbuck? What were the results? We were using Zoho small business CRM before Hatchbuck. We spent more time maintaining the software than actually benefiting from the use of it. Moreover, finding and accessing the information we needed was inefficient – there were just too many steps to achieve anything. We also tried Salesforce CRM, which seemed cluttered with features that were not a good fit for a small business like ours. How has Hatchbuck specifically... --- ### LeadersBridge > LeadersBridge provides significant contributions to the fields of team building, leadership and relational and organizational success. - Published: 2013-12-05 - Modified: 2018-05-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/leadersbridge/ LeadersBridge provides significant contributions to the fields of team building, leadership and relational and organizational success. Tell everyone a little about Your Company: Leadersbridge LeadersBridge provides significant contributions to the fields of team building, leadership and relational and organizational success. Our organization offers the very best in Keynote Addresses, Team Building Workshops and Leadership Training. What makes us unique is that each of our events is customized to our partners' expressed needs and desires. What was your greatest business or sales & marketing challenge(s) before using Hatchbuck? We struggled defining our ideal market and understanding the correct segments that would become my best customers. What solutions/tactics did you try before you started using Hatchbuck? What were the results? I was using an email marketing newsletter software with little to no results. We had very little support – actually almost NO support, which is important to me as a small business... so I cancelled. Lindsey and the team at Hatchbuck have been tremendous in helping me get up and running fast and are extremely patient & knowledgeable. How has Hatchbuck specifically addressed your challenges? As you can imagine I am always away from my business in speaking engagements and leading people. Frankly, it can be a challenge to stay connected and in front of my clients. Hatchbuck has been vital for reconnecting with my large client base and enables me to stay connected ongoing by sending more personalized communications, all automatically. How quickly did you start seeing results? It was fast. Within 1 week of my 1st automated campaign... several clients were calling happy to hear from... --- ### St Louis Green > St. Louis Green empowers others to learn about and implement sustainable lifestyles. We use BenchmarkONE to educate our consumers. - Published: 2013-12-05 - Modified: 2020-12-03 - URL: https://www.benchmarkone.com/customers/st-louis-green/ Using Hatchbuck has been a lifesaver. It has really helped us to centralize everything into one place and enabled us to increase our awareness and stay out in front of people. Tell the world about your company: St. Louis Green empowers others to learn about and implement sustainable lifestyles. We accomplish this through programs that educate, support, and empower citizens and businesses of the St. Louis area to make changes in their daily living toward a greener, more sustainable world. What was your greatest business or sales & marketing challenge(s) before using Hatchbuck? As a non-profit, our greatest problem was getting the word out. We had so many great ways to allow companies and the greater community to get involved and I felt like we were missing a huge opportunity because we didn’t have the right sales and marketing tools in place. What solutions/tactics did you try before you started using Hatchbuck? What were the results? Before Hatchbuck we were using Salesforce and a host of other tools to try and communicate with our target audience, everything was scattered and disorganized. It was hard to remember who I talked to last and who I needed to follow up with when we had something new to communicate to them. Also, we had no way to specifically target the interests of each contact in our database. So everyone was getting the same thing and we weren’t getting great responses to our marketing efforts. How has Hatchbuck specifically addressed your challenges? Using Hatchbuck has been a lifesaver. It has really helped us to centralize everything into one place and enabled us to increase our awareness and stay out in front of people. We are... --- ---