2020 has been an eventful year for everyone. We have all grown in ways we could never have expected going into the new year. Despite a tumultuous year, Kallen Media was right there with you all the whole time. We have successfully transitioned to working from home to continue creating content and strategies for small businesses during the pandemic. With the year coming to a close, we figured we would tell you all about what we’ve been doing! Welcome to Kallen Media’s 2020 year in review!

There’s a lot to talk about because this year was huge for both our clients and us. So we’re going to have to break it down into sections:

1. We will tell you all about the new services we started offering to our clients.
2. We will move on to the beautiful cities where we expanded.
3. You’ll get to read about a few of our new partners and why we’re excited to keep working with them!

Instead of talking about what we did for ourselves, we’re going to start by addressing how we tried to help other people.

2020 Year in Review: Nonprofit Marketing

Nonprofits have always been important to the team here. From the company’s beginning, we have always served charities. But in 2020, we doubled down on that mission. This year we not only continued to execute several nonprofit marketing plans but expanded our national reach too! By using services like Catchafire, we’ve been able to help dozens of organizations save thousands of dollars. This year we have been proud to expand and work with charities across the whole country.

Supporting the community is one of our main goals. Expanding more into nonprofit marketing ventures means our employees are doing impactful work that helps real people. If you’re interested in reading about the Nonprofits we’ve partnered with in the past, check out our blog about them! But the nonprofit sector isn’t the only place we’ve expanded our operation.

2020 Year in Review: New Markets

We spent a lot of this year, expanding into new markets. Kallen media is growing, and as a result, we have started to look for new cities that fit our niche. This year we began expanding to business hubs like Birmingham and the bay area. These new markets have been insanely productive for us, and we’re elated to be offering our services to new clients all over the nation. Expanding hasn’t been easy in 2020, but our fantastic staff of marketing professionals has shattered our goals.

The expansion hasn’t been easy, but it has been worthwhile. We have gotten the chance to do work on both coasts, which has taught us a lot about tailoring marketing objectives to specific niches. In 2021 we plan to continue with our expansion program and bring our services to even more states. Even though we are growing, we still know how vital our returning customers are.

 2020 Year in Review: Old Friends

Of course, we’re still dedicated to all of our existing clients as well. So we wanted to tell you about some of our favorite client interactions of the past year. Before the lockdown, we had a comprehensive plan to tour businesses all over America to collect marketing content. Even though that couldn’t fully happen, we still got some. Kallen media was lucky to expand to the Tucson market early in our tenure. And at the beginning of 2020, our owner took a trip to southern Arizona and meet with our clients himself. 

The first destination on the Tucson tour was TRAK. TRAK is the Therapeutic Ranch for Animals and Kids that focuses on providing people with the skills they need to thrive via animal therapies. Our CEO met some of the horses that work with counselors to teach people how to be more confident and prepared for life’s challenges. TRAK’s ranch environment, coupled with innovative therapeutic practices, creates one of Tucson’s premier care destinations. It was amazing to get to see the work they are doing first hand.

The trip didn’t stop there, in any case. Kallen Media also visited the Tucson Girls Chorus. The TGC is a local Tucson organization that wants to build confidence and preparedness in kids via the art of song. At the Choir, our CEO got to take a tour of the facilities and meet some of the directors. Our trip to Tucson was terrific, and it is always lovely to get to see the excellent work our customers do. Our clients know first hand how dedicated we are, and that’s why our business is growing so fast!

2020 Year in Review: Arizona Growth

This year we didn’t only expand out of state; we also grew our home operation. The Arizona digital marketing world is tough to break into, but Kallen Media has been doing the hard work. One of our most notable new clients is Amadio Ranch in Laveen. Amadio sells the most delicious pies we’ve ever had, and we are happy to be helping them grow their digital presence. Amadio has peach trucks with convenient stops all over the valley if you’re looking to try some of the best fruit in town. It wouldn’t be a 2020 year in review if we didn’t mention the delicious products they provide.

We also have the pleasure of working with habitat for humanity. As we mentioned, one of our passions is supporting charitable organizations; And it doesn’t get more charitable than habitat for humanity. The organization spends its time ensuring that everyone has a home, even those of us who can’t afford our own. We couldn’t be happier to have Habitat for Humanity as a client, and we are looking forward to helping them with their mission. All of the new work we’re doing meant we had to expand our staff as well.

Internship Program

Despite the mitigating circumstances, 2020 was one of our best years yet. We got to expand nearly every part of our firm. These expansions even included our staff! 2020 was the first year Kallen Media started our internship program. We were lucky enough to work with five fantastic students who are studying digital marketing. We were endlessly impressed with these people’s work and are excited to follow their digital marketing careers as they continue to grow.

We’re also excited to add some permanent staff to our team. From blog writing to social media management, our operation is becoming more well rounded every year. Our new employees have been doing everything from SEO management to web development. But our plans don’t stop there; in 2021, we are hoping to grow even more. One of the areas our new employees have been shining is our blog.

Our Year in Blogs

Everyone knows how important a blog can be for your website’s SEO. This year we decided to focus on our blogging, and the results are showing. So this 2020 year in review is going to highlight the impressive work our teams have been doing. Our authors have covered a wide range of topics from things like neuroscience to comedy. Our blog’s directly focused on giving you an informed take on the most current digital marketing topics. This year we were able to bring you a blog every single week.

This year we reached well over fifty blogs, and we plan on doing even more next year. In addition to writing blogs for ourselves, we also expanded our blog writing services. Kallen Media knows how impactful scheduled and personalized blog posts are. So we have been focusing on fundamental word analysis and other real metrics for improving blogs. By studying SEO trends for blogs precisely and analyzing market trends, we’ve developed a stable and expandable platform for business blogging. In 2020 we wrote everything from cornerstone content to company spotlights, and we plan on making 2021 even better.

Web Development

As a digital marketing agency, we understand how important a professional website is to a marketing business. And we decided it was time we upgrade our site too. Since we started, our developers have learned so much about optimizing sites, and we always have our page reflect that. While working from home, we got much content on our website to get quotes more comfortable, get help simple, and ultimately save you time.

The web development team has also been hard at work on our partners’ projects. We’ve had the chance to work with people to design fast and custom websites that can handle their traffic. With people stuck at home, many of our clients needed more support than ever to keep their websites operational. But we rose to the occasion.  Our web development team, just like the rest of us at Kallen media, has had a challenging but rewarding year.

2020 Year in Review

This year was one of the most eventful and stressful years in recent history. But just like all of you, Kallen media managed to thrive under pressure. This year we found new, unexpected ways to grow our business. Early on in the year before the lockdown, we had the chance to go to Tucson and tour several enterprises working within the area. Seeing companies like TRAK and the Tucson Girls Chorus was one of our 2020 year in review highlights. Once the lockdown happened, it changed things for us, but we still found ways to expand our business.

Our 2020 year in review, we can only assume that 2021 will come with exciting and unexpected challenges, but we are ready to face them. Kallen media has both grown our own business and helped countless companies with theirs this year. If you’re looking for a digital marketing company that can work within your budget to make a plan that’s right for you, contact us to get started right away. We have customized plans with affordable solutions for all ranges of businesses. Even if you’re a small start-up, Kallen media has plans for you.

Fundraising is very often the only source of revenue a nonprofit has to draw from. And without a good fundraising plan, most nonprofits wouldn’t be able to sustain themselves. Over the years working with charities, we’ve learned firsthand how fundraising can impact a nonprofit. That’s why Kallen Media has spent time outlining how to get a fundraising campaign noticed.

This blog will focus on fundraising at different business stages and how social media can help you connect with your base. Then we will tell you about some ways you can ensure your next fundraiser will be a huge success.

Fundraising at Multiple Scales

Every fundraising campaign should have a set goal, but at the same time, you should have sub-goals and a plan to keep supporters engaged throughout the entire process. That’s why multiple scales of plans can help keep your campaign on track. At the beginning of a campaign, this can often mean your fundraiser starts with a soft launch.

A soft launch is a process where you begin your fundraiser by reaching out to your known supporters or previous donors. Essentially this process helps kick start your main fundraiser with early donations! At the same time, this gives you the chance to fix any unforeseen problems with your event. A soft launch is a smart way to guarantee your main event is not only ready for public consumption but already has some inertia.

Before you’ve reached the minimum goal you set initially, it’s important to focus on increasing your campaign’s momentum. A lull and loss of interest can be the death of a fundraiser, so it’s important to have plans to keep people interested in your fundraiser until you’ve met your goals! But what if you’re more successful than planned and you exceed expectations?

If your donors really resonated with your fundraiser and meet your initial goals, you’ll need to be ready for surplus donations, and people will expect you to have a plan. Stretch goals will help make sure that any extra money from fundraisers will go to good use. By setting stretch goals, you can guarantee an initial project and then begin to dream about incredible extra ones too!

Social Media Marketing and Fundraising

From crowdfunding sites to Facebook birthday charity drives, social media changes the way people connect to causes. And Nonprofit marketing companies are well suited to this fundraising landscape. Making sure your next fundraiser is well advertised on social media could vastly improve your exposure. But how exactly does a nonprofit get a fundraising campaign noticed on social media?

One simple way to improve social media awareness is a fundraiser hashtag. Specific social media branding for your fundraiser can give people a place to come together and check in on goals or even promote to other friends they have on the platform who might not be involved yet. Creating a hashtag gives people a way to promote and engage with your fundraiser more easily.

Show People Impact

One easy way to keep people engaged with your efforts is to show people what their money is paying for. During a lull, people who could potentially be donors might have a hard time seeing why they should invest in a nonprofit. Charities with videos or other testimonial style evidence of their efforts are more likely to receive donations. When people see what charities they want to help, give your potential donors a chance to see what their money would do for the nonprofit. People will also be more likely to promote your material once one of your fundraising campaigns is noticed, so show them off.

Matching Donations

Matching programs are systems that let a nonprofit or another organization match donations for a select period of time. Because you have an extra draw, matching can help get your fundraising campaign noticed. A Matching program is a great way to incentivize people to donate. This promotion makes people feel like they make double the donation. These perceptions make people feel like they have a lot more influence and spending power.

Depending on your fundraiser’s length and goals, a matching partner could choose to back the whole campaign, double your earnings, or only a smaller percentage of donations. Either way, the matching donations system brings in a lump sum of money and additional incentives.

Sponsorships

From 5k’s to pie-making contests, hosting an event is a time-honored way to gain financial support for a nonprofit. But a real big-ticket avenue not everyone thinks of is event sponsorships. Teaming up with a corporate or industry sponsor connects you to powerful financial resources that typically have established audiences through their customer base.

Similarly, if you’re already hosting an event, sponsorship can be a form of delegation. If you’re already worried about several things, sourcing sponsorship and the accompanied help could make your event easier to plan and operate.

How To Get a Fundraising Campaign Noticed.

Fundraising is a critical element of financing any nonprofit operation. And because it’s so important, it helps to have a comprehensive plan for every fundraising level. Your nonprofit must have an outreach plan from the soft open to theoretical stretch goals when looking for capital. Using crowdfunding tools and clever social media tactics, you can help boost a fundraising campaign to new heights. But you’ll need to think of ways to keep customers engaged.

The team at Kallen media has had the pleasure of helping many different nonprofits over the years. And every time we learn something new about how to get a fundraising campaign noticed. So if you’re a nonprofit who isn’t satisfied with the results of your fundraising efforts, Kallen Media can help you. Contact us online or via the phone today for a consultation and a custom marketing plan from a team specializing in nonprofit marketing.

Conversational marketing used to be a strictly one-on-one interaction between an agent and a customer. But technology is enabling conversations that people and businesses could never imagine. As our entertainment evolves, marketing is changing with it, and conversational marketing is having a rebirth. Now more than ever, companies are choosing to lower the curtain and engage with their clientele.

Today we will outline how to create real conversations with your clientele and outline why conversational marketing is rising. After that, we will touch on two growing mediums companies are using to generate customer input. Everyone knows understanding your customers is important, but most people don’t want to engage with faceless corporate entities. So how do you get people to interact with a company?

Creating Real Conversations

 

People like to feel heard and understood, and obviously, trying to understand everyone is a hard thing to do. But brands who are doing this well know it’s better to listen first and ask questions. A good marketing campaign that involves people provides an easy route for participation. Conversational marketing helps break down these barriers and really lets you collect input from real customers. And once your company is recognized as a trusted communicator, your reputation will proceed you.

Creating engagement is difficult, but it’s a necessary step to your brand’s success. Word of mouth endorsements is a time-honored way to drive sales and grow a business. A brand that is utilizing conversational marketing tactics can easily generate these valuable endorsements. Even the best ads are worth less than someone’s friend or family member personally referring them. And now more than ever, companies are trying to leverage this precious resource.

Trending Into 2021

 

During the lockdown, a lot of brands have lost valuable advertising spaces they formerly relied on. This insulation has deeply changed marketing, and personal outreach has become an essential part of branding marketing plans. With people stuck at home, brands are forced to come to the table and talk with their niche. Fortunately, conversational marketing has been thriving under these conditions. Brands that adopted social media strategy pre-pandemic have continued to thrive even though they lost their customers’ exposure.

Marketing plans that relied on people driving their own narrative have been successful in this unique landscape. And conversational marketing thrived under pandemic conditions. The unique fact that people could still reach out from inside their own homes online was a boon to this outreach style. One precious tool companies have been using to make real conversations with people is social media platforms.

SMM

 

Social media has its problems, but it has always dominated one area by connecting people with other people. Companies that understand how strong this tool has been able to grow entire business empires by leveraging followers and influencers. There are many different strategies for growing a brand on social media, but they all rely on connecting with real people.

Social media marketing was already on the rise before the pandemic for years, but it became many brands’ single point of contact during the last year. Diversity is important in any marketing plan, but social media marketing is currently the single best way companies can connect to their customers. A smart marketing strategy for 2020-2021 should be social media-heavy. Another strategy that companies have been using to connect to customers is podcasting.

Podcast Copy

 

Podcasting copy is a widely accepted way some modern brands are using to get affordable advertising spaces. Like radio was a boon to local small businesses, podcasting enables companies to grow and expand their markets. Podcasters spend a long time developing trust with their audience, so if you can make a connection and build a relationship with a podcaster, you can get access to that whole community.

Podcasting is on the rise as a lot of people’s daily entertainment. And marketing agencies are recognizing this trend, but small businesses can follow in suit. It’s easier than some people think to reach out to a podcast and sponsor them. Podcasting copy gives companies the chance to get a message out to a target market.

Conversational Marketing

 

Conversational marketing has seen a recent wave of modernization, and everyone is benefiting. Companies are using modern tools to create actual conversations with customers, and we see positive results. Customers are being heard, and products they like are being shared faster than ever.

In 2020 and 2021, the pandemic has stuck people at home. But isolation isn’t a problem for modern conversational marketing. Tools like social media and podcasting have enabled people to connect from the safety of their houses. Companies that have adapted to these formats have seen great successes. If you’re looking for help developing your marketing strategy and want to include real customer outreach, Kallen Media can help. Contact our social media marketing team to develop a customized approach to your customer outreach.