About MelanieDiehl

You’ve planned your event and are ready to take that all-important next step: promoting it! Promoting your event is essential to attract potential attendees and increase visibility for your business or organization. Let’s look at some cost-effective ways to effectively promote your events: Add an event calendar to your website. It can be as easy as embedding a Google calendar, or it can be something “fancy” like a WordPress plugin. I use the Events Calendar plugin for my website and it works like a charm. Promote your events in your email campaigns and on social media. You can link to your signup form from your emails, and you can create events on Facebook, Instagram, and even LinkedIn. Note: if you can put some funds into your promotion budget, Facebook ads create a wide net and advertises your event to a larger audience. If you have a Constant Contact account, create a Facebook or Instagram ad through the Social tool Add your events to your Google Business Profile. Using the Add Update function, you can include all the details, images, and a registration link. The best part is Google Business Profile is free to use! Let’s hear from others. How do you promote your events on a small budget? ... View more

Many small business owners are hesitant to develop a marketing plan from the get-go because they fear it will “break the bank.” Not necessarily! Here’s my top 3 favorite free and/or low-cost marketing options that you can put into practice to increase both awareness and growth for your business.   Digital Marketing. This one is obvious, but not to be overlooked! Websites are critical and reasonably affordable: domain names cost as little as $12/year and hosting can start around $10/month. Email marketing, the King of ROI, is the 2nd most valuable tool in your toolkit, and it’s super affordable, starting around $13/month. And of course there’s organic social media which incurs a different investment: your time. Referral/Rewards Programs. Let’s face it: you work hard for your customers. And you want to keep them coming back for more. From bounce-back offers to birthday deals to referral rewards, there’s no better way to nurture your existing clients and customers. Not all rewards need to be monetary! They can absolutely be service-based. Here’s an example. My client Laura needed a new website, which we happily built. Almost immediately after the launch of her site, she referred me to another business owner who needed a website. To reward Laura, we increased her posting frequency by 25% for the next 3 months. SuperFans aka Brand Ambassadors. You know these people. The ones who “like” everything you post on social media, even though they’ve never done business with you. Engage them. Go out of your way to thank them (a simple text or DM can do the trick!). When you’ve got something BIG you need help spreading the word with, reach out and let them know how much you appreciate them sharing your message. It’s the best kind of word-of-mouth marketing.   With these creative and cost-effective strategies, you can nurture customer loyalty, amplify your brand message, and watch your small business thrive.     Let's talk! What has your small business or organization to promote yourselves with a small budget? ... View more

Welcome to the Community Coach Insights series, where our esteemed Constant Contact Community Coaches share their expertise to empower your marketing endeavors. In this series, we delve into the diverse array of tools and strategies available through Constant Contact integrations, curated by our seasoned Coaches with decades of experience. Join us as we explore the power of video marketing, visual design, and e-commerce strategies, all enhanced by seamless integrations, to help you achieve your marketing goals with confidence.   Melanie Diehl is the founder of Melanie & Co Marketing Collective. We believe that in the small business world, marketing solutions are NOT a one-size-fits-all. We understand and appreciate the ability to create customized solutions to fit YOUR needs. Our services include full-service social media and email marketing, and coaching/training for the do-it-yourself marketer. Learn more at https://www.melaniediehl.com.    Canva has taken the small business world by storm. As an easy-to-use design tool, nearly anyone can create compelling images and designs without the need for advanced training or complex apps.     You’ve heard it said, "A picture is worth a thousand words.” Did you know that incorporating imagery into your email campaigns can actually improve your conversion rate by helping your readers make split-second decisions?   Enter the Constant Contact Canva integration: making it easier than ever to embed original designs into your newsletters or promotions. After completing your Canva design, simply share using the integration and the image will populate your Constant Contact library with just a couple of mouse clicks.   If you use Canva to create graphics, you can easily connect your account to Constant Contact to create and insert images directly into your emails created with the Cross Device Editor, Custom Landing Pages, Survey Pages, and Social Posts. You can create a new graphic and insert it or insert an existing graphic from your Canva folders. Learn how to insert Canva images into your next campaign.    We hope you've found this installment of Community Coach Insights valuable, offering actionable strategies to elevate your marketing efforts. Stay tuned for more insights from our Coaches as they continue to explore innovative ways to leverage Constant Contact and its integrations. Remember, your success is our priority, and with the guidance of our Coaches, you're well-equipped to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing. Until next time, happy marketing! ... View more