Let's Talk Email Marketing!
Plain-text emails vs. Designed emails?
There's debate even among marketers on which is better, but in the end, at Stratos, our goal is to give the people what they want!
What your people want may be TOTALLY different than the trends! But if they're opening those and clicking those links, keep giving them what they want.
P.S. It doesn't hurt to try something new. In fact, I think it's important to experiment but always fall back on what the people want.
Tips for Working from Anywhere On a Budget!
Your work-from-anywhere style is all about you and your needs.
The good news is that your budget doesn’t have to affect your ability to explore the world as long as you have your laptop and some WiFi.
Any tips you would add to the list?
5 Quick SB Questions to Improve Your Marketing
It’s almost embarrassing how often StoryBrand crosses my mind while I’m out and about. It’s like once you learn about storytelling in marketing, you can’t unlearn it!
The marketer in me can’t help but analyze other marketing - billboards, flyers, TV ads, etc. I like assessing whether it’s reaching its audience and telling a story (or not).
These are the five quick StoryBrand-based questions I ask myself every time I’m analyzing a piece of marketing (whether someone else’s or my own):
1.) What is it? It’s amazing how many times it’s not clear what is being promoted.
2.) What do they want me to do? The call to action needs to be clear. If I decide I want the product or service, I need to know exactly how to get it.
3.) How will this make my life better? Every product or service needs to bring improvement or success to the person who purchases it.
4.) Who is the hero? Is it the business or the consumer? Small tweaks can change the business’s positioning so that it is the guide - a much more compelling role to the customer who wants to be the hero of their story.
5.) Is it clear what problem this solves? If your business doesn’t solve a problem, it shouldn’t be in business. Customers are looking for solutions; make sure you are clear on how you can help.
Some people mistakenly believe that you need lots of words to express all these things. Not true! These questions can be answered with words, pictures, sentiments, and more. The connection between the elements is what tells a story, not just the words.
Even then, you don’t have to answer all five questions fully to have a good piece of marketing. Depending on your medium, you may be limited. If that’s the case, make sure you’ve infused your other assets with the elements from these questions so that - as a WHOLE - your marketing is telling a story. 🌟
Viral Does Not Equal More Money
Think twice before you wish your social media account would go viral. It's not all that it's cracked up to be!
Stratos Leap Day Reel :)
Here are more details on what we’re celebrating:
🌟: StoryBrand Agency Training - Our whole team did a two-day training. I’ve been certified for 5 years at this point so it was fun to bring the whole team along for the ride! We’ve been writing social media with an SB lens for ages, but it’s fun to make it official!
🎉 New Team Members - I’m excited to introduce you to Dylan, K’Shari, and Christine. Dylan is an expert copywriter and has been writing AMAZING websites for us and our clients. K’Shari is our resident reels editor; honestly, our time spent on reels has been cut in half with her help. Christine has brought stability to our DIY Club as we focus on that this year!
🎂: Our 6th Birthday - I remember the day I sat in my exit interview at my last job thinking, I hope I never have to do this again. I’m happy to report that so far so good! If Stratos were my child, they’d be off to first grade this year. It’s been cool to see the maturity that comes with being in business over time, but I’ll be honest, it definitely still feels like we’re learning our own version of whatever it is that kids learn in first grade nowadays.
It’s safe to say we wouldn’t be where we’re at without your encouragement. Thanks for being along for the ride!
Tell us what you’re celebrating!
Julia Podcast Promo: Evolving to Exceptional Podcast
Want to learn more about integrating family values into your small business? Tune in to hear Julia on Evolving to Exceptional podcast to learn more! 😊
Find it wherever you listen to podcasts on February 13th ✨
Evolving to Exceptional page: Evolving To Exceptional
YouTube link to the podcast!
https://www.youtube.com/@evolvingtoexceptional
Julia Talking Head: Are you matching or treading lightly?
Are you matching what your client is saying or are you treading lightly? 👀
Talking about problems with clients can be tricky, but making your client feel understood and heard is the ultimate goal! ✅
Let us know what you think in the comments!
Julia Podcast Promo #2: Imperfect Marketing
Is the internet correct on behalf of your business?
Tune in to hear Julia on Imperfect Marketing to find out if your business information needs some updating!
Find it wherever you listen to podcasts!
Imperfect Marketing's Facebook: Kendra Corman
YouTube link to the podcast! https://www.youtube.com/@ImperfectMarketingPodcast
Stratos Photoshoot Reel
Enjoy this behind-the-scenes footage from our Stratos photoshoot! We had a ton of fun; it's always a great time when the Stratos team gets together! ✨