23 Brilliant Twitter Cover Photo Examples From Real Brands

What do you think to yourself when you see someone's Twitter avatar is the default image of an egg? Chances are, you probably assume they are either inactive, a fake account, or someone not worth following.

While almost all businesses understand that the egghead approach isn't doing them any justice, they often fail to understand that a plain, flat Twitter cover photo can be equally as off-putting to potential followers.

Think about it: Would you rather engage with a company that has a header image featuring a dozen of their happiest employees working together on a cool project, or one that relies on a plain blue rectangle to do the talking?

Despite the prominent placement and size (the Twitter cover photo dimensions are 500 pixels tall by 1500 pixels wide), far too many companies are underutilizing this opportunity to express themselves. We think all they need is a little inspiration.

To give you a better sense of what a Twitter header photo done right looks like, we've put together a list of some of the best examples from companies around the world. Check them out.

23 of the Best Twitter Headers From Real Companies

1) Uber

When Uber rebranded in February 2016, they wrote about how their new look and feel is meant to celebrate two main things: 1) technology, and 2) the cities they serve. Their cover photo is a smart, well designed visual reflection of both these core values.

Like their app, website, and other parts of their visual brand, the cover photo is represented by bright colors and geometric patterns. All of your communications and marketing assets tell their brand's story -- and brand consistency is one tactic Uber's nailed in order to gain brand loyalty.

2) Canva

Canva is an easy-to-use design app, and everything about their cover photo supports their brand. For one, it encourages even non-designers to be creative, thereby encouraging tentative customers to use their products. It's also fun, friendly, and colorful, all of which are characteristics consistent throughout their web presence. Finally, and most importantly, it was probably made using Canva, which lets you create simple designs using images, text, and objects. Overall, very well done.

3) Target

Target's creative cover photo is almost so mesmerizing that we don't want to look away. Both the red and white pattern and the two girls' red and white outfits perfectly compliment their signature target logo, making for a visually interesting look and feel. We're giving Target an A+ for coordination.

4) SlideShare

The collage SlideShare created for their header photo is an interesting way to show off what people can expect to see on the social presentation platform. While collage formats can sometimes appear cluttered, they managed to arrange this image strategically so it doesn't feel overwhelming. Not to mention, this approach doubles as a way for them to delight their users by highlighting real presentations for the whole Twittersphere to see.

5) British Airways

British Airways' cover photo is perfectly simple. While the high quality image of the plane dominates most of the space, our favorite part is on that left-hand side: the names of their other social media accounts. By including these, they are essentially opening up the door for Twitter users to follow their business on their preferred platform.

6) Taco Bell

Ahh, Taco Bell, the social media darling marketers can't help but love. They're rocking almost every social platform imaginable: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and even Snapchat. And while this Twitter header is fairly simple, we love that it's consistent with their other social media accounts, such as their Facebook cover photo below.

Plus, they always use fun, bright colors to create a unique, thematic experience across all of their accounts. This is a great trick for anyone looking to enhance their brand consistency.

7) Netflix

Netflix's Twitter header image is a great example of a brand that knows how to capitalize on this prominently placed visual space. Here, they use the space to promote one of their latest shows. And honestly, who doesn't love a good Netflix recommendation?

We also love how they've aligned across their international accounts on the same promotions. Check out the variations below from four different areas of the world to see how their cover photo has been translated consistently.

8) Animoto

When someone new arrives on your Twitter profile, something about your profile needs to compel them to stick around. If they can't easily figure out what your company does, you risk losing them pretty quickly. Why not tell them right in your cover photo? Animoto uses that precious real estate -- the very first place that draws the eye on your Twitter profile -- to nail their value proposition. While they reiterate what they do in their Twitter description, putting it right out there in an attractive visual is a great way to communicate that value prop faster.

9) Basecamp

For those of us who don't have professional or stock photography at our disposal, here's a great example to inspire you. Basecamp, a project management software company, doesn't have a product that's easy to showcase through photos, either. Instead, they use a collection of icons to portray what the company does. The checkmarks, conversation bubbles, and to-do lists all lead back to a single theme: productivity.

10) RioTinto

The colorful high-definition image RioTinto uses for their cover photo catches the eye right away. And while the massive machinery is impressive, what we're most interested in is the inclusion of one of their employees. Aware that people want to do business with other people, it's great to see RioTinto spotlighting one of the faces behind their business to provide a personal touch.

11) Etsy

If you're not already familiar with Etsy, it can be best described as a peer-to-peer ecommerce website for handmade and vintage goods. With that said, it's only right that they'd employ an artsy collage of images to represent their do-it-yourself roots. The collage make for an interesting display of colors that are consistent with wedding season, while also inspiring crafty followers to get creatin'.

12) Starbucks

Starbucks' Twitter header photo looks like a high quality version of something you'd pull from a #Starbucks hashtag search on Instagram. For that reason, we're certain that this is something that will catch the eye of their loyal customers and resonate with them. Whether you take your coffee with cream and sugar or you prefer to drink it black, this image will have any coffee lovers craving an ice-cold caffeine fix.

13) TOMS

TOMS' entire business is based on the one-for-one business model that helps provide shoes, sight, water, safe birth and bullying prevention services to people in need from all over the world. Their cover photo is an interesting showcase of both their product -- the shoes themselves -- and that message of improving lives so central to their brand.

14) Danone

It's hard not to smile at this whimsical cartoon header from Danone. And with a tagline that reads "alimenta sonrisas," meaning "feeds smiles," the image serves as the perfect compliment to their vision. Between the flowers and adorable smiling yogurt container, there's a lot to look at without being overly cluttered.

15) Zendesk

Zendesk is a cloud-based customer service software system that has built a charming brand with a little help from their jolly Buddha mascot. We love this choice of a meme-like cover photo, which is a funny nod to their value proposition: building software for better customer relationships. "Because relationships are complicated," reads their Twitter description. Enough said.

16) Old Spice

Known for their tomfoolery, Old Spice's Twitter cover photo is a great visualization of their quirky, charismatic approach to marketing. Between helicopters spouting laser beams to flaming lion and bear heads, this header image is both inventive and humorous, traits consistent with their brand.

17) Caterpillar Inc.

There are two reasons why Caterpillar Inc.'s cover photo is awesome. First, there's the quality of the photo and editing job. Since the profile picture is on the left on Twitter, they've added some balance to the cover photo design by having the focus of the image be on the right. That makes the overall design more aesthetically pleasing. Secondly, the Caterpillar trucks aren't the main focus here. Instead, they chose to highlight the man on the right-hand side of the screen, which helps to humanize the brand.

18) CNN

Whereas British Airways simply listed the names of their other social media accounts, CNN includes theirs in a very clever, more visually interesting way: by showing screenshots of what they look like. More importantly, they're showing them on mobile screens -- because they know that many people are reading the news on their mobile phones nowadays. This is a unique idea for showing Twitter users that the company has a presence on other social networks so users can follow them on the platforms they prefer.

19) Dior

Rather than highlighting their fancy products, Dior chose a less expected approach: They highlighted the backdrop to their most recent #DiorHomme show. This is a creative way to highlight that Dior is about far more than just the clothing and accessories: it's about the art of it all.

To give you some context, here's what the backdrop looked like at the show itself:

The grand finale of the #DiorHomme Summer 2017 show. Rediscover all the looks now https://t.co/x9vr7Lt0Kh. #PFW pic.twitter.com/rzNR8eE1tu

— Dior (@Dior) June 25, 2016

20) LEGO

LEGO's toy building bricks are so visual that you'd probably expect them to feature some sort of elaborate castle made entirely out of Legos. Instead, the folks at LEGO went with a vibrant yellow close-up, which makes for a surprising and visually interesting display. Between the clean lines and sharp angles, we love this abstract approach.

21) Vodafone Group

Your Twitter header photo is a valuable piece of real estate -- and it's a great space for promoting current marketing campaigns. Vodafone cleverly includes a hashtag for one of their campaigns in their cover photo to draw interest and drive engagement. Aside from the hashtag, the image maintains a consistent color scheme, especially with the reds and whites of its logo. Notice, for example, that the chairs in the photo have a red-and-white striped pattern.

22) Maersk Line

We've written about Maersk Line's Twitter presence before. We especially admire how their social media team has found a way to find the beauty in a stereotypically "boring" industry -- container shipping -- through brilliant photography. The company's cover photo, which plays with light and reflections at sunset, is a perfect example of the gorgeous imagery found throughout their Twitter page.

23) innocent drinks

Not only do the folks at innocent drinks have a wonderful Twitter presence, but we also commend them for drawing attention to their commitment to charity. Many consumers look for little ways they can help make a difference, so highlighting their donation process could help convert potential customers while helping them to establish a positive reputation.

What other awesome Twitter cover photos have you seen from brands on Twitter? Share your favorites with us in the comments below.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in May 2014 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.

from HubSpot Marketing Blog http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/twitter-header-image-examples
Via http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/twitter-header-image-examples

12 Tips for Writing Clickable Search Ad Copy

Content creation is an essential part of a marketer's day-to-day job. From drafting ebooks to promoting webinars, we have to be creative and concise with our writing in order to engage our audience.

However, finding the right words can be tough -- especially when there is limited space. I'm sure we've all struggled with having just one too many characters in a tweet (I know I have).

Creating search ad copy is similarly tough. It's crucial to craft just the right copy to draw your potential customers in and make them interested in your offer.

So how do you stand out in just a few words? We’ve put together a list of best practices that will help you boost your ad performance in no time.

What Is a Search Ad?

First things first: What does a search ad look like?

Search ads are ads that appear when a potential customer searches for your product (or related item) in a search engine. They are small snippets of text that sit right above or below the top-ranked results. If you've ever searched for something on Google, you've likely seen a search ad.

A typical search ad contains a heading, a link, and a short description of the offer the company is making:

• Headline: This is an eye-catching title that describes your company or product and uses your chosen keywords.
• Display URL: This is the URL that you'd like the ad to link to. It's always a great idea to click and make sure the URL is live and working properly.
• Ad Copy: Time to get creative! The copy of the ad is what will make your brand stand out. This is a good place to put the description of your offer.

Since there's only a finite amount of space in each ad, it's crucial to use it wisely. So what are the length limits for each of these components? Here are the official character limits as provided by Google:

• Headline: 25 characters
• Display URL: 35 characters shown (255 characters total)
• Ad copy: 35 characters per line

Now that we've gotten the definition of a search ad out of the way, here are 12 tips for writing quality ad copy and making the most of the limited space.

How to Write Click-Worthy Search Ad Copy

1) Highlight what makes your brand unique.

With so many brands out there, it's essential to make yours stand out. So if you offer shipping to multiple countries, say that. If you specialize in a certain product or service, make sure to mention it. If you have happier customers than your competitors, call that out.

Notice how JetBlue highlights the key offerings that make their brand unique in the search ad below: free WiFi, unlimited snacks, and most legroom in coach. All these features could make a potential customer interested in JetBlue and compel them to click on the ad.

2) Attract your ideal customers with a special offer.

Because you only have so much space on a search ad, including your special offer will make customers more likely to click. Do you offer a free trial? Perhaps free shipping, if your company is in the B2C space? These features make for perfect headlines that will grab a potential customer's attention.

As you can see in the search ad below, Gap uses "40% off purchase" and "free shipping" to draw in their customers. A potential customer who might have been hesitant to try Gap because of the price could now be more likely to click, familiarize themselves with the brand, and maybe even purchase -- all because of the special offer.

3) Include an actionable CTA.

In order for an ad to be effective, it needs to prompt customers to take an action. Whether it's filling out a form, starting a free trial, or ordering now, actionable language prompts a desired behavior.

You can see this in action below. Time Magazine uses actionable language in their ad to compel the viewer to subscribe.

4) Include at least one keyword.

Keywords are key (pun intended) for your ads to perform well. We suggest including at least one keyword in your copy so that customers looking for a product in your industry can easily find your brand.

For example, if you sell soccer shoes, you'll want to include that specific phrase in your ad copy. If a customer searches for that keyword, it will appear bolded in the ad.

To get started with choosing the best keywords for your ad, here are some helpful tips:

• Think like a customer. What terms would your ideal customer search for if they were looking to buy your product? (Tip: If you don't know, ask them.) 
• Strike a balance between general and specific. Choose keywords that are specific enough to target your primary customer persona, yet general enough to generate brand awareness among those searching more broadly.
• Pick the right amount. Google suggests that you include 5-20 keywords per ad group, affording you plenty of room for both specific and generic keywords.

If you want to learn more about how keywords work with search ads, check out Google's keyword advice.

5) Keep your ads current.

There's nothing worse than clicking on an ad for free shipping just to find out the offer expired yesterday. Keeping your ads current and relevant will ensure that prospects have a positive and pleasant user experience, and eventually become paying customers.

It's also a best practice to address a new product release, updated pricing, or even bad press in your ad copy when applicable. If customers search for your business and expect to see a relevant update, it's crucial you include the latest in your ad.

6) Get super specific.

Studies show that incorporating numbers and statistics into your copy can make it appear more accurate and credible. Not to mention that the more targeted and specific your ad copy, the better it can perform.

If you add statistics, discount percentages, rankings, or reviews to your ad copy, prospects can be more likely to read and click. Numbers are easy to digest, and help people understand what you're offering them.

7) Match your ad copy to the landing page.

As marketers, we know the importance of having great landing page copy. But once you start using ads to support your landing page, consistency between the two becomes critical.

Don't promise a user a free ebook in a search ad if the ebook is not actually free, or tease a 10-day trial when there is in reality no trial at all. Customers value consistency, and they're more likely to believe in your product if they are confident in your offerings.

Going back to our soccer shoes example, Soccer.com uses a search ad to promote $4.99 shipping on orders over $99. When a user clicks their ad, they're taken to a page that prominently features this offer.

8) Optimize for mobile.

According to a recent HubSpot Research study, 33% of respondents said their primary device was their phone. 

This means it's critical to ensure your ad copy speaks to mobile users as well as those searching on laptops. If a customer is trying to find out more about a product or service from their mobile phone, it's in your best interest to guarantee they can learn about your brand just as easily as on their desktop.

9) Watch the competition.

Standing out from your competitors is key when composing search ads. Your copy is what will differentiate your brand from others in the industry.

Here are three search ads that come up when you Google "hotels in New York." The latter two websites have almost the exact same ad copy, but the first result is a bit different. Booking.com is likely watching their competitors very closely and knows their differentiated copy is what will attract clicks.

10) Personalize to attract your target audience.

Are you trying to reach college students searching for textbooks? Or perhaps last-minute shoppers who forgot to buy their friend a birthday present? Understanding precisely who you're going after will help you craft personalized copy that resonates with your target audience, and speaks to their pain points and needs.

Ready to take your personalization to the next level? Give Google's Customer Match tool a try. Customer Match allows you to target your ads to specific users and personalize the copy that each of those users sees. For example, if you work for a travel company that offers a loyalty program, you could target customers that just joined the program with copy like, "Get the most out of your loyalty club membership." Conversely, you could hone in on people who haven't yet joined the club -- "Loyalty club members save $X per year. Join today!"

11) Triple check for spelling and grammatical errors.

You would be surprised how many ads contain spelling, grammar, and/or punctuation errors. And these mistakes can take a toll on your brand.

Notice anything funky with this steak house ad? First, it's missing a period between "seafood" and "Best." It then follows by a pretty egregious "manhatten" misspelling.

Lesson: Solicit the services of a proofreader before you publish your ad.

12) Experiment with your copy.

Just like you experiment on landing pages, emails, and site pages, it's important to always be testing your ads. There's no better way to determine what resonates with your target audience and what falls flat than to test. Whether it's experimenting with CTAs, language, offers, or keyword usage, your tests will help you create maximally effective and relevant ads.

Not sure what experiments to try? Consider adding new keywords, featuring new ad copy, or using different targeting. Then, decide what percentage of your auctions should feature the experimental version of the ad.

WordStream performed a test where they added a comma to their ad headline copy in one variation, and took it out in the other. Just that one change increased CTR by .38%!

This goes to show that tests don't have to be complex -- tweaking small variables such as punctuation, word order, or even vocabulary can make your ads that much more successful.

These tips will help you create lovable search ads that people love to click. And we're willing to bet you'll love your engagement metrics after implementing some of these tactics.

Have any suggestions we might have missed? Let us know in the comments section below.

from HubSpot Marketing Blog http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/search-ad-copy
Via http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/search-ad-copy

9 Useful Strategies for Getting Clients to Pay On Time

Everyone's trying to manage their cash flow. But no matter how buttoned up you might be in your process, it still could mean clients pay late, which messes with your cash flow and stability.

Here are nine strategies to make sure your clients are ready and able to pay your agency's invoices on time:

1) Watch for Red Flag Clients

They always give themselves away, even if we decide to overlook the signs in the effort to get a new client signed. They're overly focused on price, or poorly organized. Or worse, they have a generally unpleasant attitude that's going to make working with them difficult.

These are the kinds of clients with a high likelihood of not paying on time. Your best strategy is to avoid them if possible. Weigh how well this potential client fits into your agency's goals against their potential maintenance costs, including late payments.

If you decide their potential outweighs the risks, you can use many of the other strategies discussed here to mitigate the challenge.

2) Set Clear Terms in the Contract

Nobody like surprises, least of all when they're being asked to part with their money. Your contract should clearly spell out key payment terms: when invoices will be sent, when they're due, how payment will be made, what your late payment penalties are, etc.

3) Make It Easy for Clients to Pay You

If the client says they have a preferred payment method use -- let them use it. You can negotiate your payment method flexibility as part of your service. There are multiple services that let make it easy for any business to accept ACH, credit card, PayPal, or EFT transfers. Sign up with one so you have that flexibility.

And if their preferred payment method is still by paper check, let them do so -- as long as the checks arrive on time. If they don't, then you can move onto one of these other strategies, such as auto-payments from a credit card.

4) Move to Electronic Invoicing and Payment

Again, you have a lot a of choices of online invoicing and payment tools.

Many of the online invoicing tools let you create a client portal where people can see all their past and current invoices. Now, your clients have no excuse ("Your invoice didn't arrive"). They always know where to find their latest invoice and can't blame technology for miscommunication. 

And when you integrate an electronic payment option into your invoice, then clients can pay as soon as they open the invoice. It's simple and easy. Some invoicing tools will let your clients store their payment information so they don't need to re-enter it for each invoice. Others have automated payment options -- with your client's permission of course.

Electronic invoicing makes preparing and sending invoices easy for you. A client can't pay on time any invoice that's sent late.

5) Bill New Clients a Deposit to Get Started

This is more than just a goodwill gesture and hedge against a potential flaky client. It lets you and the client iron out any invoicing or payment wrinkles that might come up early. Getting paid your deposit verifies that all mechanisms are successfully in place for this client to pay you on time.

Often payments are delayed due to administrative snafus. Get all this cleared up during the client onboarding process.

6) Eliminate Missing, Confusing, or Ambiguous Information in Your Invoice

At the start of the relationship, have clients specify what information they need on their end to pay an invoice. Do they need a certain office street address on it, rather than one of their others? Do they have an internal PO number that's required? Who should be getting your invoice to get it processed?

Make your invoice information clear as well. Avoid terms that need interpretation, like "net 30." Instead, specify the exact due date so there's no confusion. Make sure the bottom line total and line items are easy to find and understand. It should be easy for the client to understand exactly why they're getting billed the bottom line amount.

7) Include Your Late Payment Terms as Boilerplate on Each Invoice

This gentle reminder of the interest rate or fees that would be due for late payments has encouraged many a client to pay on time.

8) Invoice More Often

Don't let a large amount of outstanding billables accrue. If you need to bill a client every two weeks, do it.

9) Move the Client to a Retainer Contract

Nothing beats pre-payment for services to be rendered. For the sake of predictability and reinforcing the relationship between your agency and clients, moving them to a retainer contract should always be a goal.

from HubSpot Marketing Blog http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/clients-pay-ontime
Via http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/clients-pay-ontime

28 of the Best Motivational TED Talk Videos to Inspire You

Ever feel like you're writing and creating the same kinds of stuff over and over and over again?

Consistently coming up with new material and unique angles is really difficult. You might find yourself in a vortex of similar content that makes it hard to find information you didn't already know. It's hard to stay inspired, too.

There is one type of content that can help us get out of this vortex: TED Talks. Featuring motivational speeches from some of the most brilliant minds in the world, TED Talks cover every topic under the sun in an easy-to-understand and inspiring way.

To help you break out of your typical content mold and learn something new, we've compiled 28 of our favorite inspirational TED Talks below. You'll find a wide variety of talks in here from topics covering creativity, career success and happiness, and marketing and branding.

Some of these TED talks are three minutes long; others are 20–30 minutes long. Don't be overwhelmed with the amount of content in here -- watch these talks at your own pace, bookmark this page to return to later, and get ready to be inspired. You'll learn, laugh, and maybe even cry. (We won't judge.)

And if you're itching to see a TED-style talk in person, you can register for INBOUND 2016 here and check out our powerful Bold Talks track.

The Top TED Talks on Career Success & Happiness

1) "Why We All Need to Practice Emotional First Aid" by Guy Winch

Length: 17 min. 24 sec.

While we all know how important it is to take care of our physical health, we don't take our emotional health nearly as seriously. But why? Why do we seem to value our bodies more than we value our minds? Emotional pain like guilt, loss, failure, and loneliness can impact our lives in dramatic ways -- especially if we ignore it or try to deal with it by ourselves. In this TED talk, Psychologist Guy Winch makes the case for taking care of our emotional health and explains the scientifically proven techniques we can use to heal our psychological pain.

2) “What Makes Us Feel Good About Our Work?” by Dan Ariely

Length: 20 min. 22 sec.

Ever heard of the "IKEA effect"? It's the psychological behavior in which people tend to place a high premium on projects we labor especially hard to complete. The man who coined that phrase and made it famous, a Duke University psychology and behavioral economics professor named Dan Ariely, talks about how leaders can use that behavior to motivate their teams. In this TED talk, Ariely talks about why it’s so important to value your employees' efforts, and how small changes in how you give feedback can be crucial for keeping morale high.

3) "The Power of Vulnerability" by Brené Brown

Length: 20 min. 12 sec.

Everyone can recall a time when they felt vulnerable. Was it fun? Probably not. Is it a necessary part of growth? Brené Brown thinks so. In this enlightening talk, which is also one of the most famous TED talks ever given, Brown highlights years worth of research by diving deep into not only the reason why vulnerability exists, but also the role it plays in our ability to form connections and achieve a sense of purpose.

4) "The Career Advice You Probably Didn't Get" by Susan Colantuono

Length: 13 min. 57 sec.

Leadership manifests at every level of management -- and there are many, many effective leaders in middle management. In fact, a lot of those middle-management leaders are women. But that raises the question: Why are there so many women stuck in the middle -- even when they're doing everything right at work and taking all the right advice? In this TED talk, Susan Colantuono shares a simple and surprising piece of advice. While the talk is aimed primarily at women, there are universal takeaways in here for men, too, as well as for new graduates and mid-career workers.

5) "How to Make Work-Life Balance Work" by Nigel Marsh

Length: 9 min. 57 sec.

Author and marketer Nigel Marsh says work-life balance is too important to leave up to your employer. "If you don't design your life, someone else will design it for you, and you may just not like their idea of balance," he says. But being more balanced doesn't call for a dramatic overhaul of your life -- it just means investing in small ways in the right places. Do that, and you can radically transform the quality of your relationships and the quality of your life. You'll also learn what he thinks an "ideal day" looks like -- one balanced between family time, personal time, and productivity.

6) "Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are" by Amy Cuddy

Length: 20 min. 55 sec.

This is probably my favorite talk on the whole list. Cuddy talks about a feedback loop in your brain that helps you fake it until you make it. If you're not feeling confident in a high-stress, evaluative situation (a job interview or client presentation, for example), Cuddy's motivational speech has some tips to help you transform from an Average Joe into Superman -- all within two minutes of your time.

7) "How to Succeed? Get More Sleep" by Arianna Huffington

Length: 4 min. 3 sec.

In many companies, people get bragging rights for staying up 'til all hours of the night, slaving over projects ... but in reality, you could be much more successful if you got the right amount of shut-eye. Not to say that level of dedication isn't needed at times, but it shouldn't be the norm for us. In the video below, Huffington gives us some quick advice for being more successful at our jobs and happier with our lives through one small change.

8) "The Power of Introverts" by Susan Cain

Length: 18 min. 56 sec.

Although extroverts are often revered in our society of social networking and uber-connectivity, being an introvert isn't a bad thing. In fact, almost half of our society is made of up introverts ... so why don't we value them more? Whether you're an introvert or extrovert, this talk will be eye opening -- and maybe will inspire you to work more successfully with your coworkers.

9) "The Happy Secret to Better Work" by Shawn Achor

Length: 12 min. 13 sec.

It's the old chicken or the egg conundrum: Does productive work make you happier, or does being happy make you more productive? Historically, our society believes the former ... but it doesn't always work out that way in reality. Achor argues on behalf of the latter -- and her take on this conundrum may help you be happier at work.

10) "5 Ways to Listen Better" by Julian Treasure

Length: 7 min. 43 sec.

Whether you're a marketer, sales representative, PR professional, or web developer, listening is a tremendously important skill for your job. According to Treasure, "We're losing our listening." To help get it back, Treasure has five relatively easy exercises you can try.

11) "Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe" by Simon Sinek

Length: 11 min. 55 sec.

This eye-opening discussion from Simon Sinek explores the importance of establishing a sense of trust in an office environment. Without trust, he urges, you run the risk of wasting time fighting one another, rather than fighting for the greater good of the company. He goes on to stress that leaders must win the respect of their employees by actively challenging, educating, and encouraging them to take risks and own their accomplishments.

The Most Inspirational Speeches on Creativity

12) "Where Good Ideas Come From" by Steven Johnson

Length: 17 min. 38 sec.

Steven Johnson believes that creativity is a state of mind. So how do you get your brain into environments where innovation happens? It's not as hard as you think. Check out this TED talk to learn how to harness your "Eureka!" moments into something sustainable.

13) "Your Elusive Creative Genius" by Elizabeth Gilbert

Length: 19 min. 24 sec.

As the author of Eat, Pray, Love, Gilbert got a lot of awful questions about creativity after her success with her novel. People came up to her all the time and asked her if she was scared that the best of her creativity and success was behind her ... which is a very depressing way to think about life. Instead of wallowing in anxiety, Gilbert refocused on embracing her genius -- not defining herself by it. Here's her story, as well as her advice for other creatives.

14) "Got a Wicked Problem? First, Tell Me How You Make Toast" by Tom Wujec

Length: 9 min. 1 sec.

Having trouble solving a difficult problem? Visualize it. Serving as a pioneer in the emerging practice of business visualization, Tom Wujec suggests that almost every challenge we encounter can be made more manageable if we break it down into working parts. His three-step process suggests that you draw out, organize, and refine the problem until revealing patterns begin to emerge that can be used to help you arrive at a more meaningful solution.

15) "How to Build Your Creative Confidence" by David Kelley

Length: 11 min. 29 sec.

Why do some people feel like they're not naturally creative? Usually, it starts when we're young: Perhaps someone tells us our creations are bad or ugly, and we begin losing our confidence in being creative. Other times, people just make up excuses -- such as being "left-brained" -- to keep from others judging their creative efforts. But David Kelley, founder of the design firm IDEO, has made it his mission to help people gain back their creative confidence. They key, he says, is to discover something Psychologist Albert Bandura calls "self-efficacy": the sort of "sense" that a person has that he or she can actually affect change in the world.

16) "How to Manage for Collective Creativity" by Linda Hill

Length: 17 min. 16 sec.

Often times, innovation isn't the result of one person's efforts, but rather the "collective creativity" of many. In an effort to surface insights on collaborative problem solving, Harvard professor Linda Hill set out to study 16 innovation leaders within 12 different industries. Her findings revealed that in order for businesses to achieve success, they must re-learn what it means to be an effective leader and place more of an emphasis on creating a space where multiple ideas can co-exist and evolve.

17) "The Fringe Benefits of Failure" by J.K. Rowling

Length: 20 min. 59 sec.

We all know that we can't always be successful in life ... but it doesn't make failure sting any less. It might be something small, like your favorite variation losing in an A/B test. Maybe it's something large, like a 3,000 word blog post that flops. Rowling encourages us to look on the bright side in this TED Talk: There really can be an upside to failure. Definitely a talk to keep in mind when you're feeling knocked down by your job, or just life in general.

18) "Doodlers, Unite!" by Sunni Brown

Length: 5 min. 43 sec.

Sometimes the written word just doesn't do an idea justice. For those times, Sunni Brown insists that doodling can be used as a method for improving comprehension and fostering more creative thinking. And while doodling is often considered a trivial exercise, Brown is committed to changing the world's perception of the act by encouraging more people to put pen to paper.

19) "Tales of Creativity and Play" by Tim Brown

Length: 27 min. 47 sec.

Fear, especially that of criticism or failure, is detrimental to the creative process -- but being playful while you're creative can help immensely to douse that fear. In this TED talk, Tim Brown, who works at design firm IDEO, talks about how how encouraging playfulness can improve people's mood, increase creativity, and help people make better decisions. He explains why it's helpful to have rules for brainstorming, the benefits of "construction play," and how role-playing can help people learn and better understand ideas and solutions.

20) "Weird, or Just Different?" by Derek Sivers

Length: 2 min. 35 sec.

There are two sides to every coin -- something that you find weird may be enticing to someone else. For example, foods like whipped cream, flan, and Good & Plenty's give me the creeps ... but they might be someone else's favorite foods in the world. Sivers reminds us of how our preconceived notions of what is normal or weird can shape how we think, an important reminder for all of us creating content.

The Best TED Talks on Marketing & Branding

21) "Choice, Happiness, and Spaghetti Sauce" by Malcolm Gladwell

Length: 17 min. 26 sec.

Wondering what the heck spaghetti sauce has to do with marketing? Best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell explores the story of how market researcher and psychophysicist Howard Moskowitz leveraged consumer opinions to highlight the importance of choice when he worked with Prego -- the trademark brand name pasta sauce of Campbell Soup Company.

22) “404, The Story of a Page Not Found” by Renny Gleeson

Length: 4 min. 0 sec.

It's happened to all of us. You're searching for something online and then, all of a sudden, you hit a dead end. You've gotten a 404 error. For some companies, a 404 page is just a functional alert to tell users that they've tried to reach an unreachable destination ... but it doesn't have to be this way. Gleeson suggests an alternative: "What if this error page was also an opportunity?" You'll have to watch the video yourself to see how these "well-designed moments can build brands."

23) "How to Make Choosing Easier" by Sheena Iyengar

Length: 15 min. 58 sec.

Ever find yourself staring at a seemingly never-ending wall of mustard in the grocery store, unable to make a decision? You're not alone. Sheena Iyengar details fascinating research that reveals the consequences of offering people too many choices. In an effort to help businesses get a handle on how to prevent choice overload, she goes on to explore four techniques that can be used to narrow your focus and simplify the presentation of options.

24) "What Consumers Really Want" by Joseph Pine

Length: 14 min. 15 sec.

In each economic period of history, customers have demanded different things. In the industrial economy when mass production developed, it was all about keeping costs low to distribute goods to as many people as possible. Then, the economy evolved to be more of a service industry, where companies were all about producing quality. Now, we're in an "experience economy" and companies need to be concerned with "rendering authenticity." Learn why authenticity is crucial to your business' success -- and how to make sure you can achieve it.

25) "How to Get Your Ideas to Spread" by Seth Godin

Length: 16 min. 57 sec.

If you're trying to create messaging that appeals to everyone, you'll end up resonating with no one. These days, the ideas that take off are the ones that speak directly to the people who are already listening. Seth Godin explains why traditional methods for idea transmission (mass media) are losing their appeal, while the importance of niche marketing begins to surface in modern marketing strategies.

26) "The Clues to a Great Story" by Andrew Stanton

Length: 19 min. 9 sec.

If you want to get some brilliant storytelling tips from the writer of all three Toy Story movies -- all while laughing your head off -- check out Stanton's TED Talk below. Although, be warned that he does use some not safe for work (NSFW) language.

27) "Why Videos Go Viral" by Kevin Allocca

Length: 7 min. 12 sec.

One of the greatest mysteries of our generation is how certain content goes viral. Who would have predicted that Rebecca Black's "Friday" would be so horribly awesome that it would get millions and millions of views? Not me. Luckily, Allocca figured out what all viral videos have in common -- which may come in handy next time your boss or client asks you to make a video "go viral." ;-)

28) "Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics (about TEDTalks)" by Sebastian Wernicke

Length: 5 min. 52 sec.

Ever wondered what it would take to create the best -- and worst -- TED Talk of all time? Based on aggregate data from every TED Talk video on the TED website, Wernicke gives us some pointers on selecting topics, words, and even mood lighting to knock your talk out of the park ... or make it flop. If you're giving any sort of presentation soon, you should definitely check out Wernicke's talk.

Which TED Talk is most inspiring to you? Do you have any other favorites not already on this list?

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in July 2013 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

from HubSpot Marketing Blog http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/15-phenomenal-ted-talks
Via http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/15-phenomenal-ted-talks

How to Optimize Your Emails for Mobile: 10 Tricks Every Marketer Should Know [Live Google Hangout]

As a marketer, you know how powerful email can be to generating leads and nurturing prospects through your funnel.

But have you ever wondered if you're really getting the most value out of the channel?

If you're not optimizing your emails for your mobile audience, you're missing out. Over 50% of emails are opened on a mobile device, making it crucial for marketers to master capturing the attention of their mobile readers. 

If you're looking to learn more about mobile email optimization best practices, tune into a live Google Hangout with email marketing experts from Litmus and HubSpot.

In this 45-minute discussion, Litmus' Justine Jordan and Jason Rodriguez and HubSpot's Nick Barrasso will share their advice for designing high-converting emails for your mobile audience. 

Want to join us? Here are all the details:

• When: Tuesday 7/12 @ 2 p.m. ET // 11 a.m. PT
• Where: Live Google Hangout
• RSVP: Click Here

Want to learn more about mobile email optimization? Click here to save your seat for this live event.

from HubSpot Marketing Blog http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/mobile-email-optimization-google-hangout
Via http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/mobile-email-optimization-google-hangout

How to Defuse a Client Freakout

We’ve all been there -- a client calls, frustrated or even angry about something that happened, and he blames your agency. Often, it’s not your fault, but that’s the last thing your client wants to hear right then.

No agency can function without clients, but when this happens regularly, it can make you want to quit. That’s true whether you run a small agency and work with many clients directly, or if you run a larger agency and you’re coaching your team on how to handle things when a client freaks out.

To put things into perspective, client freakouts are a common problem at agencies. In my experience as an agency consultant, most agencies experience at least a few client freakouts a year. This article will help you defuse them -- and start finding ways to keep them from happening so often in the future.

Remember that this is about them, not you.

The first step is to recognize that this is about them, not you. If they’ve reached out -- because you’re their contact or because they’ve chosen to escalate above one of your employees -- this is your opportunity to save the day.

Marketing expert Jay Baer writes, “People who complain put in the effort to register their opinions, which is much better than the silent frustration and apathy of the unimpressed middle.”

Focus on helping them feel heard, helping them calm down, and figuring out how you can resolve things. According to research by Zendesk, an unhappy client is 50% more likely to share about their experience than a happy client -- so do your best to turn things around.

Get the client on the phone.

Shift the conversation from email (or text message or social media) to a phone call as soon as possible. You’ll have fewer miscommunications via phone -- and you can adjust what you say as the conversation unfolds.

If a client cold calls you without notice to unload about a problem, take notes to keep track of what he said. And if he calls and leaves a voicemail, call him back the same day.

Don't interrupt -- let them vent their concerns.

People want to feel heard -- so if a client calls sounding upset, let him talk. If you interrupt him, he’ll get more frustrated.

Take notes on what the client shares, since you’ll want to recap his concerns later in the call.

Act quickly.

The longer you wait, the more likely your client is going to jump to the worst conclusion -- that you don’t care about his problem, and he should consider firing your agency (or worse).

You may not be able to solve the problem immediately, but you should demonstrate you’re taking it seriously by sharing the timeline for what you’re going to do next. Even an interim answer is fine, such as: “I’m going to speak with the team right now to see what happened and how we’re going to fix this.”

Acting promptly can de-escalate problems. After some event production issues at my marketing association, I called and emailed people who complained on the post-event survey. Almost everyone responded to thank me for the follow up -- and then said the problem wasn’t as bad as they originally thought.

Validate their feelings.

The client is calling, in part, to confirm you see this as a problem, too. Even if it’s not your fault, he thinks -- for now -- it’s your fault. Denying responsibility just makes him more annoyed.

You can validate his feelings without admitting responsibility. I suggest using phrases like, “That sounds frustrating” or “I’d be frustrated, too.”

Validation includes recapping his concern later in the call. This shows him you were paying attention, and it makes your frustrated client feel more confident that you’re going to fix this.

Don’t jump to assign blame ...

Unless you know the problem was your agency’s fault, don’t jump to take blame.

As an agency account manager, I once got a call from a client who said his email account wasn’t working, and he needed our help fixing it. We didn’t provide support on email accounts -- but I ran a computer troubleshooting business in high school, so I figured I’d see if I could help quickly.

Within three minutes, I’d concluded that the reason his email didn’t work was that he had an internet outage at home. I said I was sorry he was running into the problem, but he’d need to contact his cable company to fix the internet problem first.

One of my clients runs an agency providing a range of digital services. Once of his clients called him recently, freaking out that website conversions had plummeted. It turns out the agency’s client had hired a contractor to redesign its website, without getting help from the agency.

... but recognize this might be your agency’s fault.

Often, your client is freaking out about something your agency did do. Maybe an employee was rude to him. Maybe you promised deliverables by a particular deadline, but things slipped through the cracks, and now the client’s boss is upset.

If it’s your agency’s fault, you definitely need to fix it. Instead of jumping to a solution, ask what he wants. More on that below.

Listen carefully, and take notes.

Practice active listening -- listening, demonstrating you listened, and asking follow up questions to show you want to fully understand the issue.

If you have time before the call, open a doc or a CRM page to type notes on what your client says. If a client calls you to freak out, take notes on whatever you can. But don’t let note-taking distract you from active listening.

Ask for their ideal outcome.

Don’t assume you know what they want. For instance, not every unhappy client wants a refund -- sometimes they just want you to fix the problem. I’ve identified at least six “ideal outcomes” that an unhappy client might prefer over a refund.

You won’t know what they want as an ideal outcome until you ask. Often, unhappy clients request less than you’d be willing to give them. And if they demand more, you can always tell them you need to regroup and will follow up.

Let them know you’ll follow up shortly (and then do it).

You probably can’t resolve every problem during the initial call -- that’s OK, but be sure to give clients an estimate on when they’ll hear back from you.

This is also a good time to ask them to send you screenshots, emails, or other documentation on what they’re experiencing. Most people understand that you’re asking for this to help them solve the problem.

Get additional information from your team to know what happened.

If you’re running the agency, odds are you don’t know all the details of what went wrong. Once you’ve calmed the client down and promised to follow up, ask your team what happened.

Your goal is to piece together a picture of what happened -- the specific problem as well as the cause. You’ll use this information to follow up with the client.

As a leader, you’re responsible for your team’s actions. This sometimes means apologizing for something your team did that you didn’t know about until later.

Update your client on the plan from there.

Based on what you find, let your client know your plan to fix things -- based on his ideal outcome and what you’re willing to do.

Sometimes you’ll find your agency had nothing to do with the freakout. In that case, point him to the appropriate resource. If there’s budget and he is a valued client, it may be worth doing some of the legwork for him -- for instance, sending him an article on how to fix something on his end.

If you can’t fix what caused the freakout in one step, keep your client updated. This is one of the few times you shouldn’t delegate things -- if you’re the person who handled the initial call, you should “own” communication with the client until he is satisfied with the outcome. If the client has to re-explain things to someone new, it’s just going to frustrate him further.

Later, discuss how to prevent similar situations in the future.

Above-average agencies are committed to continuous improvement. This means learning from your mistakes -- and from your successes. Do a debrief with your team (three simple questions: what worked, what didn’t work, and what to do differently next time).

Are you seeing a pattern behind several client freakouts? In my experience, most agency problems are symptoms of a larger systems failure. If your client freakouts are caused by systems problems, you need to fix the system to stop the freakouts.

Share this process with your team so they can start solving problems before they get to you.

Coach your team on handling problems themselves. Once you do this, the less you’ll get sucked into solving things every time. It’s part of making yourself “irrelevant” as an agency leader.

If you don’t trust your employees to handle problems themselves, they’ll never take responsibility for solving the problems. Talk through how you handle client freakouts, and let your employees listen-in as you solve issues with unhappy clients.

It may not happen overnight, but you’ll make life easier for yourself -- and help your employees grow.

How do you defuse client freakouts at your digital agency? Share your answer in the comments below!

Featured image via Flickr.

from HubSpot Marketing Blog http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/defuse-client-freakout
Via http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/defuse-client-freakout