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Hiring Remote Workers? These Are the Perks You Need to Offer

Ah, the new normal. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, many businesses were forced to switch to a remote work model…that never really went away. And not only because there are still worries about safety, but also because a lot of business owners – and workers – just prefer the flexibility (among other benefits) of hybrid or fully remote work. But just because workers are on the hunt for remote positions, doesn’t mean business owners can simply dangle that one perk and expect tons of bites.

Why? Well, there are a lot of businesses out there offering remote work, so you need to find ways to stand out from the crowd. Find out what the state of remote work looks like now, and how you can offer the perks that will get the attention of top talent.

The Benefits of Remote Work

woman sitting at a table on a zoom meeting — *75% of employees believe they have a better work-life balance working remotely.*

There was a time, alllll the way back in 2019, when not everyone had the option to work from home. But then a little thing called the Covid-19 pandemic came along and changed everything. And now, while most of us are longing for most things to go back to normal, there are a few things that a lot of people want to stick around – one of them being the option to work from home.

So how do employees feel about remote work in 2022? Well, Pew researchers have found that 60% of workers with jobs that can be done from home say they’d like to work from home all or most of the time when the pandemic is over if given the choice. This is up from 54% in 2020. And there are reasons why employees seem to want to hold onto this option (beyond the ability to spend more time in their pajamas). Consider these stats:

75% of employees believe they have a better work-life balance working remotely
57% say they have less stress when working from home
54% say they have improved morale
62% of workers feel remote work positively affects their work engagement, with 78% of remote work employees reporting feeling “highly engaged” in their work (as compared to only 72% of in-office employees)

And consider these benefits that also benefit you:

21% of workers are willing to give up vacation time for flexible work options, and at least 16% would give up employer-matching retirement contributions
Turnover reduces by 50% when employees have access to a remote work option
94% of employees report feeling like their work productivity is the same or higher than before they worked remotely, and research shows that when employees are able to work from home, their performance increases by at least 22%
Absences and sick days are reduced by at least 50% when employees work from home

How Many Employees Are Working Remotely?

So it seems like working from home is what employees still want (despite an almost universal hatred of endless Zoom meetings), and there are reasons for you to be willing to offer it. But before we get to ways to get the best remote employees, let’s look at why you might be in for some competition when it comes to hiring.

It’s estimated that 22% of the workforce (36.2 Million Americans) will work remotely by 2025
More than 4.7 million people work remotely at least half the time in the United States
Around 62% of workers aged 22 to 65 claim to work remotely at least occasionally
After COVID-19, 92% of people surveyed expect to work from home at least 1 day per week, and 80% expect to work at least 3 days from home per week

And, since 59% of respondents said they would be more likely to choose an employer who offered remote work compared to those who didn’t, you’ve made the right choice by looking for employees to work remotely. So how can you attract remote workers to your business?

How to Stand Out from the Crowd

To stand out from the crowd, you’ll have to change up your traditional work perk offerings to align with what employees now expect from our new way of working. Consider offering the following perks: brain in a light bulb

Mental health days – Remote workers might have more flexibility and feel more relaxed in their home environment, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t feel any stress. In fact, since work can start to creep into home life when there’s no distance between the two, remote workers might need mental health days more than ever to give them the space they need. You can also consider offering access to online mental health resources, should employees need extra help.

All the workplace bling – Working from a couch or bed or on a kitchen chair just ain’t gonna cut it. Consider offering your remote employees improvements to their home office setups, like standing mats, an adjustable desk, a chair with lumbar support, a power hub, a standing desk, or anything else that could make their workday more comfortable and productive. In addition, make sure they have access to all the tech, apps, software, etc that will make work and office communication go more smoothly.

Virtual versions of workplace fun – Just because you’re remote doesn’t mean you can’t have fun together! You can make a virtual version of any fun office events or groups, like book clubs, fitness challenges, fantasy sports leagues, or even pizza parties – go on, we dare you to send a pizza to all of your employees’ houses! And for individual well-being, you can still offer remote employees access to a gym near

them, or discounts for healthy food delivery subscriptions

Flexible work hours – This new normal is all about flexibility, and that should include how you allow workers to deal with asynchronous work time. Your employees might be juggling multiple responsibilities if they’re home all the time, so give them the leeway to get non-time-sensitive things done on their own time. Remember, it’s all about their results, not necessarily when they get things done.

In-person retreats – Working from home is great, but sometimes remote employees can crave a little facetime IRL – and we’re not talking about a quarterly meeting (bo-ring!) We’re talking about an actual retreat, whether you can only swing an afternoon BBQ or sporting/cultural event, or can splash out on a weekend at a resort chain, families in tow.

Training and education resources – There are tons of online options for courses and continuing education out there (like Masterclass), and you can offer access to desirable options to your remote employees.

Unlimited time off – Sounds crazy, right? But more and more remote offices are letting people take unlimited vacation time, within reason. This is because one of remote workers’ main challenges is to separate work from personal life, as pointed out above. Offering remote workers unlimited vacation leave or creating a program that provides top-performing and loyal employees additional or unlimited vacation leave credits can make your business stand out from other competitors.

If you’re going the remote route, you’re not alone, and you’re probably doing something positive for your business and your employees. But, since you’re not alone, you’re going to have to find ways to keep your employees happy! Since you don’t have the traditional workplace perks to fall back on, try the above suggestions to ensure that you attract top talent, and that you’ve got happy, healthy, and productive employees who will stay with you for the long haul. And let us know: are you all remote? Hybrid? How have you adapted to the new normal, and what perks have been most popular with your remote employees?

Co-written by Joanna Bowling

Need Some Inspiration? How Businesses Use Mission Statements, and How You Can Grow with a Purpose

Why do customers choose to purchase goods or services from a specific business? In some cases, it’s purely about price, or because few other options exist – but what if the business in question isn’t the cheapest option, and is competing against others? How do they get their share of the market? Well, they often focus on making connections with their customers, appealing to them emotionally, and building loyalty. They also create a positive culture in their business, so employees can radiate outward that positivity, and further attract customers.

All of this doesn’t happen overnight, and it takes work and creativity, but if you’re looking to do it, a great way to set the wheels in motion is by being very clear about the values of your business and its purpose. And while you might be thinking: “I feel pretty sure about the values and purpose I’ve brought to my business,” you might not have solidified what your business is really all about in the minds of your customers, or even in the minds of your employees. There are multiple ways you can convey your purpose to others, and build brand loyalty and profitability in the process, but a great way to start is with a mission statement.

What Is a Mission Statement?

two people, one with questions overhead and the other with lightbulbs — *A mission statement is a way of both showing how you stand out from the crowd and connecting with customers.*

What sounds more appealing to you: “To build giant stores that people can wander around for a while looking for cheap home goods,” or “To create a better everyday life for the many people”? We’re going to place a pretty safe bet that most people will say the latter, which is the actual mission statement of Swedish furniture and home goods store IKEA.

Or how about these: “To develop a network of coffee shops in every major market, and change the basic model of cafe culture,” or “To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time”? The latter is the mission statement of Starbucks, and you can see that’s been carefully crafted to evoke a certain feeling as opposed to simply stating what their money-making venture is all about.

So, then, if we want to define a company mission statement, we’re not going to talk about a simple statement of your business’s desire to be the best in your field, make the best product, etc. A mission statement is a way of both showing how you stand out from the crowd (usually for your values), and a way of making a connection with your customers. That means it’s also usually a balance of conveying your public image and being a part of your internal communications.

That can be a tall order, especially when you consider that it’s usually boiled down into a sentence or two – but that’s actually a good thing. Creating a mission statement can actually be beneficial not just because it can inspire customers and employees, but also because the act of writing it can help you to distill in your mind the values and purpose that you bring to your business.

Why Is a Mission Statement Important?

So that makes this one little statement sound pretty weighty, and it is. The vision that you come up with for your mission statement can help you and your team make big-picture decisions, but it’s not just that. Mission statements are important because:

Customers love a company with values – In fact, A 2020 study by global communications agency Zeno Group found that if consumers think a company has a strong purpose, they are 4 times more likely to purchase from the company, and 4.5 times more likely to recommend the company to family and friends.
Employees want a sense of purpose – According to a recent Gallup poll, Gen Z and Millennials (who make up nearly half of the full-time workforce in the US) value belonging to a company with a strong moral compass.

A Closer Look at Purpose

Ok, so we’ve said a lot now about what mission statements need to convey, why they can be so helpful for your business, and we’ve even shown you a few examples…but how do you go about crafting yours? Before you put pen to paper, you need to consider more than just the definition of a mission statement, you need to really look at its purpose. Consider this list of the purposes of mission statements, which should help you as you brainstorm yours. Mission statements should help: illustration of person using a pulley to guide an arrow on a graph upwards

Guide your business forward – By identifying your purpose, you can better understand your goals
Focus your energy and attention – Once you isolate the most important part of your organization’s purpose, you can make sure everything you’re doing aligns with that, which can help you refocus if things become too scattered

Spark new ideas – Writing your mission statement could help you see your business with new eyes
Shape company culture
Establish consistency
Send a powerful message to the public
Drive action

How to Craft Your Mission Statement

Once you’ve thought about all of the above, it’s time to get crafting! Follow these steps for getting your mission statement down on paper, and out into the world:

1. Explain what your business does

Yes, we said that your mission statement should be so much more than just a simple description of your business, but it still needs to incorporate the basics of what you do. After all, prospects need to understand what you offer in literal terms, too! Think of answering questions like:

What product or service does your business sell?
Why would customers buy it?
What problem do you solve?

2. Identify your business’s core values

Now it’s time to get a little less literal and to think bigger. It’s time to brainstorm on the topic of your company’s core values; a good way to do this is to list words that you think pertain to these values. Think words like: empathetic, transparent, remarkable – anything that evokes positive emotions and reflects your values.

3. Make a connection

Next, you’ll have to make a connection between your core values and the product/service you offer. Remember Starbucks and their mission statement? It might seem tough to connect coffee and light bites to a core value, but they managed it by making a connection to community building.

4. Now mix!

At this point, you might have two separate statements about your purpose and your literal offerings, so now it’s time to condense them down into one. Do this by boiling things down to the what, who, and why of your business:

What you offer

Who you’re offering it to

Why you do what you do (your core values)

5. Refine it

You’ve probably got a pretty good statement of your core values and purpose (both in the literal more figurative senses) by now, but don’t stop there. Fine-tune it, cut out the fluff, and make sure it outlines the purpose of your company offering, and demonstrates the common goals the company is working to achieve as clearly and concisely as possible. Have other people read it (especially your team members) so you can get feedback on how evocative your statement really is. Remember: your mission statement should reflect the unique voice and culture of your company.

Mission statements can be incredibly powerful tools: they can determine how you begin, how you grow, and where your future lies. Think carefully before creating yours, so you can craft one that inspires both your team and your customers – and remember that the act of doing so can help you to think more deeply about the path of your business, as well as how you want the public to see you. Follow the tips above (and check out some other company mission statements) and you’ll be able to craft a statement that reflects your unique vision and purpose – and we want to see it!

Know Your Customers: Can You Guess Who the Largest Consumer Group Is?

Ok, time’s up: what’s your answer? Which generation is the largest consumer group in the US? If you said Millennials, you’re partly right, but it’s actually a little more complicated than that. What do we mean? Well, Millennials have overtaken Baby Boomers as the largest generation (in US history!), but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re always outspending Baby Boomers. We’ve found some interesting information that suggests you shouldn’t put all of your efforts into catering to the younger generations just yet, because it doesn’t look like Baby Boomers will be slowing down as consumers anytime soon.

Why Boomers Are Still the Big Spenders

So if there are so many Millennials, why is it that Boomers are such a big-spending class of consumers? Well, the so-called “silver economy” is booming (no pun intended) for a few reasons:

Seniors are rapidly growing in number – It’s true that Millennials have finally replaced Boomers as the largest generation in American history, but the number of older adults in the US – and the world – is still growing at an incredible pace. Think about this: there are currently 750 million seniors in the world, and that figure will cross the 1 billion mark by 2030; not only that, but the number of seniors is growing by 3.2% every year (compared to 0.8 percent of the whole population). In the US alone, the number of seniors has shot up by well over 10 million in the last few years.

And get this: economists predict that the consumer class in the world (defined as everyone spending at least $11 a day) will jump from 3.9 billion in 2020 to 5.6 billion by 2030, with each age group contributing an average of 41% to this increase – except for the senior group, whose representation in the consumer class is expected to surge by 66%!

Seniors have more money – Yes, we often hear about struggling seniors, but on the whole, the older generations tend to be wealthier than the younger ones. 76% of them are still in the spending class, compared to 66% of the population as a whole. Not only that, but they are working much longer than they used to, and putting off retirement while also making sure they have money for things like travel and discretionary treats.

Current Spending Vs Long-Term Loyalty

All of the above means that, according to Visa, “consumers over 50 now account for more than half of all U.S. spending.” And: “While the share of spending among younger consumers is expected to decline over the next 10 years, older boomers should gradually spend more, with those aged 60+ reaching a 33% share of aggregate spending by 2025.”

So, although Millennials and Gen Z have enormous potential as customers both because of their current spending and their ability to be loyal in the long-term, Baby Boomers, again, are just more likely to be spending now. And not just because they’re retired and have fewer responsibilities, or that they’ve had time to build up wealth, as we’ve already pointed out – but also because they are actually more likely to have stable jobs.

hand holding a credit card — *Baby Boomers are just more likely to be spending now.*

Even before the pandemic, the last 5 or so years have seen very slow growth in the labor force in most segments of the population. In fact, workforce participation has been declining, dropping from 67% a few decades ago all the way down to 62.2% in 2022. But you know who hasn’t seen this decline? People over 50: the only age group showing growth in labor force participation is people aged 60 and older.

Why might this be? There are any number of reasons, including insufficient skills, the number of people attending college, etc – but one of the major factors is the lack of parental leave and affordable childcare for younger workers. That means younger women especially are having trouble staying in the workforce, while older women are at over 64% participation now, compared to just 59% in 2012.

So we’ll say it again: as tempting as it is these days to spend your time aggressively marketing to the younger folks, you simply can’t ignore the “silver economy.” People aged 50, 60, or even 70 and older are out there, shopping (especially online), and, unless your product or service is very narrowly focused on a younger demographic, it would be unwise to ignore or alienate them.

Today’s Consumer Demographics: Who to Target

With all of that being said, let’s broaden our scope now and talk a little bit about the most important demographics to target in the 2020s. Why? Because, as we have pointed out, younger generations are also extremely important, especially since they’ll be customers for longer. So, again, unless you have a very specific demographic that you cater to, you should be thinking about how to reach the following groups:

1. “The Free Bird”

This segment includes some of the Boomers we’ve been talking about: the ones that are retired (or have more flexibility), have saved up, have few responsibilities, and are looking to spend on new experiences. Remember, this group is living the “60 is the new 40” lifestyle, and are generally healthier, living longer, more tech savvy, and more desirous of staying connected with friends and loved ones, so the biggest mistake you can make is marketing to them as if they’re “old people.”

2. Millennial Parents

Yup, Millennials are parents now! Where did the time go? Seems like they were just the ones coming up with MySpace and now they’re raising a whole new generation! And they take that responsibility very seriously, but also, on the other hand, don’t want to take themselves too seriously as parents. That means recognizing that their children are their world, as well as emphasizing the good your business does for the world (whether philanthropically or for the environment), while keeping your marketing lighthearted and fun.

3. “Health-Curious Millennials”

There are a whole lot of Millennials out there who are into the idea of getting healthier and living well, but aren’t quite sure yet of the path that’s right for them. That means they’re doing a lot of exploring, so brands that can be a partner in their quest for self-improvement will be able to influence their decision-making and gain loyal customers.

4. “The New Independent”

Did you know that single people now make up a majority of the adult population? And we would argue that brands don’t often get it right when it comes to marketing to them – and these “new independent” consumers pick up on that. These are people who are socially active but not ready to settle down, and have money to spend on things they want. If you can show that you understand their lifestyle, you could end up with a large and loyal group of customers. Remember, too, that this group could be young or older, as we’ve already pointed out!

5. Gen Z “Screenagers”

You knew they had to make an appearance on this list: the up-and-coming Gen Zers, stereotypically glued to their screens and living through social media. They’re starting to gain financial independence (yikes!), and since they go online for everything, you’ll have to be there to meet them. With that being said, though, while they do most of their research online, many of them prefer to actually shop in person once they’re ready, so you have to be flexible when dealing with them. In addition, like Millennial parents, they appreciate brands that align with their values (charitable, environmental, etc), and also want businesses to understand their emotional needs.

Truly knowing your customers can seem like a daunting task, but you’ve got to start somewhere, right? The first thing to understand is who is out there shopping, so you’re not making a mistake in your marketing from the get-go. You certainly can’t ignore whole segments of the population, for example, especially if they’re the ones doing a big chunk of the spending. So consider the info we’ve given above, and think about who you might be forgetting in your marketing – and let us know who your biggest spenders are!

The Secrets to Keeping Top Talent

Recruiting employees is tough, especially these days: there’s a lot of competition for the best candidates. And once you’ve got some of that coveted talent? It can be just as hard to keep them. On both of these fronts, the so-called Great Resignation seems to have reset things for businesses and employers, meaning that you’ve got to work harder than ever when it comes to not only finding great employees, but also finding ways to retain your top talent. So if you’ve got the employees you really want, what can you do to keep them around for good?

The State of the Job Market for Employers

If anyone thought that the Covid-19 pandemic that began in 2020 would mean soaring unemployment rates for the long term, they were dead wrong. The unemployment rate was just 3.6% this past spring and summer, and businesses were adding around 400,000 jobs a month, while just around 330,000 people were entering the workforce.

So it’s not surprising that 44% of employers report that hiring new employees is more difficult now than it was pre-pandemic. Employers have been scrambling to compete for workers, and are offering more flexible schedules, better benefits, and higher wages. In fact, in May, hourly wages were 5.2% higher than they were a year ago. But many businesses are still having trouble, and that might be because they’re just out of sync with what today’s choosier candidates want.

Why Employees Say Sayonara

So why are candidates not saying yes to some offers, and also why are employees leaving the jobs they do have? Well, let’s first look at what we mean when we say that part of the problem is employers are out of sync with what workers want:

Workers list ‘flexible schedules’ as their top priority, but only one-third of employers give workers the option to create their own schedules
59% of people are looking for higher pay, but only 40% of employers have raised salaries
Workers are also seeking jobs with good health insurance and retirement benefits, but only about 1 in 5 employers have started offering or improved benefits in these areas

But it’s not just about the nitty gritty practical stuff. According to Pew Research, while low pay is the top reason that people leave their jobs, the other top two reasons are lack of opportunity for advancement, and feeling disrespected at work. Think about this: Gallup found that two-thirds of workers don’t feel they have a supportive, respectful leader who helps cultivate a working environment that promotes engagement. That’s certainly something to think about, while also thinking about ways to support employees practically, like offering healthcare or help with childcare.

How to Get Them to Stick Around

You don’t have infinite money to offer your employees giant raises, but you can pay them fairly, and also use other strategies to keep the best of the bunch from jumping ship:

1. Start by recruiting right

Keeping employees for the long run starts with recruiting the right employees. For example, when looking at candidates, in addition to focusing on their skills and experience, you should also take a look at:

How long they have stuck with previous jobs
If they have other things they commit to, like team sports or volunteering
If they seem to share your and your business’ values, since this will make them more likely to stick with you

2. Help them unleash their passion

Why do employees waste time at work, why do they fall down on their productivity levels – and why do they sometimes ultimately leave their jobs? Because they’re just not engaged enough at work! Employees want to be challenged and engaged; they want to be able to use their talents, so it’s up to you to know where what they’re passionate about, and how you can align their projects with their passions. That means asking questions and getting to know what makes them tick, so you’ll have a better idea of how to fire them up. Not only will they be at peak performance, but their feeling of commitment to your organization will grow and grow.

3. Use “stay interviews”

two people sitting across each other with word bubbles over them — *Conduct interviews with employees to see what issues they are having and how you can help.*

Speaking of asking employees questions, you can do that by conducting what’s known as “stay interviews.” You’ve probably heard of exit interviews (and might be feeling frustrated right about now for having to do so many of them!), but they only allow you to hear about what employees were dissatisfied with when there’s no chance of resolving the issues. But with stay interviews, you get a chance to talk to your employees while they’re still on your payroll, and get a sense of what they need and how you can keep them motivated (both to work hard and to stay with you).

What should you ask? Focus on questions that are more open-ended and will give your employees the opportunity to open up, like:

What excites you about the work you’re doing right now?
What would you like to learn in the near future?
What do you look forward to/dread about work?
What talents do you feel you’re not using in your current role?
What would you cut out of your job if you could?
Do you feel you’re getting clear goals and objectives?
What would make your job more satisfying?
What can I, as a manager, do more or less of?
Do you feel valued and recognized?
How would you like to be recognized?

4. Provide clear paths to advancement

Glassdoor research shows that 73% of workers end up quitting just to get the position they want. Other studies show that 80% of younger workers would leave their job if not offered career advancement opportunities, so you have to be able to give them what they crave. After all, you wanted workers with ambition, so that means you can’t expect them to stay satisfied in their current position forever. This can mean giving them clear paths to advancement in any ways that make sense for your company, like offering a mentoring program and/or continuing education opportunities, guiding them through your succession plan, or even creating new positions that would be a better fit for the more experienced employee they have become.

5. Allow your employees to cross-train

Speaking of succession planning, you might have thought about cross-training some of your employees so that you have people who can step up if you lose an employee. But you can also use cross-training to keep employees from getting bored, especially those who have pretty narrow roles. Cross-training can provide fresh experiences and stave off the boredom that can boost turnover, while also allowing employees to tap into unknown strengths and skills -which could end up being surprising and enlightening for you, too!

6. Never dismiss their ideas

Here’s one for the “don’t” pile. You might have the final say on everything from the direction that your business is going in, to the little everyday decisions, but the brightest stars on your team are out there, doing the work that needs to be done to keep everything keepin’ on. That means they’re bound to have their own ideas – and the worst thing you can do is frustrate them by continually dismissing their ideas out of hand. Even if you don’t think the idea will work, give them the respect of talking it through with them, and explaining your position. And when they come up with something brilliant, well…

7. Don’t forget to give props!

There are so many practical things you can do to make sure you keep your employees happy: offer a comprehensive benefits package, give them the most competitive compensation you can, offer advancement opportunities, and be open to a flexible work environment, to name a few. But there’s one thing you shouldn’t forget to do that isn’t as complicated as all of the above: give shout-outs and recognition to your team! After all, they’re what makes your business tick, and without them, where would you be?

So treat them like the assets that they are, let them know how much they would be missed if they left, and always give credit where credit is due. Consider offering bonuses, whether monetary or gifts, but also remember that publicly acknowledging the work they’re doing can be more powerful than you might think.

We hope you’ve put together your dream team – after all, that’s looking more and more like a tall order these days! So it’s more important than ever to hold onto your talented employees; you can do so by following the tips above, and by being a respectful employer that really listens to the needs of the employees. Do all of that, and you’ll build a loyal and productive team that keeps your business growing for years to come.

Make It A September To Remember

kids in schoolyard — September is a great month to get your business involved in local schools.

It’s September already (can you believe it?!) and maybe the schools in your neighborhood have been in session for a few weeks now or perhaps they’re just kicking off the new school year. No matter where you live it’s not too late to think about reaching out to a neighborhood school or school district to see how you can help out. Not only is it a great way to build a positive image of your agency, it’s a wonderful, cost-effective, subtle advertising technique that has the potential to reap so many benefits for your business’ reputation. The options are endless to make your community and clients remember your business this September and beyond.

Why Reach Out to Schools?

school supplies — A backpack drive is a great tool to increase your business’s visibility in the community.

Schools need support from everyone, not just teachers and parents. Businesses in the community are a great resource. You likely have assets that schools can benefit from and the payback may be the most valuable you’ll ever receive. Your public perception from an act of community goodwill will skyrocket. You’ll be reaching an untapped audience and will gain some loyal clients in the process.

Think Outside the Backpack

Of course a school isn’t going to turn down a check so if that’s all you have time or energy to commit to, don’t hesitate to fill one out and send it in. The recipients will be more than grateful and any amount large or small will be appreciated and a positive association to your agency will be made. But if you have some time to offer, try some of these creative ideas that can help you help the kids and schools in your community and leave a lasting impression and impact.

Sponsor a backpack drive. To get started, set up collection boxes in your lobby, design posters promoting it, and post on your social media accounts exactly what you’re collecting. Clients old and new can swing by and drop off their donations. Give a goal that you want to fill up X number of backpacks before school begins to distribute to children in the community. Once the deadline passes and you have your backpacks filled, you can distribute as you see fit. Contact the school’s principal if you’re not sure how or where to hand the backpacks out. Even if school is already in session, you can collect some supplies to distribute all year long.
Get branded supplies. Think about a cheap, customizable school supply that will be used constantly and then order within your budget. Be sure to order it with your logo or contact information prominently displayed so your name isn’t forgotten. There will always be a need for a pencil, pen, or highlighter so why not have potential clients (or their children) reach for one with your name on it?
Get in touch with the PTA. If you’re at a loss as to where to focus your efforts, ask the parents, particularly ones on the school’s PTA. They know what projects need the most attention and are most urgent. Maybe there’s an upcoming Teacher Appreciation Day that needs a lunch sponsored or the gym needs a new coat of paint. Foot the bill and get great exposure and word-of-mouth advertising for your agency.
Sponsor Back-To-School Night. It’s the one night a year where parents and teachers are running through the halls trying to get acclimated to their new normals. You can have a table with giveaways (don’t forget to display your business cards) or maybe some water bottles to quench the thirst of some chatty parents. Whatever it is you come up with you will have guaranteed foot traffic of potential clients that night.

Little Effort, Big Impact

little boy at school — Pull your company out of a marketing slump and get involved in a back-to-school campaign.

Back-to-school time is a golden opportunity for you and your business to get involved in your community or foster an already established relationship. It’s easy to get lost in a sea of other businesses so use this time to put you and your business back on potential clients’ radar. If you’re in a marketing slump, consider a September comeback and make it an annual giving event. You’re the best judge of the amount of time, money, and involvement you can afford so take a look and make a big (or small) move and make it a September to remember!

Keeping Up with the Times: Boost Your Brand’s Popularity on TikTok to Boost Your Business

Things move pretty fast in the world of social media, and internet marketing. Blink, and you might miss something! The landscape of social media is changing all the time, and businesses need to keep up with the times. So is your business keeping up with the times? You might already have a strong presence on Facebook, Twitter, and maybe even Instagram, but how confident are you about using one of the newest, youngest, and most popular platforms: TikTok? If you’re feeling a little unsure how to best use this platform for your business, we’ve got some essential strategies for boosting your popularity on TikTok, and boosting your business in the process.

TikTok: The Basics

tiktok app on a phone — *TikTok is not just for dancing, it can help boost your business and brand.*

While TikTok started as a fun video streaming app mostly aimed at Gen Zers, it has now taken the marketing and advertising world by storm, completely changing the way brands create and share content. It’s a video-based app, but unlike on YouTube, the videos have a time limit of ten minutes (recently upped in the past few months from only three minutes). TikTok has over 1 billion active users, so if you get it right, you can reach a huge amount of potential customers.

So what is TikTok all about? Some people might think it’s all dances, challenges, and pranks, and while that’s a lot of the content on this platform, it’s not all there is, and there’s definitely potential for creating interesting stuff. What’s most important to remember about TikTok is that it’s all about fun and visually appealing content, meaning this isn’t the place for serious, sit-down sales pitches!

No, this platform is a place to entertain and connect with potential customers on a personal level – and those potential customers will often be, shall we say, on the younger side. In fact, almost 50% of US TikTok users are below the age of 30, and over half of those users are teenagers. For brands targeting younger audiences, TikTok can be the best thing that ever happened to them. But remember, even if your business is not completely focused on Gen Z, you can still benefit from marketing on TikTok. More than half of the users are over 30; not only that, but it’s always a good idea to be somewhere that’s influential with the younger generation: they could grow up to be your target audience, after all!

So what are some of the basic ways you can get a presence on TikTok? Start by:

Creating lighthearted videos set to music, perhaps demo-ing your product. TikTok videos don’t need to be highly polished. In fact, you can just take out your phone and start filming! But they do need to feel authentic. It’s better to make a simple video that highlights your brand than to try to create a wacky one in an attempt to go viral – you can’t predict what will go viral and you could just end up looking inauthentic.
Launching a hashtag challenge encouraging TikTok users to create or recreate content and add your branded hashtag to it.
Working with TikTok influencers. Influencers on this platform might not be as big as on other platforms yet, but they can still help you avoid looking like you’re making traditional ads, which Gen Z and other TikTok users tend to avoid like the plague.

Why Use TikTok for Marketing?

The above are the basics of using TikTok – not so different from other social media platforms, right? So there’s nothing to be intimidated about! You just need to remember to keep things fun, authentic, and short when using TikTok. But before we get to some more technical details, we want to briefly go over why you should be making the effort in the first place.

So why use TikTok for marketing? Because it allows you to: graph moving upward with a green arrow

Increase your brand’s awareness – With all of the creative videos you make and the hashtag challenges you invite people to join, you can really highlight what you’re all about, and boost your brand.
Promote your products/services in an authentic-feeling way – We’ve moved a long way past traditional marketing these days, and most people can sniff out a sales push a million miles away, so finding ways to connect with people while promoting your products in a non-pushy way is essential.
Enlarge your audience – As we already pointed out, TikTok has a billion active users – and these users are spread out over 140+ countries, meaning you have the potential to gain an international following.
Reach new customers – You’ll be building your customer base by connecting authentically with people, and probably getting your brand noticed by people who don’t engage on other social media platforms, or who rarely see traditional advertising.

Making the Most of TikTok

That all sounds pretty good, right? And like we said, using TikTok is not much harder than creating content for other social media platforms – you just need some creativity. With that being said, though, there are some specific things you should be doing so you can boost your brand’s popularity on TikTok as much as possible. For example:

Know how “For You” pages work

What’s the holy grail for businesses when it comes to any social media platform? Having their content recommended to users! And it’s no different on TikTok: your goal should be to appear on TikTok’s “For You” page. The TikTok For You page is basically a personalized, scrollable feed of content, serving as the app’s home screen – meaning it’s the first thing users see when they open the app. It’s known for its fine-tuned algorithm that produces accurate recommendations based on each user’s actions on TikTok (e.g., what they like, share, view more than once, etc.). But with that being said, TikTok is also pretty secretive about its algorithm, so you’re going to have to work at getting on these pages, especially since not appearing on any For You pages means your chances of getting noticed are pretty slim.

Basically, what happens is that whenever somebody creates and uploads a video, TikTok pushes it to a batch of viewers, and the TikTok algorithm will evaluate its “Performance Ranking” The “Performance Ranking” is based on the video’s Completion Ratio (i.e., the percentage of the video the initial viewers watch), shares, comments, and likes. If the resulting “Performance Ratio” is high enough, TikTok will continue to push the video to another group of viewers. The Completion Ratio is the most critical part of the equation, so you need to ensure that your video is good enough that people watch it until the end, and that they engage with it.

The good news is that their algorithm doesn’t take into account follower count or a history of high-performing content, so you don’t have to be an established TikTok star to make a dent. Not only that, but unlike on other social media platforms, the For You page encourages users to try out content from strangers before showing them videos their friends might have uploaded since they last opened the app.

So, as with most social media content creation, it essentially all comes down to creating high-quality content, and using the platform’s content publishing features in an effective way (see below). But if you do want a bit of a leg up, there is one cheat you can use: if you pay for your business to have a Pro account on TikTok, you will be able to access trends and analytics for the application, and will be able to see insights into who is watching your videos and sharing them. Since there is not much insight into TikTok’s algorithm, this information can come in pretty handy.

Be up on TikTok’s content publishing features

There are ways you can leverage the platform’s content publishing tools to make sure your videos get the attention they deserve, and hopefully get you into as many For You pages as possible. For example, you can: a hashtag with the word hashtag next to it

Write a short description – You’ve only got 150 characters, so make it good!
Include hashtags – Be sure to keep on top of what is trending, and make sure you’re targeting them to your specific audience.
Use trending sounds – Yes, sounds are a ranking signal for the TikTok algorithm. So, using trending audio clips can increase your chances of surfacing on more For You pages.

Tag friends – Tags are especially useful if you’re collaborating with another brand, an influencer, or a content creator.
Add links – If you have a TikTok Business account, you can add a link in your bio by editing your profile and adding a URL to the Website field. In your videos, you can then ask users to sign up, browse products, or make a purchase via the link in your bio.
Enable duet/stitch – By enabling this feature, you can allow users to use your videos to create duets or stitch your videos with their own to create unique or response content.

Use TikTok ads

TikTok avoided having advertising on it for a while, but now there are multiple possibilities for your business to advertise on TikTok:

Infeed Native Content: Similar to Snapchat or Instagram story ads, and supports features like website clicks and app downloads. These ads are limited to 60 seconds, so you’ve got to keep them tight!
Brand Takeovers: Lets your brand “take over” TikTok for the day. You can create images, GIFs, and videos with embedded links to landing pages or hashtag challenges. These ads can be 3-second photos or 3.5-second videos, so you have to be ready to craft something powerful. Doing a brand takeover will mean that your business will show up as soon as users open the app, so you have to be prepared to pay for that privilege: these ads are much more expensive than in-feed ads, especially if you choose TopView ads, which can be 5-60 seconds, and allow viewers to engage with them.
Hashtag Challenges: As pointed out above, you can create your own hashtag challenges, or you can pay to use promoted hashtags to get more engagement.

Create branded lenses or filters

As on Snapchat, you can create lenses and filters on TikTok – and you can brand them! Your filters and lenses will stay live for 10 days, and users will be able to add them to their content. That means all the followers of the users who incorporate your filters/lenses will also see your brand, making this a unique way to build brand awareness.

Marketing your brand can feel overwhelming these days. It’s no longer as simple as creating a print ad or one-off commercial, you’ve got to be out there engaging with potential customers online, all the time. But if you know which platforms to engage with – and more importantly, how to use them most effectively – you can reach more people than businesses of the past could ever dream of! So what do you think: is marketing on TikTok right for your business?