Google PPC for Your Dental Marketing Needs – A Brief Guide
Introduction
Google Ads is one of the most effective ways to get new patients to your dental practice. The platform gives you access to a wide variety of audiences and allows you to target those audiences specifically. If you’re unfamiliar with Google Ads, don’t let that scare you! It’s surprisingly simple, and this article will walk you through everything you need to know about setting up an ad that works for your practice.
Keyword research
Before you get started on your keyword research, it’s important to define the problem. What do you want to achieve? What are your goals?
It might seem obvious that you want to generate more traffic or leads for your business. But if that was all that mattered, everyone would be hiring an SEO company and running Google Ads campaigns! The truth is that this may not be feasible for every business owner in healthcare marketing. Some businesses have very limited budgets and/or time constraints. Others simply aren’t interested in pursuing aggressive growth strategies at this stage of their business’ life cycle.
For example: Your goal could be “Generate 50 leads per month by July 1st.” Or maybe it’s more like: “Increase brand awareness among new audiences by 20% over three months.” However ambitious these goals might sound (and trust me—they are ambitious!), they’re also realistic because they’re based on tangible fitness goals like losing weight or gaining muscle mass (which most people can relate to).
Intent keywords
Intent keywords, also known as conversion-oriented keywords, are the ones that people search for when they’re ready to make a purchase.
For example: “dental insurance.” This would be an intent keyword because someone who is looking for “dental insurance” has likely already made up their mind about what type of dental insurance they want to buy and need help finding it.
This is important because intent keywords are more expensive than non-intent keywords; advertisers will pay more per click if you’re targeting someone who is ready to buy something instead of someone just browsing around or doing research on products/services like yours.
Ad position and quality score
Quality score is determined by three factors:
- Click-through rate (CTR) – this stat measures how many people click on your ad after seeing it for the first time. If you have a high CTR, then your ads will appear above those with lower values in the SERPs.
- Cost per click (CPC) – this is how much you are paying to display an ad each time someone clicks on it. Ads with higher CPCs tend to rank higher in the SERPs, as Google would rather give its advertisers exposure than save money by showing cheaper ads that don’t get clicked on much (or at all).
- Conversion rate – this statistic represents how often people who see your ad actually make a purchase or take some other action after they’ve landed on your website from their search results page*. If a user clicks on one of your advertisements but doesn’t convert into a lead, sign up as a customer or otherwise buy something from you (which we’ll define as “conversion”), then that’s going to hurt both their quality score and yours!*Conversion can also mean signing up for an email newsletter or downloading an ebook/guide
Location targeting
Location targeting is one of the most powerful features of Google Ads. It allows you to target people who are searching for dentists in your area, or target people who are searching for dentists in a specific city or town. For example, if you want to advertise to people looking for teeth whitening services in San Francisco, CA, then all you have to do is use this location modifier with your ad copy and Google will automatically show your ads only when someone searches for “teeth whitening service” on Google within 100 miles of San Francisco.
Mobile bid modifier
The mobile bid modifier is a feature that allows you to increase the cost of your ads when someone clicks on them from a mobile device. This helps you to get more conversions from mobile devices and can be modified by going to campaign settings.
Google Ads is a great way to get new patients to your dental practice.
Google Ads is a great way to get new patients to your dental practice. It’s an affordable tool that can help you reach the right people in your area, which is necessary for getting new patients and growing your business. If you want an expert to handle this, you can reach out to us at info@pinecone-media.com. You can also use the link on our homepage to download our dental case study.

Use Facebook Lead Generation Ads to Build Your Contact Lists
Introduction
Facebook lead generation ads are a powerful way to build your email lists of new leads. You can use this to create a series of emails, which will keep your audience engaged with your brand and encourage them to purchase or sign up for your products or services. In this post, I’m going to show you the exact steps I used when creating my own Facebook lead generation ads, including what makes them successful and some things you should avoid at all costs!
What Are Facebook Lead Generation Ads?
Facebook lead generation ads are a form of online advertising that helps you build your email list. They work by targeting only the people who are interested in your product or service, which means you have more control over who sees your ad.
Facebook lead generation ads can be used to build your contact list for new leads, but they’re also useful if you want to capture emails from previous customers and turn them into repeat buyers. For example, if someone bought something from you through an Amazon listing before, it would make sense to advertise on Facebook in order to get their attention again and sell them another product.
How Do They Work?
Facebook lead generation ads are just like any other Facebook ad, but with a few extra features. They’re designed to get people to subscribe to your email list and build a community around your business. They can be targeted to specific audiences based on their interests, demographic information and location.
They allow you to put all of your lead generation efforts in one place so that you can find new customers by targeting them specifically rather than hoping they see an ad on their News Feed or within the app itself (which is where most businesses still get the majority of their leads).
5 Ways to Use Facebook Lead Generation Ads
Facebook Lead Generation Ads are a great way to build your contact lists. If you don’t already have an audience, it can be difficult to grow your list and get new leads when you first start out. These tips will help you make the most of this feature:
1. Use a Clear Call to Action
The first thing to consider when creating a lead generation ad is what you want your audience to do after they’re done reading it. You want them to know exactly what they should do next, and have everything set up in advance so that once they click the ad, it’s easy for them to complete their desired action.
For example, if you’re advertising a free ebook about how to grow roses in your backyard, make sure the call-to-action button says “Download Now.” This makes it clear what will happen when someone clicks on the ad—and makes it easy for people who are interested in growing roses (but not interested enough yet) or haven’t thought of downloading ebooks before (or don’t know how). On the other hand:
If you’re advertising a course on building small businesses by using internet marketing techniques (like blogging), then maybe consider using something like “Learn More” instead? This way others can learn more about this specific topic without being distracted by all sorts of other things available online today!
2. Offer an Incentive
- Offer an incentive.
Giveaways are a great way to attract new leads, so you should offer one if at all possible. This can be as simple as offering a free consultation or educational session, or even giving away a freebie like a report or ebook. The more you give away, the better (within reason). Your goal is to build goodwill with your target audience and make them feel like they’re getting something valuable out of their involvement with your brand—and giving away something that takes time/money helps achieve this goal.
- Make sure there’s no cost for admission (or very little).
The last thing you want during this stage is for someone to pay for something once they’ve reached out to you via lead generation ads but have not yet purchased anything from your business yet. By offering some sort of incentive that’s either completely free or inexpensive enough (like $5), it will encourage people who really do want what you have on offer without putting off those who don’t care about it so much.
3. Make It Shareable
There are a few different ways to make your ad more shareable.
- Make it easy for people to share your ad. If someone is interested in sharing, they need only tap the “Share” button at the end of your video or text post. The more places you allow them to do so, the better.
- Make it clear what they will get out of sharing your ad. You don’t want them thinking they’re just being asked to pass around some video with no direct benefit for them (i.e., having their friends and family watch). Instead, be upfront about what information you’re providing and how many people it can reach—that way friends and family can see that there’s something in it for them too!
4. Show Off Your Expertise and Personality
When creating a Facebook lead generation ad, be sure to utilize the space you have available to you by using your most appealing photos and headlines. You want people to notice your ad and click on it out of curiosity. The best way to do this is by showing off your expertise and personality within the first few seconds of them seeing it! This can also be done with a catchy headline or clear CTA (call-to-action). Don’t forget that these elements need to be shareable so use social proof as well (such as testimonials).
5. Ask for Just Enough Information
You may be tempted to ask for information that you don’t actually need. However, if your form is too long, your customers will get frustrated and leave before they have a chance to provide the more critical information you need to build the relationship.
To keep things simple, ask for just enough information in order to start the conversation. Also avoid asking questions that are too personal or sensitive (such as “How old are you?” or “What’s your social security number?”). These can come across as pushy and could make people uncomfortable about responding at all. Instead of asking these types of questions, try asking what kinds of products or services they’re interested in learning about instead—this way there’s no pressure on the consumer to answer a difficult question if they don’t want to do so.
Finally, do not ask for unnecessary data points—they’ll just clutter up your form page and make it less appealing for potential customers looking around on Facebook ads!
Use Facebook lead generation ads to effectively build your email contact list, especially for your new leads.
Facebook lead generation ads are a great way to build your email list, especially for new leads.
Facebook is a great place to build your email list because it’s an easy place for people to find you and get in touch with you. With Facebook lead generation ads, you can send those people straight into your inbox. Better yet, they’ll already have some interest in what you have to offer them—which means more opportunities for conversions during the sales process.
Conclusion
We hope this guide has gone some way to helping you understand how Facebook Lead Generation Ads work and how you can use them to create an email contact list. We’re big fans of using this platform for lead generation, as it’s one of the most effective ways of reaching out to people with your message and getting them to take action. If you need any more help getting started on Facebook ads, then head over here where we have lots more information on creating successful ad campaigns!

Email Design Best Practices
Introduction
As an email marketer, you know that creating a good email campaign is more important than ever. With the rise of social media marketing and mobile devices, it’s crucial to send your emails in the right way so that they get read by your audience. In this post we’ll take a look at some best practices when designing your next email template:
Designing the Perfect Email Templates
In order to create a successful email campaign, you need to design templates that are easy to read, scan and understand. This can be challenging as you will have multiple elements in the same space. To help simplify this process for you, we’ve put together this checklist of things to keep in mind when creating your email template:
- Is the text easy-to-read? Are there any words or phrases that could be improved?
- Is there enough white space around each paragraph? Can it be broken up into sections more easily?
- Do links pop out at the reader so they clearly stand out from surrounding content (if applicable)?
- Does it look professional by using consistent fonts and spacing between paragraphs and columns? Are different levels of importance identifiable quickly (e.g., use bold or italics for important information).
Send eye-catching emails by following these tips.
Here’s how to send eye-catching emails by following these tips:
- Use images to draw attention to important points. Images are the most effective way to show something, whether it be a product or a graph. Make sure you’re using them in your email marketing campaigns. They can also be used as clickable links that direct people back to your website, but only if they’re relevant to the content of the email itself or its subject matter!
- Use images that are relevant to the content of the email and its subject matter. This will make it easier for readers who aren’t familiar with your business yet because everything will feel more relatable and less intimidating than usual when presented correctly – which is exactly what we’re looking for here today!
Use good typography and include any brand guidelines you may have.
- Use readable, legible fonts.
- Make sure they’re easy to read.
- Make sure they’re consistent with your brand’s aesthetic and overall design.
- Consider including font size options for people who are visually impaired or need the email to be larger for comfortable reading (don’t forget to make them distinguishable from each other).
Make sure your emails are responsive so they will display well on mobile devices.
Another email best practice is to make sure your emails are responsive so they will display well on mobile devices. This can be achieved using media queries, which act as a “condition” that changes the layout of your email based on the device it is being viewed on.
Create a color palette, or use the one that’s already established for your brand.
- Use colors that are appropriate for your audience. Your audience may be familiar with the color scheme of your brand, or they may not be. If you’re using bright, vivid colors in your email design, consider keeping it simple and easy to read by using fewer shades than you would use on a website or landing page.
- Don’t use too few or too many colors; stick to no more than three primary hues (and even fewer if possible). This helps keep the message clear and makes sure that each element stands out from the others—and doesn’t overpower them—so readers can focus on what matters most: what your message says!
- Use colors that are easy to read against white backgrounds so they don’t blend into one another while still looking professional and clean-cut. If a certain color has become associated with your brand over time but isn’t quite right anymore due to changing market trends (or seasonal changes), consider switching things up a bit without losing sight of why those associations were made in the first place! For example: red might seem like an obvious choice because it signifies passion; however purple has recently gained popularity among millennials when used together as complementary tones instead.”
Use white space to make your email design easy on the eyes, and don’t forget to use it in other ways, too.)
White space is a great way to make your email design look more professional. It can also help you organize your content and improve readability, making your emails easier for readers to digest.
Think of white space like a blank canvas: the more empty space you have, the easier it will be for people to focus on what they should pay attention to.
Don’t overwhelm people with huge images — keep them small or link to landing pages.
As much as you may want to, don’t only send images without text. While this can be a great way to get a good click-through rate, it is not the best way to engage your audience and keep them reading your content. Images should serve a purpose in the email or landing page they are included on—they should not be distracting or unnecessary!
Similarly, image sizes should be kept at a reasonable size so that they aren’t too big (and therefore take forever to load) or too small (and therefore hard to see). Make sure any images you include in an email have clear text explaining what’s happening in each one—this will help avoid users opening large images just so they can find out what it is really about!
In order to avoid spam filters, don’t send a lot of images without text.)
- Don’t send a lot of images without text.
- Don’t send images that are too large.
- Don’t use images with watermarks or logos.
- Don’t use images with a lot of text and links, as they can look like spam to email filters, which can prevent your email from reaching its intended recipient in the first place!

Your Demand Generation Guide
Introduction
Demand generation is a strategy that leverages the art and science of marketing to create interest in your product or service. Demand generation is most effective when it’s tied directly to your business goals, so you should start by defining those goals. When you know what you’re trying to achieve, the next step is finding your ideal target market — for example: bloggers, customers who have paid for similar products in the past or industry experts who might be willing to share their opinion about your product.
What Is Demand Generation Marketing?
Demand generation is a marketing strategy that focuses on creating demand for your product or service. It’s not just about driving traffic to your website, but also converting that traffic into leads and customers.
Because it’s a long-term strategy that requires patience and persistence, demand generation relies on a combination of marketing tactics—such as SEO, social media and content marketing—to reach potential buyers at every touchpoint in their buyer journey.
Why Is Demand Generation Important?
- People buy from people they know, like, and trust.
- Be sure to tell your story in a way that is consistent with your brand. If you’re a B2B company, it may be helpful to talk about your mission statement and values in your buyer persona descriptions. If you sell pet supplies online, show how easy it is for customers to order from you by showing them pictures of pets enjoying their products!
- You can also create demand by showing how your products or services can help people achieve their goals—and why those benefits are valuable for them (to show value).
How Do You Create Demand for Your Product?
To create demand for your product, you need to first create a compelling sales story. To do this, you’ll need to understand your buyer personas and create content that resonates with them. You’ll also want to build relationships with potential customers through content marketing.
Once you’ve done that, it’s time to develop your brand identity by aligning all of your marketing efforts around one message that resonates with your target audience. You can use social media channels like Facebook or Instagram as tools for building awareness about the benefits of using your product or service in the marketplace.
Identify Your Goal
First, it’s important to define the problem you are trying to solve. What is your company missing? Who do you want to reach, and what message do you want them to hear? This will help determine how much (or how little) effort goes into generating demand for your product or service. You’ll also need a clear idea of how success will be measured as well as a set goal in mind before moving forward.
Find Your Target Market
Now that you know what demand generation is, how to create it and its benefits, let’s jump into the process.
To start, you must identify your target market—the group of people who will be interested in buying your product or service. It might sound easy enough: just find the customers who want what you’re selling. But this isn’t as simple as it sounds; there are many types of customers and they all have different needs, pain points and desires. You need to take time understanding these different groups before figuring out which ones would benefit most from working with you.
You can begin by considering traits such as age, gender and location (where do they live?). Are there specific groups that generally don’t use your product but could potentially benefit from it? Are there unique opportunities for expansion within an existing customer base? Once these questions are answered, dig deeper into customer profiles based on personality traits like lifestyle choices (what do they like to eat?), hobbies (are they athletic) or political leanings (do they belong anywhere).
Optimize Your Content Creation Process
Optimize Your Content Creation Process
You’ll want to create a content strategy that will set the framework for all of your content creation. This strategy should include:
- What type of content you’ll be creating, both long-form and short-form
- How often you’ll create this type of content (ex: weekly)
- How many pieces will be in each piece of content (ex: 10)
- Who is responsible for creating this type of content (ex: marketing team)
The next step is distributing your newly created and optimized pieces across multiple channels. Without distribution, even if you have great messaging, people won’t see it! To distribute your optimized pieces, consider these tips:
Create an editorial calendar for yourself or team members so everyone knows what’s on deck for when. Create a checklist template so everything gets done at once instead of last minute scrambling around trying to figure out who did what or where something went wrong because someone forgot to do something important like send out an email blast announcing the new blog post they wrote about using demand generation techniques in B2B companies today’s climate with great success stories from real life customers just like yours now!
Build Relationships With Partners and Influencers
The key to building relationships with partners and influencers is to find people who are already successful in your industry, ask them for help, offer value in return, and then don’t be a pest.
- Asking someone to share your content or review your product is a great way to start a relationship with them. You’re showing them that they’re important enough for you to reach out personally and as long as they’re not being asked too often (say every week), most people will appreciate the gesture.
- Asking someone if they’d like to be interviewed is another way you can build relationships with potential partners. Not only will it show them how much you value their opinion (since nobody wants an interview) but it also gives both parties something unique: the person being interviewed gets exposure while the creator of content gets more insight into what makes their target audience tick; this knowledge should come in handy when planning future campaigns!
- If there’s someone whose platform would benefit from having one of your guests on theirs (e.g., an expert in customer service could provide insight about best practices), try asking if there’s any chance he/she would consider interviewing one of yours instead? This approach works especially well when asking about podcasts since many hosts prefer interviewing other experts rather than just talking about themselves all day long!
Use a Combination of Paid and Earned Media to Grow Your Traffic
Paid media is a great way to get in front of a large audience, but earned media is an excellent method for building trust.
If you want to grow your website traffic and convert potential leads into customers, consider using both paid and earned media to increase the number of people who see your content.
Track, Measure and Refine Everything You Do to Improve Results
Too often, companies have an “it’s-good-enough-for-now” attitude when it comes to tracking, measuring and refining their demand generation efforts. This is a big mistake — it can cost you valuable insights into what (if anything) worked well and what didn’t work at all.
If you’re not careful about tracking this data, you’ll never know how many people clicked on your ads or how many leads came in as a result of your campaigns. You won’t know if someone downloaded a whitepaper or visited a landing page but didn’t convert into a lead (and why). You won’t be able to see which content performed best in terms of social shares or time spent reading an article online. Without these metrics, it’s impossible to make improvements in your demand generation activities — and as we’ve already discussed: failing to improve will mean losing out on more revenue than simply investing in better technology for finding new customers!
It All Comes Down To Value
The most important thing you can do is to bring real value to your customers.
The only way that you’re going to make money is if you help your customers solve a problem or meet a need in their lives.
It’s all about making sure that you’re creating demand for something that actually delivers value and saves them time, money, or makes their life better in some way.
You have to be able to identify what kind of value you’re providing and then how much of it there will be before attempting anything else in the Demand Generation process.
The only way to create lasting demand is to provide real, long-term value.
To create lasting demand, you must provide real, long-term value. The best way to do that is to create a culture of customer service. By providing ongoing support and being transparent and honest with your customers, they will be more likely to buy from you again in the future.
You can also build demand by creating a great product or service that meets their needs—and then selling it! If your target audience is having trouble finding the products or services they need, then offer them something better than what’s currently available on the market.
Conclusion
In the end, it all comes down to value. Demand generation has become so complex that it’s easy for marketers to lose sight of what matters most—their customers and their products. But if you can keep this in mind as you work, you’ll be able to create demand that lasts.

Promotions to Start 2023 Off With a Bang
Introduction
The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to start fresh. It’s a chance to look back on what you’ve accomplished and move forward into something new. But if your marketing strategy has been stuck in neutral, it can be hard to know where to begin. Here are some ideas for how to kick off 2023 with a bang:
Send out a round of emails at the beginning of the new year.
- Send out a round of emails at the beginning of the new year.
- Make sure you have a good email marketing strategy in place, and use your email marketing to promote your new year promotions, offers and sales.
Reach out to your most loyal customers directly.
- Reach out to your most loyal customers directly.
- Set up a mailing list and send emails to it throughout the year with special offers, updates on new products, etc.
- Ask for feedback and suggestions from customers as often as possible! They care about how their money is spent and might have useful ideas for you that you hadn’t thought of before.
- Offer freebies in exchange for reviews on social media or customer testimonials if they’re willing to share them publicly (but don’t pressure people into doing so).
Create a video that gets people excited about the year ahead.
It’s time to get excited! Here are some tips for making a video that gets people excited about the year ahead:
- Keep it short and to the point. A short, concise video will be easier for your audience to watch than an hour-long one. Think of how many times you’ve gotten distracted while watching videos on Facebook or YouTube, only to come back later only to realize that you’ve missed half of what was being said. That won’t happen with yours!
- Use a catchy title. Think of something funny, cute or clever (like “2023: The Year It All Changes For You”). Your title should be fun and stand out from other videos so people will remember it when they’re scrolling through their feed and see yours pop up on their screen!
- Use a fun theme song or sound effects throughout the video itself in order to create interest throughout its duration – this helps keep viewers engaged longer than just text would do alone since audio clips can hold attention longer than written words do because they don’t require any effort from us cognitively speaking (you know how tiring reading sometimes can be!) Plus I’m pretty sure everyone loves music so why not make use of it here? 🙂
Launch a contest to make people feel like they’re really a part of something.
A contest is a great way to get people involved in your business and feel like they’re part of something bigger. Contests help you engage with your audience, collect contact information, collect data about your customers, and get people excited about your brand.
Here are some ideas for running a contest:
- Give away an incentive that’s relevant to the industry or product you’re promoting. For instance, if you sell shoes then give away sneakers; if you sell insurance then give away gift cards for spa treatments; if you sell sports equipment then send tickets to game day events.
- Make sure there are multiple ways for participants to enter so more people will participate (e-mail address submission vs text message submission vs Twitter post).
- Set up a landing page where participants can enter their information once they’ve submitted their original entry form so it gets them into the habit of visiting from day one!
Change your social media profile images to reflect the new year.
You’re already thinking about your social media strategy for the new year. Why not take a page from last year and make sure that you have a visual representation of your promotions, events, and products? Change your profile picture to reflect the new year. This can be as simple as changing the background of your profile picture or using an overlay with a hashtag or a slogan on it. If you want to get fancier, try using custom graphics made specifically for this purpose. It’ll cost more money but will also give you more bang for your buck!
Give the gift of gratitude.
As a business owner, your goal is to make more money. One way you can achieve this is by keeping customers happy and loyal. You can do this in many ways including offering discounts, providing excellent customer service and even giving away freebies or samples with purchase. However, another great way that businesses can show appreciation to their customers is by sending out thank you cards as part of promotional campaigns.
These cards are a thoughtful gesture that lets people know how much they mean to you and your company. They also give your business name some exposure when recipients pass them around or put them on display at home or at work. These types of promotions are often successful because they’re easy-to-implement yet effective at building brand awareness in a cost-effective way.”
It’s time to plan for 2023!
As you start 2023, it’s important to plan your goals. Planning is an essential part of being successful. Your goals can be big or small, but the important thing is that they are realistic and achievable. Then, when you get started with your plans and reach each milestone, it will make you feel proud of yourself for achieving your goal—and that will motivate you to keep going!
Conclusion
We can’t wait to see what you do in 2023! If this list of ideas has inspired you, we encourage you to share it with your peers and colleagues. Who knows? Maybe they’ll use these tactics too. Happy New Year!

SMS Marketing – What is it?
Introduction
If you’re a small business owner, an SMS marketing strategy can help you reach customers on their mobile phones in a personal way. Mobile phones have become the preferred method of communication for many people, and they’ve also made shopping easier than ever before. That’s why it’s important to use modern marketing tactics like text message marketing to connect with customers and grow your sales. In this article we’ll cover what SMS marketing is, how it works, and why businesses should consider using it to grow their customer base (and profits).
What is SMS Marketing?
SMS marketing is a form of direct communication with customers. It uses text messages (also known as Short Message Service, or SMS) to connect with your customers’ mobile phones.
The practice is also called mobile marketing or cell phone marketing and can be used by businesses of any size in almost any industry.
SMS Marketing Tools
SMS marketing tools are the software that enables you to send text messages. There are several different types of SMS marketing tools, including:
- Business SMS platform – This type of tool allows businesses to send out bulk SMS text messages to their customers. It can also be used for automated texting and customer service purposes.
- API integration platform – An API integration platform enables developers to build applications on top of an SMS messaging solution for businesses. For example, you could use this kind of tool if you wanted your website visitors to receive text message alerts from your website when new products were available or in-stock.
- Marketing automation platform – A marketing automation platform allows marketers and salespeople within an organization (such as a store) to automate tasks such as sending out bulk texts at certain times during the day or week, following up with prospects after initial contact has been made via phone call or email outreach efforts etcetera).
Text Message Integration with CRM Software
Integrating SMS with CRM software is a good idea for businesses looking to make their customer experience more seamless. By integrating your SMS number into your CRM, you can provide customers with a way to give feedback and reach out to you without having to leave their inboxes or call centers. And if this sounds like something that could be useful for your small business, here are some tips for getting started:
- Take advantage of tools that make it easier for you to integrate SMS messaging with other applications. Many SaaS-based CRMs offer integrations through third party services like Zapier or IFTTT that allow you to connect different platforms together automatically based on specific triggers. For example, if a new contact signs up in Salesforce but doesn’t have an email address listed in their profile—which would normally prevent them from receiving automated emails—you could use one of these tools as an alternative means of delivering those messages (such as by sending them via SMS).
- If there’s no CRM available yet but there are plans in place for future implementation within the next year or two, consider starting small by building an external database where all relevant information gets stored outside the platform itself until such time comes when integration becomes possible later down line when budget allows it.
Email Marketing vs. SMS Marketing
Email marketing is a great way to reach your audience, but it’s not as effective when it comes to getting customers to take action. SMS marketing is more effective because of the immediacy and personalization that come with an SMS message.
Automated Text Message Campaigns
SMS Marketing campaigns can be automated in many different ways.
- It’s cheaper than email marketing. Your messages are delivered straight to the phones of your clients, so you don’t need to pay for expensive software or infrastructure for sending them (like email servers).
- It allows you to reach people via multimedia channels such as SMS and voice calls. You can send text messages with images, videos or audio files attached; this way you can market products in a personalized manner that increases customer engagement and retention rates significantly
The Pros and Cons of SMS Marketing
While there are a number of benefits to using SMS marketing, the biggest downside is that it can be expensive. A standard text message costs an average of $0.20 per message, so depending on how often you send messages and how many people opt-in to receiving them, your monthly bill may end up being hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Another potential con is that not everyone has a smartphone with text messaging capabilities. In fact, according to Pew Research Center, only 71% of Americans own smartphones (that number drops even lower among older adults), meaning that there’s still a significant portion of your audience who will never receive your messages unless they sign up for them explicitly.
The final major drawback to SMS marketing is that because most people use their smartphones as their primary source of communication—and because every business has its own approach—it’s difficult for marketers to test different messages without sending out multiple texts over time and potentially making some customers annoyed by repeated solicitations from different companies.
SMS marketing creates a direct connection between your brand and your customers through text messages. Instead of emails going to an inbox where they can be easily overlooked, your message will be delivered straight to the mobile phones of your customers — where they’re already communicating and interacting with friends.
Text messages are a great way to reach customers while they’re on-the-go because most people check their phone every 15 minutes or so. You can use text messaging for many things like:
- Introducing yourself or introducing new products or services
- Reminding existing customers about an upcoming event (like engaging them in a sweepstakes)
- Promoting deals that are only available for short periods of time
Receiving an SMS from you is likely going to generate more interest than receiving an email from you because it feels more personal, especially if you add a personal touch by including images or videos.
Conclusion
We hope this guide has helped you understand how SMS marketing works and why it can be a valuable tool for your small business. If you’re ready to get started, we recommend looking at our comparison of some of the best SMS marketing platforms on the market today.

What Is Word of Mouth Marketing? Why is it so effective?
Introduction
Word of mouth (WOM) marketing is one of the most effective ways to get people talking about your brand, product, or service. It’s inexpensive, effective at generating sales and leads, and it builds trust among potential customers. But what exactly is word-of-mouth marketing? How does it work for companies? And how can you incorporate WOM strategies into your company’s plan? We’ll cover all that here!
What Is Word of Mouth Marketing?
Word of mouth marketing is a form of advertising that relies on personal recommendations from friends and family. It’s the most trusted form of marketing, according to Nielsen research, and it has been shown to be the most effective way to reach consumers. Word of mouth works because people trust it more than any other type of advertising—and with good reason: It’s true!
Word of mouth is also often referred to as “earned media” because it comes from other people rather than paid ads or direct mailings. That means word-of-mouth marketing costs less than traditional forms of advertising (such as TV commercials) but still allows you to reach large numbers of potential customers at once—a powerful combination for small businesses like yours!
How Does Word of Mouth Marketing Work for Companies?
Some companies use WOMM strategies by engaging in influencer marketing, where they pay celebrities or popular bloggers to promote their brand in exchange for some kind of compensation, like money or free products. This strategy has become more popular as more people buy into the idea that “social proof” can influence their purchasing decisions—when one person recommends something highly rated by others, we are more likely to trust it ourselves.
How to Incorporate Word of Mouth Marketing Strategies into a Business Plan
In order to get the word out about your business and start a conversation, you’ll need to create an effective marketing plan. Start by making a list of all the things you want your company to accomplish. Then, prioritize these goals based on which are most important for your company’s success.
Once it’s clear what needs to be done in order for your business to grow and succeed, it will be easier for you (or anyone else) to create specific strategies that will help achieve those goals. For instance, if building brand awareness is one of the first things on this list of priorities, then consider how social media might be used as part of this effort. Or maybe incorporating word-of-mouth marketing into existing advertising campaigns would be best suited for accomplishing this goal instead?
Types of WOM Marketing Methods
There are several types of word of mouth marketing, including:
- In-person recommendations
- Testimonials
- Product reviews
These forms of word of mouth marketing work because they make it easy for consumers to share information they’ve received or observed firsthand with other people. As long as the person recommending something is believable, trustworthy and respected in your industry, he or she will have an impact on what others think about your product or service.
How to Create a Word-of-Mouth Marketing Campaign — Step by Step Overview
Word of mouth can be a powerful marketing tool, but if you don’t know where to start or how to execute your strategy, it’s easy to get lost in the weeds. Here are the basic steps you need to take when creating a word-of-mouth marketing campaign:
- Define Your Target Audience
- Create Relevant Content for Your Audience
- Use Social Media and Other Marketing Channels To Reach Your Audience
- Create A Call To Action That Will Make People Want To Talk About Your Content (This Is Where We Come In)
- Analyze Results And Make Adjustments As Needed
What Are the Benefits of Word-of-Mouth Marketing for Companies?
The Benefits Of Word-Of-Mouth Marketing For Companies
- Word-of-mouth marketing is relatively inexpensive and therefore should be incorporated into your marketing strategy as part of your overall plan. This type of marketing works best when it’s done organically, so you don’t have to spend too much money on making it happen—just word about it from customers will do the trick! Plus, if you get any press coverage or social media mentions that are positive, those are free adds for free advertising!
- Word-of-mouth marketing allows companies to reach a wider audience than they could through traditional advertising alone. For instance, if someone tells their friend about how much they love their favorite brand or product and then recommends them (by name), there’s no way an advertisement could compete with that kind of endorsement from someone else who has real experience using said product or service before making up their own mind about whether or not something actually makes sense for them personally too–not only does this mean more sales but also better quality control over what goes out there publicly because now customers know exactly where specifically their recommendations came from rather than just guessing based on vague descriptions like “it’s good!”
How to Measure the Effectiveness of a Referral Marketing Strategy
If you want to measure the effectiveness of your referral marketing strategy, use a tracking tool to monitor the number of referrals and conversions. You’ll need to track each of these metrics independently so that you can determine the average cost per conversion and average cost per referral.
- Track the number of referrals: A good way to do this is by using a form on your website that can be filled out by anyone who has received a recommendation from one of your customers or employees. Also, if there are specific methods for obtaining referrals (such as surveys or contests), make sure they are being tracked in addition to any other type of activity that could lead up to making a sale; this will help elevate sales numbers after all these efforts have been made!
Word-of-mouth marketing is effective and inexpensive, so it should be incorporated into your marketing strategy.
A survey conducted by Nielsen revealed that 93% of consumers trust word of mouth more than any other form of advertising. Why? Consumers tend to believe recommendations from friends, family members and colleagues over traditional advertisements.
Here are several reasons why you should consider using word-of-mouth marketing:
- It’s free. With no upfront costs, you don’t have to spend money on expensive advertising campaigns or pay for expensive billboards or magazine ads that may not even work in the end anyway (more on this later). Word-of-mouth marketing can help you get started right away without having to wait until you have enough money saved up. You can also use social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter to build an online presence that will attract new customers while also helping current ones spread positive reviews about your business with their friends and family members—and all at no cost!
- It works really well (and fast). The results from Nielsen’s study show how powerful word-of-mouth recommendations can be for building brand awareness among consumers; however, what might surprise some people is how quickly those same consumers respond after hearing about something through someone else’s recommendation rather than through traditional forms of advertising such as radio commercials or newspaper ads.”
Conclusion
Word-of-mouth marketing is an easy way to build trust with your customers. It can be done in many ways and on varying platforms, making it a versatile tool that you’ll want to incorporate into your strategies.

February Holidays and Newsletter Ideas 2023
February is a great time to celebrate the end of winter and all the fun holidays that come with it. We’re going to cover some of our favorite February holidays, and then I’ll show you how you can use them in your newsletter copy!
February 2, Groundhog Day
On this day, you can find out if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow and whether winter will end soon.
If he does not see his shadow, it means that there will be six more weeks of winter. If he does see it, however, springtime will come early!
In addition to the weather predictions, Groundhog Day is also a time for fun and reflection—so make some time for yourself on February 2nd!
February 14, Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is a great day to show your love to your family and friends. It’s also a good time to show your love to your community. And, it’s a good time to show yourself some love as well.
Valentine’s Day is an excellent opportunity for us all to reflect upon the most important relationships in our lives, those with our loved ones, whether romantic or not.”
February 18, Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year
Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in China. It’s celebrated over a 15-day period, and is often referred to as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year. During this time, family members gather together in celebration. The main activities are gift giving and drinking special tea called “gung hay fat choy” (literally meaning “Congratulations on your prosperity”).
There are also traditional foods eaten during Chinese New Year celebrations such as dumplings, noodles and sweets made from glutinous rice flour rolled into balls with bean paste inside or wrapped around sugary fillings like mung beans paste or red bean paste. You may want to include some of these traditional dishes in your newsletter recipes section!
February 19, National Love Your Pet Day
This day is a great opportunity to show your pet how much you love them by giving them lots of hugs and kisses—and maybe even some treats!
Of course, it’s not just about the gift of affection. Pets add years to our lives by providing companionship and joy every day. That’s why it’s important to choose a pet that fits into your lifestyle—not just today, but in 10 years or 20! The right fit will make all the difference when it comes to enjoying life with someone who cares deeply about you. If you know someone looking for a new four-legged friend, consider sharing this article with them so they can learn more about choosing the right kind of pet for their family.”
February 20, Presidents’ Day and Random Acts of Kindness Week
- Presidents’ Day: This is a holiday that celebrates all of the presidents who have been in office. We can think of it as a day to celebrate all the hard work they’ve done, and say thanks to them for serving our country.
- Random Acts of Kindness Week: This is a week where we try to do kind things for others without expecting anything in return. We should also focus on showing love to ourselves by doing nice things for ourselves as well!
February 28, Leap Year!
February 28 is Leap Day and it comes around every four years! It’s called Leap Year because of how the calendar system works – there are 365 days in a year, but every four years we add an extra day to February 29th. This was first introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as part of his reforms to the Gregorian calendar, which replaced the Julian calendar which had been used for over 800 years.
The leap year is named after Lupercus, the Roman god of agriculture, who was believed to be born on February 22nd. The Romans believed that Lupercus gave fertility to livestock and crops during this time of year.
This might mean we’re all going to have nine lives this month!
There are a lot of fun and interesting holidays that you can turn into content.
Remember, your subscribers aren’t going to be interested in all of these holidays. But they are going to care about at least one or two of them because they have a personal connection with it. So choose wisely!

Our top holiday tips for making your Facebook business page shine!
If you have a Facebook business page, you know how important it is to keep up with new posts. This year, why not give your page a holiday makeover? Check out our top tips for making your Facebook business page shine!
Change Your Cover Photo
- Change Your Cover Photo
Your cover photo is the first thing people see when they visit your Facebook Page, so it’s a great place to give your business a holiday makeover. Consider using an image that shows off your business in a fun or festive way during the holidays. You can use any kind of picture — from one of your staff holding up their favorite Christmas sweater, to an outdoor shot of your storefront when it’s snowy outside, to something silly with Santa Claus—but keep these guidelines in mind:
- The photo should be seasonal but not overly festive. An image with Santa Claus smoking a cigar while drinking eggnog would probably be too much for some audiences; instead opt for something more subtle like text overlayed onto the image (like “Merry Christmas! We’re open 24/7 until New Year’s Day” or “We have extended hours starting now through December 31st).
- The picture should be high resolution and clear enough that users can easily see all details without zooming in very far (this will help increase engagement). A blurry photo looks cheap and unprofessional; don’t skimp on quality just because you’re posting digitally!
Change Your Profile Picture
First, change your profile picture to a holiday-themed picture. It’s a simple yet effective way to give your Facebook business page a fresh look for the holidays. Your profile photo should be relevant to who you are and what you do: for example, if you’re in retail or selling food, use the holiday as an opportunity to show off your best products with seasonal packaging; if you’re in real estate or construction services, show off an image of your company headquarters decked out with Christmas lights; and so on.
You can also get creative! If you sell online courses, perhaps take a photograph of all of them stacked up on your desk like presents under the tree—or maybe create an infographic depicting all the different courses available this season (we have some great examples here). Just make sure that whatever content you share is right for both yourself and for your audience—otherwise it won’t work as well at driving engagement and sales!
Start a Discussion on Your Page
The holidays are a great time to celebrate and engage with your fans. Use this opportunity to find out what they’re interested in and get their feedback on your products, services or brand.
Here are some ideas for Facebook holiday-themed content:
- Start a discussion about how people celebrate the holidays. You can ask questions such as “What’s your favorite holiday tradition?” or “How do you decorate your home during the holidays?” Then, share photos of different types of decorations that people might have seen while traveling over the past few weeks (or years). This will help you generate a lot more engagement than if you simply posted pictures without any context.
- Ask customers what they’re looking forward to buying this season. Many retailers post wish lists from customers who are interested in getting specific things like clothing or gadgets—and who wouldn’t want their name at the top of one? It’s also a good idea for businesses that sell big ticket items (like cars) by posting these lists publicly so new followers can see them right away when they join up!
- Engage with other brands using hashtags related specifically towards their niche market categories such as #WineOClock
Add a Holiday Video to Your Page
- Make sure the video is relevant to your business.
- Make sure the video is engaging and entertaining.
- Make sure that it’s short and sweet (no more than 30 seconds).
- Make sure the quality of your video is high enough so that it doesn’t look like you filmed it with a potato chip bag over your phone (or whatever was available at the time).
- Ensure that your video can be viewed on mobile devices by testing before publishing, because some platforms will automatically prevent videos from playing if they don’t meet certain specifications.
Update Your Call-to-Action Button
- Make sure your call-to-action button is visible.
Your CTA should be in a place where it can be easily found and seen. You don’t want to have to scroll down or hunt around for it, so make sure you place it at the top of your page.
- Make sure the button is easy to click on. Your CTA should also be designed in such a way that makes it easy for users to click on it when they’re ready to take action. This means using a link instead of text (links are more likely to stand out), making sure you have enough space between the button and its surrounding elements so that users won’t accidentally click elsewhere first, and making sure there isn’t anything else competing with your call-to-action (like ads).
- Make sure your call-to-action is enticing enough! A well thought out CTA can increase conversion rates by 80% or more—so don’t underestimate how important this part of Facebook advertising can be! In addition, having an enticing call-to-action will help set expectations about what people will get if they do choose this option.”
Promote Your Holiday Sales and Specials in an Event
Facebook events are a great way to get people back to your business page. They can be used for any occasion, but they’re especially helpful during the holiday season when you want to remind customers about special sales or promotions.
To create an event in Facebook, click on the “Events” tab at the top of your page and click “Create an Event”. You’ll then be prompted with a form where you can enter information such as: Date & Time of the event; Location (address); Description/Focus (for example: “Come join us for our annual Christmas party.”); Invite list (your friends list). Be sure to fill out all of these boxes thoroughly because they’re important for both creating an event and inviting others to attend it! Once completed, click Publish at the bottom right corner of your screen so that everyone can see it on their News Feeds! Make sure that when people RSVP yes or no through Facebook Messenger that they also add themselves directly into your guest list so they’re not left out while also giving yourself peace-of-mind by knowing exactly how many people will be attending before arrival time rolls around 🙂

Instagram Holiday Ideas
The holidays are a great time of year to use Instagram to promote your brand and connect with your audience. By creating Instagram content that includes holiday-themed ideas, you can get people excited about the season—and maybe even get some repeat customers!
Here’s what you need for an awesome InstaHolidays campaign.
Holiday content ideas
Holiday content ideas:
- Checklists. Create a holiday checklist that your followers can fill out and share with their friends. This will help you see what your audience is looking for from you, and encourage them to share your post with others.
- Gift guides. If you have products that are related to the holidays, create a gift guide full of ideas for everyone on your list—or just yourself! Your followers will love seeing all of the things you recommend or would like to buy for themselves (and so will their friends).
- Giveaway ideas. Create an online giveaway where fans can enter by sharing posts about their favorite holiday traditions, or by posting pictures of themselves posing with a product from your store/website/whatever other related area fits into this category (you should probably include some kind of prize if possible). This is one way we’ve seen bloggers build up their audience quickly—and even more importantly, it’s fun!
Make holiday checklists
The holidays are a great time to make your Instagram account feel like a personal diary, but they can also be an opportunity to share information with others. If you’re planning something special over the next few months, now is the time to create lists of tasks that will help make your holiday season go smoothly. Your followers will appreciate having this tip from you, and it will give them something more interesting than just photos of presents or parties to look forward to.
Your checklist might include things like “buy gifts for friends and family,” “make Christmas cookies,” or even “clean out closets in preparation for the new year.” Share this list with your followers by posting an image containing only text—no images should appear on screen during creation or sharing! They’ll love knowing what’s going on behind-the-scenes at your house so much that they may even want their own customized versions made up specifically for them (just remember: always ask permission before publishing someone else’s content). You could even ask others what type of checklists they’d find helpful during holiday time periods—this way everyone wins!
Share gift guides
You can also use your gift guide to highlight your business! The most important thing is that you include links to purchase the items in the guide — even if someone isn’t planning on buying a gift right away, they may come back later and make a purchase. If you don’t have any products of your own yet, it’s still worthwhile to do some research and create an honest list of recommendations with links so people know where they can get their hands on them.
You’ll want to lay out the information in a clear way: write down everything that comes into play when making decisions about what gifts are best for others (price point, shipping costs, etc.). This will help keep things organized and easy for readers who want to make purchases themselves. Remember: these guides aren’t just meant for giving ideas; they also serve as advertisements for other businesses’ products or services!
Giveaway ideas
Giveaways are a great way to grow your Instagram following. If you’re hosting a giveaway, be sure to post about it in advance so people know they have the chance to win something. You can also use an app like Wishpond to run an easy giveaway that anyone can enter.
The prize: The best prize is something related directly to your brand and business that people will actually want. Try offering discounts, free products or services, gift cards, and more!
How do I run a giveaway? Follow these steps:
- Create an account on Wishpond (or another app like Rafflecopter) if necessary
- Add photos of your product or service as entries (you can upload them from Instagram)
- Choose the number of winners/how many times one person can enter (ideally 1 winner!)
- Write up some short rules for entering/prizing/etc., then share it with all your followers!
Host an Instagram Live segment
Hosting an Instagram Live segment is a great way to engage with your audience. You can use it to show customers how to use a product or service, answer questions from followers, or promote new products and services.
To get started, create an Instagram Live post and set the date and time in advance so that you’re ready when you go live. Then simply open the app at your scheduled time (be sure to have Wi-Fi available), tap “Start Live Video,” choose who can see the stream (everyone, friends only), enter some optional information about yourself for people who don’t follow you yet (your location or where you work), and start filming!
Share holiday how-to tips and tricks.
If you’re a crafty person, Instagram is a great place to share your DIY holiday tips and tricks. Taking on a new project? Snap it and tag the brand of materials you used (if they’re not already tagged). If you have kids, create an “instagram only” account for them so that everyone can enjoy their creations. It’s also fun to see what other people have done with the same materials!
What about hosting? Share your recipes and cooking tips with followers by posting photos of holiday food they can make at home. Let them know if it’s easy to put together or if there are any special ingredients involved in making it look so festive! If hosting parties isn’t your thing then maybe consider giving tips for traveling during the holidays…or whether there are any good deals on last-minute shopping before Christmas Day arrives!
Countdown to the holidays
You can use the hashtag #CountdownToTheHolidays to show your followers that you’re getting ready for Christmas and they should start getting excited, too!
You can also use the hashtag #HolidayCountdown, since this is a great way to get people excited about the holidays. You can even add a photo of your Elf on the Shelf or something else festive in your caption if it applies.
If you want something more specific than just an overall countdown or holiday excitement post, you could use:
Caption ideas
- Don’t just tell people what to do.
- Don’t just tell people what to buy.
- Don’t just tell people what to think.
- Don’t just tell people what to feel.
- Don’t just tell people what to wear.
Share a funny story about the holidays.
Share a funny story about the holidays.
- For example, you can share a funny memory of Christmas past with the caption: “When I was younger, I thought my parents had bought me an Xbox 360 because they were feeling bad for me.”
- Or you can share a comical holiday joke with your followers: “Why did Santa Claus bring all those gifts on Christmas Eve? Because he couldn’t find his reindeer!”
Share your favorite holiday memory.
This is an easy one. You can share a story about your favorite holiday memory, or you can share a story about your least favorite holiday memory. You could also tell us why you love the holidays, or why they drive you crazy (or both).
Ask your audience a question.
Using questions in your post is a great way to engage with your audience. They’re easy to answer, and if done correctly, they can help you drive home a message or promote an idea or product.
- Ask questions that are easy to answer. The best questions are those that people can easily respond to on Instagram itself, such as “What do you want for Christmas?” or “Who’s getting this gift?” They’re also good if they can be answered in a comment or reply (i.e., “I’ll send it tomorrow!”), because this lets users stay within the app instead of leaving it altogether—which means more time spent with their friends and less time spent scrolling through unrelated posts from strangers who don’t care about them!
- Make sure the question relates closely enough to what you’re offering or selling so people will want to buy it off of them
Start with a joke, riddle, or trivia.
You could start with a joke, riddle or trivia. We’re sure your followers will appreciate it and love it!
Whether you are posting photos of the season or just want to spread some holiday cheer, take some time to consider how you can make each post special for your audience.
Takeaway
- Takeaway: Remember to include hashtags, post consistently, and use a variety of content types.
- How you can implement this strategy: Instagram is a visual platform, so make sure you’re posting high-quality photos that are unique and engaging. Also remember to have a call to action for your followers!
Conclusion
Hopefully, this has given you some ideas for how to use Instagram to share your holiday spirit with the world. Remember that it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive—all you need is a little creativity, some holiday cheer and good old-fashioned fun! With these tips at hand, we guarantee that your holiday season will be the best one yet.
