Four States Small Business Blog

The holiday season is not just a time for festive decorations and warm gatherings; it's also a golden opportunity to showcase your products as the perfect gift. For local shops and boutiques, the holiday season can be an essential moment for sales. To help you navigate December sales, we've compiled a list of marketing ideas to make your products the go-to gifts for everyone on the shopping list.

 

1. Gift Bundles and Exclusive Packages

Create curated gift bundles that highlight the best of your products. Consider combining complementary items or offering limited edition holiday packages. Exclusive bundles not only add value but also make the shopping experience easier for customers.

 

2. Holiday Messaging

Add a personal touch to your marketing messages. Incorporate holiday-themed graphics and create content that resonates with the emotions of the season. Highlight the joy of giving and emphasize how your products can bring happiness to the recipient. Be certain to differentiate your thoughtful, locally-based gifts from those of big-box retailers.

 

3. Include Holiday Wrapping

It can help in the holiday season to offer gift wrapping with each purchase. For those buying many gifts for friends and family, gift wrapping can become quite a chore. Consider also offering a customizable card with each gift.

 

4. Gift Guides and Inspiration

Inspire your customers by creating gift guides. Categorize products based on different themes or recipients (for example, gifts for him, gifts for her, and gifts for coworkers). Make it easy for shoppers to find the perfect gift for everyone on their list.

 

5. Social Media Contests and Giveaways

Engage your audience on social media with holiday-themed contests and giveaways. Encourage user-generated content by asking customers to share their favorite gift ideas or holiday traditions. This not only boosts interaction but also creates a sense of community around your brand. If you include your own website as part of the campaign, you will have the added benefit of boosting your site's visibility!

 

6. Collaborate with Influencers

Partner with influencers to showcase your products as desirable gifts. Influencers can create engaging content, share their personal experiences with your products, and reach a wider audience. For a local touch, consider a partnership with on-air talent from one of   Zimmer Marketing's six popular radio stations. Their recommendations can carry significant weight during the holiday shopping frenzy.

 

7. Virtual Shopping Events

Host virtual shopping events or live product demonstrations on social media platforms. Provide insights into your products, share behind-the-scenes stories, and interact with customers in real time. 

Gift Idea from Zimmer Marketing!

You're all set to promote your products as gifts this holiday season, but have you wrapped up your holiday shopping? Zimmer Marketing has created a unique gift opportunity for the beer lovers in your life: The Show Me State Beer Card! With your purchase of a 2024 Beer Card, your gift recipient will receive not one but two beers for just $1 a piece at participating locations across Southwest Missouri!

Get Yours Now

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Topics: Marketing Strategy

Zimmer Marketing is pleased to announce the launch of a new state-of-the-art website for a wonderful local business –   Erickson & Co. Mercantile! Over the fall season, our web team worked closely with the Erickson & Co. Mercantile to create the perfect website to promote their excellent artisan products in time for the holiday season! 

This website was part of a Zimmer Marketing giveaway package that Erickson & Co. Mercantile won by garnering many votes from the Four States community! The over $15,000 giveaway package included an advanced website, logo creation, professional photography, video production, and free radio for a year on KISSIN 92.5!

Topics: Website Design

In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, crafting an effective strategy can be a game-changer for your business. As we near the end of 2023 and prepare for 2024, now is the ideal time to reflect on your brand growth this year and plan for improvements in the coming year. Social media can be a powerful tool for brand growth when used correctly. So, to help you get the most out of your online presence, we've put together this social media strategy guide for 2024.

 

1. Define Your Target Audience

Understanding your audience is the cornerstone of any successful social media strategy. Begin by identifying and documenting your buyer personas. Dive deep into demographics such as age, gender, occupation, income, hobbies, and interests. The more you know about your audience, the better you can tailor your content to their specific needs.

2. Focus on Key Social Channels

Not every social media platform is created equal. Focus your efforts on a few key channels that offer the highest return on investment. Research where your target audience spends their time. If your target audience is outside the primary user base for a given social media platform, it will be more fruitful to focus your attention on a few highly productive platforms. For instance, if your brand tries to reach local business leaders, your resources would be better spent in places like LinkedIn or X (formerly Twitter). You would likely find a platform like TikTok to be less productive for your given audience and would not focus on it for outreach to business leaders. 

 

3. Drive Traffic to Your Website

Your business website is the online asset that your business controls the most. Whenever possible, utilize social media to drive traffic back to your website. It's important to be aware of each of your social media channel's policies regarding the promotion of your website. Follow their rules to ensure your posts are not suppressed for failure to follow their guidelines. Using social media to bring in traffic to your website gives you more insight into conversions and helps boost your site's performance in search engines. 

4. Optimize for Search

Social search is on the rise, with a significant percentage of consumers using social media as their first stop to search for brands. Optimize your social channels for search by including relevant keywords and hashtags, ensuring your username is easy to find, and maintaining consistency across accounts. Integrate your website's SEO strategy with your social SEO to help touchpoints for your brand appear in the top spots on search results pages.

 

5. Measure Your Results

Social media success is measurable. Track key metrics using platform-specific analytics tools. Measure website traffic, interactions, and sales attributed to social media efforts. Establish goals and maintain a scorecard to monitor progress. Choose metrics that are easy to track, such as post engagement, ensuring you stay motivated to analyze and adjust your strategy.

 

6. Adjust Your Tactics

The social media space is a constantly changing environment, and success often requires adaptation. Experiment with different channels, content types, and messaging. Monitor changes in post views, audience demographics, and interactions. Consistent refinement leads to a more effective and resonant social media strategy over time.

Brand Growth Strategy Experts for Social Media

Zimmer Marketing is the Four States area expert in social media engagement and branding. We can help you craft a brand identity, strategize your marketing media, and produce top-level content to achieve your business objectives!

Get in Contact with a Marketing Consultant

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Topics: Social Media

Video marketing is a highly effective way for many businesses to grow their brands. But is video marketing the right solution for your company? Let's delve into some compelling reasons that underscore why video marketing can be a game-changer for your brand growth.

Topics: Video Production

As we move deeper into the 2024 election cycle, it becomes ever more crucial for your campaign to reach voters with your message. Although the competition for voters' attention is fierce, Zimmer Marketing can help you successfully deliver your campaign messaging to the Four States, including Southwest, MO, Southeast, KS, and Northeast, OK. Let's delve into the reasons that make Zimmer Marketing the go-to choice for your election campaign in 2024.

 

Amplify Your Voice through Radio

In a world saturated with noise, radio remains a powerful medium to connect with voters. Zimmer Marketing owns six radio stations in the Four States, reaching 90% of voters. The cost-effectiveness of radio advertising, coupled with its broad reach, makes it a strategic choice for any campaign. Plus, Zimmer Marketing can seamlessly integrate radio campaigns with digital media, ensuring your message resonates consistently across platforms.

Zimmer Marketing Radio Stations

• Newstalk KZRG
• KIX 102.5
• KISSIN 92.5
• Classic Hits 93.9
• Big Dog 97.9
• The Talker

Zimmer Marketing radio stations reach 400,000+ people per month! Having access to the ears of Joplin and the surrounding communities, Zimmer Marketing provides a direct line to the people.   While TV audiences decline, radio's expansive reach remains a golden opportunity for your campaign to engage with voters effectively.

 

Boost Your Digital Outreach with a Zimmer Marketing Website

In this digital age, a compelling online presence is non-negotiable. Zimmer Marketing not only excels in radio but also builds visually appealing, fast, and modern campaign websites. Each website is 100% original, ensuring that your online platform stands out from the crowd. Hosted on our secure server, our websites offer incredible reliability and speed.

 

SEO Development for Campaigns

In the digital realm, visibility is key. Zimmer Marketing's web copywriting team specializes in search engine optimization, guaranteeing that your campaign website is not just visually appealing but also ranks well in Google's search results. Being the SEO experts in the Four States, Zimmer Marketing ensures your website is seen by potential voters when it matters most.

Get In Touch With A Marketing Consultant

 

 

Topics: Radio Advertising, Website Design, Video Production

In a world where convenience is king, voice search is accounting for an increasing amount of internet searches,   making up a full 20% of searches in the Google app. Whether it's asking a smartphone for a good place to eat or consulting Alexa for the closest hardware store, people are increasingly relying on voice commands to get things done. So, how can you ensure your digital presence is voice-search-friendly? Here are six ways you can prepare your website to receive traffic from increasing voice searches.

Topics: Website Design

The web team at Zimmer Marketing is continually working to push the boundaries of what is possible for business websites, to increase capabilities for smaller companies, and to improve user experience for their customers. Most recently, we've been expanding our horizon with the power of   PocketBase  as a backend for our advanced Svelte websites!

Topics: Website Design, Digital Marketing, Online Sales

Continuing our series on business website essentials, this week we'll look to 2024 and some in-demand features that you should consider including in your web design. It's important to remember that your website is not a static, one-and-done business asset but should be growing and adapting to show your company in the best possible light! Let's look at four website features to have in 2024!

Topics: Website Design

Last week, we started our series on business website essentials by discussing   what to put 'above the fold' on your homepage. This week, we're continuing with a look into how to develop content for your website that will help your site become visible on search engines and serve your web visitors well. We can summarize how to meet both these objectives in a single sentence:   Write content to satisfy user intent. But to better understand how to do that, let's get more specific.

Topics: Website Design

A website is one of the most important assets your business can have. Because of it's importance, it's worth putting serious consideration into the design and content of a business website. Over the next three weeks, we will explore best practices for web layouts. 

In this first part, we will turn our focus to the area of your website most often viewed, your homepage. More specifically, we're looking at the area of the homepage that visitors can see before scrolling or taking any action on your website. In a nod to the old days of the newspaper, this area is referred to by web designers as "above the fold." Let's look at some common elements you should put near the top of your website's homepage.

Clear and Compelling Headline

The headline (or H1) is the first thing visitors see, and it should be clear, concise, and attention-grabbing. Use language that conveys your website's purpose to your audience, and include a strategic keyword for your business. It should instantly communicate what your website is about and why it matters. This will provide your web visitors a great experience and allow your website to perform better with search engines. 

Engaging Visuals

Humans are visual creatures, so use high-quality images, videos, or graphics that resonate with your content and brand. A visually appealing element can quickly draw visitors in and set the tone for your website. Consider using a hero image or video that relates to your message.

Concise and Persuasive Copy

The text accompanying your headline should be brief yet impactful. Explain your value proposition in a few sentences, highlighting the benefits of your product or service. Focus on the problem you solve or the need you fulfill, and use persuasive language to compel visitors to explore further.

Call-to-Action Buttons

Don't leave your visitors hanging; guide them toward the next step with well-placed CTAs. Whether it's "Sign Up Now," "Learn More," or "Shop Now," your CTA buttons should stand out and entice users to take action. Use contrasting colors and make them easily clickable. CTAs should be close to concise and persuasive copy to help the user understand the next step to access more information, products, or services.

Navigation Menu

Include a streamlined navigation menu that offers a clear pathway for users to explore your website. Keep it concise, with essential links such as "Home," "About Us," "Services," and "Contact" to help users find what they're looking for quickly. For mobile users, consider using a ' hamburger menu' to save space and make navigation easier.

Testimonials or Social Proof

Boost credibility and trust by showcasing testimonials or social proof above the fold. Positive feedback from satisfied customers or impressive statistics can reassure visitors that they're in the right place and encourage them to engage with your content.

Important Information

If there are critical pieces of information visitors need to know immediately, such as your contact details, operating hours, or limited-time offers, make sure they are visible above the fold. This prevents users from hunting for essential information and helps build trust.

Above the Fold on Mobile v. Desktop

When designing your website above the fold, it's important to consider various screen sizes. Most users these days use mobile devices to view your site. And these devices have a smaller above the fold area than desktop or laptop computers. Because of this, it's wise to make design choices that prioritize the experience of mobile users. Since space will be limited, it's essential that you prioritize what to put at the top of the page to both improve user experience and drive conversions.

Get Your Advanced Web Design

Zimmer Marketing's web development team is pushing the boundaries of website design and performance. Fast, visually appealing, and SEO-friendly websites are no longer the exclusive domain of multi-billion dollar companies. If you want to give your business a competitive advantage online, we're here to help.

Contact a Marketing Consultant

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Topics: Website Design