By Rachel Cutrer
I was on a conference call recently where we were discussing the success rate of various media outlets that this organization was using. We discuss Facebook. We discussed email marketing. We discussed print ads. We discussed their website.
The client reported that they had very low open rates on their email blasts, and so they were thinking they would just cut that, because “email blasts don’t work anymore.”
They also said their Facebook engagement was way down, and they were going to just stop posting on Facebook because “Facebook is just for old people.”
Email marketing as actually a huge driver of online sales. In 2022, it boasted a 8% conversion rate, which is really good. Think about all the emails you get from your favorite brands. Email marketing definitely works. And same for Facebook.
The communications staff member said, “I don’t know why these things aren’t working— I send an email blast every week and I make 3 Facebook posts a week!”
Knowing how important both of these tools are, I said, “Let’s dig a little deeper.”
The first thing we did is look at their Facebook page.
Turns out, the content was, REALLY BAD. It was mostly a lot of text based graphics (a Facebook no-no) and very few actual photos or original content.
Next, we looked at their email blasts. Again…..bad. They were essentially the same graphics being posted on Facebook, and the blasts were actually one big giant JPG image image of a newsletter posted into the email blast.
So, here, the problem was the content. No one cared about it. No one wanted to read it. Certainly no one was going to like or share it.
If you work in marketing, you know that a certain frequency of social media posts are suggested. Maybe it’s every day, once a week, every other week. But you know you have to do it. So, you do it — but is your heart really in it? Or are you just doing it so you can report to someone that you completed the task.
You cannot create great marketing if you’re only there to “check off the boxes. You have to put your heart into it.”
We all know that person who just “phones it in.” Or “does the bare minimum.” They can say, hey, I made my token Facebook post for the week. Or hey, I sent my token e-newsletter for the month to our membership.
But that doesn’t cut it.
Your marketing has to be on fire.
Your marketing has to show your passion.
Your marketing has to be something you believe in.
Work with a professional like RHD.
Here at Ranch House Designs, every project excites us. When we start any new project, our entire team loves “getting to know” that customer and their brand.
For example, in the last week, here are some of the types of customers I’ve had consultations with to help with their marketing:
- A western silversmith
- An Angus breeder from the east coast
- A cow/calf rancher from Texas
- A college sports team foundation director
- A charity museum director
- A state cattle breed association president
- An Akaushi breeder from the west coast
- A cattle sales consultant who helps other ranchers with their marketing
- A regional feed company
Each of these are so unique, and have different goals, stories, budgets, and marketing objective. It makes every single day a joy because every day we are getting to work with some of the nations best and brightest rural business owners.
When you work with RHD, we help fuel your passion. We can help you with creating your logo, creating a website, doing your social media, doing your print ads, and more. However, our social media and print services are reserved for clients on an annual contract with us, just so you know.
Can we help you?
They say “as goes January so goes the year.”
This January we have booked more new clients in one month than any time in the last 5 years.
First, you’ll talk with me, Rachel Cutrer. I’m the person who started Ranch House over 20 years ago. But, I still love starting that initial conversation with every single one of our new clients. This is a call to learn about your business and get a feel for what your looking to do. Then we will give you a free estimate and if you’re ready to begin, we usually get started on your project within 1-2 weeks. It’s that simple. We have a great team of project managers and designers who take your ideas and turn them into reality.
P.S. If you like getting content like this, you can also sign up for our newsletter and get monthly marketing messages like this from us.