Category: Marketing Automation

The origin story of my business will be familiar to so many entrepreneurs: I was tired of my full-time job and had an idea I just couldn’t let go of. At the time, I was working for a design firm and was frustrated that everything we were selling was so expensive. I had a vision for luxury-quality home goods at a more accessible price point, and the spark of Inglenook Marketplace was born.I set up a website and started filling it with products, shipping handmade candles from my apartment in Brooklyn and drop shipping a curated selection of goods that I bought wholesale from other brands. I reached a point where I wanted to move on from my current job because they weren’t paying me enough—but I wasn’t ready to go all in on my business, so I interviewed for a new full-time role. My brand started growing on the side, and I was getting more and more orders every week that I would fulfill on nights and weekends. Once again, I left my current day job because of lack of growth opportunities, but started another one for fear of losing the stability of a salary. Meanwhile, my vision for my business was getting bigger and bigger, and I got my first storefront in a small town in upstate New York, only opening it on the weekends and commuting during the week to my full-time job in the city. Finally, nearly five years after starting my company on the side, I opted to stop working for other people and give my business my all in 2019. And I’m so glad I did. Today, we’re doing better than ever, with a new storefront in a bigger town, a thriving e-commerce and white label wholesale business, and a brand that’s so beloved that we were recently voted the best candle maker in the Hudson Valley. In some ways, I think this time spent slowly developing my business on the side was instrumental to today’s success. But I also often wish I had believed in my idea and taken the leap sooner. Here are a few of the ways building my business on the side helped me—and some of the ways I held myself back along the way.How Building My Business On the Side Helped Me SucceedI Got Revenue to a Stable PointThe biggest benefit of building my business on the side was getting my finances to a more stable place. When I first started Inglenook Marketplace, my life (and bank account) looked very different. I was living in Brooklyn where the cost of living was extremely high, and I was relatively young in my career so didn’t have any savings to rely on. If I had gone full-time from the start, I would have either needed my business to start making meaningful money immediately (which is challenging for any business that needs to grow a customer base, but especially for one with as much overhead as a product-based business), had to compromise my vision to make more sooner, or been stressed about finances all the time and probably given up on my dream quickly.In just a few years of growing my business on the side, all of this changed dramatically. I had moved to a smaller (cheaper) town in upstate New York and was shuffling as much of my salary into savings as possible so I’d have a nest egg to lean on in the event of financial surprises. During that time, the company also had time to grow organically to the point where I had enough sales each week for the business to pay for itself, giving me space to spend my energy building my brand instead of stressing about scraping by.I Gained the Customers to Reinforce My VisionIf money was the biggest indicator my business was ready for my full attention, the customers were my biggest motivator to make it happen. If I hadn’t gotten the response I did when I opened my storefront, I may still be working a full-time job to this day. Instead, hearing customers walk in and say the store smelled amazing validated that I was making a good product. Comments like “this is the cutest place I’ve ever seen” made me feel like I was bringing joy to peoples’ lives. And the repeat customers made it clear that I was filling a need in this small town where there were hardly any other stores.Obviously, having customers who love what you do is an important aspect of a financially stable business. But, more than that, the positive reinforcement kept me going when things got tough. Not everything about running a business is fun, but even when I’m packing orders or filing my taxes, don’t mind because I know who I’m doing it for. When COVID hit and most stores had to close their doors, I pivoted our stock to provide essential goods, both so the business could survive but also so I could be there for these customers I cared so much about. If I had gone full-time on my business with no existing customers, I don’t know what would have carried me through the ups and downs.I Had Time to Refine the Product and Customer ExperienceDeveloping my business slowly on the side also helped me fine tune the product and customer experience so I could feel confident people would keep coming back. Sure, I could have refined the customer experience even if I had immediately gone full-time on my business. But doing so takes time, and I had time on my side thanks to my salaried jobs.I could try things, see what the response was, and tweak my approach until I got it right without feeling too stressed about perfecting things quickly. I could start to develop relationships with my customers and get insights into what they want. I took classes and spent time researching all the business know-how I needed to get things up and running. I even gained a lot of knowledge from my full-time jobs: Working for design firms taught me so much about branding and marketing that I carried back to my business.By the time I went all in, I really knew my customer and what they wanted, had streamlined processes in place, and was consistently sourcing and creating beautiful, great quality products.Why I Wish I Had Gone All-In SoonerUltimately, all of these things were true well before I took the leap and left my full-time job. Even when I was interviewing for my last position, I had dedicated customers who loved my product, and I was bringing in enough from my business to support itself and me. At that point, fear and lack of confidence in myself were the only barriers keeping me from investing fully in my business. There was the fear of leaving a stable salary behind; I had a hard time believing I could truly support myself with my company, even though the numbers said otherwise. There was the fear in believing in my own vision, even though so many customers had reinforced it. And there was the lack of belief that I could build a thriving business, even though I had achieved so much success already.So I took another full-time job, which was hard on me and hard on the business. Juggling my day job and my ever-growing business caused me to miss customer calls and prevented me from getting orders out on time. Those are customers who will probably never come back because they had such a weird experience in the beginning. It was also frustrating to have such limited hours at my brick-and-mortar store, reducing the chances new customers had to discover the shop. But more than any of that, my heart was in my business, and it was emotionally taxing to deal with frustrations at my day job.I wish I had been more pragmatic about calculating what the business needed to be making to cover my needs (with a little wiggle room), and quitting my job as soon as I hit that threshold. Instead, I had to wait until I grew my own confidence.A few things helped me flip the script there. One was that I started dating my partner, who was my biggest fan. I’ve never had anyone support me like he does. Finding just one person to believe in you that much can really mean the whole world.Around that time, my father also passed away at a relatively young age, and it ignited something in me. I thought about how much of their lives my parents spent being unhappy working for other people, and how I was currently stuck in the same pattern. Meanwhile, I kept facing roadblocks when I tried to advance or share my ideas in my full-time role. Finally, one day I woke up and thought, “I’m not doing this anymore. No one is going to control my future and tell me that I can’t be something more, and put a cap on my career.” And I decided to start believing in myself.And from that day forward, I’ve been all in.Finally, one day I woke up and thought, “I’m not doing this anymore. No one is going to control my future and tell me that I can’t be something more, and put a cap on my career.” And I decided to start believing in myself. – Heatherlyn Nelson, Founder of Inglenook Marketplace

Email marketing is important for building relationships with prospects, leads, current customers, and even past customers because it gives you a chance to speak directly to them, in their inbox, at a time that is convenient for them. Did you know that part of the feature of BigLinker.com is email marketing? Check it out! submitted by /u/Iam_Michoii [link] [comments]

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Email automation can save you a lot of time by automating repetitive tasks, such as sending welcome emails or follow-ups. It can also help you increase your sales and conversions by sending targeted messages to your customers at the right time. Email automation can be used for a wide variety of tasks, such as: Sending welcome emails to new subscribers Following up with leads who haven’t responded to your initial contact Sending promotional emails to customers during slow periods Sending thank-you or feedback emails after a purchase or form submission Reengaging inactive subscribers with a special offer The sky’s the limit when it comes to email automation. Just about any task that you perform on a regular basis can be automated, freeing up your time to focus on more important things. If you’re not already using email automation, now is the time to start. It’s one of the most effective ways to improve your email marketing and save time. Not sure where to start? No one’s forcing you to try but you could sign up for Owl Reply’s freemium plan. See for yourself how much time you can save by automating your email marketing tasks. submitted by /u/Talking_Shadow123 [link] [comments]

I’ve created an automation solution for summarization at scale (API and Slackbot); You send text, images, or a bunch of links to videos, articles, etc., and get crips summaries back. Can you share some use cases for a service like that for a marketer? I want to understand how something like this could help marketers automate parts of their job. Also, if you’re willing to test this, feel free to subscribe to the Pro plan and DM me your email address – I will happily apply a 100% discount coupon for a free lifelong license in exchange for user feedback. submitted by /u/Administrative_Bed79 [link] [comments]

You’ve started a website for your local business, but with so much competition out there, you may be struggling to make your website more visible online. That lack of visibility could hinder potential customers from finding your company. To improve your visibility in search engine results, local business schema could be the tool you need.
By including local business schema in the code of your website, search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo will be able to better understand your business and rank it higher in search results. But before you can start implementing local business schema, you need to first learn what it is and how it works.

What is local business schema?
Local business schema is a kind of structured data markup code that can be added to your business’ website to make it easier for search engines to identify what type of organization you are and the products or services you provide.
Schema markup was created by search engines to better understand and display data using common groups of tags. Your business can benefit from schema markup because it can help you better optimize your website for local SEO — one of the deciding factors in how your content is ranked in SERPs.
How to Add Local Business Schema
To add local business schema to your website, first visit schema.org/LocalBusiness then follow the steps below:
Step 1: Determine the category for your company.
Identify the niche category you are optimizing your website for, and be as specific as possible. For example, if you own a burger restaurant, use the “FoodEstablishment” code. If your burger spot is considered fast food, you can further optimize by choosing the “FastFoodRestaurant Code.”

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If you can’t find a category that fits your business, simply use a generic business schema like Local Business or Organization, then use the “sameAs” property to add a Wikipedia or Wikidata entry that is more specific to your type of business.
Step 2: Create or update your About page.
Your About page should be filled with information about your business and include a unique “AboutPage” schema item. Make sure the content is easily readable to visitors of your site, and add as many — or as few — related schema properties to better inform search engines about your organization.
Step 3: Test your code using Google’s Rich Results Test or the Schema Markup Validator.
You can enter your code into the Rich Results Test to see which Google rich results are generated by the structured data on your page. You can also use the tool to preview how rich results will look in Google search.

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To test your structured data without Google feature-specific warnings, enter your code into the Schema Markup Validator.

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Step 4: Add and Publish your local business schema to your website.
You can add your schema directly within your HTML code or use a managed user interface, schema app, or plugin.
Step 5: Crawl and test your local business schema markup using Google’s Search Console.
Enter your domain or URL prefix to measure your website’s search traffic performance to see if there are any issues or improvements to be made.
Going forward, monitor the results of your schema and make adjustments as needed. You will likely have to repeat this process again in the future as Google changes its approach to schema and if anything in your business listing changes.

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Local Business Schema Examples
Below is an example of a local business schema taken from schema.org/LocalBusiness. The example is in reference to a restaurant called GreatFood.
GreatFood Local Business Schema Example Without Markup

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In the above HTML code, you can clearly see the name of the restaurant (GreatFood), the address, phone number, and hours of operation. In the example below from the same restaurant, you can see this information represented in the schema code. This format is the standard schema microdata format, the most common format that is the easiest to implement.

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Below is the format you would use for JSON-LD format, which would be used for JavaScript.

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Finally, the below example is the RDFa format, which works in a variety of documents — including XML, HTML 4, SVG, and more.
Incorporating local business schema can seem complicated. However, if you know the category your business falls into and include important information such as the name, address, phone number, and hours of operation, you can easily use local business schema to boost your website in search engine results.

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Are you looking for the best prospecting tips that will help you build stronger relationships with your customers and generate new leads in 2022? Building and maintaining B2B relationships can be challenging. And that’s where B2B prospecting comes in. In fact, recent research shows that about 40% of all companies consider sales prospecting be the…
The post 8 B2B Prospecting Tips That Will Bring More Revenue in 2022 appeared first on Benchmark Email.

If you scroll through your email inbox, there’s a good chance you’re subscribed to some kind of newsletter. And while plenty of those subscriptions may be for companies and brands, there’s recently been a surge in the popularity of individual newsletters. Substack, a platform dedicated to free and paid email newsletters, received over 24.57 million visits in September 2021. Journalists flocked to the site in 2020, leaving newsrooms to become their own bosses.And that’s the great thing about creating your very own newsletter – the autonomy it provides. A newsletter can become an unfiltered channel for all of your ideas, personal and professional updates, and any other musings you may want to share with the world. This flexibility makes it a great medium for individuals in all fields, not just journalists and writers. If you’re interested in building community and establishing yourself as an expert on a certain topic, an individual newsletter may be perfect for you.The benefits of having an email newsletterWriting a regular newsletter is a great way to network with like-minded people while also connecting with a new audience. As you share your perspective, you can even become a thought leader and build up your personal brand and credibility with readers. In fact, if your audience feels like they’re benefiting from your words enough, there’s a chance they’ll be willing to pay for your newsletter. In this way, a newsletter can even become your very own business, something you’ll see in the below examples.5 successful newsletters from people we admireThere’s no right or wrong way when it comes to setting up an email newsletter. These examples of newsletters from five very different people prove that anyone can create a thriving newsletter as long as they are passionate about a certain topic.A commentary on all things pop culture with Hunter HarrisHunter Harris — a former entertainment writer at Vulture — quickly became popular through her witty recaps (aka “Power Rankings”) of the Roy family from HBO’s Succession. Along with her journalism work, Hunter amassed a huge Twitter following by sharing her sharp commentary on the latest TV and film news and celebrity gossip. Rather than stay as a Staff Writer at Vulture, Hunter decided to create her own Substack in late 2020. hiiiii some personal news ✨✨✨✨a couple weeks ago i left vulture/nymag to build a newsletter at @SubstackInc. im so excited to introduce you to my new job, Hung Up 💗https://t.co/ZZULTu6eZz— hunter harris (@hunteryharris) November 24, 2020

She wasn’t the only journalist to do so. Culture reporter Anne Helen Peterson made a similar move when she left Buzzfeed to turn her semi-regular Sunday newsletter, Culture Study, into her full-time job. Both Harris and Petersen have shared how the move to Substack provided them with greater freedom to write what’s most important to them. “I was really nervous about starting it!” Hunter said. “ … But once I started brainstorming ideas and working with the designer on the logo, it kind of clicked into place: I can be even more myself than I could be for Vulture, which means, essentially, infinite posts about the movie Closer or Bennifer or why Martin Scorsese doesn’t wear his glasses anymore.”The focus of “Hung Up” is on celebrity and film news While the focus of “Hung Up,” is on the latest pop culture news, Hunter discusses trending topics of all sorts, even politics. Her newsletter has been a huge success so far, and the writer has even been featured in other email newsletters like when she wrote a guest piece for fashion brand Reformation.While “Hung Up,” revolves around pop culture, Hunter sometimes discusses politics While “Hung Up” does have a free version, in order to read the entire newsletter followers have the option to pay $5 for a month or $50 for a yearly subscription.Hunter provides a sneak peak of the paid version of her email newsletterNot only has this become Hunter’s full-time job, but the writer said she’s also been able to take on more freelance writing gigs – something she didn’t have the time for when she was a staff writer. Clearly, starting her own newsletter has been a win-win situation for the journalist.Emily’s life plan for the weekIf you’re a fan of Emily Mariko, you know that her brand is all about minimalism. While the influencer went viral on TikTok for her salmon rice bowl recipe in 2021, she first created her YouTube channel in 2012 sharing content around fitness and food.Unlike most other Influencers, Emily’s Instagram Reels and TikToks are quiet. The YouTuber never adds music or voice-overs, and rarely even talks in her videos. Instead, viewers hear the chopping of vegetables, the clinking of pans, and the ignition of the stove. Rather than provide all of the details for her recipes in her videos, Emily sends a weekly newsletter with a rundown of the previous week’s content, including full recipes and links to her cookware and outfits.Emily shares her weekly grocery list with readersNot only does “Emily’s life plan” have a simple layout, but she also includes handwritten notes, which adds an authentic touch to the newsletter.The influencer provides a detailed look into her daily mealsThis newsletter is a great reminder that your content doesn’t need to be exceptionally curated or polished. All that matters is that you share information that is useful and relevant to your audience.History lessons with the cultural tutorIn May 2022, Sheehan Quirke, who goes by “the cultural tutor,” quit his job and decided to make a Twitter account to share his passion for history with others. In just six weeks, he was able to amass over 100,000 followers. Six weeks ago I quit my job and set myself a challenge.Start a Twitter account. Share the things I care deeply about for at least 30 days. See what happens.And today I’ve hit 100k followers. Thank you. To all of you. Truly 🙏But this is just the beginning:— The Cultural Tutor (@culturaltutor) June 24, 2022

While Sheehan uses Twitter as a platform for discussing his interests – and has had many threads go viral – he also sends out a newsletter every Friday promising to deliver seven short lessons about art, history, and architecture to his followers’ inboxes.The newsletter covers 7 short lessons each week The newsletter was initially free and gained 19,000 subscribers in its first few weeks. Now, however, Sheehan has included a paid option as he hopes to make the newsletter his full-time job. Users who subscribe for free will still receive a monthly newsletter and two essays a year but paid members will continue receiving weekly emails. Sheehan has stated on his website that he is even interested in starting a podcast as well.Sheehan discusses historical figures in each newsletterIf you’re passionate enough about a certain topic, like Shaheen is passionate about history and culture, a newsletter is a perfect way to organize your thoughts while also disseminating your knowledge to others. The fact that Shaheen was able to grow his following in such a short time without having any prior exposure, proves that people will gravitate towards your newsletter as long as your content is interesting and educational.Kat Boogard’s freelancer tipsKat Boogard — a freelance writer who has been published in multiple outlets, including The New York Times — writes a newsletter specifically for other freelance writers. In her newsletter, Kat shares her experience with other writers and offers tips for freelancers to land paid writing opportunities. Kat provides specific examples for pitching publications in her newsletterEach week, Kat shares best practices and provides actionable advice for freelancers, like how to make their pitches the most effective. This is a great example of a newsletter that is hyper-focused on one topic. Readers know they’ll be learning more about freelance writing, making Kat’s content a great resource for a specific demographic. Kat includes a round up of helpful linksAlong with sharing her own advice, Kat also includes a list of resources, freelance writing gigs, and highlights her top reads of the week. These additional sections are a great perk to an already useful newsletter.Joel’s weekly newsletter with thoughts and highlights Our very own CEO, Joel Gascoigne, has recently started his own weekly newsletter where he shares updates about his personal life, Buffer, and highlights anything else that’s top of mind for him. Joel shares an update with his readersIn every newsletter, Joel focuses on a specific theme, with the most recent addition being about flexibility, specifically as to how it pertains to the four-day work week at Buffer. Each week, the newsletter focuses on a specific themeAlso included every week is a roundup of articles, tweets, and quotes that have especially resonated with Joel. Joel includes a round up of links and quotes that resonated with him that weekJoel has said that this newsletter is a way to build community and connect with others, and he even encourages readers to respond directly to him. Similarly, your newsletter doesn’t only have to be a one-sided conversation but can also be a way for you to engage in open discussions with like-minded individuals. While starting your own newsletter from scratch may seem like a big undertaking, we hope the above examples have made the process seem more doable and inspired you to create your own. Whether you’re commenting on trending topics, providing expert tips, or just sharing your favorite things – your newsletter can be successful as long as you talk about the things that matter most to you. What’s your favorite newsletter? Let us know on Twitter or Instagram!

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