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The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Email Subjects That Demand Action

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By  Heinz Tschabitscher

Keep them short and sweet with a reason to open the message

What to Know

  • Be brief and include a reason for user to open the message. If message requires action, include in subject line.
  • Include date or deadline, if applicable.
  • Keep it between 30 and 50 characters, skipping unnecessary articles, adjectives, and adverbs.

This article explains how to write a good email subject line. Keep it short and to the point to get the best recipient response.

What Makes a Good Email Subject Line?

The most effective subject lines are brief and contain a reason for the user to open the message. Keep the recipient in mind and know what you want from them. If the message requires action, include it in the subject line. For example:

  • Computer support needed
  • RSVP requested for company retreat
  • Please review attached monthly report

If the action associated with your message entails a date or deadline, include it in the email subject as well:

  • Computer support needed ASAP
  • RSVP requested for company retreat – respond by October 15
  • Please review attached monthly report by Friday

Be brief but include enough detail for the recipient to know what the email is about. It’s okay to skip unnecessary articles, adjectives, and adverbs to keep the word count down. Studies recommend limiting the total number of characters in a subject line to between 30 and 50. If we apply these rules to our subject lines above, we get very concise phrases:

  • Computer support needed ASAP (30 characters including spaces)
  • RSVP by October 15 for company retreat (40 characters including spaces)
  • Review attached report by Friday (34 characters including spaces)

Using a question as the email subject can draw a reader in:

  • Are you attending the company retreat?

Sometimes a directive works well:

  • Join us at the Miami retreat!

You can imply scarcity to get recipients to act:

  • Only 5 tickets left for Miami retreat

Or try tempting them with a list:

  • The 5 sessions you won’t want to miss in Miami

Don’t tackle more than one topic in a subject line. If your email includes multiple subjects, send multiple messages. That way, one topic won’t get lost in a thread about a different one.

Feature Image Credit: lena Poliakevych / iStock / Getty Images

By  Heinz Tschabitscher

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8 Of The Best Alternatives For Adobe Illustrator

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By Justin Owen

Modern digital Illustration using vector-based drawing software makes possible the vast array of graphics and artwork we see on a daily basis. With vector-based drawing, illustrations can be created and manipulated using lines, points, and shapes rather than colouring individual pixels. This makes it infinitely scalable and precise, and vector art software transforms sets of mathematical instructions into visual elements.

Created in 1986, Adobe Illustrator is one of the most powerful and popular programs available for digital illustrations. Its widespread adoption across industries such as fashion, advertising, web design and more makes it ubiquitous in creative departments everywhere. Furthermore, regular software updates since its introduction have added increasingly sophisticated tools to create increasingly complex art over the years.

Adobe has continued to update and add to its software while raising the cost with each generation. In 2013, a subscription-based model was introduced, which is now the only way to access the software. With its minimum $263.88 annual fee, many designers, including independents and amateurs in particular, need a more affordable way to create vector-based graphics. Others may be simply wary of recent changes to Adobe’s terms of service.

Fortunately, other software exists but with varying degrees of competency and compatibility. With a semi-professional background in graphic design and 25 years of experience using Adobe Illustrator, I have looked at some alternatives, and here are how 10 of them compare.

Inkscape

Inkscape is an open-source vector graphics program developed in 2003 as an alternative to the dominant proprietary software of the time and continues to serve in that capacity today. Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems –- it even comes pre-installed on some distros -– Inkscape is distributed free of charge with a GNU general public license allowing the user to change or distribute it as they see fit.

The interface and toolset available from Inkscape are surprisingly robust and advanced for a free program, and its complex capabilities are well-suited for the advanced user and could take years of study to master, just like Adobe Illustrator. Users will find a vast array of options and tools, and many will feel familiar to Illustrator users, although there will be some distinct differences, which can add to a learning curve. Regardless, it remains full-featured with a professional feel and could be adapted to full-time professional use for those looking to avoid Adobe altogether.

Some potential pitfalls do exist within the Inkscape ecosystem. It can have compatibility issues when used on a Mac, the industry standard for digital graphics. Certain common copy and paste functions between programs are also lacking. While Inkscape may not see the industry open up to it widely anytime soon, it is still one of the closest facsimiles of Illustrator available and its low barriers to entry make it an attractive alternative.

Affinity Designer

A relative newcomer to the design field is Affinity Designer, which was first released in 2014 for macOS. Now available for Windows and iOS, Affinity Designer offers a full complement of vector tools for professional design. Its Editors’ Choice award from PCMag – which was also given to Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw — means it stands in good company.

The layout for Affinity Designer is clean and uncluttered, and users have the ability to make broad customizations and changes to the on-screen tools and interface. However, anyone accustomed to using Illustrator will have some acclimating to do as its layout is unique. Regardless, most functions are straightforward and easy to find, making it quick for most users to pick and run with it.

Many recently added tools lag behind Illustrator to some degree, but Affinity also offers a few unique features that are not just novel, but almost indispensable. Its x-ray view allows for a slider to peel back layers and let the designer see what’s under the hood and make changes without switching between windows, for example. Perhaps the best thing about Affinity Designer is the cost. A single purchase price of $69.99 covers it and gives you a fully capable and robust vector design program without bleeding your bank account once a month.

CorelDraw

Perhaps the only vector drawing program with as much longevity as Illustrator is CorelDraw. Created in 1987, it was initially developed for Windows and added a macOS version in 2001. However, that was soon discontinued and remained Windows-only until 2019. It is now available to both Windows and macOS along with a web-based version that anyone with a browser can use. Nonetheless, it is a fully developed graphics program with many industry adherents, although it still trails far behind Illustrator in overall usage.

For Illustrator users, a lot of what you will find with CorelDRAW will feel familiar. There are some distinct differences and CorelDRAW offers a few things that Illustrator does not. For example, CorelDraw is a full-featured vector art program that also functions for page layout, something handed off to Adobe InDesign when using Illustrator. In addition, CorelDraw is popular in the fashion industry, so aspiring designers may prefer to get acquainted with it over Illustrator. Furthermore, CorelDraw is more user friendly and easier to learn.

If you do not work in the textile or garment industry, there are still other reasons to choose CorelDraw. Price may not be one of them. It is expensive, but offers at least one advantage over Illustrator — a subscription is not required. You can, of course, opt for a subscription package for $22.42 per month, but a one-time purchase price of $549.00 for the complete graphics suite of programs, which also includes an alternative to Adobe Photoshop, is available. Alternatively, the web-based app subscription is just $69.99 per year.

VectorStyler

Another recent addition to the list of programs seeking to peel away users from Illustrator’s dominant position, VectorStyler appears promising but remains relatively unknown. Available for macOS and Windows, it offers a wide range of tools for creating vector art using many familiar elements in a familiar interface.

Users of VectorStyler will immediately recognize most of its functions and layout and find a few unique features when digging into the program a bit. It can import, edit, and export native Illustrator files, has a powerful shape builder tool, and a large selection of warp functions. The range of functions is large and, although it packs the workspace, it remains relatively easy to use.

Whether this is a feasible alternative is yet to be seen. It appears to be a surprisingly well-developed program with a short history. The price is great at just $95, but with the better-known Affinity Designer available for less, widespread adoption may not happen anytime soon. However, for early adopters, a forum maintained on the website is closely monitored, and the developer is responsive to feedback, clearing up bugs quickly. It definitely has a good start to what could be a genuine competitor.

sK1

The sK1 vector drawing program is an open-source application available for macOS, Windows, and Linux. It was developed in Ukraine beginning in 2003 and continues in development today. Distribution is free of charge through an open-source software license.

sK1 is well-suited to beginners who are just learning how to use vector drawing programs or amateurs needing only basic functions for a project. It does offer most of the common tools such as Bezier curves, shapes, gradients, and the ability to fill shapes, change stroke styles, and add layers, but more advanced filters, shapes, distortions, and paths are absent. The program functions as advertised, but serious designers will likely find it lacking. Still, it might work well for laying out simple flyers or business cards for a small business.

With the overwhelming number of functions of something like Illustrator, the complete novice might find this a good choice. Since it is free, it is probably worth a shot.

Boxy SVG

The web-based Boxy SVG is deceptively simple but remarkably effective. It is accessed from the Boxy SVG website, where you will initially encounter a simple menu with a button to launch the app. The menu includes a blog with information about the app including feature announcements, a place for user ideas, a place to post questions, and tutorials. The tutorials are embedded YouTube videos that are incredibly useful for new users.

The Boxy SVG interface is sparse but laid out well. It is an incredibly user-friendly app that is easy to learn. Despite this, it is more powerful than you would expect, and the various functions to manipulate elements are remarkably straightforward. After using it for just a few minutes drawing shapes using the Bezier curve tool, I found the various functions to colour and distort them work well. Many of the functions that require some advanced knowledge to use properly with Illustrator just work right on screen in a point-and-click manner that is easy to understand. Typing along a path or merging objects randomly takes little effort and even less training.

Boxy SVG is a delightfully simple yet robust little app that could be useful to amateurs and pros alike. It works as a web app and says on the home page that it costs just $9.99 per year after a 15-day free trial, making it a bargain compared to alternatives with more expensive monthly subscriptions.

Drawtify

More jobs than ever require a constant stream of graphics and art to be produced for a variety of purposes. Social media management is a must for any venture large or small, and keeping it looking fresh is paramount. For those who need continuous updates with fresh imagery, Drawtify might be the perfect choice.

Drawtify is a web-based app for creating graphics of any kind, and it takes no experience to get going with it. However, those with advanced knowledge or training in vector graphics can also find it useful and robust. For the novice, Drawtify includes hundreds of templates for everything from logos to business cards as well as properly sized templates for LinkedIn headers or Facebook posts. Using a template is as simple as inserting your own copy and tweaking colours or altering the design with user-friendly tools, and in minutes a new graphic can be posted.

There is a free version of the app with limited functionality. Full functionality costs $14.99 monthly or $9.99 with reduced features. You can also save by paying annually $99.99 up front. For the busy blogger, reseller, or individual proprietor, this is a good value.

Canva

A popular web-based app with AI integrated tools for creating designs today is Canva. While it is not specifically a vector art program, it is worth a mention as it is popular at the moment and may be a good choice for certain applications.

Canva offers dozens of useful features but only basic design tools. It also has an incredible array of templates available to use. Users do not need to know anything about dimensions, resolution, pixel count, or process colors. For example, to build a business card, you can choose from what seems like an endless list of design templates. Once it is loaded, all you have to do is highlight the sample text and replace it with your own. Additional tweaks can be made but are not required. When satisfied, the design can be sent directly to a printing service from the app or saved for use elsewhere. It is as easy it could possibly be.

Canva is not for experienced designers with training to create everything from scratch. Still, it is useful, and millions of users can keep their brand updated without the cost of having a designer for every Instagram post or sale announcement on Facebook. So it has a genuine purpose that it fulfills well. A limited version of Canva is available to individual users for free, while the pro version costs just $120 annually.

By Justin Owe

Sourced from SlashGear

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Snapchat is going to put ads next to messages from your friends

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By Alex Heath,

For the first time, “Sponsored Snap” ads will appear in the main Chat tab of Snapchat.

Snapchat will soon start “experimenting” with placing sponsored messages next to chat threads from friends, according to CEO Evan Spiegel.

These “Sponsored Snaps” from brands will appear as unread messages in Snapchat’s main Chat tab, implying that they’ll sit above messages from a person’s contacts until they’re acted on. This is the first time Snap will show ads in the most used part of its app.

In an employee memo also posted on the company’s website, Spiegel says that Sponsored Snaps will appear “without a push notification, and opening the message is optional.” It’s unclear how easy it will be to get rid of a Sponsored Snap without opening it, or if doing so will even be possible. (Snap declined to comment beyond Spiegel’s memo.)

“Sponsored Snaps empower advertisers to communicate visually with the Snapchat community, making the core functionality of Snapchat accessible to advertisers,” writes Spiegel, who goes on to note that, “As always, your conversations with friends are private and are not used for advertising purposes.”

To understand why Snap is doing this now, look no further than its stock price, which is hovering near an all-time low. Despite now reaching over 850 million monthly users globally, Snap’s ads business is still tiny compared to its biggest competitors, including Meta. Snap also still isn’t profitable.

“The growth of our digital advertising business is one of the most important inputs to our long term revenue potential, and investors are concerned that we aren’t growing faster,” writes Spiegel in his memo, which is timed to the company’s 13-year anniversary. He writes that Snap will also start letting advertisers pay to promote places in its Map tab, where Snapchat users can see the whereabouts of their friends.

Feature Image Credit: Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

By Alex Heath,

Deputy editor and author of the Command Line newsletter. He has over a decade of experience covering the tech industry.

Sourced from The Verge

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‘Own an audience, don’t just rent one’: 4 ways to build YouTube success

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By Maria Greaves,

Size matters – but only if you know what to do with it. And a strategic, sustainable approach is crucial. Leaders from Little Dot Studios, NBCUniversal and Virgin weigh up the scale of the growing YouTube opportunity for today’s marketers.

To build YouTube success, marketers need to realize that YouTube is now “more comparable to a streaming platform like Netflix than it is to a traditional social media platform,” says Holly Graham, chief commercial officer at Little Dot Studios.

YouTube is no longer the home of funny cat videos and 2-3 minute video content by rote. It’s the world’s second biggest search engine. It pulls in 2.49 billion users – that’s 48% of all social media users. And its content formats have changed in recent years.

The platform’s eyeball-grabbing, 60 second YouTube Shorts are wildly popular. Meanwhile, 10-30 minutes ‘mid-form’ content is also on the rise, giving marketers the chance to deepen audience engagement. And then there’s the inevitable counter trend to the short-form boom, with a growing love of richer, more immersive, 30 minutes plus long form content. So, which should marketers opt for? And when?

Graham was exploring how marketers can squeeze more value out of this ever-evolving, brand-building and revenue-raising machine, in an exclusive webinar with The Drum, alongside Nick Savage, senior vice-president, digital monetization & strategy, NBCUniversal and Greg Rose, digital, content and communications director at Virgin. Some of their key rules included:

1. Strategize – and play a long game

A sense of purpose should be the lodestar for any YouTube content creation, the experts agree. Rose advises marketers to ask themselves: “Is it for quick awareness? Do you want to grab people’s attention and then move them on? Or do you want to use it as an education tool to drive that deeper connection? Essentially, what’s the point of it? The audience is smart and will only engage with something if it has that purpose.”

That strategic starting point will then act as a guide for when and which content formats to pick up. Short term content is “a lower barrier to entry. It’s a chance to say things more directly, potentially market more directly, and have a little bit more fun or be more lo-fi with what you produce,” Graham says.

Meanwhile, Rose highlights how leaning into YouTube’s unique ultra long-form engagement capabilities deepened brand engagement for Virgin America. The brand’s famous, six hour BLAH Airlines spoof launched on YouTube as the longest pre-roll video ever produced and became a cult hit worldwide.

And when it comes to measuring those strategic KPIs, go long haul. Even if marketers dip their toes in with a Shorts campaign, they should be underpinning that with a mid- to long-term strategy of what YouTube could deliver over a year or more, Graham advises, reminding us that it’s a “long tail” platform with audiences still eating up content that was uploaded three or four years ago.

2. Get to know the platform

Creating something that feels authentic to the space is just as important as being purposeful and strategic, when it comes to generating engagement. The experts advise marketers to spend time understanding engagement data, watching successful creators or checking out competitors’ content. That will also help guide whether you need to create new content or create something new with old content – extracting as much value as possible out of existing assets.

Savage goes further in recommending: “If you haven’t done anything in the social or the YouTube space, then look to partner with experts that have and know that space.”

3. Remember – creation is only half the job

Driving eyeballs to your content should take up as much headspace as its content, the experts agree. As marketers have less than a minute to get viewers to click onto their content, “You have to think about how people are going to find that video and how they’re going to engage with it…. What are your thumbnails? What are your titles? How do they speak to one another? Are they compelling? How do you think about SEO? How do you think about tagging?” Graham says.

And, investing in a paid strategy should also be aligned with an organic seeding strategy – driving earned and organic engagement, she adds. All of which leads us neatly to…

4. Build a community, own your audience

Marketers do well when they spend time analysing the engagement peaks and troughs of their own channel, to be able to create a community of fans and advocates around that content. That’s when “you don’t just rent an audience for 30 seconds. You own them,” Graham says.

Savage thinks of it as a snowball effect, with a community growing over time. And that’s a community that can be influenced to try similar content, inspired to create their own user-generated, brand-building content or be drawn into a value-exchange where they shape future brand content.

He says: “For example, we would poll fans about their favourite moments from one of our shows, and then produce a video of those moments.” Ultimately, these deeply engaged followers are then more likely to share content and click through to monetized versions on other platforms.

For lots more actionable advice and best practice insights into how marketers can unlock brand success with YouTube content strategies, watch the full webinar now.

By Maria Greaves,

Sourced from The Drum

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Discover the Best Graphic Design Software for Every Creative Task

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By Jacci Howard Bear

Affordable options exist and sometimes you can do it all right in your web browser

What to Know

  • Most programs are distinguished by these categories: page layout, illustration, photo editing, and web design.
  • Adobe InDesign is the most prolific page layout program, and it continues to improve with each new version.

The best graphic design software programs are often high-end applications used primarily in professional environments. Still, value and accessibility depend on whether you’re an in-house or freelance graphic designer. Here’s what to know and what we like best.

Choose Graphic Design Software Based on Task

It’s almost impossible to name the “best” graphic design software, but among the high-end professional applications, Adobe InDesign is the most prolific page layout program, and it continues to improve with each new version. Along with its partners, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, this Creative Cloud trio is arguably the best graphic design software on the market today.

That said, the best graphic design software is the software that works best for you. Specific programs are better suited for certain tasks than others. Although the previously mentioned programs are considered industry-standard, they are not the only choices. Here’s an FAQ for you:

Publishers of Graphic Design Software

Some popular graphic design software includes:

  • Adobe is the maker of InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Framemaker, Dreamweaver, and other software.
  • Canva (there are apps for all popular platforms as well as an easy-to-use web interface). Once you create a free account you can use quite a bit of the tools for no charge.
  • Quark’s powerhouse page layout software—QuarkXPress—is still massively popular despite losing its crown to Adobe.
  • Microsoft produces Publisher, which is ubiquitous on Windows computers.
  • Corel develops CorelDraw and PaintShop Pro X9, among others.
  • Serif’s PagePlus, PhotoPlus, DrawPlus, and WebPlus are affordable alternatives.

Categories of Graphic Design Software

Here are the four major software categories for graphic design:

Minimum Requirements for Graphic Design Software

In addition to a word processing program, every designer needs either page layout or web design software (depending on their field) and photo editing software. Most also require a scalable vector graphics drawing program, but some SVG features are incorporated into high-end page layout software, so you might be able to get by with those unless you are doing logo design.

A logo designed in Photoshop cannot be enlarged without losing quality; a logo designed in a vector art program (like Illustrator) can be sized to fit on a business card or the side of a huge truck without losing quality.

What About Web Designers?

You need to know HTML and CSS. When you do, you can write a website using only a text editor. That doesn’t mean you might not prefer to use a software program to help you out. Adobe Dreamweaver is just such a high-end program, but there are also affordable HTML editors.

Sourced from IgorNelson / iStock / Getty Images

By Jacci Howard Bear

Sourced from lifewire

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Why is ‘brave’ marketing so often surrendered to challenger brands?

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By Bec Chelin,

Fortune favours brave marketers, so why does it feel so risky? A few hours into her new job at MadeBrave, Bec Chelin aims to derisk bold work.

Conjure an image of a bold creative campaign or a brave brand comms move. You know the type; they either make you wince at a subject matter that’s veered dangerously close to the line of bad taste (but not so much to force X to have a palpable meltdown) or a brand pops up in a domain it has absolutely zero right to play in but, somehow, it just works so damn beautifully.

You don’t need to be Mystic Meg (look her up, Gen Z) or Paul the Octopus (RIP) to predict the owner of said “brave” move isn’t the successful 80-year-old homewares brand that’s been a stalwart of the market for generations. Of course, it’s the new industry kid on the block, looking to get as many eyeballs on their slightly more eco and premium-priced products as possible, with a punch to the gut and a euphoric feeling of: “Finally!

Someone who understands how much millennials want to decorate their homes like a knock-off Soho House.”.

The question is, why?

No, not why are millennials obsessed with Soho House (we’re basic, deal with it).

Why is brand boldness and brave marketing as synonymous with start-ups with bags full of sass and a shoestring budget as Oatly is with shouty billboards?

The latest episode of Jon Evans’ brilliant Uncensored CMO podcast, features Gymbox brand director Rory McEntee, formerly of Paddy Power, Everyman Cinema and Papa Johns fame. Both uncover the winning principles of a challenger brand attitude to create cut-through marketing on little-to-no budget and a “seek forgiveness, not permission” mentality. While listening, it struck me that it’s absolutely batshit that brands simply “outgrow” the foundational tenets of highly creative, innovative, and cost-effective marketing.

The constant push for an unstoppable idea. A determination to stand out in a sea of competitor-set sameness. A new way of doing things that’s not simply: “A bit like last year ‘cos that worked well. Oh, but with less budget, obvs.”

Yawn, yawn, yawn.

If you’re a mature brand, arguably you’re in a bigger competitor set. You won’t be the first to market any more. Or even that different from others in the market. You’ll have competition snapping at your heels and your well-carved market share to boot.

So.

Surely.

This is exactly the time to be brave, and not play it safe.

When you look at how they market themselves, how different really does one mainstream car brand feel to the next? One hotel chain to the other? Do we really have to just play on product benefits that should be downright expected of the things you’re buying anyway (looking at you, Premier Inn and your good nights’ sleep)?

Challenging the challengers

OK, so clearly we’re not just going to risk all our hard-earned brand equity, reputation and, let’s face it, healthier budget on one whacking great slap-you-round-the-face-and-leave-you-thinking-WTF, challenger-brand-esque annual campaign.

But that’s not the part of challenger brand marketing we need to retain.

It’s the test and learn; the try it and see what happens. The boldness to know that whatever you do, you will learn something, and whatever you do also doesn’t have to break the bank in one fell swoop. There will – and should be – other campaigns that follow and eclipse something that might not work. But that brave idea might also just be brilliant. Unstoppable, even.

That’s not to say we throw caution to the wind and machine-gun out a series of hastily brainstormed flash mobs, guerilla-style marketing, AI content pieces and hope for the best. There needs to be a strategy to link the component parts of the test, learn and move cycle. But you can still have fun with it. Just ask Paddy Power and the strategic intent to position gambling as entertainment and gain rather than expense and loss. Whether you agree with the promotion of gambling or not, you can’t argue that it shines through everything they did, do and continue to do… and very bravely (the wincing, close to-the-line of decency kind) most of the time.

So why do brands become less brave as they grow?

Budgets are bigger as you grow and, therefore, are more scrutinized than ever. Concurrently, they’re also historically small as the industry continues to emerge from the pandemic, the recession and the rest.

Add to the fact that marketing budgets are repeatedly pegged as the “biggest most expendable budget line item,” and things feel tense. Basically, use it (well) or lose it. Hell, even if it’s used well, it still might go, depending on other industry and market forces. Or how confused the CEO is.

This is where the fear of loss starts to set in.

And that can trundle on being a bit less brave.

We get a bit bigger, and then shareholders enter the mix. Everything gets a little bit more antsy when it comes to not cocking it all up. Budgets scrutinized more. Brave signed off by legal less.

And then, what’s the opposite of brave? You’re that.

Time to de-risk brave

This is where education comes in. And probably more CMOs on boards required.

Side note: just 2.6% of board positions are held by marketers, also according to Jon and Chris Burggraeve in the 17 July episode of the aforementioned Uncensored CMO podcast. It’s no wonder marketing is seen as an expendable budget item with little business value.

Anyway, back to de-risking brave. Fact is, even shareholders are human.

Danny Kahnmeman’s loss aversion theory tells us that losses loom larger than gains. The more we have to lose, the more aversion to risking losing what we have.

So we play it safe. Rather than looking our millennial friends in the eyes and telling them they don’t just need to paint their walls Soho House Green, but they can go all in, buy the chaise longue, the swanky lighting and ban laptops in certain areas of your house if you want… we don’t. We hedge our bets and try to appeal to all millennials just a little bit, not just those who’ll love us wholeheartedly (and with the whole of their wallet) and our member-club loving ways.

We protect at all odds and aim to please all customers all the time, and we end up pleasing no one. Because being bland pleases no one. Being bold, on the other hand, turns your fans into brand advocates. Knowing your audience inside out and going in hard with this group surely feels imperative to lead the market.

Speaking the sweet language of finance

So far so good, but for this to work, and budgets for brave campaigns to be signed off, you have to make this point in a language the well set board and risk-averse shareholders will understand… a financial one.

Put it this way, we can work very hard to gain a lot of new customers on a short-term basis through trying to please everyone. Ultimately, though, we will lose them on price to our nearest same-same competitor the minute they have a better Bank Holiday sale. Or we can invest in developing fewer, long-term brand fans for life who will ride out price increases with inflation and hold longer-term value with repeat purchase. And that’s before we get into the power of peer-to-peer advocacy or the captive audience / NPD testing benefits of long-term loyal audiences. It’s a simple cost per acquisition v lifetime value of the customer conversation. And now we’re talking.

So the next time we get worried by boldness not paying off, or when brave feels risky, don’t compromise the quality of the creative. That’s not the problem. Bold and brave don’t need to break the bank, but they do need to hit smack in the centre of your well-formed brand strategy to hit that “oh my God it’s mad but genius” sweetspot only your brand can possibly execute.

And what about legal?

Well, just don’t break the law 🙂

By Bec Chelin,

Sourced from The Drum

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Google Vids: The Game-Changer for SMBs to Create How-To Videos Instantly

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By Jerri Ledford

This could be a massive step forward for businesses and content creators

Where video was once a ‘nice-to-have’ capability for businesses, these days it’s more of a ‘must-have,’ especially as Gen Z and Millennials turn away from more traditional types of media in favour of short videos.

To help businesses of all sizes—but most especially small businesses (SMBs) with small budgets and limited time—compete on the video front, Google made Google Vids in Workspace generally available on Thursday. Google Vids was initially announced in April 2024, and with the Google Vids app, SMBs can use Google Gemini to quickly outline and create a video to help with learning and development, marketing, education, and more.

I jumped into Google Vids to see how it works, and in under two minutes, I was able to ask Gemini to create a video about “How to Turn on the iPhone 16” and get a result back. The video it created uses stock photos and contains only the basic text instructions, but it was a fast, simple way to start creating something that might have taken hours to do in the past.

I only replaced a couple of the images it chose (most of which were completely useless, but we can hope that gets better over time), but even that is point-and-click easy. Gemini even added music to the video, but it’s super simple to do a voice-over using Google’s tools or even record your screen to capture what’s going on there.

Google Vids competes with well-known programs like Canva, Runway, and Filmora. It is available now but requires a Google Workspace Business Standard or higher subscription. So the minimum you’ll pay to use it (and all of Google’s other Workspace apps) is $12 per month (and you’ll need to make a one-year commitment to the Workspace subscription).

Feature Image Credit: Mockup Photos

By Jerri Ledford

Sourced from lifewire

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The ROI Of Hiring Fractional CFO Services To Transform Your Business

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By Melissa Houston

Managing finances is more than just bookkeeping and cutting expenses; it’s about leveraging financial insights to drive growth, improve profitability, and ensure sustainable success.

For businesses aiming to scale, especially in industries like tech, hiring for fractional CFO services can be the key to unlocking real, measurable results.

Let’s explore the true return on investment (ROI) of hiring a fractional CFO and how it can transform your business.

What are Fractional CFO Services?

A fractional CFO is a highly skilled finance executive who works part-time or on a project basis, offering strategic financial guidance without the commitment and cost of a full-time hire. Fractional CFOs bring expertise from various industries, often with years of experience in corporate finance, financial planning, analysis, and executive decision-making. For growing businesses, especially startups and tech companies, this financial guidance can be pivotal.

Why Businesses Are Turning to Fractional CFO Services

For many businesses, the cost of hiring a full-time CFO can be too costly. Yet, the need for expert financial advice is non-negotiable, particularly as businesses move from startup mode to scale-up. Fractional CFOs provide a flexible solution, offering high-level expertise on a part-time basis, which can be scaled up or down as needed. This adaptability is crucial for tech startups and scaling businesses that need to manage cash flow, investment strategies, and profitability goals without overextending their budgets.

1. Strategic Financial Planning and Forecasting

A fractional CFO brings structured financial planning to your business, helping forecast revenue, identify potential cash flow challenges, and set realistic growth targets. This proactive approach means you’re not only prepared for potential risks but also in a position to capitalize on opportunities. With better forecasting, you can make data-driven decisions that align with your long-term goals, improving both profitability and stability.

ROI Example: Enhanced forecasting reduces unforeseen costs, which can save businesses thousands by preventing cash shortages or surprise expenses.

2. Cash Flow Management

Cash flow is the lifeblood of any business, especially startups and small businesses. A fractional CFO has the expertise to monitor and manage cash flow effectively, ensuring your business has enough liquidity to cover operating expenses, invest in growth, and weather market fluctuations. They bring tools and strategies that streamline cash management, helping you keep the business financially healthy.

ROI Example: Improved cash flow means fewer disruptions, more financial agility, and ultimately, more savings on emergency funding or high-interest loans.

3. Profitability Optimization

Fractional CFOs are skilled at identifying inefficiencies and cost-saving opportunities within your business. By analysing every aspect of your operations—from pricing strategies to overhead costs—they’ll help you maximize profitability. Their insights go beyond simple expense cutting; they focus on optimizing your business model, aligning it with profitability goals while still enabling growth.

ROI Example: Companies working with fractional CFOs have reported up to 20% profit improvement by fine-tuning pricing models, renegotiating contracts, and streamlining operations.

4. Raising Capital and Investor Relations

Navigating the complexities of fundraising is challenging. A fractional CFO can prepare your financials, create compelling pitch materials, and communicate your business’s value to potential investors. They also help maintain investor relations, providing clear and regular updates that build trust and confidence. This expertise can be pivotal in securing funding and maintaining a positive relationship with stakeholders.

ROI Example: Securing even a single round of funding at a favourable valuation can propel growth, offset costs, and provide the capital necessary for expansion.

5. Financial Data Analysis for Decision-Making

Data is at the heart of smart decision-making, and a fractional CFO transforms your financial data into actionable insights. They’ll track key performance indicators (KPIs), analyse trends, and use this information to guide your business’s strategic direction. This level of analysis is crucial for making informed decisions that drive growth while avoiding costly missteps.

ROI Example: Improved decision-making based on solid data can prevent significant losses, as businesses are better positioned to adapt to changing market conditions and optimize resources.

6. Risk Management and Compliance

For businesses scaling rapidly, regulatory compliance and risk management can become overwhelming. A fractional CFO identifies potential risks, ensures your company adheres to industry regulations, and implements risk mitigation strategies. This foresight prevents fines, legal complications, and reputational damage, preserving both your business’s finances and its reputation.

ROI Example: Avoiding penalties and legal fees associated with non-compliance can save tens of thousands in fees and protect your brand’s credibility.

7. Creating a Roadmap for Long-Term Growth

Unlike a bookkeeper or accountant, a fractional CFO is focused on the bigger picture. They’ll work with you to create a sustainable growth plan that aligns with your vision. This roadmap includes strategies for scalability, expansion, and even potential exit strategies. Having a clear path forward enables you to allocate resources more effectively and pursue growth with confidence.

ROI Example: Companies with a well-defined roadmap are better positioned to attract investment, manage growth sustainably, and capitalize on market trends, resulting in long-term success.

Are Fractional CFO Services Right for Your Business?

If your business is growing and you need high-level financial insights but aren’t ready for a full-time CFO, a fractional CFO may be the ideal solution. Whether you’re preparing for investment, managing cash flow challenges, or looking to improve profitability, a fractional CFO brings the expertise necessary to help you achieve your goals. In industries like tech, where speed and agility are crucial, having access to flexible, experienced financial leadership can be a game-changer.

The bottom line is that hiring for fractional CFO services isn’t just about improving numbers on a balance sheet; it’s about transforming your business for long-term success. The ROI is substantial, but the true value lies in the insights, stability, and strategic direction they provide. By empowering your business with financial expertise, you’re setting the stage for sustainable growth, resilience, and a competitive edge in your industry.

The ROI of Hiring Fractional CFO Services

Here’s how the ROI of hiring a fractional CFO goes beyond dollars and cents to deliver lasting value:

Feature Image Credit: getty

By Melissa Houston

Follow me on LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

Melissa Houston covers financial issues that affect women in business.

Melissa Houston, CPA is the founder of the Fractional CFO Agency, the author of Cash Confident: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Creating a Profitable Business and the founder of She Means Profit. As a Business Strategist for small business owners, Melissa helps women making mid-career shifts, to launch their dream businesses, and also guides established business owners to grow their businesses to more profitably.

The opinions expressed in this article are not intended to replace any professional or expert accounting and/or tax advice whatsoever.

Sourced from Forbes

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How to make User Generated Content (UGC) adverts using AI

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Ever wondered how some brands manage to create those captivating video ads that seem to go viral overnight? What if I told you that you don’t need a big budget or a professional team to achieve the same results? With the power of AI, creating realistic and engaging User-Generated Content (UGC) ads is more accessible than ever. This guide will show you how to harness AI tools for scriptwriting and video generation, making the process straightforward and effective.

Digital Marketing with AI

TD;LR Key Takeaways :

  • Creating UGC video ads with AI tools has transformed digital marketing.
  • Start with a high-converting script using ChatGPT and the AIDA framework.
  • ChatGPT simplifies script creation by generating tailored scripts quickly.
  • Arcads allows for the creation of AI-narrated videos with customizable AI actors.
  • CapCut is essential for editing, adding captions, and combining footage.
  • Recording original footage adds authenticity and enhances engagement.
  • Using AI for UGC ads is cost-effective, offers faster turnaround, and ensures consistent messaging.
  • Leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT, Arcad Ads, and CapCut saves time and money while providing creative control.

The advent of AI tools has transformed the landscape of digital marketing, offering unprecedented opportunities for creating captivating User-Generated Content (UGC) video ads. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the entire process, from crafting compelling scripts to generating and editing videos, ensuring your ads are both engaging and effective in driving conversions.

Creating High-Converting Scripts with ChatGPT

The foundation of any successful ad lies in its script. Even if you lack extensive copywriting experience, using the power of ChatGPT can help you generate scripts that resonate with your target audience. To begin, identify effective hooks from top-performing ads in your niche using tools like Mana. These hooks serve as the starting point for your ChatGPT prompts, which you can customize by incorporating your product names and problem descriptions. By using the AIDA framework (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action), you can ensure your scripts capture attention, build interest, create desire, and ultimately prompt action.

ChatGPT simplifies the script creation process by allowing you to input your hooks and product details, generating tailored scripts that align with your brand voice and marketing objectives. This efficient method enables you to produce high-converting scripts quickly, saving valuable time and resources.

  • Identify effective hooks from successful ads in your niche using tools like Mana
  • Input hooks and product details into ChatGPT prompts
  • Generate scripts using the AIDA framework for maximum impact

Making UGC Ads Using AI

Watch this video on YouTube.

Here are a selection of other articles from our extensive library of content you may find of interest on the subject of AI tools for business and pleasure :

Bringing Your Scripts to Life with AI Actors

Once you have your scripts ready, Arcads provides a seamless solution for creating AI-narrated videos. After signing up, input your product details and select AI actors that best represent your target demographics. Preview and fine-tune the narrations to ensure they align with your brand voice and messaging. With just a few clicks, you can generate and download AI-narrated videos, offering a cost-effective alternative to hiring real actors.

  • Input product details and select AI actors based on target demographics
  • Preview and adjust narrations to align with brand voice
  • Generate and download AI-narrated videos for a cost-effective solution

To create visually captivating and engaging UGC ads, CapCut emerges as a powerful video editing tool. Use CapCut to add captions, combine AI actor footage with product visuals, and craft a compelling hook that grabs viewers’ attention. Ensure your captions are readable and strategically placed to enhance accessibility and reinforce key messages. Incorporating multiple AI actors throughout the ad helps build credibility and maintain viewer interest.

  • Add captions to enhance accessibility and reinforce key messages
  • Combine AI actor footage with product visuals for a dynamic ad
  • Create a visually captivating hook to grab viewers’ attention

Best Practices for Maximizing Advert Impact

To further elevate the effectiveness of your UGC ads, consider incorporating original footage for hooks and product demonstrations. This authentic touch adds credibility and resonates with viewers. Strike a balance between showcasing product features and AI narrations to keep viewers engaged throughout the ad. Additionally, ensure your captions are clear, concise, and enhance the overall viewing experience.

  • Record original footage for hooks and product demonstrations to add authenticity
  • Use a mix of product features and AI narrations to maintain viewer engagement
  • Ensure captions are clear and enhance the viewing experience

The Advantages of Using AI for UGC Advertising

Harnessing the power of AI for UGC ads offers numerous benefits compared to traditional methods. Firstly, it is significantly more cost-effective than hiring real UGC creators, allowing businesses to allocate their resources more efficiently. Secondly, AI tools provide a faster turnaround time for video creation, allowing marketers to respond quickly to market trends and consumer demands. Moreover, AI-powered solutions give you greater control over the content and messaging, ensuring consistency and precision in your advertising efforts.

  • Cost-effective compared to hiring real UGC creators
  • Faster turnaround time for video creation
  • Greater control over content and messaging for consistency and precision

Creating UGC video ads using AI involves a structured approach that encompasses scriptwriting, video generation, and final editing. By using powerful tools like ChatGPT, Arcads, and CapCut, marketers can produce high-engagement ads that drive conversions and deliver measurable results. This AI-driven method not only saves time and money but also allows for greater creative control, making it an indispensable strategy in the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing. Embrace the potential of AI and transform your advertising efforts today.

Media Credit: taysthetic.

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5 Strategies That Helped Me Achieve 10x Returns on My Marketing Efforts

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By Justin Brock, Edited by Chelsea Brown

These five marketing tactics have delivered remarkable returns for my business.

Key Takeaways

 

I want to share some of the strategies that have helped me achieve crazy results — 10x returns on my marketing efforts, no joke.

I know how overwhelming it can be with all of the marketing advice that’s out there, but I’m here to cut through the noise and give you some actionable tips that have worked wonders for me.

1. Thinking outside the box — the key to success

First off, I can’t stress enough how important it is to think outside the box. This might sound like a cliché, but trust me, it’s the truth. When I first started, I followed a bunch of marketing gurus like Russell Brunson and Gary Vaynerchuk. They both have totally different styles — Russell is all about sales funnels and direct response marketing, while Vaynerchuk is the king of social media branding. But here’s the thing: Despite their differences, they both agree on one thing — creativity and innovation are non-negotiable.

So, I took what I learned from them and made it my own. I didn’t just copy what they were doing; I adapted it to fit my style and my business needs. The big takeaway here is that you shouldn’t be afraid to experiment with new ideas. If you want to stand out and achieve extraordinary results, you have to be willing to break away from the norm and try something different.

2. Local influencers — the secret sauce

Now, let’s talk about influencer marketing. It’s been all the rage lately, with businesses throwing big money at celebrities to promote their products. But here’s my twist: Forget the celebrities with tequila brands — I’m all about using local influencers.

Local influencers might not have millions of followers, but what they do have is a deep connection with their community. These influencers are trusted voices in their circles, and that trust translates into higher engagement and more genuine interactions with potential customers. By partnering with local influencers, I’ve been able to create campaigns that really resonate with my target audience, which in turn has led to better brand loyalty and higher returns.

Plus, local influencers are way more affordable than big-name celebrities, which means I can stretch my marketing budget further while still making a big impact.

3. Paid social media traffic — the secret weapon of under priced attention

Paid social media traffic is where the magic happens, but not all paid traffic strategies are created equal. I’ve found a little-known secret that I call my “secret weapon” for 10x returns: targeting under priced attention.

Here’s the deal — everyone’s targeting specific age groups on specific platforms. You know what I mean: younger audiences on Instagram and TikTok, older folks on Facebook. But guess what? There are millions of people in every age group on every platform.

Think about it: How many Medicare ads do you see on TikTok? Not many, right? And how often are you targeting young people on Facebook these days? The competition for those groups on these platforms is almost non-existent, which means the cost to reach them is dirt cheap.

Social media platforms make their money by selling ad space, and when no one’s bidding on a particular demographic, that ad space just sits there, waiting to be scooped up. That’s where I come in — I buy that space for a steal, and suddenly I’m reaching a whole new audience without breaking the bank.

4. Buying under priced ad space — my strategic advantage

This brings me to another key strategy: strategically buying under priced ad space. Just like in real estate, where the goal is to buy low and sell high, I do the same with digital advertising.

When I notice that certain demographics or platforms are being overlooked by other advertisers, I jump on that opportunity. Because fewer people are bidding for that ad space, the cost is significantly lower. This allows me to reach a broader audience while keeping my costs down, which is exactly how I’ve been able to achieve such high returns.

But this strategy isn’t just a one-and-done deal — you have to stay on top of it. I constantly monitor the performance of my ads and adjust my targeting to take advantage of these underutilized opportunities. It’s a bit of a game, but the payoff is huge when you get it right.

5. Adapting to change — staying ahead of the curve

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the marketing landscape is always changing. What worked yesterday might not work tomorrow, and that’s why you’ve got to stay ahead of the curve.

I’ve made it a point to keep myself informed about the latest trends, tools and platforms, and I’m always ready to pivot when necessary. For example, when a new social media platform starts gaining traction, I’m one of the first to dive in and see what it can do for my business. Being an early adopter gives me a huge advantage because I’m competing with fewer marketers, and I can establish a strong presence before the platform becomes saturated.

My success is rooted in my ability to adapt and evolve with the market. I regularly assess my marketing strategies, experiment with new tactics and stay flexible. That’s how I’ve managed to stay ahead of the competition and keep my marketing efforts effective.

So, there you have it — my go-to strategies for achieving 10x returns in your business. It’s not about following the latest trends blindly; it’s about creating your own path and being willing to innovate.

By thinking outside the box, leveraging local influencers, targeting under priced attention and staying ahead of industry trends, you can create a marketing strategy that delivers exceptional results. I hope these insights help you as much as they’ve helped me. Now go out there, apply these tips to your business, and watch your returns skyrocket!

By Justin Brock, 

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® Contributor. Justin Brock stands as a leading authority on all things Medicare and Health Insurance. As the owner & operator of multiple companies, he is dedicated to serve both consumers & agents in these markets.

Edited by Chelsea Brown

Sourced from Entrepreneur

 

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