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New Year, New Goals: Why I Love the Start of the Year

Written by Chrissy Symeonakis on . Posted in Articles, Marketing.

There’s something magical about the beginning of a new year. It’s a blank slate filled with fresh opportunities, new strategies, and ambitious goals. For me, it’s not just about moving forward—it’s also a time to reflect on the past year. I dive deep into what worked, what didn’t, and what I want to change as I plan for the future.

Every January, I map out marketing plans and business strategies for all of my brands and companies. But it’s not just about work—I also take this time to set personal goals and figure out what I want to achieve in my own life.

This year feels particularly special because, after a few challenging years with my MS treatments, things are finally looking up. If my upcoming MRI is clear, it will mean my MS is in a remitting stage. That would mean no medication for the next few years and only seeing my neurologist if something new arises.

Of course, MS doesn’t just disappear. My old symptoms, like blindness and muscle weakness, won’t return, but I’m focused on doing everything I can to help my body perform at its best. And that’s just one part of what’s making this year feel so full of promise.

Big Plans on the Horizon

This year, I’m incredibly excited to finally finish my book, Beyond the Mirror Ball. It’s so much more than just a book—it’s a project that’s been close to my heart for a long time, and I can’t wait to share it with all of you.

But that’s just the beginning. We’re working on some amazing events this year, from small in-venue activations to the massive Yia Sou Greek Festival in Adelaide, which draws in 20,000 people a day! Our team is diving into everything from menus and cookbooks to club events and beyond. We love the variety of tasks we get to tackle, and we’re also committed to continuous learning, with lots of training on the agenda.

Why I’ll Always Preach Email Marketing

One thing I’ll never stop championing is email marketing. The results we see for our clients (and our own business) are undeniable. Over Christmas, we helped one small business generate $20K in gift voucher sales in just two weeks. For an e-commerce brand, a single email campaign brought in 100 orders in under 1. 5 hours. And for the second year in a row, we’ve had the privilege of marketing and promoting a 5,000-person boutique music festival. We’re already signed on to do it next year again too.

These are just a few examples, but they highlight why I’m so passionate about what we do. I honestly can’t imagine going back to work for someone else. After nearly 12 years of Creative Little Soul, I’ve gotten used to not commuting—and let’s be real, I’m not giving up my no-shoes lifestyle anytime soon! ?

Let’s Work Together!

We do have a few spots available for upcoming projects, but since we work months in advance to ensure maximum lead time and exposure, you’ll want to get in touch soon if you’re interested. I’m already booked for Summer 2026 and NYE events, so when I say people book us well in advance, I’m not just tooting my own horn.

And speaking of planning ahead—one of my biggest passions is travel! I’m always looking for an excuse to visit my babies in Geelong, catch up with my brother at his restaurant, or head to the Riverland (especially in winter!). I love exploring other capitals too. If you’re interested in meeting face-to-face for coaching, would like me to speak at an event, or mentor your management team, get in touch. I’ve got a passport and I’m ready to use it! ??

If you’re ready to chat about how we can support your business or work together on an upcoming project, reach out! Let’s make this year your most successful yet.

P.S. Did I mention I love my job? ?

Chrissy

Top Marketing Tools for Small Business Owners

Written by Chrissy Symeonakis on . Posted in Marketing, Resources, Small Business Advice.

When it comes to utilising specific marketing tools, there are some that you will find come in handy more than others. Especially as a small business owner, you may not need all the fancy and expensive marketing tools, but it is always good to know you have options.

Let’s start with one of the best marketing tools, Canva, because without this guy, your visual marketing will probably suffer. Canva is a great platform, you can create visuals, logos, videos, buttons, stories, animations and much more. Essentially, you can use Canva to create images for all platforms. Now, Canva is great as they have both free and paid versions, when using the free version of Canva you have access to quite a lot of content, storage, and templates. When you are starting your marketing journey creating a solid logo and social media content is a good place to start and Canva free can help with that. However, once you have established a visual identity for your brand you may want to expand a little more and this is where the pro version of Canva comes into play. The pro version gives you access to more than double the assets that Canva free does, along with 1TB of cloud storage (compared to a sad 5GB with the free version), customer support, the ability to plan and schedule social media content and much more. Now, it may seem that the paid option is loads better (it is) but! That doesn’t mean you have to invest in that right away, see how you go with the free version and have a play before deciding to fork out some cash. 

Next up we have google analytics vs google analytics 360. Not only does the price point set these two apart, but other differences lie in data sampling, limits of data, integrations, customisation and support. Google analytics is totally free and has a 14 month data retention, it tracks the traffic to your website as well as the engagement rate with your content. This info then allows you to have more data drive optimisation and user experience on your website leading to higher rates of conversion. Google analytics 360 starts off at a whopping $50,000 a year. If you’ve just started your small business, I doubt you have a spare $50,000 lying around. But just in case you do, google analytics 360 integrates offline and online data, stores data for up to 50 months, allows for advanced customisation, a higher data processing limit and also grants you access to highly skilled support specialists. As good as google analytics 360 sounds, I would once again suggest starting with the free version and assessing your need for a more robust option later down the track.

Lastly, we can discuss a marketing tool to use for all things social media. We will be comparing the free option Simply measured vs Sprout social. Simply measured is free and gives very comprehensive reports and analysis for X, Facebook, and Instagram, it also provides info on social traffic as well as the source of social traffic. Furthermore, it provides customer service reports, content analysis, competitive analysis, insight reports, user reports and page reports for the aforementioned social media platforms. Sprout social pricing starts at $249 a month, and offers more extensive analysis. You can use interactive data reports to view info from a new perspective, see the difference between paid and organic performance of content, be provided profile performance reports, tag reports, post performance reports, network reports, competitor reports, essentially providing quantitative as well as contextual data to improve your overall social media marketing. Sprout social does a lot more than this too so if you are interested I would suggest further independent research as this is one I would maybe dish out the cash for. Social media is king when it comes to increasing reach, conversion and ROI, so if the free marketing tools aren’t cutting it then it’s time to reassess your finances and see what you can do to be able to pay a little more for a much bigger return.

If this blog just gave you a massive headache and left you more confused than before about which marketing tools are the best to use for your small business, we got you. Our team at Creative Little Soul can handle the reporting and analytical side of things for you! Get in touch today to see how we can help your small business expand.  

My 5 favourite things about working for CLS

Written by Chrissy Symeonakis on . Posted in CLS News, Interviews.

In this day and age it is common for people to hate their jobs, or at the very least not enjoy having to schlep to and from work each day. My friends complain of annoying coworkers, office drama, public transport cancellations, and other ever-so-irritating issues. While I can understand these issues, I simply can’t relate in my current role here at CLS. So to make you all just a little jealous, here are my 5 favourite things about working for Creative Little Soul. 

  1. It’s a work-from-home role

Working from home, for me, is a dream! I can wake up easy, and not have to instantly check my transport timetable or jump out of bed and start choosing an outfit. While wearing my comfortable clothes I can casually make a coffee and log into my emails ahead of starting work to have an idea of what I’ll be working on. I also get to spend time with my pets which is just an added bonus. Beside the creature comfort aspects of working from home, I also don’t have to deal with noisy environments or make small talk with my coworkers.

  1. Strong team communication

Although I don’t have to make small talk with them, our team does communicate a lot throughout the day. We are never more than a phone call or dm away, and we never leave each other hanging. We are all swift repliers so we don’t often hold each other up by not responding in time. We have a group chat in which we discuss all sorts but also DM each other to see what’s being done and whether something else needs to be started. These open communication lines make it much easier to get things done without resistance.

  1. Different work every day 

While most of my work relates to the same thing, it differs daily! One day, I’m creating e-flyers, and the next, I’m writing event copy or drafting for socials; I write blogs create reports, and make events. Sometimes, all of these things get done in one day! I am super grateful that I don’t have to do the same tedious work each day. I find all the different aspects of my role exciting and have learned a lot while doing it!

  1. The team helps each other out

Not only does our team have epic communication, but we are always there to help each other out. I always message any of the girls to give me a hand or explain something to me. If my plate looks full, I’m never worried about asking someone else to complete a task for me, which goes both ways! Chrissy is also great at giving extra advice or feedback in a positive way which can’t be said for all bosses. 

  1. Extraordinary events & working for a variety of clients 

I have been able to be part of such exciting event production, promotion, and marketing in my role with CLS. I have gained behind-the-scenes perspectives on so many marketing channels and learned about so many different clients’ needs and marketing approaches. It has given me insight and experience that has proven helpful real-world scenarios. It is also fun to feel as if you have a little secret that no one knows yet, ie exciting events that must be kept a little hush-hush.

Creative Little Soul is such an excellent company, and while you might not be able to join our team (sad, I know) we would love to work with you! So reach out, and let’s see what is possible!

The Best New Year Email Subject Lines to Boost Open Rates

Written by Chrissy Symeonakis on . Posted in Email Marketing.

The New Year is the perfect opportunity to engage with your audience! People are often their most motivated and excited for a fresh start at the beginning of the year. Crafting New Year-themed email subject lines will pique the interest of your clients and boost open rates. Let’s explore some options that we can implement into your subsequent email marketing campaigns! 

Starting with some subject lines that create a sense of urgency or scarcity and will inspire your clients to take quick action – 

  • “Last Chance for New Year Savings!”
  • “Start the Year Right – 50% Off Ends Tonight!”
  • “New Year, New Deals! ? Don’t Miss Out!”
  • “Final Countdown to New Year Discounts – Shop Now!”
  • “Kick Off 2024 with 24-Hour Flash Sales! ?”

These lines will likely encourage your clients to embrace the New Year spirit of a fresh start and self-improvement.

  • “Your Resolution Starter Kit is Here ?”
  • “New Year, New You – Discover Our Top Picks for 2024!”
  • “2024 Goals? We’ve Got You Covered!”
  • “Make 2024 Your Best Year Yet with These Must-Haves!”
  • “Start Fresh with These Exclusive New Year Offers!”

You can also use excitement and optimism to entice your clients.

  • “Happy New Year! Time to Treat Yourself!”
  • “Happy 2024! Here’s a Gift to Kick Off the Year!”
  • “Celebrate the New Year with Something Special!”
  • “Cheers to New Beginnings – And Special Offers!”
  • “Hello, 2024! Exclusive Deals Just for You ?”

Emojis are an easy way to make your subject lines more visually engaging and stand out in an inbox.

  • “2024 Is Here – Let’s Celebrate Together! ?”
  • “? Ring in the New Year with a Bang! ?”
  • “Time to Shine in 2024 ? – Special Offers Inside!”
  • “New Year, New Savings ?”
  • “? Ready for a Fresh Start? Here’s a New Year Gift for You! ?”

Finally, utilise the post-holiday excitement with either sales or content that feels fresh and relevant.

  • “Didn’t Get What You Wanted? Here’s a New Year Treat!”
  • “Recover from the Holidays with These Deals!”
  • “Time to Refresh Your Routine – New Year Essentials!”
  • “Holiday Clearance – New Year Bargains Just for You!”
  • “Post-Holiday Savings You’ll Love! ?”

Incorporating these New Year-themed subject lines will help increase engagement, open rates, and click-through rates. Reach out to us and let us know if you’d like to incorporate one of these lines into your next campaign. It isn’t too early to start planning your New Year’s campaigns and sales; if you’re feeling lost, let us help you!

How to Boost Your Social Media Presence in the New Year!

Written by Chrissy Symeonakis on . Posted in Social Media.

The New Year brings new opportunities, one such opportunity being positive growth in your social media channels. But how can you achieve this? Well, by revamping your social media strategy, of course! With the right approach, you will see increased engagement, growth in follower count, and improved visibility across all platforms. So, if this sounds like something your business would benefit from, keep reading and discover some tips on boosting your social media presence. 

1. Set Clear Goals and KPIs

  • Begin by thinking about what success looks like for you. Do you want more followers, better engagement, and increased site traffic? Whatever it may be, make sure it is a SMART goal (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound)
  • Figure out which KPIs matter most to you. Is it likes, shares, comments, ctr, conversion or others? Whichever you decide, be sure to track them regularly. 

2. Refresh Your Content Strategy

  • 2025 will be the perfect time to analyse what worked and what didn’t in 2024. Look at your analytics and see what content yielded the most engagement. 
  • Create/Update your content calendar and ensure it includes mixed media i.e a combination of videos, images, and user-generated content. 
  • If you haven’t tried them already – try new content creation in the form of TikToks or LinkedIn stories.

3. Engage with Your Audience

  • We often need to remember that engagement goes both ways. For 2025, make it a priority to reply to comments, direct messages, and mentions. You can show extra appreciation to your loyal followers, encouraging them to share your brand with others. 
  • Encourage engagement by posting interactive content like quizzes, polls, Q&A, and giveaways. Your audience will feel more connected with your content, and thus engagement will increase. 

4. Collaborate with Influencers and like-minded brands

  • It is clear by now that influencer marketing is one of the most effective tools for expanding reach. Find influencers that align with your brand and values, and see how quickly their audience becomes part of yours. 
  • A partnership with a brand like yours may seem like a bad idea, but it can expose you to new audiences that are already interested! Co-hosting a giveaway or using a share-for-share approach will bring new customers and get your social media attention. 

5. Use Paid Advertising 

  • There is only so much organic reach you can settle for, especially on platforms like Facebook & Instagram. So, it is wise to invest in paid advertising or boosting a high-quality piece of content. This will both amplify your message & allow it to reach new targeted demographics.
  • Use the New Year to your advantage and create seasonal ad campaigns focusing on ‘fresh starts’, ‘new goals’, ‘new beginnings’ etc. These ads draw attention to your content and will boost your engagement. 

6. Schedule Regular Posting and Be Consistent

  • Consistency is key to building a strong social media presence. Create a content calendar that will assist you in maintaining a regular posting schedule. 
  • META allows you to schedule content, so don’t forget to utilise it.

If this info seems a little overwhelming for you, contact us! CLS has numerous packages to help increase your brand’s visibility and take some of the work off your plate. So don’t waste another minute; reach out now!