The workforce is changing and the way we work is evolving, too.

One result is that some of us never go to an office. We collaborate with co-workers across the globe and multiple time zones without meeting face-to-face. We work from home, shared workspaces or coffee shops. We can even work from the beach if we want to (although that’s more of a dream than reality).

Remote work, also known as telecommuting, is on the rise in the United States and shows no sign of slowing down. Generally, it includes any profession that allows people to work from home all or part of the time, but excludes those who are self-employed, such as freelancers.

In 2017, 4.7 million U.S. employees (3.4% of the workforce) worked from home at least half of the time, a 159% increase since 2005, according to Kate Lister, president of Global Workplace Analytics. More than a trend, distributed workforces seem to be the wave of the future.

“I think we’ll stop trying to name it and it will just become the way we work,” Lister says.

The popularity of remote work is also increasing globally, says Laurel Farrer, founder of the Remote Work Association and CEO of Distribute Consulting. The association, which offers virtual networking and roundtable events, has 350 members worldwide that work in tech, e-commerce, staffing and other industries.

Stanford Graduate School of Business professor Nicholas Bloom told a TEDxStanford audience in 2017 that working from home has “tremendous potential,” largely because of the internet. He noted that people worked from home as farmers, artists and craftspeople until the Industrial Revolution, which introduced factories and offices.

A confluence of factors, including globalization, automation, technology, the so-called gig economy – people working job-to-job with little security – and increasing use of contract workers are disrupting traditional workplace structures.

Bloom and other telecommuting champions believe traditional workplaces are antiquated.

“We’re hugely passionate about remote work and believe it will be a paradigm shift similar to, if not greater than, industrialization,” says Amir Salihefendic, CEO of Twist, a cloud-based team collaboration platform that has a 50-member workforce in more than 25 countries.

Telecommuting Demographics

U.S. remote workers can be found in a number of industries, but are prevalent in professional, scientific and technical services, according to a 2017 telecommuting report from Global Workplace Analytics and FlexJobs. The top three occupations for telecommuters are management, office/administrative and sales, the report found.

Telecommuting options are more than twice as common at companies that have over 500 employees than those with fewer than 100 workers, the report showed. The greatest growth in remote work is at companies with 100 to 500 employees. Boulder, Colorado, has the highest concentration of telecommuters in the U.S., with 8.5% of its workforce working from home at least half of the time. Big cities, such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas, are on par with the national average telecommuting rate of 2.9%, according to the report.

In recent years, companies including Yahoo, Best Buy, IBM, Honeywell and Bank of America have garnered attention for reducing or eliminating their work-from-home programs. Company leaders cited the need to improve teamwork, collaboration and communication as reasons for the change, according to published media reports. Lister, however, believes other factors drove the changes.

“The ones that have reversed their policies are largely companies that are in deep trouble,” she says. “When things are really bad, you want to gather everyone around the fire.”

Florida International University College of Business professor Ravi Gajendran, who conducts extensive research into remote work, agrees that high-performing companies don’t typically slash telecommuting opportunities.

“Companies in crisis want to rally the troops and get everyone together around a single mission,” he says. “That’s what happened at Yahoo.”

In contrast, Dell and other companies are expanding off-site work programs. Thirty-seven percent of Dell employees work remotely two to three days weekly, and the company plans to increase the number to 50 percent next year, Lister says.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is among the companies that had scaled back telecommuting, but has since reversed course.

“Our policy has always been one of allowing flexible work arrangements, subject to manager approval and business needs,” says Adam Bauer, director of Issues Management and Policy Communications at HPE. “During a period of intense change … employees were encouraged to be in the office and a higher level of manager approval was required for telework. Our CEO, Antonio Neri, has focused on providing a flexible work environment to employees as part of HPE’s culture since taking the role last year.”

About 15 percent of employees at Wagento, an e-commerce development company, are fully remote, but that’s more a result of geographical considerations than a conscious decision to let employees work off-site, says Brent Peterson, the head of customer experience.

“When we started expanding in Mexico, we had a hard time determining which city we were going to locate in so that no one had to drive too far,” he says. “It was easier for some team members to work remotely.”

The Sweet Spot

Research shows employees prefer working some of the time remotely and the remainder in offices, Lister and Gajendran say. The sweet spot is one to three days at home and two to three days in an office. Gajendran calls this “low-intensity telecommuting,” which gives employees the flexibility to choose when they work from home.

Giving employees the ability to self-manage – letting them choose their hours and environment – is ideal, Farrer says.

Ninety-nine percent of 2,471 remote workers who participated in a survey earlier this year from Buffer, a cloud-based social media software company, said they’d like to telecommute at least some of the time for the remainder of their careers. The majority came from the United States, but participants were also based in Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Germany and Ireland, among other countries.

The preference for distributed teams may stem, in part, from workers rejecting open offices, in which staff and equipment are placed in single rooms. Proponents heralded the open-office concept as a way to reduce costs and promote interaction among employees, but many workers don’t like it and miss their privacy, according to a 2018 study by Harvard University researchers.

“Open offices were supposed to spark collaboration and innovation, but it just hasn’t happened,” Lister says.

In Buffer’s survey, 16% of participants said they have the freedom to telecommute as needed, while 9% were restricted to specific days per week or month.

“We’ve got a long way to go before we’ll see full-time remote work become consistent and stable,” Farrer says. “Infrastructures to support full-time home office workers and digital nomads are still in their infancy.”

Remote Work Employee Benefits

Bloom studied China’s largest travel agency, Ctrip, over nearly two years to test his theory that working from home is a win-win for employers and employees. He reported a 13% increase in productivity for remote workers. Removing commuting time and the distractions of a traditional office reduces stress and allows workers to concentrate and work longer hours more efficiently, Bloom found.

Watch Bloom describe his research and conclusions in his TEDxStanford talk below:

Distributed teams also benefit from flexible work hours. A flexible schedule is the biggest benefit to telecommuting, according to 40 percent of those who participated in the Buffer survey. Workers can accommodate walks, doctor appointments, family time and other activities into the workday and still meet deadlines, contributing to work-life balance.

“It enables us to stay connected across time zones and maintain high levels of productivity,” Salihefendic says. “Everyone can set their own work schedules according to what works best for them, regardless of when everyone else is working.”

Champions for remote work say it enhances creativity and innovation, provided employees have regular opportunities to communicate and interact with one another.

Remote Work Employer Benefits

An increasing number of employers offer work-from-home programs to attract and retain staff. Rather than being location-dependent, employers can hire from afar, finding the most skilled and passionate candidates across the globe.

“We’ve been able to find amazing people from around the world without having to compete against hundreds of other companies in the same tech hub,” Salihefendic says.

Companies can also save operating and overhead costs by minimizing or eliminating office space. If a typical business allowed its employees to telecommute 50% of the time, the company could save over $11,000 per remote worker per year, according to Global Workplace Analytics.

Still, some organizations view telecommuting as a discretionary privilege rather than a bottom-line benefit, Gajendran says.

“They think they’re only doing employees a favor by letting them work from home,” he says. “Organizations should recognize that telecommuting is one tool to improve employee satisfaction and productivity while optimizing space.”

Only 3% of companies that have flexible and remote work programs formally analyze those initiatives, Global Workplace Analytics found. Tracking and analysis can help improve outcomes, decrease costs and ensure remote work programs contribute to an effective business strategy, the organization noted.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

While significant research supports telecommuting’s benefits, it also points to some negatives. In Bloom’s study, 50% of the participants who had been allowed to work from home decided to return to the office, saying they felt too much isolation. They were also correct in their perception that employees who worked from home were less likely to be promoted and receive bonuses.

Disconnection and isolation are recurring themes. Nineteen percent of participants in the Buffer survey reported feeling lonely.

The Buffer survey participants also cited difficulties collaborating with their remote colleagues. Collaborative effort is highly dependent on well-developed personal relationships that typically come with face-to-face interaction.

“Remote-first companies face unique team collaboration challenges,” Salihefendic says. “Many of today’s work processes and tools are predicated on everyone being in the same physical location. Remote teams require new workflows and management strategies.”

Fully remote workers are less engaged because of a lack of relationships with co-workers and reduced development opportunities, Gallup found in its 2017 “State of the American Workplace” report. The organization concluded that remote working is best when employees maintain connections to their companies’ offices.

“It’s a lot harder to collaborate when people are spread out,” Peterson says. “It’s good to have one or two days a week when employees can work remotely, but it’s also good to have them in the office the remainder of the time.”

“High-intensity telecommuting” – when employees are away from their offices for the majority of the workweek – has a detrimental effect on co-worker relationships and efficiency, Gajendran discovered in his research.

Another negative is that working from home may blur the separation between work and life, leading employees to work during “off” hours. Twenty-two percent of the Buffer survey participants said they have trouble unplugging after work.

How to Make a Distributed Workforce Successful

Before becoming a partial or fully remote organization, managers should create comprehensive, legally compliant remote work policies and put the appropriate infrastructure in place to support work-from-home programs, Farrer and Lister say.

“Make the process formal,” Lister says. “Provide the training, technology and tools to help employees be successful.”

Converting to virtual operations also requires a different way of measuring productivity and results. Managers in offices typically think of employees as being busy if they’re participating in meetings and working on their computers.

“Managers traditionally measure productivity based on sensory information,” Farrer says. “Can they see the backs of their employees’ heads? Are conference rooms full? Are phones ringing? Remote work requires evaluation methods that focus on goals and outcomes – not activity.”

Companies also need to trust distributed teams to manage their own time and complete their work. If employees feel trusted and independent, motivation, loyalty, creativity, productivity and accountability will increase, Farrer says.

In addition, managers must coach and connect with remote workers in new ways. Collaboration platforms, teleconferencing software and other tools enhance communication on both ends.

“Set up employees for success,” Gajendran says. “Regular check-ins reassure managers that employees are on track and help workers to avoid feeling lost.”

Farrer adds, “It doesn’t matter what tools you use – it’s about how you use the tools. It’s up to managers to inspire creativity, communication, collaboration and results. If a company isn’t full invested in or intentional enough about making a fresh start to a distributed workforce, remote work killers like isolation, miscommunication and burnout are imminent.”

At a minimum, remote teams need channels for casual “watercooler” conversations and face-to-face opportunities for personal bonding. On the virtual side, team huddles, real-time chats and video calls to celebrate birthdays, personal accomplishments and other news that isn’t work-related help workers feel engaged and connected. It’s also important for remote workers to meet in person at least twice a year at retreats or other company events.

“Remote organizations are very intentional about how they replace the esprit de corps that’s associated with working in an office,” Lister says.

More Than a Trend

Remote work isn’t for everyone, just as being fully office-based isn’t. What’s clear, however, is that distance is no longer a barrier to communication, collaboration, innovation and work. Organizations that have embraced a distributed culture and have the policies, systems and technology in place to support it maintain that remote work is transformative.

“Remote work isn’t just a different way to work – it’s a different way to live,” Salihefendic told Buffer.

Telecommuting is disrupting the traditional workplace and is here to stay, Gajendran says. It’s not the norm at most workplaces, but it’s making inroads.

“I’m an advocate for creating an environment where people can thrive, giving them the opportunity to work how, when and where they want,” Lister says. “That’s what we should be doing if that’s what it takes to improve productivity and performance.”

Is your company partially or fully remote? What benefits do you and your employees achieve from telecommuting? Are you planning to expand or reduce your telecommuting program and, if so, why? We want to hear from you. Let us know in the comments below.

The post The Future of Work: Will the Day Come When We Never Have to Leave Home? appeared first on The Simons Group.

I feel his pain.

When searching for photographers, sign companies, printers and other vendors, it surprises me how many businesses aren’t responsive. It’s new work and potentially a long-term partnership (more work!), so you’d think they’d get back to me promptly.

Sadly, they often don’t.

Take the case of the sign companies who recently ghosted me. I contacted 10-12 of them, and two or three followed up immediately. The rest made me work for it. I had to babysit, cajole and ping them repeatedly.

The big problem? No communication.

Finding and vetting vendors is a multistep process. It involves getting samples, asking questions, getting estimates and asking follow-up questions.

When some of the sign companies got back to me, they redeemed themselves by finally becoming responsive. Until they stopped again.

While waiting and wheedling, here’s what I was thinking:

• Can I trust you to come through for our clients?
• Will I have to babysit you on every project?
• What does your (lack of) customer service say about the quality of your work?
• How often will I have to call/email/text you to get what I need?
• I’m so anxious right now, I’m getting a migraine.

Micromanaging is not my jam. I’m sure the vendors were busy responding to similar requests, but new business is new business.

No matter your industry, what you sell or who you sell to, it’s never OK to disregard current and prospective customers. You might think their needs aren’t crucial, they’re not in a hurry, their requests are routine and everything is hunky-dory. For you, it’s business as usual.

That’s not how customers and prospects see it.

They want to hear from you early and often. They want to know you’re on track. They need assurance you’re going to meet their deadlines.

Silence makes them worry.

The fix is simple.

Communicate. Respond to requests and questions in a timely manner. If you’re slammed and can’t answer quickly, say so and provide a ballpark estimate of when you’ll follow up.

Wouldn’t you want to be treated that way?

How do you measure customer service experiences? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Whoever said silence is golden didn’t work in customer service appeared first on The Simons Group.

We recently started to develop the company’s website – the future beating heart of its digital identity. A website is not a “build it and they will come” project. Our early discussions focused on how we’ll attract website visitors.

When we performed our first round of primary keyword research, the list centered on the company’s software solution. Our client then provided additional topics to address through keyword research. This client request became an opportunity for us to educate our client (and you!) about primary and secondary search engine optimization (SEO).

Let’s break it down …

SEO – optimizing any web page to appear high in search results – starts with someone using search engines (user intent). Keywords are the words and phrases the searcher enters into search engines. The search results are the best indications we have of intent. In other words, did the person look for a product/service or an answer to a question?

When we consider the main element of our client’s brand is a software solution, we can assume that searchers’ intent likely falls into one of these two categories:

1. Primary, seeking a product/software solution, or
2. Secondary, seeking an answer to a question.

In this case, the primary intent is straightforward. The searcher knows that a solution already exists and is easy to address through the client’s brand/website. The searcher is looking for a software solution that will make life easy. The searcher already knows products solve problems, and is conducting research to evaluate solutions before making a purchase decision. We would optimize the website for queries related to the searcher’s intent around the software.

A content marketing strategy addresses the secondary market of searchers. That involves creating valuable content that answers searchers’ questions via blog posts, white papers or case studies that are optimized for relevant secondary keyword searches. Content marketing exposes searchers to products and solutions they might not have known about otherwise.

The topics our client shared fell into this secondary category. First, we’ll optimize the website content for the primary product (software). Second, we’ll develop a strategy for answering relevant questions related to problem-solving (content marketing).

To get noticed in today’s digital world, companies must make it easy for people to find them online.

Incorporating primary and secondary SEO into marketing and lead generation initiatives is a great way to showcase products and services that solve problems.

The post Should your SEO be primary or secondary? (HINT: Both) appeared first on The Simons Group.

That strategy might work for a while, but it won’t hook your ideal customers. Sooner or later, you’ll struggle to keep your business afloat.

Doing the hard work of figuring out who your ideal customers are and catering to them will help you net long-term results. Once you know who they are, you can target them with specific products, services, content and messaging.

Creating buyer personas

The first step to decoding your ideal customers is to develop research-based buyer personas. These are detailed, realistic descriptions of your target customers that include demographic, personal and professional information. The more specific you can be, the more traction you’ll gain in understanding, finding, engaging and keeping your ideal customers.

How to develop buyer personas

Interviews and surveys with your customers, prospective customers, and sales and customer service reps will provide key insights. You can also check Google Analytics to fill in potential holes.

1. Customers. The questions you ask will depend on how much you already know about them. Beyond the basics such as company information, job title and role, you’ll want to learn why they selected you over your competition, what challenges they face, how you help them reach their goals, what problems you help them solve and what they like about working with you.
2. Prospective customers. Interview prospective customers who are in all stages of the buying process to learn about their needs, motivations, objections and buying decisions. Their challenges and motivations may be different from those of your current customers.
3. Sales and customer service reps. They’re a gold mine of information about prospects’ and customers’ needs, pain points and problems.
4. Google Analytics. You can compile demographic information about your audience, including gender, age and general location.

Once you’ve collected the information, identify patterns and commonalities from the responses you received and the data from Google Analytics. You can then build buyer personas.

What’s the right number of personas?

How many personas you create depends on the size and complexity of your organization. A niche firm will have fewer personas than a global organization that has many divisions and products. The goal is to identify your ideal customers – not just those who can afford your products and services. Having a budget doesn’t equate to need or interest.

What does a buyer persona look like?

A typical persona contains information such as job title and role, age, salary, goals, challenges and motivations. Giving your personas names will make them easy to remember. Some companies even select photos to represent their personas.

Here’s an example for a vice president of marketing at a package manufacturer:

How to use buyer personas

Use buyer personas to get more mileage from your sales, marketing and product development initiatives. These actionable insights can help you:

• Segment your customer and prospect lists to deliver personalized experiences and messaging.
• Create content and landing pages that address relevant pain points and solutions for specific customer/prospect groups.
• Build a segmented website that addresses the motivations of each persona.
• Develop new products and update existing ones based on customers’ primary needs.
• Improve relationships with prospective and current customers by understanding their concerns and needs.

Sample questions for buyer personas

The questions you ask will vary based on whether you’re a business-to-business organization or a business-to-consumer company, what products and services you sell, what information you may have about your target customers, and whether you’re contacting current customers or prospects. Use this list as a starting point and customize it as appropriate.

Demographics

1. What’s your name?
2. What’s your gender?
3. What’s your age?
4. Where do you live (urban, suburban or rural environment)?
5. What’s your salary or combined household income?
6. What level of education did you complete, which schools did you attend and what did you study?
7. What is your marital status?
8. Do you have any children? If so, how many and how old are they?
9. Are they boys or girls?

Career

1. What’s your occupation?
2. What’s your job title?
3. What’s your role?
4. Who do you report to? Who reports to you?
5. What does a typical work day look like?
6. What does it mean to be successful in your role?
7. What knowledge and tools do you use in your job?
8. What are your professional goals?
9. Do you prefer to follow the rules or challenge boundaries?
10. Are you an innovator or someone who tends to go with the flow?
11. What are your biggest career challenges and how are you addressing them?
12. How do you stay current in your industry?
13. What professional associations and social networks do you participate in?

Company

1. What’s the size of your company (revenue and employees)?
2. In which industry or industries does your company work?
3. What are the biggest challenges your company faces and how are you addressing them?
4. Which companies are your top competitors? How are you different from them?
5. Why did you decide to work with our company instead of our competition?
6. How have we helped you reach your goals?
7. How have we helped you solve your challenges?
8. What results are you seeing from our work with you?
9. What do you like about working with us?

Purchasing Decisions

1. What prompted you to seek our company’s products/solutions?
2. What problems were you trying to solve?
3. What other solutions did you consider?
4. What results did you want to achieve?
5. What was your evaluation process? How did you decide to purchase our company’s product/service?
6. What was your role in the final decision?
7. Were there others who influenced the decision? If so, who are they and what criteria did they use?
8. Are you getting the results you expected?

Marketing

1. What’s your marketing budget?
2. What are your marketing goals?
3. What are your marketing challenges?
4. How do you market to your current customers and prospects?
5. What marketing campaigns have been the most successful?
6. What marketing campaigns have been the least successful?

 Personal Interests

1. What hobbies/activities do you pursue?
2. What do you like to do in your free time?
3. What social groups and networks do you participate in?

Don’t set it and forget it

Buyer personas should evolve as your business, industry, products, services, technology and buying motivations change. Review your personas from time to time to make sure they’re current and accurate. You want to be sure your company is generating qualified leads and addressing current and prospective customers’ needs.

How do you use buyer personas to boost your sales and marketing? Let us know in the comments below.

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The site selected The Simons Group in recognition of our expertise in helping companies improve their user interfaces, experiences, conversions and more.

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You’re waiting for a website to load, and an eternity later …

Nothing.

It’s as awful as being in line at your local discount big-box store on the Saturday before Christmas.

When the site finally appears bit by painstaking bit, you’re ready to give up and leave.

Don’t be that site!

You could lose potential customers and sales (money) as people get what they need from your competitors.

You’ll also face the risk of Google “punishing” your search rankings because of sluggish performance. Page load time is an important ranking factor for search engines. A low ranking means less exposure for your content.

How fast does it need to be?

High-performing websites load in three seconds or less. They provide a good experience, so people like to visit and read them. If they’re hanging around, they’re engaged with you.

The more they interact with you, the better it is for your bottom line.

A bare-bones website with white space and text will load fast, but will likely get zero traffic. In contrast, a beautifully designed site that has large images, graphics and videos will load slowly, frustrating visitors.

The solution is to build a site that balances visual appeal, usability and performance. Here are tips on how to do that:

Tip #1: Know your audience

Who visits your site and why? What are they looking for? Tailor your design and content to their needs.

For example, a commercial printer that produces high-end marketing collateral for Fortune 500 companies would probably want an image-heavy website to show examples of its work. It’s more important for people to see the company’s capabilities than it is for the site to load at warp speed.

In contrast, a financial services firm would likely favor content over awe-inspiring imagery because people primarily want information about the firm’s services. In this case, the business would want a minimalist, fast-loading site.

Tip #2: Don’t cheap out on web hosting

Your web hosting company and the server it uses can have a significant effect on how fast your site loads.

Shared hosting, in which many sites live on one server, is the most popular option because it’s cost-effective, but tread cautiously. Mediocre web hosts that sell budget packages may host thousands of websites on an overloaded server. No matter what else you do to optimize your site, it can slow to a crawl with a cut-rate web host.

Make sure your host has sufficient resources, especially if you have a high-traffic website. The most expensive hosting option is to use a dedicated server, which means you don’t have to share a server with other sites. Dedicated hosting plans pave the way for fast load times.

Tip #3: Avoid bloated templates

Website templates that have many design bells and whistles may turn heads, but they can also affect load times. Large images, videos, animation and other graphic-heavy content may never reach impatient visitors’ eyes.

Predesigned templates are often bloated because they’re geared toward the greatest common denominator. If you’re going to use a template, be sure it features only what you need.

WordPress Directory Themes can be a good, low-cost option because they’re generally more streamlined than “premium” templates from places like TemplateMonster and Themeforest. These templates usually include many predesigned features to serve different industries, are heavy on plug-ins, and contain large HTML, CSS and JavaScript files that can bog down websites.

Tip #4: Minimize plug-ins

Plug-ins add features to your website, but the more you install, the more they can increase load times. There’s no magic number for a maximum number of plug-ins, but a safe rule of thumb is to limit it to five or six, if possible. Use only those that are necessary and keep them up to date.

Tip #5: Optimize images

Poorly optimized images degrade page speed and frustrate visitors who are eager for your site to load. Compressing images will reduce size without compromising quality. Good WordPress solutions are the free WP Smush plug-in and the EWWW Image Optimizer.

In addition, limit slider images – even those that you’ve compressed. One slider image will need about 200 kilobytes of space, depending on pixel width and height. If you have six slider images, you’re adding nearly 1 megabyte of space-hogging assets to your site. Generally, three slider images will be the right compromise between design aesthetics and performance.

How to test website speed

Free testing services provide insights into bottlenecks and suggestions for improvements in terms most people can understand. No single tool identifies every performance issue. Stick with using one tool as you make improvements so you can monitor your progress.

One caveat: Implement one recommendation at a time and test it on a page-by-page basis to be sure it’s working as expected. The solution to one problem can sometimes negatively affect other aspects of your site. If you go through each recommendation systematically, you’ll know which change caused any problems. You can then undo the change that created a conflict.

Here are three key tools:

1. Pingdom Tools

Pingdom Tools is one of the easiest options for beginners. It tracks your website’s performance history, makes data-driven recommendations on how to improve speed and generates easy-to-understand reports.

2. GTmetrix

GTmetrix is also simple to use. It analyzes page load speeds and recommends solutions based on a proprietary grading system.

3. Google PageSpeed Insights

Google PageSpeed Insights measures load times and provides the steps you can take to improve performance.

The need for speed

A lightning-fast website makes a good impression and reassures visitors that your content is worth sticking around for. Provide a good experience and your business will get the attention it deserves. The sooner you can make improvements, the better for your customers and your bottom line.

Have you optimized your site? What tools helped? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Don’t Let a Slow Website Crush Your Business appeared first on The Simons Group.

Typically, that meant full-length stories that required significant scrolling, self-promotional content that provided minimal value, no way to track the most popular articles and other analytics, and little reason for anyone to read them.

Don’t be the newsletter that gets deleted instantly – or worse, marked as spam. You’ve invested time and money into creating and sending it, so you want some return for your hard work.

Here’s how to make it engaging and effective. Read on and learn how to:

• Segment your email list so you can deliver personalized content
• Create a distribution schedule and stick to it
• Provide well-written, educational content
• Be concise with copy
• Streamline the design (think mobile)
• Test, test, test
• Write catchy subject lines that entice opens
• Track analytics and tweak accordingly

Let’s dive into these so you can learn how to get your email newsletter off life support.

Segment your email list so you can deliver personalized content

Admittedly, it’s easier to be all things to all people and send everyone the same newsletter. But just as your co-workers don’t share your fascination with ferret racing and soap carving, your readers aren’t interested in the same things. They’re more likely to hit the delete button than waste time sifting through one-size-fits-all content.

Segmenting your email list means breaking your big list into several targeted lists. This allows you to create and send personalized content that appeals to readers’ interests and business challenges. Once they see your content is relevant rather than generic, you’ll see your click-through rates head in the right direction. (See more about click-through rates in the analytics section below.)

How to segment your list

The options for list segmentation are endless. Here are some ways to do it:

1. Personas: Personas address your customers’ and prospects’ motivations. What do they need? What are their pain points, challenges and goals? How and why does your business provide value for them? For example, if you’re contacting CEOs and chief financial officers about buying your software, their needs and interests are different from those of the technology staff members who would oversee implementation. Segment your list accordingly.
2. Organization type: Are your clients Fortune 500 companies or enterprise organizations? Do small businesses use your services? What about professional associations? These organizations have different needs, budgets and resources. Targeting your emails by organization type helps drive engagement and results.
3. Industry: If you partner with distributors and/or sell to other businesses, you probably have relationships across many industries. Group your list by industry and you’ll be able to develop strong relationships with your contacts.
4. Demo requests, webinars and company events: Who’s signing up for your product demos, webinars and company events, including workshops, training classes and trade shows? You can determine prospects’ and customers’ interests by looking at the attendee lists and the topics for each activity.
5. Survey responses: Many businesses survey customers routinely. Assuming you can tie answers directly to specific customers, you can create segments based on their responses. For example, if your wealth management firm receives survey feedback that retirement planning is top of mind, you’ve got a ready-made segment.
6. Website activity: Review analytics for logged-in users if you have gated content on your website. For example, if members of your professional association read legislative updates and position papers on specific topics, you can send them related content by segment.

Tools for email newsletter novices

Marketing automation platforms like MailChimp and Constant Contact make segmenting and sending email newsletters a snap. If you don’t have enough data to break up your main list, start collecting information that will help you customize your list. It’s never too late to start.

Tools for email newsletter veterans

If you’re an email newsletter pro, you might want to kick your marketing up a notch and use advanced automation software from companies like Marketo and HubSpot. Their tools are more robust than MailChimp and Constant Contact, providing capabilities such as lead management, scoring and nurturing; web activity tracking; and social marketing.

Here’s a pro tip: HubSpot offers free customer relationship management (CRM) technology, including everything you need to organize, track and nurture your leads and customers. The CRM is the database that all of HubSpot’s free and paid marketing and sales tools are built on. When you graduate to advanced automation, you can easily add functionality with HubSpot’s paid tools.

Create a distribution schedule and stick to it

You’re off to a great start if people have already subscribed to your email newsletter. Reward them by sending your newsletters on a consistent schedule. Not only will you look like a true pro, but you’ll also help your readers know what they can expect from you.

As a bonus, a schedule will help you get used to deadlines. Let’s face it – we all need them to do our best work.

Here’s a pro tip about meeting deadlines: When you rely on others to help with newsletter tasks such as interviews, writing and distribution, always request assets a couple days to a week before your actual deadline. This will help keep you and your newsletter on track.

How often to distribute

How often you should send your newsletter depends on you and your audience. If you have significant resources to help you produce each issue, valuable educational content to share and receptive readers, you might want a monthly schedule. If you’re strapped for time and don’t have help or your content is scarce, you could distribute quarterly.

Don’t send your newsletter more than once a month or you’ll risk annoying your readers. Create a production calendar that builds in time for all steps in the process. It’s also a good habit to plan ahead for your content so that you’re not scrambling for ideas and articles at the last minute.

Provide well-written, educational content

Avoid self-promotion and create original, well-written content that’s informational and educational. Show the value you provide customers: how you help them solve problems, overcome business challenges and benefit from their relationships with you.

If you’ve segmented your email list, you’ll focus on topics that your prospects and customers care about. Put yourself in your segmented readers’ shoes and ask, “What’s in it for me?” (WIIFM) as you’re brainstorming ideas.

For example, if the customers at your manufacturing company are downloading a report on your website about how tariffs are affecting the packaging industry, write a follow-up for your email newsletter and explain how you’re proactively addressing the issue on their behalf. That’s WIIFM content.

If you have big news, such as your business is merging with another company or you’re releasing a new product, it’s OK to share it with your readers. Skip the self-promotion, though, and focus on how these changes will affect and benefit your customers. Will they enjoy improved service? Does the new product solve a problem for them? Make your content relevant for them – not you.

Where to get content ideas

Coming up with WIIFM content ideas can be a challenge, especially when you’re overwhelmed with the day-to-day grind.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Answer “burning” questions: What questions do your customers ask? What questions are common in your industry? Poll your sales or customer service team to learn what’s top of mind. Address key pain points and provide workable solutions. You can make it a multiple-part series with one or two questions and in-depth answers.
2. Highlight industry trends: Explain the trends and what they mean for your industry, your business and your customers. How can your customers prepare for the changes? Put your own spin on it rather than rehashing what may be available publicly.
3. Feature expert interviews: Prospects and customers want to know that you’re an influencer and that you offer them value. If you have excellent contacts outside your company or have subject matter experts internally, interview them about timely, relevant topics and share their advice and insights.
4. Write customer case studies: Most companies use case studies because they’re one of the most effective ways to showcase your expertise, ingenuity and problem-solving skills. They demonstrate the value of working with your company. Each case study should include customer pain points and challenges, your proposed solutions, the solutions the customer implemented and the results.
5. Share “insider” how-tos: Help your customers get the most from your products with insider tips and tricks from your team or from other customers.
6. Survey your readers: Ask your email newsletter readers what content they want to see. If the topics are evergreen, create a content bank that you can pull articles from as needed.
7. Mine ideas from your newsletter and website analytics: Look at what articles were the most popular in the past. You can write follow-up articles or cover topics from different angles. If you have more than a basic promotional website, your analytics can provide excellent clues about what people are interested in. You can look at the pages they visit most often, the pages they spend the most time viewing and your most popular blog posts for intel and inspiration.
8. Tap social media: What are people talking about on your social media channels? Review past comments and current discussions to identify engaging topics. You can even look at the conversations on your competitors’ accounts to get ideas. Shhh …

Be concise with copy

Shrinking attention spans mean you need to get to the point quickly in your email newsletter. Give readers a taste of your content with catchy “teasers” – that is, short snippets of copy that entice them to click through to your website for the full articles. You can use “read more” or “continue reading” buttons below each teaser.

Driving them to your website allows you to:

• Learn which articles get the most traffic. Use the information to develop topics and content for your future marketing initiatives.
• Increase engagement. Once prospects and customers read the articles on your site, they’ll hopefully find other valuable content to explore. The longer they stick around, the better.
• Lead them to action. Do you want customers to register for company webinars, trade shows and other events? By sending readers to your website, you’ll have an opportunity to encourage registrations (or other activities) with relevant content and a strong call to action.

Emphasize quality over quantity when you’re mapping out newsletter content. It’s better to have two or three concise articles that are relevant and meaningful for your prospects and customers than five or more “filler” stories that no one will read.

Tricks to help you write catchy, concise copy

Don’t worry if you’re not a professional writer. Just follow these steps to improve your newsletter copy. The goal is to communicate with clarity so that you connect with and inspire your readers:

1. Ditch the passive voice: Passive voice is wordy and makes your subject matter ambiguous. Here’s an example of passive voice: “Action on the proposed project is being considered by the committee.” Active voice makes it clear the subject is doing the action: “The committee is considering acting on the proposed project.”
2. Delete meaningless words: Why use 10 words when four will do? I want to curl up with a good book in order to relax and unwind completely.
3. Avoid jargon: Complicated industry terms can alienate readers who aren’t familiar with them. You want your audience to read and act on your message. That won’t happen if they don’t understand it.
4. Write short sentences and small paragraphs: Look for sentences you can cut in two. Large blocks of copy are intimidating.
5. Use visual cues. Bulleted lists, tables, pull quotes, screenshots and images enable skim reading, making it more likely people will read your content.

Streamline the design (think mobile)

The design for your email newsletter should be clean, simple, easy to read and consistent with your company’s branding. Readers should be able to scan it quickly. In addition, optimize for mobile. That means making the font size and “read more” or “continue reading” buttons large enough to see and tap on small screens.

Take it easy on images. Mobile devices typically have slower download speeds than desktop computers, so keep the images and file sizes small to help speed download times. As for desktop viewing, keep in mind that some email filters and firewalls may block large images, so you can’t assume they will display.

MailChimp and Constant Contact offer responsive templates that are easy to use, especially for email newsletter beginners. Responsive design means that your newsletter will adapt to different devices and screen sizes so that readers have a good experience.

Email newsletter veterans who want marketing support beyond email automation may want to check out Marketo and Hubspot. In addition to responsive templates, they offer sophisticated software that allows users to build out marketing strategies across multiple channels.

Test, test, test

Test your emails across a variety of browsers, email clients (Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail, etc.) and devices to ensure they display properly. Email providers don’t read email code the same way. Since there’s no universal standard, you’ll need to do everything you can to avoid embarrassing mistakes before distribution.

Potential problems to look out for include:

• Copy that isn’t the correct font and size
• Uneven spacing between sentences and paragraphs
• Weird-looking symbols that replace your punctuation
• Links that don’t work
• Background images that “disappear”

These are common glitches that happen even with established email templates. Don’t let them intimidate you, however. It can take trial and error to correct them, but they’re all fixable.

Email testing and rendering services, such as Email on Acid and Litmus, allow you to preview emails in various environments and inboxes, but they’re not foolproof. It’s always a good idea to test your emails manually. You can do that by sending tests from your e-news distribution account to numerous people (not clients!) across email accounts and note any problems. Correct the issues and then resend to those contacts until you’ve resolved the glitches.

Write catchy subject lines that entice opens

Everyone’s bombarded with email. Clever, attention-getting subject lines can help your email newsletter stand out from the crowd. While it may seem like a no-brainer to use “newsletter” as part of your subject line, it could backfire. It may discourage readers from opening your email because it implies a series, and they’ll be able to read the next one.

Improve your subject lines with these top tips:

1. Keep them short. A good rule of thumb is six to 10 words.
2. Instill curiosity. Creating mystery can encourage opens. Examples include, “6 Things Your Email Newsletter Should Do,” “The One Thing Your Email Newsletter is Missing,” and “The Biggest Newsletter Design Mistakes That Kill Engagement.” Be sure they’re relevant for your audience.
3. Ask a compelling question. Make sure the question resonates with readers. For example, “Do You Make These Common Email Newsletter Mistakes?”
4. Appeal to readers’ “how-to” instinct. Your engagement will soar if you can show readers how to problem-solve, work better/faster, save money, etc. For example, “Discover How to Rock Email Subject Lines,” and “How to Create Email Newsletters in 4 Hours or Less.”
5. Highlight industry trends and developments. Focus on topics that your readers care about.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with subject lines. You can also do A/B “split testing” to see which ones grab your readers’ attention. That just means splitting your readers into two groups (50/50) and sending your email newsletter using two subject lines to see which one is the most effective. To A/B test a sample of your list, you need at least 1,000 contacts so that your results are statistically significant.

Track analytics and tweak accordingly

Monitor your email newsletter’s performance to understand its value. Most email service providers include robust analytics features and integrate with Google Analytics.

The metrics you should keep an eye on include:

1. Open rate: The percentage of email recipients who open an email. Don’t get too excited about this number, however. Increasing opens is a good thing, but the click-through rate is more important.
2. Click-through rate: The percentage of email recipients who clicked on one or more links. This shows how many people are engaging with your content.
3. Bounce rate: The number of emails that couldn’t be delivered. They’re categorized by “soft bounces,” which result from temporary snags such as full inboxes or problems with recipients’ servers, and “hard bounces,” which means recipients’ email addresses no longer exist. Remove hard bounce addresses from your list (some email service providers do this automatically) because internet service providers primarily use bounce rates to determine an email sender’s reputation. Having too many hard bounces can make you look like a spammer.
4. Unsubscribe rate: The number of people who leave your list. Readers will unsubscribe from your email newsletter. If this rate is high from newsletter to newsletter, you’ll need to consider why. Fixes to consider include improving your subject lines and content and reducing newsletter frequency.

When you measure newsletter performance, it’s also a good idea to look at Google Analytics for your website to see the content that people are engaging with. You can see page views, bounce rates, time spent on each page and many other metrics. By linking to the full newsletter articles that live on your website, you’ll be able to see the content that readers find valuable – and you’ll give your site a boost from a search optimization standpoint. You’ll also be able to drive readers to your call to action, whether you’d like them to register for an event, a demo or a webinar, for example.

That’s a wrap!

Now that you know how to make a high-performing, valuable and relevant email newsletter, nothing should hold you back. If you feel overwhelmed, take it one step at a time. You’ve got this!

Does your newsletter need a reboot? What’s slowing you down? Let us know in the comments below.

The post The ultimate guide to email newsletters appeared first on The Simons Group.

Generally, the advice works. Things go wonky, however, when common sense leaves the building.

Let’s break down six of these techniques:

Tactic #1: Build an insanely great website

You launched a shiny new website that has killer content and many bells and whistles.

Yay, you!

You took an important step in getting rid of the spinning globe, the visitor counter and the bios from people who haven’t worked there in 12 years.

The problem is, your site won’t attract prospects and customers simply because it’s there.

Traction doesn’t happen magically. You have to tell people about your fancy-pants site and encourage them to visit.

Promote it in an e-blast, explaining how people will benefit from the content. Add a teaser to your email signature and your voicemail greeting. Announce it to the world on social media.

And remember that once the site is live, you can’t fuhgeddaboudit.

Post valuable content regularly to keep people coming back and to score points with Google and other search engines.

Tactic #2: Write conversationally

Using everyday words helps people from all backgrounds understand your marketing content. It also makes you approachable and friendly.

But don’t be shallow.

Hint: Emails that start with “Hello, love,” and “Hi, friend!” are claptrap.

Phony overfamiliarity is annoying and fools no one.

“Hey, The Simons Group! I know you want the skinny on how I can grow your business. Maybe you’ve heard of me? Or maybe not since you probably deleted my emails. Ha ha! You don’t know what you’re missing out on!”

The Simons Group isn’t your long-lost pal, and this is stalker scary. Conversational writing should be professional – not creepy.

Tactic #3: Optimize content for search engines

Name a company that doesn’t do a happy dance when it ranks high in search engines.

Yeah, crickets …

But some businesses write for search engines like they want to bed them.

You’ve seen those websites that are stuffed with keywords worse than a Thanksgiving turkey:

“If you’re looking for the best electronic medical records software available today, look no further. Our electronic medical records software is ranked high among hospitals all over the country. You won’t find electronic medical records software any better than ours. Just ask for a free demo of our electronic medical records software.”

Search engines are smart. They will penalize you for trying to game the system.

Keyword stuffing also makes you look desperate and unprofessional. No one trusts a company that relies on parlor tricks.

Stick to writing for humans.

Tactic #4: Write eyeball-grabbing headlines and subject lines

Power words and strong titles are incredibly effective – and abused.

Nothing reeks like clickbait. It’s worse than fish or company after three days:

“Get $15 million in sales without spending a penny!”

“Backstabbing customers deserve THIS revenge.”

“These naughty email marketing robots will terrify you!!”

Believe it or not, these aren’t the worst out there.

Headlines and subject lines need to hook people, but your content must support what your headlines and subject lines are selling.

Making mundane topics relevant and catchy (read: not mind-numbingly boring) is beastly hard.

Be creative – and honest.

Tactic #5: Create email marketing campaigns

Email marketing is effective when you share educational versus sales-y content.

But don’t make the mistake of buying an email list.

Purchased lists are typically full of junk data and people who never wanted to be on the lists in the first place.

You can also land in hot water with your email service provider, such as MailChimp or Constant Contact, and be tagged as a spammer.

Reputable providers will shut that down. They can close your account, fine you and even take legal action against you.

Don’t be stupid. Grow your own email list of people who want to hear from you – and actually read your messages.

Tactic #6: Share customer testimonials

It’s a great idea to ask for and share positive quotes from happy customers.

Unfortunately, some companies think that means creating testimonials pages on their websites (so ‘90s!) and filling them with blasé endorsements.

“Working with ABC Co. is great. They get the job done.”

“We achieved our goal on the project, thanks to XYZ Inc.”

Zzzz …

No sane person would hire ABC Co. and XYZ Inc. on the basis of these pale statements.

Here’s the thing: Testimonials must be product-, project- and service-specific and include quantifiable results to be meaningful. Highlight challenges and problems that you solved.

Once you’ve got an awesome collection, the worst thing you can do is dump them on a testimonials page, where they’ll be ignored.

Like forever.

Place testimonials with the products, projects and services they relate to so prospects see them when they’re making buying decisions.

You want your offers to be as “sticky” as the porch pirates who are trolling your Amazon packages RIGHT NOW.

Have you had good marketing advice go bad? What tactics did you try? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Winning marketing strategies that become losers appeared first on The Simons Group.