Epic Marketing Consultants Corporation

Set SMART Social Media Goals

Let’s go from the broad to the specific.

As online marketers, we often think about success in terms of positive online interactions, strong followings, and engaged audiences. We recognize that the power of social media can help us reach our goals.

But how, exactly, do we get there?

We get there with purpose. Social media has an inherently fast energy—a quick snap, retweet, or like. But as social media marketers we know that “fast” doesn’t mean “thoughtless.” There is so much going on behind the scenes.

When we work thoughtfully, we work successfully.

To work successfully, we need to consider our organization’s objective and set social media goals that support that mission. It’s time to move from questions like “Why should we be on social media?” to “How can social media help me reach new customers?”

Do you want to use social media to:

Increase brand awareness?
Distribute content?
Improve customer service?
Manage your online reputation?
Convert followers into sales?

There may not be a single answer, and it’s perfectly acceptable if your strategy is targeted at more than one. Choosing the correct social media goals can really make a difference in focusing your efforts and energies.

With your social media objectives identified you can set SMART goals.

These should be specific, measurable, attainable, and timely goals. Don’t say you want to increase followers. Instead, say you want to grow 50 new followers on Instagram each week.

Ask who you want to reach, why you want to reach them, and how and when you will reach them. If you realize your brand is relevant to parents of very young children, a platform like Pinterest is likely more helpful than Snapchat. Taking the time to discuss your audience will help you define your voice, content, and the channels you choose to use.

August 6, 2019 by Dara McBride

We’re nominated for Reader’s Choice!

As our followers and clients know, at Epic Marketing we come from a place of yes. When we say “yes” in life, good things happen. Positive energy drives enthusiasm, creates opportunities, encourages innovative solutions—and, ultimately, produces results.

So, we are always thrilled when we hear our followers and clients are saying “yes” to us too!

We are excited to be a nominee in the News Journal and Delaware Online’s Readers’ Choice competition. Find us under local services in the business consulting category.

We love being the people you turn to for social media and marketing insights, strategy, and development. Whether looking for first-class print design or digital development, we are here to help and take a personal interest in the success of each client.

It’s an honor to see voters from the community choose Epic as a favorite business. Winners will be announced in a special edition of The News Journal and online on Sept. 22, 2019.

Haven’t voted yet? We hope you’ll add your voice!

To cast your ballot, visit the Readers’ Choice page. You can support Epic by scrolling to the “Local Services” section and writing “Epic Marketing Consultants” in the business consulting category. Voters have until Aug. 23, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Once again, thanks for making us part of your network.

And as always—thanks for believing in the power of yes!

August 1, 2019 by Dara McBride

Yellow sticky note with to-do list reading "To do: Relax, take it easy, have fun"

Rejuvenation is especially important in marketing.

Fast-paced environments, exciting challenges, and frequent deadlines can be both thrilling and stressful. Even if marketers are happy in their industry, they can still feel overloaded and in need of a break.

Yes, you can and should take a vacation. Time off can help you reduce stress and feel refreshed. Vacations are vital for our mental health and wellbeing.

But what does a break look like for today’s digital marketers? With communications seamlessly integrated into our personal and professional lives, unplugging can take on different meanings.

Do you still check email on vacation? Do you log off Twitter but stay on Instagram? Do you try a digital detox and vow to take a break from it all?

Whatever level you choose, there are apps to help you unwind—and ways to put your apps to work while you take time to play.

Mark Your Calendar

Of course, before you go anywhere, you have to prepare for your trip.

Be clear with coworkers about when you will be gone and how much digital access you will have. Mark your shared calendar so you have a visual reminder of when you will be gone. Adjust timelines to accommodate your schedule. Set an automatic reply message for your work email so any incoming messages don’t go unrecognized.

A simple out-of-office message should cover the basics. Share the dates you will be unavailable and if there’s someone else a person should contact in your absence.

Direct Folks to Your Work

If you feel fancy, your out-of-office message is also an opportunity to generate interest in your skills or company.

While folks wait for your return, you can direct them to a colleague for help or even direct them to check out examples of your recent work. Also, remember to include necessary contact information. You can even direct folks trying to get in touch to your social channels.

Just because you’re away from your email doesn’t mean you stop communicating. An away message is an unexpected opportunity to surprise and delight. Invite potential clients to catch up with your work and get a feel of who you are and how you might help them upon return.

Avoid Digital Overload

When it comes to breaking from our devices, we may stand in our own way. But if you decide to check out of the office without checking out of all your apps, there are ways to monitor your usage.

Before you leave for vacation, set rules for yourself that will help you stay away from the office virtually. Uninstall your work email account from your phone. Turn off push notifications.

You can still upload your favorite vacation pics to Facebook, just steer clear of LinkedIn. Use apps like Swarm to discover new places, but turn WhatsApp on silent.

Avoid the digital overload and you’ll have a more refreshing time away from the office.

July 25, 2019 by Dara McBride

Yellow emoji "thumbs up" character with yellow starburst around it

Does your business speak emoji?

There are more than 3,000 emojis at our fingertips⁠—and we are making use of them!

Facebook statistics show an average of 5 billion emojis are sent each day on Facebook Messenger. And as of mid-2015—a few years after emoji keyboards became standard for most Apple and Android users—half of all Instagram comments included an emoji.

It’s true: Millions of social-savvy communicators use emojis in creative ways on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. These small digital icons of faces, symbols, objects, and more make up a unique language.

For most businesses, adding emojis to your social media messages can help your business stand out. They can also encourage people to engage with you. Emojis can make a business feel more personable.

However, it can be difficult to incorporate emojis in a natural way when you’re representing your business. While your thumbs might be emoji-happy in your personal life, you might not know how to use them for your business profile.

For example, organizations and businesses with a more serious mission may want to stay away from emojis. At the very least, you should use them sparingly. You don’t want to upset clients or the public by accidentally creating a lighthearted message when the tone should be somber.

We enjoy using emojis and gifs on our social media channels. Why? Because it is engaging and fun.

Here are a few tips on adding emojis to your social media messaging:

If you aren’t sure what’s best, or if you generally want a cohesive look for your social feeds, make a guide of all your brand-approved emojis.

Think of emojis as an elevator pitch. Your audience should get the message—fast. One or two symbols should let people know exactly what value you’re bringing to them.

Use emojis to catch attention. Drop in a few to spice up your posts, but don’t leave readers guessing your message by leaving out relevant information and links. You can still use hashtags and images, too.

An emoji can help when you don’t have an image, or play off a photo to create a clever theme. Add an emoji arrow directing folks to “click here” or “look up.”

Think of adding in emojis as using all the tools in your toolbox, but not overdoing it with any one option. They create visually interesting messages that convey emotions sometimes better than words and add a human element.

Emojis remind your audience there are people behind your accounts, and that encourages engagement. As always, the more engagement you can encourage, the better you will do overall.

July 23, 2019 by Dara McBride

Illustration of yellow snail crawling on the top of a green leaf

Slowing down is just as important as speeding up.

With so much on our to-do lists, taking a quiet moment to yourself can feel counterintuitive. Sitting still—away from your devices and the endless scroll—may at first encourage your mind to wander and count down the minutes until you can get back to work.

But think about this: According to the nonprofit group Mindful, meditation can help us lower stress, improve focus, and connect with others.

When we decide to hit pause, we give our brains a needed vacation. As marketers and social people, the opportunity to reconnect with ourselves is very much needed. Being so busy communicating can wear down some of our most valuable skills.

In an industry where it’s important to build relationships, shouldn’t you watch out for your own relationships and health? When we’re healthy, we’re part of a healthy community—both online and in the real world.

If you need further convincing, check out these three TED Talks for thoughts on the benefits of taking a breath, and what you can do to live a more mindful life.

All it Takes is 10 Mindful Minutes with Andy Puddicombe

“We live in an incredibly busy world. The pace of life is often frantic, our minds are always busy, and we’re always doing something,” says mindfulness expert Andy Puddicombe in this TED Talk on refreshing your mind. “So with that in mind, I’d like you just to take a moment to think, when did you last take any time to do nothing?”

The Art of Stillness with Pico Iyer

“Some people I know, just before they go to sleep, instead of scrolling through their messages or checking out YouTube, just turn out the lights and listen to some music, and notice that they sleep much better and wake up much refreshed,” says travel writer Pico Iyer in this TED Talk that encourages people to take is slow.

How to Make Stress Your Friend with Kelly McGonigal

“Now I wouldn’t necessarily ask for more stressful experiences in my life, but this science has given me a whole new appreciation for stress,” says psychologist Kelly McGonigal in this TED Talk that turns the concept of stress on its head. “Stress gives us access to our hearts. The compassionate heart that finds joy and meaning in connecting with others, and yes, your pounding physical heart, working so hard to give you strength and energy.”

July 18, 2019 by Dara McBride

How can you make your digital well wishes feel authentic?

People love to feel special. Keeping track of birthdays and milestones can be a special way to stay in touch with customers and clients.

Coupons, discounts, and freebies are great birthday perks. But as it becomes easier to send automated greetings—and more sites and shops opt to fill inboxes with digital hellos—it can start to feel impersonal.

Under the headline “Happy Birthday! Just Don’t Open Your Inbox” the New York Times reported on the growing “feeling of malaise surrounding one’s birthday in the digital age.” Experts and email receivers alike commented that too many messages can lead to a disconnect between business and audience.

“When we’re receiving birthday messages, that’s a personal thing. We feel like we’re seen and we mean something to that person,” Dr. Nicole Beurkens, a clinical psychologist at Horizons Developmental Resource Center in Caledonia, Mich., says in the article. “The tone of that really changes if we start to feel like the other person is just using that for themselves. That doesn’t feel good.”

So, what can we do as marketers to celebrate with our people without overstepping?

Keep it on the small scale

Small businesses have a chance to shine when it comes to personalized greetings. After all, you know your clients and customers. You see them in person and interact regularly.

By being small, you likely already have a closer relationship with your audience. When you send that happy birthday email, you can visualize the person on the receiving end. Your regulars will enjoy a little recognition from their favorite local stop.

Focus on being authentic and unforgettable

While there’s still room to wish clients and customers a happy birthday, it’s understandable marketers may be worried about overstuffing inboxes. Don’t forget your email best practices. Know your audience. Create a strong subject line.

But, if you are concerned your email will get lost in the shuffle, think of an alternative. Include an automatic birthday perk in a members program clients can claim by speaking up at the register. Invite customers to opt into a birthday rewards program. Switch from digital greetings to a more personalized print greeting.

Save the birthday greetings for one day a year

Instead of sending out messages for everyone, invite everyone to celebrate at once. Turn “happy birthday to you” into “happy birthday to us.” Invite clients to join you in marking your business anniversary.

During the month, week, or day of your anniversary, introduce specials, discounts, and more. Include members and regulars on an anniversary party, so they feel like part of the family. Let your customers and clients know that inviting them in on your special day is what growing another year older is all about.

Whatever you decide, do it with your own personal style. When you stay true to your brand, you stand out from the crowd.

July 16, 2019 by Dara McBride

Image of glass of water being poured with Maya Angelou quote overtop: "You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have."

Taking time for yourself can have myriad benefits.

When we rest, we open up our minds to opportunities to be creative and productive.

Although it might look like we are doing one thing, our minds remain hard at work⁠. We are puzzling over problems, thinking creatively, and free-associating.

“The critical thing to recognize is that when we are mind-wandering, when our minds don’t have any particular thing they have to focus on, our brains are pretty darn active,” Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, author of Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, tells Scientific American. “When you do things like go for a long walk, your subconscious mind keeps working on problems.”

Pang, who is also founder of the Restful Company, a consulting company in SIlicon Valley, differentiates between resting and engaging in restorative activity.

Mindlessly binge-watching television may help us wind down, but that’s passive. Active hobbies that help your mind wander are important. That’s why walking can be such great exercise, for both the mind and the body.

Another way to think of this is in terms of helpful distractions.

As Harvard University researcher and psychologist Shelley H. Carson explains in The Boston Globe, “a distraction may provide the break you need to disengage from a fixation on the ineffective solution.’’

When we focus on a problem, we can have trouble finding the solution. This is because we aren’t opening ourselves up to different solutions.

Carson, also the author of Your Creative Brain, argues everyone can benefit from flexing their creativity muscles. It can make us feel more relaxed, fulfilled, and effective. Creativity inspires us.

But taking time for active rest or creating opportunities for helpful distraction can be tough.

This is especially true when, as Geoffrey James points out on Inc.com, we live in a society where people where their stress as a badge of honor.

His advice?

“Be brave enough to give your brain the leisure it needs to carry your ideas, your career or your company to the next level.”

July 11, 2019 by Dara McBride

Closeup of video camera recording a person with text overtop reading "ACTION!"

In online marketing, words alone don’t cut it.

According to molecular biologist and Brain Rules creator John Medina, “Vision trumps all other senses.”

For example, Medina says that three days after hearing a piece of information people will remember 10 percent of the message. But what if that information came with an image? Then they’ll remember 65 percent.

This is just another example why we need to give our audiences something to see. But what if you don’t have extensive experience as a videographer? Video can work for you.

No matter your skill level or price point, these options will help users make memorable marketing materials.

Make Whiteboard Animations with Video Scribe

More than half of Video Scribe subscribers use the software for marketing. With Video Scribe, you can create whiteboard animations automatically for use on social media and websites, and in emails and presentations.

Seeing these whiteboard animations come alive, it’s easy to understand why this is such an engaging medium. The videos are fun, visual, and memorable. In using Video Scribe, you can break complex topics down so they are more easily understood. You can also make data-heavy stories more engaging and persuasive.

The software is quick to learn, making Video Scribe a simple process. As you work, you will be presented with different options. You will see familiar fonts, and be able to choose from stock images or upload your own.

The software requires a yearly subscription, but there are free trial options and different plans available.

Turn Text into Social Videos with Ripl

Photos, music, logos, and movement. With social video app maker Ripl, you can create marketing videos to share on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn even when you have limited resources.

Thanks to its library of options and templates—and especially the way Ripl allows you to add easy animation to text and photos—you can have videos without a video team.

The Ripl app allows you to customize, share, and track engagement on social videos. These three capabilities mean you can maximize your time while investing in content for all your social channels. To top it off, the engagement tracking allows you to get feedback and insights, even if you are on a team of one.

Additional features, like daily inspiration that changes based on what themes you follow, and a calendar to track previous creations, make Ripl a good option for quick social ads.

A free basic version and paid pro version are both available.

July 9, 2019 by Dara McBride

Three smartphones with a screen of data running behind them

Images can help you tell a story.

Strong visuals grab our attention. They make us laugh, cry, and feel every emotion in between.

But, if you have limited resources, upping your visual game may feel like turning straw into gold. Luckily, there are a host of tools available to help.

Create Images with Canva

Make memes, inspirational posts, social media ads, and more with Canva. From online ads to posters and wedding invites, Canva’s various options allow you to meet your print and digital needs.

Canva offers a variety of preset designs and social media platform templates. This means you can easily craft an original design or build something based on an existing look. New designs are added regularly, so there are always fresh looks for seasons and holidays. Looking for something in particular? Simply do a keyword search. There are both free and premium images, icons, and illustrations to add.

Canva is great if you don’t know where you want to start. However, you’ll want to watch that you don’t lose your own look in the process.

Think about uploading a color palette, using a certain filter, sticking with special fonts, and adding in your own photos. With a few tweaks, you can make your Canva creations still look distinctive and original.

Other online photo editing and design services to consider are PicMonkey and BeFunky.

Explore the Power of Infographics with Piktochart

Turn otherwise boring data into something shareable and understandable with Piktochart.

When you use data visualization, you turn numbers into a narrative. Piktochart is a infographic app that will help you create visuals for your data-based presentations and digital and print needs.

On Piktochart you can search layouts to find a look that will work for you. Adjust text and add or upload photos, logos, and images to tell your story. You can further customize your data by experimenting with various charts. Working with a team? You can share and collaborate within Piktochart.

Capture Attention with Skitch

Are you a visual thinker? Skitch from note-taking app Evernote is one of those tools that makes learning and tracking information easy.

This free screenshot editing app allows users to add shapes and text to an image. You can export or share online, or simply save Skitch projects to keep track of information for yourself.

What’s great about Skitch is that it can be so helpful for your offline life.

Gardeners, for example, might want to take a photo of their backyards and then annotate the pic to remember what is planted and where. Similarly, home designers could mark up a photo of a room with notes on furniture and pricing. And editors can share screenshots of articles with arrows pointing to the relevant paragraphs.

This is the kind of information that’s easy to relay if all parties are standing in the same room together, but can get lost in virtual translation.

July 2, 2019 by Dara McBride

Insights