by Ian Greenen | Feb 2, 2024 | Free Email Marketing Tips
Recent Congressional Big Tech Hearing – Lots Of Talk And Tears, But No Action
During a recent bipartisan Congressional hearing, United States senators questioned Big Tech CEO’s about the exploitation of children on social media. The CEOs Included Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snapchat; Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok; Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X; and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook & Instagram (Meta.) Mark Zuckerberg took it on the chin:
“Mr. Zuckerberg, you and the companies before us, I know you don’t mean it to be so, but you have blood on your hands,” said Senator Lindsey Graham.
He was referring to the sexual exploitation of children, bullying, self-harm, depression, and even suicide attributed to social media platforms. And the failure of social media companies to monitor and prevent the abuse.
One of the concerns is an upswing in social media use among children ages 8 to 12, on platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook, even though these sites require users to be at least 13.
Diana Garber, founder of Cyberwise, said, “The huge number of kids using social media when they’re so young – it makes me want to cry. These social media apps are not designed for children.”
“You worry if it’s replacing activities, like sleep, family time, reading, chores – other things that are positive for kids,” renowned child psychiatrist Dr. Devorah Heitner said. “That’s definitely a real concern.”
Social media is a big reason teen depression has increased over the last decade. Surveys show that teen depressive symptoms and suicide showed exponential increases, especially among females.
Families and victims attended the hearing. There was crying and tears. The presence of so many parents in the room holding signs of their deceased children added a sense of urgency.
Senator Amy Klobuchar recounted the stories of parents whose children were harmed by social media platforms, including young people who committed suicide after being threatened by predators online.
“I’m so tired of this,” Klobuchar said. “It’s been 28 years … since the start of the internet. We haven’t passed any of these bills, because everyone’s ‘double talk, double talk.’ It’s time to actually pass them.”
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologized to the families who were in attendance.
“I’m sorry for everything you have all been through,” he said. “No one should go through the things that your families have suffered and this is why we invest so much and we are going to continue doing industry-wide efforts to make sure no one has to go through the things your families have had to suffer.”
Evan Spiegel also apologized to families whose children have died after they purchased drugs on Snapchat. “I’m so sorry that we have not been able to prevent these tragedies,” Spiegel said.
While the CEOs promised to take more aggressive action and institute more preventative actions, there is only so much the government can do before it will be accused of censorship and violating First Amendment rights.
This is the primary reason Congress hasn’t passed meaningful legislation to regulate social media companies, according to CNN Business.
The fear of government policing the internet is real, as witnessed by the FBI’s election interference on the Twitter Files. The best and only solution? Social media platforms need to do better policing.
by Ian Greenen | Jan 2, 2024 | Free Email Marketing Tips
You don’t have to be Warren Buffett to know 2023 was a tough year for real estate. But you had to be as smart as Warren Buffett to make money in it.
Agents and brokers were scrambling to close deals. While the door slammed shut for the average America home buyer, it was wide open if you were a seller. Or an investor with deep pockets.
Only 15% of homes were affordable in 2023 for the average American buyer, according to Redfin, the Seattle-based real estate company. Buyers had to earn $115,000 to afford an average home – about $40,000 more than a typical household income.
Sky-high mortgage rates and still-rising home prices made it harder than ever to buy a home, especially for first-time buyers. The typical buyer needed to earn 15% more than they did a year ago, and wages were only up 5%.
A 30-year mortgage rate reached 7.13% on December 2023, down .02 basis points from October, but still unaffordable for most buyers and turning the dream of owning a home into a nightmare.
So, what’s in store for 2024?
According to real estate expert Lois Collins, housing prices and mortgage rates are expected to decrease in 2024. But don’t get too excited. The changes are expected to be slight, and the housing market will still be flat and challenging for many.
Zillow, Forbes and Realtor.com identified potential trends for 2024, from rentals to sales, including both new and existing housing:
Mortgage rates will fall but not enough to make a huge difference. Zillow says the rates will inch down slightly but stay above 6%, well above the rates just a few years ago and higher than the rates currently held by 90% of those who already have a mortgage. In fact, two-thirds of mortgage holders have rates below 4%, so they’re unlikely to make a move.
Home sales may see a bump but it won’t be a boom. Most mortgage holders have lower interest rates now so they’re not planning to sell their homes and buy a new one because they can’t match the rate they already have.
Home prices will stay flat or drop slightly in most states. Realtor.com reports that since May 2022, buying a typical home with a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage and a 20% down payment “meant forking over a quarter or more of the typical household paycheck.”
Zillow says that some sellers will conclude that the market’s not going to turn around quickly and interest rates will remain high, so they may decide to sell anyway, while housing prices are overpriced.
One noticeable exception is veteran entrepreneur and investor Grant Cardone. He is expecting the “greatest real estate correction” of his lifetime. The investor sees offices and apartments slumping in value, presenting bargains for savvy buyers.
“It will not be single-family homes, but it will include offices and apartment complexes,” Cardone says. “It’s going to be a great opportunity for individuals – regular, everyday people – to actually grab trophy real estate from institutions. This has never happened in this country. It’s going to be at epic levels.”
Rick Sharga, CEO of CJ Patrick Company, a market advisory firm, told Forbes – “I don’t expect to see a meaningful increase in the supply of existing homes for sale until mortgage rates are back down in the low 5% range, so probably not in 2024,”
So, with that said, should you buy, sell, or hold off on making this important decision in 2024? We think you should hold off at least until spring and see what the market is going to look like then.
In other words – no boom, no bust – just more market uncertainty like in 2023. It may not be the answer you were looking for – but it’s a safe and sound one.
by Ian Greenen | Dec 22, 2023 | Free Email Marketing Tips
Imagine gaining a new patient, only for them to never schedule follow-up appointments. Each time a patient forgets your practice, you lose a chance to start growing your business! Instead of letting patients slip away, start using email marketing for dentists.
An effective email marketing campaign can help you retain patients. As you book recurring appointments, your ROI will improve.
Not convinced you need email marketing? Read on to discover how emails can simplify growing a dental practice!
Remain Top-of-Mind
Email marketing is an effective way to encourage engagement and two-way conversations with patients. As patients interact with your brand, they’re more likely to remember your dental practice. An automated email marketing campaign will help you remain at the forefront of the patient’s mind.
When they need dental services or want to schedule a cleaning, they’ll remember your emails. They won’t start researching other dental practices in the area. Instead, they can click on one of your emails to book an appointment on your website.
Email marketing can also help you become a valuable source of information for patients. They’ll feel more inclined to contact you when they have oral hygiene questions. Use this as an opportunity to generate more engagement!
Each time your patients check their emails and find a message from your practice, you have the chance to generate brand awareness and recognition. US adults spend five hours a day checking their email. As brand recognition grows, you’ll become your patient’s go-to for dental services.
Brand recognition can encourage brand loyalty. You can start retaining patients, who will book repeat appointments. Most patients book routine dental cleanings twice a year.
Email marketing can benefit other types of marketing. For example, your loyal patients may feel more inclined to leave patient reviews online. Positive reviews can boost your brand’s reputation.
A strong brand reputation could encourage new patients to trust your dental practice. You can leverage reviews and word-of-mouth marketing to start growing your business.
Promote Dental Services
Are your patients aware of the different dental services you offer? Consider using email marketing to promote your dental services.
For example, you can schedule routine emails highlighting specials and coupons. Seeing your emails could encourage patients to book an appointment. Nearly 60% of consumers say emails affect their purchase decisions.
You can also share patient testimonials in your emails. Remember, positive reviews can boost your dental practice’s reputation. Reading a review could encourage a patient to request dental services they hadn’t considered in the past.
Otherwise, your patients may not be aware of the services you offer. They may not recognize the benefits of different services, either.
Each time you send patients a reminder to schedule their six-month dental cleaning, let them know about other services. Cross-promoting services can help you generate more revenue per patient.
Don’t forget to send an email when you start offering new services. Sending an email can help you boost immediate sales. Otherwise, patients may not realize you’re offering new services or utilizing new technology.
Prove Credibility
Use email marketing to share recent blog posts on your website. Informative blog posts can show patients you’re an expert in your field. They’ll start relying on you for oral health tips and advice.
Proving your credibility as a dentist can help brand trust and loyalty grow. Patients may also share your blog content on social media. Future patients will recognize your expertise and credibility.
Other blogs may also create links to your blog content, allowing you to generate backlinks. High-quality backlinks can boost your search engine rankings. Improving your rankings will help you appear at the top of search pages.
Appearing at the top of a search engine results page will help you generate more brand awareness and recognition. Ranking ahead of competing dental practices will also help you gain credibility. Patients may be more inclined to trust your dental practice over one they find on the second page of a search.
Attract Website Traffic
Sending emails to your patients can help you generate ongoing website traffic. Add helpful links to your emails using eye-catching buttons. Write a compelling call to action to encourage patients to visit your website.
Generating more website traffic can help your organic search engine rankings improve. It can also encourage patients to explore your services.
If you’re not sending emails, patients may forget your practice exists. They may not have a reason to return to your website.
Sending routine emails can show patients you have fresh content on your website. They’ll have a reason to come back.
Show Patients You Care
Start personalizing your email content to show patients you care about their needs and concerns. Personalization can help you forge stronger relationships with customers. In fact, 98% of marketers say personalization advances customer relationships.
Personalizing your emails can generate six times higher transaction rates. It can also improve your marketing ROI by eight times and boost sales by 10%.
In fact, 90% of marketers report a measurable lift in business results after personalizing campaigns. If your emails aren’t personalized, patients may not continue reading them. They may feel that the content doesn’t align with their needs or concerns.
Improve Your ROI
Compared with other marketing channels, email marketing is most likely to improve your ROI. You can continue booking appointments, increasing sales, and growing a dental practice.
A strong email marketing campaign will allow you to attract patients back repeatedly. You can use feedback from patients to improve your practice.
As your search engine rankings improve, you’ll also reach new patients, further boosting sales. Without email marketing, however, you could miss an opportunity to gain patients! Your competitors could gain that advantage instead.
Benefit From Email Marketing for Dentists
Using email marketing for dentists is an easy way to start growing a dental practice. With a strong email marketing campaign, you can nurture patients and book more appointments. Add email marketing to your digital marketing strategy today.
An effective email marketing campaign starts with a strong email list. The Email List Company is the number one trusted source for marketing lists.
We’ve provided marketers with up-to-date, comprehensive lists for over 20 years. Book your 10-minute demo today to experience these benefits firsthand!
by Ian Greenen | Nov 6, 2023 | Free Email Marketing Tips
From politicians to parents, TikTok is ticking off a lot of people. They say It is a Chinese Communist Party spy platform. It is brainwashing kids with “wokism.” It targets teens with dangerous content. It causes depression for impressionable Gen Zers. It is addictive. And now it’s filling children’s heads with antisemitic propaganda.
Extremists want to ban it completely. It has already been outlawed in Montana. Is TikTok as bad as they say? Is it worse than Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, and other social media sites? Let’s take a look.
What is TikTok And Why Is It So Popular?
TikTok is a short-form video-sharing platform that hosts user-submitted videos. It allows users to both create and watch short video content, primarily 15 seconds or less in length. People love micro-entertainment and short video snippets, and this is one of the main reasons for TikTok’s success. It already has 2.5 billion downloads.
According to Deborah D’Souza from Investopedia, creators can add effects like filters, background music, and stickers to their videos. They can collaborate on content and create split-screen duet videos even if they’re in different locations. Lip-syncing and dancing are the most popular themes. Plus, it’s quick and easy to use.
Although TikTok is mostly entertainment and comedy, it is increasingly used for infotainment. It offers advice and tips from influencers who have millions of followers. Now, it has become a tool for political propaganda.
How Is TikTok Different From Other Platforms?
All social media sites gather data from users, no matter what they say, and they sell data to marketers. Google has been doing it for years. That’s how they make money. But while Facebook is primarily a social network for connecting with friends and family, TikTok is a video-sharing app where users can upload and watch videos.
Is TikTok A Chinese Spy Network?
Lawmakers say TikTok is a national security threat. Not so fast. Although It is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese technology company, security experts haven’t yet seen solid evidence that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is spying on us.
Governments in the United States, England, and Canada are banning the use of TikTok on employee’s phones. The White House (half-heartedly) demanded that ByteDance sell the app or face an outright ban.
Montana Governor Gianforte signed a bill banning TikTok within the territorial jurisdiction of Montana. Content creators say the ban violates free speech and will cause them economic harm. In an ongoing legal battle, plaintiffs are seeking a block in the bill before it goes into effect on January 1, 2024.
But do all these allegations add up? Officials haven’t given us details about why they are targeting TikTok, but maybe there’s not much substance behind the bluster.
Parental Oversight
Once again, as with all kids and social media, it comes down to parental oversight and guidance. Social media is here to stay and TikTok is Gen Z’s favorite site ages 16 to 24. And the number of users in other demographics is climbing. Parents need to provide guidance to children under 18. If you’re 18 or over, still hooked on TikTok, and not an influencer, you’re just having fun and wasting time.
The battle between social media companies and parents continues. “Tech companies do not have the right to speak to children over or against their parents’ authority,” says Clare Morell, a senior policy analyst at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. “We are trying to restore parental authority and oversight.”
We think banning TikTok from government phones is a good idea but until it is actually proven that the CCP is gathering data about American users, let it go and let it be. And what are the Chinese going to gather – a 5 year old kid lip-syncing Taylor Swift or a shopping cart race at Walmart? TikTok is a fun way to pass the time, as long as it’s done in moderation and/or with parental supervision.
by Ian Greenen | Sep 11, 2023 | Free Email Marketing Tips
EMAIL MARKETING IN 2024 : Believe it or not, email marketing has been around for nearly 40 years. But now – with all the new technology like AI, chatbots, automation software and new communication tools- are email marketing days numbered?
AI is dominating cyberspace and Americans are already feeling the pinch. Staggering figures reveal that over 1.2 million U.S. workers lost their jobs in just the past few months and many of these jobs were replaced by AI, robotics, and virtual assistants.
Already in 2023, more than 168,885 workers in U.S.- based tech companies have been laid off in mass job cuts, according to Crunchbase, the business research firm.
Yet tech and outsourcing companies continue to exploit the H-1B visa program
at a time of mass layoffs. The top 30 H-1B employers hired 34,000 new H-1B workers in 2022 and laid off at least 85,000 workers in early 2023.
The Power of Email Marketing
For the time being, email marketing is alive and well. In fact, marketers depend on it more than ever because it is still the best channel for generating a response. Nothing comes close, not even social media.
According to HubSpot’s Ultimate List of Email Marketing Stats for 2023, 77% of marketers have seen an increase in email engagement over the last 12 months. Email marketing revenue is estimated to reach almost $11 billion by the end of 2023, and 99% of email users check their inbox every day, with some checking up to 20 times a day.
Email will continue to be a favorite channel for marketers in 2024. Highly personalized, relevant, and authentic email content will continue to be tough to beat in terms of performance. Like it or not, it is still a top channel for consumer preference in taking care of business, says Tiffany Grinstead, Vice President of Nationwide Financial.
Don Markland at Forbes says when it comes to professional communication, especially with B2B, emails don’t just survive; they thrive. Despite the proliferation of emerging communication tools, email marketing continues to stand its ground. Its potency lies in the intimacy and specificity of its conversations, uncluttered by the cacophony of social media platforms.
Markland says AI has the potential to redefine email marketing, infusing it with a new level of engagement and accuracy. By 2030, AI could become an indispensable tool for marketers, mining through consumer behavior data to craft content that not only attracts attention but incites action.
Adding to this, Google just developed a tool that can detect human from AI generated content. They say AI writing platforms (ChatGPT) are against their Webmaster guidelines and that could lower your SEO results.
The Future of Marketing
With technology advancing so rapidly, the possibilities of new kinds of marketing are endless. Will we get chipped? Some experts say it’s just a matter of time. In the aftermath of a Wisconsin firm embedding microchips in employees to eliminate badges and corporate log-ons, marketers may be able to directly imbed their messages into your brain.
Will we return to more personalized, old fashioned human-to-human marketing? Will influencer marketing replace email marketing? What about telepathic marketing?
That may sound crazy but nothing is off limits these days. IoT (Internet of Things) could be a potential goldmine for digital marketing, with the ability to know exactly what a person wants exactly when they want it based on real thoughts and not guesswork based on previous interactions.
There’s no end to what a marketer will do in order to sell a product or service. But for now, email marketing is in good shape, and will survive and thrive in 2024 – and beyond.
by Ian Greenen | Sep 10, 2023 | Free Email Marketing Tips
The average ROI for email marketing is $40 for every $1 you spend. That’s a significant return on your investment, but only if you’re using the right email lists.
If your email open rate is low, you’re getting bounce-back emails, or you’re not getting the desired results, it’s time to update your targeted mailing lists.
Here are five signs that you should revamp your list, and how it benefits you as a business.
1. You Have Low Email Open Rates
Your email open rate refers to the percentage of recipients that open the message compared to your total number of subscribers. Generally, you want to aim for around a 10-25% open rate, depending on the type of business you have.
Keep in mind that the average open rate varies across industries, so if your open rate is only 15%, that could be perfectly normal. The key is to understand where you should be and whether you’re meeting those goals.
As a small or medium business, keeping an eye on this metric is vital if you want to make the most of your email marketing strategy. Another metric you must know is the number of bounce-back emails. These refer to messages that couldn’t be delivered due to an address issue or other error.
To calculate your email open rate, use the following formula:
Open Rate = Number of emails read / (Number of emails delivered – Number of bounced emails)
If your numbers are lower or they haven’t improved in a while, it could likely be due to outdated targeted mailing lists.
There are many reasons why emails can bounce back, for instance. Maybe your lead entered their contact information incorrectly or their inbox is full.
If the addresses in your email database appear to be active and your messages are getting through but remain unopened, there are likely other issues. Your emails could be getting flagged by spam filters or maybe you’re sending too many.
At this point, you should do two things. First, reevaluate your email marketing campaign and start doing A/B testing to see where you can improve. Second, clean up and update your mailing list so you’re reaching your target audience.
2. Your Email List Doesn’t Grow
Successful, healthy email lists will grow and provide continual results. So, a stunted email list can indicate a problem.
There are a few reasons why your list may have stagnated. You should be promoting your email list and letting new customers and clients know that if they subscribe, you can offer them valuable tips, coupons, sale updates, etc.
Speaking of value, make sure that you offer your subscribers relevant content. After all, why should they open your messages or take action when there isn’t a strong incentive to do so?
There are plenty of strategies to provide incentives and get your subscribers to open your marketing messages. For one, you should start personalizing messages to encourage your customers further down the sales funnel. More people tend to open emails tailored to their needs rather than ones sent out without much consideration.
As a business, you should also get into the habit of cleaning out and refreshing your email database with new addresses. You can find plenty of targeted email lists filtered by state on our website, so you know your messages are reaching the right people.
3. You’re Doing the Work Manually
Finding the right email list for your business doesn’t have to be hard. However, many businesses still do much of the work manually, which isn’t as efficient.
Seeking new subscribers for your email lists can take a long time if you try and do it yourself without the assistance of technology and email list providers. It can take weeks, months, or longer to see results.
You can streamline the process by automating much of the work. For example, automating your email marketing campaigns allows you to send bulk messages to targeted segments and get better results. You can also schedule your emails to go out at a certain time or after someone takes a specific action.
Working with an email list company gives you instant access to active mailing addresses within your industry, from real estate to healthcare and more.
4. Segmenting Your Emails Takes Forever
Segmenting your target audience is a crucial marketing tactic if you want to get better results. You should always aim to send your messages to a hyper-focused target group.
For instance, you can segment your email list based on location, interests, age, etc. The more you know about how your customers, clients, or patients will behave, the better you can tailor your marketing strategy.
Of course, coming up with different buyer personas and segmenting your emails without assistance can take forever. If this is the case, you may need to reinvigorate your email lists so you can collect more data. The more relevant and up-to-date your lists, the easier it becomes to adjust your strategies and automate the process.
5. Your Marketing Emails Aren’t Getting Results
If you’ve tried different strategies and your marketing emails still aren’t getting results, your list could be to blame.
Maybe your open rate and click-through rate are lower than you want or your list of email leads hasn’t improved in some time. Whatever the reason, you might just realize you’re not getting the results that you want.
Although email marketing can have a significant ROI, as we mentioned earlier, it’s not always a “set it and forget it” strategy. You need to constantly sort through your database to clean out old leads and grow your list to ensure success.
Improve Your Targeted Mailing Lists
Many companies find email marketing stressful or frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be. If any of these signs apply to you, then you can get back on track with an improved email database.
Here at The Email List Company, we make it easy with targeted mailing lists tailored to different industries. You can find thousands of addresses by category and state. Plus, we promise pre-delivery testing and highly relevant data.
Get started with our Consumer Conquest Marketing campaigns.
