Business – Decantery

The Enduring Power of Email in Lead Generation

image of a hand holding a smart phone with stylized envelope graphics emerging.

In the digital age, where new platforms and communication methods emerge constantly, email remains a cornerstone in the world of marketing. Despite proclamations of its demise, email continues to be a vital tool for businesses, proving its resilience and adaptability. Here’s why email lead generation is invaluable and why email is far from being dead.

The Unwavering Value of Email

Email has been a mainstay in digital communication for decades, and its longevity is no accident. It offers several unique advantages that newer platforms have yet to replicate fully:

Personalization: Email allows for deep personalization, which is crucial for engagement. Marketers can tailor messages based on user behavior, preferences, and past interactions.
Direct Communication: Unlike social media algorithms, email ensures your message lands directly in a prospect’s inbox, increasing the chances of your message being seen and acted upon.
Cost-Effectiveness: With a high ROI, email marketing is cost-effective, especially for small businesses with limited budgets.
Measurable: Email campaigns offer detailed analytics, making it easy to track opens, clicks, and conversions, allowing for data-driven decisions.

Email Lead Generation: A Strategy That Delivers

Lead generation via email is a strategic approach that nurtures potential customers through personalized content, gradually guiding them down the sales funnel. Here’s how it delivers value:

Building Relationships: Email nurtures leads by providing valuable content over time, building trust and establishing a relationship before a sale is ever made.
Segmentation: Marketers can segment their email lists based on various criteria, ensuring that the right message reaches the right audience at the right time.
Automation: Email automation streamlines the lead nurturing process, sending timely and relevant messages without manual intervention.

Why Email Is Not Dead

Despite the rise of instant messaging and social media, email remains a preferred method of professional communication. Here are compelling reasons why email is still alive and kicking:

Ubiquity: Nearly everyone has an email address, and it’s often required for online transactions, making it a universal tool for reaching audiences.
Professional Norm: Email is the standard for professional correspondence, and it’s expected to remain so for the foreseeable future.
Integration: Email integrates seamlessly with other marketing tools and systems, enhancing overall marketing strategies.

Conclusion

Email marketing and lead generation continue to be effective because they adapt to changing user behaviors and technological advancements. As long as businesses value direct, personalized, and measurable communication, email will remain an essential part of the marketing mix. So, before you chase the next shiny platform, remember the power of a well-crafted email campaign—it might just be your most valuable asset.

Decantery can help you leverage email marketing to stay top of mind with your audience. We can work with you to craft a message that reflects your business values and goals. If you have any questions, contact us.

Your Agile Agency Partner

Image of a person standing behind a glass wall and tapping on the world agile.

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses are constantly seeking innovative strategies to stay ahead of the competition. One such strategy is partnering with a small digital agency known for its agility and flexibility. Here’s why this can be a game-changer for businesses.

Personalized Attention and Customized Solutions

Small digital agencies often provide a level of personalized attention that larger firms struggle to match. With a smaller client base, these agencies can afford to dive deep into understanding each business’s unique challenges and goals. This leads to tailored strategies that align closely with a company’s vision rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.

Swift Decision-Making and Implementation

Agility is a hallmark of small digital agencies. Without the layers of bureaucracy that bog down larger organizations, these nimble teams can make decisions and implement changes rapidly. This means businesses can adapt to market shifts or capitalize on emerging trends much quicker, giving them a competitive edge.

Innovative and Creative Thinking

Small agencies often foster a culture of creativity and innovation. They attract talent that thrives in a dynamic environment and are not afraid to push boundaries. This can lead to fresh, out-of-the-box ideas that set businesses apart in a crowded digital space.

Cost-Effectiveness

Working with a small digital agency can be more cost-effective. They have lower overhead costs and can offer more competitive pricing without compromising on the quality of their services. Businesses can enjoy high-caliber digital marketing expertise without the hefty price tag often associated with large agencies.

Stronger Relationships and Communication

The close-knit teams of small agencies allow for better communication and stronger relationships with their clients. Regular interactions and updates create a collaborative atmosphere where feedback is valued and acted upon promptly. This symbiotic relationship fosters trust and can lead to long-term partnerships.

Flexibility and Adaptability

Small digital agencies are well-positioned to adapt to their clients’ changing needs. Whether scaling up efforts for a product launch or pivoting strategies in response to analytics, these agencies can adjust their approach with ease. This flexibility ensures that businesses’ digital marketing efforts remain effective and relevant.

Access to Senior Talent

Senior staff in small agencies are often more hands-on with projects, providing their expertise and direct guidance. This contrasts with larger agencies, where senior talent may be reserved for high-budget clients or strategic oversight, leaving day-to-day management to junior staff.

Small digital agencies offer a compelling blend of personalized service, agility, creativity, and cost-effectiveness. They allow businesses to forge strong partnerships, benefit from senior expertise, and quickly adapt to the digital world’s ever-changing demands. For businesses looking to make a significant impact online, a small, flexible digital agency could be the perfect ally.

Businesses can leverage these advantages by choosing a small digital agency like Decantery to survive and thrive in the digital age. If you have any questions, contact us.

Is it Time To Update Your Website?

When you work in web development, one of the most common questions you’ll get asked is How do you know when it’s time to update your website?

A manufacturing client of ours recently came to us about updating their website. While the website we created for them last year has been doing well, they were ready for some changes. Our client identified a perfect opportunity for a restructure to their product pages: While on sales calls, he realized that his company’s site should be organized more by industry and not product category. Over the last several weeks, we have collaborated with him to make this possible, and we are looking forward to making his job easier!

This caused us to start thinking about other reasons that it might be tell-tale signs that your website needs some TLC. Let’s dive in!

Time Flies When You’re Having Fun

Over time, if you have a live website and your business is doing well, it can be easy to forget that your online presence needs love and attention. Let’s cover a few instances of reasons to update your site:

Your website is not SEO-optimized.
- It’s assumed that most websites and their content are optimized for positive SEO results, but we also understand that this is not something every small to medium business knows about. Without proper SEO optimization, your website will not show up in Google searches as readily or won’t initiate enough conversions for you, among many other negative impacts. SEO optimization is one of our main services and we’d love to chat with you if SEO makes you say, “huh?”
Your website traffic has slowed down.
- If you’re tracking your website’s traffic, and you see that visitors, interactions, and conversions have been dwindling over time, your site might be due for some changes. While many factors go into why traffic may have slowed, it’s important to also keep up with the times. A digital audit is a perfect way to figure out where areas of opportunity are. You can also utilize remarketing techniques to bring visitors back to your website and close your conversion loop.
Your website is not mobile-friendly.
- 52% of online traffic is done on mobile devices. Check out how quickly mobile has taken over in the graphic to the right! That means that no matter how gorgeous your website is on your desktop screen, it’s vital to check how it looks on various mobile devices. If you have even the slightest feeling that it’s not easy to navigate while on a cell phone or tablet, it might be time to check your mobile settings and devise an update plan.
Visual trends have changed.
- All smart marketers know that following trends is a necessary nuisance. The trick is to accommodate trends in your visual identity without subscribing fully to them. This allows your branding and “look” to fit in with what’s popular without expiring too quickly. For instance, if an image slider on home pages is a successful visual addition, it’s a quick edit to make without compromising the current integrity or branding you have.
You’re not using form fills, subscription sign-ups, or value add options.
- If a prospect visits your website but doesn’t take anything away from it, have you really captured their interest? If your site doesn’t have a newsletter sign-up form, you’re missing out on engaging with prospects in the long run. Not sure about email marketing or email lead gen? We can help you with that! Other value add examples are downloadable PDFs and case studies—don’t forget to make downloads a conversion goal in your Analytics account! This allows you to gather even more information about potential customers.

All Things Considered

There are dozens of reasons why you need to update your website. Whether it’s simply a matter of “it’s been too long” or you want to drive more qualified leads into your sales funnel, your website deserves an update. Think of it as an online, living extension of your brand and company. Provide it with the right development and attention, and you’ll see ongoing positive impact.

Do you still feel like your website needs some TLC and aren’t sure where to start? Let us know! We love helping businesses explore and identify their options. Click the link below to drop us a line.

Seasonal Marketing Strategy Tips

We were looking at our calendars this week and realized that fall is almost upon us! Autumn officially starts on September 23rd this year, and we’re ready to hunker down in cooler weather. It has us thinking about new beginnings and fresh starts. How can we refresh our strategy in the new quarter? How can we prepare for changes that our clients are facing?

Season Swap

During summer and warm weather, people tend to spend more time outside and at activities. With longer days comes longer playtime, so consumers don’t spend as much time online. That means as the weather turns, so does your luck. The more time your ideal customer spends online, the higher the chances are that they’ll discover you.

How is your follow-up going? As the weather cools, so do many of your leads. Don’t forget to reach back out to leads you first connected with in early summer. Email marketing is the perfect solution. We can integrate with your leads lists and set up immersive automated drip campaigns to re-engage your chilly prospects.

It’s also time to consider changing up your messaging. For example, the more relevant your remarketing ads are, the more likely consumers are to click them. Now is the perfect time to swap out your stock photography and test a new fall campaign against your summer results. Need help with your retargeting or remarketing strategies? Give us a shout.

Follow the Trends

While most people assume that summer is their most costly season, data shows that it actually falls second behind winter. For e-commerce businesses, fall is the perfect time to start addressing digital marketing strategies as we enter a lull in consumer spending. If you’re in front of them even when they’re not in a spending frenzy, you’ll be at the top of their minds when winter hits.

Just as school starts back up in the fall, so should your self-evaluations. Don’t forget that your website deserves a good grade on its report card. We perform digital audits that provide our clients with a comprehensive health check-up on their website, PPC, and SEO projects. If something needs to be fixed, we’ll help you take the necessary steps to achieving that A+.

Additionally, you must be aware of the #PSL trend, right? If you’re starting to think that every company and their cousin is using PSL jokes in their marketing, you’d be correct! Pop culture trends are some of the easiest to incorporate into your digital marketing efforts.

If you’re feeling fired up about fall and would like some direction on your digital marketing for the new season, reach out! We’d love to start a dialog with you and identify any areas of opportunity that we could assist you with.

You’ve Got Mail: Leveraging Cold Outbound

In our third installment of our blog series called “You’ve Got Mail,” we’ll be covering how to leverage totally cold email outreach. If you want to kickstart a new sales program with email lead generation, you’ve come to the right place! Don’t forget to check out our previous posts: You’ve Got Mail: Leveraging Existing Prospects and You’ve Got Mail: The Basics of Email Lead Generation.

LIKE A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK

Sometimes, searching for the right leads to target can feel like a wild goose chase, or finding a shiny and tiny metal object amongst a large pile of hay. But, if you know the general vicinity in which to search, you’re on the right track. That’s how we view email lead generation: cast a targeted net, and you’ll catch promising leads.

CATCH BUT NOT RELEASE

You might feel that sending out cold emails to strangers (prospects) doesn’t sound like the most effective way to get new leads in the door. You might be afraid of your emails being marked as spam. You might even be worried that you’ll accidentally email the wrong person. But here at Decantery, we have email lead gen down to a science.

Let’s go over how we make magic out of email lead generation:

We discuss the specific industries and titles that you want to target for conversations
We cull lead sources for prospects fitting your perfect parameters
We create customized email templates for you, complete with several follow-ups and direct, engaging calls to action (CTAs) that entice even your most elusive prospects
We email these prospects on your behalf through our automated drip system, plotting out weeks’ and months’ worth of follow-ups
You sit back and watches leads to flow into your inbox!

Our clients have already seen great success with these efforts. We love providing our clients with qualified leads all while taking time and stress off their plates.

Does that sound enticing? Would you like to benefit from having more time on your (or your sales team’s) hands? Let us know! Click the “contact us” button below and we’ll be in touch!

Not-So-Corporate Headshots with Virginia Harold

Every employee deserves to feel like a diva at their company. Having professional headshots taken of your team not only give your employees amazing Linkedin profile photos but also fosters a sense of investment. Investing in your employees is one of the best ways to build a strong company.

But, let’s be honest—traditional corporate headshots are a bit out of fashion. Enter photographers like Virginia Harold, whose fresh take on company photos is one of the main reasons that Decantery hired her to take ours.Virginia is a photographer based in Saint Louis, MO, but she grew up in Hawaii. Her work reflects her love of lush, intimate scenes from her time in Hawaii, and she is also inspired by architecture and light. A major focus of Virginia’s work is weddings, but she also likes to take stunning photos of plants. In fact, she has an entire series called “Dreamy Plants,” and we agree that they’re deliciously dreamy.

Earlier this spring, Virginia treated us to a morning of laughter and photography for our headshots. We followed up with her recently to chat about the shift away from the traditional, static company photos of the past.

1) There’s been some movement away from the traditional corporate headshot – what do you think caused this shift?
A lot of our first impressions and interactions are done over the web these days, which is why I think photography has evolved and blossomed so immensely. I think people are really seeking connection with others and are looking for something human and relatable in photos.

2) What do you think is an advantage of using lifestyle/casual/true-to-life portraiture is over the traditional, stoic headshot?
A headshot is an opportunity to portray more than a clinical ID of someone–it can show personality, environment, warmth and really offer a welcoming energy. Making these photos in the workplace and subtly showing some of the environment can say a lot about the person and the company. For example, having a plant in the background of a photo might subconsciously say that this is a “green” company, if that makes sense.

3) If an office wants to prepare for non-traditional photos, is there anything they can do to prep?
Having a clean lounge-like area is the key. A couch or a comfortable chair will make for a great setting for individual and group shots. Have some fresh coffee on hand for employees.

4) Does taking non-traditional headshots come with more challenges than traditional “sit and shoot ’em” style headshots (like a stool in front of a backdrop)?
Taking non-traditional photos is definitely less formulated than the traditional shots, so it does require a lot of in-the-moment problem solving. With traditional shots, it’s pretty much the exact same every time–It does require more equipment, like bringing in a background and lights. With non-traditional shots, I’ll still bring a light source with me just in case, but if there is ample window light in the right place, I will absolutely go for that first, since it is more natural looking and easier to use.

5) What time of day do you prefer to do portraiture like this?
If we are shooting indoors, any time will do. I personally like morning shoots. Most people are feeling fresh and we can drink some coffee and start the day off in a fun way.

6) Last but not least, Snickers or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups?
Reese’s all the way!

Thanks again to Virginia for capturing some wonderful images of our team!

Please be sure to visit Virginia’s website for her stunning portfolios and contact information.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

You’ve Got Mail: Leveraging Existing Prospects

We covered Decantery’s email lead gen offerings on a recent blog post, but we want to dive more deeply into the two main options that we cover. Those are: Leveraging Existing Prospects and Leveraging Email Lead Gen for Cold Outbound Efforts. Today, we’ll cover Leveraging Existing Prospects. Thanks for joining us!

C’MON ON BABY, LIGHT MY (LEADS) FIRE

When a prospect has gone cold, sometimes it can feel like you’re out of options to reignite that lead. If you’re absolutely certain that you would make a beneficial partner to the prospect you’ve lost, it’s vital to follow-up with them. However, following up with prospects takes skill, creativity, and confidence. And that’s why we talk about “the art of the follow-up.”

Let’s say you have a sales team member who feels that a large number of their cold leads would be worth reconnecting with, but already has a lot on their daily plate. It can be difficult to break away from the task load of brand new, promising leads! This is where we can help.

ROUND ‘EM UP & LET ‘EM LOOSE

Decantery has a method of doing this for clients. We partner with clients to send highly personalized, custom emails to leads that have gone cold. The only thing (basically!) that our clients are responsible for is rounding up their cold leads and providing them to us. Let’s dive into how this works:

Our client provides CSV files of prospect emails that were once-promising but now cold
We create customized email templates for the client, complete with several follow-ups and direct, engaging calls to action (CTAs) that entice even your most elusive prospects
We email these prospects on our client’s behalf through our automated drip system, plotting out weeks’ and months’ worth of follow-ups.
The client sits back and watches leads to flow into their inbox!

Sounds amazing, right? We think so, too. One of our email lead gen clients has seen incredible success with this method. It makes the stress of keeping in contact with seasonal opportunities a piece of cake, minus all the work and calories.

Curious about our email lead gen services? Drop us a line by clicking the button below—we’d love to learn about your business goals! Please also stay tuned for our next blog post on Email Lead Gen for Cold Outbound Efforts.

Consumer Habits: What’s A Digital Footprint?

Lately, we’ve been trying to get into podcasts around the Decantery office. And we’re not talking just the self-love, motivational kind. Podcasts present another avenue for learning! We covered the what and why of podcasts in a previous blog post as well.

We recently checked out The Sales Evangelist’s podcast with Victoria Romney, Founder & President of ModernMarca and all-around marketing superwoman. She offers some great insights into how to select a digital marketing firm for your company, what mistakes to avoid when engaging digital marketing, and how everything you do leaves a digital footprint. We especially liked that highlight—consumers are constantly creating digital trails. Harnessing the power of understanding the behavior of those trails, and therefore your consumers, will lead to greater success.

At Decantery, one of our main focuses is on understanding consumer behavior through SEO strategies. Through diligent testing and behavior research, we’re able to identify exactly what your consumers are searching for, and align your digital marketing efforts appropriately. We pride ourselves on truly becoming partners with our clients, so that you feel that we’re an integral part of your team. A client’s success is always our main goal.

If you’re ready to shake up your marketing efforts with a dedicated team of digital strategists, reach out! We’d love to chat about what you’d like to accomplish with your digital marketing.

MDMC: Midwest Digital Marketing Conference Quick Thoughts

MDMC (Midwest Digital Marketing Conference) was held on April 15, 2019 – April 18, 2019, at St. Louis Union Station. The event boasts an attendance of over 2,000 marketers with 100 speakers and 80+ breakout sessions. I was thrilled to be invited to participate on a panel about collaboration at this year’s conference and I wanted to take the chance to share some of my thoughts.

There is a Need

When attending the conference, you notice the excitement and enthusiasm of marketers looking to boost their knowledge and network with peers. Many of the breakout sessions and speakers were standing room only, adding to the overall excitement. The willingness of participants to sit in the aisles during speaker sessions illustrates the need midwest marketing professionals have to network and learn from peers.

Highly Engaged Audiences

Not only were attendees willing to stand or sit in the aisles for a particular speaker, they were also highly engaged. During our panel discussion on collaboration, attendees had lots of follow-up questions and wanted to know how they could continue to engage with us. I also noticed some attendees diligently taking notes.

Midwestern Feel

The hustle and bustle of MDMC did not take away the midwestern feeling of the event. MDMC has a very open and collaborative vibe, with lots of attendees networking between events. The conference is very approachable for a hesitant beginner while still having a level of depth for the seasoned professional.

In Conclusion

MDMC is a great conference to attend and be a part of. The year-over-year growth is a testament to the fact that attendees are coming back for more. My recommendation would be to mark your calendar for next year’s event because it will be even bigger and more informative.

WHAT Are Podcasts & WHY Should I Care?

So… what is a Podcast?

Basically, podcasts are the internet’s version of radio. Unlike traditional radio, where you catch whatever happens to be on when you tune in, podcasts episodes are consumable at your command (on-demand radio). You can also find them for free on many of today’s streaming services, like Spotify, iTunes, and more!

The Statistics

57 million Americans listen to podcasts and on average, listeners consume an average of 5 episodes per week. Podcasts consumption is not slowing down, in fact, it’s emphatically on the rise given the number of unique monthly podcast listeners has tripled in the past five years. This is some serious business and I’m a huge fan (understatement, more like an unpaid spokesperson).

Essentially, podcasts are convenient, audience-specific, and the best part, largely free. The content available in the podcast-sphere is expansive, to say the least- From talk radio formats, to comedy, current events, opinion/ advice, and storytelling… it’s as varied as your television networks and shows. If you’re not listening to podcasts, you’re missing out on FREE entertainment and education.

Launching a Podcast for Small Business

These reception statistics are excellent news if you’re interested in creating your own podcasts. Listeners of podcast want content that connects directly to their needs. There’s no need to satisfy a broad audience, just your audience. Podcasts function much like YouTube’s application, minus the visual component (which is even better because you don’t have to dress the part- sweatpants welcome!). The overall goal of your podcast is to increase your brand’s reach, further your reputation as an expert or industry leader, cultivate and strengthen customer relationships.

Organizations and business leaders are ideal podcast creators due to the content advantages you may not even realize you have! Need some topic starters or writer’s block relief? Here’s a list of potential episode topics:

Talk to your audience about why your service or good will benefit them. You can take this subject even further by breaking the benefits into categories and producing an episode for each area.
Interview satisfied customers, manufacturers/ partners, or experts in your field.
Give your take on trends, case studies, or current events in your vertical
Provide tips/tricks/hacks/misconceptions
Seasonal implications

Doctors, retail, finance/ investors, professional development, and technology are just a few of the many fields that can produce content around these topic structures.

Podcast Equipment & Publishing Resources

Before investing in podcast equipment, we recommend testing your level of commitment and find a sound studio to record at. Many studios have packages where they’ll take care of the technical side for you. If the idea of going to a studio doesn’t float your boat, here’s the complete list of necessary podcast equipment and a guide on microphones based on your budget.

After you’ve recorded your audio and edited the episode, it’s time to submit to podcast directories and apps. The list of podcast directory options is long and requires more of your time than you’re likely to give. If you submit to: iTunes, Stitcher, & Google Play you are adequately covered. If that’s 2 too many, iTunes is your must-have.

Measuring Podcast Success

The means to achieve your overall branding goals is through obtaining subscribers. Subscribers are more valuable than the average episode listener. Podcast subscribers have indicated they’re committed to receiving your continued content. Yay! They like you, they really like you!

How do you get podcast subscribers? There’s no single method, rather it requires a layering of several tactical executions. That’s Marketing 101 folks: conversion requires multiple touch points.

Podcast promotion tactics:

Start from Home Base – Take advantage of the properties you already have. Promote on your website, social channels, in-store, and business collateral.
Podcast Nomenclature – This applies to both the actual name of your podcast and podcast episodes. Find a balance for your podcast’s name, somewhere between distinctive/ memorable and applicable to your overall theme. Title your episodes based on their content. Abiding by these tips makes your podcast searchable from branded recall perspective and audience search interest. Existing customers will likely search for your business’s name and your relevant audience will be searching for topics you should be producing content for.
Advertise – As with all things, the beginning is your testing stage and it’ll take practice to refine your format. Eventually you’ll feel establish and after consistent positive reception, consider ramping up your audience beyond your existing customer/ partner base. Paid Search, Paid Social, and Paid Sponsorships with relevant and popular podcasters and, or bloggers are the next steps to audience amplification.

Keep in mind, you’re not shifting your business model into podcast celebrity (unless you are, then disregard the following).

Don’t concern yourself about the number of subscribers, aim for overall subscription growth, near episode completion, and avoidance of negative ratings… it’s rare for people to take the time to write a positive review but they will take time to complain.

If you experience any of these unfortunate signals, adjust your content coverage, delivery, or sound qualityWhile we don’t produce podcasts, we can sure help you get started and grow. Reach out and we can help put you in contact with affordable sound studios, develop a research-based content strategy, website integration, and podcast marketing.