Osmond Marketing Is Having a Holiday Giveaway

Osmond Marketing is hosting a Facebook raffle to give away a free website design to a lucky individual, as well as to a non-profit organization.

(PRWEB) December 19, 2015

It’s the season of giving, and Osmond Marketing is full of holiday spirit. From December 14 to 24, a raffle will be going on at the Osmond Marketing Facebook Page, where a free website design will be given to a lucky individual, as well as to a nonprofit organization.

The prize includes a five-page website selected from one of five options. (Additional customizations and pages available upon request.) Anyone over the age of thirteen is eligible to win. This giveaway prize can also be gifted. The raffle closes at noon on Dec 24.

“Everyone needs a website, whether it’s for yourself, your company, or your non-profit,” says Amy Cook, founder and CEO of Osmond Marketing. “This is our way of saying ‘Merry Christmas’ to a few hardworking Americans who deserve a little boost this year.”

For more information visit the Osmond Marketing Facebook Page, contact Jason Osmond at Jasono(at)osmondmarketing(dot), or visit the Osmond Marketing Website.

About Osmond Marketing
Osmond Marketing is a full-service content marketing organization. Founded by Dr. Amy Osmond Cook, Osmond Marketing creates and manages premium-quality content for healthcare, entertainment, sports, legal, nonprofit, and other companies and professionals.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2015/12/prweb13133396.htm

Osmond Marketing Is Having a Holiday Giveaway

Four E-Commerce Mistakes You Need To Avoid This Holiday Season

If there"s one time of year to kick your email campaign up a notch, it"s over the holidays. Email marketing is a tried-and-true way to advertise upcoming …

Four E-Commerce Mistakes You Need To Avoid This Holiday Season

Email Contributing To Conversions This Holiday Season

Despite repeated claims that email is dead, recent data released by Yesmail indicates otherwise. In fact, email-driven revenue for both Black Friday and Cyber Monday doubled in 2015.

The number of email-driven Cyber Monday purchases grew by 129%, while email-driven Black Friday purchases grew by 162%, according to Yesmail’s analysis of emails sent from its platform.

Email volume rose 87% on Cyber Monday and 31% on Black Friday, per Yesmail. Salesforce Marketing Cloud reports a rise in email volume from its users of 44% on Cyber Monday. The company claims that over 191 million emails were sent in under one hour on Black Friday. 

Some 62% of retailers sent more than one email on Cyber Monday, 18% of retailers sent three or more emails on Cyber Monday, and 2% of retailers sent more than five emails on Cyber Monday, according to research from Bronto Software. The percentage of retailers relying on one email to market Cyber Monday dropped by 7%.

Email marketing was the primary marketing channel driving online sales on Cyber Monday, accounting for 22.1% of all online transactions, according to Custora’s E-Commerce Pulse. Email is estimated to hae contributed about $660 million in holiday sales to Adobe’s $3 billion total in online sales for Cyber Monday. 

Email Contributing To Conversions This Holiday Season

5 Last-Minute Marketing Tactics To Drive Holiday Sales With Millennial Moms

My Thanksgiving grocery shopping is finished; my Black Friday list is ready (yes, I confess I am one of the 5 a.m. deal seekers, but I knock out most of my holiday shopping by the time my family has breakfast). And as I made my Black Friday list, I thought about the light-speed approach of the holidays and the last-minute strategies I would offer CMOs for maximizing holiday sales. After all, these next few weeks of holiday shopping comprise about 20% in annual sales, according to the National Retail Federation. 

1. Perk Up Pinterest. 

According to our research, Millennial Moms find products on Facebook but purchase from Pinterest. Make sure you have multiple boards where busy moms can find gift ideas, quick dinner recipes, crafts for the kids, how-to boards or time-saving products. Check for working links to product pages.

2. Review Your Reviews. 

I knew the number was high, but research for my latest book shows that almost 90% of Millennial Moms make a purchase only after reading a product review. I am often surprised by how many brands don’t pay attention to their reviews. My guess is that you’ve spent some of your marketing budget acquiring blogger reviews, but what about on sale sites, Facebook and Instagram? Respond to current reviews if necessary and encourage new ones anywhere your product is sold. On a related note, we don’t recommend paying for reviews. In fact, we strongly advise against it. However, there are plenty of ways to gain authentic reviews. The next time a happy customer contacts you, why not ask them to express their appreciation for your product by leaving a positive review? Sometimes your biggest fans just need to be encouraged to help your marketing cause and all you have to do is ask.

3. Ignite Instagram. 

Millennial Moms are visual shoppers. Engage your customers to post product images. Give them a reason to take photos in your retail locations or with your product in their home. Millennials (and the younger Post generation) love Instagram and an image of a friend using or wearing your product can be seen as an implied review. 

4. Venture Into Video.

Fifteen seconds is all you need and all the time you have with Millennial shoppers. Recognize the power of videos and the ease of posting them on Facebook and Instagram. Facebook videos can run a bit longer, but not by much. Concentrate on consumer-generated how-to and product videos that show the product being used. On the flip side, a majority of moms in our survey told us they also check a company website and will consider corporate product videos as a reliable source.

5. Don’t Exterminate Email.

With the evolution of social media, many marketers have abandoned email campaigns. But our research tells us that emails (mobile-friendly is a must) are still relevant for busy moms. Warning: email is relevant if your content is, too. Moms love an email with a special offer, deals and coupons. Related content like recipes and crafts for family and kids will get more opens. 

It’s not too late to make the most of the spending juggernaut that is Holiday 2015. Happy Thanksgiving!

5 Last-Minute Marketing Tactics To Drive Holiday Sales With Millennial Moms

Holiday Email Marketing Insights: Send Emails Early, Avoid Thanksgiving Day & Segment Your Lists

Adobe predicts this year’s online holiday sales will reach a record $83 billion, an 11 percent year-over-year increase compared to last year.

With so much up for grabs between now and the end of the year, brands are already escalating their email marketing campaigns as we enter the holiday season – but, reaching consumers through their inbox may prove to be more challenging compared to this time last year.

Email marketing provider ReturnPath reports global inbox placement rates have slid below 80 percent in 2015. According to ReturnPath, U.S. brands identified as “legitimate senders” saw 24 percent of their marketing emails blocked or placed in spam folders this year – a steep rise compared last year’s 13 percent.

The email marketing platform blames decline in inbox placement on refined technology and filtering approaches by mailbox providers.

“While inbox placement decision-making is highly proprietary, the mailbox provider community has has been expanding its filtering criteria into engagement-based and individualized signals in recent years,” says Return Path.

To help improve holiday email engagement rates, GoDaddy recommends brands avoid sending emails on Thanksgiving Day all together.

“On Thanksgiving Day, open rates hit their lowest rate for the entire month of November,” says GoDaddy.

The email service provider says brands planning Cyber Monday emails should be ready to compete as it saw a huge surge of marketing emails sent on Cyber Monday 2014.

“Email is one of the primary marketing channels that drives e-commerce orders during the holiday shopping season,” says GoDaddy’s SVP of business applications Steven Aldrich, “It’s a key time for small businesses to engage with their customers, but our data shows that many are missing an opportunity to stand out when it comes to scheduling their marketing efforts.”

SendGrid reports the same, with data from 2014 showing brands sent a high volume of email on Black Friday and Cyber Monday versus sending campaigns in advance.

“We expected holiday shopping marketing volume to be concentrated in advance of the big day, we found that wasn’t the case,” says SendGrid, “Plenty of emails went out pretty late in the day as well, despite Black Friday’s reputation for early morning – or even midnight – deals.”

Black Friday Versus Cyber Monday Email Send Volume in 2014

SendGrid says marketers should consider sending Black Friday-related marketing emails earlier this year, “While it probably pays to be top of mind on the big day, it may also be worth getting on shopper’s minds when they’re planning their Black Friday strategy.”

The email marketing platform also offered tips on formatting:

“Most email templates are designed for a standard desktop, with a set HTML width of about 600 pixels. This is too wide for most phones, and could result in unnecessary horizontal scrolling.”

SendGrid said brands need to offer a plain text version in HTML for their marketing emails, and not overuse images as they increase the risk of emails being marked as spam.

Additionally, SendGrid reinforces the importance of more targeted send lists versus large email blasts, using the following chart to show how engagement rates decline as the size of an email send list grows.

Email List Size Versus Engagement Rates

When looking at send frequency, SendGrid reports more sends equal more unsubscribes, and that higher send rates have a direct correlation with lower engagement.

“According to our data, senders who sent 100 Black Friday emails – multiple per day – would be expected to average an 11 percent engagement, compared to 16.5 percent for senders who sent only 10 Black Friday emails.”

Email Send Frequency Versus Engagement Rates

SendGrid says brands should be wary of sending too many emails as it could result in email fatigue. “You should send multiple emails per day only rarely, and only to recipients who consistently engage with your mail.”

One resource email marketers may want to check out is the recently launched email marketing search engine Notablist. Indexing more than four million email marketing newsletters, Notablist offers a broad view of the email marketing design landscape.

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About The Author

Amy Gesenhues is Third Door Media’s General Assignment Reporter, covering the latest news and updates for Marketing Land and Search Engine Land. From 2009 to 2012, she was an award-winning syndicated columnist for a number of daily newspapers from New York to Texas. With more than ten years of marketing management experience, she has contributed to a variety of traditional and online publications, including MarketingProfs.com, SoftwareCEO.com, and Sales and Marketing Management Magazine. Read more of Amy’s articles.

(Some images used under license from Shutterstock.com.)

Holiday Email Marketing Insights: Send Emails Early, Avoid Thanksgiving Day & Segment Your Lists

28 Ideas for Your Holiday Email Marketing

Is email marketing part of your holiday marketing plans?

If not, you could be missing out.

Here’s why:

• Last year, Constant Contact customers sent 1.3 billion emails in the week leading up to Cyber Monday.


• Email marketing was the #1 driver of online sales on Black Friday 2014.


• Constant Contact customer Southeastern Underdeck Systems made $67,000 from one holiday email.

Not sure how to fit email into your holiday marketing plans?

We’ve got you covered!

Here are 28 examples of how email marketing can work for your small business or organization.

1. Holiday Announcement

Send a quick note to customers letting them know when new products arrive.

Rose & Dove Specialty Gift Shop

North Andover, Massachusetts

Constant Contact customer since 2007

2. Black Friday Sale

Encourage people to shop small this Black Friday by promoting your holiday offers.

Mother Earth Pillows

Arnold, Missouri

Constant Contact customer since 2009

3. Early Bird Offer

Plan a special offer for “early bird” shoppers and promote it to your email list.

3 Kittens Needle Arts

Mendota Heights, Minnesota

Constant Contact customer since 2009

4. Free Shipping

Drive orders on big shopping days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday by offering free shipping.

Spoilt Rotten Beads

Haddenham, Ely, UK

Constant Contact customer since 2008

5. Holiday Freebie

Encourage people to shop small during the holidays with a special holiday giveaway.

Liberty Jane Clothing

Dixon, California

Constant Contact customer since 2009

6. Weekend Sale

Get involved in all of the big holiday shopping days by hosting a weekend-long holiday sale.

Orange Cycle

Orlando, Florida

Constant Contact customer since 2005

7. Holiday Invitation

Use email to promote your holiday events and in-store activities.

Wekiva Falls RV Resort

Wekiva Falls, Florida

Constant Contact customer since 2012

8. Holiday Video

Celebrate the season with a special holiday video with you and your staff.

Davidson & Company, LLP

Vancouver, British Columbia

Constant Contact customer since 2013

9. Preview Sale

Encourage people to get their shopping done early by promoting a holiday preview sale.

La Provence

Rockport, Massachusetts

Constant Contact customer since 2004

10. Price Point Discounts

Give options for people to save on their holiday shopping.

No Rest for Bridget

www.NoRestforBridget.com

Constant Contact customer since 2008

11. #GivingTuesday Fundraiser

#GivingTuesday 2015 is December 1! Use email to connect with supporters on this global day of giving.

Gorilla Doctors

Baltimore, Maryland

Constant Contact customer since 2010

12. Cyber Monday Promotion

Cyber Monday is November 30th. Create a one-day-only offer to drive sales.

Bisque Imports

Belmont, North Carolina

Constant Contact customer since 2003

13. Customer Appreciation

Show your appreciation this holiday season by rewarding loyal customers with a special discount.

Arlington Promotional Products, LLC

Arlington, Virginia

Constant Contact customer since 2009

14. Holiday Party Ideas

Show customers how you can make their lives easier during the holiday season.

Happy Wine

Miami, Florida

Constant Contact customer since 2010

15. Local Event

The holidays are a great time to connect with people who live and work in your community. Plan a special event for local shoppers.

Door County Coffee

Door County, Wisconsin

Constant Contact customer since 2011

16. Gift Certificate

Send a special offer on gift certificates to loyal customers and encourage them to share it with a friend.

Allegria Spa

Beaver Creek, Colorado

Constant Contact customer since 2011

17. Holiday Reminder

The holidays are a busy time for you and your customers. Be a helpful resource during the holidays by sending timely reminders.

Octane Press

Austin, Texas

Constant Contact customer since 2011

18. Holiday Services

What are the unique services your business offers during the holidays? Get the word out early with an email reminder.

Prezo Grille & Bar

Milford, Massachusetts

Constant Contact customer since 2013

19. Last-Minute Offer

Help your last-minute shoppers find the perfect gift with a special last-minute offer. (And don’t be afraid to have some fun!)

Heyday Footwear

Boston, Massachusetts

Constant Contact customer since 2010

20. Daily Specials

Come up with a collection of daily or weekly specials that you can promote throughout the holiday season.

Rejuvenate Therapeutic Massage

El Paso, Texas

Constant Contact customer since 2013

21. Give Thanks

Tell customers what you and your staff are thankful for this holiday season.

Gourmet Coffee Service

Van Nuys, California

Constant Contact customer since 2010

22. Winter Deals

Think about the products and services your customers can use after the holidays are over. Highlight these items in a seasonal email.

Awesome Merchandise

Leeds, United Kingdom

Constant Contact customer since 2007

23. Monthly Specials

Generate sales throughout the season by offering monthly specials to your loyal customers.

Boloco

Boston, Massachusetts

Constant Contact customer since 2005

24. Limited Edition

Give email subscribers a sneak peek at your limited edition holiday items.

Taza Chocolate

Somerville, Massachusetts

Constant Contact customer since 2006

25. Seasons Greetings

Even if the holidays aren’t an especially busy time for your company, you can still celebrate the season with your customers.

Fogged In Bookkeeping, Inc.

Nantucket, Massachusetts

Constant Contact customer since 2011

26. Product Reviews

Help customers make the right choice this holiday season by sharing product reviews and testimonials.

ByPaige

Houston, Texas

Constant Contact customer since 2007

27. Holiday Photo Contest

Get your audience involved with a holiday photo contest. Promote the contest with email and share your favorites on social media.

Baltimore Humane Society

Baltimore, Maryland

Constant Contact customer since 2011

28. Happy New Year!

Start the New Year off on the right foot by sending a message to your email audience. Show how you can help with their resolutions.

Seed Spot

Phoenix, Arizona

Constant Contact customer since 2013

Get started today!

Constant Contact’s email templates make it easy to get your email marketing done — fast. We have holiday templates for businesses in the US, Canada, and the UK. We also have customizable templates for the big days like Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and #GivingTuesday.

Log in now to get started.

Not a Constant Contact customer? Start your free 60-day trial today!

28 Ideas for Your Holiday Email Marketing