To be a good marketer is to have a system, or what we like to call a reliable dashboard. The goal of your system should be to keep you focused on the indicators that could effect your goals. Today we will take a look at three major communication buckets that help us: current initiatives, content launching today, and recent stats.

To improve conversations and increase conversions, we must be aware of the current conversations existing out in the world today. Staying close to the numbers and messaging will allow you to notice trends, peaks, and areas of improvement quicker and with ease in time.

Current Initiatives. Not just looking at what is launching today, but tomorrow, and the next week and perhaps the next 30 days. Reviewing the surface-level details, like campaign titles, is a great way to keep yourself up to speed AND to understand the larger conversation/operation occuring. This is a fabulous time to review what is currently live/published. Are there any errors? If so, are they on channels where content is editable? Being aware of your current initiatives gives you a critical frame of reference of what the audience is consuming in real-time. This also helps you understand the rate at which your content is being consumed, and how that effort translates into conversions. If you have time to revisit your own funnel structure, we encourage this. By reviewing, you may only notice that your MOFU approach for instance is off in terms of flow and conversions are low moving users to the bottom of the funnel. This exercise encourages us to take a high-level approach to revising a communication schedule. Once you know the big picture, you can focus on the smaller details!

Launching Today. All channels, not just Ads and Web Pages, but Emails, Story content, Tweets, and Other Social Posts too (not to mention collabs but that is a for a different blog post) are important to review one last final time before hitting the publish button. Now that you have reviewed all current initiatives it is time to dive deep on content launching today. Focus first on the Where and When so you know which environments your content will circulate in and at what time. Are there any extra spaces or typos? Is the content approved by multiple people or has a checklist been processed to make sure strategy is in line with initial inception? These are great questions to ask yourself while also keeping in mind how specific channels function. To do this we think about editable vs non-editable channels.  

• • Editable Channels: Ads, Web Pages, and Social Posts are typically editable which means in case of a typo or need for a quick change, it is not a huge deal or ask. This does not mean they are any less important though. Ads with typos won’t perform as well, you will still be charged for every click, and this ultimately affects a brand’s reputation. The nice thing is, if you catch an error quickly, you can fix it. Same thing for landing page errors, ready buyers may bounce due to a typo, button error, or incomplete web page. Why? Because trust is diminished through errors like this. For an exchange to occur between a user and brand, a sense of trust must be established, and marketing usually establishes this trust through communication. Careless mistakes diminish trust and we should all strive to make less of them, but we are human and they happen. 

• • Non-Editable Channels: Email, Story Content, and Tweets are typically not editable, which means once they are published/launched there is no way to edit or change messaging specifics. You either have to accept what has been published, delete and re-publish, or re-send a campaign. First impressions are everything though, so we try to avoid mistakes on channels like these at all costs because the stakes are higher.  Nevertheless, all channels are important. You will never regret learning how content circulates in different environments. Knowing which channels are good for getting quick pieces of information out versus where you will publish a longer piece is critical for putting your best foot forward. 

Latest Stats. What are the trends such average click rate, traffic volume, average conversion rate, and average cost per acquisition. We need to understand this baseline to know when the needle moves up or down and whether or not that can be tied to a specific piece of content, time of year, occasion etc. This is where we answer the questions: “Why is it working?” and “Why is it not working?”. The only way to answer these questions is to understand these key metrics in tandem with the content that was published and whether or not the initiative translated to a bump or dip in sales or goal-outcome. 

Don’t be afraid to discover your brand or initiative’s shortcomings. Discovering areas of improvement, are just that, a place to improve, which is a win in the end. We can’t improve our marketing strategies efficiently without knowing the general road map of the current operation. Next time you are swirling or overwhelmed with a content calendar or launch day, focus on these three things and you will succeed. We hope you enjoyed this piece. Written and originated by Adelle Grogg, Founder of AC Media Solutions.

1. They admit they have very little control and dance with the uncertainties of life. We struggle with control because so little control is available. You may try to control every aspect of your startup / side hustle, but this often leads to burn out and/or disappointment. Shifts happen, budgets dwindle, acquisitions occur, teammates resign, more or less life happens, and the more ready you are to go with the flow the better off you’re likely to be– not to mention your confidence will probably increase.  
2. They maintain a social balance with community/friends/family. We all know that ruthless entrepreneur who is always working. Hustle culture is rewarded in the U.S., but that does not make it is healthy for our psyches or relationships. Relationships invite us to relate, giving us a sense of support that work does not offer. Pausing to think of others versus ourselves all day is a balanced form of expression.
3. They prioritize self care. “You have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others” – Dr. Phil. Self care looks different to many people, for some it is pampering, for others it is journaling, eating healthy, maintaining leisure activities, fitness, enough sleep, etc. You’ll never regret the relationship you build with yourself, and most successful people who prioritize self care will attest to this. When you care for all of your needs mindfully, you create a space for success to enter your life. 
4. They know their value both within and outside of monetary standards. A wealthy mindset is first acknowledging your own successes, skills, and genius. Taking on challenging, high paying work does not mean manipulation or disrespectful treatment is acceptable. Successful people leave the table when respect is no longer being served and understand that doing business (good business) is rooted in respect, relationships and trust.
5. They take calculated risks. Life is all about odds, chance, and uncertainty, so learning how to go with this flow, you guessed it- successful people do it. Capitalism forces us to take competition to extremes, so learning how to take calculated risks helps us reach for bigger wins.

It’s not all taking risks and setting deadlines, part of being successful is knowing when to slow down and step backwards for a broader view. We hope you enjoyed this piece. Written and originated by Adelle Grogg, Founder of AC Media Solutions.

With great strategy and careful execution, come great email marketing campaigns. Your copy in your email should be helpful, light, and to the point for both B2C and B2B audiences. A mindful marketer understands that even customers have busy lives.

How do you do this? Take the same post intended for Facebook and share it across Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and throw it in an email? Wrong. Every digital channel speaks its own language, has its own vibe, and holds within it, its own set of communities. Your target audience has a presence in each of these, your goal is to find them and provide them with the opportunity to use your service or buy your product. The way we see it, marketing comes down to environments and opportunities.

There is no doubt that the digital world has exploded over the last 10 years. Facebook is no longer a ‘new’ platform, and companies like Amazon dominate the consumer world. So, the simple answer to the question ‘Why Digital Marketing?’ Your audience lives online, in the digital world, and you must go to them.

People, in general, do not want to work hard, thus by advertising on a platform like Facebook, you meet the user where they are already browsing, scrolling, and socializing. Arguably, a user who is met where they are already active has a higher probability of converting with an offering that resonates with their genuine interests. Take that same user and offering and throw it on a billboard or radio station, the user must work hard to memorize or document the advertisement.  

As strong marketing professionals, we understand placement and timing. Regardless of the offering, great marketers will find the optimal time and place to market your product or service, and yes, there is always a strategy.

Email is a widely accepted communication medium. We pay bills, set appointments, personally communicate with others, purchase items, and keep track of events through email. An email list is valuable because it allows direct communication with customers if utilized effectively and compliantly. The founder of AC Media, Adelle Calahan, has a strong background in email marketing and email marketing automation. Thus, at AC Media Solutions, we have a strong email marketing foundation when it comes to Welcome, Birthday, and Abandoned Cart Automation.

Sometimes we run across stellar email marketing and feel like the brand knows our every move. Ok, maybe we are exaggerating a little bit, but great email marketing can feel like magic. After you subscribe, check out, or book an appointment- boom, your inbox is hit with a witty email personalized to you. This is why we love email; you can connect user completed forms with automated communication that feels direct and personal. Not to mention ROI, according to HubSpot: “You might be wondering if the email is still a worthwhile marketing strategy. In fact, email generates $38 for every $1 spent, which is an astounding 3,800% ROI, making it one of the most effective options available”.

A multi-channel approach is ideal, but if you are going to choose any channel to tackle first, we would recommend you start with email. Finally, if you are not capturing subscriber information, now is a great time to start. Start by separately collecting first name, last name, phone, email, and date of birth. This will give you plenty of room to execute personalized email marketing automation with your list right away.

I personally have seen it over and over. Companies put so much effort into filling the top of the funnel that they forget or fail to nurture leads through the middle of the funnel (MOFU). If you want your product or service to ‘take off’, you must think about the user’s discovery and buying journey.

New users are new relationships. Thus, a persuasive bond needs to form before they are ready to take the buying step.

If sales teams are connecting prematurely and leads are not converting, you may need a MOFU approach. If you are serious about your product or offerings, we encourage you to storyboard the “why” of your product and pitch yourself on it. If you can convince yourself, you can convince your market.