Red Root Summer News

We have so many fabulous things brewing for the fall and can't wait to share just a few with you! 

• Our new fall workshops will include Small Biz Growth Strategies and Getting a Jump on Holiday Marketing.

• We are planning a 5-week Incubator Series for Small Biz Owners at the Red Root office in Verona. Our vision is to provide local entrepreneurs with Space, Knowledge and Support to Plan for Growth. Stay tuned for more info on this amazing opportunity and email us here if you want to get in on the ground floor as spots will be extremely limited.

What kind of support for your business do YOU Need? Contact us here today to discuss. 

‘Tis the Season of Hashtag Holidays

For local and small businesses up to 40% of annual revenue is earned in November and December. To not capitalize on the marketing power of the season, including the commercially created hashtag holidays, is truly a lost opportunity. However, which should you take advantage of and how?

#BlackFriday started as an in-store sales event, but is now a pervasive, expected seasonal discount spanning most of November. The noise and competition around #BlackFriday is so dramatic that it requires heavy promotion to stand out in the crowd. While full participation in a #BlackFriday event may not be appropriate for all small businesses, the strategy of an appealing loss-leader to drive store traffic can be very effective.

#SmallBusinessSaturday, founded by American Express, is a marketing approach with increasing resonance for consumers and communities. As we experience the explosion of online behemoths, big box multi-nationals, and even suburban malls, community and civically-minded consumers are drawn to patronizing and promoting their local stores and services. The online creative assets available at www.americanexpress.com  make it easy to convey a #SmallBusinessSaturday message and remind shoppers to come out in force on November 25th.

#CyberMonday has lost some of its impact with the digitization of #BlackFriday. However, consumers have been trained to watch their email inbox diligently on Monday, November 27th because they know that the very best offers will be shared on that date and via that channel. Email lists should be built, cleaned and nurtured over the course of the year with this one email blast in mind.

For non-profits and fundraisers, #GivingTuesday was created to capitalize on the holiday hashtag momentum. Marketing connected to this hashtag provides a boost to all usual development efforts and enjoys a halo of conscience and community responsibility. The sharing aspect of social media and email are perfect platforms for the #GivingTuesday message. This year, Facebook will waive its 5% commission on all money raised on November 28th, increasing the impact of contributions which is important to donors and non-profits alike.

Taking advantage of the holiday hashtag phenomenon requires advance planning and benefits from teaser campaigns that start the promotions much earlier than the appointed dates. Next year, Red Root Marketing will be happy to help you begin your planning and execution in September for maximum impact.

Inspiration Fuels Growth and Quiets Doubt

Business owners and entrepreneurs, really anyone who is building her own future, always needs one thing. Inspiration.

Inspiration is an amazing ingredient. It drowns out the doubts and negative thoughts that might be rattling around our minds. Inspiration is that energetic, hard rocking sound track that gets us through a boot camp workout by muffling our screeching muscles.

Without inspiration, that hockey stick in the business plan is merely aspirational and so daunting. With inspiration, it’s an audacious goal that will be achieved with focus, drive and hard work that we love.

For those of us who run businesses and guide clients in growing theirs, inspiration is in short supply and we must demand it in all we do. Our business partners must inspire us. Our staff must inspire us. Our strategic vendors must inspire us. And, your social media and marketing agency must inspire you.

At Red Root Marketing, we consider inspiration one of our most important qualities. When we leave a meeting with our client, we hope they are energized by the possibilities of having their company, their brand, become a vibrant community hub via social media and smart strategy. The excitement we feel about our clients’ businesses reflects our optimism in their goals and we’re here to help make them happen – by connecting a client’s online presence to key community influencers, establishing a more effective pricing model, or helping a client understand what her customers think about the company’s product. Inspiration needs to be central to all of those services we provide.

What inspires you? Who inspires you? We’d love to know!