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We recently wrapped on our Ready, Set, Send Challenge and boy, does it feel good! This was our first time running a challenge of this nature, so we learned a lot and it seems like our Community members did, too! Now that the challenge is in the rearview, we want to take a moment to reflect on the wins and accomplishments over the last six weeks.   First off, a big, BIG thank you to our Community Coaches for pulling out all the stops, hanging out in the threads and sharing your expertise and personal feedback with so many of the participants.    But Who’s Counting? (We Are)   211 Badges awarded! 500+ posts! 1000+ Kudos!   The challenge started off strong right out of the gate with 148 users who uploaded their goal setting worksheet. If there is one big takeaway from this challenge, it’s that y’all love a good worksheet.   There was a lot of support, encouragement, and replies between participants and even if users weren’t commenting, the Kudos were flyin’. Let’s not forget about our rockstar participants who committed to completing all six weeks… Amazing!   We also saw participation from a lot of different industries, including nonprofits, educational institutions, faith-based organizations, retailers, and more.   By and large, participants were looking to:  increase engagement through emails grow their social media following build awareness of their brand, drive traffic to their websites become more visible in their communities leverage sign-up tools to grow their lists and increase event attendance.   One participant saw a 7% increase in open rates between the email they sent during Week 1 and the email sent during Week 5. They were also excited to see that their personal open rate exceeded that of their industry average. Another participant got a 50% higher open rate. Huzzah!   Along the way, we heard some inspiring words from participants:   "I got my goal! Over 40% open rate for our newsletter!" "UPDATE - I’m up to 56% open rate as of today! Wahoo!"  “Obsessed with the BrandKit and Campaign Builder! Thank you for this!” “Appreciate this challenge as it has expedited my use of Constant Contact and shown me there are a number of marketing options available to me that I was unaware of.  Thank you!”   Some Takeaways (That you are welcome to use)   After reviewing many of the entries and comments from participants, we saw some common tactics and strategies that seemed to resonate and work well for many. Check them out and revisit one of the previous weeks. Most weeks include a worksheet that you can use to help organize your plan! Don’t market blindly. Come up with a plan so you have a benchmark to perform against. Review Week 1 Make it actionable. When crafting an email, think about what you want your audience to act on after they receive it. A compelling, visible call-to-action can boost conversion rates. Review Week 2 Be where your audience is. Put your sign-up form in places where prospective contacts might find you, such as your social media pages or link to a QR code at the counter of your physical business. Review Week 3 Being where your audience is might mean multiple channels. Your audience is not always looking at their emails, so utilize multiple channels and talk to them where they are, like on social media. Don’t hesitate to use tools like Campaign Builder to help come up with content for the channels most important to you. Review Week 4 Timing is everything. Try to understand when most of your target audience is likely to open an email and schedule future emails for that time period. It’s not as simple as 8AM or 6PM, but dependent on your own metrics and the industry you’re in. Plus, don’t hesitate to send to non-openers when it makes sense, because sometimes the email can be overlooked even by interested parties. Review Week 5 Get personal. Personalized content performed better. By collecting unique and interesting data from your contacts (e.g. their birthday, anniversary of their first sale with you, or where they are located, etc.) you can then use that to inform the type of content you put in your emails. Review Week 6   We loved having this opportunity to gain insight into the inner workings of our amazing customers and better understand their goals, mindset, and challenges – and to celebrate your wins!    Even if you didn’t participate in the challenge, we encourage you to review what other users submitted to gather ideas and find inspiration. Feel free to download the worksheets for your own personal use!   We plan to do more challenges like this in the future and hope to improve and make it even better next time. If you have any ideas on challenges you’d like to see, let us know in the comments. Stay tuned! ... View more

Juggling a business is hard enough without adding the pressure of mastering multiple marketing channels. It's easy to feel overwhelmed, spreading yourself thin across social media, email, and who-knows-what-else.    But what if there was a way to streamline your efforts and make your marketing work smarter, not harder?   That's where multichannel marketing comes in. "When you use them together, you get a sum that's greater than the parts," says Aaron Wesley Means, Founder and CEO of Activate Business Solutions, emphasizing the power of combining channels like email and social media.    In this episode of Constant Contact's Be a Marketer podcast, host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, welcomes back Constant Contact Community Coach Aaron.    Aaron shares his expert insights on creating cohesive, impactful campaigns that extend your reach and boost your business growth.   Tune in to learn how to leverage the unique strengths of each digital platform, discover how Constant Contact's Campaign Builder can streamline your multichannel strategy, and walk away with actionable advice to amplify your marketing impact. Additional Resources: Join The Ready, Set, Send Challenge Ready Set Send Challenge Week 4: Multi-channel Campaign Creation Integrated Marketing Campaign Mastery: Transform Your Marketing Campaign Builder in Constant Contact Q&A: Achieve Your Goals with Multi-Channel Marketing Campaigns Welcome to the Constant Contact Community   Meet Today's Guest: Aaron Wesley Means of Activate Business Solutions   💻 What he does: Aaron is the founder and CEO of Activate Business Solutions, a full-service micro-agency based in Asheville, North Carolina. A Constant Contact partner since 2011 and community coach, Aaron is passionate about empowering small businesses and nonprofits through education and hands-on marketing support.   💡 Key quote: "I've seen folks that are 'not techies' doing full campaigns with the Campaign Builder in five or 10 minutes."   👋 Where to find him: LinkedIn   👋 Where to find Activate Business Solutions: Website | X, formerly known as Twitter  If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions. ... View more

  The holidays are right around the corner, but don’t let the lack of a marketing plan stress you out. We’ve got your back with practical, last-minute holiday marketing tips to help you finish the year strong.   Join us for a free, one-hour webinar where we'll share actionable ideas for boosting your visibility, driving sales or donations, and creating meaningful connections with your audience during the festive season.   You’ll learn:   Essential dos and don’ts for last-minute holiday campaign planning Inspiring last-minute holiday marketing ideas Step-by-step how to build your last-minute holiday campaign   Can’t make it to the live webinar? Register anyway to receive the recording.   Register    Details About the Webinar   Date: Thursday, November 14, 2024 Time: 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time (US & Canada) (GMT - 5:00) Cost: Free Add to calendar   About the Speakers   Stephanie French Senior Producer, Webinars at Constant Contact Stephanie’s on a mission to help small businesses achieve their goals through educational content and webinars. With more than 14 years of experience in digital marketing, she spends most of her days planning and executing some of “the best webinars” on digital marketing.   Claire McClellan Marketing Specialist, Constant Contact Claire is a Marketing Specialist and artist with over nine years of experience at Constant Contact. She brings a unique blend of creativity and marketing expertise to every project, helping her clients find inspiration and achieve success through innovative, and engaging strategies. ... View more

We’re all out here trying to get noticed, right? When someone opens your email, you want to make a great first impression the moment it loads. Animated templates offer a dynamic and engaging way to capture your audience’s attention and drive results.   Here are some of the key benefits of incorporating animated templates into your email marketing strategy:   Eye-Catching Designs   Animated templates are visually appealing and can instantly grab the reader's attention. With moving elements, they create a sense of excitement and curiosity, making your emails more likely to be opened and read.   Higher Engagement   Animations can significantly boost engagement. According to a study by MarketingSherpa, emails with animated content see a 42% increase in click-through rates. This higher engagement translates into more opportunities for your audience to interact with your brand.   Brand Enhancement   Animated templates allow you to showcase your brand's personality and creativity. By incorporating your brand's colors, logos, and unique style into the animations, you can reinforce your brand identity and make a lasting impression on your audience.   Versatile Messaging   Animations can convey complex messages in a simple and engaging way. Whether you're promoting a new product, announcing a sale, or sharing company news, animated templates can help you communicate your message effectively and memorably.   Modern Appeal   In today's digital age, consumers expect modern and innovative content. Animated templates give your emails a contemporary feel, making your brand appear up-to-date and tech-savvy. This can help you connect better with younger audiences and tech enthusiasts.   Save Time   While creating custom animations from scratch can be time-consuming, using pre-designed animated templates can save you a significant amount of time. These templates are often easy to customize, allowing you to create professional-looking emails quickly and efficiently.   The Impact on Your Bottom Line   The benefits of using animated templates extend beyond just aesthetics and engagement. A study by MarketingSherpa revealed that emails with animated content can lead to a 103% increase in conversion rates and a 109% increase in revenue. These impressive figures highlight the potential of animated templates to drive real business results. Animated templates offer a powerful way to elevate your email marketing efforts. Constant Contact’s Professional Services team has years of experience in template design and marketing know-how and are ready to help you take your marketing endeavors to the next level!   Get your animated templates today!  ... View more

 Every Tuesday we'll share tips, tricks, and insights on using Constant Contact and online marketing   Click to download worksheet.Multi-channel campaigns are a great way to leverage all the tools in your marketing arsenal, but for some might feel like juggling too many things at once. Where would one find the time?   Constant Contact wants to make the most of your time when you sit down to prepare your marketing campaigns. It can be helpful to organize your thoughts and strategies ahead of time and in that spirit, we've developed a handy Multi-channel Marketing Plan worksheet you can use to break down your plans.   The worksheet breaks down each marketing channel (i.e. social, email, etc.) and the three stages of communication: Announce, Remind, and Last chance and gives you space to collect your thoughts and jot down content or verbiage that you can use when actually creating the campaigns.   When you're done, don't forget about Campaign Builder! Short on time? Campaign Builder can create a multi-channel marketing campaign for you in a matter of minutes.   ⬇️ Click on the attached document below to download. ... View more

Social media is a powerful tool; however, it is just one piece of the marketing puzzle. Using social media as the only channel in your strategy limits your ability to drive better outcomes. Incorporating email marketing is essential for amplifying your reach, engagement, and results.   We're taking the most popular questions from our latest webinar and expanding upon them so you can best learn how to leverage email marketing and social media together to take your marketing to the next level.     What are some ways to integrate email and social media together?   Check out our article on integrating email marketing with social media for tips and insights.   Can I create a QR code that sends prospective contacts to a sign-up form attached to my Constant Contact account?   Yes, this article will walk you through how to create a QR code that connects to your sign-up form.   Are there any permissions/copyright issues with sharing a review or testimonial? Do you need permission from the person who wrote the review?   Reviews are considered user-generated content, and they actually belong to the platform on which they’re submitted. So Google “owns” the Google reviews. That said, there is nothing prohibiting a business from promoting their reviews.   What’s the best layout for a Business-to-Business (B2B) email newsletter? Also, what converts users most to sign up?   This really depends on what you're putting in your email and your end goal. For a typical newsletter with multiple topics, there are about 3 different layouts you could test with.   An inverted pyramid layout is less likely for a typical newsletter. There's also a Z pattern and an F pattern. All can work well in different scenarios. We covered this in a recent webinar on design.   How can we find out what time of day most people see our social posts?   Facebook once offered the ability to see when your fans are online.  But when they made changes to their analytics tools, they got rid of it.  Pages that have not switched to the new experience can still access this report by going to the Audience report under Insights in Meta Business Suite.   For users that have switched over, they can look at the content report to see which post received the highest reach based on post time.   How secure is our customers’ contact information on Constant Contact? Does Constant Contact sell our customers’ emails and contact information to third parties, etc.?   Yes, the information is secure in Constant Contact. We will never sell the emails and contact information stored in your account. For more information on the security of your data, check out this article.   How do I connect my Constant Contact account with my social media accounts, such as Facebook or Instagram.   If you're looking to sync your Constant Contact account with other social media platforms, check out this article.   How can I engage with more social media users? I have a large email list, but do not have a large social media following.   A good place to start is with your email list! Make sure you're asking your email subscribers to follow you on social media. You can also add the social share block to your email to encourage your subscribers to share the email on social media.   What can you recommend for a yacht chartering vacations company?   All of the same ideas discussed in the webinar apply here, as well. Seek out the customers who are already raving about you in reviews or recommending you to their friends and family and ask for a testimonial. Video testimonials can be a great approach, as you can later repurpose them into various formats.   Additionally, share captivating photos and detailed insights about your yacht vacations. Highlight what to expect on a yacht trip, explore exciting destinations, and more. This will help paint a vivid picture for potential customers.   What can you recommend for an accounting firm?   All of the same ideas discussed in the webinar apply here, as well. Education can certainly play a role. Remind people of tax deadlines, how to take advantage of tax savings, etc.   Sharing customer stories will help build trust with prospective clients even more.   I work for an entertainment-focused non-profit. We know that entertainment and the arts provide value to people's lives, but how do I pitch this on social media when we don't have a direct "problem" to solve?   The "problem" is really about that value you're providing.   Depending on the particulars of your organization, it can be about learning about new cultures and creative endeavors. Spotlight the creative people associated with your organization or reflect on previous events or projects and how they went.    Besides converting social media followers, how else can you grow your email subscribers when it comes to a healthcare organization and not violating HIPAA?   HIPAA really just means you shouldn't disclose protected health information about your patients including identifiable details, demographics, test results, or medical histories.   But when it comes to growing your list, let them know the value they can get from your email campaigns which can be around maintaining healthy living, the importance of preventative care, etc.   Any advice for doing social media for a real estate lending company? Is it worth it to try Facebook or just stick to LinkedIn?   I've seen many in this area participate effectively on both channels.   Share information to help your audience. Tips for first-time home buyers, how to navigate the lending process, etc.   What are some content ideas for a building inspections company for Facebook?   You can share tips for things that you look for in a building inspection, how to find a trusted inspector, and behind the scenes about your processes.   can you comment on the use of reels for social media to increase email subscribers. Would that be a more effective approach for posts and stories?   Are sharing Instagram reels an effective approach to increase email subscribers, or stick with posts and stories?   Yes, reels can be very effective for this. On Instagram, it could be a story with a swipe or link; your sign-up could be tagged in visual content as well. Variety is important here, too.   Do people need to opt-in for emails? Is it unethical if they don't?   Yes, absolutely! There are different rules and regulations depending on where you're located.   And depending on location what is acceptable might be different. At the very least, they would need to have done business with you to gain implied permission.   But the best results for your strategy will come when they explicitly say yes to receiving your emails. Purchased lists, for example, are against Constant Contact’s Terms & Conditions.   Should you offer a perk for a testimonial?   You can, but you need to be careful with this. You can technically pay for testimonials, but you do need to provide a disclosure.   While the FTC does allow businesses to pay for testimonials and reviews, most review websites do not, some of them strictly forbid incentivizing this.   I work for a manufacturing company, and 90% of our "leads" are distributors who buy our products for the end customer. Any recommendations for a way to get our message directly to the consumers to grow our DTC?   I would start with a solid Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy targeting prospective customers and the search terms they would use to find your products. Build up content on your website, usually through a blog that provides value to that audience and connects the information with those keywords.   Utilize social media to make that connection and share content that connects with your end consumer and then start to convert them into email subscribers.   Now that Google provides an AI-generated summary at the top of search results, it increases the risk that our websites will no longer be clicked on. How can we compete?   The first thing to know is that Google's AI search results are experimental. That means no one knows for certain yet how they'll fully impact the organic SEO landscape, especially because Google isn't in a "finalized" spot with this tool. Everyone who gains traffic from folks who are looking for answers on Google felt the hit in traffic when they rolled this out, so you're not alone in your concerns.   Google's latest algorithm updates also prioritize cohesive expertise across the site, uniqueness of content, and indications that the content was created by a human (basically, content that is largely AI-generated may suffer in organic results). The most important thing you can do is ensure that you are providing unique, credible, and expert content on your site that is closely related to your core offerings or services.   We'll see over the next while how searchers use the AI results, or whether they employ ways to turn them off (or just tune them out).   What are the best social media platforms for my company?   This really depends on your business or organization and who you're targeting.   You could start with the major platforms in most cases; Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. But the real key here is to find out where your audience is spending their time on social media.   How do you convince an organization that it would be important (and potentially lucrative) to set up social media accounts and start sending out email newsletters if they’ve never done it before?   This comes down to really needing a way for people to learn about you and what you do. Email alone has the highest return on investment at $36 per dollar spent and social media is really how people engage with you and your brand and learn about you. This article may be helpful as you start to think about the case you'll make.   I am having trouble connecting my Constant Contact account to my Facebook page even though it is registered as a business. What can I do?   Please contact our phone support team for assistance.   If I own two businesses, can I share one social media account and its followers between them?   No, you'll want each business to live separately so people can choose which business they are interested in.   I am a digital marketer with many clients. Is the advice we learned today from the webinar also applicable to accountants or general contractors?   Absolutely, the ideas and tips shared today can be used in any industry. They really stand the test of time.   Prospective customers like to buy from people they trust and follow on social media. As a business, is it better to post as the person behind the organization for some things and as the business itself for other things?   To grow your business, you'll want to ensure you're using a business page. Many platforms prohibit setting up a business under an individual profile.    However, yes, from your business profile, you can start to incorporate yourself into it through stories and even videos; let them get to know you.   I work in a small office and almost never use personally created video content. Do you have any ideas on how to get started? We're in the sporting dog supplement market.   People love sharing stories about their dogs! Ask people to share videos of their dogs, and you might also start gathering testimonials and success stories about your supplements and how they've helped.   From your perspective, it's important to just dive in and start. You don't need fancy equipment or fully scripted content. You can record from your phone. Keep it authentic, but approach it with a plan and a clear idea of what you want to achieve with the video. You'll become more comfortable with practice.   If I post on my Facebook business page, will the post get sent to everyone that is my personal Facebook friend, or in my phone contacts? I am not sure who can currently see my posts.   On a Facebook business page, only your followers (those who have liked or followed your business page) will typically see the content. If they share it, then their followers will see the content as well.   What's a good percentage of original content v. shared content to publish weekly?   I would suggest aiming for about 80% original content and 20% shared content. However, it's crucial to ensure that the quality of the shared content is valuable to your audience.   If you're collaborating with another organization or brand for an event or similar project, it can be beneficial to share more of that relevant content as well.   Do you offer one-on-one sessions to learn about the product and build a marketing strategy?   We offer our Marketing Advisor service, where you can work one-on-one with an expert to get help for your marketing, for an additional fee. We also have our general product support line and “Ask a Trainer” sessions every Monday to Friday from 11AM to 4PM EST.   I work in the music industry. I find it difficult to get people to attend shows. When I write to concert venues to book gigs my response rate is only around 5%! Is it because I use my AOL email address?   If your overall reply rate from emails is 5%, that's really very good! The average click rate for all industries is only 2.03% and for the music/arts, it's only 1.32%. So an end result where they reply at 5% is very good!   Earlier this year, Google and Yahoo updated their email authentication requirements. The short version is that you should authenticate your email address with your own domain, which will make you appear more trustworthy to email clients.   In terms of content for email and social, make sure you're sharing your story and what's going on behind the scenes. When you're working on a new project or album, start to tease that in your content. Give them a sneak peak of a song and what it sounds like or the story behind some of your songs. Keep them updated on where you're playing too!   What advice would you give for a small credit union?   Share the success stories of your members! Share tips for managing finances, budgeting, etc. Share updates on what your credit union does in/for the local community.   For real estate agents, do you recommend we use our personal social media accounts instead of a business page/profile? Or a combination of both?   Both! Depending on your preference for sharing, remember that people do business with people they like, know, and trust (thank you, Zig Zigler). I follow the 80/20 rule: 80% personal and value-based information, such as local news, interests, and helpful advice, and 20% real estate-related content, like market updates and listing statuses. I often recommend creating content on your business page and then sharing it to your personal profile.   How can we, as a quiet luxury landscaping firm, effectively connect with and engage a high-end, luxury audience through our social media strategy, specifically on Instagram?   Before and after photos or videos can be powerful here! Show them the progress on your projects and make them crave the end results in your visuals. ... View more

Melanie Diehl had always envisioned a career path similar to her father's — dedicating 30 years to a single company and retiring comfortably. But then she got laid off and decided to use her severance to explore different options.    That's when she discovered her talent with a sewing machine.    Melanie learned by doing, navigating the ups and downs of entrepreneurship while building a loyal clientele. After 25 years in her interior design business, she worked with her husband on an overhead crane business.    Today, Melanie runs a successful marketing firm, where she guides small business owners. “Know your worth and charge it," she advises. “There's someone out there who's willing to pay for the premium services and products that you have to offer."   Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, sits down with Melanie to unpack her entrepreneurial journey and discuss actionable list-building strategies. Learn how to leverage Constant Contact tools like landing pages and pop-up forms to grow your audience and increase revenue. Tune in now.   Additional Resources: How to Build an Effective Email List: Best Practices and Strategies Email Marketing Tips You Need To Know What is a Landing Page? How To Implement an Email Marketing Landing Page   Meet Today's Guest: Melanie Diehl of Melanie and Co. Marketing Collective ☕ What she does: Melanie is the CEO and President of Melanie and Co. Marketing Collective. She's been a Constant Contact Certified Partner for over 10 years and also serves as a Constant Contact Community Coach, guiding small businesses on their marketing journeys.   💡 Key quote: "I love seeing the aha moments for my clients. I love seeing the victories that they have.”   👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn   👋 Where to find Melanie and Co. Marketing Collective: 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 we'll share tips, tricks, and insights on using Constant Contact and online marketing   We’ll keep it simple this week. I was reviewing the top searches for the last week and noticed that people were looking for information on how to download their campaign as a PDF, but maybe not finding anything specific on it.   I’m happy to report, yes, you can download your email campaigns as a PDF.   It’s pretty easy to locate, too. When viewing your list of email campaigns, just click the dots for the dropdown menu and select “Download & print.”   It doesn't have to be in PDF format either. You can also download the email as a JPG or PNG file. The sky is the limit! If the sky only covered PDFs, JPGs, and PNGs...   Follow the steps in our Knowledge Base  Important: It's a violation of our terms to host a PDF version of your newsletter on your website. You can instead copy the URL for your email and share the link on your website, or install the email archive widget on your website and add the emails you want to display from within your Constant Contact account. ... View more

After a corporate career in direct marketing, Aaron Wesley Means had no plans to start a business. It wasn't until he began helping his wife launch her dream dog grooming business that he immersed himself in small business marketing.    Eager to build a brand and attract customers, he dove headfirst into researching list-building strategies, email campaigns, and the nuances of connecting with a target audience.    Along the way, he discovered a gap — a real need for marketing expertise within the small business and nonprofit communities. In 2011, Aaron launched Activate Business Solutions, determined to fill that void.    His mission? To empower small businesses and nonprofits with the tools and strategies they need to thrive.    In this episode of the Be a Marketer podcast, Aaron, founder and a Constant Contact community coach, and host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, pull back the curtain on email design and reveal why a thoughtful approach is crucial in a mobile-first world.    "You can make the greatest email in the history of emails," Aaron explains, "And if they don't open it and know how great it is, it was for nothing."   Tune in as Aaron breaks down seven essential design elements that can make or break your email campaigns. Learn how to craft compelling headers, leverage visuals strategically, and optimize your calls to action for maximum impact.   Additional Resources: Ready Set Send Challenge Week 2: Designing the Perfect Email BrandKit Email Design: The Ultimate Guide The Ultimate Toolkit for Call To Action Buttons   Meet Today's Guest: Aaron Wesley Means of Activate Business Solutions   💻 What he does: Aaron is the founder and CEO of Activate Business Solutions, a full-service micro-agency based in Asheville, North Carolina. A Constant Contact partner since 2011 and community coach, Aaron is passionate about empowering small businesses and nonprofits through education and hands-on marketing support.   💡 Key quote: “Both the subject line and the preheader text are your secret weapons to getting the most possible value out of your marketing and your effort."   👋 Where to find him: LinkedIn   👋 Where to find Activate Business Solutions: Website | X, formerly known as Twitter    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   Sections, a new tool in our Cross-Device email editor, has been out for a little over a month now and I wanted to call attention back to it, because it really is a handy feature.   Before Sections, for example, you would have to delete or style different blocks (such as text or image) separately. Whereas now, you can drag text, image, and other blocks into the Section and apply various style options to the whole area. And if you want to get rid of it all? It can all be done at once!     Lauren_H, the Senior Product Manager who oversees development on the Cross-Device Editor, also covers the benefits of using Sections and some examples on how to use it!   Have you played around with using Sections yet? If so, let us know what you think in the comments! ... View more

Tracey Lee Davis never imagined she'd become a business owner. After years of managing a pet care company, she craved a simpler role where she could follow someone else's lead. But life had other plans.   When unemployment benefits ran dry, and job applications went unanswered, Tracey reluctantly stepped into entrepreneurship. Now, as the owner of ZingPop Social Media, she couldn't imagine doing anything else.   "I really do love that I get to set what happens with my business," Tracey shares on the Be a Marketer podcast. Her journey from reluctant business owner to marketing expert showcases the power of setting clear, personalized goals. In this episode, Tracey and host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, explore the importance of goal-setting in marketing. They discuss how to tailor goals to your specific business needs, the crucial role of measurable objectives, and why timeframes matter.  Tune in to learn how you can transform your marketing efforts by setting the right targets for your business.    Additional Resources: Welcome to the Constant Contact Community Week 1: Goal Setting SMART Goals Q&A: Decoding Online Marketing Success: Your Guide to Planning, Reviewing, and Executing Foundations for Online Marketing Success Worksheet Creating Goals and Measuring Success Worksheet   Meet Today’s Guest: Tracey Lee Davis of ZingPop Social Media 💼 What she does: Tracey Lee Davis is the owner of ZingPop Social Media, a Constant Contact Certified Partner, and a Constant Contact Community Coach. She works primarily with women-owned service-based businesses as a social media coach and marketing manager, helping them gain exposure, increase revenue, and enhance their online presence.   💡 Key quote: "If you're not measuring, you're not marketing."   👋 Where to find her: Website | X, formerly known as Twitter | LinkedIn   👋 Where to find ZingPop Social Media: Website | Instagram | X, formerly known as Twitter | Vimeo | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest 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   If you have visited the Community in the last 2-3 weeks you will have probably seen mention of a Ready, Set, Send Challenge. We're just getting started with Week 3 and there are another three weeks to go! Plus, even if you missed Week 1 and Week 2 you are still welcome to participate and submit for those weeks and catch up!   What's so great about this challenge?   The purpose of the challenge is to help small businesses and nonprofits master the fundamentals of email marketing by breaking down some key components of building well-realized campaigns and managing your audience across six weeks. The first week was all about defining your goals and how you plan to achieve them and the second week was all about designing the perfect email.   Now in Week 3 we're focused on building up your audience through leveraging multiple marketing channels, such as social media.   What do I get for participating in the challenge?   Other than some focused, serious growth as an email marketer know-how, you'll also get a badge for every week you submit something! The badges will display on your Community profile and we'll also shoot you a DM when the week is over with an image file if you feel so inclined to post it on your website or social media.   So, if you haven't had a chance to jump in, we're waiting for you!   ... View more