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How to Create a High Converting Landing Page

November 16, 2017, 8:05 am
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The landing page is a beautiful thing. It exists for one purpose – to convert.

Whether you’re looking to turn prospects into subscribers, clients, members or customers, the humble landing page has got your back.

Landing pages can be powerful tools.

In a study by Marketing Sherpa, 43% of marketers reported that dedicated landing pages are highly effective and 49% of marketers reported that they are somewhat effective. That’s a consistent endorsement.

But, dedicated landing pages can only deliver if they are designed properly.

While there is no such thing as a perfect landing page; there are definite do’s and don’ts.

We’ve put together proven tips to help you create a landing page that converts visitors into customers.

Let’s start with the ba… Read more

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Twitter Link Roundup #315 – Terrific Reads for Small Business, Entrepreneurs, Marketers, and Designers!

November 17, 2017, 3:02 pm
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Diego Velázquez, Old Woman Frying Eggs, c. 1618, National Gallery of Scotland

 

When you take a look at some of the famous works of art from the 17th century, you can learn about the globalization of food crops, and how food trends influenced the global market’s tastebuds in wide-reaching ways.

The things people preferred to eat throughout history pushed our ancestors to create things like the Columbian Exchange – which we can thank for the now widespread ability to grab some kung pao chicken, or pasta with red sauce, with relative ease.

I’m grateful every time I order a side of spicy kimchi.

The next time you have the chance to study some of the world’s greatest art, pay attention to the food. It might make you hungry, but it’s also a g… Read more

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How A/B Testing Can Help Your Small Business Increase Conversions and Revenues

November 19, 2017, 10:35 pm
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A/B testing: fork in the road for your customers: which one is best? (photo credit: Richard Croft)

We all have times when we wished, “what if?”

What if I had done this instead of that, or chosen this item instead of the other? What would have happened?

We might not have the ability to rewind and replay our lives, but we do have this ability with our marketing campaigns, websites, and apps. It’s called A/B testing (or split testing).

At its most basic, A/B testing is when you take two variations of a website design or copy and try each one with random customers.

For example, you can A/B test two different designs for your website’s landing page by randomly serving each one to different site visitors, and track the usage. You use A/B testing … Read more

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How to Use a Mood Board to Inspire Your Small Business Brand

November 27, 2017, 6:48 am
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The start of a new creative project is a magical time fraught with possibility.

A blank page – or screen – has infinite potential.

But, that infinite potential can make starting a new project feel intimidating and overwhelming. Especially if you’re not a creative.

Are you the founder of a brand-new startup or small business? Or maybe you’re a freelance consultant getting ready to tackle a new website for your personal brand? How do you begin?

There’s a helpful tool that you can use to unlock your mental paralysis and tap into your inspiration. And, it’s not just for designers and artists.

It’s called a ‘mood board”.

A mood board is a collage filled with images that express a central theme. Photographs, magazine clippings, textures, works… Read more

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6 Holiday Marketing Tips and Ideas for Small Businesses

November 26, 2017, 10:28 pm
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With Halloween and Thanksgiving freshly behind us, it’s time to deck the halls and get merry.

This time of year, there are holiday marketing campaigns everywhere. Whether the campaigns are small and involve dressing up a company’s logo, or big, expensive campaigns that manage to go viral, many businesses are keenly aware of the opportunity to take advantage of the spending season and seek out ways to market their brand to enthusiastic customers.

With Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the ho-ho-holidays, November and December are a season of riches for businesses.

These two months alone drive an astounding 30% more revenue for e-commerce businesses than the rest of the year.

There is no shortage of holiday emails, social media p… Read more

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Ten Ways Leaders Can Help Employees Find Meaning at Work

November 30, 2017, 9:33 am
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What gets you out of bed in the morning?

Chances are good that it’s not the prospect of a full day of work. Or even the promise of a paycheck.

Just like you, your employees are motivated by a wide range of factors that likely transcend the transactional nature of “you do work = I give money.”

Those factors are not the same for everyone.

What is important to some people is meaningless to others. But, we’re all united – we all yearn for a sense of purpose and meaning.

Considering we spend the majority of our adult lives at our jobs, this is a particularly important issue for our careers. Waking up day after day without a connection to our work beyond the transactional relationship of a paycheck is demoralizing and unsustainable.

Why… Read more

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Twitter Link Roundup #316 – Terrific Reads for Small Business, Entrepreneurs, Marketers, and Designers!

December 1, 2017, 7:35 am
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Are you in a music rut?

If you are interested in branching out your Spotify playlist – but don’t want to stray too far from a genre you love – check out Music-Map.

Music-Map allows you to plug in the name of an artist or band, and then provides a map of any artists that have a similar sound or styling. The closer two names are, the greater the chance that people will like both artists.

Feel free to plug in however many musicians you like, and explore the new names that pop up. It’s a fun, easy way to breathe some fresh life into your favorite streaming radio station.

Now, we hope you enjoy another great set of links and articles that we shared with you over the past week on our crowdspring Twitter account (and on Ross’s Twitter account).… Read more

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How Businesses Can Use Chatbots To Increase Profits

December 3, 2017, 10:59 pm
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We’re seeing an increasing number of companies, from small businesses to big enterprises, deploying chatbots as part of their marketing, lead generation, or customer service strategies.

Big companies leverage bots to handle tasks that used to be either done without help or weren’t possible at all before chatbots were introduced.

For example, Capital One has a bot named “eno” that helps customers manage their finances via text, and the Marriot hotel chain uses bots to help customers make service requests, book rooms, and other tasks.

As we wrote in How Chatbots Can Help You Grow Revenue In Your Business,

True to their name, chatbots talk to you in fun, personable ways–just like a real person. Poncho, for example, is a chatbot that lives in … Read more

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2018 Logo Design Trends: Your Guide to Navigate Hot Trends and Avoid Fads

December 7, 2017, 10:45 am
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Logo design with bright colors, creative typography, and signage mock-up by zeste/crowdspring

Small businesses and startups have to compete in an increasingly noisy world, often against large, dominant businesses.

Customers who are just discovering your brand need something to remember you by, and your logo serves as a symbol of your business.

But not all logos are created alike. New design trends and fads in logo design appear every year.

Stripes, letter stacking, fades and geometric shapes were popular in logo design for 2017. Last year, monoline designs, negative space, and retro designs were all the rage.

But, which of these trends are worth following? And, which “trends” are really passing fads that will date your new logo in just a … Read more

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Twitter Link Roundup #317 – Terrific Reads for Small Business, Entrepreneurs, Marketers, and Designers!

December 8, 2017, 9:46 am
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Despite what your friends on Facebook might want you to think, being heavily engaged in your social life doesn’t necessarily equate to more happiness.

According to the Washington Post, a national survey of 15,000 respondents aged 18 to 28 revealed that intelligent people feel happier with less social interaction, including social interaction with friends.

That kind of antisocial behavior is typically seen as negative. However, a study recently published in the Elselvier journal ScienceDirect.com posits that the character traits of “shyness, avoidance, [and] unsociability” have decidedly positive associations with creativity.

Being around other people keeps creative people from exploring new thoughts and ideas.

There is plenty of sc… Read more

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2018 Web Design Trends: Your Guide To Navigating 9 Hot Trends

December 10, 2017, 10:55 pm
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Photo by William Iven on Unsplash.

 

People are increasingly shopping online. In fact, last year more than half of all purchases were made online.

This trend shows no signs of slowing, so if you don’t have a business website – or if your existing website looks dated – it’s time to invest in a design or a redesign.

As we wrote in Grow Your Small Business With These 7 Website Design Best Practices,

Today, it’s impossible to reach most customers without a website. This is especially true for new small businesses and startups trying to compete in an increasingly noisy world. but it’s also true for even established companies.

Don’t believe me? A recent study shows that 97% of consumers research their purchases online before they buy something.

Y… Read more

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Twitter Link Roundup #318 – Terrific Reads for Small Business, Entrepreneurs, Marketers, and Designers!

December 15, 2017, 7:58 am
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It’s holiday party season, which means it’s time to bring out the cheese plates!

Every wondered whether or not you can actually eat the rind on that cheese you’re sampling? Well, hang on to that luscious piece of Brie you’re enjoying.

Tom Bivins, executive director of the Vermont Cheese Council, thinks it’s time to set aside your cheese anxieties and eat the rind. Unless there is wax, cheesecloth or paper on the rind, Bivins says you are in the clear:

The cultures are good for your gut health and they aren’t going to hurt you. No cheesemaker would put anything on the cheese that would be harmful.

Read the article from Food & Wine here for more information on how to get the most out of your holiday cheese – and then have a Gouda time eating… Read more

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6 Compelling 2018 Book Cover Design Trends Every Author Should Know

December 17, 2017, 10:20 pm
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Contrary to the belief that ebooks are taking over the world, print and the written word are most decidedly not dead yet.

In fact, in 2016 ebook sales fell for the second year in a row as printed book sales increased. A Publishers Association report succinctly captured the reason for this trend: “Readers take a pleasure in a physical book that does not translate well on to digital.”

There’s something special about reading a physical book that ebook readers and tablets haven’t been able to capture, and this yen for a tangible experience has been a boon for authors and book cover designers.

As with anything related to books, however, the emergence of Amazon – and indie booksellers, too – cannot be ignored. Print may be where many books are … Read more

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12 Important Small Business Trends in 2018

January 3, 2018, 10:16 am
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For a small business to thrive it’s not enough to survive the present moment – you must plan for the future.

From hiring to marketing, to branding and technology … change is constant. If you don’t keep up, you simply can’t compete. John Hall, CEO and co-founder of Influence & Co. points out:

Like it or not, your industry is changing. Everything changes; it always has, and it always will. You can keep up with and be part of the changes, or you can overlook and ignore changes and let others pass you by.

This feels even more relevant as each year surrenders to the next. Technology evolves, employees change and the business landscape is subtly different from year to year.

Many businesses already know this.

Reuters reports that the field of… Read more

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Twitter Link Roundup #319 – Terrific Reads for Small Business, Entrepreneurs, Marketers, and Designers!

January 5, 2018, 9:24 am
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It’s a new year. You know what that means!

It’s that special time of year when people think, often with regret, about all the things they didn’t accomplish the previous year – and all the things they will try to accomplish in the new one. Some people call them resolutions, some people call them goals, and mostly everyone calls them stressful.

It’s important to reframe how we approach goals in order to truly be more productive – and not drown ourselves in meaningless goalposts. Instead of trying to do everything, why not focus only on doing what is worth doing?

David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done,  is a balanced and helpful perspective on accomplishing your most worthwhile goals. With Zen-like mottos like “If it’s on your mind, your min… Read more

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28 Ways Artificial Intelligence Will Affect Your Business and Life in 2018

January 9, 2018, 7:04 am
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Image courtesy of Chris Sampson

Like it or not, the machines are claiming new territory.

And by “machines” I mean artificial intelligence (AI).

Our business and personal lives are touched by AI every day. That friendly lady who took your information and looked up your account when you called your insurance company?

A robot.

That helpful service on Netflix that recommends new shows to watch?

An AI algorithm.

That stilted voice that gives you directions when you’re lost in a new city?

AI.

Amazon’s helpful home assistant, Alexa and Apple’s assistant, Siri?

AI.

Without realizing it, we’re interacting with “thinking” machines on an unprecedented level and in forms we had only imagined before. A trends report on artificial intelligence Read more

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6 Reasons Why Tomorrow Is An Entrepreneur’s Enemy

January 10, 2018, 7:59 am
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“I’ll do it tomorrow,” and variations of that excuse echo through the minds of entrepreneurs everywhere. It’s a form of procrastination that often goes undetected, delaying success and preventing us from developing productive habits.

We just started 2018 and already our inboxes, newsfeeds, and brains are flooded with resolution posts. Such posts promise us a better version of ourselves, tomorrow, ignoring what made us stuck, today.

But our ideal version of “tomorrow” rarely happens.

In fact, the most successful entrepreneurs typically look to their past when making decisions.

Stephen Guise, author of Mini Habits, explains why “tomorrow” is his productivity’s enemy:

Tomorrow is a mystery, but your habits aren’t. Tomorrow is not only a blank… Read more

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Biggest Product Packaging Design Trends In 2018

January 10, 2018, 10:39 pm
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Customers may fall in love with your product, but product packaging often provides the first touchpoint between your customer and your product.

Investing in good packaging design (the packaging for your product) and package graphics design (the graphics/content on the product packaging) is critical to your company’s success.

As a product’s first impression, packaging has to fulfill the “three W’s of good packaging design”:

  • What is this? – inform the customer about the product.
  • What does it do? – provide some instruction or clue as to the product’s functionality.
  • What’s the value? – why should anyone buy it?

Effective product packaging does more than merely set the stage for a product. The experience of unpacking a product is part of a cu… Read more

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Twitter Link Roundup #320 – Terrific Reads for Small Business, Entrepreneurs, Marketers, and Designers!

January 12, 2018, 2:18 pm
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2017 was a strange year.

At times, the world seemed to feel like it was collapsing in on itself like a sad flan in a cupboard.

That feeling, thankfully, is not revealing of the entire picture of a year which had its share of ingenuity and promise intermixed with the sometimes painful turn of events. Now that we’ve moved squarely into 2018, we can take a retrospective look at the best, most inspirational events of 2017 and allow them to motivate us to do great work in the year ahead.

For inspiration, clearer perspective, or for just plain Feel Better Friday, take some time and check out Quartz’s excellent The 99 best things that happened in 2017.

Now, we hope you enjoy another great set of links and articles that we shared with you over… Read more

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Color Trends For 2018 (What Marketers and Small Businesses Need To Know)

January 15, 2018, 6:31 am
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Whether you’re an entrepreneur or small business owner looking to have your first logo designed, or an established company redesigning your website or marketing materials, the colors you choose can make or break your marketing initiatives.

As we wrote in 20 Statistics About Branding Every Entrepreneur and Marketer Should Know:

The right color can improve readership by 40% by making messaging easier to read and more visually appealing. Color is one of the first things our brains perceive from a brand, so it’s often the first thing that pulls us in.

Color is a huge factor of brand recognition. A signature color can increase brand recognition by 80% (like the Starbucks green).

People respond to color in deeply felt ways, as we noted in how co… Read more

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