Author: Franz Malten Buemann

  • GetResponse in solidarity with Ukraine

    Our message to customers, partners and employees.

  • How to Insert a Checkbox in Excel in 4 Easy Steps

    Adding a checkbox to your workbook may sound simple but it can expand the possibilities of what you can do in Excel.
    From checklists to graphs, there’s so much you can do. However, it starts with the checkbox.

    Learn everything you need to know about checkboxes below.
    How to Insert a Checkbox in Excel

    Add the developer tab to your Ribbon.
    Navigate to the Developer tab and locate the “Checkbox” option.
    Select the cell where you want to add the checkbox control then click the checkbox.
    Right-click the checkbox to edit the text and adjust sizing.

    To do this on Windows, click File > Options > Customize Ribbon. Then, select the Developer checkbox and click “save.” On IOS, click Excel > Preferences > Ribbon & Toolbar > Main Tabs. Then, select the Developer checkbox and save.
    On Windows, there are a few extra steps to see the checkbox option. Under the Developer tab, click “Insert” and under “Form Controls,” click the checkbox icon.
    Note: Currently, you cannot use checkboxes in the web version of Excel. If you upload a workbook with these controls, you’ll first have to disable them to start editing.
    How to Format a Checkbox in Excel

    Open up the format control.
    Modify the value and cell link, then click “OK.”

    To access it on Windows, right-click the checkbox and select “Format Control.” On IOS, navigate to the “Format” tab and select “Format Control.”
    With value, there are three options:

    Unchecked – This displays a box that is unchecked and returns a “FALSE” statement.
    Checked – This displays a box that is checked and returns a “TRUE” statement.
    Mixed – This will leave the checkbox empty as neither a true or false statement until an action is taken.

    As for the cell link, this contains the checkbox status (true or false) of the cell it’s referencing.

    Now that you have those details down, you can start fully customizing your checkbox.
    How to Delete A Checkbox in Excel
    Deleting a checkbox in Excel is a simple two-step process:

    Right-click the checkbox.
    Click “delete” on your keyboard.

  • How Do Chatbots Help in Improving your Brand Experience?

    submitted by /u/mihircontra20 [link] [comments]

  • Wayfinding

    The map might be correct, but that doesn’t mean it will work.

    The sign might be legal, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be effective.

    We’re surrounded by instruction manuals, videos, announcements and all sorts of other forms of instruction.

    But a map only works if it helps.

    Finding our way, getting the job done, changing our minds–these are forms of wayfinding. And our internal layout of the world doesn’t match the way it is actually built.

    You can drive to your childhood home blindfolded, but you probably couldn’t draw a route of how to get there for someone else.

    Realizing that our job is to help others find the way is half the job.

  • Auto Creates a Private Chatter Group

    Last Updated on March 3, 2022 by Rakesh Gupta Big Idea or Enduring Question: How do you auto-create a chatter group using Salesforce Flow? Objectives: This blog post will help us to understand the following Understanding Quick actions How to use the quick action in Salesforce Flow Business Use case
    The post Auto Creates a Private Chatter Group appeared first on Automation Champion.

  • Auto Delete System Generated Chatter Posts

    Last Updated on March 3, 2022 by Rakesh Gupta Big Idea or Enduring Question: How do you delete system-generated Chatter posts? Objectives: After reading this blog post, the reader will be able to: Map lead custom field to account custom field  Create a record-triggered flow to delete records and much more
    The post Auto Delete System Generated Chatter Posts appeared first on Automation Champion.

  • How to Sharpen the Mind and Body to Make Money online ?

    submitted by /u/Alyogi888 [link] [comments]

  • Ask Buffer: Is It Too Late to Get Started on TikTok?

    Question: I feel like I’ve waited too long to get started with TikTok because I didn’t originally think it would be a good social network for marketing to customers, it seems that’s not the case any more and now I’m wondering is it too late for me to start from scratch on TikTok? If not, how do I get started?TikTok has already amassed over 100 billion active users, so it’s no surprise that businesses of all shapes and sizes have pivoted to include it in their marketing strategy. Research has found that TikTokers are 1.5x more likely to immediately buy something they’ve found through the app. So, creating a TikTok account if you run a business is definitely a good idea!You may feel like you’re out of your element when it comes to the platform, but all types of businesses can thrive on TikTok. Even The Washington Post —  a prestigious news outlet — has found great success via the platform. The Post recently made headlines when their TikTok hit 1 million subscribers.The account first launched in May 2019 and garnered over 280K followers within its first six months. Initially, video producer Dave Jorgensen, who goes by “Washington Post TikTok Guy” on Twitter, was the sole creator all of the TikTok’s, making roughly 10 videos a week. Jorgensen covered everything from the Trump administration to COVID-19 to health care via bitesized videos with the intent to, “deliver the news in a unique way and reach new audiences.” These TikTok’s packaged breaking stories in a more palatable format for younger generations.The medium became one of The Post’s fastest growing social media channels ever. The newspaper saw value in investing further time and money into the app in late 2021 and created new positions for their TikTok account. They now have an entire team dedicated to TikTok and have increased their output from ten videos a week to releasing over 4 videos in one day. The paper’s director of Editorial Video, Micah Gelman, said they’re expanding their TikTok, to, “… further grow, innovate and continue connecting with more people who may not regularly consume traditional news.”While The Post was already an established media giant before launching its TikTok, smaller businesses with no prior exposure have also greatly benefited from the app. Jeremy Kim, cofounder of Nectar, a small business selling hard seltzer, spoke to Business Insider about the role TikTok played in their marketing strategy.Originally, Kim was also worried that he was too late to TikTok but decided to post a story time video anyway, recounting how he and his partner started their business. To Kim’s surprise, the video received over 300K likes organically. Nectar’s online presence – coupled with on the ground efforts like pop up shops – eventually led to the seltzer company being acquired by BevMo. Their TikTok account now has over 50K followers and has amassed over a million likes. Nectar, proves there’s no “right time” to start on the app — truly anyone can succeed on TikTok.That a distinguished newspaper with an older reader demographic and a small mom and pop shop can both thrive on TikTok demonstrates the app is suitable for all kinds of businesses, no matter the product or service! And while you may think you’re late to join the party, there’s still time to create a thriving TikTok presence for your brand. The great thing about TikTok is the most effective content is generated organically, meaning creating your videos can be done internally and without a large budget. More often than not, videos can be made entirely on your phone!Here are some guidelines to consider when creating a TikTok for your small business: Set up your TikTok accountMake sure you create a free business account for your company — rather than a personal TikTok — to optimize your brand’s presence on the app. TikTok Business launched in 2020 as a way to provide large and small brands alike with marketing tools and metrics to increase their reach. Business accounts also have the option to run paid ads. Creating a business account is simple. Once you’ve answered a few questions about your brand, you’re good to start posting videos!A business account also provides additional perks as well like access to TikTok’s commercial music library also known as the CML, which hosts over 500 songs you can use in your videos royalty free.TikTok’s Business account is designed for small and large businesses alike. Figure out what type of content best connects with your audienceNow comes the fun part! Once you’ve set up your brand’s TikTok, you can dive straight into creating content. TikTok thrives off of creativity, so there’s no wrong or right answer when it comes to making videos. The most popular TikTok’s tend to be the most authentic and original.While it’s great to emulate certain brands, remember that every business is unique and what works for one company may not be the right direction for yours. There will be some trial and error as you figure out what content best suits your target audience, and that’s OK! As you start making videos, you’ll begin to understand which types of material is a good fit for your company.Here are some starting points when thinking about the different types of TikToks:Share a look behind the scenesAn easy way to come up with content is providing a behind the scenes sneak peak of your business! Not only does this provide customers with a better understanding of your brand, but it’s an entirely organic way to create TikToks. Instead of going through the extra step of creating new content, you can simply highlight the work you and your company are already doing!Nowhere Bakery, a vegan and gluten free bakery, regularly posts behind the scenes content giving viewers a glimpse into the kitchen where all of their cookies, brownies, and treats are made. This TikTok shows the team baking a variety of desserts. @nowherebakery a sneak behind the curtain of what goes down in the NWB kitchen. #veganbakery #glutenfreecookies #cisforcookie #cookielover ♬ “C” is for Cookie – Cookie Monster Behind the scenes content is also a great way to introduce your staff! Nowhere Bakery is an entirely women-owned and operated business, and they’re able to showcase their teammates, specifically their founder Saphira, through TikToks. Through behind the scenes videos, Saphira also delves into the mundanities of running a bakery like in this TikTok where she assembles dozens and dozens of cookie boxes. @nowherebakery Comment if you can relate 🙋🏼‍♀️ #fyp #entrepreneur #smallbusiness ♬ The Way I Live – Baby Boy da Prince These kinds of behind the scenes moments can help your audience form a stronger connection with your brand.Teach your customers a skillOperating your own business means you’re an expert in your field, so why not create how to videos related to your products or services?Jeremy Check runs a massively successful TikTok channel, ScheckEats where he posts quick and easy recipes featuring all kinds of cuisines. Scheck started his account in 2020 and now has over two million TikTok followers. A student at Cornell University, Scheck tailors his content for other young adults by including posts like recreating Taco Bell’s Crunchwrap.What sets him a part from other foodie TikTokers, however, is his “how to” videos that are meant to teach college students basic cooking skills.Watch as Scheck walks his followers through the process of caramelizing onions: @scheckeats you can even go longer if you want more flavor!! #caramelizedonions #onions #cooking #caramelisedonion #onionsoup #frenchonionsoup #soup ♬ Coffee Shop – Late Night Luke Here, Scheck comes through with another college hack as he teaches his followers to make coffee at home, specifically cold brew — a lifeline for most students. @scheckeats you do NOT need any special equipment (I only showed the chemex as an option for straining, but you can do it with a coffee filter and a sieve just as well!) #coffee #icedcoffee #coldbrew #coldbrewconcentrate #latte #icedlatte ♬ Hey Lover – The Daughters Of Eve No matter what you offer as a business or creator, consider producing informational “how to” videos that can be both entertaining and edifying for your audience.Create a seriesBefore Nabela Nour became a sensation at @nabela, the author and entrepreneur had a YouTube channel with a relatively large following. But in a 2021 video, Nour addressed her absence from the platform and explained how she moved most of her content to TikTok. Specifically, Nour started a new TikTok series titled “Pockets of Peace.” The idea for the series was simple: showcase the positive moments throughout her day as a way to uplift viewers in wake of the pandemic.Despite varying greatly in content, each “Pockets of Peace” video exudes calming vibes and is coupled with relaxing music. The series turned into an internet sensation and Nour gained millions of followers on her emerging TikTok channel — 7 million to be exact — surpassing the number of subscribers she’d amassed on YouTube over several years.The TikTok’s displays Nour partaking in everyday activities like a date night with her husband, baking a cake, and refreshing her guest bedroom. @nabela reset our guest room with us 🏠🌿💕 #pocketsofpeace #couplethings #homeimprovement ♬ bread in french… – Sam Craft “Pockets of Peace” regularly showcased Nour’s home, especially her kitchen and decor, connecting back to her brand all along — specifically, her lifestyle and home brand Saara & Begum. Nour even included a sneak peak of her first product, a candle collection, in one of her TikToks before officially launching the item.Your videos don’t have to be as elaborately produced as Nour’s. As long as you can find a creative theme that fits within your brands identity, preparing a series can lead to great material for TikToks.Not sure how to kick off a series? Here are some prompts:Involve your team: Whether it’s your employee talking about their particular role, discussing new product launches, or even just introducing themselves, including your staff is an easy way to create content!Think about your mission and goal: How do you want your clients to feel when they use your products or services? Try to see if you can capture that essence in your videos. If you’re a candle company whose mission is to provide aroma therapy for customers, you could create videos diving into the healing properties of each scent. A Yoga Studio, on the other hand, might create a TikTok series around mindfulness, prompting users to engage in meditations.Ask your followers what they’d like to see: If you’re unsure of what content will be best for your series, you can always use interactive features on social media to get feedback from your customers.Stay consistentOnce you’ve landed on the content you want to create try to stay as consistent as possible when posting on TikTok. Frequent posts will increase engagement and help your brand become memorable to consumers. TikTok’s algorithm also favors accounts that produce a steady stream of content and have established themselves as experts within a certain niche, so make sure there’s a common theme amongst your videos.While it’s totally okay to have different kinds of posts on your feed, some content will likely resonate more with your viewers. As mentioned early, The Washington Post found most success with its sketch-based news videos while Nabela Nour’s audience flocked to her TikTok for its tranquil atmosphere. Once you figure out your niche, include the relevant hashtags to your TikToks.Posting consistently can be easier said than done, especially when you’re a small business owner wearing multiple hats. Here are some tips to help you develop a rhythm on your account:Make a social media calendarMaking a social media calendar can help you stay organized and on top of all of your posts! A calendar not only details how often you’ll post onto certain channels like TikTok, but it will also delineate the specific kind of content. Having a granular view of all of your posts will also help your social media feed become more cohesive.To get started, you can use Buffer’s social media calendar to have an easy and clear view of your content for the week and month!Batch create contentOnce you’ve figured out your TikTok schedule, it’s time to actually make the videos! As someone who might run a business, your plans are probably always up in the air as you have to tend to dozens of tasks as they arise. Instead of trying to find time to film TikTok’s everyday, it may be helpful to dedicate specific days or even weeks to batch creating content.You can block out certain days in your calendar for filming multiple TikToks at once and then book another day for editing the videos as well. After these sessions, you’ll have created content for several days, rather than just one.Have fun and experiment!Most importantly, remember TikTok as a platform is all about having fun! As you start out on your channel, be open to trying out a variety of videos and feel free to experiment with trending content.TikTok is known for viral trends — like the pet #blanketchallenge — and keeping up with these moments can optimize your brand’s exposure. Oftentimes, businesses can increase their reach by engaging with trending content.Just remember, jumping on the bandwagon isn’t always a good idea. Though capitalizing on certain fads may help your business stay relevant, your content should always connect back to your brand’s core values and provide insight to your customers. Hopefully this answered your question and showed that it’s never too late to start a TikTok account for your business! Though the app may seem a bit daunting at first, TikTok is a great marketing tool that can further your brand’s reach. Once your account is all set up, check out Buffer’s TikTok reminders where you can easily plan out your TikTok videos in one place.Have a question for us to answer in a future Ask Buffer series? Send us a tweet!

  • Email Marketing vs. SMS Marketing: You’re Asking the Wrong Question

    Asking if email marketing or SMS marketing is more effective is like asking if lifting weights or cardio is better for fitness. It’s a valid question, but arguably the wrong question.
    The question is not which is better but how you should use each and when to use them together. Similar to how weights and cardio serve different aspects of health and fitness, both email and SMS marketing can have a huge impact on marketing efforts but serve different purposes.
    The real power of email and SMS marketing is when you apply each to the use cases they serve better than the other. When you try to cover all your bases with just one or the other, you inevitably miss out on opportunities to reach your audience in the most impactful way. By using both SMS and email marketing, you’re able to increase the impact of your marketing campaigns and your bottom line.
    How should you use email marketing?
    The impact of email marketing campaigns is long-standing. It is the number one preference of recipients of marketing messaging — accounting for 46% of users. And on average, the unique open rate for marketing emails is 22%. However, there are challenges to email marketing that require some strategy to overcome.
    To say there is competition for your email audience’s attention would be an understatement. There are over 306 billion emails sent daily worldwide, and 82% of marketers use email as a marketing channel. So it’s really no surprise that 45% of marketers cite maintaining an engaged subscriber list as their number one challenge with their email marketing strategy. So how do you break through the noise and take a slice of the $8.5 billion in revenue made from email marketing? Use it when it counts, so your subscribers come to know the value of email from your organization.
    1. Ask for permission
    The basis of any good marketing is an engaged audience, which starts with users choosing to receive your messaging. It’s also important to provide subscriber email opt-in to comply with personal data use laws.
    Source
     
    AutoTrader not only has its subscribers opt-in to its email list but also allows them to tailor what they receive to their interests.
    2. Maintain a regular cadence
    An essential piece of building an engaged email list is to consistently deliver great content that subscribers come to expect and look for in their email inbox. And in addition to building an engaged subscriber list, a regular cadence also improves email deliverability.
    We’ve done the research on it and found that the ideal email frequency is typically one email every two weeks. The key here is finding a balance between delivering consistently and not flooding your subscribers’ inboxes, so your emails get marked as spam.
    Source
     
    This email newsletter from Pitch is a great example of how organizations can use email to keep their audiences informed.
    3. Promote long-form content
    If you’re sharing detailed or extensive content, email is one of the best mediums to promote it.
    This doesn’t mean you copy and paste an entire ebook into an email and hit send, though. Rather, introducing long-form content and linking out to a web page in an email is a better method. In this way, you’re able to keep the content digestible and intriguing if they don’t have the time at present to read it.
    Email also provides a format in which you can promote relevant content to your subscribers that they can come back to and reference easily.
    Source
     
    This email from Inspire shares a blog roundup with its readers. The brief summary of each blog intrigues the reader to click and read the full post.
    4. Share interactive experiences
    One of the unique things about email is the ability to provide interactive experiences for the subscriber. We don’t mean interactive like auto-response messages or gifs. We mean interactive in the true sense, like roll-over reveals, embedded forms, expandable content, product previews, etc.
    Source
     
    The Google Store offers its email subscribers the opportunity to shop right from their email with interactive product exploration and purchase options.
    How should you use SMS marketing?
    While many (like literally every blog on SMS marketing) tout a 98% average open rate as the reason to use only SMS marketing campaigns, this doesn’t offer a complete picture. This stat isn’t hard to believe (despite the fact no one seems to have the original source for it). Who doesn’t open their text messages (if only to delete them immediately)? However, you have to think about the context in which people receive these messages to understand their true value.
    According to Statista, only 25% of smartphone users prefer getting business communication via text. This isn’t to say SMS is not a preferred channel, though. SMS marketing messages are second only to email (which is the preference of 46% of users, as noted above).
    And SMS messages do have a higher read rate than email at 42% (compared to a 32% read rate for emails). Which is all to say, it definitely has a place in your marketing efforts. However, the instances in which it applies are more specific — as indicated by the number of users that prefer it and the general sentiment surrounding it.
    Source
     
    The responses seen in the Mobile Ecosystem Forum survey results above paint a clear picture of when and how users want to receive text message marketing. Here are the takeaways on how you should use SMS marketing:
    1. Ask for permission
    Just like with email, getting subscriber opt-in is essential. Text messages are highly personal and what some would even consider invasive, so getting permission is crucial. Only sending messages to users who are opted-in is not just a best practice; it’s the law.
    Source
     
    Getting opt-in from your audience can be as simple as asking them to take the lead by texting a keyword to sign up. Seen here is an example from Refuel Fitness, which asks its members to simply text “refuel” to sign up for SMS messages. Once the member signs up, Refuel Fitness confirms their subscription and reiterates the value they can expect to receive.
    2. On a limited basis
    Again, getting a text message can feel invasive, especially if it’s overused. Put yourself in the consumer’s shoes: would you want to be constantly pinged by someone asking you to give them your money?
    Don’t be like that crazy ex that won’t stop texting. Be intentional; make it count when you text them. Offer them a deal or VIP access so they feel special, not bombarded. In general, limit your text messages to once a week or less.
    Source
     
    Hibbett Sports uses SMS messages to notify its customers of timely sales and big discounts. The company is not just texting random updates or notifying customers of every small company update.
    3. Make it personal
    Because of the intimate feeling of receiving a text, it’s a great opportunity to build relationships with your audience. This could include asking them questions about their personal experience with your product or asking them what they would like to see next. Essentially, SMS marketing gives you the opportunity to get product ideas “straight from the horse’s mouth.”
    Source
     
    Asking customers for feedback not only gives your company valuable insights but also makes your users feel heard and prioritized in your product development.
    4. Share time-sensitive offers and updates
    One of the greatest advantages of using SMS marketing is that the recipients immediately get notifications. You don’t have to wait for them to wade through their inboxes a few days later to discover the sale that’s already over. When there is something timely or exclusive, like VIP early access, that is the ideal time to use SMS marketing.
    Source
     
    KKW Beauty uses SMS to share restocks with its VIP group, so they have a better chance of snagging the product before it runs out again.
    5. Send brief updates
    When it comes to text messaging, brevity is key. Typically, 160 or fewer characters is the sweet spot, so you can keep copy within a single message. Think about the last time you received a virtual book from someone via SMS text. You probably either didn’t read it or wished they would have just sent an email. Honor that instinct in your SMS marketing.
    Source
     
    Nu Med Spa gets right to the point in its text confirmations. The company only includes the most pertinent information for its customers and includes a phone number for further questions.
    Better together
    Email and SMS marketing both have unique strengths in different use cases. The best marketing strategies include both, and the best marketing platforms allow you to implement them in sync.
    For example, you might send an email with long-form content promoting an event a month before and then follow it up the week of with a reminder text. The key is to set up both through the same marketing tool so you can use automation triggers to maximize the strengths of each.

    The post Email Marketing vs. SMS Marketing: You’re Asking the Wrong Question appeared first on Campaign Monitor.

  • Salesforce Summer ‘22 Release Date + Preview Information

    It might still be Winter for a lot of us, but the Salesforce Summer ’22 release is right around the corner. There are many agenda items you need to prepare for with each release, but at this stage, there are only a couple of things… Read More