pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

April 30, 2015 // 6:00 AM

Want to Get P omote ?mp e Yo Bo by Doing

The e 7 ThingWritten by Carly Stec | @CarlyStec

Whe e Ma kete Go to G o

SHARE

Marketing

SUBSCRIBE

SOFTWARE ABOUT CASE STUDIES PARTNERS PRICING BLOGS

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

MARKETING / 2 days agoWant to Get Promoted?Impress Your Boss by DoingThese 7 Things

MARKETING / 38 mins agoHow to Sell When You’re onVacation: Tips for Putting YourOut-of-Office Reply to Work

I once made a really big hiring mistake.

After a series of promising interviews, I took on an intern whose level ofprofessionalism, performance, and overall demeanor quickly took a turn forthe worst.

After a discussion with my supervisor, we agreed that it was in the bestinterest of everyone to not move forward with the internship. However, whenwe sat her down to talk, she countered our concerns about her performanceby saying, "But, but ... I was driving all the way from [insert desolate locationhere] to get here every day."

I recall staring at her blankly.

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Since when does the length of your commute warrant special praise?

We all wake up every morning, brush our teeth (hopefully), and make ourway to work. However, the simple truth is that the act of "showing up" isn’tenough to propel career advancement.

The most successful people earn the attention and respect of their boss byproving that they are an asset to the team. So if you've ever entertained thethought of a promotion at work (who hasn't?), we've identified a few thingsevery boss loves to see you doing.

7 Things Your Boss Loves to SeeYou Doing

1) Taking Ownership

At HubSpot, we fire our best employees. (No, that wasn't a typo.)

If you have a great idea -- and you can prove that it actually delivers -- youwill be fired from your day job to own and grow that idea.

Take it from HubSpot's VP of Sales, Pete Caputa.

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

"In 2008, one of our sales reps came to me with an idea that he believedcould revolutionize HubSpot," explained HubSpot CEO, Brian Halligan in aninterview with Inc.

"At the time, we sold our software directly to consumers. But the rep, PeteCaputa, thought HubSpot should have a reseller channel in order to expandthe business model. Basically, he wanted to sell our core product to thirdparties, who would then turn around and sell the product to their customers."

Halligan was far from sold on the idea, but he decided to give Caputa anopportunity to prove himself.

"If you want to do it so bad, start doing it nights and weekends and show usthis will work," he said.

Not long after accepting the challenge, Caputa was, in fact, fired from hisday job and tasked with growing the partner program.

Point being, don't be afraid to bring big ideas to the table. This is the type ofbehavior that bosses love to see, as it exemplifies your ability to think aboutthe business on a high level.

While it's easy to solve for problems that specifically pertain to you and yourreports, the goal is to identify and solve for problems that influence the grandscheme of things. Think like a founder, and your boss with take note.

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

2) Supporting Your Colleagues

Depending on your industry, getting ahead at work can sometimes feel likea dog-eat-dog type of situation.

And while the old saying goes, “Nice guys finish last,” there is actually ahuge opportunity for self-advancement through the act of helping others. Notto mention, if your boss catches you in the act, it’s going to highlight yourability to be remarkably helpful (a trait almost every boss cares a great dealabout.)

But don’t just take it from me, here’s what Adam Grant, author of Give andTake: A Revolutionary Approach to Success has to say about it:

In this book, Grant dives into the idea that in the workplace, people can bedivided into three categorizes -- takers, matchers, and givers. Takers areknown to, well, take from other people, whereas matchers are more apt tomake even exchanges. And givers? Givers separate themselves from therest by doing good without expectations for reciprocation.

The more I help out, the more successful I become. But Imeasure success in what it has done for the peoplearound me. That is the real accolade.

“

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Grant goes on to provide examples of successful givers throughout history,such as president Abraham Lincoln, venture capitalist David Hornik, andbusinessman Jon Huntsman, Sr.

Do yourself a favor and dig into their accomplishments a bit, I’ve got a hunchit’ll inspire you to rethink the potential benefits of lending a helping hand.

3) Measuring and Reporting

The other day I swore I saw Jake Gyllenhaal in Whole Foods.

Excited to tell someone, I texted my friend to tell her, to which she replied --"Send pictures or it didn't happen."

This got me thinking about our innate desire to "see it to believe it." If myown friend wouldn't believe me without photo evidence, why would youexpect your boss to "take your word for it" when it comes time to talk aboutyour performance?

The simple truth is that most bosses are busy, leaving little time for them toinvestigate whether or not you're accomplishing what you're supposed to beaccomplishing. If you're not vocal (and visual) about your performance, yourun the risk of going unnoticed.

For this reason, CEOs love to see their employees not only measuring their

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

efforts, but also reporting on them. Clear, specific, goal-oriented reportsserve as one of the most effective ways to communicate your progress andprove to your boss that you're capable of taking on more.

In terms of what to include in these reports -- think ROI. While vanity metricslike views might be worth noting for yourself, your boss wants to see howyour efforts are specifically influencing the bottom line.

"Don't just report on what you crossed off your to-do list, report on whatthose activities achieved. So often, young staff want to prove that they'reworking. We know you're working. We see it and are proud of you for it.Prove not that you're working, but that what you are DOING is working,"explains HubSpot's Meghan Anderson.

If you’d like to start reporting on your marketing activities, you can use thisfree template.

4) Being Proactive, Not Reactive

"My kids will have chocolate dripping from their mouths, and I’ll say, 'Did youjust eat chocolate?' And they’ll be like, 'No, I didn’t just eat chocolate'," jokesPeter Bregman, author of Four Seconds.

Sure, it’s silly, but it’s a great example of how silly you sound when you’re

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

being reactive, rather than proactive. Certainly not a situation you’d want tobe caught in with your boss, right?

From a psychological perspective, we react to avoid punishment -- it’s adirect result of the stimulation that our amygdala (a subcortical brainstructure that is linked to both fear responses and pleasure) experienceswhen we are surprised or caught off guard.

And while it’s unrealistic to assume that you'll never be forced to make aquick decision in front of your boss, proactive employees aim to controlsituations by causing things to happen rather than waiting to respond afterthings happen.

But how?

Aside from taking steps to plan ahead and anticipate “what ifs,” Bregmanencourages people to pause for four seconds before responding tosomething to give themselves a moment to process and reflect.

This will help you strategically and intentionally choose the words that you'regoing to say, to ensure that you don’t wind up saying something that youdon’t mean.

5) Making More, With Less

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

(For those you that caught that, yes, I did just quote a Kanye West song in amarketing blog post.)

The fact of the matter is, part of being a noteworthy employee is being ableto adapt to whatever industry or company changes come your way.

Let’s say your company runs into an unplanned expense, or an importantmember of the team gives their two weeks unexpectedly. That wouldcertainly throw a wrench in your budget and bandwidth, wouldn’t it?

While many would spin these events into an excuse as to why they couldn’taccomplish their goals, the most successful people find a way to do morewith less. And the really successful people find a way to do better with less.

So when a budgeting issue forces you to cut down on the funds beingallocated to freelanced content, don’t use it as an excuse to allow contentproduction to come to a halt. Instead, consider what you can do to turn thesituation around.

Maybe you work towards creating one strong ebook on your own that youcan then divide into separate blog articles to feed your content calendar untilthe budget is there. Or what about reaching out to a co-marketing partner tojoin forces on a piece of content that you can mutually benefit from?

Nothing is ever promised tomorrow today.“

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Another great way to demonstrate your ability to do more with less would beto scale back the average time of your meetings. According to Atlassian, theaverage person spends 31 hours in meetings throughout the course of amonth.

The trouble people have with doing more with less is that often times theythink the solution is just working for longer. Instead, make better use of yourtime. Cutting your meeting time in half will force you to get to the pointquicker and leave you with a ton of extra time to allocate toward otherprojects and tasks. Or writing an ebook with the intention of repurposingparts of it into several blog posts will help you create more content at afaster pace.

Remember -- excuses don’t promote career advancement, solutions do.

6) Welcoming Feedback

Part of getting ahead is being humble enough to admit you don’t know it all.

Anyone who has worked on a long-term project knows that it's really easy toget wrapped up to the point where you start to see your progress throughrose-colored glasses. At this stage, it's most helpful to invite an outsider into poke holes in your approach.

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

What’s working? What’s missing? What is needed to take this project fromgood to great?

According to research from the Social and Personality PsychologyCompass, feedback -- both positive, and negative -- plays an instrumentalrole in the way we approach goals.

Their data suggests that the influence of feedback is often situational,depending largely on the individual’s level of expertise. Novices respondbetter to positive feedback, as they are commonly concerned with“evaluating their commitment,” whereas experts are more responsive tonegative feedback as they are focused on monitoring their progress.

While this is interesting in and of itself, it's important that you're prepared tohandle whatever feedback comes your way. And while positive feedback isoften pretty easy to accept, negative feedback can come as a challenge formany.

To ensure that you make the most out of constructive criticism, take note ofthe following tips:

Listen. Sure, it's easy to tune someone out when you're notparticularly thrilled with what they are saying, but that doesn't make itright. Give the person the respect they deserve by listening to what

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

they have to say before you interject.Ask clarifying questions. If you don't understand the pointsomeone is trying to make, don't hesitate to ask them to elaborate.Following up with questions will help to ensure that you walk away onthe same page.Consider the source. All feedback is not created equal. Whilegetting some honest feedback from a co-worker that knows littleabout your project may help you to identify weak spots, it's importantthat you focus on the feedback coming from those whom you reportto. In other words, give attention where attention is due most.

7) Smiling

No CEO wants to walk into an office and see a group of people that look likethey are suffering through a college history lecture. Not only is it not good forcompany morale, but it signals to them that they could be doing somethingwrong.

For this reason, it’s important to focus on looking at the glass half full, nomatter what is on your plate.

Why?

Research from a recent National Bureau of Economic Research workingpaper revealed it pays to be positive. Literally.

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Topics: Management, Professional Development

According to their study, not only did optimistically inclined MBA studentshave an easier time finding jobs comparable to their peers, but they alsosaw between a 5-10% increase in the probability of being promoted overtheir pessimistic peers.

This research taps into the idea that success can be tied to our ability tostay positive, even when completing overwhelming tasks, such as jobhunting.

(Note to self: Keep calm and smile on.)

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Subscribe to HubSpot's Marketing Blog

Join 400,000+ fellow marketers! Get HubSpot's latest marketingarticles straight to your inbox. Enter your email address below:

1 COMMENTS

How to Sell When You’re on Vacation: Tipsfor Putting Your Out-of-Office Reply to WorkWritten by Max Altschuler

This post originally appeared on HubSpot's Sales Blog. To read morecontent like this, subscribe to Sales.

Can you sell when you’re on vacation? Sure you can ... but dragging out your

SUBSCRIBE

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

laptop and taking calls from the beach is sure to annoy your family. There’sanother way to keep selling when you’re out of the office, and this optiondoesn’t require any work on your behalf.

Read More

Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator & More:Your Cheat Sheet for Adobe KeyboardShortcuts [Infographic]Written by Carly Stec

Between calendar updates, emails, and social media notifications, it canoften seem like your computer is working against you.

But, as distracting as it may seem, your computer actually has lots of waysto save you time at work. Considering data from Atlassian revealed that60% or less of work time is actually spent productively, it's clear that time issomething you could probably use a lot more of.

Read More

›

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

What Is CRM (Customer RelationshipManagement) Software?Written by Ginny Soskey

CRM. If you work in sales or marketing, you've probably heard this three-letter acronym tossed around before. Maybe you've even been told you needone. No matter what, you're curious about one thing: What doesit actually mean?

CRM stands for 'customer relationship management.' I know, I know -- thatdoesn't exactly clear things up. Keep on reading, folks, and we'll explainexactly what CRM software is and how to figure out whether you actuallyneed one.

<

Read More ›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Why You Should Create More "Boring"ContentWritten by Josh Haynam

I started my content journey the same way many other marketers do: Tryingto "go viral."

Some of the posts I created were “72 Content Ideas for Fill Your Pipeline”and “50% of Searches Have Never Been Made Before.” Posts like thesefilled me with false hope -- they got thousands of hits and brought attention tomy site, but did absolutely nothing to move the needle on my company’smonthly revenue (which was still $0).

Read More ›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

The Tale of Two Ecommerce CompaniesThat Turned Down Shark Tank DealsWritten by Tracey Wallace

Choosing what to sell online is one of the most important decisions you’llmake as an entrepreneur. To be successful, you need to pick products thatyou’re passionate about and find an ecommerce model that resonates withyour personality. With that in mind, let’s look to popular TV show Shark Tankto help you get started on the right foot –– because no one embodiespassion and personality like the stars of the Tank.

<Read More

The Social Media Content Calendar EveryMarketer Needs [Free Template]Written by Corey Eridon

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

We have a 9 a.m. meeting? Yikes! Hold on -- let me just click around theinternet like a maniac to find something for the morning tweet.

Sound familiar? Scrambling for social content is not a new phenomenon.We have meetings. We run late. Things come up. And it's really hard to getany meaningful amount of work done when you have the next social mediaupdate looming over your head every 30, 60, 90 minutes. It all moves so fastthat you might periodically feel a case of the vapors coming on, which is whypre-scheduled social media content should be your new best friend.

Read More

Inside Warby Parker: How Vision, Mission &Culture Helped Build a Billion DollarBusinessWritten by Katie Burke

Most business school conversations over beers end with a hangover -- NeilBlumenthal’s ended with a billion dollar business.

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

If you aren’t familiar with Neil’s name, you’re likely familiar with the brand heand his co-founders started: Warby Parker. Because Warby’s brand isubiquitous thanks to the company’s product and marketing success, manyconsumers all over the globe think of the company as an overnight success.In reality, the brand is a product of years of blood, sweat, and of course, afew beers.

Read More

Hashing Out Hashtags: What They Are &How to Use Them [Infographic]Written by Carly Stec

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

What do overalls, Mariah Carey's Christmas album, and hashtags all have incommon?

Believe it or not, they are all products of the 90s.

While hashtags didn't rise to popularity (with the help of Twitter) until after2007, they were actually first used during the late 90s to categorize itemsinto groups on IRC (Internet Relay Chat.)

Read More

8 Email Workflow Tips for the CollegeAdmissions ProcessWritten by

One of the key elements of inbound marketing is the use of automatedworkflows because they allow you to better engage leads through a set oftargeted emails, while saving time by automating the process. Workflowscan be a helpful addition for any industry, but especially for higher education.

The college admissions process is a perfect use case for automatedworkflows, as they can be used to move a potential student along the

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

workflows, as they can be used to move a potential student along thebuyer’s journey to an end goal – in this case, to apply to your institution.

Read More

How to Tweet on Twitter: 12 Templates toGet You StartedWritten by Lindsay Kolowich

Not sure what to tweet to get your followers to engage with you? Whetheryou're just getting started with Twitter or you've been using it for a while, butfeel like you're in a rut, it can be hard to come up with new ideas for what topublish.

Sometimes, it can help to follow some tried-and-true tropes. Here areseveral Twitter "formulas" you can follow.

Read More

›

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Which Live Streaming App Should You Use?Inside the Best Features of Periscope,Meerkat & MoreWritten by

Live streaming has come a long way in the last decade. Back in 2008, Icovered the U.S. Presidential Primary in New Hampshire with a Nokia N95,and streamed in 3G, using Qik. Other options at the time were Flixwagonand Kyte ... ever use one of those?

Luckily, today, we have mobile devices that can record in HD and streamover 4G and/or wifi. The user experience is a lot better for both livestreamers and viewers -- which is why live streaming on mobile apps isbecoming more and more popular.

Read More ›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

The Finance Marketer's Guide to InboundMarketing [Free Ebook]Written by Siobhán McGinty

The finance industry is just one of those industries that's REALLY difficult towork in as a marketer. You can't be creative nor imaginative. Your hands arealways tied. There's simply no place for inbound marketing. ... Right?

Wrong, wrong, WRONG!

Read More ›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

12 Pinnable Pinterest Pins That Teach YouHow to Use PinterestWritten by Kathryn Wheeler

I’m learning to cook, design tattoos, and budget better than ever – and it’s allthanks to Pinterest. Why? Pinterest’s brilliant user experience makes it sosimple to browse through photos and bookmark products, gift ideas, orarticles (and much more) that you want to come back to later.

Read More

How Ecommerce Can Capitalize on HowMen and Women Use PinterestWritten by Ted Ammon

Pinterest has long been recognized as a female-centric social mediaplatform with 80% of its total users identifying as female, but the times arechanging. One of the biggest differences we see lately is the ability tonarrow search results for males, so search results show men's watches orwomen's watches, based on your interests. Since users are able to select

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

search results to more closely reflect their interests (whether shopping forthemself or someone else), this benefits all users. And, this is just a first stepin making Pinterest more appealing to men. With this particular task out theway, Pinterest still has a few more steps to attract and keep male users.

Read More

Inside ESPN.com's Brilliant Redesign: WhyYou're Going to See More PersonalizedWebsitesWritten by Meghan Keaney Anderson

ESPN recently redesigned their website. Nothing out of the ordinarythere. Companies redesign their websites roughly every 18-24 months.(You're probably sick of yours right now, am I right?)

But this particular redesign garnered a ton of attention, earning coverageand analysis in Fast Company, TechCrunch, and VentureBeat, among other

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

publications.

Read More

14 Helpful Tips for Getting the Most Out of aConferenceWritten by Leslie Ye

This post originally appeared on HubSpot's Sales Blog. To read morecontent like this, subscribe to Sales.

So you’re going to a conference.

What’s in store for you? You’ll attend dozens of sessions led byprofessionals in your industry, meet a ton of new people, and take home lotsof great swag.

Read More

›

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Which Social Networks Should You FocusOn? Here Are 6 Ways to Find OutWritten by Olivia Kirwan

It’s very easy for social media marketers to get caught up in the latest "in"thing. Snapchat! Meerkat! Periscope! As each new social network pops up,many people feel the pressure to be on every single one.

However, social media is only an effective inbound marketing tactic if you'redoing the right things in the right places.

Read More

When Is the Best Time to Be Creative?[Infographic]Written by Ginny Soskey

When do you do your best work?

For me, it's realllllly early in the morning. I used to get up at 4 a.m., grab a

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

steaming cup of coffee, and just start writing. At that time of day, wordsflowed so easily that I could finish a 1,500-word post in an hour. Later in theday, that same post would've taken me twice as long.

But that's not the case for everyone.

Read More

9 Highly Reputable Resources forCompelling Marketing StatsWritten by Bill Faeth

If you’re in the business of content marketing, there is a 100% chance youneed marketing statistics.

Statistics lend authority and weight to your blogs, ebooks, and social mediaposts. Using accurate data in your original content is powerful way tocommunicate that you’ve done your research. However, not all statistics areworth citing. Your research could have a negative effect on your onlinereputation if you fail to verify the source, accuracy, or recency of the statistic.

Read More

›

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Not Getting What You Want From Blogging?Ask These 11 QuestionsWritten by Carly Stec

You did it. You started blogging for your business.

[Insert victorious music here.]

Trouble is, things aren't panning out exactly how you expected. You’regenerating a handful of views but people aren’t flocking to your posts … andthey’re not converting either.

Read More

8 Myths People Believe About Analytics (ButShouldn't)Written by Rachel Sprung

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

When many people start diving into their marketing analytics, they'renervous. Maybe they're new to the technology, so they're worried about itbeing too complex and confusing to use. Maybe they haven't analyzed theirmarketing before. Maybe math was never their strong suit. Or maybe they'rejust worried about messing something up.

It doesn't have to be this way.

Read More

700,000 Active Users in 7 Weeks: The StoryBehind Meerkat's Explosive GrowthWritten by Dave Gerhardt

Two months ago, Meerkat didn’t even exist. Today, the live-streaming apphas over 700,000 active users, including people like Jimmy Fallon andMadonna.

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

It all started as a side project. Founder Ben Rubin had been working on live-streaming products as part of his job at Life On Air, and he thought it'd befun to work on Meerkat in his spare time.

But then Meerkat took off.

Read More

How to Build Inbound Links the White HatWayWritten by Nicole Rende

This post originally appeared on HubSpot's Agency Post. To read morecontent like this, subscribe to Agency Post.

As a result of the recent Penguin updates, link building has changed …again.

Google Penguin is an algorithm update aimed at decreasing search enginerankings of a website due to a large number of spammy, low authority linksin their backlink profile.

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Read More

How to Be More Emotionally Intelligent[SlideShare]Written by Emma Snider

This post originally appeared on HubSpot's Sales Blog. To read morecontent like this, subscribe to Sales.

You've probably taken an IQ test at some point in your life. But have youtaken an EQ test?

Measuring and improving emotional intelligence has become increasinglyimportant in recent years as more and more research emerges on theconnection between a person's Emotional Quotient (EQ) andprofessional success.

Read More

›

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

How to Create Engaging PowerpointPresentations From Start to Finish[Infographic]Written by Carly Stec

I don't know about you, but there are a number of really awful things I'd ratherendure than sitting through a boring Powerpoint presentation.

Seriously, I'd rather eat burnt popcorn, go get my oil changed, or dare I sayit, get a paper cut in between my fingers than suffer through a bad deck.

Read More

The Ultimate Online Editing andProofreading ChecklistWritten by Pamela Vaughan

As we all know, content creation isn't as simple as just stringing together afew words and hitting "publish." At least all high-quality content creators

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

know this.

If you really think about it, the editorial process has quite a few steps -- fromideation, to concepting, to production, to proofreading, editing andcopyediting. Unfortunately, it's that last part that often gets undermined,rushed through, or altogether just swept aside as writers and contentcreators hurry to get content out the door.

Read More

How Celebrities Market Themselves: InsideJordin Sparks' Rebranding CampaignWritten by Lindsay Kolowich

Musical artists don't become famous just because their music is good. (Justwatch Katy Perry's lip-sync malfunction at the NRJ Music Awards and you'llsee my point.) Believe it or not, pop stars have to market themselves justlike we have to market our businesses.

And often, artists will hire entire marketing teams to do this, especially thosetrying to build their brand or rebrand entirely.

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Read More

A Detailed Guide to Photo & Image Sizes onFacebook, Twitter, YouTube & More[Infographic]Written by Lindsay Kolowich

When you're designing cover photos, graphics, and other social mediaassets, sometimes knowing the bare bones image dimensions isn't enough.

What if you wanted to place text or an arrow on your Facebook coverphoto without it getting covered by the profile photo? And what about theshared link thumbnails on Facebook or in-stream photos on Twitter ... howbig should those be?

Read More

›

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Humanizing Your Brand: 8 Tips for MakingYour Voice Real (and Heard)Written by Danielle Irigoyen

What’s the one thing business owners and their employees, partners andeven customers all have in common? Well, at the most basic level, they’re allhuman. So why is it sometimes so challenging for businesses to showcasethis in their marketing efforts?

Perhaps some people don’t want to show any biases that might deter anypotential leads. Perhaps some may want to present themselves as strictlyprofessional. Others may not care about their tone at all, but would ratherfocus on finding the right keywords to implement throughout their platforms.Some may not even realize just how robotic their brand’s voice really is.

Read More

7 Brilliant Video Marketing CampaignsYou'll Actually Enjoy WatchingWritten by Carly Stec

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Riddle me this -- why do people buy quarter-inch drill bits?

While there are a million possible answers to this question, Leo McGinnevaoffers perhaps the most interesting explanation.

"They don’t want quarter-inch bits. They want quarter-inch holes," heexplains.

Read More

Ecommerce Sites Must Be Responsive; ButThat’s Just the Beginning of Their MobileFutureWritten by Tracey Wallace

In July 2014, a study analyzing the SEO of the top 500 retailers for InternetRetailer's Mobile 500 guide found that the mobile adoption rates acrossthose top 500 retailers were as follows: 59% use dedicated mobile sites,15% use dynamic serving, 14% had no mobile presence, just 9% wereresponsive. In all, that's less than 50 of the top 500 retailers usingresponsive, and that is still about a 3x increase from 2013 adoption rates.

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Read More

SEO for Images: Why We’re Trying to Rankfor the Term 'CEO'Written by Jami Oetting

This post originally appeared on HubSpot's Agency Post. To read morecontent like this, subscribe to Agency Post.

Image-based search is becoming more and more common. Pinterest andInstagram have conditioned people to use and trust this form of discovery,and oftentimes, I find it produces even more relevant results than text-basedsearch. With images, you can quickly determine the quality, while text searchresults require you to scan the headline, description, and the URL to make adecision about the page's relevance.

Read More

›

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

How to Actually Get Found in Search in 2015[Infographic]Written by Carly Stec

SEO is constantly evolving, leaving marketers to either keep pace with theupdates or run the risk of falling behind.

While this is stressful in and of itself, these constantly changing tides lead toa ton of questions when it comes time to actually optimize a web page. Dosocial signals carry any weight? Should I still invest in pay-per-clickadvertising? How much does mobile really matter?

Read More

Creating a Transactional Email Campaign?Check Out These 15 Excellent ExamplesWritten by Bella Wu

When most people think about email marketing, they picture one-off emailssent to targeted portions of their database. While those emails are certainly

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

a very important part of a healthy marketing strategy, there's another type ofemail that can be a powerful addition to your mix: transactional emails.

What is a transactional email? U.S. law defines it as any email witha primary purpose "to facilitate, complete, or confirm a commercialtransaction that the recipient has previously agreed to enter into with thesender."

Read More

How to Analyze Your Blog Posts: ABeginner's GuideWritten by Rachel Sprung

How do you decide which topics to write about on your blog to attract themost traffic and leads? What about which types of blog posts to write? Howmany to publish in a week? How to promote them?

These are just some of the questions you might have when creating yourblog strategy -- and knowing a thing or two about your top performing blogposts will help you find the answers.

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Read More

Facebook Updates News Feed Algorithm toBalance Content From Friends Vs. PagesWritten by Lindsay Kolowich

Today, Facebook announced three brand new updates to the News Feedalgorithm specifically meant to improve user experience. How? By providinga better balance of updates from friends versus updates from businesses,publishers, public figures, and local organizations.

Every time Facebook updates its algorithm, brands and marketers freakout. To help you quickly get to the bottom of this change, here's a quickrundown of the three News Feed algorithm updates and how they mightaffect your Page.

Read More

›

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

6 Cool Company Blogs Everyone Will EnjoyReadingWritten by Nichole Elizabeth DeMeré

When I need inspiration for content that delights, email campaigns thatactually work, and social media interactions that are genuinely fun ... I turn toone source: an online clothing store called ModCloth. My closet is proof thattheir marketing works. (Perhaps a little too well.) And watching them growhas been a master class in what a customer-driven company should looklike.

Read More

The Critical Role of Sales Development inInbound MarketingWritten by Doug Davidoff

It sounds so promising. Create compelling content (consistently). Share andpromote the content. Prospects engage, download stuff and becomequalified leads.

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Those leads are passed on to the sales team, who instantaneously reachout and are immediately welcomed into the prospect’s world. The meetingquickly turns into a bona fide sales opportunity. Proposals are requested,immediately acted upon and sales are made.

Read More

How to Create an Email Newsletter PeopleActually ReadWritten by Ginny Soskey

For most marketers, this will sound familiar. You’re sitting around aconference room, trying to figure out how to best engage your leads andcustomers, sell more products, or just “stay top-of-mind” for your targetaudience, and someone decides there’s a solution that can solve all ofthose problems at once: an email newsletter!

Suddenly you're "volunteered" to do it. And you've got make sure that openand clickthrough rates don’t dip. Oh, and the first one needs to go outtomorrow.

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Read More

Get Buyers to Do What You Want: UsingTemptation BundlingWritten by Charlie Keegan

As a marketer, you may feel that getting anyone to buy anything at all is hardenough. What happens when you build a company entirely aroundsomething people don’t really want anyway? Maybe you sell membershipsto the local gym. Maybe you provide tax services or software to help peoplemanage their money. What happens then?

Read More

Periscope or Meerkat? The Marketer's Guideto Live Video Streaming [Free Ebook]Written by Brittany Leaning

›

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

The live video streaming app Meerkat was the talk of the town after itsappearance at SXSW in March 2015 -- but its popularity was short-lived.Just a few weeks later, Twitter released Periscope, a similar live videostreaming app. Although Meerkat kicked mobile video streaming off with abang, you'll see in this Google Trends graph of each app’s interest over timethat Periscope might be winning the race:

Read More

Marijuana Marketing: Can the BlossomingCannabis Industry Overcome 'Stoner'Stereotypes?Written by Erik Devaney

Marijuana smokers. Pot heads. Stoners. They’re a bunch of dirty hippies,right?

And boy are they lazy! These “pot smokers" live in their moms'basements. No job. No routine. Ok, maybe they have a routine, but thatroutine consists of getting stoned, giggling, eating Funyuns, and doing it

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

all over again.

That, my friends, is the “stoner" stigma; the stereotype that people who usemarijuana are dirty, lazy, stupid, or otherwise unsavory.

Read More

How to Change Your Body Language to BeMore Successful [Infographic]Written by Ginny Soskey

Body language: It's one of the most subtle, yet important things to master atwork. If you're not in tune with what your posture, facial expression, and othernonverbal cues are telling others, you could be setting yourself up for failure.

For example, let's say that you're in an important meeting and want to showyour boss that you're a leader on the team.

Read More

›

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

10 Ways to Reach Customers Who Don’tKnow They Need YouWritten by Danielle Irigoyen

Event planner, lawyer, daycare owner, tow truck driver. Regardless of ourchosen professions, it’s fair to say that we all want to build our businesses’customer bases. It’s how we thrive. So it’s only natural for us to want tomarket our products or services to everyone, in hopes of capturing a largeraudience, and thus making more money.

Read More

Apple, Google & Starbucks: Inside the WebDesign Style Guides of 10 FamousCompaniesWritten by Austin Knight

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

If you've ever wondered how designers at Apple defined every little elementin iOS as they were building it, then you're in the right place. Ready to nerdout and get inspired all at the same time? I sure am.

You might be familiar with the concept of content style guides, which alignmembers of a company on all the grammar and punctuation rules theyshould follow. In this post, I'll be showing you examples of the version ofthese style guides for web designers, which we call digital style guides.

Read More

How Often Should You Post on Facebook?[New Benchmark Data]Written by Lindsay Kolowich

How often should you post to your business' Facebook Page?

"It depends." Hmph. Not the definitive answer most people want.

Truth is, this response isn't wrong, as frustrating as it is. It does depend -- onyour followers' age range, interests, Facebook habits, and so on. But that

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

doesn't mean we can't glean some valuable insights on how post frequencyaffects clickthrough rate.

Read More

How to Sell to 4 Different Personality TypesWritten by Leslie Ye

This post originally appeared on HubSpot's Sales Blog. To read morecontent like this, subscribe to Sales.

Go to any grocery store and walk to the condiment aisle. You’ll see dozensof varieties of mustard -- Dijon, honey, whole grain, yellow, spicy, brown --but probably fewer than five types of ketchup from a small handful of brands.Of those brands, one reigns supreme: Heinz, boasting a number one or twomarket share position in over 50 countries.

Read More

›

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

The Story of a Rookie Mistake, a Redesign,and an Accidental Middle Finger to GoogleWritten by Jami Oetting

This post originally appeared on HubSpot's Agency Post. To read morecontent like this, subscribe to Agency Post.

I made a big mistake.

I broke up with Google. And it was much harsher than a "let's just be friends"moment.

Read More

Bing, Yahoo and Google: Can Your SEOStrategy Remain the Same for All Three?Written by Nicole Rende

Most people believe that if you are ranking well with Google, you must bedoing well with Bing and Yahoo, but that is just not the case. Unfortunately, I

›

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

found that most of the blog posts on this topic were favoring one searchengine over another. However, I believe that it is important to optimize for allthree-- you could be missing out on some great business opportunities if youare not optimized correctly for each of these search engines.

Read More ›