#Automate Your Marketing Activities

[maraschinomerry]

Distracted

Pairings: Anthony Lockwood x fem!reader

Summary: Locked in a room with the boy who has the relic you've been hunting, you try whatever you can to get it back.

Content: fight scene, flirting and making out, a bit suggestive but nothing explicit

A/N: requested by @superpositvecloudshipper - hope you like it! Also can you tell it's my day off with the way this is my third fic in less than 12 hours lol

Word count: 1.9k

As yet another auction came to an abrupt end, the crowded room filling with screams and alarms, Lockwood began to wonder if he was developing a track record.

He was there for a book, written at the very beginning of the Problem, which George insisted would be invaluable in the case they'd just accepted and which DEPRAC were determined to put into secure storage. Nobody had seen it for years, but a week ago it had been listed as the star item at Fothergills Auction House. It wasn't anything as serious as the Bone Glass, but the team had still had to blag their way into the auction with a pocket of tricks each and an unofficial nod from Barnes to do whatever was necessary to prevent the book from winding up on the black market.

So it was that Lockwood found himself surging through the throng of panicked auction-goers, scrambling to escape Lucy's recently detonated smoke bomb. He could barely see through the mass of bodies, made worse by the cloud of dark grey fumes and the pulsing red light of the alarm system. It was only a matter of time before the sprinklers activated. He had to get the book before then.

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted an unusual movement - another figure fighting against the tide of bodies. Probably a relic man with more greed than sense, but at least they'd thought to put their hood up and draw a scarf across their mouth to protect against the smoke. Lockwood pressed forward with increasing urgency.

He reached the podium seconds before the mysterious figure, snatching the book and giving in to the urge to throw his pursuer a triumphant grin. They swore, drowned out by the alarm as it shifted in pitch to indicate the activation of the water sprinklers. Lockwood tucked the book into his coat and bolted for the nearest door, the other person hot on his heels.

Overhead, an automated voice alternated with the alarms.

"Defence alert. Room cleared. Initiating lockdown procedure."

Oh no.

—

You forced your way through the crowd, eyes trained on the book. It would fetch you a pretty penny and give you an advantage over a group of relic men who were giving you grief. As you reached the podium, you stumbled to a halt at the sight of a scrawny dark-haired boy clutching the book. Your book. You scowled, expression deepening as he gave you a bright victory smirk. Well, that was that. No way were you letting him leave here without getting the book. As he sprinted for the door on the left, you followed.

Too late, you realised the door the boy ahead had chosen was not the one for the offices, but for a storage cupboard which would usually have held the items for auction but now was almost bare. Too late, you noticed there were no other doors or windows, just the one that had now sealed behind you.

"I swear," he growled, hand on his rapier, "don’t come any closer. There's nowhere to go and I've fought enough relic men that if you want to get out of here alive you'll keep your distance."

You scoffed, a higher sound than Lockwood was expecting.

"Excuse you, relic man? Presumptuous much?" As you spoke, your scarf shifted to reveal plump red lips, and in one smooth movement you tugged down your hood, scooping the mane of windswept hair it concealed into a messy ponytail.

Lockwood froze for a second before switching on his trademark charisma. No sense in making enemies straight away, besides the more he looked the more he realised there was little room to use his rapier without risking self-injury.

"I meant no offence, I thought Flo Bones was the only relic woman."

You'd heard of Flo, of course, but didn't run in the same circles. She was a one-man, well, one-woman band, except for whoever this guy was it seemed. You tended to keep to yourself, but occasionally took advantage of the more simpering relic men who were so desperate for a woman to look their way that they'd give you anything, making you the leather-clad rogue to Flo's knitted outcast.

"Easy mistake to make, darling, but it won't happen again." You returned his charm with your own, thinly veiling the threat behind your words. "Just give me the book and we can both go on our merry ways."

"I don't think so." He dropped the act in a flash, gripping the book.

Your scowl returned. "Fine. That door's not budging, so I've got time to change your mind."

Without warning, you lunged, catching him off-guard enough that he almost lost his footing. To your dismay, he recovered quickly, pushing you back to give him time to adopt a defensive stance. He was trained, then. Probably from agent work, judging by the rapier. By the book, though. Time to see if he fought dirty.

A scroll of paper was about the only thing left on the shelf beside you, but it would have to do. With a grunt, you tossed it past his shoulder, and as he watched it sail past (no doubt questioning your aim, as you'd planned), you used his distraction to slip closer and force him backwards into a shelf. He cried out as the metal bit into his back and for a moment you hesitated. The boy was only young, he looked about your age, and he wasn't bad looking at that. You could have been in his place in another life, or he in yours. Or both of you on the same team, fighting off some other scoundrel. Unknowingly, you eased off the pressure on his shoulders.

Big mistake.

Lockwood shoved you once more, finally deciding to bring the fight to him and reaching for his rapier. You couldn't allow that, but you were running out of ideas. So you did the only thing you could think of: whipped off your jacket and hurled it directly at his face. The boy was quick, though, you had to give him credit, as he batted it away like a pesky fly. Suddenly he was in your space, hands locking around your now bare wrists and foot snaking out to knock your feet from under you. You fell, unable to stop yourself, but with his grip still on you he lowered you almost gently to the floor, arms pinned above your head and his weight straddling your thighs to keep you from lashing out. He did fight dirty. Interesting.

Your breath was heavy, both from the fight and from finding yourself in such close quarters with the young man. With nowhere to turn, you finally got a proper look at your rival. His dark eyes were trained on you, filled with a mixture of anger, respect and something else. His previously coiffed hair now fell haphazardly across his forehead, and his face was flushed. Still had that insufferable smirk, though.

"I think," you paused to catch your breath, "we got off on the wrong foot. Care to start again?" Your hands were still pinned, hanging loosely against the cold stone floor, but you brought one up in as close to a handshake as circumstances would allow. He didn't take it.

"Who are you?" he asked bluntly.

"Does it matter?"

"Depends."

"On?"

"What you want with the book."

"Let's call it personal insurance."

"I see."

"Do you, darling?" You'd met his type before - rich, cocky, scornful of anyone who'd fallen into the relic hunter lifestyle to keep themselves alive. Then again, he seemed to know that other girl Flo well enough, and he hadn't given any indication he disliked you beyond having the same target, and really it was very hard to form any other opinions of him when his pelvis was practically on top of yours.

He leaned a little closer, pressing your wrists more. "I'm not your darling, darling." The last word came out low and husky, and you resisted the urge to squirm beneath him. It wouldn't do to give him any more of an upper hand just yet, not that there was much more he could get.

"You could be, if you wanted, the position you're in." You'd been watching him through your lashes, but with those words you allowed your gaze to slide down to his lips as your own parted slightly.

Lockwood took the hint.

His kiss was passionate, almost frantic, and you returned it equally. To get low enough to reach your lips, his hips had bucked into yours, and as you gasped at the sensation his tongue darted in. He tasted like bergamot tea. One hand never left where he was keeping you pinned, but the other came round to support the small of your back as you arched into him. Eventually (it took him long enough, distracted as he was when you dragged your teeth across his lower lip), he realised he was supporting all his weight on your wrists, and he propped himself on his other hand and let go. With this newfound freedom, you pushed yourself off the ground, leaning into him until he was sitting back on his feet, your legs still under him but torsos upright and pressed together.

Now on a more even playing field, you were able to have a bit more fun. Not that you were going to complain about the original position, to be fair. It had certainly made things interesting. In the back of your mind you registered that the sirens outside had stopped, but you still had time to kill.

You slid your hands up his chest to the collar of his coat, sliding it down until it gathered around his remarkably firm biceps, then loosened his tie. All the while, your lips never left his, kissing him hungrily. He responded by reaching up and removing the tie from your hair. One hand travelled back down to your waist, the other twisted into your hair with a playful tug. You gasped against his mouth again, tugging his tie which brought him up off his heels. The pressure eased from your legs, and in one swift movement you pulled them through the gap.

As your legs disappeared from under him, Lockwood found himself leaning back with you taking position above. Your hair cascaded around your face, tickling his ears, and he broke the kiss for breath and to stare up at you in wonder. His hand left your hair to support himself, but you adjusted to balance yourself so your hands could slide into his coat and around his waist.

"Well, that's certainly not how I expected this auction to end, but I can't say I'm disappointed," he chuckled.

"Me neither." Behind you the door hissed as the automatic lock disengaged. Abruptly, Lockwood felt your hands retract from within his coat and he dropped painfully onto his elbows. You stood, brushing yourself off and retrieving your jacket, which you slung over your shoulder. At the same time as Lockwood realised his coat felt significantly lighter, he noticed the book tucked under your arm.

"This has been fun, we should do it again some time," you said with a wink as you stepped through the door.

Lockwood scrambled to his feet. By the time he made it to the doorway, the auction room was empty. You'd gone, and so had the book.

He didn't know which he was more disappointed about.

[wickedsnack-art]

Can I ask about your online selling experience? I know you're moving away from Etsy (and I don't blame you!) but just curious about what's worked/what hasn't. Trying to help my mom sell her art but like. She's older and I have never sold art online and can't give her any advice.

Please feel free to tag other artists selling their work as well! Thank you 🙏

Oh I have to be honest I am probably not the best person to ask about this as it's something I've definitely struggled with myself! I will say for what it's worth that I've been seeing a lot of artists struggling lately; no matter how "popular" an artist is, many seem to be reporting sales that are lower than expected even if market research/interest checks/preorders were done.

Everyone is struggling financially right now---it's been this way for YEARS---and art is one of the first luxuries to go.

That said, Etsy worked well for me for a long time. If your mom isn't doing fanart, she should be fine, because my biggest issue with them arose about the fact that I was selling fanart. Some tips I have;

USE EVERY TAG. Etsy has, if I recall correctly, 13 tags you can put on an individual item. Use all 13. Use them for alternative words for what you're selling (if it's a sticker, tag it as a decal, if it's a print, tag it as a poster). Think about who you think would buy this and what weird search terms they may use to try to find it, and think about alternative uses for the item (a trinket dish might also be an ashtray).

HAVE DESCRIPTIVE TITLES. Put the most important words first so people can see what they're getting right away, but don't be afraid of slightly longer titles. Honestly my titles could've and should've been longer, like Sailor Moon Art Nouveau Digital Art Poster Print Multiple Sizes or something.

RUN SALES OFTEN. Even if it's just 10-15% off people will buy something they've been eying for a while when there's a sale, or they'll feel more eager to buy something they've just found if it's on sale.

USE ETSY'S AUTOMATED DISCOUNT OFFERS. Etsy can automatically send a discount code to people who have interacted with your shop, use it. I made more sales from the automated 10% off code sent to people who favorited items than my monthly Patreon discount.

USE ETSY FREE SHIPPING. Shipping via Etsy is pretty cheap, and activating the "free shipping on orders over $35" will boost your spot in the algorithm, will boost the likelihood that people will order from you, and will boost the average cart size of people that order from you.

I RECOMMEND PRINTFUL. I used Printful for selling my larger prints, but they also offer other items if you want to branch out. If you don't want to get in trouble with Etsy, make sure you register it as a manufacturing partner and assign every item that Printful makes for you. Dropshipping on Etsy is a problem, but the problem is people who steal art or use AI to generate images to sell. I don't personally see a problem with someone who makes their art themselves going through a print shop to sell products they don't have the means to create at home. If you don't want to do that, you can check out inprnt. I haven't used them, but many other people have and seem to like it well enough.

SHIP THROUGH ETSY. It doesn't take very long to set up a shipping profile for your items, and it makes shipping easier and cheaper. As long as you get your items out on time, you'll get their shipping star or whatever very quickly and easily and maintain it without problem. It also has the benefit that if a buyer ever has an issue with the shipping, Etsy is more likely to have your back. If for any reason you can't ship through Etsy, I recommend pirateship. Also!! Be more careful about international shipping than you think you should be. There are a lot of confusing international laws regarding sending items as a corporation to those countries that you may not expect, so before you agree to selling something to a foreign country, make sure you check their laws.

I have also tried having an Instagram shop and I'll be fully honest I don't do what I should do with my Instagram. Maybe other people have more successful Instagram shops, but the process it took for me to get it started compared to how many sales I've made as a result of it (literally ZERO), I would not recommend it.

Shopify is good if you have a following somewhere, because you have to bring all the traffic there yourself. That's the benefit of Etsy and Instagram; they are able to make traffic for you. I've never had a following large enough anywhere to feel like I could run a Shopify of my art. Maybe one day.

I don't personally know a lot of artists who sell online successfully, so if you see this and you fall under that category PLEASE SHARE TIPS!!

[bestaiapplications]

Revolutionize Your Business with Omodore: The AI Assistant That Transforms Operations

Tired of juggling countless tasks and inefficient processes? Omodore, the leading AI Assistant, is here to transform your business operations. This game-changing tool is designed to streamline your workflows, enhance customer interactions, and boost overall efficiency with its advanced AI technology.

Omodore is not just another AI tool—it's a powerful assistant that takes business automation to the next level. Imagine an AI that can handle live customer interactions, manage detailed FAQs, and overcome objections with ease. Omodore’s sophisticated algorithms ensure that your customers receive accurate, timely responses, freeing up your team to focus on strategic activities.

One of Omodore's standout features is its intuitive setup. With just a few clicks, you can create and deploy an AI agent that integrates seamlessly into your existing systems. This agent is equipped with a comprehensive knowledge base, enabling it to address a wide range of customer queries and scenarios. The result? Increased efficiency and improved customer satisfaction.

Beyond customer service, Omodore's capabilities extend to other critical business areas. It helps with automating sales processes, analyzing customer data, and even optimizing marketing strategies. This versatility makes Omodore an invaluable asset for businesses looking to enhance their operations and drive growth.

The AI Assistant's ability to adapt and integrate with various business functions means that it provides actionable insights and support tailored to your specific needs. Whether you’re aiming to improve customer engagement, streamline sales processes, or enhance overall operational efficiency, Omodore is equipped to help you achieve your goals.

Ready to take your business to the next level? Explore how Omodore can revolutionize your operations by visiting Omodore. Experience the future of business efficiency with the AI Assistant that delivers unmatched performance and results.

[acceptccnow]

Efficient Credit Card Processing for Subscription-Based Models

Article by Jonathan Bomser | CEO | Accept-Credit-Cards-Now.com

In the rapidly evolving digital realm, businesses demand a dependable and effective credit card processing system, especially when engaged in subscription-based models. Credit card acceptance isn't just a matter of convenience; it's a strategic necessity that fuels expansion and ensures smooth financial transactions. In this article, we will delve into the universe of credit card processing, with a particular focus on its pivotal role in subscription-based enterprises.

The Significance of Credit Card Processing It's not just a payment choice; it stands as the gateway to success for subscription-based models. Envision a scenario where your customers confront complex payment procedures, leading to exasperation and eventual abandonment. Proficient payment processing eradicates these hurdles, positioning itself as a critical component of your subscription-based business strategy.

Why Credit Card Processing is Crucial Payment processing in subscription-based models is a fundamental element of customer satisfaction and retention. It guarantees seamless transactions, providing your customers with a fuss-free experience when subscribing to your services. Furthermore, modern payment processing systems incorporate robust security measures, safeguarding sensitive customer data and thwarting fraudulent activities. The automation of recurring billing is indispensable for subscription-based models, guaranteeing punctual payments and minimizing churn rates. Additionally, accepting credit cards broadens your business horizons, breaking down geographical barriers and enabling you to tap into a global audience.

Embracing Credit Cards for High-Risk Ventures For high-risk businesses, securing a reliable payment processing solution is of paramount importance. Whether your operations fall within the CBD industry, credit repair services, or e-commerce niches, you need a high-risk credit card processing system capable of addressing the unique challenges posed by your sector.

Merchant Accounts for High-Risk Enterprises High-risk merchant accounts are tailored explicitly for businesses with an elevated likelihood of chargebacks or fraud. If your subscription-based model falls within this category, obtaining a high-risk merchant account becomes indispensable for sustainable growth.

The E-commerce Advantage In the era of online shopping, e-commerce payment processing is absolutely indispensable. Online enterprises, whether they reside in traditional markets or high-risk domains, rely on efficient e-commerce payment gateways to expedite transactions and ensure customer contentment.

In conclusion, the universe of subscription-based models revolves around proficient credit card processing. It's not just about accepting payments; it's about crafting a smooth and secure experience for your clientele. Whether you operate in a high-risk industry or e-commerce, the right payment processing system can be the cornerstone for sustainable growth and global outreach.

[csvent-2]

@anon looking to not spend money, honestly i think griffia is one of the top cs right now, yeah theres a crazy market for griffsnuff and sindonic designs but other than that you can kinda mind your business.

you get 3 free characters to start, myos are raffled weekly for free if you have a certain trial done, and if you want to just buy a myo ticket from another member theyre selling for around $20 right now

plus the abundance of activities and actual news with development is a plus, the entire ARPG is pretty automated at this point and they arent really restrictive about traits

and tel0din is leaving so its prime time to hop in lmao

🌸

[nurjahan774]

Digital Marketing Strategy

Set Clear Goals and Objectives: The first step in creating a digital marketing strategy is to define clear goals and objectives. These goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Examples include increasing website traffic, generating leads, improving brand awareness, or driving online sales.

2. Understand Your Target Audience: To effectively reach and engage your target audience, it's important to understand their demographics, interests, behaviors, and pain points. Conduct market research, analyze customer data, and create buyer personas to gain insightful information about your target audience. This will help you tailor your digital marketing efforts to resonate with them.

3. Choose the Right Digital Channels: Identify the digital channels that are most relevant to your target audience and align with your marketing goals. Common digital channels include websites, search engines, social media platforms, email marketing, content marketing, mobile apps, and online advertising. Each channel has unique characteristics and advantages, so choose the ones that best suit your business and audience.

4. Develop Content Strategy: Content is at the heart of digital marketing. Create a content strategy that focuses on delivering value to your target audience. Plan and produce high-quality content that aligns with their interests, needs, and preferences. This can include blog articles, videos, infographics, eBooks, webinars, and social media posts. Consistency and relevance are key to establishing thought leadership and building trust with your audience.

5. Optimize for Search Engines: Implement search engine optimization (SEO) strategies to improve your website's visibility in search engine results. Conduct keyword research to identify relevant search terms and optimize your website's on-page elements, such as meta tags, headings, and content. Create high-quality backlinks from reputable websites to boost your website's authority.

6. Leverage Social Media: Utilize social media platforms to connect with your audience, build brand awareness, and foster engagement. Identify the platforms where your target audience is most active and create compelling content tailored to each platform. Engage in conversations, respond to comments, and encourage user-generated content to cultivate a sense of community and brand loyalty.

7. Implement Email Marketing: Email marketing remains an effective way to nurture leads and engage with existing customers. Develop an email marketing strategy that includes personalized and segmented email campaigns. Provide valuable content, offers, and promotions to your subscribers, and automate email sequences to streamline your communication.

8. Monitor, Measure, and Adjust: Regularly monitor the performance of your digital marketing efforts using analytics tools. Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as website traffic, conversion rates, engagement metrics, and ROI. Use the insights gained to identify areas for improvement and make data-driven adjustments to optimize your strategy.

9. Stay Updated and Evolve: The digital marketing landscape is constantly evolving. Stay updated with the latest trends, technologies, and industry best practices. Experiment with new channels and tactics to reach your audience. Continuously adapt your strategy based on market changes and feedback from your audience.

10. Evaluate and Refine: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your digital marketing strategy against your goals. Identify successes, challenges, and areas of improvement. Refine your strategy based on the insights gained to ensure continuous growth and success.

11. In summary, a well-rounded digital marketing strategy involves setting clear goals, understanding your audience, choosing the right channels, creating valuable content, optimizing for search engines, leveraging social media and email marketing, monitoring and measuring performance, staying updated, and evaluating and refining your approach. By following these steps, businesses can effectively harness the power of digital marketing to achieve their objectives and drive sustainable growth.

[rthidden]

Boost Your Agency’s Success with These Simple Strategies

Every small professional service agency owner wants to thrive, but chaos can lurk around every corner. Here’s how to navigate smoothly!

1. Claim Your Niche

Identify what sets you apart from others in the market. Are you the wizard of _______? Your unique niche can be your greatest asset.

Once pinpointed, focus your marketing efforts on that niche. A well-crafted message can attract the right clients faster than a clickbait cat video!

2. Build Strong Relationships

Networking isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a business lifeline. Attend events and don’t forget to follow up! People love to feel remembered.

Consider creating a referral program. Everyone likes a good deal—incentivizing referrals can turn your current clients into our best salespeople.

3. Streamline Your Processes

Evaluate your internal workflows. Are you drowning in paperwork? Use tools like project management software to simplify and automate where possible.

Regularly review your processes to identify bottlenecks. A leaner operation saves time, money, and a few gray hairs along the way!

4. Embrace Continuous Learning

The professional landscape is constantly changing. Invest in online courses or workshops relevant to your field. Knowledge is power—especially when it can help you serve clients better.

Encourage your team to share what they learn. A culture of learning fosters innovation and boosts morale!

5. Leverage Social Proof

Showcase client testimonials and case studies on your website. Prospective clients trust the opinions of others like their favorite barista!

Maintain an active presence on social media platforms where your audience hangs out. Share success stories, behind-the-scenes content, and engage with followers to build a community.

Conclusion and call to action.

Embrace these strategies to steer your professional service agency toward greater success. Start small, pick one point to implement this week, and watch the impact unfold. I’d love to hear your stories or any additional tips you might have—let’s keep the conversation going!

[accountsend]

Optimizing B2B Contact Databases: Strategies for Better Targeting

Article by Jonathan Bomser | CEO | AccountSend.com

As a B2B business, your contact database is one of the most valuable assets you have. It enables targeted sales outreach, precision marketing, and effective lead generation, thus driving sales and growth. In this article, we will explore seven key strategies for enhancing your B2B contact database for superior targeting. By implementing these strategies, you can significantly enhance your targeting, boost conversions, and drive business growth.

DOWNLOAD THE B2B CONTACT DATABASES INFOGRAPHIC HERE

Regularly Cleanse and Update Your Database

A clean and updated B2B contact database is essential for effective sales prospecting and business development. Regularly purge outdated information, remove duplicates, and update existing contact data to maintain accuracy. CRM integration can automate this process, ensuring your database remains current and reliable. By keeping your database clean and up-to-date, you can ensure that your sales and marketing efforts are based on accurate and relevant information.

Segment Your Contact Database

Segmentation is a powerful tool for B2B lead generation and sales prospecting. It involves categorizing your database into distinct groups based on shared characteristics, such as industry type, company size, or role. This facilitates personalized communication, enhancing engagement and conversion rates. By segmenting your contact database, you can tailor your messaging and content to specific audience segments, increasing the relevance and effectiveness of your communication.

Implement a Lead Scoring System

Lead scoring is a crucial aspect of B2B lead generation and sales funnel optimization. It assigns value to each contact based on their potential to convert into a customer. It helps prioritize your outreach, ensuring you focus on high-value leads, which can lead to improved sales opportunities. By implementing a lead scoring system, you can allocate your resources effectively and focus on the leads that are most likely to result in conversions.

Embrace Account-Based Marketing (ABM)

Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is a highly effective B2B marketing strategy that targets specific high-value accounts with customized campaigns. Integrating ABM with your B2B contact database ensures a highly tailored approach, enhancing your chances of winning over key accounts. By aligning your marketing and sales efforts with the specific needs and preferences of target accounts, you can increase engagement and drive business growth.

Leverage Data Analysis

Data analysis is a powerful tool for B2B lead generation and sales prospecting. It helps you uncover invaluable insights into your contacts' behavior and preferences, guiding your marketing and sales strategy. By analyzing data from your B2B contact database, you can make data-driven decisions and optimize your targeting efforts. You can also use data analysis to identify emerging markets and stay ahead of the competition.

Utilize AI for Enhanced Database Management

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way B2B businesses manage their contact databases. AI-powered systems can automate tasks like data cleansing, lead scoring, and market segmentation, leaving your team free to focus on creating effective sales and marketing strategies. By leveraging AI technology, you can improve the efficiency and accuracy of your database management processes, saving time and resources.

Adopt a Continuous Improvement Approach

Data management is not a one-time activity. Consistently review your strategies and update them based on performance data and evolving market trends. This will keep your database agile and ensure your targeting remains effective. By continuously improving your B2B contact database and refining your targeting strategies, you can stay ahead of the competition and drive ongoing business growth.

In summary, optimizing your B2B contact database involves regular updates, effective segmentation, lead scoring, ABM, data analysis, AI integration, and a continuous improvement mindset. These strategies, when implemented correctly, can significantly enhance your targeting, boost conversions, and drive business growth. By leveraging the power of a well-optimized B2B contact database, you can unlock the full potential of your sales and marketing efforts.

[growthuper]

5 Tips to Grow and Expand Your Business

Growing and expanding your business requires strategic planning, consistent effort, and the ability to adapt to changing market conditions. Here are five tips to help you achieve business growth:

1. Enhance Your Online Presence

Develop a Professional Website: Ensure your website is user-friendly, mobile-responsive, and optimized for search engines (SEO).

Leverage Social Media: Utilize platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter to engage with your audience, promote your products or services, and build brand awareness.

Content Marketing: Create valuable content such as blog posts, videos, and infographics that address your audience's needs and interests. This can drive traffic to your site and establish your authority in your industry.

2. Focus on Customer Experience

Understand Customer Needs: Conduct surveys, gather feedback, and analyze customer behavior to better understand their needs and preferences.

Improve Customer Service: Ensure your customer service is top-notch. Prompt responses, personalized interactions, and going the extra mile can turn customers into loyal advocates.

Loyalty Programs: Implement loyalty programs to reward repeat customers, encouraging them to continue doing business with you.

3. Expand Your Product or Service Line

Market Research: Conduct thorough market research to identify gaps in the market or areas where customer demand is high.

Innovation: Develop new products or services that complement your existing offerings. Innovate based on customer feedback and market trends.

Test and Iterate: Before a full-scale launch, test new offerings with a small segment of your audience, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments.

4. Form Strategic Partnerships

Identify Potential Partners: Look for businesses that complement your own and have a similar target audience.

Mutual Benefits: Create partnerships that offer mutual benefits, such as co-marketing efforts, joint ventures, or bundled offerings.

Networking: Attend industry events, join business associations, and actively network to form valuable connections that can lead to partnerships and growth opportunities.

5. Invest in Technology and Automation

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems: Implement a CRM system to manage customer interactions, sales, and marketing efforts more efficiently.

Marketing Automation: Use marketing automation tools to streamline your email marketing, social media posting, and lead generation activities.

Data Analytics: Invest in data analytics to track key performance indicators (KPIs), understand market trends, and make data-driven decisions.

[owens-design]

Putting Customers First in the Custom Automation Equipment Development Process

As a leading custom automation equipment solution provider in the semiconductor metrology and inspection, medical devices, and emerging technologies, we have witnessed how the relentless pursuit of technical excellence—prioritizing streamlined processes and criteria fit—can inadvertently overshadow the deeper needs customers.

That is why this article focuses on the importance of understanding customer needs from the beginning. By embracing a holistic approach and redirecting the focus towards customer needs, stronger relationships are developed, exceptional experiences are delivered, and mutual success is achieved.

Exploring Strategic Objectives: The Foundation of Understanding

Steering teams towards a more strategic understanding of our customers, instead of superficial interactions, is an important duty as company leaders. It’s important to inspire teams to learn what customers really need and what is important to them instead of over-focusing on technical specifications. This can be accomplished by, "What do you want to achieve?" or "What would a successful outcome look like?" These answers will reveal a deeper understanding of customer needs, beyond what lies upon the surface.

Typical goals include:

Commercialization of a product concept

Accelerated time-to-market

Scaling manufacturing

Strategic objectives can be broader and include corporate, user or environmental goals. The more all high-level objectives are known, the stronger the potential partnership.

Empathy Is Key

Nurturing an atmosphere of empathy within our institutions is crucial to be effective leaders. We must prioritize customer concerns and fears with sincerity and understanding. Doing so will lead to a comprehensive knowledge of their expectations, build trust, and open the door for tailored solutions.

Asking "What are your biggest concerns or fears regarding this project?" or "What obstacles do you anticipate?" lead to deeper conversations, trust, and pave the way for a more successful outcome.

Customization as a Competitive Advantage

It’s important to remember that the true value lies in tailoring solutions to meet the unique needs of customers, more so than achieving technical excellence. Encourage teams to consider more than just technical specs, including scheduling, budgeting and more is crucial. This sets the stage for proposing solutions that better align with customer specific needs and can lead to a competitive advantage for them.

For example, during one discussion, a client expressed concerns about project timelines and potential delays that they experienced with vendors in the past. Commitments were made to the customer’s customers, so on-time delivery was critical. After engaging in an open and honest dialogue and listening closely to their worries and discussing options and tradeoffs, led to a better understanding so the project could move forward with both parties having more confidence in it.

By understanding how they felt, we developed a detailed project plan that met their timeline and accounted for potential challenges and risks. This level of proactive engagement addressed their concerns while solidifying our status as a trusted advisor that is invested in their success, which is a higher level relationship than a partnership.

Developing a Customer-Centric Culture

Cultivating a customer-centric culture within our company is critically important as leaders. By encouraging our teams to actively listen, develop a deep understanding of customer needs with empathy, we will be in a much stronger position to serve customers in the way they need and elevate our position to that of an advisor that can be trusted.

[exitrowiron]

Home Automation

Believe it or not, the work required to install the hardware and automation to create these notifications was challenging.

The goal was simple enough: because there are bears in the area, the resort requires all homes to have a separate trash room and on Fridays the trash service collects and returns the bins from each home’s trash room. In preparation the exterior trash room door must be unlocked and the interior door locked. You shouldn’t unlock the exterior trash room door too early (ie the night before) or else the bears, who actively check the doors, will feast. The trash service timing varies between 6 am and 1 pm and getting up at 6 am to unlock/lock the doors isn’t my idea of retirement.

There are plenty of electronic locks on the market but I learned the hard way that Amazon won’t allow an automated routine to unlock a door or disarm an alarm system. You must trigger the routine manually on your phone or issue a voice command with a code word.

So despite using Alexa for the rest of our automation we use Apple HomeKit for the doors because Apple allows automated unlock routines. The Apple feature also unlock the doors with a swipe of an iPhone, using a digital key.

I think this one of the reasons why home automation hasn’t really taken off. There are too many competing standards and too many proprietary relationships. For instance, the My Q Liftmaster garage door skill will open your garage door as part of the Amazon Key delivery service but you must use a 3rd party automation like LiveKey to include garage door opening in an automated Alexa routine. (LiveKey doesn’t integrate with Schlage so it isn’t an option for a door unlock routine.) Similarly, Ring is owned by Amazon so it won’t work directly with Apple HomeKit. To top it all off home automation is expensive and not particularly user friendly.

I read an article a while back about how Amazon is disappointed with Alexa - most people just do a few simple tasks and don’t add new skills after the first week. Our Alexa is like a sad wanna-be friend, constantly asking if we’d like to hear a joke or offering irrelevant and unrequested ‘by the way’ comments.

It is arguably dumb to have two automation hubs (Apple Home and Alexa) and multiple 3rd party intermediate automation (LikeKey, SmartThing, IFTT) but if you want best in class individual devices and functionality (like Ring and automated unlock routines) it is necessary.

[pb-dot]

The Clockwork Boy Ch. 1: The Sky-Eyes Boy

As I mentioned in my 100 followers celebration/acknowledgment post, I'm posting the first proper chapter of The Clockwork Boy. Call it a bit of a longer sneak peek than the snippets I usually post. The chapter is just about where I want it editing-wise, but I can't promise I won't fiddle with it more. Without further ado, full chapter beneath the cut.

Jake didn’t much like hauling, and yet it was an activity he found himself doing frequently. Admittedly, it could be argued that what he did this particular day was more akin to schlepping, as pulling a hand cart loaded to the brim with tin was pushing his strength just about as far as it would go. Regardless of the exact definition of what he was doing, it was tiresome tedious work. It made Jake the kind of tired that had him making stupid mistakes or really quite clever observations. There wasn’t much of an in-between, and today he was going to do both.

The practical-minded clockmaker’s workshop always bought its materials in bulk, ideally already smelted into ingots for ease of use. While employing the economics of scale was undoubtedly preferable, this required access to a market that his humble, if not entirely disreputable workshop did not have. The biggest providers of raw materials tended to be bought out in a hurry, and the contracts for new clients quickly became restrictive to the point of exclusion. Smaller dealers usually were left to do their limited business in peace, although there was a definite limit to how big they could get before accidents started happening, or anonymous tips into shady business practices led to lengthy investigations with no protection against bankruptcy and destitution. So his employer bought materials wherever they could get them for reasonable prices, which usually meant low quanta and mediocre quality at best, and smelting them was expensive and at times dangerous, but it was better than saddling oneself with the usurious revenue garnishing payment plans that the more convenient suppliers used.

Jake had come to gain an understanding of the workings of the city. It wasn’t a place for mercy, but it was reasonable in its own way. There were rules and laws, of a sort, like any place else, but there were also strongly worded suggestions, things one was better off doing. One of the biggest rules was to keep your head down. Both avoiding eye contact in public and not standing out, in general, were strategies that Jake employed all but subconsciously after a few years in the city, and now no longer questioned. There were, of course, disadvantages to looking at the ground while lost in thought, but at least when pulling the handcart, his profile was looming enough to dissuade all but the most thoughtless jaywalkers. There is, however, no shortage of foolishness and recklessness in the world, and on occasion, a fool of as of yet unmatched magnitude will make their presence known in the worst sort of way. One such hitherto undefeated champion of duncery was driving a passing steam pavise. The horseless cart was pulled by a trio of disembodied steam-powered leg pairs, reminiscent of the brutish beasts that had once provided the propulsion to similar contraptions in days past. The steam pavise itself was about to go the way of the horse and fade from the streets as the more energy- and space-efficient Gear Walkers took over. If this changing of the guard brought any pensive humility to its drivers, said humility had not penetrated to the madman driving this particular vehicle. The wheels of the pavise didn’t as much hit the cart as they briefly snagged the handcart’s wheel, sending the whole contraption and its hapless driver into a spin, before careening further down the street with the rhythmic beat of automated hooves.

Jake felt his body sting and ache. He had managed to stop the handcart from spinning out or hitting anyone, but he was pretty sure he had pulled at least a couple of muscles in doing so. It would sting like the dickens, and he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be hammering or lifting anything in the next couple of days. At least he should be able to get the cart back to the workshop, the slight slope would take him the rest of the way all but unaided.

It was only once the brightest flash of adrenaline and other pain-numbing chemicals subsided that Jake found it in himself to be angry at the pavise driver. In days gone, you could talk to the constables about that kind of behavior, but the streets hadn’t seen as much as a badge for decades now. There was always trying to sic The Enforcers on people who mistreated you, but as long as you weren’t rich they were just as likely to rough you up for your trouble. Besides, Jake thought, even if he thought the guy absolutely shouldn’t be driving, he didn’t want him beat up. Lightly chastised? Sure, but that was the extent of it. Jake felt his pulse calm and the fog of anger and pain clearing up. When he found it in himself to look up at the world around him, he realized, with a sudden shock, that he was being watched.

A street stoat was staring at him from the little side path that it and its brethren had carved through the litter that filled the sides of the street. Jake wasn’t sure, but he suspected the animal had frozen in fear from the brief moment where the cart was in danger of spinning out and hitting the little predator. “It’s alright,” Jake said, he had no idea why he was speaking to the stoat, but it felt right like the little thing deserved some attention. “You’re not in danger, go along now, don’t you have finches to hunt?” The stoat kept staring. It wasn’t freezing fear in its eyes, Jake now realized. The stoat was appraising him with some sort of mustelid intelligence.

Jake couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m flattered for the attention Mr. Stoat, but I better get going and so should you, shoo.” Jake waved a hand in the stoat’s direction to shoo it away. The little fur tube finally took the hint and darted down the street. It was probably going to hunt trash finches in some alley, or perhaps it was on its way back to whatever den it had built for itself. “When the fox sleeps the raccoon feasts, huh,” Jake murmured to himself

As he righted the cart and prepared for the last leg of his tedious transport journey, he realized it wasn’t just the stoat that had been watching him.

The boy, for Jake could not think of him as anything else despite being a head taller than him, had the bluest eyes Jake had ever seen. This, he realized with a start, had to be how the sky looked above all the smog during the golden hour. Jake had no idea how he got to this conclusion as he had lived in the city long enough to forget the smogless sky and honestly had no expertise in color or poetry even on a good day.

There was something with the pensive look in the eyes of the strange young man that just drew out the similes. His eyes weren’t blue, they were like a perfect sky; His hair wasn’t blond and tightly cropped, it was like freshly harvested wheat; His cloak was not oversized and ill-fitting, it was like an immaterial fog swathing his delicate form. Perhaps the young man could not be comprehended otherwise, at least not by Jake.

Jake barely had the time to snap out of his sudden and all-encompassing reverie before the moment was over. The sky-eyed, wheat-haired elflike youth disappeared into the nascent bustle of the city as if Jake had dreamed him up whole cloth. Jake had no idea if the boy had moved unnaturally fast, or if his reverie or his exhaustion had merely dulled his senses to the point where it seemed like it. Another strongly worded suggestion for living in the city was letting things go. If something was too unusual to understand without extra effort, or strange in a way that wasn’t explicitly dangerous, you’d be better off just forgetting about it. Little good could come out of sticking your nose where it didn’t belong, and that counted double for things out of the usual.

There were no hidden treasures, no long lost knowledge or forgotten riches just ready for the taking in the city, just disappointments you hadn’t had the option of experiencing yet, losses you hadn’t suffered, dangers that you had unwittingly avoided. It was easier to just not think twice about it, never consider what-ifs, and let bygones be bygones, lest things found a way to get even worse. It wasn’t much of a life, Jake had to admit to himself as he pulled the cart the final bit to the workshop, but it surely had to beat dying.

In the little schooling he had received, Jake had come to learn that an idea in theory and an idea in practice were two wildly different things, and seldom intersected in their entirety. There was, or so his teachers had told him, a push and pull there, where theory informed attempted practice, and experience from practice shaped future theory. It struck Jake as somewhat of a pointless exercise, an admission that you’d never truly know anything resembling the truth, but perhaps that was the point.

As he parked the handcart and signaled for his colleagues to assist him in unloading the materials, however, Jake had to concede he might need to tweak his theory regarding forgetting about the strange young man. It was going about as well as his attempts at attracting the attention of his coworkers, who did a decent job of looking entirely too busy to help. The thought of that strange young man didn’t leave him, but most of him merely haunted the peripheries of Jake’s memory. One part, though, stayed with him, as clear as when he’d first seen it. Put simply, he could not put those eyes out of his mind.

What manner of things they seen, he wondered, to seem so sad, and yet so beautiful? Now that he thought about it, it reminded him of a childhood memory. It had been one of the few excursions he had experienced in his life. The orphanage had hired a rickety old steam pavise to take them to the outskirts, to “the forest” where some natural vegetation still existed. They had played among the trees and by the brooks and river in the forests that still remained on the fringes of the city, it could charitably be called “nature.” It was a lovely memory, but one also tinged with profound sadness, and, Jake was starting to realize, anger.

He hadn’t thought about it at the time, but looking back at it, the trees looked like they were dying. Leaves and even branches curled and twisted with unknown maladies, even the evergreens lost their needles and those needles who remained gained an unnatural orange pallor and a faintly oily smell. The same stink could be felt wherever the water grew stagnant in the rivers, even as a child he had noticed that. Some of his friends had gotten sick after that, he recalled, but most of them survived it.

Jake wasn’t quite sure what to think about what he was thinking, but there really wasn’t anything for it, the thoughts were there whether he liked them or not. He was happy for remembering the fun he had had, running around and being a carefree child for once, he felt sad for his friends that got sick, and he felt angry for the world that had allowed a beautiful place of nature to decay. No, he thought, it was worse than decay, it was rot, putrescence, poisoned with the malice of carelessness or greed rather than conceded to entropy. He assumed it was runoff from the city or one of the factories dumping their waste material, and that some of whatever toxic sludge had resulted made its way to the groundwater. Jake hadn’t been back there since then, but he suspected the trees were entirely gone by now. It could even be that the city had expanded since then, and the entire diseased copse was now brick and cobblestone.

Tag List

@ettawritesnstudies @mrbexwrites @teacupsandstarlight @anonymousfoz @wrenofthewords @sm-writes-chaos

If you want to be put on the Tag List for this project, please interact with my Tag List Post.

[busstalks]

Best 10 Business Strategies for year 2024

In 2024 and beyond, businesses will have to change with the times and adjust their approach based on new and existing market realities. The following are the best 10 business approach that will help companies to prosper in coming year

1. Embrace Sustainability

The days when sustainability was discretionary are long gone. Businesses need to incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) values into their business practices. In the same vein, brands can improve brand identity and appeal to environmental advocates by using renewable forms of energy or minimizing their carbon footprints.

Example: a fashion brand can rethink the materials to use organic cotton and recycled for their clothing lines. They can also run a take-back scheme, allowing customers to return old clothes for recycling (not only reducing waste but creating and supporting the circular economy).

2. Leverage AI

AI is revolutionizing business operations. Using AI-fuelled solutions means that you can automate processes, bring in positive customer experiences, and get insights. AI chatbots: AI can be utilized in the form of a conversational entity to support and perform backend operations, as well.

With a bit more specificity, say for example that an AI-powered recommendation engine recommends products to customers based on their browsing history and purchase patterns (as the use case of retail). This helps to increase the sales and improve the shopping experience.

3. Prioritize Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is of utmost important as more and more business transitions towards digital platforms. Businesses need to part with a more substantial amount of money on advanced protective measures so that they can keep sensitive data private and continue earning consumer trust. Regular security audits and training of employees can reduce these risks.

Example: A financial services firm may implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all online transactions, regularly control access to Internet-facing administrative interfaces and service ports as well as the encryption protocols to secure client data from cyberattacks.

4. Optimizing Remote and Hybrid Working Models

Remote / hybrid is the new normal Remote teams force companies to implement effective motivation and management strategies. Collaboration tools and a balanced virtual culture can improve productivity and employee satisfaction.

- Illustration: a Tech company using Asana / Trello etc. for pm to keep remote teams from falling out of balance. They can also organise weekly team-building activities to keep a strong team spirit.

5. Focus on Customer Experience

Retention and growth of the sales follow-through can be tied to high quality customer experiences. Harness data analytics to deepen customer insights and personalize product offers making your marketing campaigns personal: a customer support that is responsive enough can drive a great level of returning customers.

Example – For any e-commerce business, you can take user experience feedback tools to know about how your customers are getting along and make necessary changes. Custom email campaigns and loyalty programs can also be positively associated with customer satisfaction and retention.

6. Digitalization Investment

It is only the beginning of digital transformation which we all know, is key to global competitiveness. For streamlining, companies have to adopt the use advanced technologies such as Blockchain Technology and Internet of Things (IoT) in conjunction with cloud computing.

IoT example : real-time tracking and analytics to optimize supply chain management

7. Enhance Employee Skills

Develop Your Employees: Investing in employee development is key to succeeding as a business. The training is provided for the folks of various industries and so employees can increase their skills that are needed to work in a certain company. Employee performance can be enhanced by providing training programs in future technology skills and soft skills and job satisfaction.

Example: A marketing agency can host webinars or create courses to teach people the latest digital marketing trends and tools This can help to keep employees in the know which results in boosting their skills, making your campaigns successful.

8. Diversify Supply Chains

The ongoing pandemic has exposed the weaknesses of global supply chains. …diversify its supply base and promote the manufacturing of drugs in Nigeria to eliminate total dependence on a single source. In return, this approach increases resilience and reduces exposure to the risks of supply chain interruption.

- E.g., a consumer electronics company can source components from many suppliers in various regions. In so doing, this alleviates avoidable supply chain interruptions during times of political tensions or when disasters hit.

9. Make Decisions Based on Data

A business database is an asset for businesses. By implementing data, they allow you to make decisions based on the data that your analytics tools are providing. For example, sales analysis lets you track trends and better tailor your goods to the market.

Example: A retail chain can use data analytics to find out when a customer buys, and it change their purchasing policies. This can also reduce overstock and stockouts while overall, increasing efficiency.

10. Foster Innovation

Business Growth Innovation is Key A culture of creativity and experimentation should be established in companies. Funding R&D and teaming with startups can open many doors to both solve problems creatively but also tap into new markets.

Example: A software development firm could create an innovation lab where team members are freed to work on speculative projects. Moreover, work with start-ups on new technologies and solutions.

By adopting these strategies, businesses can navigate the turbulence for 2024 and roll up market — progressive.AI with an evolving dynamic market, being ahead of trends and updated is most likely will help you thrive in the business landscape.

[labaap]

The Future of Digital Marketing: Trends to Watch in 2025

As we move closer to 2025, the digital marketing landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace. The strategies that worked a few years ago are now being replaced by new, innovative approaches. For businesses aiming to stay competitive and relevant, understanding the emerging trends in digital marketing is essential.

This blog explores the key trends expected to shape the future of digital marketing by 2025, providing you with insights that can help you adapt and thrive in this dynamic environment.

1. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Marketing

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have already begun to revolutionize digital marketing, and their influence is set to grow even stronger by 2025. AI-powered tools can analyze vast amounts of data quickly, offering insights that were previously unattainable. These tools enable marketers to:

Personalize content at scale: AI can help create highly personalized content tailored to individual user preferences, increasing engagement and conversion rates.

Automate customer interactions: Chatbots and virtual assistants, powered by AI, will handle more customer interactions, offering real-time assistance and improving user experience.

Predict consumer behavior: Machine learning algorithms can analyze past consumer behavior to predict future actions, helping marketers to anticipate needs and tailor their strategies accordingly.

2. The Rise of Voice Search and Conversational Marketing

With the increasing adoption of smart speakers and voice-activated devices, voice search is becoming a critical component of digital marketing. By 2025, it's estimated that more than 75% of households will own a smart speaker, making voice search optimization essential. Here's how you can prepare:

Optimize for natural language: Unlike traditional text searches, voice searches are more conversational. Optimizing your content for natural language queries will help improve your visibility in voice search results.

Focus on local SEO: Many voice searches are local, so ensure your business is optimized for local SEO to capture this growing segment.

Leverage conversational marketing: Engage with your audience through chatbots and live chat tools, providing instant responses and personalized experiences that meet the expectations of voice-savvy consumers.

3. Data Privacy and Ethical Marketing

As data breaches and privacy concerns become more prevalent, consumers are increasingly aware of how their data is used. By 2025, data privacy will be at the forefront of digital marketing, with stricter regulations and more informed consumers. To build trust and remain compliant:

Adopt transparent data practices: Clearly communicate how you collect, store, and use customer data. Transparency will be key in gaining consumer trust.

Invest in secure technologies: Use secure methods to handle data, ensuring that your business complies with data protection laws like GDPR and CCPA.

Ethical marketing practices: Shift towards ethical marketing by focusing on providing real value to consumers rather than exploiting their data. This approach will help build long-term customer relationships.

4. Content Experience (CX) and the User Journey

Content is still king, but the way users experience content is becoming just as important as the content itself. By 2025, the focus will shift from merely producing high-quality content to creating a seamless content experience (CX) that enhances the user journey. Key strategies include:

Interactive content: Incorporate interactive elements such as quizzes, polls, and infographics to make content more engaging and memorable.

Omnichannel content delivery: Ensure your content is accessible across all platforms and devices, offering a consistent and seamless experience whether users are on mobile, desktop, or tablet.

Personalized user journeys: Leverage AI to personalize the user journey based on individual behavior and preferences, making the content experience more relevant and engaging.

5. The Growth of Video Marketing and Augmented Reality (AR)

Video marketing has been a dominant force in digital marketing for years, and its importance will only increase by 2025. However, the integration of Augmented Reality (AR) is set to take video marketing to new heights:

Short-form video content: Platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels have popularized short-form videos. In 2025, this trend will continue, with brands needing to create concise, engaging content that captures attention quickly.

Live streaming: Live streaming offers a unique way to connect with audiences in real-time, and it will become even more prevalent. Whether it's product launches, behind-the-scenes looks, or live Q&A sessions, live streaming will be a powerful tool for engagement.

AR-enhanced videos: Augmented Reality will allow brands to create immersive experiences, blending the digital and physical worlds. From virtual try-ons to interactive product demos, AR will make video content more engaging and effective.

6. Social Commerce and Shoppable Content

Social media platforms are increasingly becoming more than just places for social interaction; they are evolving into full-fledged e-commerce platforms. By 2025, social commerce is expected to dominate, with shoppable content playing a key role:

Integrated shopping experiences: Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest will offer seamless shopping experiences, allowing users to purchase products directly from posts and stories.

Influencer-driven commerce: Influencers will continue to play a significant role in driving social commerce, with brands collaborating with them to create authentic, shoppable content.

User-generated content (UGC): Encourage customers to share their experiences and showcase products in use. UGC not only builds trust but also drives more conversions by offering real-life examples of product satisfaction.

7. Sustainability and Social Responsibility

Consumers are becoming more conscious of the social and environmental impact of the brands they support. By 2025, sustainability and social responsibility will be integral to digital marketing strategies:

Green marketing initiatives: Highlight your brand's commitment to sustainability through eco-friendly products, packaging, and practices. Consumers are more likely to support brands that align with their values.

Social responsibility campaigns: Engage in campaigns that address social issues, whether it's supporting charitable causes, advocating for equality, or promoting community well-being.

Transparent branding: Be open about your brand's efforts in sustainability and social responsibility. Transparency will resonate with consumers who prioritize these values.

8. The Impact of 5G on Digital Marketing

The rollout of 5G technology will have a significant impact on digital marketing by 2025. With faster internet speeds and reduced latency, 5G will enable more sophisticated marketing tactics:

Enhanced mobile experiences: 5G will improve mobile user experiences, making it crucial for brands to optimize their mobile content and websites for speed and performance.

Real-time data and analytics: Marketers will have access to real-time data, allowing for quicker decision-making and more dynamic marketing strategies.

Advanced AR and VR experiences: The increased bandwidth of 5G will support more advanced Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, offering new ways for brands to engage with customers.

Conclusion

The future of digital marketing in 2025 promises to be both exciting and challenging. As technology continues to advance, marketers must stay agile and adapt to new trends to remain competitive. By embracing AI and machine learning, optimizing for voice search, prioritizing data privacy, and creating immersive content experiences, businesses can not only survive but thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Staying ahead of these trends will require a commitment to continuous learning and innovation. However, the rewards—improved customer engagement, increased brand loyalty, and sustained growth—will make the effort worthwhile. Start preparing now, and position your brand as a leader in the future of digital marketing.

[tangibletechnomancy]

As much as I complain about the (at its core, justified) backlash to corporate AI going in counterproductive-at-best directions here, I would like to take a moment to talk about what I would like to see done about the problem of corporate swarming all over AI as a moneymaking fad.

First, I must address the true root of the problem: as we all know, a lot of the types of people known derogatorily as techbros jumped ship from cryptocurrency and NFTs to AI after crypto crashed...multiple times. Why AI? Why was it the next big thing?

Well, why was crypto the previous? Because it was novel and unregulated. Why did it crash? Because of the threat of regulation.

It is worth mentioning, at this point, that the threat of regulation ended up doing massive harm to people who used crypto for reasons OTHER than speculative investment scams. This included a lot of people who engaged in business that is illegal but lifesaving (e.g., gray-market pharmaceuticals), and people who engaged in business that is technically legal but de facto illegal due to payment processors hating it (e.g., porn and other online sex work) - i.e., a lot of extremely vulnerable people. Stick a pin in this, it will be important.

AI is a novel and largely unregulated field. This makes it EXTREMELY appealing to venture capitalists and speculative investors - they can fuck around and do basically whatever they want with little to no oversight, and jump ship the moment someone says "all right, this is ridiculous you CANNOT just keep pretending it's a rare fluke when your beefed-up autocomplete chat bot makes up garbage information, and the next clown who decides that a probability function trained on the ableism and pop-psych poisoned broader internet is a viable substitute for trained mental health counselors is losing any licenses they have and/or getting fined into bankruptcy." They've always been like this - when technology is too new for us to even know how we SHOULD regulate it, the greedy capitalists flock to it, hoping to cash out quick before an ounce of responsibility catches up to them, doubly so when it's in a broader field that's already notoriously underregulated, such as the tech sector in the US right now.

That tendency is bad for literally everyone else in the process.

Remember what I said about how the crypto crackdown hurt a lot of very vulnerable people? Well, developers aren't lying when they say that AI can have extremely valuable, pro-human applications, from AAC (which it's already serving as; this is, imo, THE most valuable function of ChatGPT), to health and safety - while we absolutely should not entrust things like reading medical images and safety inspections to AI without oversight, with oversight it's already helping us find cancers faster, because while computers are fallible, so are humans, and we're fallible in different ways. When AI is developed with human-focused applications in mind over profit-focused ones, it can very easily become another slice of Swiss cheese to add to one of our most useful safety models.

It can also be used for automation...for better, and for worse. Of course, CEOs and investors are currently making a hard push for "worse".

That's why I find it very important to come up with a comprehensive plan to regulate AI and tech in general against false advertisement/scams and outright endangerment, without cutting too deep into the potential it has for being genuinely good.

My proposals are as follows:

PRI. VA. CY. LAW. PRIVACY LAW. PRIVACY LAW. As it stands now, US law regarding online privacy and data security - which is extremely pertinent because most of the most unscrupulous developers are US-based - is at best a vicious free-for-all that operates entirely on manufactured "consent", and at worst actively hostile to everyone but corporate interests. We need to change that ASAP. As it stands, robots.txt instructions (and other similar things, such as Do Not Track flags) are legally...a polite request that developers are 100% allowed to just ignore if they feel like it. The entire mainstream internet is spyware. This needs to change. We need to impose penalties for bypassing others' privacy preferences and bring the US up to speed with the EU when it comes to privacy and data security. This will solve the problem that many are counterproductively trying to solve by tightening copyright law with more side benefits and none of the drawbacks.

Health and safety audits and false advertising crackdowns. Penalties must be imposed on entities who knowingly use AI in inappropriate and unsafe applications, and on AI developers who misrepresent the utility of their tools or downplay their potential for inaccuracy. Companies using AI in products with obvious potential hazards, from robotics to counseling, are subject to safety audits to make absolutely sure they're not cutting corners or understating risks. Developers who are found to be understating the limitations of their software or cutting safety features are subject to fines and loss of licenses.

Robust union protections, automation taxes, and beefing up unemployment/layoff protection. Where automation can and cannot be used in the professional sector should never be a matter of law beyond the safety aspect, but automation rollouts do always come with drawbacks - both in the form of layoffs, and in the form of complicating the workflow in the name of saving a buck. The government cannot make sweeping judgments about how this will work, because it's literally impossible for them to account for every possibility, but they CAN back unions who can. Workers know their workflow best, and thus need the power to say, for instance, "no, I need to be able to communicate with whoever does this step, we will not abide by it being automated without oversight or only overseen by someone we can't communicate with adequately, that pushes the rest of our jobs WAY beyond our pay grade" or "no, we're already operating on a skeleton crew, we will accept this tool ONLY if there are no layoffs or pay cuts; it should be about getting our workload to a SUSTAINABLE level, not overworking even fewer of us". Automation taxes can also both serve as an incentive for bosses to take more time considering what they do and do not want to automate, and contribute to unemployment/layoff protection (and eventually UBI). This will ensure that workers will be protected, even when they're not in fields as visible and publicly appreciated as arts.

In conclusion, the AI situation is a complicated one that needs nuance, and it needs to be approached and regulated in a pro-human, pro-privacy way.

[vipu14]

Maximize Digital Presence: Essential Digital Marketing Strategies for 2024

In the ever-evolving digital landscape, staying ahead of the curve is essential for businesses looking to maximize their digital presence. As we move into 2024, several digital marketing strategies stand out as crucial for achieving success. Here’s a comprehensive guide to the essential digital marketing strategies for the year ahead.

1. Leverage AI and Automation

Personalized Customer Experiences

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation tools have revolutionized how businesses interact with customers. By utilizing AI-driven analytics, you can gain deeper insights into customer behavior, allowing for highly personalized marketing campaigns. Chatbots, personalized email marketing, and predictive analytics can enhance user experience and drive conversions.

Efficiency in Campaign Management

Automation tools can streamline your marketing efforts, from scheduling social media posts to managing email campaigns. This not only saves time but also ensures that your marketing activities are consistent and timely.

2. Focus on Content Quality and Relevance

High-Value Content Creation

Content remains king in 2024, but the focus is on quality and relevance. Create high-value content that addresses your audience’s pain points and provides actionable insights. This includes blog posts, whitepapers, videos, and infographics.

SEO Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) is critical for visibility. Ensure your content is optimized for search engines by using relevant keywords, creating engaging meta descriptions, and utilizing internal and external links. Voice search optimization is also becoming increasingly important as more users rely on voice-activated devices.

3. Harness the Power of Social Media

Platform-Specific Strategies

Different social media platforms cater to different demographics and user behaviors. Develop platform-specific strategies to maximize engagement. For instance, use Instagram for visual storytelling, LinkedIn for professional content, and TikTok for short, engaging videos.

Social Commerce

Social commerce is on the rise, with platforms like Instagram and Facebook offering in-app shopping experiences. Leverage these features to provide seamless shopping experiences directly within social media platforms, boosting sales and customer satisfaction.

4. Invest in Video Marketing

Short-Form and Live Videos

Short-form videos and live streaming continue to dominate the digital space. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are perfect for creating engaging, bite-sized content. Live videos offer real-time interaction with your audience, fostering a sense of community and trust.

Educational and Explainer Videos

Videos that educate or explain complex concepts can position your brand as an authority in your industry. Create tutorials, product demonstrations, and behind-the-scenes content to engage and inform your audience.

5. Embrace Omnichannel Marketing

Consistent Messaging Across Channels

Omnichannel marketing ensures that your customers have a seamless experience across all digital and physical channels. Consistent messaging and cohesive brand experiences across websites, social media, email, and in-store interactions can significantly enhance customer loyalty.

Integrated Customer Data

Integrate customer data from various touchpoints to create a unified view of the customer journey. This helps in delivering personalized experiences and improving overall customer satisfaction.

6. Prioritize Data Privacy and Security

Transparency and Trust

With increasing concerns about data privacy, it’s crucial to prioritize transparency and build trust with your audience. Clearly communicate your data policies and ensure that customer data is protected.

Compliance with Regulations

Stay updated with data protection regulations such as GDPR and CCPA. Ensure your marketing practices comply with these regulations to avoid legal issues and build credibility with your audience.

Conclusion

As digital marketing continues to evolve, staying ahead requires a strategic approach and a willingness to adapt to new trends and technologies. By leveraging AI and automation, focusing on content quality, harnessing social media, investing in video marketing, embracing omnichannel strategies, and prioritizing data privacy, you can maximize your digital presence in 2024 and beyond. Stay proactive, stay informed, and watch your digital marketing efforts thrive in the coming year.