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plutoswrath · 3 years

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i’m jealous of your big heart when it comes to animals lmao. i’m arachnophobic and it can be so annoying to have sometimes. i haven’t been able to tie it back to astrology, as much as i would like to. i asked because i was wondering if there was a clear indicator based off certain placements like how 6th house rules animals, 6th is ruled by mercury so i jumbled them even though i probs shouldn’t have lol. and with venus it ties to personal taste so i wondered if it could indicate a liking towards a certain animal. i have sag and sag venus in 6th and embarrassingly enough, i was obsessed with horses. like i came out of the womb adoring them. as soon as i learned to talk i was a walking horse encyclopedia. my obsession died down. i’m not a horse girl, i swear on my life.

i agree with you about the cancer loving animals. animals are babies and momma cancer loves to nurture the babies. i feel like cancers are the most likely to hate the “are you a dog or cat person” question. they’d get offended because how dare someone assume their heart isn’t big enough for both. more than both, really. throw a turtle in there. a rabbit even. cancer asc peeps usually have a shit ton of animals. it’s probably the sag/abundance in the 6th. or they either own a horse or Great Dane. but this is off topic because i forgot i had a follow up question.

if you could tie an animal or a couple animals to each sign that you think best represents that sign? or just seems like one they’d like? some are so easy and others just leave me blank. my arachnophobia thinks scorpio’s deserve better than scorpions but my terror blinds me. but i was looking up the symbolism behind animals and tying them to signs. so far, i’ve concluded that while horses should go with sag, their highly intuitive and empathetic animals. their behavior is like a mirror so if you’re nervous, they are too. so pisces or cancer actually seems to be a better fit. and to stay on topic of cancer with animals, i always tie wolves and dogs in general to cancer. the wolves are tied to the moon and familial dynamics and also i think they’re a great symbolic opposition to leo and how leos tend to resemble cats. sun and moon, dog and cat, night and day, that sort of thing. i realized i’ve rambled but i’m looking forward to your opinion because i’m so lost on what other signs would have. it’s been a year old question in my brain and it’s time for help from the master.

I'm sorry to hear that, I'm had a friend once who was arachnophobic and having phobias like these is really no fun, I can't imagine what it feels like really having them. And omg don't feel bad for liking horses when you were a child, literally so many children, especially young girls, like horses simply because people decided horses where a 'teenage girls only' thing somehow?? (and I will have to dig deeper into this at a point because here where I come from the horse girl thing is soooo painfully real and I want to understand the phenomena). And if I'm not mistake, arachnophobia (like most types of phobias), stem from some kind of trauma right? I absolutely don't try to get to personal but if we look at phobias in that way, maybe it's good to also include looking at planets/asteroids that point to trauma or aspects that can represent/indicate traumatic experiences in that sense! And I agree wholeheartedly to the 'dog or cat' question, I don't get offended by it but I hate this question in general because every animal deserves my love and empathy adfghj and yes, mother feelings definitely play into this haha! I think cancers enjoy (to an extent) having that occasional (or constant) outlet for their nurturing side and the bound you have to animals is also very intuitive and requires a lot of patience and getting educated as well as being observant and reading between the lines somehow and all that dedication paired with emotional knowledge just really speaks to water signs in general (and animals don't judge openly with words, just your energy asdfgh) Uhh, I like the question regarding the animals and I agree with your takes on it so far!! I think one animal can not represent all the core traits of a sign alltogether, but I'll try my best here! and psdfghj no need to call me master because I'm literally so far from anything close to that but thank you so much still, I feel honored really!!

The Signs as Animals:

Disclaimer: some of them are inspired by my ‘the Wild Unknown Animal Spirit’ tarot deck.

Aries: House cat. I know, I always thought cats actually link pretty well to Aries! Cats are just the perfect mixture of intelligen and curious, reserved, stubborn, aggressive, senstive as well as playful/impulsive! They are quick to learn and not afraid to face off against any other, bigger animals, but also can live pretty well together with other pets in the house, as long as they don‘t bother them too much. Especially when it comes to intimacy/pda they are very picky, but forceful when demand it. Seem flexible and unbothered at first but actually have the firmest boundaries when it comes to their personal freedom. Will let you believe they need you but give it a few weeks and the neighbor has better treats than you and gone they are asdfgh, but it's actually a harmful stereotype to believe that cats don't need you because they can become extremely fond of you and grow very attached.

Taurus: Elk. Based on the interpretation of my tarot deck. The elk represents earth energy, it is grounded, is established in itself and knows their core values and acts according to them. They show consistency, coherence and care. Dedicated to who they love and what they care for. Can become narrow minded due to knowing what's best, based on their perception of what's right and necessary, which can effect their ego negatively. Very Taurus for me. Gemini: Dragonfly. I refer to the interpretation of the Dragonfly based on my tarot deck. The dragonfly represents the mind: everchanging, quick, fascinating, a reflection of the world inside us and aroudn us. As the dragonfly is very quick (refering to Mercury's fast and nervous energy) the dragonfly also calles for paying attention to what quality our mind has and to become mindful, because on first glance things always appear different tahn on first glance (Mercury floats between detail-oriented and paying attenetion and being too fast, impatient). The dragonfly is joy and magic, as well as impatience, restlessness and being unable to concentrate. Cancer: Killer Whales (but also whales in general)! I thought especially about Killer Whales, because I once watched a documentary on them and they went in depth about how they have different cultures and different languages even (if I remember correctly) in their familys. Cancer often gets associated with the home life, but I think I wanted to look at it from another perspective, as in how does family 'become' family and how do those family roots develope, what do they consist of, how do we define family and what holds it together (and especially: how do our roots shape our own emotional patterns and nature in life?). I think the mystery of the Killer Whales but the whole complexity that lies behind the fascination of how these animals function and also how deeply affected Killer Whales are by their emotions/when they are absent from their kin, just opens up another big question of family dynamics and how we relate to one another and how principles we always condoned to human beings now apply to animals too. I think the whole part about the Killer Whales relation to emotions and their family's cultures just really made me link them to Cancer. Leo: Otter. I refer o the meaning of teh Otter based on my tarot deck. The Otter resembles the energy of the inner child: it's pure bliss, playfulness, they love to live and live for life itself, and out of this eagerness to enjoy life comes also a contentment and completeness towards life itself. To reconnect with otter energy, it is advised to step into settings of celebration, or total creative self expression and from the outside looking 'unproductive/selfish' indulgence. But actually, this energy is what makes life so enjoyable in the first place.

Virgo: Octopus. Highly intelligent beings that can quickly adapt and take the initiative. Self sufficient by nature, they aren't aggressive unless provoked, they like to mind their business unless they get curious (then they cling heavy onto you because you are their new object of interest). They can change color if it's needed (Virgo is a mutuable sign and can blend in perfectly in social occasions/new situations) and tbh the inking part about octopus just reminds me of the fact that most Virgos have a really quirky side to them you only get to see when you annoy them long enough (aka you are a long term friend). Libra: Gazelle. I refer to the meaning of ten Gazelle based on my tarot deck. The gazelle combines the creation of beauty and harmony, creativity and hyper awareness of it's surroundings, very affected of the imbalances in it's environment, but in it's try to remain this beauty around them, they tend to forget their achievments and stay in the present with their thoughts, as they constantly wheigh out the 'what if's'. A very perceptive animal in the tarot deck and this attribute is equally it's strong suit and downfall. Scorpio: Tiger. I refer here to the meaning of the Tiger based on my tarot deck. Waits in stillness and darkness to reconnect to their own inner power. Healing in isolation with the help of the lunar forces, waiting to regenerate. The Tiger energy shows itself in being passionate, sensual and stepping into ones own power, recognizing ones strength. For me, this is very Scorpio (Moon) for me. When the Tiger in unbalanced, it becomes overstimulated and acts according to this hyperawareness. Sagittarius: Zebra. I refer here to the meaning of the Zebra based on my tarot deck. The Zebra stands for an open mind, visionary and eccentric, new thinking, as well as being young at heart and expansion. I personally connect horses with passion and drive, because they are truly powerhouses. Based on the meaning of my tarit deck, the Zebra also is sociable, at least people find themselves drawn to the energy of the Zebra because it triggers their desire to learn, and I think this is something very beautiful Sagittarius symbolizes when they come into your life: be prepared to broaden your horizon for more.

Capricorn: Camel. I refer to the meaning of the Camel based on my tarot deck. Camels here represent absolute dependence on self and being able to find the answer to problems in oneself. This self reliance and capability reminds me of capricorns, the camel is finding the 'cool' aka water inside of them and Capricorn is traditionally also symbolized as the sea-goat (which I seriously think should really be considered when anaylzing this archetype) and Capricorns have (imo at least) a rich emotional life, but it's just deeply locked within. The Camel represents showing responsibility for their own actions, regulating the self and circumstances around them as best as they can, which makes sense for Capricorns, ruled by Saturn they usually are confronted with task in their life. If the Camel energy is out of balance, it shows a lack of vitality, with Capricorn representing the senior age in life makes sense, especially since Capricorns can tend to feel very old (exhausted)- Aquarius: Platypus- and no, I’m not using the Platypus because ‚wow all Aquarius are so weird like straight up aliens 🤪🤪’ I think the platypus is a good representation because it makes us question what we’ve known so far about animals and Aquarius too is a sign that introduces us to new ideas and perspectives all in the favor of progress and considering alternatives, leaving the status quo. Pisces: Raven/Crow. I name these two in particular because as far as I know it’s only the ravens that have been documented intimating people’s voices and tones, but crows are definitely more known for their bright mind. For me people often forget Pisces mutable nature and how quick witted they actually are. These birds are hyper intelligent and their observational skills are truly amazing. In my Wild Uknown Animal Spirit deck, the crow is an animal carrying 3rd eye energy. Here, the view is clear, the crow is moving through different dimensions and sees what other’s cant. For and the emotional depth (void) Pisces is conencted to it just seem to make sense.

#i swear i will be more active the next days #replies #anonymous #astrology #zodiac #the signs as #the signs as animals

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hopevalley · 5 years

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I love reading your well thought out answers to queries :-) do you think it’s possible for the show to leave Rosie and Lee just as they are? She’s not keen on babies but is so lovely with children in other ways, their journey to a family may be totally different from the expected. I don’t want a forced, sappy WCTH wrapped in a bow story for them. Also could Carson and Faith be any more meh??? I would love for a Carson and Elizabeth story later down the line but I don’t think it will happen :-(

Thank you! And also thank you for the great questions.

I like Rosemary and Lee the way they are, too. I don’t want a baby storyline for them; it’d be nice to see a couple not have children, and our options for that are limited in Hope Valley almost by age. For example, if Bill entered into a marriage, it’s a little doubtful he’d be having kids—or even particularly wanting them. Not that men his age wouldn’t maybe still want a family, but his character is old enough that if he said something like, “We’re not really looking to start a family,” most people would accept that as reasonable. He had a son before, but lost him, and maybe doesn’t feel the need to try again. I think Abigail falls into that category, too, even the had-a-son-before aspect of it. It’s hard to tell if she’s intended to be at post-menopausal age or not, but either way, having a baby over 40 in this time period? Not the best idea. Plus, Abigail adopted children; she doesn’t need more.

But other than these two characters, and their potential partners, I think the other characters/couples are intended to feel vaguely “in their late 20s or 30s”—and therefore still ripe for babymaking potential.

So, let’s talk about Rosemary and Lee.

The actors in this show are ALWAYS much older-looking than their intended character (and no, the makeup they’re wearing usually doesn’t help alleviate this when they’re always doing close-up shots). Rosemary grew up with Jack, but Jack had to have been old enough to actually have a career, and this would be about five years after the first season, so…she has to be at least mid 30s. Lee’s more varied I think? He could easily be, say, anywhere from 38 to 45… (I did a big chart on ages once, to try and get a handle on everybody’s ages. Let me tell you: easier said than done.)

Anyway, so let’s pretend Rosemary is currently 35 and Lee is 45: that’s still in a believable range to be having a baby.

My thing is this: they just don’t need it. Rosemary isn’t the kind of person who wants to be completely selfless, which is kind of how you have to be when you have a helpless little human depending on you for literally everything. She’s also not especially intuitive when it comes to figuring out what other people are feeling/thinking/et cetera. Personally? I think she’d be miserable as a mother, and she’d really hate those early years the most. Depressed Rosemary? No thank you.

But I do think Rosemary does well with kids who are a bit older, say, 8+. And she’d probably do great with even teenagers: because they’re better at communicating how they feel and what they’re thinking, and they don’t need the kind of personal attention a baby does.

But like, we already have Abigail in town who adopted children, so it feels like a repeated storyline that…doesn’t need to happen again. It’d just be rehashing the same kinds of issues we’ve already covered. And I know I already said this, but… Rosemary and Lee don’t need children. I’m sure by now they’ve already discussed their desires and wants in the relationship. It’s kind of late to throw that roadblock in without it feeling cumbersome to the storytelling by default. They’ve surely discussed this thoroughly by now!

Being listen, I’ll be honest: I’m sick of the average pregnancy narrative anyway. It’s used to twist women who don’t want kids into pseudo-villains. I’ve had enough of that! Rosemary on screen said she didn’t want kids, and I’d like this series to, you know, respect that about her character, not make her pregnant and force her to deal with the consequences (where she magically discovers a love of babies once she herself is pregnant or she’s around an infant regularly, because that’s how these kinds of narratives ALWAYS END—where the woman has her mind changed for her, usually for the convenience of what everyone else wants).

I’m not going to go into how damaging that narrative is, especially when it’s aimed at people who don’t want kids or can’t have them for any reason, but it IS damaging (not just to the potential parents, but to the children they end up having) and it’s a lie. You won’t magically fall in love with sticky jam hands and baby smells just because you’re around a baby or you get yourself knocked up.

If you don’t want kids, or don’t even particularly like kids: don’t have kids. There’s no shame in that. There’s no shame in living for yourself. Don’t drop some innocent person into the world on purpose just because you’re trying to fill in some societal obligation—or check some kind of box on the list a relative gave you.

I feel like Rosemary’s road into family doesn’t have to be her performing parenthood. She does very well as a kind, quirky aunt-like figure. She helped Cody get Frank and Abigail back together; she mentored Emily, she had those girls over at her house for a sleepover and they adored her… That’s the role I think Rosemary ought to keep playing. No shame attached. Let other people have babies and enjoy it; let Rosemary and Lee not have babies and still enjoy their life together!

(And it’s like, look: I know that we can’t forget what Lee wants here, too, but marriage does come with compromises, and sometimes they’re not small ones! He works a lot; when is he going to help Rosemary with the baby? When is he going to Be a Father? An hour each night? Please. Any baby they have will be 99% Rosie’s responsibility, and I think when confronted with this reality, Lee is fully capable of taking the more logical route of deciding maybe children just aren’t that important to him because he has everything else in his life he’s ever wanted. Family can be just a husband and wife!)

Here’s to hoping the writers don’t think they have to check off the baby box on Rosemary and Lee’s relationship. It doesn’t need it; and that they don’t seem to be heading in that direction is part of what helps them stand out from the others—what helps them feel compelling as characters. They get to fuss over and spoil Elizabeth’s son, get to babysit him, get to watch him grow up…but they won’t have to actually parent him. I think it’s a perfect arrangement!

As far as Carson and Faith go… I don’t really get their popularity in this fandom. I’d probably like them a lot if Faith were the doctor and Carson the nurse? It would at least feel like a slight trope subversion…

I think it’s fandom’s obsession with shipping people who work together or something… I personally dated one (1) person I worked closely with, and it was terribly awkward and perfectly awful when it came time to end things—and it’s not like they didn’t end amicably! It isn’t a trope I particularly like anymore, now that I know all the pitfalls that come with it.

Fandom is still in the fantasizing stage of it, I guess. And of course, it’s Hallmark, so if they’re end-game it’s not like they won’t work through all of those issues, right?

Anyway, I find their relationship to be kind of dull and uninspired. I just can’t get into it. Maybe s6 will change my mind, but I doubt it. I guess what I wanted was another male/female friendship that felt like it meant something, especially between two people in the same field who work very closely all the time. Bill and Abigail are a great friendship pair, too, don’t get me wrong…but they did try the romantic entanglement thing at first—and it’d be super nice to have all the good parts of a friendship like they share MINUS the attempt at romance.

But that’s just me.

I really would prefer Elizabeth and Carson, but unfortunately I’m with ya, Anon. I don’t think it’s likely to happen. Maybe we’ll at least get a close friendship there? I mean, if nothing else, I’ll take it.

#when calls the heart #carson shepherd #faith carter #fandom critical #answered mail #season 6 shenanigans #anonymously asked

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thornstocutyouwith · 3 years

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Name: Aries S.(Salem) Sebastian Hailstrum

Meaning of Name: Aries: The Ram, Salem: Peaceful, complete, Sebastian: venerable, Hailstrum: Shelter, Hailstorm, Hellstorm

Nickname(s): A.S.S, Hailstrum,

Age: 16-40

Birthday: April 16, 1990-

Species/Nationality: Zodiac/Human, American/Scandinavian/French/Irish

Accent: Yes

Language spoken: English, Korean

Powers:

Aries: Aries allows strength-based abilities, such as Horn Protrusion, Enhanced Strength, Fire Manipulation, Strength Manipulation, and/or Caprine Physiology.

Horse: Horse, Fire

Ivy/Butterfly: Butterfly Physiology, Moon

Eagle/Men: Raptor Physiology and Quetzalcoatl Physiology, Water

Zodiac Empowerment

Psammokinetic Blade Construction

Key Manipulation

Purple Lightning Manipulation

Enhanced Repositioning

Hiddenness Manipulation

Musical Intuition

Mental Pressure

Tantric Metabolization

AU Aries Power: Stellar Physiology

Weaknesses/Illness/Allergies: Has quite a few health problems the more severe ones being from when the Cancer Zodiac ran him over with their car and nearly killed him when they were in high school together.

Pet: No

Occupation: Student/Psychologist

Faceclaim: Charlie Hunnam/Nick Roux

Description: His hair is naturally blond, but sometimes he will dye it grey or black. In his teenage years he would often spike his hair and delve into more colors to dye his hair. As a matured adult he will sometimes style it back or messily to one side or the other or leave it wherever it may fall. When he was a teenager he kept it longer than he does as an adult. Aries has varies scares along his body and face from being hit by a car as a teenager. His skin color is a warm, somewhat tanned color. As a teenager he would often paint his nails, and sometimes still does as and adult if he’s bored enough. He has four tattoos one one his chest, one on his back, one on his right arm, and the last on his left

Outfit/Accessories/Jewelry: Long Sleeve Shirt, Jeans, Boots, Jacket, Left Middle Finger, Left Ring Finger, Right Index Finger, Right Middle Finger, Right Ring Finger, Nose Ring

Height: 5′9″ - 6′1″

Weight: 112 - 145

Body Build: Toned, Athletic

Backstory/Background:

Past

Aries was born into a wealthy as well as well known family. His parents were quiet famous in their own right. Though his father was exceptionally so. He had been the heir to a rather large family fortune and business it would seem. As Aries himself was also to inherit a piece of that fame and money as well. Aries was the last of four children between both his parents, his mother having two sons prior to becoming married to his father. Though he had a full blooded sister a few years older than him as well.

From the beginning Aries had a silver spoon in his mouth, it would seem. He was spoiled beyond belief, mostly by his adoring mother. Aries had idolized his oldest brother and got along very well with his second oldest brother. Which perhaps at times emboldened him too much for his sister, who he did not get along with well at all. The two were both spoiled more so than their older siblings, being the babies of the family. His father had seemed to take interest in his sister more so than Aries however. Which had birthed a wider gape between the two as Aries would literally stop at nothing to have his fathers affection.

However when he was still very young his mother had been murdered right in front of him. Which had traumatized him severely at the time. So much so that he had lost most of his memories of the entire week leading up to the event of the stabbing. Mainly because he had also been injured in the attack, not that his father had let that be known. Which caused him years of distress. Which was complicated more by his father seeming to take his mothers death out on the young boy, neglecting and at times abusing Aries in fits of anger. Especially as Aries grew to become more insolent.

Soon enough Aries’ father had remarried, his elder siblings had moved away. This had left Aries alone to his own devices far too often. Now a teenager with newer, younger siblings from his fathers second marriage he was viewed as a burden and an annoyance. One his father didn’t want around. During this time his father fell into his inheritance as well. Becoming even more rich and well known from it. As well his new mother had thought he would become a threat to the children and pushed him out of the family home. Begrudgingly his father sent the young teenager to live alone in a small home in the nearby town. While the rest of his family were living a luxurious life. In nearly a different state entirely from him.

Aries saw this as a win however, getting more into drugs and falling into his petulant behavior. Becoming quite a popular classmate among his new school and making plenty of friends. Despite many of them thinking he had a very aggressive aura about him. As he could show he was easy to become hostile, especially when he did not get what he wanted. Aries rarely sees his family during his final years of school. Despite his delinquent tendencies he still manages to pass with high grades.

Present

However things did hit a speed bump in on of his last couple months of high school. A girl he had trouble getting along with was pulling out of her parking spot when one of his friends jokingly shoved him behind her car, resulting in his being hit by it and knocked over. The girl had backed up onto his torso, crushing some of it before pushing the gas as she realized she hit someone, further injuring him more severely in her panic. Aries would spend the rest of his school year in the hospital. Though still managed to complete his subjects in a timely manner in order to graduate.

This incident was however one more that his father used to blame him for being ‘unlucky’ and borderline ‘unwanted’. After a few emotionally abusive words were flung Aries was told that it would be the last time his father was going to pay him a visit and that he would continued to get some money in the bank, as well as pay for expenses to get him through college and a small allowance he told his son that he never wanted to see him again. Aries could only agree to the new terms, as he had never wanted to see them again either.

Aries would go on to college, still acting immaturely and getting into fights or rebelling against whatever thing struck him as annoying at any given time, in his free time. He was however still studious in his school work and would even spend many evenings studying over going out with friends to wreck havoc on the town, something he enjoyed doing almost as much as learning, almost. Aries however knew that he needed to complete his courses without getting tossed in prison or letting himself be distracted entertainment.

In time Aries had found he liked getting into fights, so he started doing that. Clearly taking advantage of everyone’s fascination with the movie Fight Club, to some extent. A free ass beating for anyone who crossed him was right up his alley though, so he would take. Enjoying the sexual tension between him and some opponents at time. Especially those who would re-challenge him to matches. Over the next couple of years there were two different sides of Aries, one that stayed up late at night on a Saturday studying when needed. The other out causing anarchy in the streets and fighting people in unsanctioned fights. It was a quick way to make a couple more hundred dollars.

After graduating with a doctorate in psychology he went on with living his life, now independent of his father or his family’s wealth. Over the next couple of years he becomes popular enough to gain some fame from his chosen career. Where he now lives comfortably, but still enjoys fight clubs and other anarchistic activities as well,... Wouldn’t it be weird if you had to fight your psychologist...

Future

Aries in time meets a S/O older than him and has three children, two sons and a daughter.

(Work In Progress)

Personality:

Incisive, Fiery, Aggressive, Sarcastic, Relaxed, Intelligent, Dramatic, Energetic, Casual, Physical, Reserved, Inconsiderate, Disconcerting, Quirky, Neurotic, Anxious, Mannerless, Insensitive, Courageous, Determined, Confident, Enthusiastic, Optimistic, Honest, Passionate, Impatient, Moody, Short-tempered, Impulsive, Assertive, Independent, Competitive, Selfish,

Quirks/Savvies/Other: Dyes his hair, Wears glasses sometimes, Good with mechanics, 117 IQ, Bisexual,

Likes: Theater, Reading, Running, Golf, Watching YouTube videos, watching sport, Rubix cubes, Meat, Milk Chocolate, Biscuits, Football, Hockey, Photography, Comfortable clothes, Taking on leadership roles, Physical challenges, Individual sports, Cartoons, Elves, Goldfish, Coffee Mugs, Heroes, Magic wands, Saxophones, Romance novels, Games, Conspiracy theories,

Dislikes: Inactivity, delays, work that does not use one's talents, Fungi, Renaissance history, Neckties, Glassware, Gardening, Rabbits, Movies about animals, Cute woodland creatures, Crystals, Country music,

Fears: That people don’t really like him but are just putting up with him, Going blind

Personality Tests: ISTP, 8w7, The Challenger, The Enthusiast, Fire Element, Gryffindor, Wampus, Neutral Evil, Wolf Patronus,

Other: Aries, Aries-Taurus Cusp

Parent(s):

-> Father:

-> Mother:

Sibling(s): 2 older half brothers on his mothers side, 1 older sister, a couple younger half siblings from his father

Children: 2 sons and 1 daughter

Starters

Chat’s

Para’s

Face

Stuff

Information

Asks

All

Alternate Universes

Horror AU

Greek God AU(Pheme/Philotes/Deimos/Helios)

Divergent AU

Hunger Games AU

Storm Coast AU

Harry Potter AU + 1

Pokemon AU

Planet AU

Mermaid AU

Plant AU

Neverland AU

Marvel AU

Star Wars AU

Royalty AU

50s Era AU

Titanic AU

Apocalypse AU

Circus AU

It Came From Another Dimension AU

Riverdale AU

Living Doll AU

Gang RP

Noah Bellamy

AUs

#AriesBio #Bios

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samiam03x · 7 years

Text

How to Leverage Your Creativity to Convert Leads

Creativity (cre·a·tiv·i·ty) krēāˈtivədē noun

the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work.

Creativity may not immediately seem incredibly relevant to CRO. After all, CRO is often thought of as a study in best practices and procedural experimentation.

Today, I’d like to challenge you to look a little deeper.

Following best practices does matter of course. You should absolutely continue to optimize your pages with A/B testing, focusing on message-match and ensure your CTA’s are clear and concise.

But there are a number of interesting and entirely useful ways that you can “shake the trees” so to speak.

Let’s take a closer look at how you can flex your creative muscle to increase conversions.

Remind Me Why We Have to Do This?

One word. Oversaturation.

Users are increasingly “blind” to traditional forms of advertising. Just take a look at banner ads.

Users are essentially numb to them, and have been for a long time. In fact, studies show that users generally don’t even give site siderails a single consideration. I know I don’t, and I bet you don’t either.

This study showed that across all mediums and placements, CTR on banners lands somewhere around .05%. Yikes.

Same goes for spam emails, banners, popups… the list goes on.

I’m not saying these tactics don’t work, remarkably some of them still do. Banners are still valuable to expose new audiences to your brand identity even if they don’t garner clicks. Popups can still gather leads when implemented appropriately.

My point is, they’re no longer “fresh” enough to grab someone’s attention and create a memorable experience.

This is why leveraging creativity matters now more than ever. Without further ado, here are three wacky ways to do just that.

1. Be Original. Be Memorable.

“Just be yourself.”

I know, I know. This sounds like the advice Mom gave you before you went to summer camp. How’d it work out for you then? Stolen lunch money? Teasing?

While there are some potential downsides to being unique, particularly when surrounded by kids or teenagers, the perks can be pretty fantastic as well.

I’d go so far as to say that in the business world, being memorable is worth its weight in gold.

Many customers make buying decisions based off emotional responses to brands. Whether it be to an ad, an email, or maybe a customer review they saw on YouTube.

The brands that tell compelling and memorable stories are the ones that land the most sales.

By being memorable and evoking a positive response from leads, you too can capitalize on this. A few ways to accomplish this…

Curate a quirky imagery style that you feature on ads, social platforms and your website. Moz does a fantastic job of this, check out their ad portfolio on MOAT.

Come up with a memorable and unusual catch phrase, then shout it to the world. When I think about slogans, my mind always races to Redbull. “Redbull gives you wings” is to this day, one of the most impactful, concise, and informative slogans I can think of.

Be disruptive with your advertising (screw the norms). Facebook canvas ads are a fantastic way to get creative with your approach. Check out this example by tieks.

Sticking out like a sore thumb is a good thing when it comes to converting leads. Making a lasting impression and being personable will endear your brand to leads.

Remember, you always want to view your digital funnel from the eyes of the visitor.

Discerning visitors have an inherent sense of authenticity. If you’re genuine with your approach to your product or service, that will come across loud and clear, and in turn builds trust.

The icing on the cake? The more a lead trusts you, the more likely they are to convert.

TLDR: Developing your brand’s unique voice and “personality” encourages consumer trust, which in turns produces sales.

2. Email Nurturing with Authenticity

We all know that email is massively effective when it comes to converting leads. It’s safe to assume each and everyone of you reading this tracks email signups as “goals” in your analytics platform of choice.

Hell, at RankPay we even have a tradition of lining up for high-fives when our MailChimp subscription level increases.

Here’s the problem with emailing nowadays: Email users, aka the vast majority of people, are increasingly savvy as to what constitutes something of value in their inbox. You can’t just send an email with any old subject header and expect a double-digit open rate.

It’s time again to bust out our creativity and buck the trend.

In short, we want to be the unforgettable brand that’s unique but not bizarre enough to be off-putting.

For instance, I recently landed an opportunity by breaking all of the rules. Even the ones deliberately laid out in the denial letter I first received.

With this in mind, start by taking a closer look at your own lead nurturing email campaigns. Are the subject lines innovative, quirky or unique? Do they have any personality?

Have some fun and try A/B testing novel subject lines where you let your personality shine through. Note that it’s OK if you hear your brain protesting…

“Play it safe! What are you doing? Best practices are established. You can’t go rogue like this!”

But do it. Click send. That quirky but endearing email subject line might be just what the doctor ordered.

When you have fun, your audience will recognize this intuitively. Smiles are infectious. Positive brand associations mean more conversions.

3. Write Marketing Copy to Appeal to Emotions

Every chance you have to put words in front of your leads, is a chance to sell them on your solution. But without appealing to a lead’s emotions, we’re wasting these opportunities.

It’s understandable that us marketers occasionally struggle with this part. We become intimately familiar with our products and services, and it can become difficult to see the forest for the trees. That is to say that we lose sight of what a customer journey looks like from the prospect’s point of view.

Image Source

One negative outcome of this lack of perspective can be uninspired copywriting. No need to be hard on yourself, it happens to all of us! Present company included.

Just the other day I caught myself writing a headline for a lead-nurturing email as follows: “The Best SEO Service for Small Businesses”. That’s all well and good. It’s a fairly standard headline in that it clearly highlights our company’s service and our target audience. But it’s not memorable and I’m not sure it will truly “connect” with readers.

Luckily I realized it, and took a step back to brainstorm. In the end, I decided to go with “The easy, affordable way to earn higher rankings.” This version has a lot going for it.

It’s punchy

It’s catchy

It connects with the problems this reader faces (budget and difficulty)

It conveys authority

It explains what we do

And again, I’d point out that being memorable matters. Generic = forgettable. Unique = memorable.

Let’s take a look at a few places you can put this to work for your business.

Company motto or slogan

Day in and day out I see brands without a good catch phrase.

Look at it this way: every single person is inundated with brand exposures from the moment they wake up. Some studies show individuals being exposed to literally thousands of ads each day.

Yankelovich, a market research firm, estimates that a person living in a city 30 years ago saw up to 2,000 ad messages a day, compared with up to 5,000 today. – New York Times

The thing is, there’s only so much room in our brains to remember all of these brand impressions. It’s thus critical that we aim to be one of the few brands that leaves a truly lasting impression.

When I’m helping clients develop these “quick pitches”, my process looks like this:

Brainstorm as many ideas as I can (25-100)

Pick the best 10-15

Iterate and improve

Get third-party feedback

Finalize 3-5 versions

A/B test for resonance

It’s so simple it hurts. But at the end of the day, it works.

Headlines

When it comes to being creative with your headlines, start by asking yourself a few key questions.

Does this convey our solution’s value to the customer?

Is it punchy and concise?

Does it appeal to emotions?

Is it consistent with our overall “story”?

These questions should get your gears turning and the creative juices flowing.

Remember, we want to craft a memorable message that our leads will not forget. We also want to make sure that we evoke an emotional response and appeal to the potential customer’s needs or desires.

Check out this killer example…

It’s got everything going for it. It’s punchy and unique. The wording matches the imagery. The use of the word savor as a verb is particularly great because it elicits a clearly emotional response from the audience. Who wouldn’t want to eat whatever they’re serving at this place?

Calls to action

You’ve probably already spent a lot of time optimizing the button size, color and placement. If not, be sure to check this guide on how to improve the efficacy of your CTAs in general.

Regarding the wording however, it’s important to take the chance to put something personal in the actual text. Instead of using a button that says “Submit” try something like “Start My Trial” or “Boost My Rankings”.

Copyblogger clearly showed data that corroborates using “first-person” CTA text will increase conversions. Cool right?

Last but not least, remember to be unique. Don’t be afraid to let personality shine through. Here’s an example of both a CTA and a form that I immediately loved.

Remember, Being Weird Isn’t So Bad

If you’ve watched Freaks and Geeks, you probably already believe this statement. If you’re more of the Biff type, there’s nothing wrong with you either. We love everyone here.

But I hope you’ll take the time to consider the advice above, as it can really work wonders on your conversion rate.

The key takeaways are to embrace personality, be genuine, and appeal to your customers emotions. The more a customer trusts your brand and remembers your message, the more likely they are to buy.

Write interesting copy, be weird with your subject lines, and be memorable! Let your freak flag fly!

About the Author: Sam is the marketing manager at RankPay, a top-rated SEO service. When Sam’s not writing or growing businesses, he enjoys talking about himself in the third person.

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marie85marketing · 7 years