123 eGuides

1 Minute Advice: Small Businesses Depend on Email Marketing...Because It Works

It doesn't appear that the email marketing bubble will burst anytime soon. Despite the hoopla about social media, small and medium size businesses depend on email marketing for acquisition and retention, according to new data reported by eMarketer.

In a recent survey of retail professionals at U.S. firms with revenues less than $100 million, email marketing was far and away the top digital tactic used to drive customer acquisition and retention. For acquisition, organic search and paid search ranked second and third. For retention, social media and paid search ranked second and third.

Trending upwards in email marketing is the use of more personalization to ensure that email is more precisely targeted to the recipient's individual needs. A large majority of marketers also say they are using email marketing-focused software.

See the data here.

Email marketing is just one of the tactics you can use to do low cost or even no cost marketing. Learn more about proven tactics small businesses use to execute effective marketing with little or no money in the new eGuide, Low Cost/No Cost Marketing 123. Packed with useful ideas, this eGuide is available for just $1.50 -- half price -- through July 31. To get your copy, simply go to https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/603790. When you order, enter the code SSW50 and this $2.99 eGuide is yours for $1.50 in any eBook format, including PDF if you prefer. This special offer expires July 31, so order now! 

Last Chance to Get eGuides at Half Price

Through July 31 only, every 123 eGuide is available for half-price: Just $1.50 each at Smashwords.com. You can download each eGuide in the format of your choice to read on any device, including a PDF if you prefer. Every 123 eGuide is packed with useful proven tips and techniques in an easy-to-read format. In addition to providing an excellent overview of the subject, each eGuide includes additional resources.

Here is a "mini-catalog" of the available eGuides. Simply choose from any of the following 123 eGuides and click on their titles:

Low Cost/No Cost Marketing 123

B2B Marketing 123

Branding 123, Second Edition

Product Launch 123

Sales Leads 123

On Your Own 123

When you check out, just enter the code SSW50 to get any eGuide for just $1.50. This special offer is only good at Smashwords.com until July 31, 2016, so order today!

1 Minute Advice: What You Need to Know About "Brand Admiration"

These days, a successful brand has to be more than noticed -- it has to be admired. So say three marketing researchers in their new book, Brand Admiration: The Exponential Effect of Brand Trust, Love and Respect.

Writing for MarketingProfs, Josh Zywien says the book discusses "three key pillars" of brand admiration:

1. Trust is achieved when a brand helps its admirers feel empowered, in-control, confident, or relieved of a particular pain point.
2. Love is fostered when a brand stimulates senses of warmth, gratitude, nostalgia, and empathy.
3. Respect is earned when a brand's beliefs, principles, hopes, and vision are in harmonious alignment with the people it serves.

 "When companies have high brand admiration," writes Zywien, "they also experience explosive revenue growth and improved cost efficiencies, and far greater access to the very best talent and partnerships."

In order to get brand admiration right, Zywien says brand marketers need to ask three questions about their brands:

1. Does my brand excite and inspire people?
2. Do people feel gratified by my brand?
3. Does my brand motivate them to do something great?

Read more from MarketingProfs here (free registration required).

Wondering how your brand can be admired? Follow the strategies set out in Branding 123, Second Edition. This eGuide provides a 3-step process for building a breakthrough brand. Branding 123 is on sale through July for half price: Just $1.50! To take advantage of this special offer, go to https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/77081. When you check out, enter the code SSW50 and you'll be able to purchase the eGuide for just $1.50 in any eBook format you wish, including PDF. This offer expires July 31 and is only good at Smashwords.com.

1 Minute Advice: This Year's Top Brands are Disruptive, Innovative

There are all kinds of assessments of top brands, but one of the most objective is a brand's financial value. Leading marketing agencies WPP and Millward Brown have released the "2016 BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands" ranking and report, which offers some insights into leading brands and their value.

Martin Guerrieria, global BrandZ research director at Millward Brown, says there are two primary reasons brands stand out, regardless of category: "Disruption and innovation are critical for brand success.” The three brands that grew the most for the year—Amazon (59% growth), Starbucks (49%) and Facebook (44%)—started off as category disruptors, and continue to innovate. Tesla, an obviously disruptive and innovative car brand, appeared in list of top 10 automotive brands for the first time.

According to the report, the top 10 global brands, ranked in order in terms of financial value, are:

1. Google
2. Apple
3. Microsoft
4. AT&T
5. Facebook
6. VISA
7. Amazon
8. Verizon
9. McDonald's
10. IBM

See the full ranking here.

Wondering how your brand can get to the top? Follow the strategies set out in Branding 123, Second Edition. This eGuide provides a 3-step process for building a breakthrough brand. Branding 123 is on sale through July for half price: Just $1.50! To take advantage of this special offer, go to https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/77081. When you check out, enter the code SSW50 and you'll be able to purchase the eGuide for just $1.50 in any eBook format you wish, including PDF. This offer expires July 31 and is only good at Smashwords.com.

 

1 Minute Advice: Online and Word of Mouth are Key to Small Business Awareness

Small businesses, especially retailers, often struggle to gain awareness. A new survey of U.S. Internet users, reported by eMarketer, indicates the two key ways consumers primarily find out about small businesses is through online research and word of mouth. 

The survey, conducted by Vistaprint Digital Services, indicated that 36.7 percent of Internet users primarily found out about small businesses via online research, while 35.0 percent primarily found out about small businesses through word of mouth. Social media lagged behind at 13 percent, while "walking into a store" came in at just 8.4 percent. In addition, 36.4 percent of respondents said "they often check out the store online prior to visiting."

The study suggests, not surprisingly, that it is increasingly important for small businesses to have a strong online presence. Just as important, small businesses need to be aware that consumers use mobile devices for online research. A separate study cited by eMarketer indicated that 52 percent of small businesses have a mobile-optimized website; however, 40 percent had not yet optimized their sites for mobile.

As a small business, maybe you've wondered if you can gain awareness and do effective marketing with little or no money. It is possible, if you follow certain strategies and combine online marketing, public relations, and community engagement. Find out how in the new 123 eGuide, Low Cost/No Cost Marketing 123. This eGuide is available for the month of July for $1.50, half the regular price, only at Smashwords.com. To get your copy for just $1.50, visit: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/603790. When you go to check out, simply use the code SSW50 to get your discount. You can download the eGuide in any format you prefer, including PDF. This special offer is good through July 31, so order today!

July Sale - All 123 eGuides Just $1.50 at Smashwords!

During the month of July only, every 123 eGuide is available for half-price: Just $1.50 each at Smashwords.com. You can download each eGuide in the format of your choice to read on any device, including a PDF if you prefer.

Choose from any of the following 123 eGuides:

Low Cost/No Cost Marketing 123
B2B Marketing 123
Branding 123, Second Edition
Product Launch 123
Sales Leads 123
On Your Own 123

To take advantage of this special offer, simply go to: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/bdsilv

Then click on the title of interest to you. When you check out, just enter the code SSW50 to get any eGuide for just $1.50. This special offer is only good at Smashwords.com until July 31, 2016, so order today!