We often see giants like Apple, LEGO, and Marvel as untouchable — companies that can do no wrong. They dominate their industries, shape culture, and seem light-years ahead of the competition. But what many people don’t realize is that these same brands were once just a few bad decisions away from disappearing altogether.

Each of them faced moments of near-collapse: Apple was just weeks from bankruptcy, LEGO was bleeding millions daily, Marvel was tangled in financial chaos, Nintendo was written off as outdated, and FedEx was literally saved by a gamble in Las Vegas. These weren’t minor setbacks — they were full-blown crises that could have ended their stories.

What saved them wasn’t luck. It was resilience, creativity, and bold decision-making in the face of impossible odds. Their leaders made painful cuts, redefined their products, and had the courage to rebuild from the ground up.

For small business owners, these comeback stories are more than inspiring — they’re practical case studies in what it takes to survive when everything seems to be falling apart. Whether you’re facing cash flow issues, market shifts, or burnout, the lessons from these big brands show that failure isn’t the end. It’s often the beginning of a smarter, stronger, and more focused business.

As Richard Edwards, Founder and CEO of Vibra Media, puts it:

“These comeback stories are inspiring masterclasses in business resilience. Each company faced what seemed like an impossible situation but found a way not only to survive, but to thrive.”

Let’s take a closer look at five household names that came back from the brink — and the valuable lessons their stories hold for small businesses today.

Apple: Saved by Thinking Different

In 1997, Apple was just 90 days away from bankruptcy. Its market share had plummeted, its product line was messy, and Steve Jobs had been gone for over a decade. When Jobs returned, he did something radical: simplified everything.

He cut dozens of products down to four, struck a lifeline deal with Microsoft for $150 million, and launched the iMac—a fun, colorful machine that redefined what computers could look like.

Lesson: When your business feels stuck, simplify. Focus on what you do best instead of chasing every opportunity. Clarity creates momentum.

Marvel: Taking Control of the Story

Before becoming a billion-dollar movie machine, Marvel filed for bankruptcy in 1996. Years of bad licensing deals had cost them control of Spider-Man, the X-Men, and others. Instead of giving up, Marvel took a huge gamble: making its own movies.

The 2008 release of Iron Man changed everything. It was a massive success and launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe—one of the most profitable franchises in film history.

Lesson: Don’t give away your best assets too early. Owning your brand, your voice, and your customer relationship can make or break your future.

LEGO: Rebuilding by Going Back to Basics

By 2003, LEGO was losing $1 million a day. The company had over-expanded into theme parks, clothing, and video games—forgetting what made it special. The fix? Return to the bricks.

Under CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, LEGO streamlined its product line, sold off the theme parks, and focused on creative play. Collaborations with Star Wars and Harry Potter reignited the magic.

Lesson: Growth doesn’t mean doing more—it means doing what matters better. Never lose sight of your core value.

Nintendo: Changing the Game (Literally)

Nintendo’s GameCube flopped in the early 2000s, and analysts predicted the company’s downfall. But instead of trying to out-power Sony or Microsoft, Nintendo went the other way.

In 2006, it launched the Wii—a console centered on family fun and motion-based play. It wasn’t the most powerful machine, but it was the most inclusive. The Wii sold over 100 million units and introduced gaming to millions of new players.

Lesson: Innovation doesn’t always mean doing what’s new—it can mean doing something differently. Create your own lane instead of fighting for someone else’s.

FedEx: Betting It All on Survival

In the 1970s, FedEx was weeks away from shutting down. Founder Fred Smith had run out of money and couldn’t pay fuel bills. In a last-ditch move, he took the company’s last $5,000 to Las Vegas—and won $27,000 in blackjack.

That money kept the planes flying long enough to secure a critical loan. Soon after, FedEx introduced its legendary overnight delivery guarantee, transforming logistics forever.

Lesson: Bold risks can save a sinking business—but they work best when tied to genuine innovation and a clear customer need.

What All These Brands Have in Common

Each of these companies turned crisis into clarity. They stopped trying to be everything to everyone and focused on what made them great.

As Richard Edwards explains:

“These five brands share something powerful: they came back stronger by making brave decisions when everything was on the line. Apple simplified, Marvel took control, LEGO returned to its roots, Nintendo innovated differently, and FedEx revolutionized an industry.”

He adds:

“The lesson for modern businesses is clear—when you’re facing a crisis, doubling down on what makes you unique matters more than chasing every trend. The brands that nearly disappeared are now the ones we can’t imagine living without.”

For small businesses, that’s the biggest takeaway: Resilience isn’t about avoiding failure—it’s about knowing how to respond when failure feels inevitable.

Key Takeaways

• Simplify to survive: Like Apple, clarity beats clutter.
• Own your brand: Control your story before others do.
• Return to your roots: Growth without focus leads to chaos.
• Innovate on your terms: Nintendo thrived by redefining success.
• Be bold, but strategic: FedEx’s gamble worked because it supported a groundbreaking idea.
• Crisis = opportunity: Every near-failure can become your turning point.

FAQ

About Richard Edwards

This article includes insights from Richard Edwards, Founder and CEO of Vibra Media, a UK-based digital PR agency specializing in brand amplification and link-building.

In 2007, MIT Technology Review published an article about a U.K.-based startup, Revolymer, that had developed what seemed like a game-changing invention: a nonstick, easy-to-clean chewing gum.

It was clever science — the gum used a special polymer structure that allowed it to wash off sidewalks, shoes, and even hair easily. City governments, especially London, were spending millions annually to scrape traditional gum off public surfaces. Revolymer’s CEO, Roger Pettman, believed their product could fix that. The company even conducted taste tests and street trials to prove that the gum was both palatable and practical.

On paper, everything looked promising. The problem was that Revolymer focused on the wrong customer.

A Brilliant Product Without a Market

Revolymer’s product solved a legitimate problem — gum litter is costly and unsightly. But the people paying to clean it up (city governments) weren’t the ones buying or chewing gum. The actual consumers — gum lovers — weren’t the least bit motivated to switch.

Most gum buyers choose based on taste, freshness, and habit, not biodegradability. They didn’t feel the pain of gum cleanup costs, so they had no reason to care. For them, gum sticking to the ground wasn’t their problem — it was someone else’s.

This disconnect between who benefits and who pays is where Revolymer’s business model broke down. Even though they had a scientifically superior product, they didn’t have a market that truly demanded it.

What Happened Next

The gum never gained traction. Revolymer eventually pivoted, moving away from consumer gum products entirely. The company rebranded as Itaconix, shifting its polymer science toward sustainable ingredients used in cleaning products, personal care, and industrial applications — areas where both the benefit and buyer aligned.

Itaconix’s reinvention shows that the underlying technology wasn’t the problem — the market validation was. Once the company found industries with real demand for biodegradable polymers, it began to grow.

Lessons for Small Business Entrepreneurs

Even though Revolymer was backed by strong R&D and scientific credibility, its early missteps hold valuable lessons for entrepreneurs of all sizes — especially small business owners who can’t afford to invest heavily in ideas that the market doesn’t want.

1. Validate Demand Before Perfecting the Product

Many entrepreneurs, like Revolymer, get excited by what’s technically possible. But innovation must follow demand, not lead it blindly. Before spending time or money building something, test whether people truly want it.

Ask yourself:

• Who benefits from this product?
• Are they the same people who will buy it?
• What will make them switch from what they’re using now?

Simple validation methods — surveys, small-scale preorders, prototypes — can reveal whether there’s genuine demand before you invest too deeply.

2. Solve a Pain People Actually Feel

Revolymer tried to fix a problem that consumers didn’t feel personally. Governments wanted cleaner streets, but gum buyers weren’t motivated by that goal.

As a small business owner, you don’t have the budget to educate the market on why your product should matter. It’s far more effective to solve problems that customers already recognize and want fixed immediately — ones that cause frustration, inconvenience, or wasted time.

If your audience doesn’t see the pain, they won’t buy the cure.

3. Make Sure the Payer and the Beneficiary Are the Same

Revolymer’s biggest mistake was misidentifying their economic buyer. The local governments benefitted from the gum’s easy cleanup, but gum manufacturers and consumers weren’t financially motivated to care.

In any business, the customer who pays must see a direct link between what they spend and what they gain. If the value isn’t personal or immediate, they won’t part with their money — no matter how good the product is.

4. Don’t Confuse Innovation with Market Readiness

Being first doesn’t always mean being successful. Revolymer was ahead of its time — even gum giants like Wrigley were spending millions trying to develop biodegradable alternatives. But market readiness matters as much as technical achievement.

Sometimes the market isn’t ready to adopt a new behavior or pay a premium for an innovation, even if it’s environmentally responsible. Entrepreneurs must balance creativity with timing. It’s often wiser to enter a market when customers are ready than when competitors aren’t there yet.

5. Be Willing to Pivot Early

Revolymer’s eventual pivot into Itaconix saved the company. They took their core technology — hydrophilic polymer chemistry — and applied it to sectors that valued sustainability and performance.

Small business owners can learn from that flexibility. If your idea isn’t working despite effort and research, pivot your product, target audience, or business model. The earlier you adjust, the less you lose — and the faster you can find the right fit.

6. Don’t Assume “Good for Society” Means “Good for Business”

Many eco-friendly or socially conscious products struggle because consumers say they care — but their buying behavior says otherwise. Revolymer’s gum made streets cleaner, but consumers didn’t value that benefit enough to change brands.

For small businesses, it’s important to remember that moral value and market value aren’t always aligned. If your product’s main benefit is social or environmental, connect it to a personal benefit: convenience, status, or cost savings. That’s how you turn goodwill into demand.

Key Takeaways

• Innovation without demand is just invention. Always validate before building.
• Your customer must feel the pain. If they don’t, they won’t pay to fix it.
• Align value and payment. The person who benefits should be the one buying.
• Timing matters. A great idea in the wrong market can still fail.
• Adaptability is survival. Pivoting isn’t a setback — it’s strategy.

Final Thought

Revolymer’s story is a reminder that even well-funded, research-driven companies can miss the mark if they fail to listen to the market. Small business owners, on the other hand, have the advantage of agility.

You don’t need million-dollar R&D budgets — you need feedback loops, customer conversations, and quick testing. Learn from Revolymer’s misstep: before perfecting your product, make sure the world actually wants it.

FAQs: Business Lessons from Revolymer’s Failure

Email marketing has come a long way since the early 2000s, but it remains one of the most effective tools for building meaningful customer relationships. While social media, SMS, and push notifications all compete for attention, email consistently outperforms them when it comes to driving engagement and sales.

Few companies have mastered the art of using email as effectively as Nordstrom. The luxury retailer has built a reputation for crafting customer-centric, timely, and visually appealing emails that not only sell but also strengthen loyalty.

This article explores how Nordstrom uses email to engage customers, the types of campaigns they send, and what small businesses can learn from their approach.

Key Takeaways

• Email remains a high-ROI marketing channel. It delivers consistent results when executed with strategy and empathy.
• Nordstrom’s approach blends storytelling and utility. Their emails feel like a conversation, not a sales pitch.
• Transparency and authenticity build trust. Owning up to issues (like outages) enhances credibility.
• Segmentation and personalization are essential. Tailored content drives engagement and loyalty.
• Small businesses can replicate success. With the right tone, visuals, and timing, even simple emails can make a big impact.

Why Email Marketing Still Works

Email marketing remains the backbone of many successful digital strategies — and for good reason. It’s personal, measurable, and cost-effective.

According to HubSpot’s 2025 Email Marketing Report, for every $1 spent on email, businesses earn an average of $36 in return. That’s an ROI hard to beat by most other channels.

With email, you can:

• Build stronger relationships by speaking directly to your customers.
• Encourage repeat purchases with exclusive deals or updates.
• Personalize communication based on customer interests or behavior.
• Measure open rates, clicks, and conversions to improve future campaigns.

Nordstrom’s strategy shows that when done right, email doesn’t just sell — it deepens trust and elevates the brand experience.

Nordstrom’s Email Strategy: Blending Style, Relevance, and Timing

Nordstrom has long been known for its customer-first philosophy, and its email marketing reflects that. Each campaign feels personal, timely, and on-brand — whether it’s announcing a sale or simply showcasing a new collection.

Here are eight ways Nordstrom uses email to engage its customers, build loyalty, and keep their brand top-of-mind.

1. Featuring Existing Brands and Designer Collaborations

Nordstrom regularly spotlights the many designer brands it carries. These emails are more than just product listings — they tell a story.

For example, an email might highlight Tory Burch’s summer footwear collection alongside matching handbags and apparel. The visuals are clean, the message is aspirational, and the call-to-action (“Shop the Collection”) is direct.

Takeaway: If you sell multiple brands or product lines, dedicate emails to each. Showcase curated looks or collections to inspire your audience rather than overwhelming them with options. Customers appreciate focus and tastefully presented choices.

2. Highlighting Trends and Seasonal Must-Haves

Nordstrom excels at connecting with customers’ desire to stay current. Whether it’s bold summer colors or cozy fall textures, their emails highlight trends that align with the season.

A simple subject line like “Your Fall Capsule Wardrobe Starts Here” can instantly spark interest. Inside, readers see curated pieces — not hundreds of options — with expert styling notes and direct purchase links.

Small business tip: You don’t have to be a fashion retailer to highlight trends. If you sell handmade goods, tech accessories, or home décor, show how your products fit into current lifestyles, events, or seasons.

3. Announcing Limited-Time Offers and Special Deals

Urgency is a powerful motivator. Nordstrom uses time-sensitive email campaigns to drive immediate action — such as a “Buy 2, Get 1 Free” mascara promotion or “Ends Tonight” reminders for clearance sales.

These emails are simple, visual, and driven by clear deadlines. Often, Nordstrom follows up with reminder emails before the offer expires, creating a sense of scarcity.

Lesson for small businesses:
Include a deadline or countdown in your emails to create urgency. Even modest discounts or bonuses can trigger action when paired with clear time limits.

4. Building Excitement Around Sales Events

One of Nordstrom’s most iconic campaigns is its Anniversary Sale, a highly anticipated event where new arrivals are offered at discounted prices.

The company sends a series of pre-event emails — “Early Access is Coming” or “Your Sneak Peek Starts Now” — to build anticipation. Loyalty members receive early access, reinforcing the value of being part of Nordstrom’s rewards program.

During the sale, Nordstrom sends multiple reminder emails, each focusing on specific categories (like women’s boots or men’s jackets). The key is variety without redundancy — each email feels fresh but consistent in design and tone.

For small businesses:
If you’re running a big promotion or product launch, don’t limit yourself to one announcement. Plan a sequence — a teaser, a launch email, and a reminder — to sustain engagement throughout the campaign.

5. Spotlighting a Specific Product Category

Nordstrom also uses email to educate and inspire around a single category. One week might focus on “Best-Selling Denims,” another on “Cocktail Dresses Under $200,” or “Top Summer Sandals.”

These campaigns often include editorial-style layouts, mixing lifestyle photography with product links. They help customers visualize how the pieces fit into their lives.

What you can do:
If you sell multiple products, segment your emails by category or audience interest. Send one email to fitness enthusiasts about new yoga gear, and another to professionals about office-ready wear. Segmentation increases relevance — and relevance drives sales.

6. Rewarding Loyalty Program Members

Nordstrom’s Fashion Rewards Program is a masterclass in retention marketing. Members earn points for every dollar spent, leading to rewards called “Nordstrom Notes.”

But Nordstrom doesn’t stop there — it keeps members engaged with exclusive perks: early sale access, bonus point days, private events, and more. Emails are key to maintaining that connection.

For example, Nordstrom sends “Double Your Points This Weekend” announcements, reminding members that they can earn faster rewards if they shop now.

For smaller brands:
Even if you can’t offer a full rewards program, consider smaller loyalty initiatives. You might send special discount codes to repeat customers, “thank you” emails for milestones, or early access to new arrivals.

7. Introducing New or Exclusive Brands

Nordstrom frequently adds new designers and collections, and email plays a big role in introducing them. When the retailer added Lanvin, the French luxury label, it announced it through a visually rich email featuring key pieces and an invitation to “Pre-Order Now.”

This approach not only drives sales but also enhances Nordstrom’s brand perception as a trend-setting destination for fashion discovery.

Tip:
When you add new products, share the story behind them. People connect emotionally with the “why” — whether it’s a sustainable brand, a local artisan, or an innovative product line.

8. Communicating with Transparency During Outages or Issues

Even big brands face hiccups. During one Anniversary Sale, Nordstrom’s website crashed due to overwhelming demand. Instead of ignoring the issue, the company sent an apology email acknowledging the downtime.

It read:

This simple, human tone turned a potential PR issue into a moment of connection. Customers appreciated the honesty — and Nordstrom maintained trust.

Lesson:
Transparency goes a long way. If your website crashes, shipments are delayed, or inventory runs out, communicate early and clearly. Customers are forgiving when they feel respected.

How Small Businesses Can Apply Nordstrom’s Email Marketing Lessons

You don’t need Nordstrom’s budget or design team to create powerful email campaigns. Here’s how to adapt their best practices on a smaller scale:

• Segment your audience.
  Send tailored messages to different customer groups (e.g., repeat buyers, first-time customers, high-value clients).
• Personalize whenever possible.
  Include the recipient’s name, recommend products based on past purchases, or acknowledge special dates like birthdays.
• Keep visuals clean and mobile-friendly.
  Over 70% of emails are opened on mobile devices. Use large fonts, clear buttons, and short paragraphs.
• Maintain consistent branding.
  Use the same color palette, logo placement, and tone across all emails so your messages are instantly recognizable.
• Test and learn.
  Experiment with subject lines, send times, and layouts. Measure open and click-through rates to understand what resonates best.
• Automate key touchpoints.
  Set up welcome emails, abandoned cart reminders, and thank-you messages to stay connected without manual effort.
• Provide real value.
  Not every email should sell. Mix in educational, inspirational, or entertaining content to keep subscribers engaged.

The Power of Authentic Connection

Nordstrom’s success with email marketing isn’t about flashy graphics or deep discounts — it’s about authentic connection. Every message reflects the brand’s values: quality, service, and style.

For small businesses, that’s the ultimate takeaway. The most effective emails are the ones that feel personal, useful, and genuine. Whether you’re announcing a new product or saying “thank you,” what matters most is that your customers feel seen and valued.

FAQs

This article was first published on August 13, 2012 and updated on October 30, 2025.

When the holidays arrive, it seems like every small business owner is increasing their marketing budget to get the word out about special holiday promotions and increase traffic to their website and storefront. Though the holiday shopping season is certainly a great time to launch new marketing campaigns to increase reach and promote holiday specials, it is important to maintain consistent marketing throughout the year to help build brand recognition and nurture positive relationships with your current customers year-round.

Marketing during the holidays may be vital to increasing purchases during this time of the year, but developing effective marketing campaigns that can be implemented year-round is important to encouraging repeat business and building life-long brand advocates. Here are 5 marketing tactics that you can use all year to help your brand gain further exposure in your target market and increase sales while also nurturing established relationships with your current customers:

1. Blogging

Blogging is one of the best ways to make a real connection with your target consumers and offer them something of value. Through your company blog, you can educate and entertain your customers and leads on topics that are relevant to their interests. This can be blog posts on trends in your industry, content that explains how your product works or what problems your brand solves, helpful posts that address your consumers’ biggest challenges, or any other topic that your readers would find interesting or worthwhile. Not is blogging a great way to make connections with leads and nurture current customers, but it can also help improve your search engine optimization (SEO), which helps your brand’s website become more visible on the search engines.

2. Customer Referral Program

Word-of-mouth is one of the most effective and cost-efficient marketing tactics for the small business owner. However, most businesses do not have much control over what their customers are saying or who they tell about your brand. In order to get the most out of word-of-mouth marketing, small business owners should encourage customer referrals. One survey shows that 62% of small business owners surveyed cite customer referrals as one of their top 3 marketing strategies. One way to promote customer referrals is by offering rewards, special promotions, or discounts to current customers who recommend your brand, products, or services to friends and colleagues. Once those who have been referred make a purchase from your business, you can then reward the customer who referred them.

3. Customer Loyalty Program

A customer loyalty program shows your current customers that you appreciate their business by offering them rewards or special promotions throughout the year. A customer loyalty or rewards program is one of the most effective ways to encourage repeat business and foster positive relationships with your current customers. A customer loyalty program may even help you attract new customers. Consumers prefer to purchase from brands that they can build a relationship with. Not to mention, every consumer likes feeling appreciated and receiving special rewards or promotions for their loyalty.

4. Community Sponsorship

If you are a small local business, sponsoring a community organization or event is a great way for your brand to increase visibility while also giving back to the local community. Though sponsorship requires an investment of time, money, or resources, this unique marketing tactic helps you build brand recognition in the community while also fostering a positive company image. Not to mention, event or organization sponsorship can open up big opportunities for networking with other businesses, vendors, and individuals within the community who may one day need your products or services.

Marketing is an important part of year-round business growth. It is not just something you should do during the holidays. However, when business is slow, it can sometimes be difficult to get together the money that you need to adequately invest in your marketing. Though it may be tempting to just forgo marketing while sales are slow, this can end up costing you more in the long run because you are passing by the opportunity to introduce your brand to new consumers who may be interested in what your brand offers.

As a business owner, you can take out a loan to help you fund your business marketing campaigns throughout the year even when sales slow down in the off-season You can use these funds to hire a freelance marketing professional, create marketing materials like flyers or videos, run online ads through search or social media sites, and even update or redesign your website. Overall, any investment you make in your marketing will pay off in the end as increasing your exposure and reach is a vital part of helping your brand grow and thrive.

Kohl’s sends daily email to their list, and this holiday season is no exception. Here’s a look at how Kohl’s does its email marketing in December for the holidays:

Subject Lines of Kohl’s Emails

Throughout the year, the subject lines of Kohl’s emails are almost always about discounts and savings, whether it is about bonus buys, extra 30% off, or savings of $10. Even when mentioning their latest brand collaborations or new arrivals, their subject line mention either the discount they offer or the savings that the recipient can get.

The strategy of highlighting the savings or discounts continue with Kohl’s December holiday emails. Here are samples of their email subject lines in December:

• Just a few hours left: Save an extra 20% & get free shipping when you spend $25! (Dec. 1)
• Get an extra 30%, 20% or 15% off & Shop must-haves from brands you love! (Dec. 11)
• Take an extra $10 off gifts that sparkle & shine! (Dec. 16)

Kohl’s also prominently encourages sharing the savings (and sharing their emails in social media particularly Twitter and Facebook). Check out the headlines

• Starts now: Extra 25% off Friends & Family savings (Our biggest event of the year!) (Dec. 2)
• Share your Extra 25% off Friends & Family savings with your family & friends! (Dec. 3)
• Last day for Extra 25% off Friends & Family savings! (Dec. 6)

Occasionally, Kohl’s also gives incentives for opening their email, such as their Dec. 7 email with the subject line “We’ll give you $10 just to open this email”. The $10 off was given for online purchases of $30 or more.

On Christmas Day, Kohl’s sent a holiday greeting that includes a 25% off offer for online purchases. The email also advertised their Early Bird special starting the following day, and their After Christmas Sale.

After Christmas, Kohl’s ramped up their After Christmas sale with the following email headlines:

• Dec. 26 = Take an extra 20% off + shop and save on Early Birds
• Dec. 27 = Save up to 70% during the After Christmas Sale!
• Dec. 28 = Save an extra 20% during the After Christmas Sale!
• Dec. 29 = Save up to 70% on new Clearance markdowns!
• Dec. 30 = Bonus Buys are here today & gone tomorrow (plus, save an extra 20%!)

Kohl’s Shipping Schedule

A key part of holiday online retailing is letting customers know when they can expect to receive their orders if they want to receive the item on or before Christmas. Kohl’s put the notice of the dates when they should place their order prominently in their emails.

Here are the dates set by Kohl’s:

• To get the item by Christmas through regular shipping, orders must be placed by 11 p.m. CT on December 20.
• Last day for 2-day rush shipping was December 21, 1 p.m. CST
• Last day for 1-day rush shipping was December 22, 1 p.m. CST
• Deadline for buying online and picking up in store was December 24 at 12 p.m. local time

Contents of Kohl’s Emails

The body of the emails sent by Kohl’s in December follow a certain pattern:

• Top of the email contains two key promos: (a) free shipping with $50 purchase and (b) buy online, pick up in store.
• A yellow bar with the reminder on the last day of ordering to ensure arrival by Christmas, which Kohl’s started adding to their emails on December 13.
• Discounts given to Kohl’s Charge (credit card) users – and invitation to those who doesn’t have Kohl’s Charge
• Kohl’s Cash offer, where customers can get $10 redeemable in stores and online ¬¬for a specific period of time
• Featured products – this is the section in Kohl’s emails that is dedicated to featuring their products based on different groupings and categorizations. One email typically includes 4-5 different promotions for featured products.

Here are some of the ways Kohl’s presented their featured products section in the emails:

• Showcase of low-cost gifts grouped according to price, which includes Gifts under $10, Gifts under $20, Gifts under $30, and Gifts under $100. Some examples include Wrapped Up in Warmth featuring pajamas and sleepwear; and Now and Wow gifts featuring jewelry, toys. Home, and sleepwear.



• Gifts that make perfect scents for their perfume and scented lotion products



• Sales from the brands they carry such as Nike and Star Wars



• Product category promos like 12 Days of Jewelry Deals

Lessons for Small Business Entrepreneurs:

Kohl’s offers a number of important lessons for small business entrepreneurs:

• Make sure that you include email marketing in your marketing arsenal, particularly during the holiday season
• Test which types of subject lines work best with your customers. Given Kohl’s extensive usage of numbers in their subject lines, it appears that their customers respond favorably to subject lines containing savings and discounts.
• Track the performance of your emails. Kohl uses tags in their emails that can help them analyze what type of traffic each mailing brings, including data such as the date of the email and the day sent.
• Track the opens and clicks of your emails: what subject lines generate the most opens; what types of call to action gets the most clicks, how do customers respond if there is only 1 offer in the email vs. 4 offers, and other ways that can help you determine how customers react best.
• Carefully plan out your promotions for the holidays, including when you can safely assume that the items ordered can reach the customer using normal delivery as against expedited shipping. Let the customers know of your shipping schedule

I have been doing a lot of research as to the types of headlines that work. As bloggers and online publishers, we are always on the quest to get our articles and blog posts read, especially in this age of social media. Headlines play a key role in getting the article read and shared.

I’ve been looking at political news sites (in both sides of the aisle) to determine what types of headlines get the most shares. Most of the stories they cover are being covered by all the news media across various medium across the globe. They need to be especially crafty in creating content with compelling headlines to get through the clutter of similar stories.

While portions of the content produced by political sites are original, they are also making use of content that others have already covered. Some of the political news websites also publish “fluffier” content instead of all hard, serious news in an effort to win audiences. For content others have covered, these sites have to work doubly hard to make their headlines even more compelling to make users read their version of the news story.

Here are 8 headlines that work:

1. Know your target market

The first step to a successful headline is to understand your market. Consider who you are targeting and ask yourself if this will really get their attention. The headline needs to target the emotions of your readers.

For example, Washington Free Beacon’s video with the title “Pelosi taken apart by David Gregory on false Obamacare promises” speaks well to its conservative audience.  Love it or hate it depending on your political leanings, this is the type of headline that their target audiences (people on the right) will love. No wonder the video became viral and got 1.099 million views on Youtube.

2. Choose one thing about the article that can get the audience’s attention

Choose one interesting angle that only you provide in the article – and focus on that in the headline. You can also use one outrageous factoid or quote from the story, even if that’s not what the whole story is all about.

Take a look at this headline from the news website Vox.com: “This map shows every school shooting since Sandy Hook.”

It is a pretty straightforward title about the story. The headline uses a specific fact that is visual – the mapping of every school shooting – rather than broad statements is intensely interesting. The story got more than 438K shares in social media.

3. Use the element of surprise

Surprise is one of the key principles of headlines that work. People love to be pleasantly surprised and read about something they are not expecting. They want to see something novel, something totally unexpected.

Take a look at this headline from Independent Journal Review: “When a Homeless Man Walked Onto a Music Video, No One Expected Him to Join In Without Missing a Beat.”

The story comes from an old Youtube video posted on September 5, 2011 with a headline “Homeless Man Joins Carlos Whittaker for a Very Moving Performance.” But suddenly the video became viral in various Christian, news and other websites in 2014, helping the video generate 2.58 million views.

Independent Journal Review posted the story only in April 2014. Its clever use of the element of surprise in the headline — you don’t often see “homeless man” and “music video” in a sentence – helped the story become even more viral, receiving 687K shares.

4. Make it sound mysterious

Leave some element of mystery to the headline. How can you make them “need” to click in order to be satisfied?

Take a look at this headline that has received 533.7K shares: “There’s a Reason This A Cappella Cover of ‘Little Drummer Boy’ Has Gone Mega Viral”

This headline makes one instinctively curious. Why did that a cappella cover gone viral? Well, the only way to find out is to click on it to find out why the cover version of the song has gone mega viral.

5. Use powerful words

There are a number of words that have proven to be effective in enticing users to click. Here are some of them (be sure to check your thesaurus for other similar words!):

• Incredible, epic, outrageous, monumental,
• disastrous, bizarre, odd, creepy, shameful,
• blasted, revealing, perplexing, secretive
• stunning, surprising,unbelievable, passionate, etc.

Here is an example of a highly successful headline from Blaze.com that uses one of the words above:

6. Employ “You”

Using the word “You” in the headline can help grab your audience’s attention. It speaks to them directly, and gives you the feeling that it is a one-to-one conversation.

This headline of a piece from Blaze “Stop Everything You Are Doing Right Now & Watch the Budweiser Super Bowl Ad Guaranteed to Melt Your Heart” is a direct call to action. It got 179K shares.

7. Use Questions

Using questions as your headline is a good strategy. However, questions work only if you do not answer them within the question, or make the answer too obvious that readers won’t have any need to read. You want the reader to continue reading to discover the answer to the question.

Below is a headline from Independent Journal Review:

8. Use Numbers

List posts and numbers have been one of the most successful formulas in headlines that work. It immediately hooks the reader’s interest. There is also the promise of specificity and substance – in a title that says “7 Ways …” there may be 1 or 2 that you may like even if the rest are duds. Organizing an article into a list also makes reading (skimming may be a more apt description) on the Web that much easier.

Take a look at this this article by the left-leaning Think Progress posted after the death of Nelson Mandela.

When Nelson Mandela died, every news website produced a huge amount of stories about the man, his death and his legacy. Think Progress had to find a unique angle, and use a headline that will be effective in drawing in visitors. They found it with their piece entitled “Six Things Nelson Mandela Believed That Most People Won’t Talk About.” The headline gave people the “heads up” about Mandela that they may not know about. As a result, the piece got shared 306K in both Twitter and Facebook.

Pinterest is very heavy on visual content, and ecommerce sites such as Kate Spade are a natural fit for this social medium. Kate Spade currently has 14 boards and 2,844 pins. It has a nice set up of boards categorized by colors and patterns that are visually appealing to their followers. Kate Spade’s Pinterest account has a total of 168,116 followers.

Kate Spade uses Pinterest to creatively showcase their products that best convey what the brand is all about. They use the social sharing platform not only to highlight new products but to allow consumers to get a peek into what the Kate Spade lifestyle is about. Kate Spade is known for its sophisticated style apparel in vibrant colors and graphic prints. It is all about “utility, wit and playful sophistication.”

One interesting way Kate Spade uses Pinterest is their focus on how their products are used by customers. Of their 14 boards, only 1 – the obsessions – uses images of their products straight from their ecommerce website. The rest of the boards juxtapose their products with non-Kate Spade items.

Unlike other fashion retailers and ecommerce sites that focus solely on their own products, Kate Spade combines its own vibrantly colored images and products with curated images seen across the Web that expresses their lifestyle. In the board 2012: the year of the pattern, they’ve posted images of the patterns used in their apparel collections as well as random patterns they find on the Web. They posted geometric patterns, wallpaper patterns, kaleidoscopes, even colored pencils. They even posted vintage apparel designs from other designers such as Balmain.

Kate Spade also uses Pinterest to show that the brand is at the forefront of the New York fashion scene with their “fashion week: behind the curtain” board. The board includes images from backstage of the New York Fashion Week presentation, as well as the website images of the products featured on the show.

Lessons for Small Business Entrepreneurs:

Kate Spade’s approach to content sharing on Pinterest highlights the importance of being creative in showcasing your own products. The images it shares fall into two categories:

• Product photos from the website
• Photos of how the products are used by customers

More importantly, Kate Spade does not limit itself by featuring only its own products on Pinterest. Instead, it broadens its approach on Pinterest by highlighting the lifestyle it represents – even if they have to pin images from other websites and blogs.

“How and when will this generate sales.” That’s what entrepreneurs typically ask themselves when investing in marketing. “And that is the completely WRONG question to ask,” says marketing expert David Newman. In his new book Do It! Marketing: 77 Instant-Action Ideas to Boost Sales, Maximize Profits, and Crush Your Competition Newman reveals the right questions to ask, right away, for marketing a small business with a big impact — both online and off. It all builds on these four fundamental insights:

Insight #1: You need to sell the same way that you buy.

When was the last time you snapped up an offer from spam email? When’s the last time you gave your credit card number over to a cold caller who interrupted your dinner? As a customer, you don’t buy from any company on its spam, cold calls, postcards, or text pitches. So, why do you expect any customer — let alone, lots of eager customers — to buy based on yours?

The right question to ask, in Newman’s book:

• What value have I added to my prospect’s world in order to earn the right to invite them to a conversation and offer my solution to their problems, headaches, heartaches, and challenges?

Insight #2: Referrals rock, but they’re not everything

“I don’t need to do any marketing because 99 percent of my business is repeat and referral business.” Maybe that’s what you tell yourself. Do you seriously think that referrals don’t check you out online before picking up the phone? What messages are you sending to valued referrals with an outdated website and abandoned Twitter account?

The right questions to ask, in Newman’s book:

• Does my overall online presence reassure and reinforce the referrals I earn?
• Does it contain the most current, credible and relevant positioning, content, and resources to make my advocates look better — not worse — for referring me?

Insight #3: Trusted advisor marketing is a four layer enchilada

The first layer — at the core — is your reputation. But if you stop there, you’ll have a very hard time attracting new prospects to your doorstep. The second layer is amplification — ways to make your signal stronger — such as social media marketing and niche PR. The third layer is leverage. This is where you begin to capitalize on your trusted advisor assets (such as white papers, podcasts, or a blog) and reach out to higher probability prospects. The fourth layer is gravity. Though it takes a long time to get spinning, the power of momentum — which brings more leads, better prospects, and bigger opportunities — is hard to stop.

The right questions to ask, in Newman’s book:

• Do you want to make more sales to strangers?
• Or do you want people to recognize, respect and request you by name when they have a need, project, or problem that you truly are the perfect expert to handle?

Insight #4: Your what comes last.

“What should be my company name? What’s the best headline for this sales letter? What tagline will attract the right customers?” … When it comes to your marketing, what is always the wrong first question to ask. Imagine being asked to write a letter. Before focusing on the what, you first need to know to whom the letter should be addressed (your favorite aunt, your high school sweetheart, the President) and then why you are writing. Once you know who and why, what to say is a piece of cake — because you feel connected with the unique recipient of your message for a specific purpose.

The right questions to ask: To whom am I marketing and why?

Figure out who you’re talking to, talk to them for a specific, compelling, relevant reason, understanding who they are and what’s important to them. Say it so they get it — value it — and ultimately buy it. That’s how smart marketing is supposed to work.

My Destinationhttp://www.mydestination.com is a global travel resource powered by a diverse community of local experts on the ground. As My Destination is run as a franchise model, having franchisees in many different destinations across the globe, each franchise destination is given responsibility for its own social media presence. This allows for franchisees to use social media sites, in particular Facebook and Twitter, to provide local knowledge and information about their destination.

The key is for each destination franchisee to develop their own voice and engage those interested in the travel destination. So a destination franchisee will make Facebook posts and tweets about exciting events occurring in their destination, discounted prices for restaurants and local businesses they have relationships with, and other locally based knowledge.

Franchisees make a concerted effort to build up a local following, centred on their destination. This means that those who are following them will have a direct interest in what the franchise social media presence communicates, thus allowing for the franchisee to show off their expert local knowledge, through interactions and conversation with their social media followers.

The recently-launched My Destination blog has significantly boosted their social media traffic. The blog has allowed the business to create an informal voice and communicate with people in a more personable manor, whilst also allowing us to write about a wide range of subjects. The blog is integrated with all the social channels, thus giving this increased promotion.

All My Destination franchisees receive a full social media guide instructing them on best practice and how to maximise their social presence. The guide gives them a reference point when they are devising their social media strategy, with varying ideas for campaigns included in the guide. Furthermore, franchisees are able to contact the social media team in London with any questions they have or request assistance in a social campaign. This degree of support means that franchisees are able to develop an understanding of how to use social media and avoid making mistakes.

My Destination’s use of social media offers a number of lessons for start-up entrepreneurs:

1. Keeping your social media strategy focused upon your target audience is essential for the success of a start-up. It’s vital that those people who are engaging with your brand are those who are likely to be interested in the products and services of your business. Your Tweets, Facebook shares and other social actions need to reach the right people for them to have any impact.
2. A blog can be a great way for a start-up business to create some initial traffic to a site and boost their social media presence. It will allow your social channels to have something to promote and also great content for people to interact with. You can also ‘show off’ your industry expertise through a blog, aiding you in becoming a reliable and authoritative business.
3. It’s vital in a start-up company to grasp an understanding of how your business can best use social media and implement strategies with minimum risk, using simple concepts rather than expensive campaigns, when budgets are tight. Educating yourselves and reviewing other successful social media campaigns will allow for this.

Social media can really play an influential part in establishing your business and gaining brand awareness. Here you can see how we have been able to use it with great success, whilst keeping our costs at a minimum. We believe that keeping your social campaign simple and focused to your target audience will enable your business to gain a firm grasp of how to effectively use social media, and allow for more complicated branding exercises in the future.

About the Author:

James Street is originally from the Wirral, with a passion for travel. He is co founder of MyDestination.com, an online franchised based travel information site, where franchisees own and run destination specefic travel sites, featuring local businesses, deals, events and much more.

The secret to their success?

They focus on a narrow niche and provide the widest selections, lowest prices and best services for customers interested in those products.

Rather than offer some things to everybody, these retailers focus instead on providing everything to somebody. Take Coolibar.com, which sells sun protective clothing, hats and UV protection swimwear to those diagnosed with skin disease or those who do not want sun damage.

Or Gemvara.com, which sells jewelry that shoppers can customize to their taste. It is not your traditional jewelry store, as all jewelry pieces are put together and designed by the customer to give them the product that they want.

From the fastest growing mid sized ecommerce stores, here are the strategies to succeed in online retailing:

• These successful retailers focus on a very specific type of product, and use the broad reach of the Internet to find many customers who need or want that product.
• They are passionate about their niches, and extremely focused on what allows them to be different and stand out from their competitors
• They understand their limitations, such as their lack of brand recognition of an Amazon or Walmart, and find ways to work around those issues.
• They focus on dominating the search engines for their vertical niches, by getting natural links from authority sites including .edu and .gov institutions.
• They strive to provide original content that helps convey to customers that they understand their problems. They write their own product descriptions (as against copying the descriptions provided by suppliers), and post original content on their blog such as tips and personal stories from customers.
• They deliver a shopping experience that makes customers buy. But more importantly, they strive to ensure that customers return and recommend the site to others.
• They aim to be competitive with their prices, by developing long-standing relationships with suppliers that allows them to sell many items at lower prices compared to their competitors.