Hazel Emnace

When I was consulting for small businesses and non-profits full-time, part of my duties included marketing special events. Whether it was a grand opening of a new location or an annual fundraiser, one of the most powerful tools in my arsenal was a media advisory—a one-page announcement used to invite members of the press to…

You may not think much about domain extensions—or even know what an extension is. A domain extension is the part after your business name. Think “.com,” “.org,” or “.net.” Your choices are nearly endless and completely overwhelming. There are more than 1,500 possible extensions. That being said, for virtually every business, there are only two…

A well-made marketing email makes all the difference between a slightly interested lead and a highly engaged customer. I’ve witnessed firsthand how even the smallest change in the subject line or the addition of a name to the email body can increase engagement rates. To help businesses bring out the best in their email marketing…

More and more businesses are finding out that it’s easier to connect with an audience if they see you as more than just someone who sells to them. Writing a brand story will allow you to share your business’ mission, values, and purpose—without making it seem like a sales pitch. An effective brand story is…

Email is the channel consumers prefer to receive brand info from, and you don’t need a big budget to take advantage. Today, many platforms offer free email marketing software you can start with that is reliable, feature-rich, and user-friendly, with email sends ranging from 500 to 15,000 a month. After reviewing dozens of providers, here…

As a small business, you don’t need to spend money to start a YouTube marketing strategy. Instead, you can evoke interest in your brand by creating your own channel and producing valuable videos for your audience. Using paid ads and other promotional strategies is a way for brands to take advantage of the platform to…

I have yet to see a business without an email—and numbers show that this would still be the case for quite some time. Businesses use emails to communicate internally or with existing and potential customers. Although instant messaging is prevailing and social networks are at an all-time high, emailing will remain one of the top…

Email management software integrates with business email apps like Gmail and Outlook to improve deliverability, conversions, team collaboration, and productivity. The best tools save you time with automation, bring in more leads and sales, and show you how to improve future campaigns. With that in mind, here are nearly two dozen of the best email…

I, like most business email users, used to schedule at least half an hour every day to check my email, follow up with teammates, note down tasks for the day, and craft the perfect emails to send out to clients. That’s over 180 hours a year spent on emails alone. It doesn’t have to be…

Even the most tactical content won’t perform well if it doesn’t reach (enough of) the right prospects. As such, building email contact lists for marketing is foundational to success if you want to generate leads and sales with email marketing. However, getting people to opt in to your list isn’t always straightforward—people want to know…

Email marketing isn’t just a buzzword or a passing trend. It’s a tried-and-true strategy known to help brands reach more people effectively, even for small businesses with limited resources. Below you’ll find an overview of email marketing for a small business, including some of the nuances of how campaigns work, where they fit in your…

Ending your emails with a custom signature is an easy and effective strategy to increase brand credibility and conversions. Learning how to create a professional email signature is simple—start by finding an email signature generator (or template). Then, input your information and add your new email signature to your business email apps. Keep reading to…