5 Things to Share: May 2024

by | 5 Things to Share Newsletter, AI Marketing, Business, Consumer Product Goods, Creativity, Digital Marketing, Email Marketing, Graphic Design, Pinterest Marketing, Print Design, Social Media Marketing, Web Design

5 Things to Share Newsletter, Design and Marketing Tips
The summer vibe is starting to settle in here in Colorado. We had grad parties last week, the kids are out of school, and the pool is open. I love summer, but it can be busy with vacations, house projects, and driving kids to and from jobs and activities. For my friends in the building industry, this is the busy season. Last month, we discussed the Bisy Backson trap and why it’s essential to avoid falling into it. But what do you do when you’re in a busy season and don’t have time to market your business? It’s time to enter maintenance marketing mode. What’s that? Maintenance marketing is the bare minimum you can do to keep your business booming and growing while being deep in the weeds of your business. To figure out what maintenance marketing looks like for you, ask yourself—
  1. What minimal marketing can I do to keep business coming in or products moving out the door?
  2. Where do your marketing dollars get the biggest bang for their buck?
  3. What marketing activities, if I stopped, would I lose momentum and find it hard to start up again?
  4. What do I have time to do regularly?
  5. Can I plan any marketing ahead of time?
  6. Do I need to ask for or hire help?
In this month’s newsletter, we dive into a few different topics like —
  1. What is a Brochure Website?
  2. MailChimp vs. Constant Contact.
  3. Are You on Pinterest?
  4. Exploring the Dark and Light Side of AI…
  5. Avoiding the Summer Slump.
And a bonus section on how to practice a little self-care this summer as things get hectic. Thanks for reading, and have a happy start to your summer!
What is a Brochure Website?

#1 What is a Brochure Website?

2 MIN READ Has your web designer spit out the term brochure website to you? Wondering what the heck they’re talking about? Get the lowdown here and find out if it’s a good fit for your business.

#2 Which Email Platform is Right for You?

Are you thinking about starting up email marketing? Two main email platforms seem to dominate the small business scene. MailChimp and Constant Contact. But which is better? It depends, but this Forbes article breaks it down for you so you can make an informed decision.

#3 Are You on Pinterest?

Did you know Pinterest is the world’s 15th-largest social media network? I recently started pinning my content to Pinterest to see what would happen. Follow me here. Learn how you can make Pinterest part of your marketing mix to—drive traffic to your website, showcase your products and expertise, and how you can even conduct market research in this Ultimate Guide to Mastering Pinterest for Marketing from HubSpot.

#4 Exploring the Light and Dark Side of AI

5 MIN READ Happy (belated) May the 4th! Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful force evolving at the speed of light. As creatives, AI tools promise to help us be more efficient, sort through research, brainstorm ideas, and more. But is it a force for good or evil, and does it really do all it promises? Which side will you choose?
Exploring the Light and Dark Side of AI

#5 Avoiding the Summer Slump…

I was struck by the advice below on how to stay ahead of the consumer product summer slump in sales from an iBotta Performance Network. “Looking to level-up your digital offers for outsized impact in summer ‘24? Brands are well advised to activate campaigns ahead of anticipated purchasing spikes for their sub-category and invest in consideration driving initiatives such as coordinated digital offers campaigns to remain top of mind throughout successive months.” It drives home the point of why it’s important to have a minimal or maintenance marketing plan in place to stay ahead of downturns and seasonal slumps.

 😎 Self Care Summer 😎

When business is busy, carving out time for yourself and your business becomes even more important. Here are some ideas to kick off your best summer yet.

Choose a Theme Song

Find a song you can put on repeat and won’t get sick of. It should make you feel good and want to move. Want some inspiration? Here’s a playlist my girls and I made for the summer on Apple Music.

Make Your Bed

It may seem like a chore, but making your bed can feel like an accomplishment and instantly makes the room look tidier.

Start a Group Text and Plan a Night Out

A narrow majority of adults (53%) say they have between one and four close friends, while a significant share (38%) say they have five or more. Some 8% say they have no close friends. Let’s rekindle those friendships y’all! Get the ball rolling with a group text. Mention that you want to get together, throw out a few dates, and some ideas on what to do.

Plan a Vacation

Maybe you don’t have time to take a vacation now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start planning. Even a short weekend getaway involves planning so start researching now and pick a date to get the heck out of Dodge.
Sarah Spoelstra

I help build brands. I love partnering with folks across the building materials, nonprofit, and consumer goods industries—big or small. I aim to help you get the good word out about your products, services, and mission so you can grow.

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