How are you, Friend?
Busy most likely, especially if you’re a business owner, marketing executive, or log home contractor.
Have you noticed busy seems to be the default these days?
I just finished reading Make Time, How to Focus on What Matters Everyday by former Googlers Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky. (Ironically, I’ve been meaning to make time to read this book since last year. 🙃)
If you read my last newsletter you know I struggle with finding time to do all the things I want to do—marketing my business, making time to go to the pool this summer, or even writing this newsletter.
I’ve also felt distracted by my phone lately. 📱
The constant buzzing of texts, email, calendar and Instagram 🔔 notifications are constantly stealing my attention (anyone else love Star Wars memes, cute cat videos, or FitDadCEO’s humor?)
Back to the book. It was the perfect business summer read. It's littered with sketches and follows the framework of—
- Highlighting your day by choosing a focal point
- Lasering in on what matters and adjusting your tech so it works for you
- Reflecting on what worked and what didn’t
- Energizing by socializing and taking care of your body and brain (no one works well when they’re hangry after all.)
The book also had some strategies and tactics I could implement right away, like deleting the following off my phone—
- Instagram, Facebook, and (gasp) LinkedIn
- News
- Safari
I admit I felt a little panicked at the initial thought of deleting those apps off my phone but I didn’t realize how much space they were taking up in my brain. Granted it’s only been a couple weeks into my little experiment as I write this but so far I’m loving it.
Without the constant buzzing, I’m reclaiming my time, and I feel less stressed.
If you’re feeling the fog of distraction, I included below some tactics and strategies that are working for me and that you can try too.
We’ll see how long I'll last, but if you’re a client and have a design or marketing emergency, feel free to text me.
In the meantime, here’s what you’ll find in this month’s installment of 5 Things to Share—
- Creating a Connection
- Want a Few Quick Win Email Marketing Tactics?
- BIGGER photo dumps on Instagram
- Modern Postcard Write Up
- 12 Most Critical Elements Every Homepage Must Have
#1 Creating a Connection
“People aren't just looking to buy products—they're seeking emotional states and transformations. Whether it's feeling more loved, achieving financial freedom, or solving a problem faster or cheaper, the emotional outcome drives purchasing decisions,” Nick Theriot explains in, Leveraging Emotions in Your Facebook Ads for Better Results. It’s a good reminder no matter what marketing channel you’re using — focus on how your customers will feel after they use your product or service.
#2 Want A Few Quick Win Email Marketing Tactics?
Try these tactics from Jay Schwedelson and the Social Media Marketing Podcast—
- Test your direct mail campaign as an email campaign first to see what works and what doesn’t before investing in a printed direct mail campaign.
- 🚩Use an emoji in the subject line; whether it’s B2B or B2C, you’ll see about a 25% lift in open rates.
- Create urgency with phrases like ‘Don’t Miss Out,’ ‘Hurry,’ ‘Almost Gone,’ etc.
#3 BIGGER Photo Dumps on Instagram
Here's a fun idea—try making a mini book for your feed, include tips, a guide, or series of posts that tell a story with a call to action at the end. Check out these examples for inspiration—
#4 How to Run Successful Direct Mail Campaigns
“73% of American consumers prefer being contacted by brands via direct mail because they can read mail at their convenience”, according to the USPS Generational Study.
This means it's time to rethink the myth that Direct Mail is old school. It's still one of the best ways to see an ROI on your marketing dollars.
Read up on my takeaways from a recent webinar by Modern Postcard and learn how you can combine postal and digital for a bigger bang for your buck.
#5 The 12 Critical Elements Every Website Homepage Must Have
One of my latest projects is helping Make Philanthropy Work implement SEO suggestions they received from their SEO expert. We started with improvements to their home page. We added stats to showcase their expertise, a call to action in the banner at the top, and sprinkled in more commonly searched-for phrases like campaigns.
If you’re wondering what makes an effective home page read HubSpots article on 12 Critical Elements Every Website Homepage Must Have to see if you’re checking all the boxes.
And ICYMI, last month, also be sure to check out How to Design Your Website to Rank Higher with Google, where my friends Jessica Cornwall and Michael Husson from Toto give you all the details on what matters with Google.
⌛ 5 Make Time Tips 🏝️
“There’s more to life than increasing its speed.”
— Mahatma Gandhi
Here are a few tips from the Make Time book that I've found helpful.
1. Batch the Little Things
Bundle up the little things and batch-process them to get it all done in one sitting. You’ll feel caught up and be satisfied to check a few things off your list.
2. Ignore the News
I’ve been doing this for a while now, mostly because if I tune in too much, I tend to worry about the state of the world. Instead, I seek out the information I need and check in on headlines once a week and the weather daily.
3. Delete Your Email from Your Phone
Make it so you can only check your email on specific devices like an iPad or computer and delete it from your phone.
4. Set a Visible Timer
Set a kitchen timer or try a Time Timer to set a time from 1–60 minutes to focus on a project. It will give you a sense of urgency to complete the task at hand.
5. Get Your Body Moving
Make it short or long, but moving your body helps blood flow to your brain and helps you get the wiggles out so you can focus. I like the sense of accomplishment and the banishment of guilt for sitting in a chair all dang day long.
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.