3 Things For October 3rd, 2022

I said I would.Ā  The best website images.Ā  It matters!

I said I would do it, so Iā€™m doing it.

The 3rd of the month sneaks up so quicklyā€¦.every single month!Ā  Gah!Ā  Dammit Leah, say something worth sayinā€™!Ā  And the thing is, even if no one is reading it, it matters.Ā  It matters because I made the commitment. IĀ  said I would do it, so Iā€™m doing it.Ā  Yes, I want to share something worth sharing, but I also want to be consistent.Ā  And, how much credibility would I have if I didnā€™t follow through with my commitments?

So hereā€™s my ā€œthingā€ for the month.Ā  In a world where others arenā€™t following through, be the person everyone knows they can count on.Ā  Create content and be consistent with it.Ā  Show up, over and over and over again.Ā  Itā€™s much easier to keep going when youā€™re already going; itā€™s much more difficult to start over after stalling.Ā  And if you do stall, donā€™t beat yourself up, just donā€™t stall for too long.Ā  And if you do stall for too long, start again.

Yes, last month I said consistency is boring and now Iā€™m saying be consistent.Ā  But, I also said that I contradict myselfā€¦.and so it seems I do!Ā Ā šŸ¤·ā€ā™€ļøšŸ˜œ

PS: Want to know more about momentum and consistency and why it matters?Ā  Scroll down to read more from Carrie!

Effective photography for your websiteā€™s design

Below are three helpful tips for picking out great images for your next web project:

1. Stop using stock photos

Stock Photography is generic and people can tell they are fake. Using actual photos
of your employees and clients will instill more confidence and trust that they are
dealing with a legitimate business.

2. Use images that your audience identifies with

You want your potential clients to feel like they are welcome and belong on your
website, they will stick around longer and be more comfortable considering doing
business with you.

3. Always check the quality/resolution of your photos

Using images that are intended to be used for print production will slow down your
site and images that the resolution is too low will look fuzzy and out of focus.

These are just a few tips to help you pick the right images for your next web project, there
are many more out there that will take your website to the next level.

Feeling like you donā€™t know where to start, schedule a consultation with StrategyĀ 3Ā for your next web project. We can guide you through the entire process.

EITHER IT MATTERSā€¦OR IT DOESNā€™T

It can be really hard to justify marketing costs, especially if youā€™re a small business. Itā€™s hard to wrap our minds around the complexity of it all, and with recent privacy policies being implemented, capturing results is even more challenging. So how do we even know if any of this works? Is it worth it?

First, I will reference a theory that most are familiar withā€¦Ā ā€œIf limited funds werenā€™t an issue, what would you do?ā€Ā If you apply this question to marketing, then look at companies who seem to have endless bank accounts, youā€™ll see they confidently spend a ton on marketing, almost unbelievable amounts. They do not foolishly throw money away, if that was the case, they would not be successful. So the lesson to absorb is, IT MATTERS!

The other challenge that makes it hard to measure, especially if youā€™re trying to manage marketing yourself, is consistency. It all comes down to consistency and momentum. Itā€™s no different than a dominoĀ obstacle course. If you donā€™t take the time to lineĀ thingsĀ up, to dialĀ thingsĀ in, to prepare each section with great intentionality ā€“ you wonā€™t go to the next level. Thereā€™s a necessary rhythm that is required.

Itā€™s evident some have figured this out, and if you really want to break the glass ceiling, you mustā€¦

  • Have an arsenal of content curated thatā€™s built on a layered strategy that pulls your audience in, I call it the ā€œbread crumb approach.ā€
  • Ensure it has a consistent look and feel, with your brand ever present, so when theyā€™re spinning through their feed like itā€™s an old fashioned slot machine, your brand undoubtedly catches their eye.
  • LinkĀ things together, ensuring that every piece of content is pushing to another to increase traffic, browser ratings, algorithms, etc. Anything but this approach leaves you with a lot of ineffective content islands.

I have watched small business owners spend countless hours pumping out content, but due to inconsistencies, a lack of arsenal, no strategic overarching goal, and siloed implementation, it just falls flat. Itā€™s no wonder they struggle to justify the investment of marketing.

Iā€™m here to assure you, it DOES MATTER and it DOES WORKā€¦ but you either must be really committed to the process ā€“ or partner with an agency that understands integration and is dedicated to shoring up your brand and pushing it out into the world in a concentrated fashion. At StrategyĀ 3, this is our playground. Let us geek out and help you take your vision to the next level.

Donā€™t get stuck, donā€™t hit a ceiling and accept itā€¦ invest in your dream and watch it come to life!