A Line from Greenline

A new year brings the excitement of a fresh start, a clean slate, and a clear vision. Somewhere among the lists of resolutions for learning, loving, and losing weight (I mean, I’m just guessing) - I’d venture to guess themes of balance can be found on your list, too.

But what about your digital marketing strategy? Is balance found there?

There are just some things you don’t trust yourself to do. I’m not talking about the bathroom tile or changing a faucet. I’m talking about the ‘bigger’ things … You go to a dentist to get your teeth pulled. You bring your favorite wool sweater to a dry cleaner to get it clean. You hire a caterer when you have a large crowd to feed.

So, when it comes to marketing, why are we quick to settle for sub-par and satisfactory? I'm here to tell you it's OK to resist the urge to "handle marketing internally", "figure it out as you go", or "work on it when you have time" - all justifications for putting marketing on the back burner.

In the world of marketing strategy, there is a long list of tactics your business can leverage to increase sales, ROI, and see growth. Choosing the right ‘recipe’ can take some serious work; we’re talking buyer persona development, website content, social media, email marketing, blogging, video marketing, account-based marketing … and the list goes on! Many of these have a place within larger marketing practices, like inbound marketing. But it’s more than just a collection of various marketing efforts, and can often be best understood when compared to outbound marketing.

From target audience to brand niche, areas of practice, and menus of services, every business has its differentiators that help them stand out amongst its competitors and appeal to its target audience. As competition heats up in almost every industry, business owners need to stay on top of emerging trends that can separate them from the competition and ensure success each and every year.

Podcasts are an amazing way to expand your knowledge on an endless variety of topics. Podcasts have become a popular form of entertainment for many consumers as it’s an easy and affordable method. There are currently 2 million podcasts in the world and over 48 million episodes. As the popularity of podcasts continues to grow, so does the scope of topics that are spoken on. Most platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts have different genres of podcasts you can choose from. Within the business category, there is a large sum of marketing podcasts, specifically. We’ve compiled a list of our top 10 favorite marketing and creative podcasts, complete with specific episode recommendations to get you started - and inspired! 

PSA: email marketing isn’t dead! In fact, it’s as popular as ever. 72% of customers actually prefer email as their main channel for business communication. However, email has changed over the years. Staying up-to-date on email marketing trends is instrumental in executing this tactic well - and that is when it becomes the most effective strategy. Studies have shown that putting real time and effort into creating an effective email marketing strategy will translate directly into revenue. Email is actually 40% better at converting when compared to some social media channels. We’re going to walk you through the top email marketing tips and trends and everything your business should know.