About Abigail_S

You're either team TikTok or a TikTok hater. The only in-between are the people who watch Instagram Reels and catch up with the latest trends from TikTok. Whether you love it or hate it, you have to admit, TikTok is a great way to get short form content out there, gain the views, and reach a plethora of people fast.    In the era of doom scrolling, viewers are spending a lot of time on TikTok (more time than we care to admit). Virtual home tours have become all the rage when it comes to social media marketing for real estate. So if you're not on the bandwagon yet, what's stopping you?        So what, exactly, is TikTok?  The greatest addiction there ever was! I'm only half joking. I did, however, have to set a time limit on my phone for how long I can use the app for because you truly get sucked in. Hint: I set it for 2 hours, which seems like A LOT of time...but trust me, it's not nearly enough when you get into scrolling and learning new topics.    Understanding how TikTok works and using it effectively shows your clients that you’re one step ahead of your competition. With TikTok, you have the power to give your clients valuable information without spending hours generating the content.   Averaging around 1 billion monthly users, TikTok is described by its developers as “the leading destination for short-form mobile video.” TikTok is considered the most engaging social media platform due to the amount of time people spend on it. An average TikTok session lasts around 10.82 minutes.   Why is using this app a good idea for you? As a realtor, you may find yourself wondering what you have to contribute to a platform used mainly by millennials and Gen Z looking to kill time. You may be surprised to learn that some real estate agents have reported huge success after using TikTok, with one agent claiming to have received hundreds of inquiries for a single listing through the platform.    Millennials and Gen Z are quick to hit the "share" button and expand the reach of your videos. It's also quite easy to get sucked into the rabbit hole of visualizing a life in these homes for these generations who are simply trying to get their head above water long enough to move out of their parent's basement. I won't mention the economy, but *cough* *cough* it's rough out here.    As a social media platform, TikTok is unique in that users go there looking to engage with content from all sorts of people, not just their friends. It may be easier for your content to gain traction on TikTok and easier for content to go viral than other social media platform.    The default page for users is the “for you” page (FYP), which displays content based on a user’s previous engagement with the site. Because TikTok’s algorithm always looks for new content to show users, people may find your videos promoted in their feeds, especially if you can get your tagging right and create engaging real estate content.    While TikTok can be used for organic lead generation, it can also be monetized in its own right, generating a secondary income source for your agency.    What are some practical ways to use TikTok? The key to using TikTok successfully is to create short-form video content that engages users in some way. Some ideas include:  Real estate tips and tricks Property tours Information about prepping a house to be sold Do’s and don’ts in the industry FAQs It’s also encouraged to let your personality shine through in your videos. As you generate leads, you want to give people an idea of who they’ll be working with if they reach out to you. So tap into your creativity and let yourself shine! You're the expert, so once you hit record, let your knowledge and passion shine through.    What are the top tips for using TikTok?  As with any social media platform, there are best practices you need to know when you’re first getting started. Here are the four top tips to get you get off and running:    1. Follow trends. Be careful because trends on TikTok change from day-to-day. You want to hop on the trends fast and utilize them in creative ways that fit your "brand."  2. Use both organic posts and ads. It all starts with creating!  3. Have a consistent posting schedule. It's recommended to post at least 1 video a day. Start with one and then once you get more comfortable dive into 3 times a day and see how that helps. Adjust as needed.  4. Use hashtags to reach your audience. Hashtags, in my opinion, are a huge help in making your videos appear on viewers FYP. Get creative, while also showing what your video entails #realestate #condo #housetour   Let the scrolling begin! The great thing about using TikTok is there’s almost no barrier to entry. As long as you have a smartphone and information to impart to your audience, you can start an account that focuses on real estate (if you want).    No one is of course forcing you to make a TikTok account, but I would love to see what you come up with for content. I think you all have a lot of tricks up your sleeve and would know exactly how to utilize TikTok as an aid for marketing strategy. If you have an account, share your username below. Feel free to also share any success you've had from making content on TikTok.    And if you haven't pulled the trigger yet, what's stopping you?  ... View more

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about how to capture more clients through online content is monthly newsletters sent directly to their inboxes, staying active on your blogs, and curating your social media channels. You all are the experts, so I want to hear from you! What are some ways you get more clients and keep them engaged through your various forms of content?      ... View more

Drip campaigns allow you to gain instant credibility with leads, identify your hot ones, and stay top-of-mind with those who are not ready to take action. Email drip campaigns are a set of automated marketing emails that get sent out when a contact sets off a trigger. So, what are some ways you optimize your drip campaigns?    If you've never set up a drip campaign or need some inspiration, check out this blog resource and share your thoughts below!  ... View more

Whether you're a planner or a procrastinator, get ready to kickstart your year-end fundraising plans! Join us for a free, one-hour webinar detailing a blueprint for your fundraising goals and ensure your success. You want in? Check out the details here!    ... View more

Connection, drive, and determination are just some of the factors that keep non-profits alive. Let's focus on connection for this post. Have you connected with any of your local organizations and collaborated with them to lead a successful event? Has a conversation sparked opportunity to team up and conjoin efforts?    Let's share below any of your successful collaborations!  ... View more

Whether you run an online store out of your living room, have a store in the center of town, or manage several stores across the country, you're trying to find new customers, sell your products, grow your list, and build customer loyalty. Constant Contact can help you do it all:   Email designed for success   When creating your email, start off by using the search bar at the top of the template picker to find the templates that are specifically designed for retail. They are all fully customizable and mobile-responsive! Once you like the style of your email, use it to create a master template and save yourself some time creating your next email. Be sure to use a preheader with your optimized subject line to give your contacts a good reason to open your email.  These suggestions to make a great-looking email will help you use color, image placement, font choice, and personalization to get your contacts to read through your email. Deciding how to present your material can get tricky, but our Elements of an Engaging Email will give you an example that you can follow along with when you start putting your email together. Finally, these Email Design Tips can be downloaded so you can keep them on hand to remind you of the features that are available to keep your contacts interested and engaged with you and your content.   What do I talk about in my email?   It might feel tough at first coming up with ideas for email content, but there is always something to talk about! Have new items come in? Are you offering a new service? Let your contact list know in short, direct, and fun text blocks. You don't have to only talk about what's going on within your four walls. Are you offering your services to an awesome nonprofit? Tell your story! Did you see a cool article that you know will resonate with your contacts? Share the link to it in your email and on your social media accounts. Make sure to use your social media pages to their fullest by sharing your email in a social post.   If you need some inspiration to get going, check out some of these, organized by industry.     Selling Specials and Everyday Items   Add a button where your customers can buy something right from your email.  Using emojis in your subject line can be fun, but only if it's appropriate for your audience. Images in your email will help tell your story and get your customers engaged. You're probably already taking beauty shots of your products, make sure upload them to your Library to use them in your emails. The Constant Contact mobile app can help you get your emails sent when you're out and about. Available for iOS and Android. If you use Shopify, connect it to your Constant Contact account with our Shopify integration. Then you can create targeted emails for the types of Shopify customers you have.   Building Customer Loyalty   Let your customers know that you care about them and appreciate their patronage.   Greeting tags or contact details - add personal contact information right into the email. Welcome email - makes a great first impression. Recurring birthday email  - an opportunity to say thank you for being a customer (and maybe include a coupon to use during their birthday month).  Survey - get direct customer feedback to find out what your customers like or what they want. When using a survey, you can include a link to your survey in an email or send a dedicated Survey Invitation email to kick it off. ... View more

This episode is a little different! Kelsi Carter, the team’s brand production coordinator, puts our very own Dave Charest, director of small business success at Constant Contact, in the hot seat for a change! Tune in to hear Dave share his unique journey, from his experiences with theater (and a short-lived but not forgotten time as a bass player) to marketing and his passion for helping small businesses succeed.    👉 Are you a Constant Contact customer with a burning marketing question? Go here for a chance to have your question featured in an upcoming episode.   Resources: Constant Contact New Customer Hub Small Business Hub Constant Contact Blog New Marketer Experienced Marketer If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions. ... View more

Want to dive down a rabbit hole of information and feel empowered as a marketer? Well- good news! We launched a new Learn section in our top navigation for you to always have resources right at your fingertips. We encourage you to use this section as a way to expand your knowledge, try something new, and ask questions. We hope you find value and we encourage you to get out of your comfort zone. Don’t worry, we’re here for you every step of the way.      So what kind of resources are available?  Community Blog: This is a space for you to check out marketing advice, tips, and tricks. You can learn right from our Constant Contact experts who just so happen to love to respond to comments on their posts!     Contact Management & List Growth: Your contact list is one of your business’ most valuable assets. It's how you stay top of mind with customers, build relationships, and drive more sales. This section allows you to discover new ways to look at your contact list and understand how to manage, maintain, and grow your audience.   Broaden Your Marketing Mix: You may love email marketing, but not use event marketing or SMS because you don’t know where to start. Well, let’s broaden your horizons and teach you how you can market using other marketing techniques!    Learn how to use: SMS Event Social Media marketing   Getting Started with SMS: Learn how to optimize SMS and uplevel your marketing. If you’re looking to increase your marketing reach, and engage your contacts in more than one channel, consider SMS in your next marketing campaign!    TL;DR   In summary, we have included a new section in the community dedicated to improving your marketing skills. ... View more

As small business owners, you are the greatest contenders to play around with different digital marketing strategies and see which ones work best for you! This way, you can learn new strategies to reach new customers, build your brand, create customer loyalty, and ultimately increase your conversion rates.    Here are some helpful strategist to get the ball rolling on all things digital marketing:    Search engine optimization (SEO) This helps drive traffic to your website and allows search engines to rank your website higher in search results like Google. Social media marketing: This can help your businesses reach new audiences quickly, open direct communication with customers, and allow you to get creative! Email marketing: This is Constant Contact’s holy grail, but emails help build brand loyalty once you've established your audience. Automation tools: These tools can boost productivity and conversion rates for tasks like email marketing, social media management, and content publishing. This also allows you to get some time back as you can schedule ahead of time and leaves you with more hours in a day! If you're new to the small business world, check out our onboarding hub to learn some helpful tips and tricks to get you off and running.  ... View more

How can you amplify your marketing plan? Start by looking at what’s worked in the past.   Rich Cruz consults for Greater Chicago Consulting, Inc., a prominent management consulting firm in the Midwest. He helps his clients improve their performance by conducting job analysis, training, and development.   “It's a people-first approach. Get to know the person that you're going after and create those personas based on that,” Rich says. “What would your ideal customer look like? What's their communication style? Where are they hanging out? What do they like?”   For Rich’s clients, he ensures their email list has integrity, meaning customers have really opted in. From there, it’s all a matter of analyzing what works and replicating those results.    On this episode of the Constant Contact podcast, Be a Marketer, Rich and hosts Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, and Kelsi Carter, Brand Production Coordinator at Constant Contact, share the marketing strategies that have worked well for him over the years.   👉 Need a Constant Contact Certified Partner to help you out? Check out this directory to find a partner near you.   👉 Are you with an agency that frequently provides Constant Contact as a solution? Learn how to become a Certified Partner here and unlock exclusive benefits.    Additional Resources: Constant Contact Professional Services, including template design services The Ultimate Guide to Constant Contact Integrations Using Constant Contact SEO tools Create and activate an event in ​​Constant Contact   Meet Today’s Guest: Rich Cruz with Greater Chicago Consulting ☕ What he does: Rich is a consultant helping companies improve their marketing strategy. He looks at historical data, Google Analytics, and customer demographics to figure out how to best promote products. He uses Constant Contact for email marketing and SMS campaigns.    💡 Key quote: “The [email] list is critical. That’s what drives a lot of our commerce. We just get a lot of direct hits from the email. People look forward to it, and boom, they go right into it. We've also segmented out to like some of our best customers, and some people who haven't bought it for a while and try to regenerate sales from them.”   👋 Where to find him: Website | LinkedIn If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions. ... View more