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  • How To Create a Google Sheets Drop-down Menu

    A lot of the data you enter into your Google Sheets tables may be repetitive, like tracking whether an influencer you’ve reached out to for a partnership has agreed to working with you or not.
    It can get tedious to go in and type each yes or no as time goes on, which is where a critical tool, the drop-down list, becomes your best friend.
    In this post, we’ll go over how to add a drop-down list to your own Google Sheets data set to help save time.

    How to Add a Drop-down List in Google Sheets
    As mentioned above, a drop-down list can help you easily change elements of a cell when the content is repetitive.
    The example data set for this walkthrough (as shown in the image below) is tracking the progress of marketing campaigns on different channels and the stage they’re in; not yet started, in progress, or completed. I want to create a drop-down menu so I can easily go in and change the status of the campaign as time goes on.

    Before going through the steps, it might be helpful to see what a drop-down menu looks like so you can contextually understand each instruction. The gif below shows a final drop-down menu and how it applies to the sample data set.

    Let’s go over how to add a drop-down list to your Sheet.
    1. In the toolbar header, click Data.
    2. In the drop-down menu, as shown in the image below, select Data validation.

    3. In the Data validation dialog box, enter the range of cells you want to have a drop-down menu in Cell range. For this example, I’m entering B2:B10 for cells 2-10 in column B.

    4. The next step is to enter the data range that you want to be included in the drop-down menu. Select List of items, and add in your menu values. For this example, this is where I would input Not yet started, In progress, and Complete.
    Once you’ve entered your values, click save.

    5. Each of your cells should now have a clickable down arrow, as shown in the image below.

    For the example table, I can click on each down arrow and change the status of my campaigns as time goes on.

    How to Edit a Drop-down List in Google Sheets
    If you need to make changes to your drop-down menu, the process is rather simple.
    1. In the toolbar header, click Data and then Data validation.
    2. In the Data validation dialogue box, simply input the changes you want to make. For example,

    If you want to change the items in your drop-down menu, navigate to Criteria, and make your desired changes.
    If you want to change the column the drop-down menu is in, change the cell numbers in Cell range.
    If you want to delete your drop-down menu altogether, select the column the menu is currently in and click Remove validation.

    Always click save after making all changes.
    Color Code a Drop-down List in Google Sheets
    Color coding is helpful when it comes to interpreting results at a glance. You can do this with your drop-down list by creating conditional formatting rules, and below we’ll explain how.
    1. Select the cells your drop-down menu is in and click Format.
    2. Select Conditional formatting from the dialogue box, as shown in the image below.

    3. In the Conditional formatting rules sidebar on the right-hand side of your screen, navigate to the Format rules section.

    4. In the Format cells if menu, select Text contains…

    5. Enter the first element in your drop-down list that you want color-coded. In the image below, I’ve entered Completed as my value and set the color to Green.

    6. To set a color for each of your list items, select + Add another rule and repeat step 5 for each value. For my chart, I’ve set In progress to Blue, and Not started to gray.

    7. After you set each of your rules, changing the drop-down menu item to a different value will automatically change it to the correct color. For example, if I change Not yet started to In progress, it turns from gray to blue.

    Once you’ve created your drop-down menu and color-coded it for easy interpretation, you can continue to track the progress of your different marketing activities and save time while doing so.

  • 5 Virtual Call Center Management Tips That Work

    Call center management requires high levels of attention, coordination, and strategy, especially as remote work environments become more and more of a reality. 
    In an article by Destination CRM, founding partner of International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) Brad Cleveland asserts that COVID-19 shifted 80% of in-person call centers to virtual call center environments. It is clear that completely outsourced, work-from-home, and hybrid models are all common call center scenarios these days. 

    FACT:
    80% of call centers shifted to remote work environments after the COVID-19 pandemic.

    How can managers promote productivity, ensure employee engagement, and satisfy customers while managing a virtual call center? The first step we’ll take here is to help you understand the differences between virtual and in-person call centers. After that, we’ll share some virtual call center management tips to help you keep operations smooth, and keep customers calling!
    What is Call Center Management?
    Call center management is the group of strategies call centers use to handle daily operations, which, as call center leaders know, encompasses many moving parts! Here are a few of its common characteristics:

    Customer satisfaction oversight
    Metrics and data analysis
    Day-to-day tasks and delegations
    Onboarding
    Training
    Scheduling
    … and more!

    But call center management in an office versus a remote environment are two different things. 
    Remote Call Center Management vs. In-Person
    If you want to be an effective call center manager in a virtual environment, it is best to face the reality that your job will change and grow once your call center goes remote. 
    Remote offices do have their benefits. For instance, in a remote workplace, employees experience better work-life balance and managers note an increase in agent engagement, which is known to translate directly into customer satisfaction. Companies might find some savings too because virtual work reduces costs for rent and office equipment.
    But when it comes to call center management, remote work environments also pose a few challenges:
    Security
    Outside of secure office servers, remote work settings pose more security risks. From customer data to employee network connections, remote offices make your call center vulnerable to cyber hacks and malware. 
    Maintaining Workplace Morale
    Call center agents experience better work-life balance when taking customer phone calls from home. But here’s a negative flipside: managers may see decreased employee motivation due to reduced in-person camaraderie amongst team members. Moreover, company goals and values become watered down when agents are removed from the in-office environment. 
    Technical Issues
    Transferring company equipment and call center software from one place to another isn’t always seamless. Sometimes tech transfers result in blips that hinder team communication and customer service. Obstacles to call queuing or IVR assistance could result in reduced customer loyalty if not attended to immediately. 
    5 Tips for Effective Virtual Cell Center Management
    How do you overcome the above challenges that come with remote workforce management? Consider some of the following tips.
    1. Maintain robust and updated call center software.
    Companies that don’t invest in up-to-date, cloud-based call center technology won’t maintain their competitive place with industry rivals that prioritize strong tech tools. In a virtual work environment, cloud technology is more vital than ever, and allows managers to achieve the following even when off-site:

    Reduced operational costs
    Improved quality monitoring
    Smoother employee communication

    For example, Fonolo’s Voice Call-Back option is essential for virtual call center management. It helps customers receive quicker service and feel more in control of their experience.
    2. Generate regular reports and data analysis.
    Virtual call center operations might change company results and timelines. That’s why it’s so important to keep track of call center metrics and data to assess any areas that need improvement, or any new strategy needs. Fonolo’s Portal helps call center managers find real-time insights on both agent and call center performance through rich reporting, stats, and trend information. 
    3. Check-in with agents regularly.
    Technology allows agents and managers to stay connected even in virtual work environments, but studies show remote work can still lead to feelings of isolation. If your agents feel isolated and disengaged, their overall performance and customer satisfaction scores might suffer. Make a point to check in with your agents regularly to find out if they need:

    Training
    Flexible scheduling
    Moral support
    … or anything else!

    4. Monitor customer interactions and collect customer feedback.
    Sometimes metrics don’t tell you the whole story. If you notice any dips in customer satisfaction or increases in wait time, these are the moments to roll up your sleeves and join the floor. Take a look at real-time customer interactions to find out the source of any service discrepancies, or use software like Fonolo’s Portal to access call-detail records (CDRs). 
    Fonolo’s Portal gives you access to call-detail records, real-time insights, and rich reporting to help with quality monitoring and effective call center management! #CallCenterSoftware #RemoteCallCenterEfficiencyClick To Tweet
    5. Foster a strong company culture.
    Fostering a strong company culture is difficult enough in an in-person office, let alone a virtual environment. Effective call center managers know that in remote work settings, it’s more important than ever to ensure employees have a strong understanding of company goals and values, and for them to feel recognized for their hard work.The post 5 Virtual Call Center Management Tips That Work first appeared on Fonolo.

  • Outsourcing

    “I’d like corn for dinner.”

    So, six months ago, you’ll need to plant the corn so you can harvest it today and cook it tonight.

    Or you can drive to the farmer’s market this morning, buy a few ears and have it tonight.

    Or you can walk over to the supermarket and get a can.

    Or you can press this button on your phone and dinner will be here in twenty minutes.

    I write this blog but I didn’t program the website.

    Everything we do uses materials and tools that were made by someone else. When we built Yoyodyne thirty years ago, we spent millions of dollars to build email servers that you could rent today for $50 a month…

    The question that isn’t asked, but that must be asked, is: Which part are you going to do yourself?

    If you’re a photographer, does it make sense to edit your own work, or should you send it out to someone who is twice as good, half the price and faster than you are?

    We act as though we’re locked into this decision, but in fact, we make it again, every single day.

    What are you doing today that only you can do? What would happen if that’s all you did all day?

    PS Akimbo (my weekly podcast) is now over 200 episodes. You can find it all the normal places (Apple, acast, site)

  • Is Combining SMS and Email Marketing the Secret Sauce to Ecommerce Domination?

    How many times have you received emails and SMS messages from your favorite brands this week? If you are into online shopping, you know what I am talking about. SMS and email marketing are two of the most powerful mediums eCommerce companies use to market to their audience. Each has its unique advantages, and when…
    The post Is Combining SMS and Email Marketing the Secret Sauce to Ecommerce Domination? appeared first on Benchmark Email.

  • Tools for Marketing Automation (Whatsapp, CRM, Appointments & WP)

    I do web design & SEO for clients in the healthcare sector. Recently one of my clients wanted to move from a Landing Page Plan to a Full Website Plan as her advertising costs are rapidly increasing due to competition, her hopes are to reduce patient acquisition by investing in SEO efforts. That will be taken care of without problems. The issue is that she’d like to implement some automation strategies to improve patient communication/retention. What I´m thinking of doing is: Setup Amelia Booking on the site and integrate bookings with Google Calendar Automate appointments confirmation via Whatsapp (once a patient books an appointment, 2 hrs before the system/crm sends an automated message with a link so the client confirms his assistance) Once the patient leaves his appointment, a follow-up automated email is sent with a link to provide feedback. 2 Weeks afterwards another follow-up automated email is sent to greet the patient & inquiry about his general health status. That’s it. How would you go about setting this up? Which tools would you recommend? (CRM, Whatsapp Chatbot, Feedback management, connectivity between apps). I’d be looking for a very cost-effective solution. Thanks! submitted by /u/blackswanmx [link] [comments]

  • Has anyone used UsePoseidon.com ? Where is the send button???

    There are ZERO actual directions for how to use this tool. All the help section tells me is what the tool can be used FOR…not HOW to use it. Please help!! submitted by /u/ContentDinner1494 [link] [comments]

  • The Call-Back Tactical Handbook: 6 Ways to Optimize Call Back Software

    Customer patience levels are at an all-time low right now, which is why Fonolo’s Voice Call-Backs are more vital than ever for the success of the modern contact center.
    Put yourself in the customer’s shoes for a moment, and consider this situation:
    You received an instant message from a friend on Instagram. You continue to have a conversation and exchange valuable information in the span of two minutes. 
    Later that day, you’re on hold with a contact center, trying to resolve an issue with a flight you booked. As time passes, your patience wears thin. You look at the clock, and despite your brewing frustration, you realize it’s only been five minutes. 
    Social media and the era of convenience have shortened our patience levels to such an extent that even five minutes is too long to wait. This rings true for every single customer that calls your contact center. 
    Fonolo’s Voice Call-Backs offer an effective, user-friendly solution to handling peaks in call volume, shortening long hold times, and even reducing the stress of your agents. 
    But how can you optimize Voice Call-Backs to reach your call center’s highest potential? Our Ultimate Call–Back Tactical Handbook will tell you everything you need to know, but we’ve put together a shortlist of tips to get you started. 

    READ THE FULL GUIDE:
    The Ultimate Call-Back Tactical Handbook
    (It’s 100% free, we promise.)

    Helpful Call-Back Terminology
    You can better describe and understand the call-back process and experience with these terms:

    Offer Rate: Number of callers offered a call-back
    Take-Up Rate: Number of callers that accept a call-back
    Time-Till-Offer: The amount of time a customer waits in a queue before accepting a call-back

    Tip #1: Offer the call-back at the right time.
    Call-backs offer customers a great deal of autonomy. Naturally, they’d choose the option immediately if they had the chance. But if you offer a call-back right away, you risk exceeding a reasonable take-up rate, which can empty your queue and create a backlog of call-backs. 
    Our advice? Offer the call-back later in the IVR process. Your time-till-offer should be between 2-3 minutes. This way, customers who don’t mind waiting will stay on hold, splitting the call-back queue and hold queue proportionately. 
    Learn more with our How and When to Offer Call-Backs Guide.

    FACT:
    The best time-till-offer for a call-back is 2-3 minutes into a customer’s hold time.

    Tip #2: Customize your voice-call backs.
    Take advantage of every possible opportunity to enhance customer experience, including through call-backs. Instead of a one-size-fits-all call-back common in various call center technology platforms, Fonolo’s Voice Call-Backs let you customize the functionality every step of the way. 
    Customize the following to match your brand image and voice:

    Website call-back widget
    Call queue message
    SMS notifications

    Why? Personalization is proven to increase sales, improve customer loyalty, and enhance the customer experience that surpasses your competitors!
    Tip #3: Communicate with customers using SMS notify.
    Your customers will opt for a call-back to avoid waiting on hold. But what happens if the call-back takes several hours? Customers will experience a whole different kind of waiting game, and feel like their perceived autonomy through the call-back has disappeared. 
    That’s why Fonolo offers SMS Notify, an excellent way to keep your customers engaged and informed as they wait for a call-back. SMS Notify lets you send callers custom SMS notifications at any point in the call-back process. Here are some general SMS notifications to share with your customers:

    “Confirm” notifications to confirm a call-back request with a customer
    “Update” notifications to inform customers of their spot in the queue and estimated time till they receive a call-back
    “Wrap-Up” notifications to thank customers for choosing a call-back after their issue is resolved

    Feel free to customize the message with your branding, including with a signature, emoji, or tagline. 
    Fonolo’s Voice Call-Backs come with SMS Notify, the best way to customize communications with your customers throughout the call-back process #CallCenterTechnology #CommunicationClick To Tweet
    Tip #4: Streamline internal communication.
    Call-backs aren’t just for customers. You can use them to streamline internal communication as well. Use them to:

    Let employees request call-backs from the team when needed, and
    Contact employees from other divisions through the portal if they aren’t able to take a phone call. 

    DID YOU KNOW:
    Fonolo’s Voice Call-Backs help improve intra-company communication as well.

    Tip #5: Use data-rich reporting to catch issues and develop a call-back strategy.
    Our Voice Call-Backs include an advanced analytics package that helps you set up automatic reports with rich data on:

    Real-time call-back activity
    The number of calls in the queue on average
    Call-back performance
    Historic statistics for comparison

    But contact centers are busy. You might not always have time to examine reports quickly enough to catch or forecast major issues. That’s why Fonolo’s team analyzes them for you, and alerts you to any issues as soon as we detect them. With these alerts, you can feel empowered to adjust your custom notifications and message timing.

    READ THE FULL GUIDE:
    The Ultimate Call-Back Tactical Handbook
    (It’s 100% free, we promise.)
    The post The Call-Back Tactical Handbook: 6 Ways to Optimize Call Back Software first appeared on Fonolo.

  • Live Masterclass today @ 1pm & 7pm

    submitted by /u/seabrite03 [link] [comments]

  • Cloudtoolkit.co: Suite of Open-source Salesforce Web Apps

    Cloudtoolkit.co is a nifty collection of web apps created by Ben Edwards (from Auckland, New Zealand). This comprehensive, step-by-step guide will introduce you to the suite and help you get started. Upon opening the Cloudtoolkit.co homepage, you’ll be presented with a smart assortment of useful… Read More

  • Mastering Facebook Ads In 2022 Through Incrementality

    There are many resources out there telling you how to optimize your Facebook ads to scale your business’s growth. And while I’m sure they can help in some aspects, you’re probably optimizing your campaigns based on the wrong metrics.
    In 2022, Facebook has 1.79 billion daily users. There are plenty of opportunities to create Facebook ads that will drive impressions, link clicks, leads, and more. However, these metrics only scratch the surface of how much impact your Facebook ads can truly have on your business.

    As more industry experts focus their media buying on incremental gains, marketers can better measure their Facebook ads’ positive, negative, or neutral impact on their business.
    What is incrementality in Facebook Ads?
    Incrementality allows marketers to understand how Facebook ads impact their business. Often, advertisers make optimizations to campaigns based on certain metrics, which can dramatically affect the end goal.
    It’s crucial for businesses to identify what’s working and what isn’t — especially since Facebook’s ad revenue worldwide was $84.2 billion in 2020. Whether you have a large or small Facebook advertising budget, you want to make sure it’s generating results.
    Advertisers can measure incrementality by using control tests and comparing the results from those exposed to an ad versus those who have not. Once the tests have been completed, the results can help your business make smarter decisions on your Facebook ads and optimize your campaigns accordingly.
    Why should marketers track incremental return on ad spend (iROAS)?
    One minute you’re a marketer, and the next, you’re a data analyst. All jokes aside, information overload is very real in 2022. With all of this data available, there’s the assumption that it should be easy for marketers to pinpoint the best audience to target, understand what point they are at in the Facebook sales funnel, and the best methods to convert them.

    However, data dumps and compiling all of this information is incredibly time-consuming. And as digital marketing continues to expand, time is not always on our side. Businesses need to refocus their efforts from heavy reliance on data collection to doubling down on finding the right data—that can assist in smart optimizations and actionable insights to fuel your Facebook campaign’s bottom line.
    How to Calculate Incremental Return on Ad Spend
    The method for calculating iROAS is different for every publisher. The most methodical approach is by applying a holdout to your Facebook campaign. The holdout on your campaign will act as a control group for Facebook users that will not see your ads. The remaining group of users will be the test audience for your Facebook campaign.
    After the test is complete, marketers can compare the results from the test group to the control group. The difference in the results will be your conversion lift, representing the incremental impacts on your conversions.
    iROAS is calculated similarly to ROAS, which is revenue divided by cost. However, this measurement allows your business to understand which Facebook campaigns are working and which aren’t. The calculation for iROAS is Incremental Revenue / Ad Spend = iROAS.
    In the YouTube video below, HubSpot details how to determine ad spend by understanding the bidding system used by ad networks.

    3 Simple Ways to Increase Your Facebook’s Ads Incrementality in 2022
    Frequently data dumps fail due to the sheer amount of information available. Marketers may find many valid insights, but the delivery of this information can get lost in translation — especially if there is no clear direction. Brands looking to increase their Facebook ads incrementality should work with a leading marketing agency with proven experience.
    However, if you’re looking to get started on your own, below we’ll walk you through the top three ways to increase your Facebook ad’s incrementality to exceed your 2022 growth goals.
    1. Audience Targeting
    Facebook users at the top of the funnel versus the bottom will yield very different incrementality results. For example, you will see very different results if you’re using a 5% lookalike audience of customers who purchased in the last month vs. remarketing to customers who purchased in the last few years.
    Targeting new customers should be your most incremental audience segment since they would not have converted and made the purchase had it not been for your Facebook ad.
    This can also affect your bid strategies and budgets for remarketing audiences. For example, a customer who has purchased from you recently may not need a Facebook ad to prompt another purchase — this will depend on your product or service buying situation.
    Three Class of Buying Situations:

    Routine decision-making: involves purchases that require very little thought after the original decision has been made. Such as gum, a chocolate bar, or a soft drink.
    Limited decision-making: involves purchasing products that require a moderate amount of time and effort to compare models and brands before making a choice. This could be comparing which phone you are planning to upgrade to.
    Extensive decision-making: involves an extensive consumer decision regarding whether or not to purchase a product. Examples include cars, homes, and education.

    2. Ad Creative
    I’m sure every marketer has heard about the study that found that the average attention span has decreased from 12 seconds to 8 seconds—while a goldfish holds a 9-second attention span. There is so much noise and clutter on social media that often, consumers will scroll right past your ad.
    Advertisers need to create Facebook ads that grab the viewers’ attention and drive action. Facebook ad creative is one of the top ways to increase your incrementality.
    Learn from the best! We’ve collected the 50 best Facebook ads to inspire your next campaign. Check out this exclusive lookbook to get a head start on crafting the perfect ad to drive incremental revenue.
    3. Facebook Placements
    There are several placements for advertisers across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Audience Network. But, not every placement works with every type of campaign.
    For example, an ad on audience network may spark brand awareness or interest but not drive an immediate conversion. The same goes for device targeting, often people are in discovery mode on mobile but complete the transaction on desktop.
    Most advertisers still recommend combining placements to maximize the results, but it is beneficial to understand where your most incremental audience is.