5 email marketing services to use in 2020
Email marketing tools are simple and easy to use. They are designed to help you grow subscribers and build stronger relationships. If you don’t have any design skills, don’t worry, there are hundreds of templates you …
Email marketing tools are simple and easy to use. They are designed to help you grow subscribers and build stronger relationships. If you don’t have any design skills, don’t worry, there are hundreds of templates you can choose to get started with an easy drag and drop editor and automation features.
Here are my recommendations:
MailChimp- Free for 2,000 subscribers, Plans start at $10 monthly
Mailerlite- Free for 2,000 subscribers, Plans start at $10 monthly
CampaignMonitor- Free for 2,500 subscribers, Plans start at $9 monthly
SendInBlue- Free, limits to 300 emails/day, Plans start at $25 monthly
Convertkit- offers a 14-day free trial. Plans start at $29 monthly for 1000 subscribers, unlimited of # emails per day, direct integration with several sites like Wordpress, Wix, Shopify, Squarespace.
Bonus Squarespace Email Campaign that costs $14 monthly, unlimited subscribers and can send up to 5,000 emails monthly. It’s fairly new and perfect if you have a website through them.
What are you currently using to grow your email list?
Where to find high quality stock photos
Want PHOTOS in your business that speaks to what your brand represents? Sure, you can hire a photographer but WHAT IF you're on a budget, you can always use stock photos that many companies use today.
Want PHOTOS in your business that speaks to what your brand represents? Sure, you can hire a photographer but WHAT IF you're on a budget, you can always use stock photos that many companies use today.
Just between us, the company I design for uses stock photography that works really well with representing the brand...that's our little secret, OK! 😊 There's a limitation set so all images have the same consistent tone. If it works for a Fortune 500 company, it can work for your small business too!
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Here are 3 of my top websites to find affordable candid and authentic photos:
1. Pexels.com - You can get access to free stock photos and awesome video footage.
3. Adobestock.com - You can find the perfect access for your creative project for a monthly fee and purchase rights to use photos commercially for advertising campaigns, publications and more.
3. Rawpixel.com - You can find the best image for any situation. You can get limited access to download 5 images daily or for a small fee, you can get unlimited access to use images for campaigns, publications, design work and more.
As a bonus Burst.com, nappy.co and unsplash.com are other great sites for great imagery.
Check out my collection of FREE stock photos you can download and subscribe to my newsletter for updates.
Remember to review the licenses before using any photos.
Let me know in the comments if you tried any of these sites.
Melissa
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS TO GROW YOUR BRAND OR BUSINESS
With the rise of social media, tons of marketing tools, you may be overwhelm and unsure on which platform to chose that will work best for you.
With the rise of social media, tons of marketing tools, you may be overwhelm and unsure on which platform to chose that will work best for you. The key to finding the right platform you enjoy, one that will allow you to grow and entertain your audience is not as hard as your think. If you are not a Snap"chatter" or Twitter person then you will need to find a platform that will give you more leverage to speak with your audience. I found a lot of my clients were creating several social media accounts only to find it hard to maintain them all, without having a plan of action. I do think it’s wise to create a user account for each platform just in case, to make it easier for your audience to find you. This should apply when your notice an large growth in your audience.
When I launched Girlitsmel in 2016 I asked myself the follow questions:
Who is your audience?
What are the demographics?
Are they mostly females or males?
What are the age ranges?
Once I determined my audience, I research which platforms they used the most and I advise for you to take this into account. Do not assume everyone uses Instagram or Twitter. Think about what your intended message conveys and your call to action.
Here's a few things I took into account when I created my social media accounts.
Twitter can help me reach an new audience. I can retweet, share images and video and direct traffic to my website.
Snapchat was not an ideal platform to use since I created an account and but rarely used the app.
Instagram and Facebook allows me to reach my audience with ease by posting stories, photos, video and go live.
Youtube was an easy choice for me as it would give me an advantage to target an audience that may not necessary be on Instagram or Twitter.
In terms of your message, you must consider the types of mediums you will be using, will it be links, photos or videos? I love photos and I know people will gravitate to a nice photo and comment. Everyone is on YouTube so making a few promo videos or tutorials can help. If you have a Facebook account, your friends can help promote your business by sharing with their friends and so forth.
The key is being consistent and sticking to your platform(s) of choice. Remember first impression is everything and you do want to find yourself creating multiple accounts and lose your audience with mixed messages. Trust me it can happen!
Let's Talk!
What are some of favorite platforms you use to promote your business/brand?
XOMelissa
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WHERE TO FIND THE BEST FREE STOCK PHOTOS
Finding the right high resolution/quality images can be so challenging and overwhelming. There are so many websites and many lack images of minorities. I have compiled a list of my favorite websites for stock photos.
Finding the right quality images for your business can be challenging and overwhelming when you do not a budget for a photographer. I am sharing some of my favorite websites I love to use. Keep in mind it is a good gesture to give credit to the artist/photographer.
https//:www.nappy.co
https://www.createherstock.com
Share some of your favorite sites you use for your imagery.
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Request to join The Brown Sugar Creatives Facebook for more tips and resources to assist with adding value to your brand or business!
XOXOMelissa
NEED HELP WITH PLANNING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS
I remember when I started thinking of social media as a business and FREE way to advertise. I knew I would need assistance with scheduling my posts
I remember when I started thinking of social media as a business and FREE way to advertise. I knew I would need assistance with scheduling my posts. As you may know, it's hard trying to figure out captions, hashtags, how often to post and keeping your theme consistent. I did some digging to see if I could find an application or software that provided tips, analytics and assistance with scheduling across multiple platforms. I found several but here are my top 4 auto scheduler apps to use for social.
I use the Later app (formerly known as latergramme) and Preview app.
Here are a few of my favorite scheduling applications:
Later App is free and they have a desktop version which makes it easy if you feel more comfortable on your computer. I use the free version which gives you 30 posts a month. You will be able to view your analytics which provides details on which post are performing better. It also allows your repost as well. The best feature of this app is you can save captions and hashtags to use in future post. It's very easy to use, you can drag and drop your images in the app and arrange your feed. You can unlock additional features such as more analytics on best times to post, IG stories for a small monthly fee.
Preview App is free and great app to used as well. I typically use this app once I reached my maximum limit on Later. This app does not have a desktop verison, however; it provides lots of examples of Instagram themes you can use for inspiration. The free version provides 30 post per month. You can unlock additional features for a small monthly fee.
PLANN app is a free app you can use for Instagram only. One of the features it offers is the ability to post video unlike Later and Preview in the FREE version. This app does not have a desktop verison, however; it provides lots of examples of Instagram themes you can use for inspiration like the previous apps. The free version provides 30 post per month. You can unlock additional features for a small monthly fee.
Planoly app is a free and great for Lifestyle or Fashion Bloggers with "shoppable" content. Although the free version does not include the ability to add "shoppable" product the app provides 30 post per month. This app is only for use with Instagram only. You can also unlock additional features for a small monthly fee.
Have you tried any of these apps? If so, how well are they working for you?
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Request to join The Brown Sugar Creatives Facebook for more tips and resources to assist with adding value to your brand or business!
XOXOMelissa
5 TIPS TO HELP REACH YOUR GOALS
Have you ever find yourself setting goals with the intention of completing them, however; LIFE gets in the way. Do you have friends who seem to be hitting the mark every single time, yet, you find yourself disappointed.
Have you ever find yourself setting goals with the intention of completing them, however; LIFE gets in the way. Do you have friends who seem to be hitting the mark every single time, yet, you find yourself disappointed. We all struggle with successfully achieving goals, most people have more dedication and drive than others. It's O.K., YOU can achieve your goals by setting small attainable goals. Sometimes we take on more than we can actually handle which hinders the process. Approximately 90% of people do not achieve their goals and here's how the other 10% do.
Five Simple Rules
Set goals that motivate you. When you set goals for yourself, it is important that they motivate you: this means making sure that they are important to you, and that there is value in achieving them.
Set SMART attainable goals. Think of it this way, you want a new camera that cost $300 that would be a good investment for your business, what are you willing to sacrifice for a short period of time?
Set your goals in writing as it will be a constant reminder. You can use POST ITS and paste them in areas you frequent the most. Keep a journal, planner, or set reminders on your phone calendar.
Make an action plan on how you plan achieve this goal, there is no use of setting a goal without a plan.
Stick With It!
The best rule of thumb is to set small goals that will help you achieve the bigger goals of becoming a successful business person or homeowner. What are you willing to sacrifice to achieve your goal?
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XOMelissa
5 TIPS FOR GETTING READY IN THE MORNINGS
I have always been a last minute person even before I became a parent. If I had to be somewhere, the chances I would be on time were slim to none. Occasionally, I would use my son as an excuse for being late, if you are parent then you know each day is unpredictable with a toddler.
My days start as early as 5:30 AM and I still hit the snooze button at least 3 times before I actually get out of bed. Technically I don't actually make it out of the bed until 5:45 AM. Most mornings as I'm getting ready for work and preparing my son for his adventurous day with grandma. I still find myself rushing to get to work by 9AM. I'm so focused on breakfast, hair, makeup, preparing lunch, ironing clothes and chasing my son around. I had to make things easier and start pre-planning, which is something I have never done. Here are some great tips and tricks I found to make my morning routine easier.
1. Plan your outfits ahead of time
Living in GA the weather can be tricky, check the forecast, you can pick your outfit the night before or plan for the week. I bought a clothing rack to help organize my clothes which saved time when searching for pieces in the morning. Keep your outfits simple and try not to go overboard. Aim for neutral colors or pair a sweater with jeans, boots/booties and your favorite necklace.
2. Shower the night before.
Some people may not agree with me on this, but saves it time. I love taking my morning showers that helps me wake up. The benefit of showering the night before gave me more time to get ready in the morning. This was a huge time SAVER!
3. Prepare your meals ahead of time
For breakfast try eating cereal, fruit or oatmeal. This will take less time to prepare and have you on your way out the door quickly.
Deciding what to eat for lunch can be challenging. Try preparing your meals the day before or plan for the week. If you are OK with eating the same foods for the week, prepare a big meal to portion for each day and store in your fridge. It is so convenient to grab a container and through it in my bag and GO!
4. Style your hair the night before
Hair can be your worst enemy on those days you are in a hurry. If you are naturalista like myself there so many styles you can do from twist/braid outs, high puff, Mohawk or pull our your favorite wig. You can never go wrong with a simple ponytail.
5. Keep your makeup simple
If you have oily, acne prone skin using a multipurpose foundation or beauty/blemish (BB) cream is key with a good setting powder. Using a BB cream cuts out the steps of priming and concealing. I love using BB creams which helps to conceal blemishes and provides the right coverage I need for the office. I am currently using Kiss BB Cream Medium and I set it with a translucent powder.
Let's talk!
What tips do yo have for getting ready in the morning?