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It’s hard out there for brick-and-mortar businesses. Just ask Charlotte Walsh, the owner of running shoe store Charles River Running, who competes against her vendors for market share.    But her store in Norwood, Massachusetts, offers customers what her direct-to-consumer competitors can’t: a place where new athletes can buy their first running shoes, friendly help finding comfortable footwear for people with active jobs, and a connection point for runners of all stripes to join weekly runs around the neighborhood.    Charlotte, a Marine Corps veteran and a runner since age 13, started Charles River Running in 2012. She’d always dreamed of starting her own business, and though she’s had hits and misses along the way, being a business owner brings her joy. “I didn’t realize how much I was going to love my customers,” she says.    Charlotte is proud to be part of Norwood’s vibrant downtown. She attributes her success to the community she’s built within her customer base, and Constant Contact is her tool of choice for engaging that community.    On this episode of Be A Marketer, Charlotte and host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, discuss customers, community, and finding your competitive advantage.    Meet Today’s Guest: Charlotte Walsh of Charles River Running   ☕ What she does: Charlotte is the owner of Charles River Running, a full-service running and walking shoe store in Norwood, Massachusetts. A Marine Corps veteran with an MBA, Charlotte opened the store in 2012 to provide shoes, accessories, and anything active people need to pursue their goals.    💡 Key quote: “I just want to build a community of people who feel that Charles River Running is a place they can walk into even if they’re a mailman and they’re on their feet all day, or they’re a walker or a lapsed runner. I needed to build a space where people felt super comfortable and not intimidated.”    👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn   👋 Where to find Charles River Running: Website | Instagram | Facebook If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions. ... View more

If you're looking for ways to build community around your business, consider running an event. It’s a great way to connect with customers, other businesses, and community members.   As Jesus Flores, a product manager at Constant Contact focusing on the Events tool, tells us, an event doesn’t have to be a massive production like a concert or gala. He encourages business owners to start small, try things out, and focus on the purpose.    “As an organization, you have this purpose that you're aiming to serve or this need that you're aiming to fill,” he says. “How can you bring some of that to consumers in more of a way than just selling your products or your services?”   This is where events fit in nicely, allowing you to humanize your business and bring people together.   On this episode of the Be a Marketer Podcast, host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, talks to Jesus about how Constant Contact can help you execute the three stages of an event. They also discuss how to attract customers to your events and keep them coming back and what updates Constant Contact customers can expect to the Events tool in the near future.   👉 Webinar: Event Marketing Strategies for Building Lasting Connections 👉Create and Activate an event with Constant Contact’s Events Tool   Meet Today’s Guest: Jesus Flores   ☕ What he does: Jesus Flores is a product manager with Constant Contact who focuses on the Events tool. He works directly with customers to better understand their unique challenges and use cases regarding events.   💡 Key quote: “I think events are often looked at as something that only specific types of businesses might be able to leverage. The truth is that events are really a way to get engaged with your community and bring them into your business model.”   👋 Where to find him: LinkedIn   👋 Where to find Constant Contact: Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions. ... View more

How to Create, Promote, and Manage Your Events in Constant Contact   Are you ready to create and manage your events in your account?   In this free, one-hour webinar, you’ll see a live demonstration of how to set up, promote, and manage your event. Plus, we’ll show you tips and strategies along the way that will make your events more successful.   More specifically, you’ll learn: Plan for success and create the event in your account Promote your event for higher registrations and attendance Manage your registrants and attendees, and use your analytics to improve future events   Plus, get your questions answered live by a Constant Contact marketing expert.   September Session: Register Now! September 25 3:00 pm ET   October Sessions: Register Now! October 10 11:00 am ET October 31 1:00 pm ET     NOTE: Unable to attend? Please register anyway to receive a recording to watch at your convenience. ... View more

Welcome to the Nonprofit Group! We’re glad you could join us.   The work of nonprofit organizations is tireless in the pursuit of their cause.    This group is for you and your peers to share, support, and commiserate with each other. In that spirit, let’s get started by introducing yourself.   What’s your name? Tell us a little bit about your nonprofit. What’s your favorite part of running a nonprofit?   I’m excited to meet and learn more about each of you! ... View more

It’s important for nonprofits to get their message out. A decisive and compelling campaign can make all the difference. I’ve compiled a list of just a few resources nonprofits can review to boost their outreach strategies:   Understanding Goals of a Nonprofit Organization: A How-To Guide   10 Exciting Nonprofit Ideas That Are In-Need Right Now   Nonprofit Call to Action Examples for Fundraising, Volunteers, and More   11 Nonprofit Newsletter Ideas to Engage Your Readers   Social Media for Nonprofits: A Comprehensive Guide   How to Use SMS for Nonprofits   Craving more? Check out the Constant Contact Blog for more resources and best practices for nonprofits!   Have you tried any of the recommendations in these articles? If so, let us know in the comments! ... View more

Nonprofits provide essential services to those in need and Constant Contact wants to provide essential tools and features that benefit their mission. Check out our curated selection of Knowledge Base articles below:    Average industry rates for email as of July 2023 Average open, click, and bounce rates of Constant Contact customers by industry.   Nonprofit discount and sales tax exemption information Save money by submitting your tax exemption information and applying for the nonprofit prepay discount.   Nonprofit and tax exemption documentation requirements Submit the documents required to prove nonprofit and/or tax exempt status.   Collect donations through an email Insert a "Donate" button into an email that links to a Donation Landing Page, then send it to share it with your contacts.   Customize the Donation Landing Page Add your content and branding, sync your WePay account, and select the list you want to add your donors to.   Running a donation campaign start to finish with Constant Contact Send a series of emails about your fundraising campaign to keep contacts engaged.   Create standout marketing emails for the holiday shopping and giving season Design email campaigns to promote sales and events for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday.   Donation engagement reporting Check your progress, view donor information, and export donation engagement reports while viewing the details for your email   Have you used our donation features? Let us know what you think below! ... View more

  Topic: Online Marketing Success: Your Guide to Planning, Reviewing, and Executing Date: Thursday, September 28th Time: 2:00 - 3:00pm EST   The key to growth for your business or nonprofit lies in attracting, engaging, and nurturing your audience.   Whether you're taking your first steps into online marketing, seeking validation of existing strategies, or hunting for proven ideas to ensure success, having a solid foundation and plan will propel you forward.   In this free webinar, our experts will show you how to: Plan and set practical, real-world goals Review your marketing tools and approach Execute with simple actions you can take to boost your productivity   About our speakers: Stephanie French is a Senior Producer of webinars at Constant Contact and is on a mission to help small businesses achieve their goals through educational content and webinars. With more than 13 years of experience in digital marketing, she spends most of her days planning and executing some of “the best webinars” on digital marketing.   David Fischer, founder of Solutions for Growth, has been a key Certified Solution Provider of Constant Contact for over 10 years. David is your go-to expert for all things email marketing, small business growth and is an engaging speaker.   NOTE: If you are unable to attend, please register anyway. We’ll send you a free webinar recording, which you can watch on your own time.   Register Today! ... View more

  It’s important to review your marketing efforts and see what has worked and what hasn’t; then, focus your energy on the tactics and tools that will save you time on growing and maintaining your business.   We have some ideas on what might help turbocharge your growth:   Save time: The AI Content Writer and Automation tools will help save you valuable time so you can focus on other parts of your business. Get connected: Connect your Constant Contact account to your eCommerce storefront so you can utilize features such as abandoned cart reminders to get back to the top of the inbox.   Use data: Review the engagement reports from your past campaigns to identify what is working and help inform potential new marketing strategies. What key practices have you used to identify what marketing methods work best for your business? Have you maintained growth as you improve your marketing? Let us know and chat with other small businesses to see how others have turbocharged their marketing!   Please note: You have to be logged in to comment and reply to others. ... View more

  Small business marketers all have one thing in common: they’re looking for fast ways to supercharge their business growth. While there are no magic spells for instant success, there are definitely effective ways to expedite your marketing efforts and drive rapid growth.    Download Turbocharge Your Marketing Growth and learn some ideas and strategies to help you pave the way to faster execution and business growth.       ... View more

  Customers want to feel valued and appreciated. If you are committed to providing a positive and engaging experience that goes beyond your core product, it will differentiate you from your competitors. Here are a few tactics we recommend that will help you stay top of mind and build loyalty with your audience:   Personalize your content: If your content speaks directly to the customer, they will feel cared for. Tools such as list segmentation, AI content writing, and automation can help with your messaging. Provide timely content: Leverage your expertise and try to complement your product or organization by sharing information that is relevant to your customers so they know to come to you first for anything else they might need. Broaden your marketing mix: Utilize a variety of channels to communicate with your customers. This will help you understand where your marketing efforts are most receptive and make it easier for your customers to stay in touch with you.   I would love to hear from you about your own tactics to stay top of mind! What channels do you use to communicate with your customers? What has worked well for you? Or, what challenges have you faced?   Please note: You have to be logged in to comment and reply to others. ... View more

  Mastering the art of marketing automation can be a game-changer for your business’s growth. By utilizing automation, you can streamline your marketing efforts, save time, and connect with your audience in a more personalized, meaningful way.    Download Creating Your First Automations and use these worksheets to guide you through the process of planning the three most common, must-have automations. ... View more

  As you push towards achieving your end-of-year goals, making your business stand out and connecting with audiences may seem like a constant uphill battle. But that’s an everyday battle that you have to win in order to grow your business!   So what can you do to stand out and bring your brand and messaging above all the noise? Constant Contact offers helpful tools to communicate your message via email, social, and text, but the real power comes from the tools you can use to capture the information of new audience members who are interested in what you have to say. Tools like sign up forms, landing pages, and even text-to-join are all great ways to attract and capture a new audience across multiple different marketing channels. So tell us, what campaigns are you currently running to attract new customers and contacts for your business? Share your tactics below and chat with other businesses about how to improve your marketing for the better!   Please note: You have to be logged in to comment and reply to others. ... View more

    Get the most value out of your email marketing efforts with a healthy and well-maintained email list.    Download the Ultimate Checklist for Email List Growth to get some practical and effective actions items you can take to grow your email list and engage your audience.   ... View more

  It feels like I’m always saying, “the holiday season is right around the corner” and yet, it’s always true. When it comes to marketing, online or otherwise, there is no busier season and as an online marketer, you want to provide valuable messaging to your audience to keep them engaged.   Of course, Constant Contact offers a variety of tools and features to help you create the best campaign you can shake a stick at. Have you given our AI Content Generator a spin yet? It might just help take some of the pressure off trying to figure out the right thing to say!   If you’re hesitant to schedule the email campaign to your audience because you’re just not sure if it’s ready, fear not! We encourage you to share the email template here so you can get targeted feedback from our knowledgeable support team and from other Community users!   How to share a permanent URL for an Email Campaign?    You’ll have to schedule and send the email to yourself first, but once it is in sent status you can follow the instructions here. If you decide to make any changes or feel ready to send to your contacts, you can make a copy of the sent campaign.   How to share a screenshot of your Email Campaign?   After you’ve taken a screenshot of your campaign, you can reply to this article (make sure you are logged in and click the "Comment" button) and insert the image in your response.   You can insert images from your computer (this uploads the image to your gallery), from your image gallery (if the image has been approved), or from another location on the web. To insert an image in a post: Start a new post. Click Insert Image. Choose an image source location. Follow the on-screen instructions   We look forward to seeing your awesome work! ... View more

  The holidays are a blissful, beautiful time but for small businesses and nonprofits, it’s also a crucial time to engage with your audience to have a successful season.   If you’ve been down this road before, you’ve probably built up an arsenal of tips and tricks to create a successful holiday season. Of course, we have some of our own thoughts on what might help add some holiday cheer to your best laid plans, but I think the best tips deserve to be shared and we would love to hear yours!   Drop us some nuggets of wisdom below or if you’re coming up blank, don’t hesitate to ask for ideas!   Please note: You have to log in to comment and reply to others. ... View more

    No matter where you are in your marketing journey, building a solid online marketing foundation requires three main actions: reviewing your current status, creating a plan to reach your goals, and executing your plan. Following these three main actions paves the way to online marketing success.   Download the Foundations for Online Marketing Success PDF guide and start your marketing plan today!       ... View more

Julia Gachenback and Darryl Moser from DonorPerfect, are here to share their best email marketing tips for end-of-year fundraising. On this episode of Be a Marketer, Julia, Darryl, and host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, discuss how often you should communicate, common mistakes you don't want to make, and how technology can save you time. 👉 Webinar: How to Run Goal-Based Fundraising Campaigns 👉 Webinar: How to Master Nonprofit Event Planning and Promotion 👉 Find out more about DonorPerfect's integration with Constant Contact 👉 Tutorial: Using the Constant Contact Marketing Calendar   Meet Today’s Guests: Julia Gackenbach and Darryl Moser of DonorPerfect   ☕ What they do: Julia spent 10 years in the nonprofit space before joining DonorPerfect as the communications manager. The CRM system provided everything she needed it to do as a nonprofit employee: relationship management, gift management, anticipation of things she needed to do, reporting, and communications.    Darryl is the Product Manager in charge of Partnerships at DonorPerfect. Darryl uses his software development skills and expertise to help nonprofits get the job done.   👋 Where to find Julia: LinkedIn   👋 Where to find Darryl: LinkedIn   👋 Where to find DonorPerfect: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram ... View more