Posts tagged: email marketing

You’ve got a small business. You’ve got passion. You’ve got great products or services. What you don’t have? A digital marketing strategy that doesn’t make you want to throw your laptop out the window. Don’t worry—digital marketing doesn’t have to be some mystical art practiced by basement-dwelling SEO wizards and ad-buying gurus. In fact, I’m here to give you a step-by-step plan so easy, you’ll wonder why you ever thought of hiring that “marketing expert” who kept using the word “synergy” way too much.

1. Know Your Audience (Hint: It’s Not “Everyone”)

First things first: Who’s your audience? If your answer is “everyone,” stop right there. Because unless you’re selling oxygen, you’re not marketing to everyone. Narrow it down. Who actually wants what you’re offering? If you’re selling artisanal gluten-free dog biscuits, you’re not targeting hardcore carnivores with no pets. Think about age, interests, location, and why people would need your product. Be specific. “Moms who love yoga” is better than “people who breathe air.”

Pro tip: Avoid saying your target audience is “people who need money.” That’s called the entire population.

2. Get Social (But Please, Not All at Once)

Social media is great and all, but here’s the thing: you do not need to be on every single platform. Unless you have the time and energy of a 19-year-old TikTok star hopped up on Red Bull, focus on one or two channels that make sense for your business. If you’re a wedding photographer, Instagram is your friend. Selling accounting software? LinkedIn might be more your vibe. Trying to sell handmade soaps? Probably not Twitter.

Pick your platforms wisely. Otherwise, you’ll end up posting half-baked content on five different platforms and wondering why no one’s buying your stuff. (Spoiler: It’s because you’re spreading yourself thinner than butter on toast at a 1920s Great Depression-themed dinner.)

3. Content is King (But Don’t Let It Be Boring)

Now, let’s talk content. You’ve heard the phrase “Content is king,” and while that’s true, it’s only king if your content doesn’t make people fall asleep faster than a PowerPoint presentation on corporate tax law.

Create content that your audience actually cares about. Post tips, tutorials, behind-the-scenes looks at your business, funny memes (if appropriate), and even the occasional selfie of you stress-eating your fifth coffee of the day. People like stories. They like personality. They don’t like constant sales pitches.

Mix it up. If all you’re doing is screaming “BUY MY STUFF” in all caps, people are going to unfollow you faster than they clicked “like” in the first place.

4. Email is Not Dead (But It Can Be If You Do It Wrong)

Remember when everyone said email was dead? Yeah, they lied. Email marketing is very much alive and kicking. But here’s the deal: If you’re just spamming people with weekly updates on your “exciting new deals,” your emails will end up in the junk folder next to that Nigerian prince offering $10 million.

Instead, send emails that matter. Share helpful content, exclusive deals, and sneak peeks that make your subscribers feel special. Make them feel like they’re in a cool club, not stuck on some spam list that never lets them go. Oh, and throw in a catchy subject line. “Our October Newsletter” won’t cut it.

5. SEO: Not as Scary as It Sounds (But Yes, You Should Care)

SEO, aka Search Engine Optimization, sounds like something only nerds in glasses with five monitors understand. But relax, it’s not that deep (unless you want it to be). At its core, SEO is just making sure your website is set up so Google doesn’t forget you exist.

Start with the basics. Use keywords that actually reflect what your business does. If you’re a baker in Brooklyn, “Brooklyn bakery” should probably appear on your website (shocking, I know). Write good, clear product descriptions, make sure your site loads faster than a snail, and for the love of all that’s holy, be mobile-friendly. People search on their phones. A lot.

You don’t need to hire a $5,000-a-month SEO guru to rank on Google. You just need to make sure your website isn’t a hot mess.

6. Ads Are Your Friend (But Don’t Blow the Whole Budget)

Running ads doesn’t have to mean burning through your entire savings account. Facebook and Google Ads can be surprisingly affordable, but only if you know how to play the game. Start small. Set a daily budget that won’t have you crying when you check your credit card bill.

Test different ads and see what works. Are people clicking more on that ad with the picture of your product, or the one where you’re awkwardly trying to smile in a headshot? Once you figure out what works, double down on it.

And remember: You’re a small business, not Nike. No need to spend like you’re trying to advertise in the Super Bowl.

7. Analyze, Adjust, Repeat (Because Guesswork Isn’t a Strategy)

The best part about digital marketing? You can actually see what’s working and what isn’t. Tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, and email open rates give you real-time feedback. If no one’s clicking on your ads, it’s not because people hate you (hopefully). It’s because something isn’t clicking (pun intended).

Don’t be afraid to adjust. Your first ad campaign probably won’t go viral. Your first Instagram post won’t get a million likes (unless you’ve got a dog or a baby doing something adorable, in which case, post that immediately). Marketing is trial and error. The key is to keep tweaking and testing until you hit your stride.

In Conclusion: Keep It Simple, Genius

Digital marketing doesn’t have to be a soul-sucking black hole of confusion. It’s really just about knowing who you’re talking to, putting yourself out there in a way that feels real, and using the tools at your disposal. Don’t overthink it. Don’t try to be everywhere and everything.

Stick to the basics: find your audience, create content they actually want to see, and measure your success. Oh, and don’t forget to have a little fun along the way. Because if digital marketing makes you want to scream into the void, you’re doing it wrong.

Welcome to Nest-Egg Digital – where we’re not just building businesses, we’re building sustainable growth through proven marketing strategies.

Have questions? Want to learn more about what we can do SPECIFICALLY for your business? Book a 30-minute Discovery Call with Angela, our Founder & CEO.

Marketing is tricky business. One minute, you’re thinking you’ve got the next big idea, and the next, you’ve accidentally gone viral—for all the wrong reasons. Every small business owner has made mistakes (if you haven’t, are you even trying?), but some marketing blunders are so bad, they’re actually hilarious. The best part? There’s always a lesson to learn.

So, let’s take a walk through the Hall of Marketing Shame and laugh at some epic fails—then talk about what you should actually be doing.

1. The “Accidental” Insult

Some businesses think they’re being edgy or clever with their marketing. But instead, they end up insulting their audience. Take the infamous slogan from a diet candy company in the 1970s called Ayds (yes, really). Their slogan? “Lose weight with Ayds.” You can imagine how well that aged after the 1980s.

What to do instead: Humor is great, but know your audience, and make sure your clever slogan doesn’t become tone-deaf, offensive, or unintentionally hilarious for the wrong reasons. Before committing to anything, show it to a few different people (and maybe Google it) to make sure there’s no weird double meaning waiting to bite you.

2. The Forgotten Proofread

Typos happen. We get it. But sometimes, a typo can turn an innocent ad into a cringeworthy disaster. Take the UK tourism ad that proudly announced, “See England’s best bitch!” They meant “beach.” Or the restaurant that accidentally offered a “free crab in your soup,” which sounds more like a health hazard than a good deal.

What to do instead: For the love of all things marketing, proofread. Then proofread again. Then have your neighbor, your spouse, and maybe even your dog give it one last look before you hit “publish.” Trust me, a quick once-over can save you from looking like a middle schooler who never learned the difference between “their,” “they’re,” and “there.”

3. The “Just Steal a Stock Photo” Approach

We’ve all seen the businesses that just grab a stock photo without looking too closely. The result? You’ve got companies advertising their “authentic family restaurant” with photos of paid models who look like they’ve never seen a kitchen before. Even worse is when companies accidentally use the same stock photo as their competition. Nothing says “we care” like slapping the same generic family picture on two different websites.

What to do instead: Take your own photos. Or, if you’re using stock, make sure it actually fits your brand. And please, PLEASE make sure no one else is using the same image for their bakery down the street. Authenticity is king in small business marketing—if customers smell stock-photo laziness, they’re going to wonder what else you’re cutting corners on.

4. Hashtag Horrors

Ah, hashtags. Such innocent little things that can blow up in your face if you’re not careful. Case in point: In 2012, #McDStories was meant to be a fun way for people to share positive McDonald’s memories. Instead, Twitter exploded with horror stories of food poisoning, bad service, and general McDisasters. It was the social media version of lighting a dumpster on fire.

What to do instead: Before you launch a hashtag, think it through. Could this be hijacked by trolls? Could people misunderstand the point? If there’s even a slight chance that people will use it against you, rethink your approach. Choose hashtags that can’t be easily twisted into a meme of regret.

5. “The Google Translate Special”

We’ve all seen those international marketing disasters where a slogan just doesn’t translate well. Like when Coors tried to bring their “Turn it Loose” campaign to Spain and accidentally translated it to mean, “Suffer from Diarrhea.” Not exactly the thirst-quencher they were going for.

What to do instead: If you’re expanding your small business internationally (good for you!), hire a professional translator. Google Translate may be free, but it’s also the fastest way to turn your product into a joke. Cultural context matters, and your witty English tagline might be a literal disaster in another language.

6. The Logo That’s… Uh… What?

Bad logos are a goldmine for marketing fails. Remember the 2012 London Olympics logo? It looked more like an awkward puzzle of random shapes than an international sporting event. Worse, some people thought it looked suspiciously like a certain adult-themed image. Then there are logos that look fine until you see them embroidered on uniforms or signs. One unfortunate Brazilian Institute of Oriental Studies logo still haunts the internet because it unintentionally looks like… well, Google it if you dare.

What to do instead: Logos are important, but don’t rush it. Test it. Look at it from different angles, on different products, and in different contexts. And, you know, maybe ask a few people, “Does this look like anything weird to you?” The last thing you want is for your logo to become a meme on Reddit.

7. The Sale No One Can Understand

Sometimes, businesses go wild with their marketing promotions—so wild, that no one understands what the heck the deal even is. We’ve all seen those “Buy Two, Get One 50% Off If You Buy On Tuesdays and Spin Around Twice” promotions. Or the classic “Everything Must Go!” signs that somehow stick around for two years.

What to do instead: Keep it simple. If your sale requires a PhD to understand, you’ve lost your audience. Clear, easy-to-understand promotions work best. “Buy One, Get One Free” or “20% Off Everything” are your friends. If your customers need a calculator or an Excel spreadsheet to figure out what they’re saving, you’re doing it wrong.

8. Over-Promising, Under-Delivering

We’ve all been lured in by marketing promises that sound too good to be true. And when they are? Cue the disappointed customers. One classic fail was a UK grocer’s Christmas ad promising the best festive meal ever. The reality? The meal looked like something that had been defrosted after a decade in the freezer. Cue outrage, disappointment, and some very bad reviews.

What to do instead: Under-promise and over-deliver. It’s the golden rule of marketing. If you’re going to promise something, make sure you can actually deliver on it. Otherwise, you’ll end up with more bad reviews than a one-star hotel with “complimentary bedbugs.”

Marketing is a Comedy of Errors (But It Doesn’t Have to Be Yours)

Marketing mistakes happen to the best of us. But the key is to learn from them—and more importantly, to laugh at them before they destroy your reputation. Proofread, plan, and for the love of your business, think before you launch.

Welcome to Nest-Egg Digital – where we’re not just building businesses, we’re building sustainable growth through proven marketing strategies.

Have questions? Want to learn more about what we can do SPECIFICALLY for your business? Book a 30-minute Discovery Call with Angela, our Founder & CEO.