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LindaDaley
Conversations Belong at the Top of Your Funnel
Inbound marketing isn’t dead, but it’s less effective. There was a stretch when lead magnets and forms did much of the early work. People opted in and lists grew. In many cases, that was the start of the relationship. Someone raised their hand, and you … Keep reading…
You’re Already Meeting People. Are They on Your List?
A client emailed me recently while she was travelling. She shared some good news about her latest newsletter. It’s getting traction. People are responding. That’s great. But my first thought was whether she was adding people to her list while she was away. Because that’s … Keep reading…
You had a Good Conversation. Now What?
The idea isn’t new: everyone you meet should be on your list. What’s changed is how intentional you have to be to make that happen. One Conversation Isn’t Enough You meet someone, have a good conversation, and then go your separate ways. It happens all … Keep reading…
AI Helped Write My Blog Post. Why Doesn’t It Sound Like Me?
You’ve finally decided to give AI a try with a blog post. The draft comes together quickly. It’s clear. It’s organized. It even sounds… good. And yet. You read it and think, this is fine. So why doesn’t it feel like something I would say? Nothing is … Keep reading…
“Actually” Is Undermining Your Message
When you’re writing marketing copy, explaining an idea, or trying to persuade someone, “actually” seems like a harmless word. Until your listener hears you use it twice in one sentence. Here’s the thing: overusing “actually” can do more harm than good. While it might feel … Keep reading…
Navigating AI in Content Creation for Small Businesses
In a time when artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way we do content marketing, small business owners stand at a crossroads. How do we harness this technology without losing the personal touch that defines our brands? And how do we continue to stand out … Keep reading…
Evergreen Content Scheduling
I used to do production scheduling for batches of bleach in a chemical plant. Well, lots more than bleach but that’s what I always smelled like after work according to my boyfriend at the time. Fast forward 30 years and the scheduling I do now … Keep reading…
Outstanding Newsletter Promo
Stolen from Ann Handley’s newsletter, when I saw this, I really did LOL. I’m not suggesting you buy a billboard but if you think people don’t sign up for newsletters anymore, you’d be wrong. Here are some reasons why people (including me and you) continue … Keep reading…
Features vs Benefits in Small Business Marketing
We can get so caught up in all the details of what we do that it’s often hard to see our businesses from the outside as customers and potential customers. It’s that “too much knowledge” thing. Our brains naturally fill in blanks to create a … Keep reading…
Leads or List-building… Decisions, Decisions
It’s so easy to get distracted when doing our own marketing work. Even when we have a plan and the supporting processes in place, losing focus is a daily challenge. Recently while masterminding with a friend, we were reviewing an email automation that she’s been … Keep reading…
Email is Still the Marketing Superhero
Since last fall, I’d been noticing unfavourable trends in open rates. It was disheartening because email has been my thing for so many years. Today I’m so (so so) happy to report that it’s not a real problem – people are still opening emails as … Keep reading…
Small Business Blogging: Your Third Post
Now that you’ve got a start with your first and second posts, let’s tackle a listicle (a list turned into an article). Grab a pen and notepad and we’ll get started. The “What You Need to Know” Article Listicles are my favourite blog posts to … Keep reading…
Small Business Blogging: Your Second Post
Following on from Small Business Blogging: Your First Post, this time you’ll be thinking about the future of your business. In fact, you’re going to do a brainstorming exercise to help potential customers find you by internet search. (If you haven’t done the first post … Keep reading…
Small Business Blogging: Your First Post
A recent comment on Twitter reminded me again that each person has their own challenges when it comes to creating marketing content. But if you run a business, there’s always something to say. Ideation, like writing, gets easier with practice. But if you really don’t … Keep reading…
Interesting or Useful? Aim for Both
Many years ago when I started this blog, I focused a lot on email newsletters. I used to say that a newsletter must be interesting or useful… and both are what you’re aiming for. I was saying that before ‘content’ became a thing but, of … Keep reading…
One Word for 2022
It’s been another rough year for many small business owners. I was just reading my ‘one word’ post from a year ago. I remember feeling pretty optimistic at the time – thinking things can only get better… and other such nonsense. Was I ever wrong! … Keep reading…
Is the Journey More Important than the Goal?
Sometimes we can find business wisdom in the strangest places. Recently, while watching an interview with an actor (OK, I admit, it was Sam Heughan) about performance excellence, I got caught up in their discussion about goals and how goals may not be as important … Keep reading…
Everything is Scheduled
“Everything is scheduled” is one of the most common messages I send to clients. Then I go check it off on my workflow and… onto the next thing. It feels like erasing my mental whiteboard, clearing space for more. Scheduling marketing tasks in advance has … Keep reading…
Talking to More Than One Market? There’s a Strategy for That
It can be hard enough to figure out a marketing strategy for one target market, let alone two or more. Yet it’s absolutely worthwhile to create content as specific to your contacts’ interests as possible. Because if you are trying to satisfy everyone, no one … Keep reading…
Get to Know Your Contacts Better
This post was going to be titled “What You Need to Know About Segmenting” but that sure didn’t seem like a good reason for you to open and read. Even I tend to avoid articles making use of those marketing concept words. Segmenting is a … Keep reading…
Is Your Website Social-Media-Sharing-Friendly?
You come across some really great information that you want to share on your LinkedIn feed (or Facebook, Twitter…). You write the post with care, telling your followers why they should check it out. You paste in the website URL and… ugh. There’s no image. … Keep reading…
Get More Eyes on Your Blog Posts
You’ve written it and published it on your blog but that doesn’t mean you’re done. There are lots of ways to keep “working” that content. My most-read blog post is from 2015. That’s because it shows up on page 1 of a Google search for … Keep reading…
Automation Doesn’t Mean Set-and-Forget
Let’s face it – designing, setting up and documenting marketing automations can be tedious work. For some strange reason, I enjoy it. It’s about bringing order to a complex idea. And for me, turning it on is like plugging in Christmas tree lights for the … Keep reading…
Saved by the Last-Minute Content Idea
You’ve been busy working in your small business – time flies when you’re having fun, right? But lying in bed at night, you mentally review all the things you keep putting off, like your next newsletter or blog post. You’ve just been too busy to … Keep reading…