Autumn Lane Paperie

Reaching The Right Audience With Your Ads

Advertising

Ads: I'm in! Now all I need to do is show my ads to more people!

Whoa, there, sparky! Before you start thinking that you can throw money at a problem to make it go away, think again. For this, the “problem” is needing more sales, leads, etc., which is why you’re running ads in the first place, right? But the solution definitely isn’t just to throw it up in front of the masses, nonononono.

What?? I thought that this was a numbers game, so the more people that see my ads, the better my odds of getting conversions – was I wrong?

No, not exactly, you’re pretty well right on. Sort of. Picture this, if you will – your business is one where you sell something that a LOT of people use. Like logos … yeah, let’s use logos as our hypothetical for this.

Ok, so – you make logos & you know that there’s a TON of people who need logo design made, so you take out an ad for logo design & you pick your keywords that you think people are going to be searching on. BOOM! You get instant results from your ad campaign & you can see that your ad is getting ALL. KINDS. OF. CLICKS. (OMGALLTHECLICKS!) and you do your little happy dance & wait for your orders or leads to start rolling in.

(Crickets)

No big deal, you tell yourself, people are probably comparison shopping & I know that I’ll win in the comparisons because my stuff is WAY better than that one outfit in the northwest of the country who totally copied it. It’s probably just taking them a little time, I’ll check back in a week & see where my numbers are.

(Crickets)

WHATTHEHECKISGOINGONANDWHEREAREMYORDERS?!

So you’ve waited & been notified a couple times that you’ve hit your automatic billing cutoff & you’ve spent invested a gajillion Ameros in your ad but you’ve seen no results. Zero. Zip. Nada. Ok, time to head over to your metrics, where you can see more in-depth data on your ad’s performance. What’s this? You see that there’s a search term section & you can actually see the term that caused your ad to display. THIS. IS. AWESOME! So you start digging into the data to see what you can learn.

Free? What the heck?

You notice right away that there’s something amiss & your ad has been shown on search terms like free logo, best logomaker free, sports logo, vintage car logo, free logo design, free custom logo, etc. (you get the point).

This … this … this is unacceptable!!

Right you are! But you spent a gajillion Ameros on your ad, shouldn’t you have seen some results? Not really, because the ad was shown to ALL. THE. WRONG. PEOPLE. Since the time that I started writing this post, there have been H-U-N-D-R-E-D-S of searches in the US alone on “free logo” (link). Look at that list a little closer & you’ll see that a big chunk of it is a search for free fonts, which is kind of funny when we’re talking about good logo design – pro tip: free fonts don’t make for awesome logos.

What am I supposed to do about this?

Ready? Aim!

No, that’s it, really, just aim to deliver your ads to your “target market” for the best possible results? Who’s your target market? Your ideal customer. If you sell cakes online, you don’t want to deliver your ads to shadetree mechanics on DIY sites. Depending on the platform you’re using to serve up your ads, you may be able to define “negative keywords” which will keep your ad out of searches that don’t work for your model. Like “free logo” for example.

Man, hypotheticals are fun!

Ok … I think I’m getting it but I sell widgets to wandering wizards in the Shire. How do I reach them?

Well, I suppose the easy way would be demographically. Let’s say that you get your ad graphics all set up & have your budget & landing page all set up, now you need to tell your ad platform who to deliver the ad to. Most wandering wizards in the Shire are centuries-old men who don’t live there, they’re just passing through. So you can set the demographic on your ad to target males, at least 200 years old, in the Shire but don’t live there. That should be a pretty good start!

But what about the crabby old men trees that pass through there?

Hmm, yeah, I see your point. Maybe try refining your audience a tad more by defining interests. Exclude the occupation of photosynthesis & include the interest in saving the world – NOW you should be set!

Whatever you do & whatever your business needs are, a little careful planning at the outset can go a loooong way toward getting you where you need to be – especially with ads. So be sure that you’re reaching the right target audience!

Autumn Lane Paperie Provides Ad Campaign Services

Why not chat with us to see if your business ad needs are a good match for our ninja skills? We’d be happy to look at what you’ve got going on &, if we’re a good match, provide a quote for your ad campaign with us as your ad managers. Contact us & let’s see where this goes!

The devil's in the details.

Just like any pro will tell you, anyone can do what they do – with years of practice & some special tools. We’ve got both! Without getting too detailed, what sets us apart from the inexperienced includes:

  • Years of experience
  • Special (and very expensive) tools that allow us to see data that would be otherwise inaccessible (yep, you guessed it! this is used in our campaigns)
  • Instant understanding of what needs to happen when we examine website traffic numbers
Contact Us About Your Ads

Brand Brag – Jaime Bee Photography

Badass Branding

Meet Jaime, from Jaime Bee Photography!  You can check her out on Facebook or Instagram to see some of her beautiful work.  Read on to see what she has to say!

 

Tell us a bit about how you got started with your business / blog / venture that we branded.

Photography has been a strong passion of mine for about 5 years now and I after a long time of debating pros and cons, I finally went ahead and jumped in to starting my own photography business. The business aspect was initially a lot more than I could handle and I immediately felt overwhelmed, I am so thankful for finding AutumnLanePaperie! Lily graciously worked to help me brand my new business perfectly!

 

What products or services do you offer?

Lifestyle Photography

 

What’s the best advice you have for someone that is interested in doing something similar to you?

Just do it! The upfront financial cost is well worth the peace of mind of having your business put its “best face forward”!

 

Tell our readers a bit about the branding process!

I worked with Lily who was really capable of feeling out what I liked and would want to see, even though I was so unsure for most of it that I could not give her straight answers. I was wowed with every proof and given time to really feel out what I was shown before making a yes or no decision. Changes that were made were sent back to me in a timely matter. I was impressed with the whole process.

 

What does the future hold for you?

I am excited to see where my photography business takes me! Its so rewarding to build a business from a passion. I’m looking forward to the day when I can include more travel photography in to my packages but until then I am enjoying every opportunity I get to locally wow people with when they see that they are the center of a work of art.

Does your business need to advertise?

Advertising

Ads - are they really worth it?

(Spoiler alert - We think so.)

This will surely come as no surprise to anyone but one thing that we’ve been quietly doing for years is navigating the advertising gauntlet for Autumn Lane Paperie & a few, select clients. We’ve had some amazing successes & some learning experiences but most of the time, it’s been base hit after base hit, which is really what you want with a boutique business.

But don’t you want buckets & buckets of money raining down on you??

Well, that sounds like what you’d like to have but stop & think about it for a minute. Let’s say that your company is selling handmade items, made prior to order, & you forget to set an inventory limit or there’s a glitch in the ordering system that grossly oversells your item. You’ve made a LOT more in gross revenue … but you’ve got to decide now whether to risk the ire of your customers for needing to wait longer for the item (because it still needs to be made – again & again) or you need to disappoint them by refunding their order. And what business owner likes to part with an order? Trust me, it’s much better to grow in a way that is easily managed, rather than have 58,909,881,710 orders all come in at once – that sandy beach will lose its appeal after about 3 weeks anyway.

I thought we were talking about ads …

We are, we are!  Let me get back to the topic – we’ve seen that without intelligent advertising, boutique companies rely most heavily on luck, at first, then word of mouth to get them where they need to go, keep the lights on, etc. But there’s a problem with that model too – unless you’re in a solid niche & you’re tied in with the crowd that knows everybody in your hometown, it’s not likely to be enough. I come from a pretty small town & can tell you a lot about how a person is likely to behave based on their family name (it’s a really small town) but one thing that they’ve not been able to resist, just like everyone else in today’s world, is the increasing personal isolation that’s affecting everyone nowadays, which sounds dumb but it really isn’t. We can do everything on our laptops & phones, nowadays. We’re more connected than we’ve ever been but we’re also far more isolated because of it – people either stay home more (called cocooning) or they’re always on their phones, ignoring everything & everyone around them. It’s downright unsocial but that’s how it is.

Umm …

Right, I’m getting there. So – how does the average mom & pop business make it work with ads? (See? I finally made it to my point.)

 

They can take out an ad in a local newspaper but unless their clientele is an older generation in a really, really, small, isolated town, what are the odds that the ad will have the desired effect? Most folks don’t even get the paper anymore. Personally, I prefer the comics, maybe a bit of crossword, and I’m good – ya with me?

Advertise on Google! Everyone uses it.

That’s true! Everyone also advertises on it & it’s an expensive learning curve, so unless you’ve got deep pockets & need a tax deduction, treat this option very carefully.

Obviously, there are exceptions to this, when we’re discussing, for instance, local businesses who need to drive engagement or advertise to a very specific locale, rather than globally, then Google Ads (formerly AdWords) probably can help your business. But competing globally? Umm … that’s pricey.

What about social media?

Social media advertising can really help level the playing field a bit for the little guy. Take the Facebook, for an example – for as little as $5 per day, a small business can set up an ad campaign. Think about that. That’s the price of a cup of coffee every day but this is investing in your business rather than filling your office mates with envy over your grande pumpkin spice chai latte mochaccino frappe latte la de da.

So how do you advertise without making yourself look … silly?

Very carefully. It takes a lot of time, trial & error & insight into how the machine works to make it work properly for your specific needs. There are tons of resources available to read online at sites like Alexa, Moz, Yoast, etc. & even more in the way of opinions & working philosophies when it comes to ad campaigns, which provides a starting point for any ad campaign.

Hey … those are all SEO websites.

Ah, you caught that. Well, strange as it may seem, SEO & online ads are connected very closely, making it so that to learn about one, you kind of need to learn about the other. You’ve got time for that, right? If you want to increase your business’ visibility & online traffic, my bet is that you’ll make time for it.

Or hire an expert.

Autumn Lane Paperie Provides Ad Campaign Services

Why not chat with us to see if your business ad needs are a good match for our ninja skills? We’d be happy to look at what you’ve got going on &, if we’re a good match, provide a quote for your ad campaign with us as your ad managers. Contact us & let’s see where this goes!

The devil's in the details.

Just like any pro will tell you, anyone can do what they do – with years of practice & some special tools. We’ve got both! Without getting too detailed, what sets us apart from the inexperienced includes:

  • Years of experience
  • Special (and very expensive) tools that allow us to see data that would be otherwise inaccessible (yep, you guessed it! this is used in our campaigns)
  • Instant understanding of what needs to happen when we examine website traffic numbers
Contact Us About Your Ads

Planning for 2019

Branding· Web Design

Did you know there are only about 17 weeks left until the New Year?

Don’t worry, you guys. I’m not talking Christmas decorations yet or trying to speed through the seasons whenever it’s still 80-90 degrees and DEFINITELY not fall yet!

I’m talking about goals for the New Year. As a business owner, you *need* to be thinking about this ahead of time. One thing we say around here is, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

The upcoming New Year and the months leading up to it are super busy — the holidays, traveling, and … undoubtedly, the fire is lit for improvement with the idea of resolutions and a fresh start. Simply put — if you’re hoping to revamp things, like your logo and overall brand, or your website — you’ll want to do it sooner, rather than later, if you’re hoping for a New Year’s launch. Don’t forget your printed materials, either — you’ll need to consider ordering + printing/shipping time for this.

All I’m saying, boss babes, is don’t be caught unaware. We’ve got what you need, and plenty of options to fit every budget.

Branding takes time — for customized logos and customized brands, we’re keen on providing quality pieces that will last.  That’s why we bring this up every year around this time.  If you want to launch a revamped, new + improved look at the New Year, now is the time to move to ensure that your brand is pure perfection for a 2019 launch!

We’re already planning and setting goals here. A few of the things we’re working on are:

  • industry-specific turnkey packages – if you’re a beauty professional, a baker, a photographer or creative, in the wedding industry… you’re going to want to pay attention to this.
  • advertising services – if you’re getting serious about your business and want to make sure you’re getting yourself in front of the right people…this is for you.
  • ad space on our blog — with over 147,000 website visitors so far in 2018, if you have a badass product or service you want to offer folks, this might be a great idea for you!

If you’re thrilled to bits with your brand + website, but want to gift a loved one with the gift of good design and well wishes for future success, we now offer a gift certificate!

What are your goals for 2019?  Contact us if you need help!
Drop us a line!

Brand Brag: Beyond Milk Lactation Services

Badass Branding· Badass Business

Meet Ariana, of Beyond Milk Lactation Services!  You can also find her on Facebook.

Tell us a bit about how you got started with your business / blog / venture that we branded.

My passion for helping mothers breastfeed began when I had my own difficulty doing so. I was only successful because of the assistance, support, and encouragement of a fantastic Lactation Consultant. Somewhere along the line I developed a strong interest in breastfeeding and helping others with their own struggles. I first became a Lactation Educator Counselor in 2012. I became pregnant again in 2013 and had to put further education on hold. In 2015 I started a Lactation Consultant education program and in 2016 reached my goal as I passed my board exam to become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.

My husband is in the Marine Corps, which means we move fairly frequently. When I began my education in 2012, we leaved in California. Since then, we have also lived in Oklahoma and Georgia. In 2017 we moved back to California. We will be here for at least a few years and felt there was finally enough stability that I could start my own business.

 

What products or services do you offer?

I provide home visits for breastfeeding help and support in Southern Orange County, CA. I can also provide consultation services to pregnant mothers who wish to breastfeed and would like to develop a plan before giving birth.

 

What’s the best advice you have for someone that is interested in doing something similar to you?

The best thing would be to first become certified as a Breastfeeding or Lactation Counselor. There is a lot of health education that must come before doing a Lactation Consultant education program. Become a counselor first to make sure this is the correct career path for you!

 

Tell our readers a bit about the branding process!

Autumn Lane Paperie made the branding process as easy as possible. They first sent a questionnaire to get a feel for my business and any vision I had. Luckily, I did have an idea of what I wanted and I was able to communicate that to Lily. I am very picky with fonts and colors and such, so I appreciated the revision rounds in order to get my logo exactly as I had envisioned it. I purchased the logo package, which came with 2 sub logos, 2 patterns, and a color palette. Lily was easy to work with and really listened to all of my input and feedback to get everything just right. I would highly recommend Autumn Lane Paperie for your branding needs!

 

What does the future hold for you?

I’m honestly not sure! I am just launching my business and am obviously hoping for success and growth. It is my goal to help women nurture their babies by assisting them in breastfeeding. I’m excited for this journey, the more moms and babies I can help, the better!