I have always been a giver first, something I was taught every day by my Dad. He was always doing things for our neighbors…cleaning up, fixing things, helping out in any way he could. He would do this without expecting anything back in return other than friendship, a smile, or even just the knowledge to himself that he was helping.

My Dad was the guy who would pull over, anywhere, and clean up a turned over garbage can and place it back where it belonged…and now I am too. Stand out by ‘Liking’ them before they ‘Like’ you.

The benefits…

by John Andrews and Ted Rubin

The Influencers Inside Are Building Local and Personal Engagement for Brands

Practically everyone is a content creator now. We don’t just send texts, we send emojis and memes and AR-enhanced videos. Content creation and sharing IS social media… AND The Content IS The Ad. From the articles shared on LinkedIn to photos on Instagram and videos on TikTok, content drives conversation and engagement… “Old marketing was dictation, new marketing is communication. Change from Convince and Convert to Converse and Convert!” ~TedRubin.

We are in fact, in a content glut, with way more supply than demand, or at least capacity for content to be consumed. Add…

An email marketing list, and the marketing that follows, is not simply about numbers… it’s about adding value to both your brand AND the consumer. Unfortunately too many are simply banging away at the numbers.

Consumers do not owe you their attention, and they certainly do not owe you their “permission.” We need to EARN it… permission is earned through quality content and offers, genuine interest in and deep understanding of consumer preferences/needs, and a consistent track record that builds trust. Keep the trust, keep the permission, keep the customer.

It’s not just the volume or brilliance of content that…

Brands have been fighting the age-old battle of gaining audience attention with every shift in technology. From print to radio, radio to TV, TV to web, and now the digital transformation — it seems that the marketing soil beneath our feet is constantly shifting. But is it really?

A hundred years ago or so in the Fuller Brush days, people spoke to a salesperson at their door. They communicated directly with another human being. They talked to their neighbors about the Fuller Brush guy and compared notes — more human contact. However, with the age of mass media (print, radio…

Instead of thinking in terms of “Convince and Convert,” start thinking in terms of “Converse and Convert.” Helpful content gives your customers reasons to stay engaged — not just react — and also increases brand advocacy.

Introduction

mailfloss had the opportunity to chat with Ted Rubin, a leading Social Marketing Strategist, Photofy CMO, Author, Speaker, and Provocateur, about how he uses the concept known as Return on Relationship™ as the driving force behind his marketing strategies (including email marketing).

The Interview

Hello Ted and thanks for speaking with our blog readers today. In 2009 you started evangelizing the term ROR, Return on Relationship™…

You might know me as a positive guy if you have read, listened to, or watched my stuff over the years. I strive to be that way, especially when I’m interacting with others, but it’s never been an automatic thing for me when evaluating myself. In my younger days — still young, by the way, or at least like to think I am (Attitude, Perspective… Mindset) — I was my own worst critic. It was a challenge then, and it’s something that I still work on to this day.

The clarity of hindsight is a beautiful thing, and looking back…

1. If brands are hoping to stay relevant and keep up with the content creation phenomenon, 2021 needs to be the year of Empowering Employees to Power your Brand. It is plain and simple — employee censorship on social channels is a disaster for brands. We can no longer control the message folks. The social framework is “bigger and stronger” than our puny frameworks. Instead of fighting it every step of the way, USE it to your advantage, or you’ll pay a steep price in diminished return… especially during these times of change and uncertainty. …

Data may play an important role in engagement, especially if you do a lot of business online. However, if you plan to recommend products or services based on a customer’s purchasing patterns, be sure that you’re offering items that customers might actually want to purchase. Sending a broad, non-personalized list of email offers every week is unlikely to move the needle in a positive direction.

Also transaction-based thinking says the job is done once the money changes hands. Relationship-based thinking says you might want to check in to see whether the customer is enjoying their purchase, and find out if…