Learn the fundamentals of market research basics to drive business growth, improve customer satisfaction, and gain a competitive edge in the market ..read more

Let me ask you – have you ever been frustrated by the lack of responses you receive when sending out a marketing email blast? Maybe you’ve run an expensive print ad or social media campaign, only to hear crickets. This is what many entrepreneurs I talk to are grappling with when I ask them about the difference between outbound and inbound marketing strategies. So why do many business owners struggle to attract clients and make sales, even with considerable effort? They often rely on outdated methods that are less effective in today’s increasingly digital marketplace. Let’s dive in to compare a ..read more

These days, it feels like everyone and their dog is clamoring to “learn digital marketing”. And for good reason: It’s one of the few careers where you can work from anywhere, make a great living, and become location independent if you play your cards right. But between paid courses, endless blogs, and self-proclaimed “marketing gurus”, it can feel impossible to find quality information without breaking the bank. This is especially true if you’re a bootstrapped entrepreneur watching every dollar. That’s where SEMrush Academy comes in. Instead of shady courses filled with empty promises and upse ..read more

The summer season has started in my storybook town of Medina, Ohio and that means our local retailers and restaurants are singing the summer’s greatest hits “Get Foot Traffic to My Store” When our little town is in the throes of a big weekend, the stores and sidewalks are full of customers. But during the week and the off-season — not so much. Recently, my husband and spent the day in town hopping in and out of small businesses; eating, drinking, and shopping. This gave me the opportunity to chat with a few of our local business owners to see what their challenges were with foot traffic and ho ..read more

Branding for small business isn’t as hard as you think. Try these branding tips to make your business the obvious choice regardless of price. You probably haven’t given much thought to branding your small business. Let me just tell you something right off the bat, your business is being branded as you read this. Customers and prospects have already given you a brand identity, the question is whether or not it agrees with what you think your business brand is. So, if you’ve got customers complaining about price, they have no idea why they should choose you. And that’s a branding problem. A Simp ..read more

Using AI for marketing is filled with minefields, so let’s dig into some typical privacy concerns with AI, and how to deal with them in your marketing. You already know that AI technology is everywhere now – writing marketing copy, answering customer service questions, and even composing music. But this explosion of artificial intelligence brings with it a shadow: privacy issues are growing alongside its capabilities. This all sounds like science fiction, but honestly, these AI privacy concerns are real-world issues we need to address today, not tomorrow. From the data AI systems collect to th ..read more

I think a lot of folks have given up on social media lead generation. I get it, it’s not as easy as it used to be. You’re going to have to put in a little more digital elbow grease. And in this article, I’m going to give you some practical tips for generating leads on social media. I sat down with small business expert Brian Moran and he shared some awesome ways to take your social media beyond bland engagement and turn it into a relationship builder and sales driver. Brian’s tips are a must for any entrepreneur looking to get the most out of their social media lead generation. Here are his to ..read more

Try These Local Marketing Ideas to Grow Your Business As a small business owner, you pour your heart into your business, but connecting with local customers can be a struggle. And, let me be clear, local customers matter regardless of whether you run a traditional local business like a restaurant, or a digital business. Local marketing matters and it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Some of the most effective strategies are simple, requiring creativity and community engagement. While I always say that “You can’t sell anything to everybody” assuming you have a great niche or target ..read more

Hiring a marketing team isn’t as overwhelming as you think. Here’s all the stuff no one tells you about how to hire a marketing team for your business. I get it – you started your small business to be your own boss and call the shots, not to become a marketing guru. But the truth is, to truly succeed in today’s marketing environment, you need a solid marketing strategy and marketing process to get your name and product out there. And based on my conversations with small businesses like yours — marketing functions are one of the first things you are ready to hand off. So, marketing isn’t your b ..read more

Have you ever noticed how small business email marketing tools are sold like exercise equipment. There are hundreds of types of email marketing software out there that promise effortless selling success, but it’s not the tool, it’s the marketing strategy that you choose that will influence which tool you choose.  The Best Email Marketing Tools for Small Businesses In this guide, I’m going to share the best small business email marketing tools based on your level of experience with email marketing and what you intend to use your email marketing software to do.  When you’re just starti ..read more