We don’t mean to intrude, but you’ve just landed on the perfect blog post for such a state of mind.

If you’ve had enough of punching time cards, having your meal times determined by a scheduling program, and answering to middle-management, then perhaps there’s no better time than now to turn those daydreams into reality.

There’s a lot to consider and plan for when becoming your own boss and starting an online business — like what kind of business will you start?

How to Start an Online Business

We live in a connected world, with the internet and technology enabling ample opportunities to start successful businesses online. If you decide to give up the office or retail life and become a digital entrepreneur, you’ll be in good company.

Online, home-based businesses are on the rise and are valuable sources of income for many. Depending on your needs and goals, your business may be a part-time side hustle or it could be your full-time venture.

Is starting an online business a good idea? Online businesses may require fewer investments as compared to brick-and-mortar businesses that require external facilities or a hired staff, and they offer a flexible work-life balance as it’s dictated by you. However, keep in mind that you may need to convert part of your home and living space to support your business, especially as it grows.

Let’s explore some online business ideas that you can launch with a little business planning and a website (and that aren’t MLMs.)

15 Online Business Ideas

Ready to be your own boss? With these business ideas, you can be.

1. Web designer

Web designers are in demand.

As brick-and-mortar businesses convert into online retailers, they all need websites. Business owners often don’t have the time to create and design beautiful, functional websites. Even with the advent of easy-to-use website builders, they seek outside counsel and assistance.

And it isn’t just small businesses that need web design help, large companies frequently hire design consultants to assist with their needs.

Web design is all about creating an intuitive, beautiful experience for the end-user, so if helping others and designing are your passions, this is a great business idea to consider starting from home.

2. Personal fitness trainer

The pandemic has shown us that traditionally in-person businesses can be successful online. You may be accustomed to going to a gym or studio to learn and instruct, but there’s nothing stopping you from doing that online, too.

A website, camera, and open floor space are all you really need to get started if you’re knowledgeable about proper exercise, motivation, and healthy living. Once you build your reputation and your business grows, you may find that you’ll want to start making house calls or letting your clients come to you.

Before starting a personal fitness training business, make sure to research local guidelines to determine if any special licensing is required.

3. Copywriter

Do you have a way with words? The ability to sway people by pen or keyboard? If yes, it’s time to give serious consideration to becoming a copywriter.

Great copy helps convert website visitors into customers, so website owners everywhere seek help writing content like FAQs and blog posts.

To attract those website owners and convince them to hire you, you’ll need to put your skills to work. Start by creating a website to showcase your strengths. Make sure to include an “About” page where prospective clients can learn about you, samples of your work, and make it easy for them to contact you — a “Contact Us” page is great, but your contact information should be discoverable from every page.

4. Interior Designer

Some people have an eye for style, and some don’t. If you do, why not help others create the living or workspaces of their dreams?

Someone, somewhere, doesn’t understand that houndstooth can’t be matched with plaid, or what color walls best pair with their flooring. Your stylistic expertise is what they need and they’ll be happy to pay for a consultation.

As with any business, social proof is important, so you’ll want to showcase your work on your website. Consider adding a blog to your site to keep your readers up-to-date with trends and inform them of what you’ve been working on.

5. Dropshipper

Have you thought about starting an online retail business, only to abandon your dream because you don’t have the funds to invest in a large inventory of products?

Dropshipping solves that issue for you. With dropshipping, you can sell products on your site without worrying about stocking and inventory. It works like this: When you sell a product on your site it’s purchased from a third party who fulfills shipping, so you never have to touch the product. These third-party sellers are normally wholesalers or manufacturers, and you’ll still make a profit from the sales.

Dropshipping means low overhead. You don’t have to purchase any products unless you’ve made a sale and it’s been paid for by the customer. This also gives you great control and flexibility when it comes to testing new products in your market. 

6. Personal chef

Does everyone rave about your cooking? Perhaps now is the time to turn your culinary prowess into a profitable business.

Depending on local regulations and guidelines, you can use your home kitchen to create nutritious, enjoyable meals for your clients. As your business grows, you may need to find a commercial kitchen and hire helpers, but the majority of your marketing, planning, and business work can be done from the comfort of your own home.

Happy clients and referrals will help your business grow, so don’t hesitate to create a website to show off your delicious meals and share information about your offerings.

7. Grant writer

Non-profit organizations rely on donations to fund their goodwill initiatives. There are many opportunities for them to apply for grants to receive funding, but oftentimes, the people behind the scenes are juggling many roles, and don’t have the time to write the incredible grant proposals they need to secure funds.

This is where you come in. Are you a master of pen and keyboard? Do you have a knack for laying information out concisely and persuasively? There are so many organizations vying for a limited amount of grants, that it’s imperative for proposals to be well-formatted and well-written.

There are many free resources online that can help you learn how to write the perfect proposal. Once you’ve nailed it, pitch your services to different organizations and create a website where people seeking grant writers can contact you.

8. Life coach

Does everyone in your friend group rely on you for advice? Do they seek you out for your sage wisdom on love, work, and any other number of personal and professional issues?

Sounds like you might already be a bit of a life coach. Life coaches aren’t therapists, but they do help individuals focus on the life they want, provide guidance and counsel, and help people to achieve their goals.

Some life coaches prefer to coach and speak to big crowds, but it’s a career that can easily be done from your home. While life coaches don’t technically need a license to operate, there are programs designed to help you become a life coach that offer certifications. As with any business, you’ll need to invest in your online presence to build your audience of prospective customers.

9. Blogger

Blogs and websites have democratized the information age, letting anyone who has an interest or is an expert on a topic hold court. Blogging is one of the most popular ways that people share information, and you can manage your blog from home or anywhere!

To be a blogger, you undoubtedly have to have your own site. To be successful, you’ll need to create fresh, interesting content that appeals to your audience. Encourage your readers to share your posts with their friends and on social media to grow your following.

As your blog gains more and more engaged readers, you can offer advertising space on your blog for additional income. If you’re seriously considering becoming a blogger, check out this post about what you need to know when starting a blog.

10.  Virtual assistant

Are you an organizational powerhouse? Have you been called “Type A” more than once? A virtual assistant position may be perfect for you.

Busy executives and business owners can reach a point where they’re inundated with responsibilities and don’t have the time to manage all their tasks. Appointments, emails, video calls — all of these things add up and are time-consuming.

As a virtual assistant, you’d be stepping in to provide the help and organization they so desperately need. You’d carry your tasks out at home, from scheduling meetings and appointments to replying to emails, fielding phone calls, and managing documents. And all of these things are easily achievable using cloud-based solutions. 

So, if you’re the type who plans everything from morning to sundown, you can have a lot of fun and find fulfillment as a Virtual Assistant. 

11.  Consultant

Someone, somewhere, needs your expertise. Consultants are experts in their fields, and they are paid to advise others in their field or to address specific issues others are facing. It’s not the same as a coach, who provides advice and motivation so you meet your goals.

Usually, consultants offer their services to businesses, although individuals sometimes seek out consultants, too. As a home-based consultant, you have the flexibility to determine your own schedule and rates, and there isn’t much overhead when starting your business. However, it takes time to build your clientele, so make sure you highlight your expertise and other relevant information on your site and include social proof where possible. 

12.  Instructor/Tutor

Covid-19 has changed the face of education, and now is a great time to start an online tutoring business. Parents everywhere are struggling to run their households, manage their careers, and act as secondary (or primary) teachers as their kids attend remote schooling.

If you’re knowledgeable and have a gift for teaching, why not help out in this time of increased need and get paid for it? All that’s required are a computer, a website, and a camera. You can conduct online lessons and tutoring sessions, and add helpful content to your site.

If you do well, your students’ parents will be your best advocates — touting your expertise and sharing your information with other parents in similar situations, and word-of-mouth is a powerful marketing tool.

13. Podcaster

Podcasts are insanely popular. In fact, almost 60% of U.S. consumers listen to podcasts.

If you like the sound of your own voice and think others may, too, then consider starting a podcast. All of us have stories to share and knowledge that we can impart to others.

To get started with podcasting, you’ll need the following:

• A quality microphone
• Software or tools to record audio
• Audio editing tools
• A website

To gain more listeners, try partnering with other more well-known podcasters or thought leaders as you get started. And don’t forget to encourage your listeners to leave reviews!

14. Domain Investor

You’ve heard of real estate investors, but did you know that domain investing is a thing?

Just like real estate properties, domains are great investments because a good domain name will only increase in value. Domain investing means buying domain names and then selling them for a greater amount.

Good domain names have to meet certain criteria, like being short, memorable, and brandable. Business owners will pay for the right domain name because domains are the core of a business’ digital identity. You’ll need to do your research before jumping into the world of domain investing, as you’ll be using your own funds to get started, and you don’t want to lose your money.

Luckily, there are many online resources that can help you get started with domain investing, and there are plenty of sites, like BuyDomains.com, that offer reasonably priced premium domain names which you can resell.

15.  Freelance Editor

Does the thought of correcting someone’s diction and syntax excite you? Do you have fond memories of red pens in the pre-digital era? Are you the person your friends rely on for reviewing and improving important documents?

Sounds like you’ll make a mighty fine freelance editor. Freelance editors take on many roles, from editing grammar to content, and even SEO.

To get started, you’ll want to create a site to showcase your work. Ask friends and family that have relied on you for editing services to provide testimonials, and reach out to businesses you think could benefit from your services. Your work as a freelance editor can be done from anywhere — at home, while traveling, or in a rented space, whatever you prefer.

Ready to start your online business?

There’s no better time than now to launch an online business. We hope these ideas have inspired you to get started and pursue your dreams!

Before investing your time and money in a new venture, it’s always a good idea to take the time to validate your business idea and create a business plan. This way, you’ll know exactly who your audience is, and the best way to conduct your enterprise.

Do you have any other online business ideas you’d like to share? Comment below!

But if that’s true, why does it feel so stressful?

As a business owner, you’ve likely been planning for the holidays for months. Everything from decorations and website updates to deciding what sales to run and deals to offer falls on your shoulders. Then, you have to think of your home life and buying gifts for your nearest and dearest without breaking the bank. 

By the time the holiday season actually arrives and carols commandeer our radio stations, odds are good you’ve been overwhelmed for a while. 

It doesn’t have to be that way. You deserve relaxation and to be shown care and concern, and that starts with self-love and appreciation. 

Though you wear a lot of hats and time is tight, self-care is vital, especially during the holidays. Below, we’re exploring 10 ways you can practice showing yourself gratitude. Keep reading for our best holiday self-care tips. 

10 Holiday Self-Care Tips

Ah, the holidays… 

The weather (and responsibilities) outside could be frightful, but inside? Your mind could be a calm oasis, a place to find refuge during the holiday storm. When business, social expectations, and life seem too much to handle, take a step back and refer to the self-care tips below. 

1. Plan your downtime

When you have a million things to do and tasks of all sizes await your attention, it seems difficult to justify taking a break. Adding to that, we live in a world where busyness is glorified. Silvia Bellezza and other researchers at the Columbia Business School “…argue that a busy and overworked lifestyle, rather than a leisurely lifestyle, has become an aspirational status symbol.”

Breaks are essential to a healthy lifestyle, and it’s time to reframe the way you think about them. Taking a break isn’t a sign of laziness; instead, it’s an opportunity for you to refresh and promotes productivity and improved creativity. 

Moving forward, make a point to carve a few minutes out of each day for a bit of downtime. 

2. Define and delegate

When you started your business, you did it with a vision. You know how you want your business to grow and what needs to be done to get there, and it can be difficult to let others into your plans. In an effort to “do it all,” we resort to multitasking. Multitasking seems fruitful but consider the following passage… 

“Research suggests that ‘multitasking, which many have embraced as the key to success, is instead a formula for shoddy work, mismanaged time, rote solutions, stress, and forgetfulness,'” says author Kimberly Himes. 

If you feel like the best way to get everything done is to do it yourself, and if you’re drowning in responsibilities, we’ve got one word for you: Delegate!

Defining what needs to be done and delegating those tasks “helps leaders manage their workload and maximize productivity while also helping employees build skills.“

Learning to delegate helps relieve stress. You can rest easier knowing that delegation prepares your team to handle whatever happens if you are unavailable due to an emergency, or just taking a break.  

3. Breathe 

Have you ever had someone tell you to “calm down” during a time when you were visibly stressed?

It didn’t help much, did it?

When you’re stressed, your prefrontal cortex is impaired. That’s the part of your brain responsible for rational thinking, so following a simple instruction like “calm down” seems nigh impossible. 

Stress impacts your decision-making and ability to interpret information related to your business, too. 

So, what can you do to minimize the effects of stress and regain mastery over your mind? 

Breathe.

The Harvard Business Review reports that “different emotions are associated with different forms of breathing, and so changing how we breathe can change how we feel.”

The critical thing to remember is this: When you exhale, your heart rate slows down, and when you inhale, it speeds up. A popular breathing technique to combat stress is inhaling to a count of four then exhaling to a count of eight. Try that for a few minutes the next time you feel stressed.

4. Prioritize what matters

When you’re running a business and trying to make a profit, it can be hard to remember what the holiday season is truly about. Keeping your business afloat and successful is, without a doubt, important. Still, it isn’t the only important thing in your life. 

If the pressures are mounting, turn to your loved ones and favorite activities to help ease the burden. Whether you find comfort with your family or pets, or close friends, remember that the holiday season is about coming together with those you love. 

Make time for a holiday movie with your kids after a day at work. Or call up a friend and snuggle on the couch with your dog as you rewatch “The Grinch” for the first time in years. 

If coming together with family and friends sounds more stressful than relaxing, then make time for what does relax you. Is it playing a league sport in the evenings? Do arts and crafts warm your heart? Whatever it is that makes you happy — make time for it!

5. Eat good food

It’s the holiday season and cookies, crackers, and assortments of baked goods abound. We don’t think you should restrict yourself from the sweet treats the holidays offer; just enjoy them in moderation. 

Here’s why: Good food equals a good mood.

The next time stress has you feeling blah, combat it via your plate. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “The best meal to enhance your mood is one that combines complex carbohydrates with lean proteins and colorful produce.”  

Complex carbohydrates, like those found in sweet potatoes or quinoa, can increase the availability of serotonin, a “feel-good” chemical, in your brain. Proteins have been associated with increased levels of the chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine, both of which influence a person’s mood and concentration. 

And fruits and vegetables? There’s evidence “that people who eat more fruits and vegetables have a lower incidence of mental disorders, including lower rates of depression, perceived stress, and negative mood.”

6. Don’t skimp on sleep

A smoothly running business isn’t usually accomplished by short work. Depending on the situation and what needs to be completed, that might mean burning the midnight oil and forgoing sleep. While you can probably get away with a poor night’s sleep every now and again, don’t make a habit out of it. 

The American Psychological Association says that “sleep is a necessary human function — it allows our brains to recharge and our bodies to rest.” And missing out on sleep is more detrimental than you might think. “Sleep is so crucial that even slight sleep deprivation or poor sleep can affect memory, judgment and mood.”

To sleep better, try to establish a nighttime routine. This routine can include meditation, breathing techniques, reading, or other relaxing activities. Additionally, try to stay off your phone and turn off your TV before starting your bedtime routine. 

7. Understand your emotions

The holidays are a time when most of us feel pretty strongly. Whether those emotions are good or bad depends on our personal histories, external influences, and much more.

Around the holidays, many people resort to overworking, overeating, or drinking as ways to compensate for feelings they don’t know how to manage. Instead of burying your emotions and feeling the resultant stress, explore and acknowledge them. You can do this by journaling or seeking outside advice on how to manage your feelings and emotions.

When you begin to feel stressed and overwhelmed, sit down with a notebook and a pen and try to determine why you’re feeling the way you are. The more you practice acknowledging your feelings and understanding where they come from, the less control they’ll have over you.

8. Disconnect

When the stress of the holiday season gets to be too much, take a step back. It’s okay to disconnect if you need to.

Disconnecting looks different depending on your situation and needs. Maybe it means turning your phone off for set amounts of time each day or muting notifications. Or perhaps your version of disconnecting includes meditation, a literal forgetting of self.

Taking a step back from it all doesn’t mean you’re a failure or don’t know how to cope. Sometimes, life is just that busy and you need to find a quiet refuge where you can collect yourself and rebuild momentum.

Looking for ideas on how to take a break from the Internet and other stress-inducers this holiday season? Take a look at this curated list of ideas on how to disconnect from social media and more.

9. Talk about it

We’ve all been there — so stressed out that we get lost in our own heads and ways of thinking. When that happens, turn to someone you trust and talk it out. Getting an outsider’s view can offer perspectives on your issues and stressors that you likely wouldn’t reach on your own.

Eva Stubits is a Houston-based clinical psychologist specializing in stress management. She says “that talking about how stressed you are can help you get it out of your system.“

“It’s kind of like the pressure cooker analogy: If you don’t open a lid periodically, the steam can build up and cause you to feel even more stressed. If you let it out, it can help you process whatever it is you’re worried about.”

10. Work it out

You’ve heard it before, exercise helps keep you healthy. That doesn’t mean that exercise only keeps your body in good form, it keeps your mind healthy, too.

Exercise in almost any form helps your body to reduce stress and its effects. Whether you choose to walk, run, or perform burpees and wall squats in your office, the important thing is that you get moving. Physical activity increases the number of endorphins in your body, producing a “feel good” effect in your brain. You may have heard this phenomenon referred to as a “runner’s high,” but any good aerobic exercise can lead to the same result.

If you’d like to learn more about the effects of stress on your body, and how to implement an effective workout routine, check out this article from the Mayo Clinic.

Making the Most of the Holiday Season

We hope these self-care tips help you make the most of the holiday season. Let us know what else you do to manage stress during the holidays in the comments below.

So, are you ready to get your piece of the holiday pie? 

If not, don’t worry; we’ve got you covered and can help you get there.  

Today, we’re discussing five Black Friday ideas you can leverage to drive more sales and provide additional value to your customers. We’ll also cover some tips that can help you do more this holiday season.  

5 Black Friday Ideas for Your Business 

Join Forces with Local Businesses 

Hey, maverick … you don’t have to do it alone.  

Instead of stressing out over every detail of Black Friday by yourself, consider teaming up with other local small businesses. Work with other small business owners to highlight each other’s sales and best-selling items. If a customer asks if you carry a particular item and you don’t, point them in the direction of another local store that does have what they need.  

Keep the Mystery Alive 

“Keep the mystery alive…” It’s advice you might expect to hear from a relationship therapist, not so much advice given to your small business. But before you roll your eyes, hear us out.  

Advertising mystery sales and gifts is a great way to get foot traffic into your brick-and-mortar or visitors to your eCommerce website. Think of these mystery gifts as “rewards” that you’re offering your customers for doing business with you. Humans, funny creatures that we are, love rewards, and the positive reinforcement can keep them coming back to do business with you time and time again.  

What should these rewards or mystery gifts look like? That’s entirely up to you! Could you offer a $15 gift card with every purchase over $50? How about a free consultation with booking if you trade in services and not products? You know your customers better than anyone else, and if you really aren’t sure, ASK THEM. Find loyal customers and get their feedback. That way, you have a good idea of what little gestures and gifts significantly impact them.  

At the end of the day, your customers are going to remember the way your business made them feel when you surprised them with that mystery offer. “When we get a reward, special pathways in our brain become activated. Not only does this feel good, but the activation also leads us to seek out more rewarding stimuli.” It’ll endear them to you and help build your customer relationships.  

Reward Customer Loyalty 

Black Friday sales attract folks from every corner. Some of the people who transact with you that day will be regular, loyal customers, and others are strangers who might never again do business with you. (Though, we’d certainly like to see them become your regulars.) 

Treat your loyal customers to an additional discount or bonus gift. For example, you could consider implementing a program that provides a deal after a certain number of purchases. That could look something like offering 25% off their next purchase after making five non-discounted purchases.  

Create FOMO Moments 

FOMO, or “fear of missing out,” is an effective marketing tactic.  

To create a sense of FOMO and drive urgency, you want to structure your sales and announcements in a specific way. Highlight your limited-time discounts and make sure to emphasize that they won’t last long! Use pop-ups or other features on your site so your visitors and shoppers are aware of the deals.  

You can also consider creating limited amounts of coupon codes. This way, customers want to prioritize shopping with you, so they don’t miss out on your sales.  

Don’t Just Discount, Add Value  

We spend so much time focusing on the transactional side of Black Friday that we forget to use the day for building customer relationships.  

When advertising your Black Friday deals, entice customers to shop with you by providing them with curated gift guides or customized gift sections in your store. Your customers are busy — they’re working, managing their households, and trying to make sure they get a gift for everyone on their list. But sometimes, they need ideas. After all, who really knows what to get for Uncle Joe — you know, the man who’s impossible to buy for but expects a gift nonetheless?  

 Help your customers efficiently complete their holiday shopping lists. They’ll think of you fondly, which is always a good thing, and can entice them to do business with you again in the future. Creating gift guides works whether you’re a physical retailer or an online eCommerce business. 

Making the Most of Black Friday and the Holidays 

We hope these ideas help you prepare for a successful holiday shopping season. We wish you many sales and repeat business! 

And don’t forget, these ideas aren’t just good for Black Friday. Try them on Small Business Saturday, the day after Black Friday, or at random intervals throughout the year to increase your sales and surprise your customers.  

What else are you doing to help your business do more business this holiday season? Let us know in the comments below! 

After all, you don’t have a marketing budget like the big box stores and digital retailers. So, how are you to compete and get your share of the holiday sales?

In this guide to Black Friday for small businesses, we’re breaking down what you can do to give your small business a chance to succeed on Black Friday and throughout the entire holiday season. 

Black Friday for Small Businesses

What is Black Friday?

The Friday immediately after Thanksgiving traditionally represents the start of the holiday shopping season. The term “Black Friday” as we know it, meaning a day when businesses move from the red into the black, has only been around since the 1980s. When it was first coined in the 1860s, it referred to a manipulated crash in the stock market due to the inflated price of gold. 

For many consumers, Black Friday means staying up late to be the first in line for dibs on the most significant discounts. And some digital retailers attempt to recreate that experience digitally. They create a sense of urgency that potentially drives sales using clever tactics. Some design digital “wait lines” and provide staggered access to their sites, and thus, to their discounts. Others go so far as to limit the amount of time shoppers have on their sites, hoping to drive those impulse buys. 

The Evolution of Black Friday

A single day of deep discounts and flash sales may have sufficed in the 1980s, but not anymore. Black Friday now kicks off a series of big shopping days. 

Small Business Saturday immediately follows Black Friday and, for obvious reasons, shouldn’t be ignored by small businesses. Then comes Cyber Monday, a day full of digital sales, and finally, Giving Tuesday, a day dedicated to non-profits and their appeals in hopes of driving donations. 

So, as a small business, how can you participate in the biggest shopping season of the year in ways that make both you and your customers happy? 

Tips to Guide Your Black Friday Success

Many small businesses can’t afford to offer discounts as deep as 50% on their products and services. If you can’t beat the big chain department stores and digital retailers at their own game, then don’t. 

Use the following tips to plan your Black Friday and holiday shopping season goals, events, and discounts, and learn how you can offer value to your customers throughout the season. 

Create a Holiday Marketing Plan

A marketing plan is essential to help you plan your goals and create the relevant supporting strategy, tactics, and offers. You can read all about how to make a holiday marketing plan right here. 

Create Relevant Moments and Offers that Entice

As we mentioned above, many small businesses can’t compete with larger retailers when discounting products and services, and that’s okay. 

While many consumers hunt for the best deals on Black Friday, others don’t want to be part of the shopping hordes and eschew the long lines. In fact, according to Finder’s research, as many as 54% of Americans may not be participating in Black Friday shopping. 

With that in mind, instead of flaunting crazily discounted items to draw foot or online traffic to your store, consider offering something else of value to your customers. 

For example, you could provide complimentary gift wrapping to those who shop at your store on Black Friday and during the holiday season. By doing this, you’re providing added value to your customers by saving them time and from the hassle of wrapping their purchases. 

Another idea to consider is partnering with other local stores or businesses. If you’re a brick-and-mortar, you could participate in a shopping event with other like-minded business owners. Set up tables at a holiday sales event with your best-selling wares or offer curated gift selections to make your customers’ shopping experience is a breeze. 

Make it Easy for Your Customers to Shop from Anywhere

Few people want to get up at 4 am to stand in line outside and wait for your store’s physical doors to open, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on their sales.

Instead of having people cater to your business hours, allow them to shop on their own time. Someone may not want to wait in line at 4 am, but they may be up feeding their baby and shopping from their phone. Meet your customers where they are by creating an eCommerce website to capture digital traffic and sales. 

Communicate Your Offers to Your Audience

Suppose your customers don’t know about your special deals and offers this holiday season. In that case, they won’t be taking advantage of them. 

You can communicate your memorable holiday offers in a variety of ways:

• Updated information on your website.
• Email marketing communications. 
  • Pro tip: Use a custom, professional email address that matches your domain name to increase your customer’s trust in the inbox. They aren’t likely to open an email from an unrecognized sender. 
• Social media notices and posts. 
• Physical mailers. 
• Local advertising on TV or radio. 

Don’t Stop at Black Friday

Small Business Saturday

When it comes to having a successful holiday shopping season, you can’t leave all your hopes pinned to one calendar day like Black Friday. 

As a small business, you have to consider the shopping days that follow Black Friday and determine how to participate in them. The Saturday after Black Friday is known as “Small Business Saturday,” and that’s a fantastic opportunity for you.

“Founded by American Express in 2010 and officially cosponsored by SBA since 2011, Small Business Saturday has become an important part of small businesses’ busiest shopping season.” According to research done by American Express, there was record spending on Small Business Saturday in 2020. Last year, spending reached an estimated $19.8 billion USD. Don’t you want your piece of that holiday pie this year?

Make the most out of Small Business Saturday by leveraging the tools and marketing materials provided to you here by the Small Business Administration, or SBA. 

Cyber Monday

The term “Cyber Monday” officially entered our lexicon in 2005. It was coined to describe the increase in online sales that occurred on the Monday after Thanksgiving. 

In 2020, Cyber Monday sales reached $10.8 billlion USD, becoming the single biggest eCommerce selling day of all time. 

To participate, you must have an eCommerce website where your customers can make purchases directly from you. Having a website is no longer a “nice to have” in today’s age; it’s necessary to compete in a digital market. 

If you have yet to create a website for your business, set some time aside to do it today. Building a website isn’t a complicated process requiring coding knowledge; instead, many website builders make the process fast and straightforward. 

No time to create a website, even with a website builder? That’s okay; there are plenty of professionals who can help you get online quickly and with a great-looking and functioning site. Check out Domain.com’s Website Design and Marketing Services to get the assistance and guidance you need to get online fast. 

Making the Most of Black Friday for Your Small Business

You don’t have to compete with large retailers for your small business to have a successful Black Friday.

Instead, think of Black Friday as the kickoff to a holiday shopping season where you’ll do well because you’re providing the correct offers and value to your customers. You can promote things like complimentary gift-wrapping or customized gift guides to bring in traffic and sales while building customer relationships.

Have you run any Black Friday specials in the past? Let us know what has and hasn’t worked for you in the comments below!

Yes, it’s that time of year already.

If you’re a business owner or immersed in eCommerce, the holidays take on extra importance. It’s not just about making your wish lists and spending time with family and friends, but about increasing business and getting your slice of the holiday pie during the year’s biggest spending season.

So, how do you go about maximizing the holiday season for your business? It all starts with a holiday marketing plan and that’s what we’re diving into in this post. We’ll start by looking at essential dates, discuss planning goals and offers, and look at the channels you can use to communicate with your customers.

Creating a Holiday Marketing Plan

Knowing what dates to plan for helps create the foundation of your holiday marketing plan, so we’ve shared some of the bigger ones below. Your responsibility is to select the dates that make the most sense for your business and focus on those.

Dates to Include in Your Holiday Marketing Plan

• Thanksgiving, November 25, 2021
• Black Friday, November 26, 2021
  • This date marks the beginning of the holiday shopping and spending season. Consumers are very familiar with Black Friday and anticipate hearing about Black Friday deals from their favorite retailers and businesses.
• Small Business Saturday, November 27, 2021
  • Small Business Saturday was created by American Express “on the Saturday after Thanksgiving to encourage people to Shop Small and bring more holiday shopping to small businesses.”
• Cyber Monday, November 29, 2021
  • Cyber Monday is observed the Monday after Thanksgiving. This day focuses on eCommerce and encourages consumers to go online for their shopping needs.
• Giving Tuesday, November 30, 2021
  • Any nonprofits out there? This date is for you! Giving Tuesday officially kicks off the end-of-the-year charitable giving season. This is a great time to make an appeal for funds and donations.
• Hanukkah, November 28 – December 6, 2021
• Christmas, December 25, 2021
• Kwanzaa, December 26, 2021 – January 1, 2022
• New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2021
• New Year’s Day, January 1, 2022

After selecting the dates that make the most sense for your business, it’s time to think about what you want to achieve (More foot traffic? More online sales?) and the supporting offers you’ll present to your customers and prospects.

Decide on Your Goals and Supporting Holiday Marketing Offers

Now that you know what days are important to highlight in your marketing materials, it’s time to decide on your goals and your supporting offers. Looking to increase sales by 10% this holiday season? Don’t ignore Black Friday. Consider offering a more traditional discount on goods or services as that’s what many consumers have come to expect for Black Friday.

Depending on your goal and what you’re trying to achieve, your offers may vary — you don’t have to restrict yourself to discounts and coupon codes. When it comes to giving your customers something of value, a little creativity can go a long way. Take a look at the ideas below and start thinking about what your business can offer.

• Gift Guides
  • Help those indecisive shoppers find the perfect gift with a holiday gift guide. No one ever knows what to buy for Aunt Brenda and Cousin Kevin, but with your input and advice, their names can get crossed off the shopping list early this year.
  • Include a variety of gift ideas catered to different budgets and family members so there’s a little something for everyone.
• Free Gift Wrapping
  • Want to attract foot traffic to your business on Small Business Saturday? How about offering free gift wrapping with every purchase of a certain value?
• Offer Free Shipping
  • Drive online orders this Cyber Monday by offering free shipping. You can offer free shipping across all orders or only on orders of a certain amount. The latter option entices customers to add more goods to their shopping carts.
• Tips, Tricks, & Advice
  • The holidays aren’t just about shopping and spending. Provide value to your customers by giving them relevant tips and advice to help make the holidays less stressful. For example, if you’re a salon you can offer tips on how to pamper yourself during the holidays. This is also a great way to highlight the services you offer and include a way for people to book them.
• Holiday Recipes
  • Share a favorite holiday recipe from your family (or restaurant if that’s your industry) with your customers to provide value and make a connection without offering a discount.
• Holiday Photo Contest
  • Ask your customers to share their holiday photos with your business online. You can ask them to tag you on social media or use specific hashtags to make sure you see their posts.
  • You can offer a prize for “best photo” or provide a discount to those who engage with your business online.
• Gift Cards + Bonus Value
  • Want your customers to buy more in gift cards? Offer a bonus amount with each gift card purchase! For example, every time someone purchases $50 in gift cards you can give them an additional $10 for free.
• Promote Holiday Events
  • If your business hosts events, whether virtual on in-person, you’ll want your customers to know about them and attend. Drive interest in your events by marketing them to your audience and offering a discount on tickets.

Leverage the Best Marketing Channels for Your Business

The holidays are often a busy, hectic time. With that in mind, it’s important that you get your message to the right audience and at the right time. So, stop and think about all the different ways your customers and prospects interact and communicate with your business. Depending on your business model, it could be in-person, online, via telephone, or any combination thereof.

Below, we’ve listed some of the most popular channels and methods for communicating with your audience. Review them and decide what works best for your business. Just as with the dates we mentioned above, you don’t have to use each and every method of communication. You don’t want to burden your audience during this busy time — just provide value and get your message in front of them so you stay top of mind.

• Social Media
  • Social media is a valuable tool and almost everyone has a social media account on one platform or another. It’s not important that your business be on every social media platform, just the ones where your customers are.
    • Facebook is a great platform to engage with your customers and audience throughout the year and especially during the holidays. Update your business page’s cover photo with a holiday image to reflect the festive season and post about your special events, discounts, and offers. Most Facebook users access the app through their mobile devices, so it’s a fantastic way to target local consumers.
    • Twitter’s platform works wonders for engaging with your audience and sharing bite-sized content that’s both helpful and insightful. Consider sharing your tips and advice on this platform, and don’t forget to share your offers. If your customers reply to you, engage them in conversation on this fun channel.
    • Instagram is heavy on visuals — which is perfect for styling and showcasing the items you mentioned in your gift guide. Share photos of your staff at your annual holiday party or behind the scenes clips as your business preps for the season.
    • YouTube’s popularity isn’t going anywhere. People love engaging with videos and absorbing content in that medium. Consider “unboxing” a popular product and sharing it with your audience.
• Website
  • Your website is your business’s home base online. Update the images and text on your site to reflect the holiday season and any special events or offers you may be running.
  • No website? Get started today with Domain.com.

• Email
  • Reach your customers where they are every single day: Their inbox. A few well-crafted emails to highlight your holiday offerings and events can do a lot to drive business. Include easy-to-click buttons that take your readers directly to your online store and the products you’re looking to sell. Don’t forget to include your discounts along with a clever subject line to entice your audience to open your emails.
  • Help your customers recognize you in their inboxes. Get a professional email address that matches your domain name so you don’t get sent to the spam folder.
  • You can perform a quick online search to find a reputable Email Service Provider to help with your email marketing needs.
• Text/SMS
  • SMS marketing has grown in popularity over the years and there’s good reason for that. Gartner reports that “98% of SMS messages get opened” and Omnisend found that “SMS marketing’s conversion rate rose 102% in 2020.”
  • A quick online search can help you identify the perfect SMS marketing vendor to help you reach your customers.
• Paid Advertising
  • Not all businesses have the budget for paid advertising, but if you do, you should consider leveraging it during the holiday season to get in front of the right audience. Paid advertising can be done on Google to appear higher in the search results, on social media, and various other online platforms.
  • Concert your efforts on the platforms where your audience spends their time.

Once you’ve decided on the channels you’ll use to communicate with your customers, think about when to start sending your messages. Too soon and you may be forgotten by the time the holiday rolls around. Too late and your message may get lost among many others. Plan to send a series of communications starting a week or two before the holiday occurs and culminating on the holiday itself to stay top of mind with your audience.

Holiday Marketing

The holidays are a joyous time, and we hope that your business is prepared to join in the festivities with this beginner’s guide to holiday marketing. As you create your plan and design your communications, keep the spirit of the season in mind. With a little creativity and some elbow grease, you can create the perfect offers to attract your audience and provide value all the while building relationships with your customers.

As you market your business this holiday season, keep track of what efforts are successful and which ones aren’t. You’ll want to have this information handy for the following holiday season so you can tweak and iterate your future marketing messages.  

Do you have any other holiday marketing ideas for businesses? Let us know in the comments below!

Developing a strategy around your brand and learning how to market it are pivotal to the success of not just your brand, but your business as well. And that’s exactly what we’re discussing in today’s blog post. 

If you’d like to learn more about what a brand is and the different elements that comprise it, check out part one of our Guide to Branding, “What is Branding?” here. 

What is Brand Strategy and Marketing?

A strong brand strategy helps you present a unified, consistent brand identity in market: Ranging from your site design, to your social media profiles, and even to how you communicate with customers. 

Consistency is pivotal to branding because it helps set expectations with your audience, and a consistently good experience with your brand increases brand loyalty. Without a brand strategy to drive that consistency, your business will suffer. 

Crafting a brand strategy isn’t difficult, but it does take time and effort. 

A good brand strategy helps you understand your business values and directs your brand to grow in manners beneficial to both your business and customers. It’ll help you communicate with your audience clearly and effectively, attract the right customers, and positions your brand in a way that helps you grow your market share. 

Why is Brand Strategy Important?

Without a good, consistent brand strategy your business will suffer. 

Crafting a brand strategy helps you understand who you are and what matters to your business, like your values and mission. Those are vitally important to understand when making marketing and business decisions. 

When you have an inconsistent brand, your marketing and communications take a hit, and if you can’t clearly communicate your brand and values to your customers, you’ve lost them. 

So let’s look into how to create a brand strategy and what you can do to succeed against the competition. 

How to Create a Brand Strategy

Before sitting down to create your brand strategy, it’s good to have the following information at hand:

• Who’s your target audience?
  • Who are you trying to reach? Do you know what your ideal customer looks like? To craft an effective brand strategy you must know who you’re talking to and what their needs are so you can offer the appropriate solution. If you know your audience, you can speak to them more effectively.
• Who’s your competition?
  • What other businesses and brands are competing for the same customers and audience? This information is vital to know. If you understand your competition, you can figure out how to position yourself in the marketplace to stand out from them and attract customers. 

Once you have that information handy, it’s time to start strategizing. So, let’s do it. To build your brand strategy, follow the steps below. 

Understanding the Core of Your Brand

Your business holds a set of core beliefs that drives and influences every aspect of your brand. You can think of these beliefs as your business values or your mission. 

When your brand and core business beliefs are aligned, it’s a powerful thing. When they’re not, well, you’re facing some issues. 

If you understand what drives your business, what drives your brand, then you can successfully communicate that to your customers both verbally and visually. It allows you to grow your business in a way that successfully sets you apart from competitors and engenders you to your audience. 

Without a set of guiding beliefs, your messaging will be erratic, employees may feel directionless, and overall, your business will suffer. 

To help you determine your core values and beliefs, ask yourself the following questions:

• Who am I? Why does this business exist?
  • These questions help you understand the purpose of your business. 
• What does the future of my business look like? What does success look like and how do I create it?
  • These questions help you understand your business’s vision and mission, and help you determine what needs to be done to support them. 

It’s essential that you start your brand strategy by diving into the heart of your brand and determining your values. These values and your core brand can then be shared with your audience and in market through messaging and visual representations. 

Define Your Brand Voice and Messaging

Now that you understand what makes your brand tick, it’s time to figure out how to communicate that to your customers and in the market. You can think of this as an exercise in brand messaging. 

Brand messaging is the practice of talking about who you are. Like with any practice, the more you hone and refine your messaging, the better it gets. Defining your brand messaging helps your brand communicate honestly and effectively. 

It’s important to spend time figuring out your brand messaging before jumping into the more visual aspects of your brand. That’s because your brand’s visual assets are largely an extension of your messaging and how you represent yourself online and in market. 

For example, when developing Domain.com’s brand strategy, we determined that our messaging needs to be authentic, interesting, and straightforward. Cleverness is okay, but we’re not cutesy and we won’t pander. We try to be honest and transparent while speaking clearly and simply — no “fluff.”

In turn, this helped us craft our visual identity — bold, strong, and energetic. Our approach with images and the more flexible creative elements of our brand is to find clean, clear imagery for complicated concepts. Our minimal illustration style is designed much like our messaging, again, no “fluff.”

To craft the best brand messaging, you’ll need to understand three things:

• Your brand’s personality. 
  • Long gone are the days when businesses were entirely formal and focused on transactions alone. Now, your brand needs to have some personality. What characteristics and human attributes does your brand express? Are you fun and cheerful or serious and direct? Determining what attributes to highlight in your messaging helps you build relationships with the right audience. 
• What voice to use. 
  • Your brand voice is unique. A car dealership doesn’t have the same voice as a non-profit, and for good reason. Your brand’s voice is your brand’s personality put into words and articulated in your customer-facing messaging. 
• What tone to take. 
  • A good way to determine your tone is to think about how you want your messaging to make people feel. Your voice won’t change, but your tone can depending on the context of your message or who you’re talking to. Just because your voice is clever, doesn’t mean you can’t have a serious tone when necessary. 

Once you’ve defined your brand messaging, it’ll be so much easier to communicate effectively and talk about who you are in market. Your brand messaging and voice should be used when sharing your brand story, making a pitch, or making a promise to your customers. 

Define Your Brand’s Visual Identity

Usually, when someone hears the word “brand” they immediately jump to thinking of colors and logos. However, we chose to include visual identity as the third step in your brand strategy because it’s a continuation of your brand messaging. 

Your brand expresses itself through colors, images, and icons just as much as it does with words. When crafting your visual identity keep in mind that you’re designing not just for your immediate needs, but for your brand’s future, too. 

With that said, your visual identity needs to be clear and intuitive so that the different elements, like colors and logos, work together. There needs to be an element of flexibility so that you can adapt and grow as your business does and as you introduce new products or services. And it needs to be comprehensive. Detail your color palette and what your imagery is meant to convey so that your employees or contractors understand and can apply your visual identity to their tasks and responsibilities. 

Translating Your Brand Strategy into Brand Guidelines

Now that you’ve gone through the exercise of determining your brand strategy it’s time to finalize it. 

Translating your brand strategy into a tangible document that contains your brand guidelines is an essential step in achieving business success. Having this information documented not only keeps you accountable, but it makes it easy to share with whomever needs the information, whether that be employees or an outside contractor. 

We recommend using a cloud-based tool, like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, to track this information. Both tools make it easy to work from wherever you’re located and you can access your files across various devices. They also make it easy to collaborate with others and stay on top of tasks. 

Your brand guidelines should detail the following information:

• Mission
• Vision
• Voice & Tone
• Color Palette
• Logos, Taglines, and Icons
• Typography and font
• Visual Language and Identity
• Media kit 
  • Your media kit should include downloadable files of any logos or design elements that your employees or contractors may need to support your brand. 

Putting Your Brand into Market

Ready to take your business and brand into the market? Congrats!

Now that you’ve established your brand strategy, you’ve set yourself up for success. 

You can use your brand strategy and guidelines to talk your customers online and off — in email, via social media, and face-to-face. And you should absolutely use and refer to your brand guidelines when designing your website, the core of your digital identity. 

If you don’t have a website, we can help. With Domain.com’s WebsiteBuilder, you can get online quickly and easily. And while our AI-powered site builder helps make life a little easier by getting your site design started, you retain full control over customizing your site to support your brand identity. 

So what are you waiting for? Get started today. 

Your brand is what makes you and your business unique — if it could be distilled down into something tangible, we’d venture to call it your “special sauce.”

Your brand is a first impression — the first impression that customers and potential clients will have of your business. You don’t get a second chance at a first impression, so make it count.

The good thing is, you don’t have to go at it alone. We’re here to help you understand what it takes to craft the perfect brand and take it to market in our two-part guide to branding.

What Is a Brand?

Your brand comprises many things: It’s your business and website colors, your logo, the products and services you offer, and the way you present your business online. It’s the feeling someone gets when they hear your business or domain name, and it’s what they think of you as they browse your site. And yet, that still doesn’t fully capture what your brand is.

In essence, your brand is the summation of every single touchpoint a person can have with your business and what they think about you. That includes your site, social media, products and services, logos, your business’s mission and values, the way you speak to your audience on your site and in your blog, and how you provide customer service.

You can build and work on elements of your brand to influence it; however, keep in mind that it’s just as much what someone thinks of your business as it is the elements you can control, like your logo and colors. Ultimately, your brand lives and dies in the eyes of the consumer.  

To get a bit more technical, let’s look at how Merriam-Webster defines “Brand.” They say it’s a “class of goods identified by name as the product of a single firm or manufacturer, a characteristic or distinctive kind, and a public image, reputation, or identity conceived of as something to be marketed or promoted.”

Why Are Brands Important?

Your brand sets you apart from the competition. When all else is equal, a customer’s brand loyalty is the deciding factor in where and with what business they choose to transact. Jeff Bezos once said, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”

So, what do you want your customers to say about you? And how can you influence it? Let’s explore different elements of branding that you can work on to craft the perfect brand identity.

Elements of Branding

Your brand isn’t entirely within your control. You see, it’s a living, evolving thing. You set the foundation upon which it grows: Deciding on a domain and business name, your logo, your colors, and your typography. Then, it evolves as people and customers interact with you, get to know your products and what type of service you provide, and when they buy into your mission and values as a business.

Business and Domain Name

Names affect brands, but how?

A good name lends trust and credibility to your business, to your brand. A good name is one of your company’s most valuable assets, and if you don’t believe us, you need only look to one of the largest businesses of our time, Starbucks, to find out why.

Starbucks co-founder, Gordon Bowker, tells us how Starbucks got its name in an interview with The Seattle Times. He says, “We were thinking of all kinds of names and came desperately close to calling it Cargo House, which would have been a terrible, terrible mistake. Terry Heckler [with whom Bowker owned an advertising agency] mentioned in an offhand way that he thought words that begin with ‘st’ were powerful words. I thought about that and I said, yeah, that’s right, so I did a list of ‘st’ words.

Somebody somehow came up with an old mining map of the Cascades and Mount Rainier, and there was an old mining town called Starbo. As soon as I saw Starbo, I, of course, jumped to Melville’s first mate [named Starbuck] in Moby-Dick.”

There you have it — Starbucks was named, in large part, due to the perceived strength of the “st” sound that begins its name.

“Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”

Jeff bezos

Words can indeed cause people to feel different things depending on the sounds in the word. Christopher Johnson, Ph.D., a verbal branding consultant known as “The Name Inspector,” discusses these sounds or “rhythmic contrasts” in words in his book MICROSTYLE The Art of Writing Little.

Did you know that business names can be thought of as either feminine or masculine depending on the sound or rhythm of the word?  He uses the examples of Chanel, a “feminine brand name”, and Black & Decker, a “masculine brand name”, as explained below.

The name Chanel is an iamb, meaning it consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one (shə-NEHL or chaNEL.) “Iambs tend to sound lighter and softer,” Johnson writes, while “… trochees tend to sound heavier and harder.” Black & Decker is an example of a trochee; those consist of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable (BLACK & deck-ER.) He notes that “Most people ‘feel’ this difference even if they find it hard to pinpoint.” Keep in mind that means people will feel a certain way about your business name, probably without realizing it, so put some extra thought into naming your business.

Choosing the right domain name should be part of the process of selecting your business name. Both will support your brand, and for consistency, they should be as similar (if not exact) as possible. Successful businesses in this day and age require having an online presence, so a website (and therefore, domain name) is a must.

Here’s what else you should keep in mind when deciding on the perfect domain name for your brand:

• Does it pass the radio test?
  • If someone were only to hear your domain name in passing on the radio and never see it written out, could they navigate to it? If the answer is no, consider going back to the drawing board and choosing another name.
• Avoid unique spelling, punctuation, or excessive numbers.
  • For starters, it won’t pass the radio test. Do you really expect people to remember that instead of the letter “I,” you use the number “1” in your domain name? Or that you have approximately five hyphens and three numbers in your domain? No, you can’t reasonably expect that. And if people can’t remember or spell your domain name, the chances of them getting to your website are slim.
• Make it memorable.
  • Try to keep your domain name short. The longer it gets, the more chances people have of mistyping and never reaching your site.
• Buy alternate misspellings of your domain name.
  • This helps in two ways:
    • If there are common misspellings of your domain name, purchase them to ensure you get any traffic from people who mistyped your correct domain.
    • It prevents competitors from purchasing misspellings of your domain name. If your competitor owns those misspelled alternates of your domain, they can redirect traffic from there to their own site.
• Consider a new domain extension.
  • Is .com really king? It’s well known, and people recognize it, but nowadays, there are thousands of domain extensions that can help you get the perfect domain name.
  • Starting an online store? Try .store. Opening a yoga studio? Try .yoga. There is a domain extension for just about everything, and these TLDs can help add context and memorability to your domain name.

Business and Brand Logo

Humans are visual creatures, so hook their attention with a good-looking logo.

Why are logos important? Just like with domain names, a good logo is a calling card for your brand. Your logo should be memorable and unique enough that when people see it, they instantly think of your brand and don’t confuse it with another.

There are various types of logos, ranging from strictly visual (think abstract logos like Chase Bank) to mascots (used by many sports teams), emblems (law firms or universities), and lettermarks and wordmarks (like CNN or Google, respectively.)

Domain.com uses a variety of logos, like you see below, to help support our brand. 

When designing your logo, keep the following tips in mind:

• Leverage white and empty space. 
  • Your logo doesn’t need to look “busy” to communicate your brand.
• Rely on your business’s color palette. 
• Where will your logo be displayed? 
  • You’ll likely need different versions or sizes so that it looks good on your website, in your emails, and on social media. 
• Relevancy is key. 
  • Your logo is representative of your brand, don’t forget that. 

With Domain.com, it’s easy to create a professional logo to support your brand. All you need is a name, and Domain.com’s LogoMaker will instantly create hundreds of logo options for you to choose from. Then, you can customize everything from colors and fonts to icons and more. 

Sign in to your Domain.com account today and select “Business” at the top of your control panel to leverage the power and design capabilities of LogoMaker. 

Color Psychology and Branding

Designing a website can be a lot of fun, especially when you use a tool like WebsiteBuilder, which does all the heavy lifting for you. That gives you more time to focus on the creative aspects, like the color palette your business and site uses. 

Your brand’s color palette can affect the way people interact with you. This is due to color psychology, or “the study of hues as a determinant of human behavior.”

Certain colors lend themselves to specific associations. In Western culture, we say that green is the color of envy and think of blue as relaxing and meditative. The color black, for example, is believed to represent wealth and prosperity in Eastern cultures and is foreboding and threatening in Western cultures. 

Domain.com’s primary color is Carmine Red, as you see below. We chose it to help us create a strong, bold, and energetic brand expression that helps us stand out and build recognition. 

From there, we selected an accompanying functional color palette — one that’s monochromatic and leverages greyscale to add a stark contrast to our primary color. 

Go into your color selection with an idea of what you want those colors to exemplify. For Domain.com, we embrace a minimal and clean color palette to allow for deliberate emphasis on bold visual elements. Our colors are meant to inspire and drive action, to help the Doers out there get more done. 

Font and Branding

A successful brand understands that different fonts send different messages to their audiences. So choose your fonts carefully — no one wants to send the wrong message to their audience accidentally. 

There are hundreds and hundreds of fonts available to you, some you can find for free, and others require purchase. However, most of the fonts you’ll want to use fall into the following categories:

• Serif
  • Serif fonts are distinctive due to the flourish or decorative stroke at the end of the letters (both horizontally and vertically.) These fonts generally give your site and brand a more formal tone. 
• Sans 
  • Sans fonts add no serifs, or decorative strokes, to their letters. In fact, in French, “sans” means without. These fonts give off a modern and straightforward vibe. 

Domain.com uses Lato for its branding, choosing it for its flexibility and bold, modern style. 

What are you thinking about using for your brand? Why? Let us know in the comments!

Customer Service, Values, and Branding

A consistent customer experience is at the core of your brand. To put this into perspective, let’s look at Starbucks again to see what they’re doing right. 

Whether or not you’ve had their coffee (and with over 28k locations, we’re betting you have), the odds are good that you’ve heard of Starbucks. How did they get to be so big and such a well-loved brand?

The intelligent minds at Starbucks realized that their brand, their business persona, was in the hands of their customers. Understanding that, they’ve since done everything they can to enhance the public’s perception of them positively. 

Starbucks trained its partners (what they call their employees) to greet you when you walk in the door and know that it should only take 3 minutes from that moment until you get your drink. I don’t know about you, but a cheerful greeting and expedient service are likely to make me think more fondly of a business.

Starbucks provides a consistent experience. You’ll find similar menus across most of their locations, all of which are easily identifiable by the green siren logo. Not to mention, that logo is one of the world’s most recognizable logos. Their locations are comfortable, inviting, and positioned as a “third place” — a place between home and work that’s welcoming and relaxing.

Starbucks’ mission statement is, “To inspire and nurture the human spirit — one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.” They live this mission in their stores, and it’s reflected in the materials they choose to share on social media. They do such an excellent job of living their mission statement, and so it’s how their customers think of them — it’s the heart of their brand.

What would happen to the Starbucks brand if they decided to double all their prices, increase the wait time for drinks, and hire only surly service workers? Those wouldn’t be changes to the material goods they offer, but changes that affect the customer experience. Their brand would undoubtedly suffer because it lives in the eyes of the consumer.

Have you ever been to the Starbucks website? In our original definition, we said that “Your brand is the summation of every single touchpoint a customer can have with your business and how they think about you.” Websites are customer touchpoints, and Starbucks’ site is designed to reflect their commitment to their mission statement and ease of use.

We understand that you may not have a Starbucks-sized budget to run and market your business, but you can still cop a few of their tactics to grow your brand. Put your customers first, provide a good and consistent experience, and live your mission statement.

A Successful Brand Is a Successful Business

Take the time to focus on building and crafting your brand before launching your business in the market. 

Structural elements like your logo, color palette, and typography and fonts keep your brand consistent and robust. These core pieces work together to make your brand recognizable wherever it appears. 

Once you’ve nailed your structural elements, you can approach your brand’s more flexible and creative elements, like selecting what photography and illustration to use on your site. All of these things help communicate a broader range of emotions, showcase your products, and create clear points of view for your customers. 

Ready to work on your brand and bring your business to life? Domain.com has all the tools you need, so get started today. 

Relevant, insightful, and well-crafted audio content delivered in a friendly yet authoritative voice can be an easy, intimate, and powerful way of connecting with different segments of the audience, educating them about your business and its products, generating brand awareness and love, strengthening your identity and eventually boosting your sales. 

If the numbers stated above don’t make a convincing enough case for the humble podcast as a worthy addition to your content marketing mix, the six compelling reasons mentioned in this article surely will.

However, before you get into making the most of your newfound passion, you must address the first step — building an identity for your podcast. This starts with registering a domain name. 

Instead of going the traditional route, consider getting a little creative and giving your podcast a meaningful and contextual online identity.

For example, if your podcast is more tech-oriented, you could register a domain name on .tech. If you’re talking about small business marketing or subjects like SEO and customer management, you could opt for .online or .site. If you’re speaking to creative professionals, or have something to do with housing, design, or outer space, you could opt for .space.

New domain extensions such as these add more character and flavor to your online identity and make you stand out. This ensures that your listener is impressed with you right from the beginning.

6 Ways Podcasts Supercharge Your Marketing

1. Easy and Inexpensive to Produce

It costs money to produce well-researched, high-quality, professional-looking content. But when it comes to podcasts, your production costs are far less than those for other forms, especially videos. 

You don’t need to hire a professional cameraperson or editor to create a podcast. A basic headset with a mic is all you need to get good audio quality. Podcast editing software such as Alitu and Audacity are fairly simple to use and there are enough tutorials on YouTube to help you get started (Audacity is also completely free).

If you are a good writer, you can write your own podcast script, one that channels your thoughts in your own voice and thus is more authentic. However, if you don’t trust your writing skills, hiring a freelance content writer from a platform such as Fiverr is also an option.

2. Stand Apart from the Competition

Content marketing is highly competitive. Almost every brand has a blog, a YouTube channel, and an active social media presence. Compared to these, podcasts are still relatively untapped, yet they have a fast-growing listener base. The number of podcast listeners globally has increased by 42% during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Moreover, research has shown that podcast listeners are dedicated to the podcasts they love. According to this 2019 report by Edison Research on Podcast Consumers, 52% of monthly listeners will listen to an entire episode. And, even though it is easy to listen to podcasts while doing something else, 70% of the listeners claim that, at least sometimes, they listen to podcasts while doing nothing else. 

This is your chance to stand apart from the competition, create simple, meaningful content, and connect with a niche audience that sees the true value of what you have to offer and has great potential to become loyal to your brand. 

3. Establish Your Authority

People nowadays look toward brands as more than just transactional entities. They gravitate towards companies that are experts in what they do, whose products and services are guided by knowledge and experience, who aren’t just in the business of selling but of truly understanding and satisfying their needs. 

This evolution of the customer-business relationship forms the crux of content marketing, and with podcasts you have an edge over other formats. As revealed in the 2019 Podcast Consumer study mentioned above, 74% of listeners say that they listen to podcasts to learn new things, while 71% do so for entertainment. By tapping into this medium, you can establish your brand’s authority not just as a business but as an industry expert and an authentic source of knowledge and entertainment. 

4. Better Engagement

Unlike videos and articles that require people to focus their sight and thoughts on a screen, podcasts can be consumed anywhere, anytime, and in conjunction with other activities. People can listen to them while driving, doing household chores, exercising, or just before bed. 

But ease of consumption isn’t the only way in which podcasts offer better engagement. This is a chance for you to also engage more personally with your audience. Through your voice, you are able to infuse your personality in your content, while a conversational tone makes your matter more relatable. It’s like a person is having a real conversation with you rather than reading an email from you. 

In fact, you should consider including real conversations in your podcasts to encourage audience participation. You can do this by incorporating live chats and Q&As, reading comments and feedback shared with you in real-time, and giving shout outs to people who are tuned in. All of this makes for a wholesome interaction that is missing from other forms of content.

5. Connect with New Audiences

Your podcasts can cover a range of topics all directly related to your business industry — such as trends, product reviews or tutorials, or other general interest topics. For instance, a bike company can have a fitness or travel podcast, while a travel company can have a nature or photography podcast. 

As the owner of a company, you can even leverage your personal brand to gain more customers for your business. For instance, let’s say that you’re an avid surfer who runs a sports equipment company. Talking about your passion for surfing on your podcast and sharing your expert tips and exciting experiences is all sure to help you attract fellow surfers. By identifying topics that interest different segments of your target market, you can reach new audiences and build brand affinity with them. 

If you’re collaborating with another brand on your podcast or inviting people to co-host or interview, you are also opening up immense opportunities for cross-promotion and tapping into yet another consumer base. All you have to do is make sure that all parties involved are actively sharing and promoting your podcast on their platforms.

6. Build Deeper Connections

When you’re talking to your audience through your podcasts, you are quite literally telling your brand’s story in your own words and in your own voice. The very nature of the medium makes it one of the most authentic, personal, and heartfelt forms of communication. It helps people see your brand in a more personable light.

Writing about your brand’s journey, the passions that led to it, the struggles you faced, and the successes you celebrated are good enough, but nothing beats the sentiments that a human’s voice can evoke. It helps people relate better, feel empathy, get inspired, and form a deeper connection with your business; and these are the kind of connections that transform into long-lasting relationships based on friendship and loyalty. 

Get Started with Podcast Marketing

Now that you are well aware of how a podcast can boost your marketing, it’s time to hone your speaking skills and put your voice out there! 

Ensure that you have the right recording equipment that does justice to your content and voice. Find a recording space that permits minimum disturbance. Look for the right music to complement your podcast’s theme and mood. If you’re looking for co-hosts or guests, try to find people who would appeal to your target demographic or whose demographic you’d like to connect with. 

Make sure you put out at least a few (typically three) episodes to start with, so that people who are curious to engage with you more get a chance to do so. This increases their likelihood of becoming your subscribers and potentially becoming your customers and brand ambassadors. You can experiment with different formats and episode lengths to see which ones work best for you. 

Remember that the key is to deliver great content consistently to entice people into coming back for more. 

Author Bio

Alisha is a Senior Content Marketing & Communication Specialist at Radix, the registry behind some of the most successful new domain extensions, including .STORE and .TECH. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Now comes the hard part (as if leaving behind the security of your regular job wasn’t hard enough). Along with the thrills of being your own boss comes the burden of having to manage everything on your own. 

Suddenly, you’re a CEO, a designer, a social media manager, a customer service representative, and an office administrator. Throw in client meetings and chasing vendors for payments and you’re cruising toward burnout.

The good news is you don’t have to do it all on your own. With the help of technology, you can take your mind off mundane tasks and get some free time to focus on making your solopreneurial venture profitable and scalable. 

Online Tools for Solopreneurs

Here are some tools you need to make your solo journey a smooth-sailing one.

Create a Website 

First of all, you need a website to create an online presence to help prospective clients or customers find you and connect with you. 

Creating a website doesn’t have to be an expensive affair but it’s definitely one that needs thorough research and attention to detail. Start by thinking about what purpose you want it to serve and then assemble the tools you need to get it up and running.

If you find the prospect of creating a website intimidating, relax. Creating a website is an easy process when you use WebsiteBuilder. To start, answer a few questions and Domain.com’s AI-powered WebsiteBuilder will select the right layout, along with initial images and content for your site. If you’d prefer to work with a professional to create your site, Domain.com can help with that, too. 

Website Hosting

Domain.com offers powerful and reliable hosting plans ranging from your basic hosting to more complex plans for eCommerce and high-volume sites. Additionally, they offer WordPress hosting, which is among the most versatile tools offering various templates for different kinds of websites. 

Domain Name

Next, you will need to register a domain name that people can use to find your website. An ideal domain name is:

• Similar to your company name so as to strengthen your online branding.
• Short and simple enough to be memorable and easy to type.
• Indicative of your industry or nature of business.
• Creative enough to stand out from competitors.
• Readily available to use and free of trademark protections.

Consider using new domain extensions that can not only be more affordable but can also make your domain name more meaningful and contextual. For instance, you can use .store for an online store, .tech if you are a coder, programmer, or web designer, .online if you are going to take online classes, or .space if you need an online space to display your art.  

Analytics

You will also need tools to provide data that measures the success of your website in terms of the traffic it is receiving from different sources, conversions, and bounce rates. Google Analytics is a free tool that offers most services that a solopreneurial venture would need, but you can also opt for paid tools such as Ahrefs and SEMrush that can provide more complex data such as in-depth competitor analysis and backlink monitoring. 

Task Management and Communication

Being a one-person army is never easy. You need tools that can help you plan and organize your tasks, track workflows, track the amount of time spent on different jobs, and set up reminders. Fortunately, there is no dearth of online tools to help you in this department. Here are some of our favorites.

Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 offers all the tools you know and love to help you establish and run your business. Need to reinforce your brand with a professional email address that matches your domain name? Microsoft 365 has you covered. They also offer the tools you’re already familiar with, like Outlook, Word, Skype, and more. From cloud-based document management to virtual meeting software, you have everything you need to manage your business when you use Microsoft 365. 

Google Workspace

Stay on top of all your tasks with Google Workspace. Whether you need to stay in touch with your customers and clients or share documents with partners and employees, you can do it all with the tools they offer. And there’s no need to worry about confusing set up, domain verification, or toggling between Domain.com and Gmail. Google Workspace is completely integrated with your Domain.com control panel, allowing instant access so you can get down to business, fast.

Todoist

Todoist offers a host of features for different types of workers from creative professionals to freelancers to techies to business owners. It allows you to list and prioritize tasks and subtasks, segregate them into different categories, and set deadlines and reminders. You can also track your progress through productivity charts and earn points for completing tasks. 

Monday

Monday can easily be integrated with other apps such as Google, Dropbox, and Slack to set up automated workflows and help you save time. It also offers different viewing styles such as kanban, graphs, and charts so you can pick the one that you find easiest to read and understand.

FreshBooks

FreshBooks is particularly useful for freelancers as it also provides tools for managing finances, time-tracking, and setting up estimates and timelines for projects. The invoicing tool ensures that you get paid on time while its collaborative project management tool makes it easy for clients to share feedback, so you can be on the same page at all stages of the task.

Accounting and Invoicing

Managing your business accounts can be the most daunting task for solopreneurs, especially if you’re not from a finance background. Hiring a bookkeeper may not be within everyone’s budget. But there are a number of online tools, from simple to complex, that you can use to take the load off your hands and learn a thing or two about accounting. 

Wave

This free software offers simple yet useful money-management solutions, making it ideal for small solo businesses. Its best feature is easy-to-create invoices, but it also helps you visualize your cash flows and stay on top of payments. If you want to manage your credit card payments through the app, it charges you a basic fee of $3-4 per transaction.

Xero

For more complex accounting needs, especially for those pertaining to online stores, Xero offers all of the services that Wave provides along with seamless integration with other apps that can help you automate workflows. Other useful features include inventory tracking, bill payments, bank account connections, tax calculations, financial reporting, and file sharing.

Social Media

As a solopreneur, you may not have a big marketing budget, but you can harness the power of social media to build your brand, connect with your audience and even sell your products. However, managing multiple social media accounts is no mean feat. 

That’s the reason why big companies have teams dedicated purely to social media. Not only do you need to understand the platforms well, but you also need to know your audience behavior, post on multiple accounts, and have the design and writing chops to create beautiful creatives and catchy captions. Sound intimidating? It doesn’t have to be, we’ll explain below. 

Analytics Tools

The best part about using social media platforms is that you can use their native tools (Facebook Ads Manager, Instagram Insights, and Twitter Analytics) for gaining useful target audience insights, such as demographic information, learning when they’re most active, and to discover how they’re engaging with your posts. You can even estimate the reach of your ads based on the cost and the time frame of your posts. 

Social Media Management Tools

Instead of setting up multiple reminders for posting on different accounts, you can use apps such as Hootsuite, Sprout Social and Buffer to run multiple accounts from a single platform, schedule future posts and receive advanced analytics.

Content Creation Apps

Social media is nothing without stunning visuals, but don’t fret if designing isn’t one of your strong points. You don’t even have to enroll yourself in an online Photoshop or video-editing course (although those skills are always useful in the long run). With the help of apps such as Canva, Wordswag, and VSCO Cam, you can create beautiful content with pictures, text, and other design elements to take your social media game to the next level. 

Start Your Solopreneur Journey Today

Don’t let the burdens of being a solopreneur dissuade you from taking the journey. Armed with the right tools, hard work, and willpower, you can enrich your life with meaningful work that resonates with your passion, reap the benefits of well-deserved rewards, and live life on your own terms. 

Author Bio

Alisha is a Senior Content Marketing & Communication Specialist at Radix, the registry behind some of the most successful new domain extensions, including .STORE and .TECH. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

That will change as your business grows and you add more talent to your staff. As your team expands you’ll find yourself asking things like:

• Who’s working on what?
• Has anyone even started those projects you’ve been asking about for the past three weeks?
• How much has your team completed on certain tasks?

It’s tough to know the answers to these sorts of questions without tracking down your individual employees and getting a status update from each of them, right?

Wrong.

Nowadays, cloud-based tools make it possible for everyone to be on the same page. Using these productivity tools your team can align on common goals, know what other team members are working on, and hit deadlines more efficiently — no matter where in the world they’re located.

How to Increase Productivity.

One of the most frustrating things about working remotely is wasted time. And a big time waster across remote teams is duplication of effort — when two or more people are working on the same thing (unbeknownst to one another) because of poor planning, communication, and tracking. When that happens people get discouraged because all parties involved realize they could have been using their time more wisely.

Sharing your documents and files with one another prevents this issue from happening. With cloud-based documents and tools, files automatically sync so that one person can see what another is working on. What’s even better is that multiple people can work on these files at the same time if need be. Shared documents are a great and quick way to knock things off your to-do list.

Cloud-based productivity tools don’t stop there, though. They also offer things like video calls. Video calls help your team stay together as if they were meeting in the same room. The face-to-face interaction removes the chance of confusing tone in an email, so your team knows the importance of hitting a deadline without feeling over-managed. Set up a weekly video meeting with your team, and individuals, so everyone can stay on the same page with your business.

Make the Most of Your Time with Cloud-Based Tools.

What cloud-based productivity tools do we recommend?

At Domain.com, we’re big fans of both Google’s G Suite and Microsoft 365. You may be more familiar with one or another, but both offer intuitive, helpful solutions for working from home or remotely.

Do you identify with any of the following statements?

• I need to improve my productivity.
• I need to access files at the office, at home, and in-between.
• I sometimes do work on my laptop, but also my smartphone or tablet.
• I need an email address that my customers’ recognize.
• I need big workplace solutions at small prices.
• I need to maintain the security of my work documents while at home or elsewhere.
• I need to know what my team is working on and when.

If so, G Suite and Microsoft 365 are here to help. Let’s take a look at what they offer. 

Google’s G Suite

G Suite is perfect for those looking to increase their business credibility, build their brand, communicate effectively with employees and customers, and improve productivity.

G Suite Communication Tools

Gmail, Calendar, Hangouts, and Meet are tools designed and built to help you maintain open and effective lines of communication. These resources offer instant messaging, email (that matches your domain name for a professional look), and video chat capabilities.

G Suite Collaboration Tools

Docs, Sheets, Forms, Slides, and Sites are tools created to allow for work and collaboration from anywhere. They let you work harmoniously with your team from across the room or across the globe.

G Suite Storage Tools

Having hard copies of your documents can be nice, but it certainly isn’t convenient. G Suite offers Google Drive and Cloud so you can store, edit, and securely maintain your important information. Access and share your files instantly, from anywhere, without worrying about merging documents or attaching and downloading files.

G Suite Management Tools

You want your team to have access to the materials they need while working remotely, but how do you make sure your important business documents don’t get into the wrong hands? G Suite offers Admin, Vault, and Mobile tools to help you easily and securely control your data, devices, and users.

You can learn more about G Suite and our offerings here.

Microsoft Office 365

Microsoft 365 is a great solution for those who are building their digital identity and establishing their business online.

With Microsoft 365, you’ll receive familiar and trusted business tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and so much more. Its tools allow you to analyze your business data, protect your business information, and enable social networking and real-time communication with your teams.  

Domain.com offers various Microsoft 365 plans so you can begin with your domain name and a matching email address, and grow into the solutions you need. If you’re already an established business, we’ve got the perfect Microsoft 365 plan for you, too.  We’ll dive into what each one covers right now.

Email Essentials

This plan offers business-class email and calendar services. It includes 15 GB of Exchange Online storage and offers the familiarity of Outlook you know and trust.

You’ll receive an email address to match your domain name with this plan, and that gives you credibility and instant recognition in your customers’ inboxes. 

And don’t forget to keep the team on track and working together with the shared marketing calendar that you’ll receive in the Email Essentials plan.

Business Plus

This plan consists of the core cloud services you’ll need to run your business, including business-class email, online meeting tools, and cloud storage to edit, collaborate, and share your files. You’ll never have to worry about uploading and attaching documents again!

Our Microsoft 365 Business Plus plan provides you with 50 GB of Exchange Online storage, Microsoft Office Online (with familiar tools like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel), 1 TB of business cloud storage with OneDrive, and online meetings, IM, and video chat capabilities with Microsoft Teams.

If you’ve got a remote team, consider starting with this plan, Business Essentials, or the following plan, Business Pro. 

Business Pro

Microsoft 365 Business Pro gives you the freedom to take your office anywhere you go. Working from home, the cafe, or while traveling? Microsoft 365 has your back. 

With this plan, you’ll receive Microsoft Office for desktop, Microsoft 365 apps for mobile and tablets, and automatic syncing across all your devices. 

Put some time back in your day by automating tasks like booking appointments and meetings with Business Pro!

Learn more about Microsoft 365 and get started here.

Work Together Like You’re All Local.

The internet has changed the meaning of a typical workday. Your team members can work anywhere they want, but it’s up to you to make sure they’re not working on whatever they want. Centralized productivity tools address that issue, and make them feel like they’re working in the same room. With close collaboration and the sharing of ideas, your business gets better work from the team.

When your team is spread far and wide across the country, or the world, the tools you use are the thread that holds your business together.

Once team members can work towards the same goal, see what the rest of the team is working on, and efficiently hit all their deadlines, your business stays on the right track. Even without being in the same room, your team can come together to complete the essential tasks that grow your business.