Sunday, February 28, 2021

Start 2021 with a Gift of Office Pro from TestOut! (Sample email)

For email campaigns to be successful, it’s crucial that subscribers click on the link(s) imbedded in your email, but how do you get them interested enough to click through?


Below is an email sample that has the five elements of good journalism (even though you’re not a journalist), and that is the who, what, where, when, and why. Humans are curious animals, but they just want the information and then they can come to their own conclusions. (media, what a concept, right?) And hey, if it works for journalism, why can’t it work for email campaigns or social media, blogs, articles, website pages, etc?

Let me know what you think in the comment section below.

 

Email Marketing Campaign for Office Pro and Grant: Sample One


Subject Line: Gift your students a 6 MONTH K12 Grant for Office Pro from TestOut!


Preview: (Name), give your students the best in certification software today with TestOut’s Office Pro grant.


Main: Ring in the new year with TestOut’s K12 Grant for IT and MS Office Pro courseware and see what the buzz is all about.


We are thrilled to offer this grant for the spring 2021 semester that starts January 1 and goes through July 30, 2021. With so many opportunities at your student’s fingertips, they will have a clear direction in which to follow for certification regarding Office Pro, which includes:


  • Word 

  • Excel 

  • PowerPoint 

  • Access

  • And Outlook


You can count on TestOut’s software with all-in-one training and skills testing in real scenarios. As a leading IT education software company, we include complete certification training software, enabling you to provide everything you need to ensure your student’s success.


Click here for more information and to apply for the grant.


Don’t hesitate to take advantage of this unprecedented offer, and give your students the best in certification software, today! 


— Our TestOut Family


Email Marketing Campaign for Office Pro and Grant: Sample Two


Subject Line: Take 2021 in Stride with TestOut’s Office Pro Grant that includes 6 Months of Certification Software at no cost!


Preview: (Name), boost your student’s success when you apply for a 6-Month Office Pro grant from TestOut! 


Main: With 2020 nearly behind us, it’s time to slide into 2021 with our generous Office Pro grant. Starting January 1 until July 30, we offer 6 MONTHS access to our MS Office courseware at no cost to you.


Now is a great time to get your students excited about their future with TestOut’s certification software program, Office Pro. This course includes Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, and Outlook, and is a completed training program that allows your students to get ahead.


We include everything you need:


  • Video instruction 

  • Demonstrations 

  • Lab simulations 

  • Text lessons 

  • Comprehensive practice exams


As a leading IT educational software company, TestOut provides proven methods that help keep your students focused and engaged, to ensure their continued success in education.


To learn more about the grant and where you can apply, click here. We know once you peruse our site and see why many schools have adopted these training programs, you will jump on board too.


Here’s to your student’s success and future!


— Our TestOut Family

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

A Strategy to Maximize an Employer’s 401K Match

(Article ghostwritten for Inquisitr, 2013)

Since many employers started offering 401k plans back in the early 80s, millions of employees have taken advantage of this gold nugget and maximized their retirement plans. However, due to the state of the economy and other retirement-based issues, experts have now discovered ways to further maximize this additional retirement safety net so your 401k plans go the way you always dreamed.

 

Some great strategies for 401k plans are discussed on US News money blog, with an article specifically addressing retirement strategies that will further protect you; these include some strategies about 401k you may not know about but could really help with retirement plans in the future.

 

An associated report from this Inquisitr article, Retirement Crisis Looms for the Unprepared, further drives home the point that workers aren’t saving nearly enough on 401k plans, and since cuts to social security and the ever-decreasing pension funds are occurring at alarming rates, these strategies will be even more critical to your 401k.

 

One such 401k strategy that is gaining popularity and importance is not accepting the default savings rate. New employees usually net only 3 percent for their 401k plans, so if you put in 3 percent, the company will match your investment. For many people, that may not be enough to secure the same lifestyle into retirement. A good strategy for 401k is every year you get a raise, take 1 percent and sock it away into your retirement plan. By doing so, you should have 20 percent of your pay devoted to retirement, and if the company continues to match your 401k, this could result in a future lucrative nest egg.

 

Implementing this strategy can also help with maximizing your tax break. Usually, 401K plans allow you to divert paying income tax on retirement savings since investors can contribute up to $17,000, as of 2012. After age 50, it jumps up to $22,000. For couples, it can reach as high as $57,500, and saving in a 401K plan can claim the saver’s tax credit, which can net savings of $1,000 for single people and $2,000 for couples.

 

Also, you may be tempted to cash out your 401k funds if you quit a job, but doing so before the age of 59 and 6 months amounts to a 10 percent early withdrawal penalty and income tax on the withdrawn amount. Withdrawing early can also cause you to lose out on compound interest, crucial for securing that 401k nest egg.


Utilizing this important strategy will ensure you get the maximum employer’s 401k match. Just remember to ask your HR rep about your 401k questions.




3 Ways Blogging Can Help Improve Your Brand’s Online Visibility

If you have a company, you know the importance, or should know the importance, of getting your content in front of an audience — and that means blogging to help improve your brand’s online visibility. However, writing just any old blog isn’t going to cut it; it needs to contain relevant and engaging information. Continue reading to learn about the 3 ways blogging can help.


  1. Blogging identifies you as an authority figure. When someone is searching for an answer to their question or would like a step-by-step instruction manual on how to replace siding, your blog should be the first one that pops up, or at least be in the first page of search results. It should have relevant keywords that Google or DuckDuckGo can crawl and pick up and rank. Including a catchy meta description captures people’s attention and they will likely click on the link to see what you have to offer. This is when a blog can establish credibility and answer someone’s question or solve their dilemma. Don’t underestimate what a good blog post can do for your brand.


  1. Guest blogging is a great way to improve your visibility online because it affords an opportunity for you to branch out and reach a wider audience. Setting yourself apart from the competition means getting your company’s brand out there. When you guest-blog, it establishes your company as a thought leader, thus increasing traffic when readers can link back to your site. If done every once in a while, it can boost your traffic and conversions.


  1. Blogging is the perfect way to engage social media, which then increases your online presence. When you post a blog to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, et al, followers can click on the link that takes them directly to the blog post. This can improve online brand visibility as well. The more followers, the more likely your content gets exposure. Using an infographic highlights the blog and is an excellent visual, as well as memes, videos, or reviews. The key is more visibility in key places that subscribe to your brand. 


This is just the tip of the iceberg with blogging. If you don’t yet use blogging for your brand, this is an excellent time to get started. Content specialists know what it takes to increase a brand’s online visibility, and they do it with YOUR vision, goals, and mission in mind. Contact a marketing content specialist to learn more.

Chapter Two: It's Only Just Beginning

  I stir from my sleep, the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. Stretching lazily, I savor...