Community Roundup is a monthly roundup of some of the notable articles and user activity in the last month.   Welcome to our monthly "What You May Have Missed" roundup! In this post, I’ll highlight some of the top articles and posts that you might have missed on the Constant Contact Community in the last month. Whether you're a small business owner, nonprofit professional, or marketing enthusiast, we've got valuable insights and discussions to share. So, let's dive in and catch up on the latest happenings!   Community Blog: Customer Spotlight: Rapido Trains  Navigating 2025: Key Insights from the Latest Small Business Now Report  Hints & Tips Newsletter: March 2025  Post Smarter, Grow Faster with Social Media Management    Constant Tips: Constant Tips: Get feedback from your audience  Constant Tips: Leverage the Audience Growth Center   On-Demand Webinars: Q&A: Revamp Your Email Marketing Using Metrics and Reporting    Questions & Discussions (Marked Solved) Bounced emails, etc.  Edit Email in automation path  delete a text box in a newsletter    Be A Marketer Podcast Building a Sustainable Independent Brokerage with Ian Hoover  Using LinkedIn to Grow Your Business with Lea Turner  Building a Real Estate Powerhouse with Anthony Lamacchia  Changing Your Behavior to Build a Stronger Business with Carissa Reiniger  Your Real Estate Marketing Playbook: Recap with Stephanie, Dave, and Kelsi  Power of Personalized Email Marketing with Marc Newberry and Jasmin Bollman  How to Make Marketing Work for You with Lorraine Ball    I hope you found these articles and posts informative and valuable! Check back next month for more great shenanigans on the Community! Stay tuned for exciting updates, discussions, and valuable insights. Happy reading and happy marketing! ... View more

Selling a business wasn’t part of Lorraine Ball’s original plan. But after nearly two decades of running her marketing agency, Roundpeg, she knew it was time for a change. Rather than walking away entirely, Lorraine kept the pieces she loved — her podcast, “More Than a Few Words”, and her consulting work — while selling the rest. “The day you start [your business], you need to think about your exit,” she says on Be A Marketer. “You want to build a business that someone will want to buy.” On this episode of Be A Marketer, host Dave Charest sits down with Lorraine to explore the key lessons she's learned along the way. She shares why answering customer questions is one of the most effective ways to improve marketing, how business owners should plan for their exit strategy from day one, and why automation is essential for filtering and prioritizing leads.   As a longtime Constant Contact Partner, Lorraine also dives into how marketing automation and email segmentation have helped her streamline her efforts, engage her audience more effectively, and deliver personalized experiences that drive results.   Additional Resources:   Email Marketing Automation Software Click Segmentation Feature Constant Contact Integrations Constant Contact Partner Programs   Meet Today's Guest: Lorraine Ball of More Than a Few Words   ☕ What she does: Lorraine is a marketing strategist, Constant Contact Partner, and host of the More Than a Few Words podcast. After nearly two decades running her agency, Roundpeg, she transitioned into consulting, helping businesses refine their marketing strategies and improve their results.   💡 Key quote: "When you get people from different kinds of ways that they find you, and you dump all of them into one email list, and you send them all the same email every single week, you're going to watch your open rates fall, you're going to watch your engagement fall, you're going to see a lot of unsubscribes. When you start tying different people based on how they come to you to different campaigns, and you start sending them information that is relevant to what they're looking for, it has a level of personalization. It feels more like you're talking to them. People love that.”   👋 Where to find her: X, formerly known as Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram   👋 Where to find More Than a Few Words: Website | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Amazon | Pandora | Podbean If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions. ... View more

Running a successful marketing campaign doesn't require a massive team or unlimited resources. Sometimes, it just takes a small, dedicated group that knows how to connect with people on a personal level. That's exactly what Marc Newberry and Jasmin Bollman have accomplished at Genumark, Canada's leader in custom-branded merchandise and apparel. With a marketing team of just four people, they've mastered the art of personalized communication while expanding into the US market. "Having those emails coming from the account managers rather than the info@Genumark email is definitely the best half an hour I spend in my marketing week or month," Marc explains, highlighting a simple yet effective strategy that dramatically improves their engagement rates. By personalizing each email to come from the client's specific account manager, they achieve better open rates and direct client-representative communication. On this episode of Be a Marketer, Marc and Jasmin join host Dave Charest to reveal how their small marketing team achieves big results through authentic communication. They discuss their recent rebranding process, how they maintain a consistent brand voice, and why personalization is crucial for cutting through inbox clutter. Tune in to discover their 30-minute email marketing hack, how they organize their marketing calendar around a monthly newsletter, and practical tips for humanizing your business communications to build stronger customer relationships. Additional Resources:   Create a New Email Contact Understanding Contact Segmentation Create a Sign-up Landing Page Create More Personalized Emails   Meet Today’s Guests: Marc Newberry and Jasmin Bollman of Genumark  Marc Newberry 🎨 Who he is: Marc is the Creative Director at Genumark, Canada's leader in custom-branded merchandise and apparel. He's been with this family-owned business for 14 years, starting as an account manager before moving into creative roles. Marc helps lead their small four-person marketing team, creating content for their expansion into the US market and supporting their certified B Corporation status. 💡 Key quote: "It's definitely consistency in timing, content and visuals is definitely key to kind of making the email marketing work as well as it can. I think that's something that we've got better at recently and it's definitely the biggest piece of advice I would give to others." 👋 Where to find Marc: LinkedIn Jasmin Bollman   🎨 Who she is: Jasmin is the Marketing Manager at Genumark. She joined the company as a freelancer after working in the tech industry and running her marketing consultancy. Attracted by Genumark's creative environment, she transitioned to a full-time role about a year ago. Jasmin handles all the written content for the company, from email campaigns to social media copy. 💡 Key quote: "I've always been a big proponent of — the way you talk online should be the way that you talk to somebody face to face, just like you're speaking with a friend. Because authenticity is what's going to make people connect with you." 👋 Where to find Jasmin: LinkedIn   👋 Where to find Genumark: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions. ... View more

 Every Tuesday we'll share tips, tricks, and insights on using Constant Contact and online marketing   Have you checked out the new Audience Growth Center page in your account? The growth center is designed to help you expand your contact list and engage more effectively with your audience.   Benefits of the Audience Growth Center   Enhanced Contact List Growth: The Audience Growth Center provides a variety of tools and strategies to help you grow your contact list more efficiently. This includes features like sign-up forms, social media integration, and email campaigns tailored for audience growth. User-Friendly Interface: The page is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, making it simple for users to access and utilize the various growth tools. Comprehensive Analytics: You can track the performance of your growth campaigns with detailed analytics, allowing you to see what works and make data-driven decisions to optimize your efforts. Integration with Other Features: The Audience Growth Center seamlessly integrates with other Constant Contact features, such as email marketing and event management, ensuring a cohesive and effective marketing strategy.   Where to Find the Audience Growth Center   To access the Audience Growth Center, log in to your Constant Contact account and navigate to the main dashboard. From there, click on Contacts in the top navigation and then click on Growth center in the drop-down menu. Or, click the button below:   Visit the Growth Center  By leveraging the Audience Growth Center, you can enhance your marketing efforts and build a stronger, more engaged contact list. Make sure to read our Knowledge Base article to learn more. ... View more

In this final episode of Be A Marketer - Real Estate edition, hosts Dave Charest, Stephanie Alfonso, and co-host Kelsi Carter, recap key lessons from their six-episode deep dive into marketing strategies for real estate professionals. But these insights aren’t just for real estate, business owners across industries can apply these takeaways to their own marketing efforts.   From the power of education-based marketing to leveraging AI and automation, Dave, Stephanie, and Kelsi reflect on the most impactful advice shared by expert guests, including Marki Lemons Rhyal, Christine George, Verl Workman, Ian Hoover, and Anthony Lamacchia.   They discuss: ✔️ Why giving away knowledge builds trust and authority ✔️ The importance of owning your niche and branding with intention ✔️ How to delegate effectively to scale your business ✔️ The role of culture in team-building and retention ✔️ Why embracing AI and automation is crucial for modern marketing   Whether you're in real estate or another industry, this episode provides actionable marketing strategies to help you grow your business with confidence. Additional Resources:   AI-Powered Marketing Tools for Small Businesses How to Build an Effective Email List Content Marketing Strategies That Drive Engagement   Meet Today's Hosts: Dave Charest, Stephanie Alfonso, & Kelsi Carter of Constant Contact   🎤 What Dave does: Dave is the Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, He helps small business owners understand and utilize online marketing. Dave co-hosts the Be A Marketer podcast, offering practical advice and inspirational stories.   💡 Key quote: “Not everything you do is going to work. Not everything you do is going to be ‘the right thing to do’. And I think that's the mentality that you really need to come at this with — marketing as a whole is a learning experience.”   👋 Where to find him: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram   👋 Where to find Constant Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | X, formerly known as Twitter | Pinterest   🚀 What Stephanie does: She is the Senior Director of Vertical Innovation at Constant Contact.   💡 Key quote: “People do business with people they like, they know, and they trust. So we need to be intentional about getting people to like, know, and trust us."   👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn   👋 Where to find Constant Contact: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube   🎤 What Kelsi does: Kelsi is the Brand Production Coordinator at Constant Contact and co-host of the Be A Marketer podcast. She loves being deeply involved with projects, especially working with different types of creatives. 💡 Key quote: "It's really the trial and error, but also just looking at your data and then improving and enhancing so that it matches."   👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn   👋 Where to find Constant Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | X | Pinterest   If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions. ... View more

Running a business that lets customers choose what they pay might sound like a recipe for failure. But for Carissa Reiniger, Founder and CEO of Silver Lining, it's part of a 20-year mission to change the global economy one small business at a time. Using her background in psychology, Carissa used behavioral change to build a company that helps small businesses set and hit financial goals. Her SLAP (Silver Lining Action Plan) platform serves tens of thousands of businesses in 77 countries, focusing on giving entrepreneurs the structure and support they need to succeed. "I would estimate that on average, when small businesses come to SLAP, they are wasting — and I’m using that word very intentionally — about 80% of their time and 80% of their money. They are misusing it," Carissa reveals during her conversation on the Be a Marketer podcast. "  I don't mean they're cheating, I mean that they're spending it on things that are not helping them grow their business." What has worked for Silver Lining so far? On this episode, Carissa and host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, explore the challenges of the "Cash Flow Capacity Catch 22" and how business owners can break free from it. Tune in to discover why focusing exclusively on the highest-priority activities matters and how building a business on your terms leads to both financial success and meaningful impact.   Additional Resources:   Tips for Building a Solid Content Marketing Strategy Email Marketing Conversion Rate: Enhance Your Campaigns for Better ROI Using The Customer Journey Map to Personalize Email Marketing Personalize and Connect: Customer Relationship Marketing   Meet Today's Guest: Carissa Reiniger of Silver Lining 👩‍💼 Who she is: Carissa Reiniger is the founder and CEO of Silver Lining, a company she started in 2005 with a mission to change the global economy, one small business at a time. With a background in psychology, she created a SaaS platform based on behavior change science that helps small businesses set and hit financial goals. Her company offers a "pay what you can" model and has worked with thousands of businesses in 77 countries. 💡 Key quote: "I think people are looking for these magical, mystical answers. And the reality is it's very specific to each small business and their ideal client."   👋 Where to find her: Website | X, formerly known as Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram    👋 Where to find Silver Lining: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions. ... View more

  Navigating social media can be quite complex, especially for small businesses. The amount of content and the need to constantly engage with your audience can be challenging. Finding the right balance between posting frequently and not overwhelming your audience is crucial. Each platform has its own rules, like character limits and what types of content work best, which can add to the complexity.   Creating engaging content is another big challenge. It can be tough to consistently produce content that really resonates with your audience and stands out in a crowded social media landscape, which can lead to a lack of engagement.   Measuring the effectiveness of your social media efforts is also a common hurdle. Without clear metrics and analytics, it's tough to know what's working and what needs to be adjusted. For example, you might be posting regularly but still see low engagement, which could be due to posting at the wrong times, using the wrong types of content, or not interacting enough with your audience.   Centralize Your Social Media Management   If you operate on multiple social media platforms, then you can’t spend all of your time jumping from one to the other just to share the latest promotion or communicate with your followers.   Centralizing your social media management can significantly streamline your marketing efforts and enhance your overall presence. By using a single platform to manage all your social media accounts, you can save time and reduce the risk of errors. This approach allows you to plan, schedule, and publish posts across multiple platforms from one dashboard, ensuring consistent branding and messaging. It also makes it easier to monitor the performance of your content and analyze metrics, allowing you to adjust your strategy based on real-time data.   Try Constant Contact’s Social Post Tool     To address these issues, you can use Constant Contact’s Social Post tool. Social Post makes it easy to balance social media with your other marketing efforts by putting everything you need in one place.   Cross-Platform Posting: Create one post and share it across multiple platforms, or create individual posts tailored to each platform. Advanced Scheduling: Schedule a series of posts in advance using the Campaign Calendar view to ensure consistent and timely updates. Engagement Tracking/Campaign Reporting: Access detailed analytics to track the performance of your social media campaigns, including impressions, reach, and engagement metrics. View engagement activity with your Facebook and Instagram posts, including likes, comments, and shares. Track LinkedIn activity, as well. Comment Management: View and respond to comments directly from the Constant Contact platform, enhancing audience interaction. AI-Driven Content Generation: Use the AI Content Generator to create compelling captions with options for different tones and styles. Optimized Visual Content: Ensure images and videos are optimized for each platform, with specific guidelines for optimal sizes and formats. Short Video: Upload and share short-form videos right from your Constant Contact account. Post Editing and Rescheduling: Easily edit draft or scheduled posts, and unschedule posts that are set to publish at a future date.   If you're not sure what to post, share your email on your social channels! Or, better yet– let AI tailor your message for Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. AI can generate a summary of your email to use as the caption for social posts, but it won't automatically create a social post from the email itself. Social shares of an email will still include an image preview and a link to the full email.   Video content on social media gets shared 12 times more than text and images combined. Plus, viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in video versus 10% when read in text.   These features are all about making your social media management smoother and more effective, so your content really connects with your audience.   Are you already using Constant Contact’s social post features in your marketing efforts? What strategies have worked for you? Let us know in the comments! ... View more

Anthony Lamacchia learned the power of aggressive marketing at a young age while working with his father in construction. One postcard would bring in dozens of calls and thousands in deposits. When he entered real estate in 2004, he brought that bold marketing mindset but quickly discovered that different businesses require different approaches. Through trial and error, Anthony found unique selling propositions that helped him build Lamacchia Realty into a powerhouse brokerage across New England and South Florida. "When you educate, you attract," Anthony says on this episode of Be A Marketer. This philosophy has helped him build an audience of nearly 100,000 realtors across the country and establish himself as a thought leader in the industry. In this conversation with hosts Dave Charest and Stephanie Alfonso, Anthony shares his marketing journey and the principles that drive his success. Learn how to identify marketing "veins" worth pursuing, why consistency builds top-of-mind awareness, and when to pivot your strategy when a vein dries up. Tune in to discover why education-based content works so well, how to segment your audience effectively, and why boldness in marketing separates successful businesses from the competition.   Additional Resources:   Create Targeted Segments of Your Email List Email Sign-Up Tools to Help You Grow Your List and Your Business Grab Attention with These Subject Line Best Practices   Meet Today’s Guest: Anthony Lamacchia of Lamacchia Realty 🏠 What he does: Anthony Lamacchia is the founder of Lamacchia Realty, a real estate brokerage that helps buyers and sellers across New England and South Florida. He also owns Crush It in Real Estate, a training company for real estate professionals in North America. Last year, his company sold 4,764 homes, 882 rentals, and 182 vacation rentals. 💡 Key quote: "Be bold. You got to be bold, and you have to do it consistently [...] It's a constant effort to educate, and it's a mix. When you educate, you attract, but when you mix the education with offerings, that's how you make things happen."   👋 Where to find him: X, formerly known as Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook   👋 Where to find  Lamacchia Realty: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube   If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions. ... View more

  We know running a small business these days can feel unpredictable. Between the ever-changing economic landscape, the ups and downs of customer trends, and the constant need to adapt, it’s a lot to juggle. But guess what? You’re not alone, and you're definitely not just surviving – you're figuring it out and thriving!   We recently released our latest Small Business Now Report: Growth in Motion, and we wanted to share some key takeaways that could really help you as we move through 2025. This report dives into how recently founded businesses (those less than five-years-old) across Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US are navigating today's challenges and preparing for the future. We surveyed over 1,600 of these “new SMBs” and here’s what we found.   Optimism with a Dose of Reality   It's no surprise that entrepreneurs are a hopeful bunch! Most of you got into this to be your own boss, find better work-life balance, or pursue your financial dreams. And despite the bumps in the road, most of you said you'd do it all over again. That's amazing!   But there’s also a strong sense of realism. Nearly half of you believe your business will grow this year, but over half are also feeling a bit uncertain due to external factors like economic and political shifts. It's a mix of “Let’s do this!” and “Let’s be smart about this.”    For example, Canadian SMBs are particularly concerned about economic factors, while UK businesses felt starting up was tough. In Australia and New Zealand, there's a strong current of innovation and excitement about new tech.    It’s a global picture with regional nuances, but the common thread is resilience.   Beyond the Social Media Bubble   Click to download the report.We all know social media is a go-to starting point, right? It's where you build your initial buzz. And 63% of new SMBs are using it as their main marketing channel. But here’s the thing: relying solely on social media isn’t enough anymore.    Algorithms change, ad costs fluctuate, and organic reach can be unpredictable. Many of you are realizing that diversifying your marketing is key.   A whopping 33% of you see email marketing as underutilized, and only 15% are using SMS/text marketing, even though it has the highest engagement rates!    The big takeaway here? Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Balance your social media with owned channels like email. This lets you speak directly to your customers and build lasting relationships.   Tech and AI: Your Secret Weapon   Technology is no longer a “nice-to-have” – it’s essential. A massive 91% of new business owners agree that technology has been crucial to their success. And with the rise of AI, things are getting even more exciting. 72% of you plan to use AI for marketing in 2025.   How? Many of you are looking at AI for content creation, analyzing customer data, and personalizing marketing messages. Think of it as having a super-smart assistant that helps you make better decisions and save time.    It’s not just a buzzword; it’s a game-changer. Those who leverage AI effectively are seeing a real competitive edge.   Your 2025 Action Plan   So, what does all this mean for you? Here’s a quick action plan:   Focus on Relationships: It’s not just about getting new customers – it’s about keeping the ones you have. Create personalized experiences, offer loyalty programs, and make your customers feel valued. Mix Up Your Marketing: Social media is great, but explore email and SMS too. These channels help you stay connected and build a more well-rounded strategy. Visit the Marketing Strategies page for helpful, actionable information for different channels. Embrace Tech and AI: These tools can automate tasks, personalize your marketing, and analyze data, helping you work smarter, not harder. Use the AI Content Generator to write email, landing page, social, and SMS content for you or create a whole multi-channel marketing campaign with Campaign Builder.   Running a small business is a journey, but you’re not alone. By staying flexible, being proactive, and making smart choices, you can navigate whatever 2025 throws your way.   Want to dive deeper? Check out the full Small Business Now: Growth in Motion report for even more insights.    Keep pushing forward, and let’s make 2025 amazing! ... View more

Customer since: 2006   Fun fact: Jason Shron, the founder of Rapido Trains, once built a 20-foot slice of a real train in his basement.   Where you can find them: Website Facebook Instagram YouTube     Jason Shron's lifelong passion for trains fuels Rapido Trains, a business born from a childhood hobby. Starting in 2004 while pursuing a PhD, Jason eventually left academia to dedicate himself to model trains full-time.   Rapido Trains gained viral attention when Jason built a 20-foot train replica in his basement, leading to appearances on major media outlets. This publicity significantly boosted the company's marketing.   The company thrives on its authentic connection to the model train community. "It’s a company built on passion," Jason says. "We’re a team of mostly model train freaks who design stuff that we want." This shared enthusiasm resonates with their customers.   Jason Shron, Founder and Owner of Rapido Trains. Image Source: Jason ShronIn 2020, Rapido expanded into the U.K. market with Rapido Trains UK. While the passion for trains is global, the U.K. market has its own unique preferences. The U.K. general manager, Andy Hardy, notes the market's distinct sensibilities, and Rapido adapted its marketing accordingly. “The ethos of the company is to try and make people happy and that should go into our marketing. So our newsletters are slightly on the silly side. The British market is not as silly as [Canada and the U.S.] but fairly silly by U.K. standards,” explained Andy.   Email marketing is a key strategy for Rapido, utilizing segmented mailing lists and analytics. Jason emphasizes engagement over list size, preferring a high open rate with a smaller, dedicated audience. "I’d rather have 81% of 10,000 as opposed to 3% of 2 million people," he explains.   Rapido Trains uses diverse marketing strategies, including printed ads for older enthusiasts and social media for younger audiences. Despite this, Jason favors their email newsletter for its ability to share in-depth information and build a strong connection with readers. Rapido relies on Constant Contact as their primary communication tool to inform customers about their products.   The newsletters' effectiveness is evident in how customers read and share the content. Jason emphasizes their reliance on Constant Contact, stating, “Constant Contact is our biggest and most useful tool. We couldn’t do without it.”   From basement marvels to digital wizardry, here’s how Rapido Trains keeps the wheels turning and the community engaged.   Resend to Non-Openers: Ensures that customers who missed the initial email see it, significantly boosting open rates.  “I love this feature, it’s great. We actually have a huge percentage of opens on that second email. It was a game changer for us,” - Jason Shron, Rapido Trains Different Mailing Lists: Tailored to different audiences, such as dealers and newsletter subscribers. Data and Analytics Reporting: Proactively monitors unengaged subscribers to keep the list highly engaged. Forms on Website: Encourages visitors to sign up for newsletters. Archived Newsletters: Provides potential subscribers a preview of the content. Social Media: Shares newsletters on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to reach younger audiences. ... View more

Tattooed, pierced, a school dropout who'd worked minimum wage jobs her entire life, Lea Turner initially thought LinkedIn wasn't "for people like her." In 2019, she was a single parent running a small transcription service, struggling to make ends meet and relying on government support. The corporate, polished world of professional networking seemed light-years away from her reality. But everything changed when Lea decided to do something radical: be entirely, unapologetically herself. "I kind of had a screw it moment. I'm just gonna be myself because this is not fun. Pretending to be corporate, pretending to be some professional businesswoman that's like everybody else, is never gonna work for me because that's not who I am," Lea explains. What unfolded is a remarkable story of transformation that defies every traditional career narrative. By embracing her uniqueness—her humor, candid storytelling, and real-life experiences as a single mom—Lea turned LinkedIn from an intimidating platform into her greatest business asset. Her follower count exploded from 400 to 10,000 in just a few months. More importantly, she gained over 100 inbound clients for her transcription business, proving that authenticity is the most powerful marketing tool. On this episode of Be A Marketer, join Lea and host Dave Charest for this masterclass on personal branding, marketing strategy, and the power of embracing your true self as Lea shares how this journey led to the creation of The HoLT, her membership community designed for small business owners, freelancers, and solopreneurs. Additional Resources:   Email Marketing Tips You Need To Know LinkedIn 101 How to Get Started on a LinkedIn Marketing Strategy Build an Effective Email List: Strategies, Tactics, and Best Practice   Meet Today's Guest: Lea Turner of The HoLT   ☕ What she does: Lea is the founder of The House of LT (The HoLT), a membership community for small business owners, freelancers, and solopreneurs. She's a single mother, podcast host, and former LinkedIn trainer who transformed her business through strategic marketing. 💡 Key quote: "I still cringe sometimes before I start posting something or second-guess myself because I know loads of people are going to see it. But I also know that by doing it, I'm changing the life for my son and creating a better existence for both of us. So I'm more scared of dying or lying on my deathbed and going, 'Oh, if only I'd done that,' than I am of putting myself out there and giving it a go." 👋 Where to find her: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Podcast   👋 Where to find The HoLT: Website | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn   If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions. ... View more

 Every Tuesday (usually) we'll share tips, tricks, and insights on using Constant Contact and online marketing   This will be a relatively short tip for the week. We've had a new block in the email editing experience that I wanted to bring more attention to. We've covered why getting direct feedback from your audience is important before, so I recommend reading that article if you haven't already.     Basically, you can ask your audience to rate something (e.g. "How likely are you to recommend our product?") or create a poll with pre-defined responses your audience can choose from. You can learn more here.   Have you had a chance to use the feedback block yet? What do you think? We'd love to see examples of how you've used it! ... View more

When Ian S. Hoover got fired from his job in retail, he wasn’t expecting it to lead to him opening a real estate brokerage one day. After a few drinks at his former partner's daughter's wedding, a casual conversation sparked the launch of Deacon & Hoover Real Estate Advisors in 2017. Today, his brokerage stands as the second-largest independent firm in Western Pennsylvania, and he's authored a book called "Short-Term Memory Loss" about his journey. But success didn't come from chasing top producers. Instead, Ian built a culture focused on developing new talent into high performers. "I can lead a horse to water, can't force them to drink it. I can show you how to sell real estate, but if you can't hold a conversation, you might have some problems. You got to build those relationships and that rapport," Ian explains.  On this episode of Be a Marketer (Real Estate Edition), host Dave Charest and real estate expert Stephanie Alfonso talk to Ian about his approach to brokerage growth. Learn how he leverages AI and automation for business efficiency, builds strong agent relationships, and maintains a "short-term memory loss" mindset that turns setbacks into opportunities. Additional Resources:   Email Marketing Guide for Real Estate Agents Real Estate Brokerage Marketing: The Broker’s Manual The Ultimate Guide on How to Recruit Real Estate Agents How to Put Together a Real Estate Marketing Plan   Meet Today's Guest: Ian Hoover of Deacon & Hoover Real Estate Advisors   🏠 Who he is: Ian S. Hoover turned getting fired from retail into founding one of Western Pennsylvania's largest independent brokerages. Since launching Deacon Hoover Real Estate Advisors in 2017 (after a tipsy wedding conversation), he's built a team of 60 agents who feel more like family than colleagues. His recent book "Short-Term Memory Loss" shares his unique approach to sales success. 💡 Key quote: "If you get anything from my book, I hope it's that you can legit use your sales ability — and we all have a sales ability, whether you know it or not — to get further down the road. If you want that promotion, if you want that job, be the squeaky wheel.  Make sure you're there, and you're showing  whoever you got to show how important you are, and eventually, it'll work out for you." 👋 Where to find him: Website | Podcast |  Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | X, formerly known as Twitter   👋 Where to find Deacon & Hoover Real Estate Advisors:  Website | Facebook | X, formerly known as Twitter | Instagram | YouTube    If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions. ... View more

Nonprofits face a constant challenge: delivering their message effectively with limited resources. For Nick Fynn, Head of Global Growth Marketing at TechSoup, this reality drives his mission to help organizations bridge the gap between technology and social impact. Nick has a deep understanding of effective communication strategies through his work at TechSoup, a global nonprofit that connects other nonprofits with essential technology resources. "You cannot not communicate," Nick explains. Everything you do is communicating to your audience, and this includes when you are not saying something to them." During this episode of Be a Marketer, Nick and host Dave Charest explore the fundamentals of nonprofit messaging and how organizations can maintain consistent communication despite limited resources. They discuss why email remains a powerful tool for nonprofit outreach, how to speak the language of different audiences, and ways to develop intentional communication strategies that resonate. Listen in as Nick shares practical advice for nonprofits looking to strengthen their messaging approach. He also reveals how TechSoup's tiered membership model helps organizations make smarter technology decisions while building a collaborative nonprofit community.  Additional Resources:   Constant Contact for Nonprofits Offer Details The Key to Effective Email Segmentation for Nonprofit The Complete Guide to Nonprofit Email Marketing Charity Marketing Strategies: Boost Your Nonprofit's Impact   Meet Today's Guest: Nick Fynn of TechSoup 🎯 What he does: Nick Fynn is the Head of Global Growth Marketing at TechSoup, a 501c3 nonprofit that helps other nonprofits and NGOs gain access to technology and learn to use it effectively. With an extensive background in communications and advocacy, Nick focuses on helping organizations connect technology with their mission. 💡 Key quotes: "Every nonprofit out there should be doing email. I don't think there's any one-fits-all frequency of how often you should be doing it, or what should it say, but everybody should be using it. It's a foundational tool." 👋 Where to find him: X, formerly known as Twitter | LinkedIn   👋 Where to find TechSoup: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions. ... View more