Presentations: we’ve been giving them since our fourth-grade science projects, yet somehow, we still dread them. In truth, dread hangs around the word “presentation,” from every angle. And you don’t only have to be the one giving it to feel the dark cloud descending. Just try getting invited to one. Most people don’t meet the invitation with a hop, skip, and a heel click. Have a guess at why? I bet you do.

Whether you’re a one-woman show working out of your garage or the VP of a marketing department, you need an email list. They’re one of the most valuable assets your business can have. An Instagram can get hacked; a LinkedIn account can get deleted. But an email list? That’s all yours. Which means you need a super awesome email marketing software to help you build, edit, and market to said list. When it comes to picking an email marketing software, it isn’t exactly rocket science. Many offer very similar features and costs. But instead of you scouring the internet, jotting comparisons down on a sticky note you’re bound to lose, we’ve done it for you. In no particular order, here is our list of favorite email marketing software, and their comparisons.

Over the past few years, there is a new infatuation that has been sweeping over our nation. For better or worse, it's been washing over our televisions, newspapers, social media feeds, and now, our marketing campaigns. From the white house to the Kardashians and their diet shakes, we've become obsessed with controversy. And as a business, it's something to be aware of. If a marketer's job is to keep her finger on the pulse of the nation, and that pulse is racing, what does that mean for her work? Does she stoke the flames of this new infatuation? What does she risk if she does? Better yet, what does she risk if she doesn't? Today we're taking a look at some real-life examples of controversial marketing campaigns and the repercussions for the companies who created them. 

In the past decade or so, we've seen the emergence of one of the most powerful marketing tools since the invention of automation: The Influencer. When tapped correctly, the influencer can be a major asset for promoting your brand awareness and overall product. On the contrary, influencer marketing done poorly can come back to bite you in the business butt in a major way. Today we're taking a look at what an influencer is, as well as some inspiration on how to use them, and some serious warnings on how not to use them from real life booms and busts.