MELINDA STAAB Social media has become a primary marketing tool for entrepreneurs and small business owners (SBOs). With millions of daily active users and limitless opportunities for engagement, social media platforms provide effective, lowcost marketing opportunities to promote products and services, connect with customers, and build brand loyalty.
MS Marketing & PR
Melinda Staab MS Marketing Melinda.Staab@gmail.com
Small Business Corner PREPPING YOUR 2024 MARKETING PLAN BEFORE THE HOLIDAY MADNESS AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, PLANNING YOUR MARKETING STRATEGY FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR IS CRUCIAL FOR CONTINUED GROWTH AND SUCCESS. BUT IT’S EASY TO PUT IT OFF UNTIL YEAR’S END, GET STUCK IN THE CRAZINESS OF BACK-TO-BACK HOLIDAYS, FAMILY AND KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL, AND THEN COME UP FOR AIR MID-JANUARY ONLY TO REALIZE THAT YOU’RE ALREADY BEHIND.
This year, let’s commit to planning ahead, and hitting the ground running in January! ♦ Set clear goals — are you aiming to increase revenue, expand your customer base, drive web traffic or launch a new product?
♦ Use SEO and Website Optimization — conduct competitive keyword research and make necessary improvements to boost your online visibility.
♦ Get super clear on who your target audience is (hint: it's not everyone) — what are their needs and pain points? Use this knowledge to create content and offers that resonate with them.
♦ Paid Advertising — consider paid advertising on platforms like Google Ads or social media sites. Run targeted campaigns to reach potential customers. Use analytics to determine campaign success before moving to the next campaign.
♦ Determine your marketing budget for the year — how much can you allocate to resources to social media advertising, content marketing, email campaigns, etc. (A LOT of these have free options!) ♦ Use social media to connect with your audience — create a content calendar to maintain a consistent online presence. ♦ E-mail marketing — plan email campaigns to nurture leads, retain existing customers, and promote special offers. Consistent and purposeful email strategies are still “queen!”
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♦ Public Relations — identify opportunities for media coverage, partnerships, or collaborations that can boost your brand’s visibility. Local media LOVE local stories! There will always be other opportunities that arise throughout the year, but having a solid plan in place will help keep your marketing activity consistent and your goals in plain sight, while helping to ensure a happy, growing client base. Cheers to a smooth & successful year end, and a prosperous 2024!
workplace benefits
THAT SUPPORT PARENTS Balancing work and life can be challenging for many parents, especially when it comes to affording child care. When employers recognize and address this need, they’re not only helping working families, they’re also positioning themselves as an employer of choice for prospective employees. “Our Parent Confidence Survey shows parents are in dire need of child care support and they’re willing to change jobs for better access to employer-sponsored child care support,” says Dan Figurski, KinderCare Learning Companies’ president for employers and champions. “When employees say child care is the second most important benefit their employer can offer – second only to health insurance – that’s a sign
education and care for their children. It also allows employers to offer child care support to a broader swath of their employee population. According to Harris Poll, 67% of employees believe employers should offset the cost of child care.
employers cannot ignore if they want to retain and attract top talent.”
notice when their regular child care falls through by allowing them access to in-center care.
WHY THESE BENEFITS MATTER: ♦ Talent attraction and retention: According to Harris Poll, 69% of parents have or have considered switching jobs because quality child care is too difficult or expensive to secure. ♦ Encouraged engagement: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 4.9 million people missed work because they were caring for children not in daycare. More than half of parents who responded to the survey said they would stay in their current jobs if any of the following child care benefits were offered to them:
1. TUITION: This benefit is one of the easiest ways employers can offer child care support, by covering up to 100% of tuition at an accredited early learning center. This allows parents, no matter their work style, to have affordable access to high-quality early childhood MOMSTOWN • NOV/DEC 2023
2. BACKUP CARE: Backup care supports families on a moment’s
3. ON-SITE CHILD CARE: A custom, high-quality on-site early learning center brings child care directly to employees, allowing parents to be near their children even while they’re at work.
4. BEFORE-AND-AFTER-SCHOOL CARE: Child care needs don’t end when a child goes to elementary school. Many families struggle to bridge the gap between school and workdays beginning and ending. Employ-ers can help bridge the time gap by providing access to a safe place for elementary school-age children to continue their educational journey while parents start and finish their workdays. Find tips to talk with your employees or employers about these offerings at: kindercare.com/employer-sponsored-child-care
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