The Ambitious Newsletter - March 10, 2025

This past weekend the world celebrated International Women's Day. Although one day or one month is enough time to show gratitude and praise for all the contributions women have made to the world, this dedicated time is important for us all to learn, do more, and do better.

I learned how powerful and important this time is when I traveled for my birthday last year and had to share that experience on my blog.

Why is International Women’s Day So Important in the Salsa Dancing Capital of the World?

What does Your Social Media Manager do all day?

This is the reality of being a REAL social media manager! It is more than just posting once, twice, or even 50 times a day.

On social media, to connect and grow your brand, it requires you to be - wait for it

SOCIAL!

Over the last 3 days, there have been some great conversations about this topic. Check out this LinkedIn post from a Social Media Manager.

Do you have questions about digital or content marketing, branding, or marketing your small business? Drop a question on my Reddit!

Your customers' opinion matter - to other customers

Online reviews are vital to a business's success and a customer's confidence in purchasing decisions. However, concerns are growing as we see the surge of AI to generate fake reviews and governments are starting to act.

According to eMarketer’s report: Shoppers trust what they perceive to be honest creator reviews.?

As much as 59% of US shoppers are most influenced by reviews from content creators, according to a September 2024 survey.

• 31% of US adults use review and rating websites to research and plan their travel itineraries, per August 2024 YouGov data.

How are you going about capturing reviews? Think of the last time you shopped on Amazon or your favorite online store, did you look at the reviews first?

Here’s a simple step-by-step plan for business owners to get more reviews and customer feedback on their website:

Step 1: Optimize Your Website for Reviews

Add a dedicated reviews/testimonials page or section on your home page.

Place a clear CTA (Call-to-Action) such as “Leave a Review” in the header, footer, or checkout page.

For WordPress website owners, embed a Google Review, Yelp, or Trustpilot widget.

Use WordPress plugins to collect and display customer reviews:

1. WP Customer Reviews – Allows customers to leave reviews directly on your website and lets you moderate them.
2. Site Reviews – A simple and customizable plugin for star ratings and detailed customer feedback.
3. Google Reviews Widget – Displays Google reviews on your site to build trust and social proof.

Step 2: Ask Customers for Reviews at the Right Time

• Request a review immediately after purchase or service completion via email or SMS.
• Set up an automated follow-up a few days later if they haven’t responded.
• Train staff to ask for reviews during in-person interactions.

Step 3: Make It Easy for Customers to Leave a Review

• Provide direct links to the review form (Google, website, Yelp, etc.).
• Use QR codes on receipts, packaging, and in-store signage.
• Offer one-click review forms on your website with a star rating system.

Step 4: Incentivize and Appreciate Reviews

• Offer a small discount, freebie, or loyalty points for leaving a review (without making it conditional on positive feedback).
• Run a monthly giveaway for customers who submit reviews.
• Publicly thank and showcase reviews on social media and your website.

Step 5: Respond to Every Review (Positive or Negative)

• Thank customers for positive reviews and mention their feedback.
• Address negative reviews professionally, offering solutions and demonstrating good customer service.
• Keep responses prompt and personalized to encourage more engagement.

Step 6: Leverage Customer Feedback for Improvements

• Analyze feedback to identify trends in customer satisfaction.
• Use suggestions to enhance products/services and show customers they are heard.
• Create content (blog posts, social media posts, testimonials) based on real customer experiences.

No more paperbacks?

Got this from LinkedIn. Author entrepreneurs look out - find the right designer and create a pricing strategy that gets you the best return on investment on hardcovers because publishers are pulling back on the number of paperback versions produced.

If you self-publish, it may not hit that hard, but you never know how far this going to go.

According to the Wall Street Journal, book publishers are going to focus on hardcovers and marketing tactics. Apparently, the move is driven by the growing popularity of ebooks and the influence of retailers who benefit from higher margins from hardcovers. Between 2019 and 2024, adult nonfiction paperbacks decreased by 42% from 2019 to 2024, according to Bowker Books in Print.?

As we all know from a design and marketing standpoint, a well-designed and eye-catching dust jacket on a hardcover book can be a key element to how many copies you sell.

For self-publish writers will this help them or be a new obstacle to contend with??

What are your thoughts - how will this impact how you market your books?

Funding Opportunities

GRANTS & AWARDS

The Comcast Innovation Fund is accepting applications for the 2025 grant year, providing financial support ranging from $3,000 to $150,000 for projects with a one-year duration that advances internet technology and public policy. The grant deadline is rolling until the funds for the year are exhausted.

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has various grants available to small businesses in the education sector. Each grant has unique eligibility criteria, with some opportunities set aside for public schools, state agencies, or nonprofit organizations; however, others allow applications from for-profit private sector companies. Deadlines for currently available DOE grants run through March 17.

Honeycomb Credit is offering a $10,000 Breakthrough Grant to support small businesses in achieving their next big milestone, such as opening a new location, launching a food truck, or franchising. Eligible applicants must own a small business; no purchase or payment is required to apply. Applications are due April 2.

The Rémy Martin This is My City Microgrant is awarding $20,000 grants along with one-on-one mentorship from industry experts to emerging creatives who contribute to their local culture through entrepreneurial projects. Chosen candidates will be recognized as honorees and receive guidance from established figures in music, art, or culture. Applications are due by April 11.

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Every week we include topics that impact how entrepreneurs and small business owners market and grow their business.

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