Welcome to a very special episode of Rooted In Retail!  Can you believe it? It's our first birthday, and I’m so thrilled about the incredible journey we’ve had together over the past year. From inspiring guests to your heartwarming reviews and the community we’ve built together, it's been nothing short of amazing. I love hosting this show, and I've got a treat for you in today's episode to mark this special milestone! In celebration of our one-year anniversary, I invited our Facebook group members to submit questions, turning today's show into our very own call-in episode. We've got six fantastic questions lined up, covering everything from marketing strategies in rural towns to customer research, essential marketing assets, collaborating with local businesses, tapping into user-generated content, and more. I even opened up about my stance against a popular marketing tactic. So, without further ado, let's dive into this birthday episode and explore the answers to your questions. Your feedback means everything, so if you enjoy this episode or love the concept of our call-in show, I want to hear from you! [0:00] Happy Birthday to Rooted in Retail [02:12] How retailers can market in their town outside of the local newspaper [03:28] Two easy ways to conduct customer research on Facebook without running ads [04:41] The marketing asset every independent retailer needs to retain more customers [07:17] Effective ways to collaborate with local businesses to promote and market your store [10:15] Crystal's quick tips for using ChatGPT to create marketing campaigns in minutes [13:19] How to drive foot traffic to retail stores in a rural town of less than 5,000 people [16:55] One unforgettable marketing strategy that can transform your brand in a local legend [22:18] When you should include the price points of your products on social media [24:39] Is user-generated content helpful for retailers on social media? [30:54] What every online store needs to effortlessly collect social proof and automate the entire process [36:59] What's the best advice to consider when you're deciding to sell or close your business? [39:45] One key strategy that can help retailers get more money when they decide to sell their business [42:56] How do we balance our in-store and online experience for different customer avatars? [51:25] Crystal's advice on how to uncover your customers' pain points and what they really want from you [52:24] Why Crystal takes a stance against this popular marketing tactic for local retailers Join us inside the Rooted in Retail Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/rootedinretail