Have you ever noticed how the best communicators also happen to be the best listeners? To communicate effectively with someone, you must be able to hear them out and meet them where they are.
Did you also know that people spend between 70% and 80% of their day communicating in some way, with listening accounting for roughly 55% of their time?
If you aren't actively listening, you may be missing out on a significant portion of that person's experience.
But what is active listening, and how can we improve your skills and be better communicators in any setting.
Digital marketing is the process of reaching out to potential and current clients online. It encompasses all marketing activities used to target these individuals, such as search engine optimization (SEO), blogging, email newsletters, Google Ads, search engine marketing (SEM), social media marketing (SMM), online brochures, videos, and linking to and from other websites.
Let's break this down to make it more understandable.
When it comes to running a small service-based business, it can be challenging to stand out from all the other competitors in the market. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in 2019 they reported that there were 30.7 million small businesses accounting for 99.9 percent of all U.S. businesses.
Now the SBA defines a small business as a firm with fewer than 500 employees. However, if we further refine that definition to fewer than 20 employees, then it makes up 89% of all businesses in the U.S. (Source: Oberlo.com)
If your business falls within the latter statistic, you know that spending your hard-earned money on ads and marketing when times get tight is usually one of the first things you want to cut. However, I am here to tell you that is the last thing you want to do.
While traditional advertising methods can be very costly and nearly impossible to measure, small businesses have never had easier access to low-cost, measurable marketing tools. The best way to market your business may be much more accessible than you think if you look to the techniques outlined here.
If you own and operate a small business in Western North Carolina, undoubtedly, you have tried to reach out to new clients or strengthen your connection with existing ones. You are also probably familiar with several digital marketing businesses and their solutions.
While many individuals define digital marketing differently, it is nearly always about connecting with new and existing clients about your business, the services you offer, and what both of those can do for them. Some technologies, such as email marketing and/or marketing automation, only offer a few functionalities. Others are more sophisticated, offering whole platforms known as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software or solutions. The fundamental purpose of any of these solutions is to turn client communications into sales, but it isn't the only piece of the puzzle.
Small businesses today don’t want to just sell their services. You have to be top-of-mind with clients, fostering goodwill and engagement. Many Western North Carolina small businesses do this by creating custom landing pages, social media posts, newsletters, emails, and various other forms of content on their websites across a number of platforms (social, email, desktop, mobile, etc.).
Of course, creating this type of marketing content requires time and expertise. Many small businesses in Western North Carolina will look for help by selecting digital marketing software solutions that automate and improve the execution and optimization of their efforts. But how do you, a small business owner, decide? Well, there are several options available, but very few of them provide the same services or are appropriate for every type of small business.
Don’t worry. I have rounded up seven of the best digital marketing software service options available today to help you find the exact tools you're looking for.

