beacon-creative-lab

Getting Found in 2026: What's changed; What still works

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 22:23:09 GMT

Optimizing Your Site for AI and Human Searches

If you've noticed your traffic shifting and wondered what's going on, you're not imagining it. Business owners who value their search engine traffic are up against a fresh hurdle in 2026: AI summaries.

Let’s break down what impact that’s having on search engine optimization, and what you can do about it!

Success in search is no longer measured only in your ranking and subsequent Clicks.

Success now happens in two ways:

Someone clicks on your well-ranked site in a search result, AND/OR
Your expertise is referenced in an AI summary itself.

AI Summaries: Ally or Enemy? It’s up to you

When you search for answers, products, places or people in Google or other engines today, what you’ll often see first is an AI summary, complete with references from various sources as it aims to provide you with a helpful quick reference.

Something somewhat similar happens when you’re chatting with your favorite AI tool, from ChatGPT to Claude or any number of others. Ask for recommendations and your new smart pal will be happy to share links.

It’s a really important digital "stamp of approval" because if a user does click through after reading an AI summary, they aren't just browsing: they are further along the buyer's journey, and getting closer to buy-ready.

They’ve already been "pre-sold" by the AI’s recommendation.

That's why the goal is no longer just ranking; it’s citation frequency. You want to be the business the AI points to when a customer asks, "Who is the most reliable [X service provider] near me?"

If you’re one of the “chosen” AI is an amazing ally; if all your competitors are present and you’re missing, well, AI feels like arch enemy #1.

So how do you make AI your ally, and get your business cited in AI results?

Getting your business cited in AI results actually requires the same strategy as getting ranked well, with one shift: be AI-snippet friendly.

To be referenced, your website needs to be trusted.

And your content needs to be easily citable, within a website that makes information clear, structured, and authoritative. Here are a few key steps to begin implementing that will help get you there:

Step 1: Optimize for AI Discovery (The "Citation" Game)

To improve your likelihood of appearing in AI answers, start by putting a concise answer at the start of a section, and THEN elaborate on it.

Why? AI systems don't read websites the way humans do. They "chunk" information. To get cited, you need to make your content incredibly easy for an AI to digest and trust.

Front-Load Your Facts

If you’re answering a common question in your industry, put the clear, factual answer right at the top. AI systems love "standalone sections" where a single paragraph expresses one complete idea.

Pro Tip: Instead of writing a 200-word intro about the history of plumbing before giving a tip on pipe repair, lead with the answer: "To prevent frozen pipes in 2026, homeowners should..." It’s concise, authoritative, and very "cite-able."
But don't stop there! Additional related content can be really important to help build up the know-like-trust factors in humans, and for providing the added content that supports your site's expert status in SEO overall. Which leads us to...

Focus on Content Areas, Not Just Keywords

Today the goal is to have notable Topic Coverage .

If you’re a dog trainer, the AI expects you to talk about more than just "training." It wants to see you cover related areas: how dogs think, dog-human rapport, the truth about pack behavior, and so forth.
By ma pping out an entire topic area, across multiple linked pages, you prove to the AI that you are a comprehensive authority. You aren’t just a guy with a website; you’re an expert entity in your field.

Write the Way People Ask Questions

Search queries are becoming more conversational, especially as people interact with AI assistants.

Think about the kinds of questions clients ask you during conversations:

“How do I know if my marketing strategy is working?”
“What should a small business focus on first?”
“Is SEO still worth it?”

These are excellent prompts for blog posts or FAQ sections.

Clear questions and clear answers make your expertise easier to surface in AI-generated summaries.

Step 2: Don’t Abandon the Foundations (and Yes, Local Still Wins)

Focus your attention on getting more signals — like inbound links from trusted sites — and creating more certainty with classic SEO basics:

Site Speed & Core Web Vitals: If your site takes ten seconds to load, an AI crawler might just give up on you. Keep it fast.
Mobile-Friendliness: Most AI searches happen on the go. If your site looks wonky on a phone, you’re losing out on that "human-first" connection. And yes, AI pals can tell.
Backlinks (a.k.a. your digital "Street Team"): High-quality links from other authoritative sites act as "voter confidence" for your brand. When other trusted sites link to you, it tells the AI (and humans!) that you’re the real deal.

AI can surface you, but it can't close for you — that's where your humanity comes in.

Step 3: Authenticity is Your Secret Weapon

Here is something an AI can’t do: Be you.

In a world where search results are increasingly generated by machines, human-to-human connection is becoming a premium commodity.

This is why how connection is shifting marketing strategies is one of our favorite topics at Beacon Creative Lab.

Your service business isn't just a list of features; it’s a relationship.

Share Real Stories: Use case studies and testimonials. AI can summarize facts, but it can’t replicate the emotional relief a client feels after working with you.
Show Your Face: Video content and personalized branding help potential clients feel like they already know you.
Be Opinionated: AI tends to be neutral. Don't be afraid to take a stand on something in your industry. Authenticity attracts; blandness blends in.

Bonus Tip: Make sure your services pages clearly outlines the "Who, What, and Why" of your business. The more clarity you have in your own brand, the more clearly the AI can relay that to searchers.

Two questions we’re hearing a Lot about AI Overviews:

Will AI Overviews replace websites?

No. AI Overviews summarize information, but they still rely on trusted websites as their sources. Businesses with clear expertise and well-structured content remain essential to the search ecosystem. (Your website isn’t “over.” It’s evolving.)

How can a business appear in AI Overviews?

The most reliable way is to publish clear, authoritative answers to common questions in your field. Structured headings, strong topical coverage, and credible external references help search engines identify trustworthy sources.

A few helpful moves:

Write for real questions your clients ask (the ones that come up on calls, not just in keyword tools).
Use clear H2s and H3s that match those questions.
Answer fast , then expand with context, examples, and next steps.
Support your points with credible mentions and references (it’s trust-building, not name-dropping).

The 2026 Visibility Checklist

Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry! Let’s break this down into a few simple, actionable steps you can take this week to keep your business visible:

Audit Your Top Pages: Look at your most popular blog posts. Are the answers clear and easy to find? Try moving the "answer" to the first paragraph.
Create "Chunkable" Content: Break up long walls of text with headers, bullet points, and bolded phrases. (See what I did there?)
Focus on the Journey: Ensure your content is crafting a more effective customer journey so that once someone finds you via an AI citation, they know exactly what to do next.
Check Your Crawler Access: Make sure you aren't accidentally blocking AI bots in your robots.txt file.
Update Your Schema: Use Schema markup (the "behind-the-scenes" code) to tell search engines exactly what your services are and where you are located. (Woohoo for technical wins!)

The bottom line?

The landscape of search is changing, but that doesn't mean your business has to disappear. In fact, for service providers who focus on being helpful, authoritative, and authentically themselves, 2026 is full of opportunity.

By playing the "citation game" for AI while keeping your traditional SEO foundations solid, you’re setting yourself up for higher-quality leads and more meaningful client connections. You don't have to do it all at once: just start by making your information a little clearer and your brand a little more "you."

Why do digital ads cost so much?

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 19:05:42 GMT

Working around the digital ad blues

There’s a question I hear often, and it may be something you’ve wondered about too:

“Why do digital ads cost so much!? Why can’t I just put $250, or $500 or $1,000 into Google or Facebook ads and get some leads?”

It sounds reasonable, I agree, and in a pay-to-play world, it would be.

But Google Ads are an auction.

Every time someone searches “HVAC repair, Raleigh” or “nutritionist near me”, Google runs a rapid auction.

If competitors in your area are spending $5,000–$20,000/month (and they often do), a $500 budget barely enters the field.

Then there’s search volume.

If 200 people search a term each month:

Only a percentage click ads
Only a portion of those convert
And multiple companies are competing

Now your budget is fighting inside a very small ring, against heavyweight champs!

Higher search volume usually means higher competition, which drives costs up.

Social ads have a different challenge.

On Facebook or Instagram, you’re not responding to demand, you’re interrupting attention.

That requires:

Repetition
Testing
Time for the algorithm to learn

And small budgets often run out before optimization can take hold.

So what CAN you do?

Build momentum differently. If you have a smaller budget to invest relative to your keywords’ competitiveness, focus on strengthening:

Website conversion
Local SEO
Competitive positioning and differentiation
Referral systems

Those assets compound.

It’s not that ads never work; they absolutely can, when margins, messaging, and patience all make it make sense.

How Connection is Shifting Marketing Strategies

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:07:53 GMT

Less Noise. More Connection. Stronger Sales.

Connecting with consumers through all the noise we face today is increasingly shifting distinctly… old school. Not in the retro or nostalgic way. Just human-first (again).

Across industries, platforms, and content formats, research is pointing to a steady shift:

people resisting marketing that feels relentless, generic, or transactional, and gravitating toward work that feels recognizable, relational, and real. This is especially true for small and/or local businesses.

What people are pushing back against

Recent research and platform data are showing a growing clamor against:

Content for content’s sake
AI-generated content that feels soulless or interchangeable
Social platforms dominated by brands instead of people

This isn’t about rejecting specific technology or tools. It’s about rejecting output lacking presence.

Organizations like McKinsey & Company, Harvard Business Review, Nielsen, and tools like Metricool (which analyzes millions of posts monthly) are all pointing to the same underlying pattern:

People are tired of being marketed AT. They want to feel connected WITH.

What are people craving instead?

What we’re hearing (and loving!) is a growing desire for:

Connections based on common ground
Shared (and shareable) experiences
Knowing who you’re really interacting with… and what’s real

For many adults, there’s a quiet longing. as Metricool put it so well, for “a time when being online meant connecting with others, not being sold to constantly.”

That doesn’t mean marketing disappears. But it does mean marketing becomes more relational. A helpful question to anchor this shift is: “What’s the simplest way I can show up recognizably?”

(Permission to be spontaneous! Woohoo!)

5 Ways to Respond the the Shift

1.Take it offline: where and how can you interact in the real world? Share why as well as what you do through your actions, not just your words. And leverage #2…

2. Connection : Metricool asks “What’s the common ground you have with the people you do (or want to) serve?” e.g., interests, challenges, ideas…

Show your team and the heart behind your service.
Help them understand what you do and why.
Share what grabs your attention.
Be a little more personal… as if your followers are people turning into your friends. Those bonds are stronger than anything trending.

3. Personality : Bring the vibe that matches the culture they’ll encounter when they work with you. Show who you are (especially if you’re a brand). It’s hard to connect with people (or companies) that have no personality!

4. Be a group of actual people : … and less an “entity.” Skip pushy CTAs, ask like a friend, be conversational.

5. Less is more : A good photo and a caption with personality can be powerful. When everything’s loud in the world, you can stand out by being easy to be around. Spread a little light!

But what about the algorithms?

A fair question. Are algorithms pushing us toward noise, or connection? Well, kind of both.

What algorithms reward:

Watch time (not volume)
Saves and shares (signals of relevance, not hype)
Repeated engagement from the same people
Content that feels native to the platform

All of which encourages steady pacing, familiar faces and voices, and content that feels worth staying with and maybe even sharing.

What algorithms increasingly downrank:

Obvious sales language
Repetitive, generic AI-generated patterns
Overuse of trending audio without substance
Content that spikes briefly but doesn’t hold attention

Despite appearances, platforms are not actually rewarding chaos. They’re rewarding stickiness.

And that's just fine with us. That's how we all want our businesses to be, too.

Genius Talk Interview: Unlocking Your Business Potential

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 14:12:49 GMT

Unlocking Your Business Potential

�� In this Genius Talk episode , Wendy Harrington reveals how listening deeply and leading with authenticity unlocks true business potential. Watch it on YouTube or any of these podcast players:

Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Amazon Music

In a recent interview on the Genius Talk Podcast , Beacon Creative Lab's owner & flourishment coach Wendy Harrington shared how she blends marketing expertise and coaching to help small businesses grow with clarity and authenticity.

From her early roots in direct marketing to founding the agency of today, she emphasizes purposeful messaging, long-term client relationships, and avoiding the overwhelm of “shiny objects.”

Wendy also discusses the importance of listening, imagination, and building trust as cornerstones for sustainable success.

Here are some key takeaways from the conversation:

Clarity over chaos : Focus on what truly drives your business forward, not every “shiny object.”
Build trust, not hype : Long-term relationships outlast quick wins and overblown promises.
Listen deeply : Success often comes from hearing not just what’s said, but the motivation behind it.
Imagination matters : Reading, creativity, and curiosity fuel vision and innovation in business.
Be yourself : You don’t need to be for everyone—authenticity attracts the right clients.

And one more tip from Wendy, this time about podcast prep: before your interview, be sure to take some time to reflect on your favorites (e.g., books, videos, case stories, and industry changes "from then to now" stories). Apparently my 40-odd file drawers from my years in business weren't as readily accessible as I thought they'd be. Atul's a good interviewer -- and his team did a great job editing out some otherwise embarrassing thinking pauses, LOL!!

A Genius Talk inteview with Wendy Harrington

Announcing Project BeaconLight

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 15:47:33 GMT

Donating support for an organization doing good

WHAT: Six months of coaching and team development, donated by Beacon Creative Lab, LLC, to help one Wake County nonprofit on the rise gain clarity, traction, and impact.

WHEN: Program launch: Fall 2025

WHERE: In-Person and via Zoom, for an organization based in and serving Wake County, NC

WHY: We believe our community and world flourishes when we help one another. As community members with a Rotarian founder, this is one way we can give back, and support those inspiring people who are striving to make a difference.

Application deadline: November 30, 2025

OVERVIEW

Beacon Creative Lab, LLC will donate six months of leadership and team coaching (valued at $9,950) to one nonprofit organization in Wake County, NC. This program, Project Beaconlight, is designed for a nonprofit poised for growth — an organization with passionate leaders who want to deepen their impact, strengthen their team, and avoid burnout while pursuing meaningful goals.

We will provide:

Initial goal-setting meeting with the organization’s Director/CEO.
Three 2-hour group planning sessions (at the start, mid-point, and end of the program) focused on supporting goal and development areas.
Two 60-minute individual coaching sessions per month for up to three key leaders (they do not have to be full-time or staff, just invested in the organization’s success).
Complimentary subscriptions for all participants to our member-only leadership resources and events.
Storytelling support: We will share your story in monthly social posts, publish a Substack feature article, and produce a video interview highlighting the organization’s mission, impact, and progress.

OUR PROMISE

This program will help your team:

Clarify vision and priorities
Build consistency, confidence, and communication
Identify distractions vs. meaningful actions
Gain traction toward your most important goals without burnout
Tell a compelling story that engages your community and attracts support
All commitments and actions come from the leaders themselves — never assigned by coaches.

YOUR COMMITMENT

To make the most of this program, we ask for:

Full participation: All workshops and coaching sessions attended by 3–5 leaders (staff or key volunteers)
Director buy-in: Confirming commitment and willingness to share monthly progress updates
Monthly visibility: Organization agrees to post a monthly update on its own channels (with Beacon amplifying) and to participate in a final program interview
Scheduling commitment: Planning session dates will be determined in advance; participating leaders must be available for all sessions.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Located in Wake County, North Carolina
Operating as a 501(c)(3) or other officially recognized nonprofit for at least 2 years
Must have an independent finance or accounting director
Aligned with at least one of Rotary International’s Areas of Focus :
Peace and conflict resolution
Disease prevention and treatment
Water and sanitation
Maternal and child health
Basic education and literacy
Community and economic development
Supporting the environment
Annual operating budget recommended: $150k–$1M
At least 3 committed active members willing to engage fully in the program

PROGRAM VALUE

Three 2-hour workshops (prep + facilitation): $2,750

Monthly leadership coaching (3 people × 6 months @ $400/mo): $7,200
Total value: $9,950 (fully donated).

HOW TO APPLY

Please click on this link to go to the Project BeaconLight Application and submit your completed application before November 30, 2025.

SELECTION PROCESS

Our team will review all applications, and select the organization that best suits the program parameters and our capabilities. We will contact you with the decision no later than December 13, 2025.

How to Build Your Email List (Without Feeling Icky About It)

Fri, 02 May 2025 18:13:02 GMT

Are you wondering how to build your email list? Here are 9 tactics that will help you break through, or break out of a rut, and build it the healthy way.

You know you should be growing your email list. But if the idea of begging for email addresses makes you cringe...good news! There are plenty of healthy, genuine ways to build your list—ways that feel more like inviting people to something awesome than pestering them.

Just remember, building your email list isn’t about “collecting” contacts—it’s about “connecting” with people.

Earlier this month we taught a class on this topic ( download the PDF ). This week’s post walks you through the slides in a little more detail, offering simple pro techniques you can start using right away:

1. Entice them to connect with you: Offer a signature freebie that shows your expertise

While many experts agree that the classic “lead magnet” is less popular than it once was, offering value never really goes out of style. The goal is to create something that solves a problem your ideal client is already Googling in the middle of the night – and make it uber valuable as well as actionable, and easy to consume.

Some ideas to get you thinking:

7 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a [Your Role]
3 Ways to Know If You’re Ready for [Your Service]
3 Meditations to Detach from Life’s Most Common Stressors

Pro Tip: Try combining several tools into a “mini course” or “getting started guide” which you send out in a timed sequence over several days to help reduce overwhelm… or pair it with a free consult or trial offer.

BONUS: Think beyond the page. What could you share via audio or video? Could you create a customizable template? A quiz? A survey—with the promise of a follow-up report that shares industry- or topic-related results they’d be interested in?

Whatever you create, think quick wins, not 50-page e-books nobody will finish.

2. Post your invitation far and wide

Once you’ve got a juicy freebie, don’t hide it like a secret recipe. Post a short, tantalizing invite with your signup link everywhere :

Your email signature
Social media bios
Linktr.ee
LinkedIn headline and About section
Business cards
Social media posts (add to your monthly content rotation)
Even on a car magnet if you’re feeling bold

Also think offline—flyers, postcards, co-marketing with partners, and QR codes you can flash at networking events.

Pro tip: Keep a QR code image handy on your phone for quick shares!

3. Turn conversations into invitations

If you’re chatting with someone at a sales call or a coffee meet-up, don’t make it weird. Be curious about what they do and see if you can offer a valuable idea, tip, or connection. Then just casually invite them:

"I send out a short, helpful email every month with tips like these—want me to add you?"

It feels more personal, less salesy. Follow up with a quick and personal email – maybe even forward a past edition – and add "Great chatting! Here's what you can expect from my emails."

4. Host a free mini-workshop or office hours

Pick a small topic your people care about and host a short, helpful session. To attend, they sign up with their email, simple as that.

Bonus: Record the session and offer it afterward as a subscriber-only bonus. (More value!)

5. Then, offer the replay

After your event, post on social media that replay access is available – but ONLY – for your private email community… and include an invitation to sign up right away to get in, and get the replay.

You can even add a shareable nudge: "Know someone who would love this? Forward the signup link to them!"

Super Pro Tip: Share a quick testimonial from someone who attended live to add a little social proof.

6. Create a fun quiz

People love quizzes—especially ones that tell them something about themselves. (These can be offered on your website or via social media or other outreach methods described above.)

Here’s an example of one we helped to launch for the innovative organization pro Lisa Menees: SOS by Lisa’s Organizational Style Quiz. https://sosbylisa.com/organizational-style-quiz/

When people complete your quiz, deliver the juicy results (either their own, or a tallied results report if applicable) via email – if it’s an ongoing quiz offer, you could position this with a “current trends” angle and share results, say, quarterly. (If you can weave in your service offerings naturally based on the results, even better!)

7. Offer a “starter kit” or “experience”

Springboarding from #1, give people a taste of your magic by positioning your valuable item as a starter kit, not just a plain old “newsletter.”

Example: “Get my Quickstart Guide to Stress-Free Mornings + a 3-part email series to help you wake up smiling.”

When you frame it as an experience, not just another inbox item you also lay the groundwork for how you’ll serve people when you’re working with them one-on-one. And people crave experiences, not just information.

8. Use stories and polls with a call-to-action

Create a social media story, or post a mini poll, then invite people to DM you for the good stuff:

"Want the checklist I mentioned? DM me ‘checklist’ and I’ll send it over!" or
"Curious how I set up my client onboarding system in under 2 hours? Drop your email and I’ll give you a behind-the-scenes peek."

It feels fun and interactive, not like filling out a boring form.

9. Build your email list with fan help: turn your subscribers into your street team

Encourage your existing subscribers to share the love:

Add a “Forward to a Friend” link to your emails – make it bold and genuine enough that people pay attention (don’t resign yourself to the automated line provided by most email platforms)
Run a mini "Invite Challenge"—give a prize to people who get friends to sign up.
Offer an exclusive bonus if they refer a friend.

People trust recommendations from friends way more than ads. Tap into that.

Final Thought

Trying out new ideas on how to build your email list is often about getting creative, and being more personal. What it doesn’t have to be is either desperate or slimy! It’s really just creating helpful things people actually want —and then making it easy for them to say yes.

Which one of these ideas are you going to try first? (We’d love to hear!)

Email Marketing Made Simple: Should You Use a CRM or an Email Platform?

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 19:57:09 GMT

The moment has arrived—you’ve finally decided you need to communicate with your customers or clients more effectively and efficiently. Congratulations! This is a huge step in customer retention and keeping your brand top of mind.

But now you’re faced with a dilemma: there are so many options for sending emails.

A quick Google search for “Best Software for Sending Email” will pull up countless recommendations, each claiming to be the best. You’ll also notice two different types of services: CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and Email Marketing Platforms .

So, what’s the difference, and which one is right for you?

Let’s break it down by looking at two business owners, Emily and Caroline.

Meet Emily and Caroline

Emily is a massage therapist who also offers meditation classes. Caroline runs a home renovation business with several employees who communicate regularly with her customers.

Both businesses provide services, but their needs are different. Emily’s massage business will likely benefit more from an Email Marketing Platform , while Caroline’s renovation business is better suited for a CRM .

CRM: A Central Hub for Customer Relationships

A CRM (Customer Relationship Management system) is a comprehensive platform designed to help businesses track leads, manage customer interactions, and streamline communication across teams. Some popular CRMs include HubSpot, Salesforce, and Zoho .

How Caroline Uses a CRM

Caroline’s business relies on managing multiple customer interactions throughout a renovation project’s lifecycle. She collects contact information through an interest form on her website, then moves leads through different stages: Consult → Quote → Contract → Building .

A CRM helps Caroline and her team:

Track all communications (email, text, phone calls) in one place.
Keep customer details and interactions visible to all team members.
Automate follow-ups and task assignments.
Generate reports for budgeting and forecasting.

Can a CRM Send Marketing Emails?

Yep! Many CRMs have built-in email marketing features, though they may not be as robust as dedicated email platforms. CRMs are powerful, but they often come with a learning curve and a higher price tag.

Email Marketing Platforms: Keeping Customers Engaged

Emily doesn’t need all the bells and whistles of a CRM. She simply wants to keep her clients informed about her meditation classes and massage specials.

An Email Marketing Platform like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or MailerLite is a better fit because it focuses on:

Sending newsletters and promotions.
Designing branded emails easily.
Segmenting contacts for targeted campaigns (e.g., only messaging clients interested in meditation classes).

Emily appreciates that her platform was intuitive and easy to use, whereas Caroline had to invest time in her CRM's tutorials to fully leverage its capabilities.

Why You Can’t Just Use Gmail

At some point, we’ve all tried sending a mass email from a personal Gmail or Outlook account. Unfortunately, these platforms are designed for one-on-one communication. Sending bulk emails this way can:

Flag your email as spam,
Violate email marketing laws,
Even get your account shut down!

Legal compliance is required when sending marketing emails. CRMs and Email Marketing Platforms ensure you stay compliant with laws like:

CAN-SPAM Act (U.S.) – Requires truthful subject lines, one-click unsubscribe, and a physical mailing address.
GDPR (EU) – Requires consent to collect data and transparency on how data is used.
CCPA (California) – Similar to GDPR, promoting good data privacy practices for all businesses.

Pros and Cons of CRMs vs. Email Marketing Platforms

CRM

✅ Comprehensive customer management
✅ Task automation and workflows
✅ Sales pipeline tracking
✅ Integrates with other business tools
✅ Shared communication for teams
❌ Higher cost
❌ Steeper learning curve
❌ Overkill for simple email needs
❌ Email features may be limited

Email Marketing Platform

✅ Easy to use
✅ Optimized for email campaigns and newsletters
✅ Budget-friendly
✅ Higher deliverability rates
✅ Great for list-building and lead generation
❌ Limited customer data management
❌ No in-depth sales tracking
❌ Doesn’t track phone calls or other communications
❌ May require switching to a CRM as business grows

So, Which One Is Right for You?

If you need full customer relationship management, automation, and team collaboration, go for a CRM (like Caroline). If your primary goal is sending newsletters and marketing emails, stick with an Email Marketing Platform (like Emily).

Whichever you choose, the important thing is taking that first step toward better communication with your customers. And that, my friend, is worth celebrating!

Need help developing your next email campaign?

Send us a message: https://beaconcreativelab.com/contact/

5 Ways to Break Through the Holiday Noise and Boost End of Year Sales

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 21:59:00 GMT

Service businesses often fight for dollars and airtime during the 6 big shopping weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year – so we put our thinking caps on and came up with 5 strategies that can give your business an edge and boost holiday sales. Choose the one that suits your style the best, or bundle them for even more impact.

The Soft Sell: Highlight Stories of Impact and Client Success

Share “Year in Review” stories, case studies, or testimonials that highlight how your service has made a difference for clients. Yours can be shared as videos, blog posts, or a mini-series on social media. Give it a consistent look, in line with your branding; consider giving the series its own logo, badge or header.

Why does it work? These stories build emotional connection and trust by showcasing real benefits. Your stories provide credibility and serve as social proof, especially valuable during the crowded holiday period when trust is key. This is the ultimate soft sell – IF you remember to keep the focus on your clients’ experience, and keep your role as “guide” vs “hero.”

The Excitement Builder: Launch a ‘Countdown to New Year’ Mini-Campaign

Run a series of short, engaging posts, ads, or emails over a set period (e.g., “12 Days of Tips” or “Countdown to a Better Year”) that showcases useful information or insights related to the service. Each day can feature a tip, a testimonial, a flash sale, a bonus-with-purchase deal, or simply a holiday-inspired call to action.

For best results, don’t just fizzle out at the end, build to something exciting. You might bundle the campaign with an engagement motivator like a prize drawing for those who follow, share, like or comment. Or make a plan to launch a new service or package at the end of the countdown, and schedule a live (in person or virtual) announcement with limited availability only to followers or clients, or an introductory bonus or special pricing.

Why does it work? Regular, bite-sized content with a fun spin boosts holiday sales by building awareness, keeping your business top of mind, and reinforces the value of your services in a way that doesn’t feel like a hard sell.

The Reinvented Classic: Create a Limited-Time Holiday Offer with Added Value

Develop a holiday-exclusive package or bonus that aligns with your business's core services – maybe a “New Year, New You” consultation bundle, or a discounted holiday maintenance or planning package. Consider co-partnering with a business for an added-value element that will delight buyers, while also expanding your reach. BOGOs (buy-one-get-one) or Buy-5-Get-1-Free-for-Yourself offers can fit if your service is gift-able.

Why does it work? People are already in a spending mindset but often look for deals and added value. Presenting a time-limited offer gives a compelling reason to act now.

The Go Getter: Create a New Year Vision Offer with Early Bird Incentives

Many services can leverage (or incite people to) urgency and motivation with a “Start the Year Right” campaign that encourages clients to get a jump on the new year, and even greet it in a better position, with the help of your services. Appeal to their pride by flattering them for their dedication, grit, or higher vision by starting now, during the holiday season. Offer early-bird discounts or bonuses gradually decreasing in value as you get closer to December 31.

Why does it work: The holiday season may be hectic and full of parties, but for many it’s also full of reflection and forward planning. This type of offer appeals to customers’ desire to start the new year fresh and organized, while also creating urgency around limited-time savings.

The Give to Gain: Offer a Giftable Service Package with Personalization

Bundle your service in a giftable format that customers can purchase for friends, family, or colleagues. Include a custom certificate or card for that personal touch, and offer complimentary follow-up consultations in the new year. Make it extra special…

Why does it work? Many people look for meaningful, experience-based gifts during the holidays. This approach gives you a chance to reach new clients and makes your services feel like a thoughtful, high-value gift option.

It’s hard to break through in the holidays, but by focusing on relationship-building, storytelling, and adding a dash of urgency, you can ensure you stay top-of-mind and relevant during the holiday season – and set yourself up for a strong start in the New Year, too!

If you’d like help planning or implementing your holiday or post-holiday campaigns to boost holiday sales in social media, email, or even direct mail, just have your elf reach out to our elf ��.

How an Ad Campaign Can Help Your Business

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:14:12 GMT

And help you reach your business goals

Here’s how an ad campaign can help you reach your business goals. In this article we’ll shed light on one of the fundamental principles that pros use to help focus and measure their clients’ marketing efforts, and how it can help you, too.

A campaign is like a spotlight on your business, helping to highlight what makes your service special and why customers should choose you. By crafting a focused message and delivering it to the right audience at the right time, a campaign can boost awareness, attract new clients, and strengthen relationships with your current clients!

Think of it as a way to connect with people who need your services, but who might not know you exist yet—or a way to remind those who already know you why they should keep coming back.

With clear goals and a well-executed plan, a campaign can drive more inquiries, bookings, or sales, ultimately helping you grow your revenue and achieve your business goals.

You already market your business; an ad campaign can help you focus more

Your regular marketing efforts are more about keeping a steady presence; an advertising campaign is a concentrated burst of energy designed to give a bump in awareness and action, often focused on a particular aspect of your overall message .

Your ongoing marketing might involve things like maintaining your website, posting on social media, and sending out newsletters—these activities keep your business visible and engaged with your audience over time.
An advertising campaign, on the other hand, is a targeted, time-bound effort with specific goals, such as launching a new service, promoting a special offer, or driving more bookings during a slow season. It’s designed to grab attention quickly and generate a strong response.

While your regular marketing builds and maintains relationships, an ad campaign can help you make a bigger impact in a short period, giving your business the extra push it needs to reach specific objectives.

How do you figure out the right messaging, channels, and timing for your campaign?

It’s a mix of understanding your audience, knowing your goals, and leveraging the unique strengths of your business. Here are 3 key questions you’ll want to address:

1. What’s the message you want people to remember?

Start by identifying what makes your service stand out. What are the key benefits your customers value most?

Think of your message as the “why” behind your campaign—why should someone choose your service right now? What is it that they want to have be different in their life, home, work, relationship (whatever area you assist with). An ad campaign can help you bring that message to life.

Ideally you’ll help people see the truth of your message through a combination of images and words. You don’t have to be complicated or overly imaginative, but if you’re able to think of a clever or catchy idea, it may be more likely to stick in people’s minds. That’s why jingles often work, or playful taglines.

Here are a few famous examples:

The Chik-fil-A “Eat More Chikin” campaign, with its cows encouraging us to choose chicken sandwiches over beef. They also have a campaign sharing stories between customers and staff, highlighting the extraordinary service reputation they’re always striving for.
Dove’s has had several campaigns to support their natural beauty mission. Most recently, their Reverse Selfie campaign promotes girls’ beauty needing no filter – something that will appeal to both girls and their moms.

Brainstorming your campaign is where the fun begins! An ad campaign can help most when you clearly communicate your benefits, your style, and address one key pain point your target audience might have. Speak directly to their needs and show how your service is the solution!

2. Where will you publish your campaign?

Where, online or off, does your target audience spend their time?

If they’re active on social media, that’s where you should be.
If they prefer email, focus on an email campaign.
If you’re hyper local, consider adding in sponsorships or direct mail.

Different channels have different strengths—social media is great for engagement and building awareness, while email can be more personal and direct, and sponsorships connect you to your community and mutual interests/values, and direct mail can give you an opportunity to convey more information one-on-one.

Consider a mix of channels; that’s where an ad campaign can help extend your audience reach. Put your campaign where they’re most likely to see and respond to your message!

3. When’s the best time to run a campaign?

Timing can be crucial for a campaign’s success. Look at your business cycles—when are you typically busiest, and when could you use a boost? Align your campaign with these periods.

Also, consider external factors like holidays, seasonal trends, or industry events that might influence your audience’s behavior. The goal is to launch your campaign when your audience is most likely to be receptive and when it will have the greatest impact.

These 3 basics will help you focus your efforts. You’ll want to track results, too, of course.

The many ways of tracking campaign success is beyond the scope of today’s article, but at the very least you’ll want to measure your sales and audience sizes before and after your campaign. Including specific calls-to-action, sign-up forms and/or “buy” or “book” buttons and QR codes are among the many other layers you can implement to help track results and evaluate your campaign’s success.

By carefully aligning your What, Where, and When (messaging, channels, and timing), you can create an ad campaign that not only reaches your audience but resonates with them in a way that drives action.

If you’d like to learn more about how an ad campaign can help you, or put our team’s imagination and strategy to work creating a campaign for your service business, book a call today !

Video Why Aren't People Getting My Emails

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 00:08:05 GMT

6 Fixes for Better Delivery Rates

If you’re scratching your head, wondering “why aren’t people getting my emails?”, this is the post for you! 6 fixes you can implement to increase your email deliverability, and get more people opening and reading your valuable emails.

Crafting More Effective Content for Your Customer Journey

Mon, 25 May 2020 23:58:47 GMT

The A-C-Ds of Client Connection

There are plenty of ways to go about crafting more effective content for your Customer Journey. Today we’re looking at a few top tips to help you shape yours.

Visitors will be coming to your site with different levels of awareness about what you do and how it might apply to them, so it’s important to offer content for each of the major stages.

These will differ depending on your business, but in general they fall into 3 broad stages: Awareness, Consideration and Decision. Your goal, and the questions (from the buyer’s point of view) that I like to get people strategizing about are:

Attraction: There’s something I’d like to change… what is your industry or area of focus, its services/products and how can it help me with my challenge, gap or goal? Help me figure this out…
Consideration: Maybe this is the answer for me… How are your solutions different, and better for me? Show me!
Delight: This looks like a good fit… How can I buy and use your solutions? Make it easy and wonderful (and keep on doing it)!

Let’s look at some practical, tactical ideas for approaching these:

Crafting more effective content for the Attraction stage

What is your industry or area of focus, its services/products and how can it help me with my challenge, gap or goal? Help me figure this out…

Quizzes, self-tests and aspirational/inspirational content are helpful for prospects at this stage. FAQs and chatbots are also useful.
Consider a “start here” section on your home page and website; maybe use some of this content as a pinned post in social.
Emails at this stage will likely focus on building rapport, trust and connection, not much selling; gather information to help develop segmentation that can help you be more effective as readers move into the next phase.

… the Consideration stage

How are your solutions different, and better for me? SHOW me!

Small, targeted examples of your work help here: e-classes or books, webinars, samples, case studies and white papers, templates.
Consider listing key challenge, gap or goal statements in a prominent place, with links to top content that guide them through your desired buyer journey (one example might be from free, to low-cost DIY education, to live group classes, to one-on-one services)
Emails at this stage will start to incorporate some selling messages, engaging your readers with you and your systems and tools — hopefully targeted by what you’ve learned at earlier stages. Reinforce their smart decisions with testimonials and case studies.

… and the Delight stage

How can I buy and use your solutions? Make it easy and wonderful (and keep on doing it)!

This stage is usually the longest, extending way past purchase; early on it’s about where and how you describe, price, package and actually sell your services and products. Do they “get it”?
Remember the Beacon approach: broach with benefits, solve with solutions, finish feature-full.
A great tip from two smart biz consultants I like, Joe Matz and Sylvia Ink (tell ’em your friend Wendy sent you!): give a little thought to whether any custom quoted services MUST be handled that way… or if they could be rolled into a 6- or 12-month program, club or subscription service that factors in the process of customizing? This could help reduce decision fatigue, among other benefits.
Emails at this stage are designed not only to remind clients that you’re here, but to continue to serve with new and helpful information, services and products to help them be successful. How can you continually renew their “raving fan” opinion?

Ready to brainstorm some other options for your business? Just contact us .

Need A Topic for Your Wellness Blog

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 23:42:19 GMT

10 Topic Ideas for Wellness & Health Providers

Need a topic for your wellness blog or email? Today we’ve got 10 strong topics for you! They’ll work equally well for healthcare pros and coaches, too. Put your spin on these themes and you’ll serve both your clients AND your business.

Generating fresh topics can be a chore at the best of times. Right now it may seem even tougher. Some businesses are unsure about how to communicate with their clients and patients. They flip between concern that they’ll be perceived as hijacking disaster for their own benefit, and fear of losing precious momentum as the days slip by.

The greater risk for you and, by extension, for your clients, right now is losing momentum. Remember, if your business fails, you can’t help them later!

Deliver topics that will be of value to your clients (10 topic ideas below). And avoid negative perception by being both pure in your motive, and caring in your delivery. I’m assuming if you’re reading this your motives are good. So I’ll just share 3 helpful tips for delivery tone:

Be human. Be present. Be of value.

It sounds corny, but you build a bond by sharing your caring.

Be human: Show your human side by writing to them as a person, sharing your individual thoughts, not just business speak. Your outreach is an inclusive gesture, and that alone can be comforting and positive.
Be present: Acknowledge where we are, the range of how they may be feeling, and how you and/or your team are feeling. That’s how you connect, but you don’t have to dwell on it. Instead…
Be of value: Use this moment to help lift them from the low parts of the current situation, remind them of the future, help share new information, insights, tips, reflections, stories.

10 topic ideas ripe for your unique style or “Twist”

This situation is likely to be with us for some time, so I’m starting you off with 10 topics. If you like time blocking (and I hope you do) you can develop them in a batch.

They’ll be distinct from other providers’ content because of your unique angle, or what Ann Handley of MarketingProfs.com calls your Twist (I love that, and them!).

Special request! If you put any of these out to your audience, please add me to your list so I can share my kudos to you publicly! (And if you want help writing it, I’d sure appreciate it if you’d contact me for that.)

Share a resource , such as the name and your takeaways from a book, magazine or article, blog or podcast you love and recommend, along with why.
Share a strategy , for how YOU handle work or personal stress — what is your go-to strategy? Or what are your top 5, 7 or 10 tips? (Yes, numbered articles or “listicles” are very popular.)
Bust a myth that you’ve discovered or know that patients have (pandemic-related or not, but ideally related to your speciality).
Arrange for a special “thank you” an offer, bundle or other special arranged in partnership with another provider(s). This is particularly helpful if your business or practice has had to shut down. Partnering could be your saving grace for the future.
Tips for health and safety related to your discipline — not necessarily from this particular virus, but perhaps related to the situation: What not-so-hot things might people be doing (or not doing) right now? How can you inform, remind, encourage them for better outcomes?
Special services or products you offer — is there something new you’ve developed, acquired or are sharing? A “shelter-at-home” short term option?
Judiciously share your guidance and/or reflections on topics of interest to your target patients, but outside your specific practice area. Of course you won’t want to mislead or overstep your knowledge, but as a health professional you may have insight they don’t have. Are there questions you’d ask if you were them, or ways you could point them in the right direction for more information?
Offer suggestions for when to speak with you about helpful products or services you offer that are not as well known — you might segment you list for this one, or ask for their help in spreading the word (people are more eager than ever to help support their local businesses and providers now!)
Reveal a little something about yourself: why did you choose this specific work in which to help and care for people? Yes, people love a good story, especially about those with generous hearts and motives.
Share something about why you chose them: why did you choose this target audience to help and care for? Even more than a good story about you, they’ll love a good story about someone like them.

You can help grow the relationship with your clients or patients through regularly adding value, being appropriately present in their lives, and doing so in a way that’s completely human-to-human. Don't hold back -- share!