Wanda Baader

Wanda Baader is a online marketing and business strategist, speaker and consultant. She is the owner and founder of Strategize Your Success, a full service marketing agency. She enjoys working with entrepreneurs, non-profits and small business owners who need help with their online marketing, social media and Wordpress website development.

  • Using Constant Contacts Text-to-Join Feature

    Sadly, this feature will be discontinued in the Spring of 2023.

    The alternative will be the SMS feature.

    With Constant Contacts Text-to-Join, you can quickly and easily grow your email list without having to sign people up manually. What a time saver! It’s a great way to increase leads and subscribers at events or in your place of business!

    With this feature your new subscribers can text the keyword to an auto-generated SMS short code and submit their email address to automatically join a mailing list that you select.

    Place it at your restaurant or store entrance or on your marketing materials. Coaches and speakers can use it while they are presenting and have people sign up immediately so you can stay in touch.

    Watch the video as I saw you how.

    Don’t have a Constant Contact account? As a Certified Solutions Partner I can offer you discounts and even a trial account. Have questions? Reach out to me through our contact page.

    To get updates about marketing and business growth strategies text-to-join my contact list at MarketCoach at 22828.

    Read more

  • Social Posting Using Constant Contact

    With Constant Contacts Email Marketing Platform, you can schedule and post to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn with just a few clicks. In addition, you can respond to Facebook and Instagram messages, mentions, and comments.

    Watch this quick tutorial video as I explain how you too can use this email platform to schedule and post your social media updates.

    Don’t have a Constant Contact account? As a Certified Solutions Partner I can offer you discounts and even a trial account. Have questions? Reach out to me through our contact page.

    To get updates about marketing and business growth strategies text-to-join my contact list at MarketCoach at 22828.

    Read more

  • How to Grow Your Business on Instagram

    Instagram has over five hundred million daily active users who use the platform to check in on friends, discover interesting and inspiring people and also many entrepreneurs grow their business on Instagram.

    As of October 2021, more than half of Instagram users, 52 percent, were male and 48.4 percent were female. As of July 2021, more than 30 percent of Instagram users in the United States were between 25 and 34 years old according to Statista.

    You can find anything on Instagram from product reviews, tutorials, and even cool recipes. That is why this platform is so popular.

    Here are the top reasons people choose Instagram for their business.

    Instagram is free and easy to use

    Instagram has a simple user interface that is intuitive and efficient. The social network requires little input from users; it’s only necessary to post pictures and videos every now and then, which is what makes it so convenient.

    However, if you are using it for business you may want to build an effective marketing strategy.

    It helps you to connect with your customers

    When your customers trust you, they are more likely to buy from you. Instagram is a visual platform that allows customers to see your products in detail.

    When potential customers can see what they are paying for, it builds that “know”, “like”, and “trust factor” with your customer. This simplifies communication when the customer has questions about your product.

    Building rapport will increase sales when done correctly. Be genuine when communicating with your customers on social media so they know there is a human connected to the sales process.

    Use hashtags on Instagram

    Using hashtags will help people find your page and see what you’re posting about. On Instagram, you can use up to thirty hashtags in one post and ten on Stories.

    When choosing what hashtag to use, make sure you use keywords that are relevant to your company.  It is also helpful to identify popular hashtags that are being used by other companies in your field.  

    This will help grow your follower base and increase the number of likes on posts.

    It helps to build brand awareness

    Instagram is critical in generating brand awareness. Nine out of ten Instagram users in the United States were aware of a specific brand in the last three months and seventy-five percent of millennials say that social media influences their buying decisions.

    Brands can take advantage of this by advertising their products and services to potential customers who are already engaged within the social network.

    The social network also has a mobile app available for iOS and Android, meaning you can use the platform on-the-go and access it from any location at any time.

    Use the platform to promote your business

    Instagram, for many companies, is the perfect photo-based social media platform. When it comes to photo editing, everything is available with just a touch of your finger – no need for any elaborate editing software package.

    Although platforms like Canva do have a really nice integration for Instagram and other social platforms.

    With features like “Shop Now” buttons and “Follow” banners that display when people scroll down their feed, Instagram offers businesses easy access to potential customers.

    Use of third-party apps

    Worried you won’t be able to keep up with your engagement? There are many third-party apps that will help you grow your following quickly without spending hours each day on the app.

    These tools are designed for businesses looking to increase their reach on social media in order to generate more sales leads or brand awareness.

    You can use a tool like Iconosquare to track how many followers you have gained over time, where they come from, and which posts get the most engagement.

    In conclusion, keep in mind when using Instagram that it doesn’t matter if some posts don’t work out – just keep going! The key is trying new things and giving your audience something, they want.

    Experiment with several types of posts, post at various times, use hashtags differently, etc. This way you can find what’s most appealing for them which will lead to more followers on the platform as well as increased sales from advertising or marketing campaigns.

    Need help with your social media marketing? Contact us, we’d be glad to help.

    Read more

  • Email Creation Made Easy by Using Constant Contact

    Sending emails to your customers is a great way to stay in touch with them, but it’s hard to create professional looking email templates for many business owners. That’s why I recommend using the Constant Contact platform.

    Why Constant Contact is the Best Email Marketing Tool for Businesses

    Constant Contact has been a lifesaver for small businesses across the world. The platform helps you create professional emails that you can send to your customers/prospects and they even offer other services on the platform like the ability to share your social media posts. 

    In full transparency, I’ve been a Certified Solutions Partner with Constant Contact since 2016 and personally use it for my own business and my clients. Constant Contact is known as the leader in email marketing solutions, so for me it’s a no-brainer if you’re looking for a user friendly platform for sending emails to your customers!

    The best part is that this platform has changed with the times and offers its users an easy drag and drop editor along with professionally designed templates that you can brand and make your own. 

    Recently, Constant Contact has even added cross device templates so that you can use their mobile app or website to design and schedule your next campaign with ease. Imagine you’ve got everything you need right at your fingertips. So let’s dive a little deeper and look at some of the features. 

    Let’s Talk about the Many Features

    Well I’ve already mentioned the drag-and-drop email editor, social media posting tool (now integrated with Canva!) and customizable mobile responsive email templates but wait there’s so much more:

    • Auto-adjust smart columns for emails
    • Comprehensive image library
    • Up to 2GB hosting for images and documents
    • Intuitive landing page editor
    • List-building tools for websites, social media, and SMS
    • Email list management
    • List segmentation tools
    • Duplicate contact management
    • Social share for emails
    • Social media monitoring and inbox
    • Social analytics and engagement
    • Facebook and Instagram ad management
    • Google Ads tool
    • Real-time campaign tracking
    • Campaign comparison
    • Click-tracking heat map
    • Click segmentation
    • Subject line A/B testing
    • Marketing calendar
    • Email marketing automation
    • eCommerce integration
    • Event marketing
    • Online fundraising tools
    • Custom surveys and polls
    • Coupon creation
    • Client management
    • Multi-user accounts
    • Email integrations with platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce and Eventbrite
    • And the Cherry on the top you can even create a website on the platform!

    Have I got your attention?

    The Benefits

    The Constant Contact software is extremely user-friendly. To create an email it only takes a few simple steps and it’s easy to use. It’s also comprehensive so you’re able to include attachments, links, and videos which help make the email look more professional. The email can also be customized with your branding to make it your own and create your business identity. 

    There are a variety of templates that are available for businesses to use if they don’t want to start from scratch. Each one caters to specific goals and needs such as merchandising ads, birthday autoresponders, and customer loyalty campaigns just to name a few.

    If you’re looking for help with sending emails to your customers, reach out to me.  I’ll show you how easy the software is to use and how comprehensive. Book a complimentary 15 minute strategy session with me at https://strategizeyoursuccess.as.me/letstalkstrategy or reach out to me on our contact page at https://strategizeyoursuccess.com/contact/.

    If you feel like you want to give the platform a go try taking advantage of the FREE trail version below.

    Interested in Trying Constant Contact for FREE?

    Just click on the banner.

    Constant Contact
    *This is a trail version of Constant Contact for up to 100 contacts only.
    Interested in discounts for email plus? Contact me for details.

    Read more

  • How to Create Instagram Guides

    Watch this episode on YouTube

    Instagram has a lot of clever ways for you to share content and Instagram Guides are just one the ways to for you to draw attention to your brand.

    In this video, you will see that I share a blog post from Jillian Warren from blog.later.com/blog/instagram-guides on the features and at the 4.10 mark I’ve created a tutorial for you so you can see how to make your own Instagram Guide.

    It’s a great way to share, curate and repurpose some of your existing content and get discovered for your expertise.

    Be sure to follow us on YouTube.

    Read more

  • The Fastest Way to Build a New Email List

    I know a lot of people worry that their email lists are small but small lists can be powerful if you have action takers and a devoted following. Don’t worry no one opens their brand-new email management system and sees thousands of prospects from day one unless they imported them from another list. We all start with a single subscriber, and we grow our list from there. I don’t know about you but I’m grateful for each and everyone that is on our list.

    What you do while your list is growing is critical to your future success. 

    It’s never too early to start promoting

    This is the number one mistake those with a small list make. They believe—wrongly—that there’s no point in promoting to a small list. 

    There are two reasons this is a huge mistake. First, when all you send your list is information, and you never make an offer, you’re training them that there will never be an offer. Then the first time you send out an email promoting a product, they’ll react with annoyance. How dare you try to sell them something?!? But seriously, why wait?

    The second issue with not promoting is that you’re creating a (bad) habit in yourself. Yes, it’s important that you provide value to your subscribers. It’s equally important that your mailing list not be an expensive time-suck. The only way your list will pay its way is if you’re presenting offers on a regular basis. 

    If you find yourself struggling to grow your list, reach out to us! We will work closely with you to develop a strategy to increase your reach. We can also help with email list monitoring and content development.

    Don’t promote too much

    Despite what we just said, it is possible to burn out your list with promotion after promotion. If all you ever send to your subscribers is offers to buy, your unsubscribe rate will skyrocket!

    Instead, set up a system of nurturing your list by providing great value. Teach them to open your emails by striving to always include information they want and need. Share your stories with them. Tell them what you’ve learned. Interact with them. Promotions are necessary, but they’re not the primary way to connect with your list. 

    One of the ways J. Crew, Spotify, and SoulCycle cultivate customer loyalty is through valuable content. While there are many ways to do this, email marketing is one of the most powerful ways to reach your target audience — if done correctly. (blog.hubspot.com)

    Use segmentation

    Not everyone on your mailing list will benefit from the same information or promotions. Some subscribers may be at the beginning of their journey and just learning about the topics you cover. Others will be more advanced and in need of different advice. Some subscribers will be active buyers and jump on offers quickly. Others may not. 

    By creating segments in your mailing list software, you can provide your subscribers with exactly what they need when they need it. This targeted approach will result in more sales and a happier subscriber base. 

    Whether your list is 10 or 10,000, these strategies will help keep your list profitable, active, and responsive. And a responsive list is one of the most valuable assets businesses have. Take good care of it, and it will take care of you. 

    Want to know what’s more important than a great big mailing list? 

    The relationship you have with your subscribers

    It’s true. You can have 100,000 people on your list, but if they don’t know you, and worse, if they don’t trust you, then that great big list is worth next to nothing. 

    Stay in Touch

    This is likely the biggest mistake new email marketers and coaches make when it comes to their list. Sure, you have great intentions, but somehow sending emails just doesn’t feel so important when you only have a few hundred people on your list. So you procrastinate. 

    Days turn into weeks. Weeks become months. Pretty soon you realize it’s been 187 days since you last sent an email. Yikes! That’s no way to build a relationship. 

    Make it a point to mail your list at least once per month or weekly if you have the time. This way they don’t forget who you are (and why they subscribed in the first place). 

    Always keep their best interests in mind

    Making money is great. According to Adobe, email has an ROI of $40 for every $1 spent. (crazyegg.com) Ultimately, that’s everyone’s goal. But hammering your list with endless offers is not the best way to go about it as I mentioned before. Remember, you’re building a relationship, and that means always asking yourself, “Is this in the best interest of my subscriber?” When you email with a genuine desire to help your reader, it will always be well received. Be a giver and eventually people will trust in your intentions.

    Remember, they need you and your expertise

    Here’s another all-too-common mistake newer list owner’s make: assuming “someone else has already done it/said it/mailed about it.” 

    Which could not be further from the truth, and here’s why: Your subscribers count on you to give them the information they need. They’re looking to you for advice. They need your insight into the right training and coaching programs, which software to buy, what blogs to read. And it doesn’t matter if other businesses are talking about an offer or new product or have developed an eCourse that’s like yours. Because for some people, the message will only make a connection when they hear it from you. 

    The bottom line? As with most things, quality surpasses quantity when it comes to list building. Just because you don’t have thousands of subscribers is no reason to avoid mailing them, and it’s not an excuse for back-burning your products, programs, or training courses.

    Email marketing is a high-impact, low-cost way of delivering your marketing message to current customers and prospects if, that is, you have a great email list. If you don’t, this article is for you. Read on for the most effective and creative ways to build your email list. (verticalresponse.com) You can always reach out to us with any questions or advice on building your list. Remember, your subscribers are counting on you. 

    Book a Complimentary 15-Minute Strategy Session and let us help you create the list you always wanted.

    Book Now

    Read more

  • Consistent Marketing Builds Brand Trust

    Consistency is a key element in a business’ success. Of course, there are other important factors but consistency is what will create name recognition. Consistency is what will build your online community so you can develop a trusting relationship with your audience, and it will showcase your expertise to new followers.

    Here’s an example: You go out to dinner at your favorite restaurant and you fall in love with your entrée. A few weeks later you take a friend to the same restaurant, order the same meal, but it tastes different and you send it back to the kitchen. Their lack of consistency in how your meal was prepared will now leave doubt in your head about that particular dish and possibly about the whole restaurant in general. Can you relate?

    Doubt in a customer’s mind generally means you must rebuild that trust again to show that they should continue to do business with you. It’s not impossible to earn their trust again but you’re basically starting from square one. Working your business consistently and focusing on superb content and excellent customer service will help to keep your clients happy and trusting in you.

    Have you ever had this occur: You opt-in to an email list which resonates with you and your interest, you receive a few weekly emails and then nothing? Crickets. Then a month or two later you receive an email from that same person, making an offer to you to purchase their product. How does that lack of consistency make you feel? I’m guessing your first reaction would be, “Who the heck is this person?” Their lack of consistency will cause you to forget who they are and why you signed up for their list in the first place. Lack of name recognition generally leads to, “I don’t know who you are so why would I give you my money?” or “ I don’t remember you at all and you unsubscribe from their mailings.” Again, this business owner just made it much harder to win your trust, right? 

    Consistency with Your Brand

    Have you noticed how many gurus there are, each proclaiming to have the answers to earning 6 or 7-figure incomes? Don’t get me wrong there are a lot of great coaches and programs out there but if you tried implementing all of their different strategies, you’d be exhausted from keeping up with it all and your audience would be very confused about your overall message. Your messaging is part of your branding. Don’t borrow someone else’s. Learn from others, embrace what works for you and your ideal audience and use your voice, personality, and idiosyncrasies.

    When it comes to branding, consistency and repetition will help develop name recognition. Make sure you are consistent with your branding across all channels online and your website. It confuses people when they go to one of your online profiles and it doesn’t look at all like your website or the email you sent them.  Be consistent with your brand image, colors, and message, both online and offline so you’re always recognized. 

    4 Places Your Brand Identity Should Be Consistent

    Your brand identity is the image your company portrays to the world at large, to your audience or clients. When people look at your online presence, they should know what you do and that you bring value to the market. Your brand identity should be appealing to your target market and should be consistent in every printed piece you produce and across every online platform.

    Consistency is important because it helps your brand standout. If people see your logo and/or your brand colors online, they will recognize your mailed brochure when it arrives, and vice versa. When people recognize your identity, your name is always top of mind, which is helpful when they receive your email or see your social media posts.

    Let’s examine the four most important places to perfect your brand identity:

    1. Your Website

    Very often your company website is the first element a potential client will see, and most people will make a 10-second decision (more or less) whether to explore further than the home page. Your identity should be strongly represented on that home page so your potential clients will explore further or contact you.

    On your website brand colors, fonts, and your logo are vitally important and should reflect your brand identity. If your message is sobering and you handle tough problems, using whimsical fonts and cutesy graphics doesn’t mesh with the serious issues your company handles. The opposite is also true; if your identity and mission are more light-hearted, using deep, dark colors and traditional fonts might turn people away after they visit your site.

    2. Your Social Media Platforms

    Not everyone in your target audience will use the same social media platform and those reasons vary widely, so it would be appropriate for you to post across multiple platforms to reach more of your audience (If of course, that makes sense for your marketing efforts). However, if your name, colors, and logo are different on all these platforms, when someone jumps from Facebook to LinkedIn, they may not think yours is the same company because the profiles look different. Or if they receive an email that looks different than the social media profile, they may also be confused. Consistency brings recognition and helps to build trust between you and your clients.

    3. All Company Communications

    Business cards, invoices, printed marketing pieces; these should all have the same colors, fonts, and logo as your website and your social media platforms. Just one more way to show your professionalism and attention to detail and your clients will certainly notice.

    4. Your Email Marketing Campaigns

    Contrary to popular belief, email marketing is still one of the best ways to keep in touch with clients and to keep your company name in their memory. The key is to be relevant with your messages and offer valuable and engaging content. On top of these, create a template that incorporates your brand colors, fonts, and logo. Don’t miss a chance to build that trust between you and your audience. 

    Well we have covered a lot in this post so let’s review some best practices. Building trust with your audience is easier if you have consistency with your logo, images, messaging, and your personal vibe. When we market, we are marketing to other humans who expect a certain experience. Let’s not disappoint them. Keep true to you and your brand. Don’t imitate others but instead find what works for you and your community of followers. Do this and you will gain new business.

    https://www.facebook.com/StrategizeYourSuccess/
    Follow Us on Facebook

    Read more

  • 5 Ways to Rewire a Bad Habit to a Good One

    Back in 2005 before starting my Marketing Firm I owned a professional organizing business. During my work in this industry I saw a lot of people struggling to get their personal and professional life organized. These people were young, old and in between. Many were professionals but some were retired or stay at home parents. So, you can see everyone can fall into having bad habits no matter where they are in life. I’m not a fan of the word bad but when it comes to this topic, I’d rather not sugar coat it.

    Basically, being disorganized is just a series of bad habits or routines that need to be rewired into good habits. We all have bad habits; it’s a fact of life because we’re human and imperfect. The good news is that bad habits can be changed with some discipline and work. Yes, I said it. It takes effort to make changes and rewire our brains into doing things differently. Changing bad habits doesn’t happen overnight but simply acknowledging them is the first step towards change along with making up your mind to do so.

    Messy Computer

    So, what are some bad habits? Here are a few examples.

    • Not creating a plan of action for the work that needs to be done
    • Setting lofty goals and timelines that are unrealistic
    • Overeating or eating the wrong types of food
    • Letting your inbox get full and out of control
    • Not practicing self-care
    • Lacking organization in the space you live or work in
    • Not getting back to people who call or email you in a timely fashion

    Maybe you recognize some these or have other bad habits that need to be tamed but how do we go about doing that?

    One quick tip: Don’t try to change multiple bad habits at once. Choose one behavior or area to focus on and work on that first. When you feel that bad habit has been changed for good, work on changing another – or work on incorporating good habits into your daily life.

    Here are some tips for creating good habits.

    1. Keep the temptation out of sight. If you have a problem with overeating junk food, for example, keep those tempting foods out of your home. Avoid those aisles at the grocery store. Step away from the snack table when you’re a guest at someone’s house. If your temptation isn’t visible, then you’ll get used to not having that temptation in your life, which forms a good habit of not overindulging.

    2. Reward yourself (positive reinforcement). If you want to be get organized, schedule an activity they you love doing like a day at the spa or whatever is your thing for about 6-8 weeks out as a reward, provided you stay true to your organizing goals you will have a wonderful reward to look forward to. Now use this reward, to stay focused on the goal of organizing your life/spaces that you live or work in. Also consider rewarding yourself for incorporating a good habit into your life as well and choose small, simple rewards that fit your budget.

    Money Jar

    3. Give yourself a consequence for the bad habit (negative reinforcement). If you have a habit of not getting back to people in a timely fashion, try charging yourself a fee for every time you forget. Keeping in mind, that it’s costing you way more in revenue because this habit can be making you lose clients and opportunities. Collect that money in a jar so you can see it as a reminder that you need to get better at that task. We all get into ruts and routines that we need to take charge of and not let them take charge of us. When you haven’t contributed to the jar in a month’s time, take that money and give yourself a reward. Tell your team members at work, your friends and family, too, so they can help keep you accountable. Sometimes we’re so used to doing bad habits that we don’t even notice when it happens. Giving yourself a consequence forces you to be more aware of your behavior and eventually eliminates that bad behavior.

    4. Track your daily habits. Whether you choose good old paper and pen or a sophisticated app on your phone, tracking your habits puts them in the forefront of your mind and you’ll also feel accomplished at the end of the day. For instance, if you’re exercising daily, mark down what you did and for how long. If you’re stopping your procrastination, mark what time you started work. If you’re unplugging more from something like social media, use a calendar to jot down when you turned your app off and how long that lasted. Visual cues that you’re succeeding in busting these bad habits can go a long way to make you feel proud and accomplished, which will positively reinforce this new behavior.

    5. Ask for an accountability partner. Do you have a mentor, business coach or friend who can help monitor your success? Do you have a nutritionist who can help create healthy meals? Do you have a business partner or friend who you help turn your business struggles around? Or do you feel comfortable posting certain struggles or challenges on social media, so your followers then become your accountability partners? Keeping your struggles and goals to yourself often makes it easier to cheat; however, if you tell other people what you’re trying to accomplish, then you’ll focus more on the new behavior, which eventually will overtake the bad behavior.

    I hope you found these ideas helpful. Again, remember that rewiring your brain and changing daily routines takes time so be kind to yourself. Best to you and your endeavors.

    Read more

  • Use Your Marketing to Stay in Contact with Your Tribe

    Part of your marketing effort is sharing your philosophy and style with your followers in the hopes that they will get to know, like, and trust you enough to become a client or purchase your product or service (marketing in a nutshell). As with any comprehensive marketing plan, it needs to be in constant motion, continuously bringing prospects into your sales funnel with the hope of turning them into customers or clients.

    What do you suppose happens to those prospects when you go silent, either on social media, your blog, or your email list?

    • Do you think they will search you out to be sure you’re OK?
    • Do you think they will just patiently wait for your next email explaining why you were absent for so long? Will they even remember your name after a long absence?
    • Or will they find another expert who is more consistent with their communication and offers to help?

    Your marketing goal is to collect followers on social media, readers of your blog, and those interested in your emails. Sometimes those groups will overlap but essentially, you are gathering your ideal clients across numerous platforms. You’re growing your tribe and they deserve to be treated like gold, especially if they are giving up their email addresses and investing their time with you.

    Avoid Silence; Schedule Daily Interactions

    The only way to prevent your followers from forgetting your name is to consistently put your name in front of them. Don’t spam them with offers but post on social media daily; send regular emails; and write a blog post. The emails and blog posts can easily alternate, but the social media needs to be daily. Enlist the help of a social media manager or a virtual assistant if these tasks take too much time away from your paying clients.

    Outsourcing is a wonderful thing but your interactions with your tribe still need your personal touch. One way to do this is by answering questions and leaving comments on social media. This engagement with your tribe is always welcome, especially if a good discussion is happening. Cross promote your social media links to your email list and vice versa. Always have your social links on your blog so your readers can find you on other platforms. Promote your blog posts via email and on social media but mix those posts with fun, education, and be engaging so people will comment. Share snippets of your real life to show your tribe that you have the same issues they do or to just link a human face with your company name.

    Mix Things Up and Use Different Media to Communicate

    I’m a big believer in stick to what works but that doesn’t mean you can’t experiment in the hopes of attracting new people. Examine your media outlets on a regular basis and try mixing it up a little. Search for podcasts where you can be a guest (or even a guest host, if you’re bold!); hold a webinar, do Facebook Lives, or start recording videos for those who prefer the live video connection. You might just be surprised at how well-received these are from your audience. If one or all of these rocket your number of followers, consider adding them into your regular marketing plan.

    Another Way to Connect with Your Tribe

    A very profitable way to connect with your tribe is to create an online course or webinar. What better way to showcase your expertise and increase your credibility among this very savvy group of followers. Need help with creating your online course or webinar reach out to us. We’ve been creating online education since 2005.

    Read more