As technology continues evolving rapidly, the need for effective and practical digital marketing strategies becomes more pronounced. In this dynamic landscape, where trends emerge and fade in the blink of an eye, the challenge lies in keeping up and identifying strategies that stand the test of time.

As we enter 2024, the digital world presents challenges and unprecedented opportunities. The strategies that fueled successful digital marketing campaigns last year may no longer hold the same efficacy. Therefore, regardless of size, it becomes paramount for businesses to reassess their approach and realign with strategies that promise tangible results.

This article will look at seven smart and easy ways for small businesses to do better in digital marketing in 2024. These strategies are not mere trends but foundational principles that small businesses can integrate seamlessly into their operations.

1. Personalized Customer Experiences

Personalization in digital marketing has come a long way from simply addressing customers by their first names. In 2024, it’s about using advanced tools like AI and machine learning to understand your customers on a deeper level. By analyzing their data, behaviors, and preferences, you can tailor your content, offers, and recommendations to create hyper-personalized experiences.

Why does this matter? Because personalized experiences lead to increased customer engagement and loyalty. Imagine receiving recommendations for products you genuinely care about or promotions that align with your preferences. It makes the customer feel understood and valued, fostering a positive relationship with your brand.

2. Video Marketing Dominance

Video marketing continues to dominate the digital space in 2024. Short-form videos on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are gaining immense popularity. These bite-sized videos capture attention quickly and are perfect for our fast-paced digital world.

Creating engaging short-form video content doesn’t require a Hollywood budget. It’s about being authentic, creative, and understanding your audience. 

Consider live streaming to connect with your audience in real-time, and explore interactive video elements to boost engagement. Video marketing isn’t just a trend; it’s a powerful tool to tell your brand story and connect with your audience emotionally.

3. Voice Search Optimization

With more people using devices that respond to voices, like when you ask Siri or Alexa a question, voice search is becoming more common. You can use their voices to search for information, and businesses need to adapt their digital marketing strategies accordingly.

Optimizing for voice search involves using conversational keywords and understanding people’s natural language when speaking. Think about how your customers might phrase their queries verbally rather than typing them. By aligning your content with voice search patterns, you can improve your visibility in search results and reach a broader audience.

Furthermore, consider creating content that directly answers common voice queries related to your business. This not only enhances your chances of being featured in voice search results but also positions your brand as a valuable source of information. 

4. Influencer Marketing Evolution

Influencer marketing has evolved beyond mega-celebrities endorsing products. In 2024, it’s about micro-influencers and authenticity. These influencers may not have millions of followers but have a dedicated and engaged audience within a specific niche.

Collaborating with micro-influencers can bring authenticity to your brand. Their followers trust their recommendations, and the partnership can feel more genuine. 

Building authentic relationships with influencers involves understanding their values and ensuring they align with your brand. Remember, it’s not just about the numbers; it’s about the connection.

5. AI-Powered Chatbots

AI-powered chatbots are not just a fancy feature for big corporations. Small businesses can benefit significantly from implementing chatbots to enhance customer service and engagement. These bots can handle routine inquiries, respond instantly, and offer personalized recommendations.

Imagine a potential customer visiting your website and getting instant answers to their questions through a chatbot. It improves the user experience and frees up your team to focus on more complex tasks. 

Chatbots are an excellent way for small businesses to leverage AI and enhance customer interactions.

6. Data Privacy and Transparency

In an era where data privacy concerns are growing, transparency is key. Customers want to know how their data is used and whether they can trust your business. Being transparent about your data practices builds trust and credibility.

Outline your data collection practices clearly and give customers control over their preferences. Inform them about the security measures you have to protect their data. You can ensure compliance with regulations and foster a positive perception of your brand by being transparent.

By fostering a culture of transparency, your business not only meets the ethical expectations of customers but also distinguishes itself as a trustworthy player in the digital arena.

7. Augmented Reality (AR) Integration

Augmented Reality (AR) isn’t just for gaming; it also has practical applications for businesses. AR enhances the customer experience by providing interactive and immersive elements.

Consider how AR can add value to your products or services. For example, allowing customers to virtually try on clothes or visualize how furniture would look in their homes before making a purchase decision. AR is about creating engaging campaigns that set you apart from competitors and make your brand memorable.

Moreover, businesses can leverage AR to showcase intricate details of products, offer virtual tours, or provide step-by-step guidance on product usage. This dynamic technology opens up new possibilities for customer engagement, allowing businesses to connect with their audience innovatively.

Conclusion

As we navigate the digital landscape of 2024, these seven digital marketing strategies offer small business owners and entrepreneurs a roadmap for success. Personalizing customer experiences, embracing video marketing, optimizing for voice search, evolving influencer marketing, implementing AI-powered chatbots, prioritizing data privacy, and integrating augmented reality are all steps toward staying competitive in the ever-changing digital space.

Small businesses can leverage these trends to connect with their audience, build trust, and, ultimately, drive growth. By staying informed and adapting to the latest trends, you position your business for success in the digital age.

In the most recent episode of The Small Business Show, we explore the impact of having a robust presence on LinkedIn and how to establish it. Our guest is Lorraine K. Lee, the founder of RISE Learning Solutions, a Stanford instructor, keynote speaker, and instructor at LinkedIn Learning. Lee is a LinkedIn Top Voice and has over 300,000 LinkedIn followers!

It is crucial for entrepreneurs to establish a strong presence on LinkedIn because it serves as a modern-day online landing page. When people want to learn about a person or organization, they typically start by looking at their LinkedIn profile before exploring other platforms.

Key Takeaways:

1. According to a recent study by the RAIN Group, 82% of potential buyers tend to visit your LinkedIn profile before responding to your prospecting efforts. This statistic emphasizes the importance of having a well-crafted LinkedIn page that can help establish your credibility and increase awareness of your business.

2. For entrepreneurs looking to build a LinkedIn profile, the following elements are key contributors they should focus on. To make your LinkedIn profile more effective, you should optimize it. This involves creating a solid foundation that will either attract or deter people. To do this, you need a high-quality profile photo that conveys professionalism and approachability, followed by a compelling headline that goes beyond your job title. Additionally, you should use industry-specific keywords related to your business and, finally, have a solid background photo. 

3. With remote work, there is more flexibility in having a profile photo showing more of your personality. However, a few parameters remain that entrepreneurs should consider, such as keeping it business casual. 

4. According to Lee, there was a time when people shared a lot of behind-the-scenes information about their business on LinkedIn, which made the platform feel more like Facebook. However, after receiving feedback, people have started to keep their posts more professional. 

5. Lee believes that there are several “non-obvious” best practices for using LinkedIn effectively. For example, the new feature that allows users to record the pronunciation of their name can be used to give a quick pitch about yourself or your business. Additionally, the “Creator Mode” feature allows entrepreneurs to showcase more media-rich content on their page, making it more eye-catching.

6. Lee advises entrepreneurs who feel uncomfortable about posting on LinkedIn to start by posting once a month and create a content calendar to reduce stress later. It’s also helpful to seek input from others and build a supportive network. Lastly, engaging with other people’s posts by leaving comments is an effective way to showcase your professional personality and generate content.

The brands of Chick-fil-A, Disney, and Apple are not just well-known but legendary. Joining us in the latest episode of The Small Business Show is the CEO of Swoz Consulting, Author, and speaker Scott Wozniak. Wozniak’s newest book, Make Your Brand Legendary: Create Raving Fans With the Customer Experience Engine, provides readers with tools to create a legendary brand. 

According to Wozniak, having raving fans does not necessarily mean that you have happier or more well-behaved customers. Raving fans are the lifetime value of the brands’ consumers, who behave differently. It’s also important to keep in mind that not all customers are equally a good fit for your brand.

Key Takeaways:

1. “A legendary brand is defined by its customers,” according to Wozniak. It’s not what you say about yourself but what your customers say that truly defines your brand. 

There are three ways to measure how “legendary” your brand is: 

1. Measure the repeat frequency of your customers. According to Wozniak, “Raving fans buy more, more often.” 

2. How many people do your clients bring with them? 

3. Raving fans pay full price. If your customers believe in your brand, they will pay top dollar for your product or service. 

2. Brands can measure their legendary status by evaluating how many customers return year after year. Success cannot be measured by the amount of money spent on advertising or the size of the company but rather by how many people rave about your business. 

3. Wozniak’s book is based on the premise that he needed to help more people than he could physically get to. He notes that inside the pages are the lessons he gives, the conversations he has, and, in many parts of the book, the mini-workshops he teaches. Moreover, he assures that for those he can’t physically get to, his book will be the tool to help guide them in the right direction. 

4. The “Customer Experience Engine” is the core metaphor that drives the book’s content. For starters, the fuel that pours into the engine on the diagram is customer insight. But don’t mistake their buying behavior for insight because that’s just data. You lack insight until you know ‘why’ they picked your business. 

5. Once you have insight, the heart of the engine has three parts:

• Operational excellence- This factor is the biggest because this is where your customers ask if they can trust you. 
• Personalized service- All about making a personal connection. Do you see and hear them? 
• Memorable moments- People don’t tell facts; they tell stories, so you have to create story-worthy moments. 

6. Then, the last part of the engine is the belt- the healthy leadership team running the entire engine that ensures the company is fully aligned. 

If you’re struggling with low video engagement, you’re not alone. But don’t worry, there are practical solutions to help you solve this problem. To increase brand awareness and attract new business, YouTube is an excellent platform to explore. It offers a range of tools that can help you effectively reach your target audience and gain more brand exposure.

With YouTube ad placements, you can successfully reach a target market that already has an interest in your product or service but simply needs to be made aware of your brand.

But if you actually want your viewers to pay attention to your videos, you can’t just wing your approach. You need to know exactly how to capture their attention in just a few seconds.

Start Your Video with a Catchy Headline

The first sentence you say in a marketing video must have an impact. This is especially the case when you’re running a YouTube advertisement. Most of the time, ads aren’t welcome, especially when they disrupt the original media you’re engaging with. Because of this, you have to make it worth the viewer’s time – and you need to make it quick!

Minimize jargon or complicated language that may create confusion or distract viewers. It is essential to ensure the headline speaks directly to your target audience, piquing their interest using strategic language that evokes strong emotions.

Leverage Storytelling

Designing your video around a narrative structure will typically attract viewers’ attention more effectively than conveying essential information. Through storytelling, help your viewers become more immersed in your message, creating a sense of immediacy in actions they should be taking. 

This allows your viewers to picture themselves as characters within your story rather than passive observers. By integrating storytelling into your video content, you’re creating a more memorable experience for viewers and providing information that they’ll retain and act on.

Use Rhetorical Questions

Asking questions that don’t require a dedicated answer is another way to create an engaging experience for video viewers. Rhetorical questions are an incredible sales technique designed to get more engagement from an audience right out of the gate.

Rhetorical questions prompt you to consider relevant concepts applicable to your life. Consider this example: “Does your workout feel unproductive?” Rather than a simple yes or no response, this inquiry spurs action. Perhaps you’re thinking of ways to improve results or increase gym attendance.

This is why rhetorical questions are such a powerful tool. They start to get the audience to pitch themselves on new ideas, problems, or scenarios where a product or service could help them.

Keep Your Videos Short and to the Point

Research has shown that most people have short attention spans, so keeping your content concise and engaging is essential.

The optimal duration for successful YouTube video advertisements is now limited to a maximum of 60 seconds, with the majority ranging from 15 to 30 seconds. If important messaging points cannot be easily conveyed within those parameters, it may be because your content is too long.

Providing excessive details about your goods or services can hinder your brand’s appeal and deter your audience from exploring it further. Instead, build a sense of curiosity in your audience by offering them only a glimpse of what you provide and compelling them to seek more information. 

The trick is to get your audience interested enough to watch your video to completion and then be drawn in with a clever CTA (Call-to-Action) to be taken down a more narrow marketing funnel.

Use High-Quality Visuals

Using high-quality visuals, professional sound equipment, and multiple camera angles gives the impression that the information they’re receiving is from a reputable source. It also helps them concentrate on the message rather than “Why does this set look like it’s being used in someone’s basement?”

Incorporate Some Humor

Humor is a great way to break the ice and makes your video messaging more relatable and less “salesy.” Adding a touch of humor to your video content helps viewers feel more relaxed and open to what you say, which often translates into better engagement levels.

Viewing the recent Super Bowl Commercials is an excellent way to watch this theory in action. These brief 30-second advertisements almost always incorporate humor to endorse, sell, or emphasize a product or service. 

The rationale behind this approach is to compel viewers to focus on the message being conveyed. However, humor serves a strategic purpose when appropriately used through various factors, including timing, delivery, visuals, and pacing.

Add a Call To Action at the End of Your Video

A CTA is a straightforward and precise statement that urges viewers to take a specific action after watching your video.

For example, it could entail going to your website, subscribing to your newsletter, or making a purchase. This strategy is highly effective for converting passive viewers into active customers.

To create a powerful CTA, follow these best practices:

• Be Clear and Direct: It is imperative that your Call-to-Action (CTA) is clear and concise, leaving no room for confusion. Use simple, actionable language that precisely conveys the desired action. Rather than saying “Check out our website,” opt for a direct command such as “Click the link below to shop our latest collection.”
• Create a Sense of Urgency: Encourage prompt action from viewers by using time-sensitive language or limited-time offers, such as “Act now,” “Limited time offer,” or “Offer ends soon.” These phrases can establish a sense of urgency, motivating viewers to take immediate action.
• Make it Visually Appealing: Design plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of your CTA. Use contrasting colors, bold text, and eye-catching graphics to make your CTA stand out from the rest of your video content.
• Highlight the Benefits: Communicate the value of taking the desired action. Explain how it will benefit the viewer, whether it’s by solving a problem, saving them money, or providing exclusive access to content or deals.
• Ensure Easy Accessibility: Make it as simple as possible for viewers to follow through with your CTA. If you’re directing them to a website, include a clickable link in the video description or add a direct link to your site.

Start Getting More Engagement From Your YouTube Ads

Video advertisements are an efficient way to grab the attention of your audience and boost brand recognition. However, to enhance the value of your investment, it’s important to create videos that captivate and engage viewers from the start.

By implementing these strategies, you can optimize the impact of your brand videos and drive more sales conversions.

One powerful tool for promoting small-to-medium-sized enterprises is video marketing. On the latest episode of The Small Business Show, we’re joined by Maxwell Bentley, Founder and Executive Producer for the Bentley Media Group. Bentley offers important tactics that business owners should consider while using videos for promotion.

Nowadays, video is thought to be the most effective digital marketing medium. Compared to other mediums, it helps audiences develop trust more quickly. Moreover, videos create an emotional connection with viewers by weaving a brand’s story with a combination of visuals, sounds, and music. According to Bentley, “Video allows brands to captivate their audience.”

Key Takeaways:

1. Entrepreneurs can make their content discoverable on YouTube by optimizing video descriptions, titles, and tags, as YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine, following Google. At the same time, younger audiences like Generation Z tend to utilize TikTok as their primary medium for search engines. 

2. Bentley Media was launched in 2007 when Bentley was just 17 years old. At that time, YouTube was not yet a major social media platform, but Bentley had always enjoyed filming people and things, even as a young child. He never outgrew this interest, and once he discovered YouTube, he started creating videos about the now massively successful video game Roblox. One of his videos went viral and received more than three million views. This caught the attention of the developer, who became his first client. 

3. People often overlook videos, but they can have a significant impact on us, similar to films. In the early days of cinema, people used to go to the theatre to watch the “moving picture” that generated different emotions. Bentley notes that this is the same basis for video. He believes that entrepreneurs should use videos to tell their brand’s story and emotionally connect with their target audience. However, Bentley argues that businesses not using videos will ultimately fail.

4. If you’re uncomfortable with creating videos for your brand, take a moment to analyze the foundation of your brand’s story. Check if your message includes any aggressive sales pitches, and remove them if you find any. Customers are less likely to relate to or connect with an overly ‘salesy’ brand. Instead, focus on discovering the fundamental story connecting people to your brand.

5. Ultimately, as entrepreneurs, Bentley believes there is a moral obligation to get on video and other social platforms to share your message. 

By aiming for this objective, TikTok intends to compete with Amazon, Temu, and Shein, two other Chinese-owned businesses that have become popular in the US market. However, these two companies don’t have the benefit of TikTok’s highly successful social media network, which it uses to its advantage to reach consumers through viral videos.

The exact timetable for the change is for an April 1 spike from the current 2% to a 6% fee, with an increase to 8% on July 1. But not every product will have an 8% fee. There will be reduced levies for the more expensive items, such as electronics.

TikTok Shop allows producers to tag things so that users can purchase products from in-feed and live videos. The app officially launched in the United States in September 2023. Product portfolios created by brands are viewable via their profile pages. Additionally, TikTok Shop features a separate tab where users may explore items in various categories, manage their orders, and search for different products. Users can also discover products through recommendations.

Few technological advancements in recent history have changed the world as dramatically as the advent and subsequent rise of social commerce. In 2022, social media platforms were projected to generate 992 billion US dollars in sales worldwide. In the future, online purchases made through TikTok Shop will grow in popularity. According to forecasts, by 2026, the value of sales from social commerce should approach 2.9 trillion dollars.

What better time to prepare for the New Year than now? Today’s episode of The Small Business Show discusses everything entrepreneurs need to know about branding for their business in 2024. We’re pleased to welcome Bill Harper, the CEO and Chief Creative Officer of BrandBoss HQ.

Branding refers to the narrative companies want people to associate with their business. Currently, “entertainment” is a crucial aspect that businesses should pay attention to. Moreover, companies often misinterpret that marketing is really a performance they don’t interpret correctly. In reality, the greatest strength in marketing comes from assets that provide the most value to the target audience.

Key Takeaways:

1. Consumers buy products because they relate to the story behind the brand. For example, take a look at the PC and Mac commercials, which didn’t mention their products but focused on storytelling. 

2. Many successful companies design their products by considering the needs of their consumers, allowing them to express themselves. Social media has proven to be a valuable tool for marketing brands.

3. According to Harper, social media has the word “social” in it because it allows businesses to connect with their audiences personally. Therefore, sharing your brand’s story on social media is an effective way to engage your audience. Additionally, social media provides an excellent platform to showcase your brands’ behind the scenes.

4. In 2024, the strategies Harper encourages businesses to implement are:

• • Simplicity – businesses have lost sight of what telling a good story is all about- which is that our hero remains the same. 
  • Know your consumer insights to understand what is important to your target audience.
  • Consistency- “It’s like going to the gym; you won’t get big overnight, but you also know one day you will. so you keep going until it happens,” says Harper. 

5. For emerging businesses and small to medium-sized companies, being transparent and connecting with their audiences personally can help them build trust and establish their brand.

Myths about marketing are like ghosts; they stick around to haunt small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and keep them from reaching their full potential. Effective marketing strategies are essential for small and medium-sized businesses in today’s business environment.

In this article, we separate fact from fiction by debunking five widely held beliefs about marketing for small and medium-sized businesses. We’re busting myths about SEO and social media, from the widespread belief that they’re out of reach for small businesses to the false notion that social media is just for business-to-consumer companies.

Let’s put an end to these false beliefs about small business marketing!

Myth #1: SMBs should focus on traditional marketing methods

A big misconception regarding small business marketing is that conventional marketing strategies like print advertising, and direct mail are the best ways to reach potential clients.

While these strategies may have worked in the past, modern consumers increasingly favor online platforms for their product research and purchase decisions. For example, studies show that 74% of consumers actively search for social proof to inform their purchasing decisions.

Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) incorrectly assume that only large corporations need to worry about Search Engine Optimization. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) also need SEO, but not as much as big businesses. And since there is less competition in the local market, SMBs often see faster results from their SEO efforts.

As a first step in search engine optimization (SEO), small and medium-sized businesses should concentrate on three main areas: keyword optimization, content creation, and backlink creation from authoritative websites. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) benefit from local SEO since it increases their visibility in local search results and, consequently, their number of local clients.

In addition, small and medium-sized businesses should work on their online visibility by creating mobile-friendly websites and social media profiles. SMEs can also benefit significantly from digital marketing strategies, including pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, email marketing, and content marketing.

Myth #2: Social media marketing is only for B2C businesses

Contrary to popular belief, social media marketing is not just for business-to-consumer companies. Businesses of all sizes, even B2B ones, can use social media.

In the same way, business-to-consumer companies use social media to market their wares and interact with consumers. They also utilize these platforms to increase visibility, demonstrate expertise, and find new prospects.

In particular, LinkedIn is an excellent place for business-to-business companies to network with other experts and get their names known in the market. Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook also provide additional opportunities to connect with and inform potential clients.

Hence, social media marketing can be an effective strategy whether your small business is B2B or B2C. You can expand your operations, strengthen your brands, and connect with your target markets by utilizing social media.

Myth #3: Email marketing is dead

The idea that email marketing is no longer effective is a complete fallacy. Email marketing is still one of the best and cheapest ways for SMBs to contact and interact with their target audience.

A study by Campaign Monitor found that the average return on investment for email marketing is 4200%, or $42 for every dollar invested.

With the appropriate approach, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) may utilize email marketing to promote their products and services to subscribers and encourage customers to act.

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) can use email marketing to strengthen customer relationships and increase brand loyalty.

In addition, automation and segmentation have allowed email marketing to develop and improve over time. With automation, small and medium-sized businesses can send subscribers customized messages based on their actions or preferences.

In small and medium-sized entrepreneurship, you can improve your conversion rates by targeting their communications to specific subsets of your target audience through segmentation.

So, as a small and medium-sized business owner, you should not discount the efficacy of email marketing. It’s still an efficient and potent tool for communicating with clients and generating revenue.

Myth #4: SEO is too expensive and time-consuming

Many organizations, especially smaller and medium-sized ones, avoid SEO because they believe it is too time-consuming and costly (SMBs). While search engine optimization (SEO) is an investment that takes time and requires dedicated resources, it should not be prohibitively expensive or out of reach for small and medium-sized businesses.

Efficient SEO strategies don’t break the bank and still deliver results. These include keyword optimization of the website content, link building from related websites, and claiming and improving a Google My Business page.

SEO efforts may take some time to bear fruit, but those fruits can be rather plentiful. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) can boost their revenue by ranking well in search engine results pages (SERPs) for keywords related to their products and services.

It takes several months to see results with SEO but don’t let that dissuade you. With hard work and dedication, you can expand your business and improve its rankings in search results.

Myth #5: Small business marketing is only about generating leads and sales

Finally, it is a frequent misconception that small business marketing is only concerned with driving traffic to the website and making sales. Marketing should aim for more than just lead generation and revenue for small and medium-sized businesses.

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) can benefit from marketing by raising brand recognition, enhancing credibility, and encouraging consumer loyalty. With content marketing, social media, and thought leadership, small and medium-sized businesses may establish themselves as market leaders and reliable resources for their clientele.

As a bonus, marketing can help small businesses learn more about their customers. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) can better satisfy the requirements and preferences of their customers by collecting data and insights through many marketing channels.

Small businesses need to expand their marketing knowledge beyond lead generation and sales. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) can maximize their marketing to increase their visibility, boost their reputation, and strengthen customer relationships. Your business can succeed and expand by taking a more all-encompassing strategy to market.

Conclusion

It’s time to stop believing these myths about small business marketing and start implementing the tried-and-true strategies that have proven successful for other businesses like yours. By exposing and dispelling these five myths, we provide small and medium-sized enterprises with the information they need to improve their marketing efforts.

Keep in mind that marketing is not limited to bringing in new customers and can be accomplished with a minimal outlay of resources. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that use a systematic and all-encompassing approach to marketing are more likely to increase brand recognition, credibility, and customer loyalty.

So, let’s debunk these myths and start succeeding in the competitive world of small business marketing!

On today’s episode of the ASBN exclusive: The Small Business Show, we delve into the world of goal execution with Melanie Borden. Borden is the managing member of The Borden Group and Marketing Consultant.

Melanie Borden has worked in marketing throughout her career, from public tech companies to private start-ups, retail, and now has established her own marketing consulting agency. As a natural outgrowth of her work as a marketing executive, Melanie recognized the opportunities available to use online marketing strategies to build corporate and personal brands. Her expertise includes marketing oversight and implementation, such as building in-house agencies, budgeting, strategically using vendors, enhancing digital footprints via social media, reputation management, online monetization, and building and managing advertising processes.

Key Takeaways:

1. Borden began her marketing journey with LinkedIn; with that, several C-suits and SMB owners reached out for help with their marketing efforts. 

2. Motivation and drive are not qualities everyone possesses, nor can they be taught. But according to Borden, “If there’s something you want, you need to work for it.”

3. Melanie recommends that other business owners use the instruments, such as technology, to help you reach your desired goal.

4. The goal-setting process can also be streamlined by reconstructing the brainstorming stage, such as reverse engineering. 

5. Broden encourages SMB owners to implement collective group stand-ups to bring goals, questions, and concerns in a group setting. But remember that not every goal-setting strategy works for every company. 

6. When seeking more engagement on your company’s website, “Link everything in your comments section, which will amplify your niche and post.”

A hot topic lingering on the minds of several corporations today is “how to clarify your business’s core message.” Joining us on the latest episode of The Small Business Show is Temsen Webster, Founder and Chief Message Strategist of Find The Red Thread and Keynote Speaker. 

Webster is a former TedX Executive producer and has shared her expertise with major companies and organizations like Johnson & Johnson, Harvard Medical School, and Intel. With 15 years in business messaging, Webster spent most of her time fascinated by how people make decisions. 

Key Takeaways:

1. Webster believes that the official flow of ideas while defining a company’s core message is the “Red Thread,” which refers to how individuals differentiate or stand out from the crowd and how to make their messaging designs easier to understand for time-pressed business professionals. 

2. The “Red Thread” is the story we tell ourselves about why thighs are related. In the business world, it’s often this unspoken assumption or reason why a company, individual, or business owner operates the way they do. “Because the ‘Red Thread’ is the beliefs that drive their behavior,” asserts Webster. 

3. Webster is adamant that messaging belongs between product plans, business strategies, and internal and external communication strategies, as it’s where all the pieces of the business intersect. 

4. An organization’s message should be its top priority since, often, there is the largest disconnect between its current strategies and its public or brand-focused communications. 

5. The key to a business’s success is its ability to communicate its message clearly. This involves identifying the fundamental questions that a company needs to answer. These questions should align with the purpose of their product, which is to address the questions their customers already have. By gaining clarity on these questions, a business can gain a better understanding of how to proceed and achieve success. As Webster puts it, “If you get clarity on that, everything else becomes much clearer.”