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A Marketing Fish Story

August 25, 2017Lori Rohrbach

I used to do a lot of fishing with my dad up in Vermont. I well remember feeling the line tighten when a largemouth bass hit the lure. I recall feeling the strain in the rod – and then watching as the beautiful fish broke water, shaking his head vigorously … and sending the hook flying out of his mouth. As he splashed back into the water, I swear he scoffed at me.

I hooked him – but I didn’t land him.

Companies hook prospects and fail to land them all the time, especially in the deep waters of online advertising. For instance, suppose a company creates a great online ad campaign. The ads are creative and compelling. The offer is enticing. But either because the company is in a rush to launch the campaign or because they are unwilling to spend additional funds, they don’t create landing pages to complement the ads.

Instead, when a person clicks on an ad, he or she is sent directly to the company website’s home page. A general page that contains no language to specifically follow up on the ad. A page that doesn’t show the offer that piqued the person’s interest.

Do you really think prospects are going to wend their way through the website to find what they are looking for? They won’t. They will shake that hook from their mouth and swim away. The marketing campaign hooked them, but didn’t land them. Landing pages aren’t simply where prospects “land” after clicking on an ad. They are also where companies “land” prospects.

When you consider your next marketing campaign, think about the fish story you want to tell afterward: would you rather brag about “the one that got away” … or about how many you hooked and landed?

 

Author: Paula Marolewski

 

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Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

 

Whether telecommuting is old hat or something you’ve been forced into as part of the COVID-19 shutdown, here are a few tips to make the experience run smoothly for both employers and employees.

 

Managing expectations

Successful work-from-home strategies always begin with clearly communicated expectations. Make sure your employees have any necessary equipment, tools and resources.  Will they need to track their time? Participate in regularly scheduled meetings? Be available at certain times of day? For employees, know what you’re accountable for and clearly communicate any challenges you’re having.

 

Constant communication

Keep the lines of communication open and be accessible. Check in with employees regularly through apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts and Skype, or even an old-fashioned email or phone call. Be genuinely interested in how they’re doing but don’t overdo it. Foster a feeling of trust by not micromanaging.

 

Nine to five…ish

While having a daily schedule is ideal, it may not always be practical right now. Make sure your people know when you need them to be available and try to offer flexibility at other times. They may be juggling school schedules as well as work schedules and working at “off-shift” times may be necessary. Be mindful of employees in different time zones as well.

 

For employees, try to work when you’re at your best, and not when you’re exhausted by kindergarten playtime and fourth grade math. Make sure people know if you will be unavailable at certain times.

 

Taking a break

Getting up and moving clears the head and helps with creativity and problem-solving. Whether it’s a walk around the block or a break for lunch, make time to get away from your desk throughout the day.

 

Signing off

Working from home does not mean being available 24/7. Set an actual end to the workday if possible. Don’t send and respond to messages at all hours. Sign out of messaging apps and close work programs. Understand and respect these boundaries.

 

Location, location, location

When setting up a home office, think about where you will have the fewest distractions – for yourself and for those who may be seeing you and your background on a video conferencing platform. Try to avoid busy spots that may include semi-clad people walking behind you, barking dogs and kids vying for your attention.

 

Conferencing and calls

Be clear about whether you expect people to turn on their cameras during meetings. If so, be clear about how they should be dressed. During calls, mute your phone when you’re not talking to avoid background noise. Headphones can also help with call quality. When speaking, pause frequently so others can participate in the conversation.

 

Social engagement

It’s ok for managers and employees to have some down time together, which may help ward off feelings of isolation. Keep up your normal level of interaction, perhaps with a virtual coffee break or happy hour. Managers should set the tone for how casual to be. Let employees choose what they would like to share, and never pry into areas that were off-limits before.

 

 

Author: Erin Alderfer

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