A recent announcement was made stating that we need to stay home until the end of April! I hate to say I told you so, but I did post it two weeks ago that we needed to be on strict quarantine as soon as possible because the baby steps we were taking will hurt us in the end. The slow burn will hurt the businesses once we find out the quarantine will be extended. So here we are. Many businesses are suffering and having the cut down on work hours causing so many workers to lose wages. The stimulus package will help but not nearly enough to replace what is and will be lost.
So, let’s switch gears. We have to accept our reality now and try to make the best of it. After all, entrepreneurs have the innate talent of resilience. We will rise from this! What can be done to support our businesses during these tough times?
It’s hard to make generalizations so consider every point in this blog as an idea that you can build from. May this blog spark ideas for you!
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
It is one of the toughest times in history because we are up against an unpredictable virus, but your safety is the priority because no one will run your business if you are sick. Please prioritize your safety by practicing flawless hygiene, consume proper diet, and exercise to keep your sanity and health in tip top shape. Once this is over, we need you at 100%!
Take the time to study and understand everything you qualify for and take advantage of it.
3. TRANSITION TO ONLINE
Now, more than ever, is the perfect time to work on your online store. If you’ve never updated your online shopping experience and have focused too much on your physical store or events, then this time may be a blessing in disguise.
Host Live videos of your inventory and allow your shoppers to buy from your live video. Meaning, showcase your products via live videos and if anyone is interested and comments, they want what you’re showing, then by all means jot it down or go back to your live video and contact those who want to buy! Host a live shopping party or name the event something creative and make it sound exciting.
4. MAXIMIZE SIGNAGE
If you have a store front, invest in proper signage. If you own a restaurant, a big sign that states you are open for pick up and/or delivery including your hours of operation is imperative for people driving by. If you’re a non-essential store, but have an online store, put up a sign that says “Open 24/7 online: wwwyourwebsiteheredotcom”.
Remember that if you are out of sight, you are out of mind. Don’t make your customers guess if you are open or close or how they can reach you to support your business. Make it easy for them and provide signage.
5. ENCOURAGE SHOPPERS TO SHOP ONLINE
Closed mouths don’t get fed so post and ask your friends online to support your business. Do not make it sound negative and desperate. Keep the spirits up and encourage them to support your business by purchasing items online. The USPS offices are open so you can mail the orders and packages out.
Encourage your online shoppers to share their purchases. If you do not ask outright, 80% of the time, your shoppers won’t do it on their own. A simple “please share this post to spread the word” can go a long way.
6. RECONNECT WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS ONLINE
If you’ve been doing business using square or PayPal or any other payment services, this means you have your customers email addresses and you can create an email list to reach out to them and connect. This connection can mean you keep them updated with your business or you rebuild the brand you once started but never followed up with the proper email strategy.
Time to enhance and upgrade your social media presence and find ways on how you can tell your story more effectively through your posts.
It’s the best time to do the online work that you never had time to do before.
7. OFFER GIFTS WITH PURCHASES
Incentivize your customers and offer a gift with purchase. If you sell gift cards, perhaps they can earn $10 for every $100 gift card they buy or FREE shipping for purchases made. Be creative and really offer something valuable to your audience.
8. REVIEW YOUR BUSINESS AND MARKETING PLAN
Did you know that most businesses do not have a written business or marketing plan? Perhaps it’s time to work on your outdated plans.
9. SCALE BACK ON UNNECESSARY EXPENSES
This might sound like common sense but really sit down and see where you’re paying for services you aren’t really using and may not use during quarantine time. Save your money!
10. IMPROVE CUSTOMER ONLINE EXPERIENCE
If you already have an online business, maybe it’s time to test out the entire process and see where you could insert more friendliness in your service. Do you have automated emails set up after they’ve made a purchase? Have you been asking for reviews from your customers after every purchase? Do you have a birthday program? What could you improve? Maybe you can ask friends or trusted loyal customers to provide you with constructive criticism.
11. CREATE NEW PACKAGES THAT IS MORE ENTICING TO CUSTOMERS
It is not a secret that our economy will take a hit because of COVID-19. Maybe it’s time to re-evaluate your pricing and/or packages. Maybe it’s time to offer something new or something different? Maybe there are offers you haven’t thought of before or offers that your competitors are currently pushing that you can also do?
12. UPDATE YOUR HOURS OF OPERATION ON YOUR WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES
Most importantly, are all your pages updated with your new hours of operation? This is a great customer service feature that most businesses don’t even think of. The first thing that consumers do is google your business. Once they find you, are all your information correct? Are your hours of operation adjusted to reflect the changes?
I hope these 12 ideas on how to create productivity during quarantine has helped you or sparked some ideas. Please don’t hesitate to comment below or share with me how this blog has helped you.
Content Marketing is at an all-time high demand! Why? Well, everyone wants to increase engagement but lack the creative ideas on what to post on social media! Most people feel they draw a blank once they are ready to create content for the entire week or month!
Content Marketing is about how well you can tell a story without being redundant. You want to be relevant using the right type of content posted at the right time and targeted to the right audience.
Another important factor to consider is how to create a graphic/visual aid to communicate the story you want to tell. I posted a free tutorial on how to use Canva to create graphics. The Infographic I posted below was created using Canva.com.
Additionally, I am plugging my digital product, The 2020 Social Media Content Calendar! If you’re interested in utilizing this calendar, you can purchase your copy here: https://mailchi.mp/8680e3e21f68/2020maedaycalendar
Motivational Quote
One of the most common posts you will see on Social Media are quotes. It might be a quote from an author, a pop star, a religious personality, a historical figure, a politician, or your mother, motivational quotes have been popularly shared across different platforms!
One of the best ways to share quotes is through photos. You can create and customize your own photos that you took at the beach or with your family and apply filters to edit and overlay text. You can also purchase stock photos or download one of my favorite apps (Photofy) to create quote images to share.
2. Share a Stat
There are always interesting statistics you can share no matter what industry you’re in. Statistics will intrigue your followers or help defy some common misconceptions with scientific and proven data. For example, if you are in the Real Estate Industry, you can share statistics on the percentage of approval rate for new home buyers with 720 credit score.
If you are in the Fitness Industry, you can share statistics on the weightloss studies as it relates to people who drink more water. You can share statistics on the rate of weight loss after 40 years old.
If you are in the Beauty Industry, you can share statistics one confidence boost after a new hair cut or statistics on how many people buy more of a specific product compared to others.
Statistics will always intrigue consumers and you can help them become more educated by sharing accurate and confirmed statistics. Refrain from sharing something if you are not certain of its validity.
Trending News
When you post about trending news, this is most likely something that’s controversial at the moment. Something that is viral and rapidly growing in popularity. This could be something related to a celebrity, a politician, or a popular figure.
One of the best ways to track the trending news is to check your Twitter feed.
Promotion Your Product/Service
The tricky part about promotion is you have to do a soft-sell approach more than you do a hard-sell approach. In case you need further explanation, let me break it down for you. A hard-sell is when you are forthcoming with the facts and using words like:
Buy now
Purchase this
RSVP
Join now
Get your copy
These are sales keywords and often times frowned upon based on speculated social media algorithms. Social Media platforms can easily flag your post in the category of “sales” and will prefer that you “pay to play”, meaning spend ad dollars for more people to see these types of posts.
The soft-sell approach is the type of post that promotes your products and services but isn’t forthcoming in selling it. For example, if you are promoting a shirt design, instead of saying “purchase this shirt on this link”, you will simply admire how cute it looks on your cousin! Or if you have an event coming up, instead of asking people to buy their tickets, you’ll simply post photos from last year and how much fun you had and that they shouldn’t miss the next one.
There are simply so many ways you can soft sell and I’m not saying you are not allowed to do any hard sales, I’m simply advising you to keep a conscious effort to soft-sell more than hard-sell. Pay attention to your insights and see what works.
Lastly, one of the most important things to remember when promoting your product/services is to promote the solution to your customer’s problems. You can promote homes for sale, or protein shakes, or planners, or social media tools but it’s better if instead, you promote that you can help them finally find their first home, promote total body wellness to live longer, promote time efficiency with social media.
Share a Hack
In your field of expertise, I’m certain that there are some hacks that you can share with your followers. People love it with you bring value into their lives by increasing the convenience factor.
Maybe it’s a life hack like a faster way to dry your hair or remove stains. Maybe it’s a food hack like how not to cry when slicing onions. Maybe it’s a self-care hack on how to get more sleep. Maybe it’s a business hack on how to create more efficiency.
It doesn’t have to be business or industry-related but figure out a way to also insert your purpose and mission from time to time. The key is in the rotation. You don’t want your customers to feel sold to all the time.
Countdown
Counting down to an important date in the future can be an exciting post. If it is a countdown to a holiday or event that your target market is interested in, this will become a valuable post/reminder for them.
You can countdown to a sale event, a special event, a holiday, a big sporting event, or your big launch! Instagram has a countdown feature on the story section and your audience can even save the date from your stories.
Quirky Holiday
Quirky Holidays are fun! You’d never expect that donut day or be nice to your husband day exists. I’ve included some fun quirky Holidays in my Social Media Content Calendar so you don’t have to search for the ones that typically tends to make the top trending list.
Get Personal
If you think that no one cares to know about your life story then I’m here to prove you wrong. Your customers and potential customers want inside access to you and who you really are. Plus, people do business with people who they can relate to. Consumers automatically like you if they can relate to you as a single mom, sister, hustler, dancer, struggling student, and etc. There is an audience for your product/services.
When you want to “get personal” this simply means you are willing to share a life story, a struggle you’ve overcome, your inner thoughts and your experiences. Something you’ve recently realized or learned. Something that makes you human and relatable to your audience.
Share a Tip
Share a quick tip about your products, about life, about the subject matter that you know all too well. You want to be valuable to your target market.
Re-purpose Old Content
If you are a blogger, you can always go back to your popular posts in the past and repurpose them by sharing the blog or quoting your blogs. You can even create new graphics from your old posts.
If you’ve had your social media accounts for a while, platforms like Facebook show you memories from your old posts that you can use. You can share that time you first took the stage, the first client you had in your salon, the
There are also hashtags like #ThrowbackThursdays and #FlashbackFridays that encourage users to post a blast from the past.
Share a Review
Brag a little by sharing one of the positive reviews your clients, friends, or colleagues have shared about you. It’s an indirect bragging right for someone else to endorse you so take a screenshot of your reviews online or via text/email and post it for your potential customers to see.
If you do not have any official reviews, now would be the time to take a pause and send out requests for your clients to send you their review. If you do not have any official clients just yet, ask your friends and/or colleagues to speak about their experience with you.
Shout Out Day
Bring more attention to your page by featuring other accounts. It could be your friends, business partners, best customers, potential partners, favorite influencers, or other brands. Giving someone or something a shout out will make great content if you pair it with a story. Perhaps you were inspired by someone to start your business. Maybe your customers inspire you to keep going. Talk about other people besides yourself once in a while. If you use certain brands in your business or in life that you admire, you can choose to recommend it and share with others something that could also help them.
Meme Time
It’s undeniable that memes are taking over social media. You cannot scroll past 5 posts without seeing a good shareable meme. Why are memes so popular? That’s because many of the memes are made to express our deepest and darkest thoughts and humor that we would otherwise feel bad to share.
Memes are relatable and a good one can become viral quickly. If you find an opportunity to capitalize on a trending meme then you certainly should try.
You could ride on the viral meme by creating your own funny truths. For instance, you can delete the caption at the top and replace it with “When you run into your client who has a delinquent payment and you try and say hello.”
Jump on a Trend
The trending world of social media is very fast paced. One day it could be a cat video the next day it could be a dance video and 10 minutes later it could be a live feed during a tsunami or a meme about President Trump.
It could be a tough content to plan 2-3 weeks ahead of time but it can be something you can do in the moment. Once you see something trending, that you repost and share your expert opinion or create your own rendition.
On a different note, this could also be what is trending in your industry. If you are in retail, and Valentine’s Season is coming, you can definitely share statistics about the Valentine’s Season or share the top romantic trending gifts to buy for men or women.
Share your Product
If you are selling products, you definitely want to showcase appealing photos of your products. Candid “on-the-go” photos are fine but professional photos are necessary. Just because I said professional doesn’t mean you have to hire a professional. Understand the power of your mobile phone capabilities and maximize the features it has. You paid hundreds of dollars for the newest phone and guess what? It can take amazing photos of your product!
Here are some things to consider when taking your product photo:
Use a plain background. There are inexpensive product photo booths you can find on Amazon.
Take a shot of your products with fun backgrounds (i.e. at the beach, at the park, and etc..)
Hire models to help make your products look good and professional.
Edit your photos to compliment your product’s best features.
You can purchase this product photo booth on Amazon for $15!
Ask a Question
Asking questions that will elicit a response from your followers is a great way to boost your engagement. Nobody has the confirmed social media algorithms but it has been highly tested and proven that posts with comments and responses are considered “engaging” and will therefore be shared to more users.
You can literally ask any questions from any industry. You can ask for their opinion or their vote on something.Have your followers help you decide on your next flyer design or logo design. Social Media users love to voice their opinion.
Share your Top List
Share your top 3, top 5, or top 10 favorite things. List your favorite books, songs, apps, softwares, outfits, celebrity crushes, brands, or themed items. Maybe you are going on a trip and you want to share the top 5 things that you must pack. Maybe you love to work out and you want to share your top 10 favorite workout songs. Maybe you will share the top 3 secrets to beautiful skin?
Whatever it is that you want to share, make it valuable to your target audience.
Self-Care Tips
Speaking of beauty tips, self-care is a universal struggle for so many people and therefore, it is always a good idea to remind people to take a break, relax, meditate, take a vacation, or simply enjoy a hot cup of tea. Remember that your basic goal is to bring value to your target market’s lives.
Weekend Selfie
The weekend selfie is how you show your followers that you let loose and take breaks from work. When you share these, you could also share your weekend plans to hopefully help inspire others to enjoy their weekends.
This post is important because it is a way for your followers to get a glimpse of your personality. If posting a selfie doesn’t make sense for your brand then certainly replace this with a photo of your promotional items. Anything with your logo on it is a great replacement.
Poll
One of the best engagement tactics I’ve done was when I created a poll between two different logos and asked my followers to vote for which logo they liked best.
Facebook has a great polling feature. Instagram has a polling feature in the stories.
Promote Yourself
Sometimes, it is hard to think of ways to promote ourselves but you must know how to do it without sounding arrogant. One of which is to share your recent accomplishments and share how thankful you are for overcoming them.
Share any articles written about you. Share how you have recently helped your client. There are those rare moments when you can be honest in simply wanting to share about your achievements and that is okay, too!
Quiz your audience
What I love about this type of post is that you can make this industry related, a self promotion, a product promotion, or just something fun! You can post a brain-teaser, or a question about you to see how well people know you.
Photo or Video
There are statistics that show videos will get more visibility than photos. A photo post on Facebook is definitely better than just text. Not to mention, Instagram is all about photos!
When you are out and about, you should think of taking photos and/or videos that can help your content mix. You can post a selfie while doing something you love or while using your product. You can post a photo of your product with the beach as the background. You could post a video or photo of your travels.
From time to time, you must consider posting a video or photo that can help share a little bit more about yourself or about your product.
Live Video
Going live will create a buzz because there is an automatic notification that Facebook or Instagram pushes out when you go live. Going live can sound intimidating if you’re the type of person that wants everything to be perfect. You can schedule a live tutorial and promote this for a few days before going live. You can take a live video of an event. You can go live with a business partner and host a Q&A video regarding your new product launch.
Host a live panel discussion. Do a live workout session or a live coaching session. There are many ways to go live and don’t let analysis paralysis get in the way.
Good Reads
Share your book recommendations or a list of your top choices of books. Knowing who your target market means you have a good idea of the genre of books that they would be interested in.
Throwback Thursday
This is one of those fun social media trends that has stood the test of time, no pun intended. #ThrowbackThursday has been around for several years and the idea is that you post an old photo. As a business owner, you can really play with the idea of posting some of your early ideation portion for your business and
Expert Advice
We are all experts on our own subject matter. Don’t let your expertise remain the best-kept secret in town! Share a tip and make it short and sweet. If you are a Dentist, you can share a tip about the proper amount of time to brush or what to do in case of toothache emergencies. If you are a fitness trainer, there are certainly a plethora of tips to share from workouts to diet plans.
If you’re a makeup artist, there are beauty tips, if you are an accountant, you have money tips, if you are a nonprofit, you have volunteer tips.
When I say we are all experts on our own subject matter, I really mean it. If you are a stay at home mom, you certainly have tips for other stay at home moms about life hacks, cleaning hacks, and baby hacks.
Upcoming Event Promo
There are two ways you can post about an upcoming event. You can either post about an event you are going to attend or post about an event you are promoting for people to attend.
You might think it’s useless to let people know you are going to the event but this depends on the event you are attending. If you are a doctor and you are going to a medical conference, then it is a way for you to ensure your potential clients that you stay on top of whatever is new to your market.
If you have an event you are promoting, you should definitely find a way to communicate the value of why your audience should attend this event.
Current News
When posting about current news, remember that some news is foreseeable but this is most likely going to be the type of post you will have to post as it is happening. Some expected news are planned events like the election or presidential debate, and etc…
The actual current news that you see on the news channels is something you may spontaneously post and will not be able to plan ahead of time. This type of content aren’t necessarily trending but they are current and relevant news to your followers.
Reflection
Your followers do want to know what is on your mind. Sharing some type of reflection whether it is uber personal or something light hearted will help your followers get to know you more.
31. Milestone Announcements
It’s important that you share every milestones you reach. It will help motivate your target market and it will give them a reason to celebrate you! It will give you a reason to tell your story.
I hope that you enjoyed the 31 Social Media Content Ideas. There are literally so many other ideas of what to post and I only wanted to list 31 to reflect the 31 days out of the month. I wanted to show you that you don’t have to feel like you’re being redundant at all! I want you to see that there are several ways to tell the same story. Comment below and tell me about the other types of content that I didn’t include in this blog.
I’ve created a Social Media Calendar that you can use to implement this entire list of creative content. I’ve put them all in rotation for you and I have curated some images that you can use! I also created video tutorials on how to use the Facebook Creator Studio and a Canva 101 lesson! How would you like to get your hands on a copy? Click this the image below or click this link to purchase: https://mailchi.mp/8680e3e21f68/2020maedaycalendar
When talking about customer experience, most would assume it is about a face-to-face interaction with your customers. Contrary to popular beliefs, there are many ways that customer experience can be improved beyond personal interaction. This is why these ideas are unusual. They focus on customer service features that doesn’t involved personal interaction. Traditionally, customer service encompasses the entire experience from the moment customers walk into your store or click on your link until they check out. Now, it also includes their experience after they visit your store when they are home or when they’re at work the next day.
Think about the many times you got frustrated while on hold on the telephone? Think about how many times you’ve been disgusted by dirty restrooms? How annoyed were you to drive to the store just to find out they were closed? How mad it made you feel to find out that they sent you home with the wrong item and now, you’re having a hard time reaching them.
The reality is that your employees will not care as much as you do about pleasing your customers. Your employees won’t even think about making sure customers ever return. Most employees just want to clock in and out every day they are at your store. I’ve been in the retail world for more than 15 years. I would like to share with you some ideas on how you can dramatically improve customer experience even when you are not around.
Clean and aromatic restrooms: This is the top on my list especially if you have a brick and mortar store. Most likely, your target shoppers are women and we are very sensitive to the cleanliness of your restrooms. It has a great impact in our perception of your business. Install air fresheners. Scent is also now a marketing strategy so make sure you research the right type of scent. Decorate your restroom and make it feel like home. Make sure that your employees check the restroom every 2-3 hours depending on how busy your location is. Create a checking process where your employees have to initial every 2 hours that they checked and cleaned the restroom.
Up-to-date information on your website: If you are on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Yelp, and Google+ make sure that you update your hours of operation and make the necessary posts and updates to keep your shoppers in the loop.
Up-to-date information on your “on hold” and voicemail services: If you know that you are going to have extended hours or even an exciting event coming up, set your recording message to reflect these information. Your customers would be happy to learn about what is going on with your business and maybe they would want to support.
Signage, signage, signage: Create signs for announcements or even for directions! IKEA finally learned this when they installed directional projection signs in their stores. Can you imagine how frustrated people felt when they realized they were walking in circles all along? If you’re out of stock, try your best to let them know when you’ll have it back on stock or have them subscribe to a list so you can email them when it will return.
Test your process: If you are in e-commerce, see what the check out process looks like. What is the journey like? Do you have systems in place to suggest complimentary products? If you have a brick and mortar store, can people easily find the cashiers? How long does it take to purchase an item?
Reward your loyal shoppers: If you have regular customers that support and refer businesses to you, do you have a loyalty program in place? It is definitely the best way for you to thank your loyal shoppers! Make them feel rewarded for supporting your business.
Answer the phone quickly: When your customers call, how long does it take for anyone to pick up the phone? When their calls go through, is your automated system easy to use? Or do you put them through the wringer before they can speak to a live person? Most phone systems are so advanced now that you can set a different message during your operating hours vs. after hours.
Follow up: When customers are making purchases, do you have a system in place where you can check back with them to see how they like your products so far? This is an extra step you can do that will definitely make your customer feel special.
Responding to reviews: I know how painful it can feel to read challenging reviews about your brand but 8 times out of 10, these complaints are just misunderstandings. Try not to take it personal. Respond to the challenging reviews while keeping in mind that they were disappointed and perhaps there is something that can be done to improve their perspective.
Package it right: The small details really do matter. When people purchase products from you, it is up to you to make them feel extra special with their purchase. Maybe it’s the customized packaging that you use, or the little hand written note you include, or perhaps it’s the bow that you added on the package.
Send Birthday Greetings: Do you know how good it feels to get a birthday message from the brands that you support? It’s even better when there is a special discount attached to this birthday message! If you have a mass email service like Mailchimp, there are ways that you can automate birthday messaging for your customers.
Clear and concise return and exchange policy: Part of taking care of your customers is considering the fact that there’ll be times when they aren’t happy with their purchase. Retailers like Nordstroms have very lenient return policies because they figured that this is one of their added value in customer service. You don’t have to offer lenient return policies but do your best to communicate your return policies where you can…. refer back to #4 about signage!
Automated Social Media Messengers response: There is a feature on Facebook Messenger that you can create an auto reply when someone sends you a message. I think that it is vital for customers to feel or know that someone checks the messenger inboxes. You can simply set your message to say “Thank you for your message, we will respond within 24 hours. Please note that our office hours are 8 AM – 5 PM, Monday through Friday.”
Consistency: Your loyal shoppers appreciate consistency wherever you can implement them. Do you send a weekly newsletter? Are you sending it on the same day every week? Do you receive new inventory every Tuesday? Is there anything you do every week that can be more consistent? Find some ways you can create consistency if you want to be a part of your customers’ routine.
Make good on your promise. There is nothing better to a customer than receiving good quality product or service. Customers want to feel like they’ve found a treasure and it will automatically make them feel at their best knowing that they’ve found something most people don’t know about. Make your customers proud when they purchase or work with you!
I’m sure there are plenty of other ways to improve customer experience that is not included on this list. One of which was a recent post I saw about how one Sephora store designated a different color shopping basket for customers who do not want to be bothered by sales associate while they are shopping! Now that’s maximum thoughtfulness.
Another idea are chatbots! Not everyone has the resources to install chatbot features on their website but it seems to be one efficient way to improve customer experience on your website.
Customer experience can make or break your business. Customers may give you one more shot if you get it wrong the first time but more likely than not, they are happy to move on to a competitor and wouldn’t think twice about sharing their bad review about their experience with you.
Take the necessary steps to improve your customer experience and don’t wait for a complaint before you make these improvements. Leave a comment below about other ideas on how to improve customer experience beyond the face-to-face contact.
Have you ever come across a flyer and thought “my first grade nephew could have created that on a word document”? Then, all of a sudden, you don’t even want to go to that event anymore because you feel like it’s not going to be the type of event in your caliber. You suddenly think it may not be a legitimate event. It may be unorganized and going to an unorganized event can really be irritating.
Here are reasons why we trust better graphics:
It’s a great first impression. If anyone isn’t familiar with your company or organization, a pleasing graphic will leave a great first impression.
It exudes professionalism. An aesthetically presentable graphic means that the company or organization cares about looking professional.
It elicits positive feelings. A graphic that’s pleasing in the eyes will subconsciously make anyone feel positively good when they see it. When the flyer is unorganized, you will naturally feel a hint of frustration just by looking at it.
A great graphic will present a clear message. You don’t want your graphic to have too much text but just enough to communicate the message.
Take a look at the two examples below. The one on the left is undoubtedly more pleasing than the one on the right. There are so many resources online that can aid you in creating a graphic. One of my favorite resource is CANVA and I created a free tutorial that can help you become more familiar of its user-interface. Many people initially assume that it’s going to take some type of technical skills to navigate a graphic software but I created the tutorial to show you that it is not complicated at all.
Scroll down and click on the video link below to watch the free tutorial today.
Creating content on social media can be a daunting task to some people but with consistent practice and attention to details, anyone can create whatever content they desire. You just need that “I can make lemonades with lemons thrown at me” attitude to be able to create content out of the simplest ideas.
Creating content is daunting when you think you have to produce a new video or image every time you log in to your social media account. It is daunting when you think you have to spend hours everyday on your social media. But here are some tips to get your mind churning more towards simplifying your content creation experience.
Tip #1: PLAN YOUR CONTENT ONE MONTH AT A TIME.
Just give it a shot. Pull out your calendar and start aligning the content you need to post based on any happenings on your calendar of events or even personal life. If you know you have a sale event on the third Sunday of the month then you probably should post teasers weeks before and post more promos as it gets closer to that day.
If you know you have a vacation coming then maybe you should plan a few cute “out of the office” posts.
If there are upcoming Holidays, you can plan some posts around those Holidays, as well.
Tip #2: INCORPORATE TRENDY AND QUIRKY HOLIDAYS THAT YOU OR YOUR BRAND CAN RELATE TO.
A National pets day may mean more to your brand than a National wear your shirt backwards day. Both of these quirky days could be trendy and so you want to post something about it using hashtags that maybe used for this trend. Try #NationslPetDay or #NationalBackwardsDay or look up these hashtags and see if it trended the previous year.
Some brands may be able to relate to celebrating Beyonce’s Birthday or “Men make dinner day”. There are calendars on the internet that you can search to find out about these days.
TIP #3: FOLLOW OTHER BRANDS THAT ARE BIGGER AND BETTER THAN YOURS.
The only way you can get better is when you are surrounded by people who are doing better than you. Think about this same thought on social media. Follow the brands that are doing better and get inspired by their content. Turn notifications on when they post!
TIP #4: POST AT LEAST ONCE PER DAY OR MORE DURING THE BEST TIMES!
If you’re concerned about branding then you need to be in sight and in the forefront of their minds at all the time. Post at least once on Facebook and at least twice on Instagram. Twitter will require more frequency of up to 20 tweets a day if you can.
This means that you also need to have all your images and videos ready. There are plenty of stock photos subscription available for you. One that I recommend is 123rf.com, they do offer subscription but they also have free images you can download.
The best times to post depends on your target market but typically it is before work, during lunch breaks, after work and then late at night.
TIP #5: REPURPOSE YOUR BEST CONTENT.
There is nothing wrong with reposting your best blogs or your best photos once in a while. You can repost that old article they wrote about you from 5 years ago as a throwback. You can repost the same product with a slight change in context. You can repost your story, video, and photos. It doesn’t have to be a brand new post 100% of the time. Remember that not everyone sees your posts every day.
Lastly, don’t let social media automation intimidate you. I know for a fact that you will feel 100% better and secure once you’ve planned your entire month out. All you will need to do after that is pay attention to people commenting and liking because you will want to engage with them in real time.
Starting a new job can be daunting. You’re conscious about everything because you don’t know anyone and most of all, you don’t really know the company or the office culture. Take it from someone like me who has worked in three different corporate setting in the last 15 years. I’ve worked at Macy’s, Expedia, and a few real estate offices in my career.
I’ve been in the shoes of a new employee as well as the supervising manager for new employees. As a manager, I’ve been shocked more times than I’d like to admit by new employees’ lack of office ettiquette or effort to impress the managers upon starting a new job.
I thought writing this blog would especially help our emerging new generation in adjusting to their first or new job. Your reputation is part of your personal brand and learning how to build and maintain your reputation is an important career decision.
1. Be early. Aim to be there before your manager arrives. Now, you might ask, “how long am I going to keep this up?” and honestly, my answer is for as long as you can! There is no definite answer because every manager is different. Give yourself enough time to organize your tasks for the day. Review your notes from previous day and follow up on lose ends. Make your coffee or if the office has a kitchen, brew the first pot. When your manager arrives let him or her know a hot pot of coffee is available in the kitchen. These are all part of unwritten and unsaid office “pleasantries”.
I can’t personally tell you how I learned this. I could say it was how I was brought up or maybe I have always read between the lines. For those who needed to read this, I hope it helps.
2. Don’t leave before your boss. With that said, sometimes there are employees that stay much later than everyone else and you don’t have to wait for them. I am actually one of those people who sometimes stay until 10pm in the office. Nobody asks me to, I just have that kind of work ethic (borderline workaholic 😉).
You don’t have to stay as late as I do but just make sure you ask your direct supervisor, 30-60 minutes before you’d like to leave if there’s anything you could do for them before the day ends. This particular courtesy goes a long way. Here’s a suggestion on how you should ask:
” I realize the day is almost over and I wanted to know if there’s anything you’d like me to do or finish before you leave today?”
This gives you a chance to work on it early enough and even if you’re finished before your supervisor leaves, you can both feel a sense of accomplishment and that’s a great way to end the day.
3. Report your progress. As a new employee, your boss will most likely have a list of things that you’ll need to work on. Most of it will be busy work but it will give you a chance to familiarize yourself with your job. Make an effort to let your supervisor know how you are doing with the task list.
Request weekly meetings (if there isn’t one in place) so you can ask your questions and provide update of your progress.
If you are new, do not take the liberty to delegate your task. At least not in the first 3 months. Your manager expects to see you perform the task and delegating them when you are new may make you look lazy or opportunistic. Both are negative reputations as a new employee.
4. Dress to impress. This cliche is especially true if you are the new kid on the block. Dress like you are going to an interview. You can always dress down if you find that the office culture is more relaxed. In my career, I have learned that this tip is still often misunderstood because not everyone knows how to dress professional or conservative. Buttoned up blouse, knee length skirt, dress pants, closed toe shoes are the safest bet for females. Let’s face it, men have it easy. Do not take chances on your first week. Dress conservatively and professionally. This tip is non-negotiable!
5. Go above and beyond the call of duty. When you are new to the company, you have a lot to prove to your co-workers and your boss. Some of your co-workers might give you the stares questioning why you were chosen for the job. You aren’t privey to the office culture or drama so it’s best to give zero allowance for people to doubt your worth.
You might ask yourself, “how do I go above and beyond?” The easiest way is to anticipate what your boss needs and do more! If you know that there’s an upcoming event, take care of the necessary steps to get the planning started. Set meeting dates, engage in the process of creative marketing collateral, research how the last event was done and figure how you can make it better.
Another example is finishing your tasks ahead of time and offer to complete additional tasks.
Anticipate what is needed from you, perform that task well and then ask if there’s anything else you can do. Always make yourself available to work. This will let your boss know you are hungry to learn!
6. Ask questions! Your Boss won’t really know the progress of your training process if you don’t ask questions. It’s a great indication of the level of your understanding. There are only two reasons why you don’t have questions to ask. You either know it all or you have no idea. Your boss would typically think the latter.
7. Treat everyone as your customer. Answer phone calls and emails as if your job is to serve them like they are your customers. Answer the phone with pleasant greetings. Do not give anyone a reason to say you’re rude or impolite. Don’t start your job with improper casualties. Err on the side of safety and practice proper greetings. Greet everyone good morning and say goodbye to your co-workers when you leave.
8. Take notes. Take a pen and paper everywhere you go. It shows that you are eager to learn things when you take notes. I know that technology has ruled our lives but I still suggest a pen and paper for your first week. If you must use your phone, announce that you are using it to take notes. Don’t give anyone a chance to think you are texting during the meetings.
Taking notes can also help you keep your facts straight and remember all of the new things, lingo, names and etc… that you come across in your first few weeks.
9. Be productive. Refrain from socializing when you should be working. Return from your breaks on time. Try productivity apps if you need assistance with tracking your time. Avoid checking your personal messages when you are at your desk. Remember that most IT team has access to your computer at any time. Everything you do on your work computer is the property of your company.
10. Take responsibility for the growth and development of your career. Subscribe to publications in your industry and sign up for webinars for your specific position. Your supervisor will only teach you what you are willing to learn and often times, you don’t know what you don’t know. Be responsible for your own growth! Read books and learn new skills along the way.
As a reference to #6, ask questions! Show that you’ve read or watched webinars and write your questions and ask your manager. You can tell them “I recently watched this webinar and I have some questions. Is it ok if I ask you to clarify some things I didn’t quite understand?” That question tells your boss you are eager to learn.
11. Ask what metrics you will be reviewed on at the end of the year. Understand what the expectations are by asking for that score card. I learned this after my first year working at Macy’s. Had I known the criteria I will be reviewed on, I would have made sure to focus on it.
If you’re a new employee, I hope this short 11 Tips has helped you plan your performance in the next 3-6 months.
Comment below, especially if you’re a manager, and let me know your other tips for excellence.
Hello, 280. Twitter is expanding tweets to 280 characters for nearly all users (the change won’t apply to Chinese, Japanese, or Korean languages) after rolling it out to some accounts in September. The company said people tweeted “more easily and more often” with the extended count, but that it didn’t substantially change Twitter’s brief-and-breezy character: Only 1% of users with extra space actually hit the limit. It’s all part of the social network’s efforts to grow users and engagement. • Share your thoughts: #TwitterDoubled
I personally don’t mind it. I wouldn’t use it more or less than I do now. I simply connect my Facebook to Twitter and this would mean more of my post content would crossover to Twitter.
I would be curious to see if they gain more activity with this update. Based on the articles and comments from current users, I don’t think this update is a real game changer. It’s a great effort to be in the news for now.
What do you think about this change? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
I’ve been fortunate to have been able to travel to multiple destinations in the last couple of years. In 2016, I traveled alone to London, Madrid, Rome and Paris. I debated on titling this blog 5 Reasons to Travel Alone but I may be able to convey that message through this blog anyway. In September of 2017, I traveled to Athens, Santorini and Mykonos. What they say about traveling is true. Once you start you cannot stop.
I learned a great deal about myself and how traveling has changed me to be a better professional and businesses owner. Here are 3 reasons you should really save up to travel to unfamiliar places.
I. You become more resilient when exposed to new environments.
Having to navigate unfamiliar places teaches you lessons that cannot be learned from reading a book or listening to lectures. In the process of figuring out the metro or bus routes in a country where English is not the primary language teaches you that it’s okay to be or get lost. It teaches you that when unfortunate things happen in unfamiliar environments, that you have to keep calm and take it one step at a time to readjust your next steps.
In my recent trip to Greece, my passport wallet was stolen from my purse at Larissa Station in Athens. I’m not really sure what happened and how but after thinking about it (what seemed like) a thousand times, I am pretty sure it was stolen the morning before I got on the metro. It was the only time I don’t remember having my purse in front of me because I had my hands full with my coffee, hat, sunglasses, and fixing my long skirt because I was stepping on it walking up the stairs. I remembered someone bumping into me and I know that is the number one trick in the book.
I didn’t realize until almost 8 hours later that I was missing my wallet when I tried to tip my tour guide and couldn’t find my wallet in my bag. Even then, my first thought was that I left it back in my room. That night, I searched my room and did not find my wallet. I panicked at first but my next instinct was to google the process of getting a new passport in Athens. I immediately made a trip to the Tourism Police Station that night to report my stolen passport and wallet with 140 euros.
The very next day, I went to the US Embassy around 9:30am. The whole process took only two hours to my surprise. It was a big inconvenience but I was eating a chicken pie with my new passport by noon.
II. You can be inspired by new sceneries.
When I am in another country, I make it a point to be observant of their ads, customer service, marketing tactics and more. I pay attention to how the stores and restaurants try to stand out from the competitors and the value they place on certain services (valet, rentals, concierge, etc…). I love learning about how it works in counties I’ve never been.
I open up their magazines and although I can’t understand the language, I pay attention to the images they choose and the graphic design styles. When I visited Mykonos, for instance, the whole island promotes itself as a luxurious and fun island frequented by celebrities with a very active nightlife. Restaurants would loop footage of athletes and Hollywood celebrities seen on the island. Plenty of the shirts displayed outside many stores were those that said things like “Good girls go to heaven and bad girls go to Mykonos” or “Mykonos F*cks Ibiza”. Many stores and restaurants remain open 24/7.
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III. You Are Potentially Most Organized When Planning Your Travel
As a career professional or business owner, you get bogged down with so much to do for so little time. It happens a lot but you seem to always make time planning for your trips. Channel that skill for when you need it.
I’ll be honest, I sometimes have a hard time keeping my work schedule together but when I travel, I have everything organized so I can share it with my mom and best friend just in case they need to know where I’m at. In addition to being organized with schedule, you also become more organized with your budget.
IV. You are forced into situations where you have to meet new people who potentially speaks little English
If you speak another language, talking to people who speak little English isn’t too much of a challenge. You’ll know how to simplify your sentences enough to get your point across. If you don’t have the luxury of speaking another language, you will quickly learn how to rephrase your sentences to simplify your message.
This skill is used in marketing many times. We often start with convoluted brand messages that need to be simplified. The more you talk to the locals the more you find out exactly how they process your messages. If you don’t adjust your communication to the recipient’s level of understanding then you won’t be able to continue your conversation.
I eventually learned that some of the best words to learn in another language are greeting words, thank you, excuse me, and do you speak English?
V. Curate beautiful content for social media
We all know that social media is one of the top ways that business owners can get the word out about their brand. I learned that beautiful photos taken during travels typically gets more visibility. The state-of-the-art smart phones can take stunning photos. Sometimes, it’s as good as the high definition cameras.
here are some great photos I took from my recent trip that I’ve turned into social media content.
I was going to write about my travel tips to Greece but I have to exercise discipline and focus this blog on marketing and business. If you are reading this and would like tips on traveling to Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos, feel free to message me.
I encourage you to travel and to travel solo at least once. Experience different cultures and surround yourself with beautiful and inspiring scenery. It will make you a better person and a more resilient and creative business owner.
What the what????!!!! So many entrepreneurs, especially the Baby Boomers and the mature Gen X, have been misinformed or started to believe their excuses. The one true fact about social media is it costs less than print, tv, or radio advertising. Another fact is that it doesn’t cost to open an account. So if you are one of those entrepreneurs who still haven’t utilized the social media accounts you started or haven’t even opened an account at all, then I hope this inspires or motivates you.
SOCIAL MEDIA MYTH #1: Social Media is for techies.
Social Media is multifaceted! There are parts of social media that are more advanced but the truth is this, it is all about knowing what to say at the right time! Now, is there anything technical about that? It’s as simple as typing and pushing the post button. That is the most basic skill that Social Media requires. The truth is, Social Media is for story tellers!
SOCIAL MEDIA MYTH #2: Facebook is dying (or dead).
Wow! Whoever said this either works for SnapChat or simply don’t want you to succeed. Please don’t believe everything people say especially if Social Media is not their expertise.
Well, I’m happy to say that Facebook is ever-growing and so much stronger than before. Their analytics and business features are so user-friendly. Having bought Instagram, they have definitely dominated the Social media platform. Now, Twitter on the other hand is in big trouble.
As of April 2017, Facebook currently has the highest following! Keeping in mind that Facebook, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger (2nd to the last icon) are all owned by Mark Zuckerberg.
SOCIAL MEDIA MYTH #3: “Social Media is time consuming and I don’t have the time.”
Yes you do and you cannot afford NOT to be on social media! It might take you a little longer to learn if there is a learning curve but it’s called a “curve” for a reason! Take the few hours to learn and then spend less time than expected. Of course social media experts (like me – shameless plug :)) spend a lot of time on our pages and client’s pages. As a business owner, you can spend anywhere from 2-4 hours per week on social media and you will be fine. Don’t lie, you already spend that much time browsing it anyway!
The average person spends 25 hours a week on their phone so you can spare 2-4 hours for your business, surely.
SOCIAL MEDIA MYTH #4: If I can schedule all my posts, that’s enough to help manage my pages.
Unfortunately, you have to engage on social media. It’s called social for a reason! Spend 1-2 hours to schedule your posts then spend another 1-2 hours to engage on social media. Engagement simply means you are commenting back on your followers posts or comments or asking questions to get people to respond back to you. Keep them active! It’s a good indication that your followers are alive. 🙂
SOCIAL MEDIA MYTH #5: I can use Social Media as a sales platform!
You can use social media to sell but you may not get the results you expect because social media is actually more about soft selling. Use social media to educate your followers about your products. Use social media to engage and discover what your customers or potential customers are thinking or are into. Tell your story on social media and once in a while, no more than 25% of the time, you can post an item or two for sale. Lead them back to your website for hard sell.
The reason why this myth cripples business owners and entrepreneurs is they get discouraged easily when the items they post for sale aren’t selling. Then they start to think that Social Media is not for them. When in reality, they’re just not using it efficiently.
I hope this debunking sesh (session) has helped you reconsider your stance on social media. Spend some time to follow and study national and international brands that you look up to and see what they post on their pages. One thing I know about entrepreneurs and business owners is that you are eager to learn what you need to learn or hire someone else to do what you’re not good at. Don’t cross out social media on your list. It is an important tool for marketing and branding.
Are you a serial business workshop attendee? Do you find it hard to take home actionable items to prove your ROI for attending business events?
In the spirit of preparation for my upcoming participation as a business speaker at the 2017 THE LIST TOUR, I want to share some helpful tips about how you can make the best of your time and investment when attending business workshops.
I have been a repeat instructor for THE LIST TOUR LA. I typically speak about social media marketing and the audience receive so much aha moments during my talk but I rarely see them implement any of the tips I give them. When following up with some attendees, I find that the biggest challenge is that they get back into their regularly scheduled program the very next day. I understand the challenges of ‘solopreneurs’ BUT if you spent the money and took the time to attend a workshop, you must quantify your return for your investment.
1. Come with at least three immediate questions. If you have a business, you definitely have challenges you are trying to solve, which is also probably the reason why you are attending seminars and workshops. You are trying to find answers to your challenges. Write down the top three areas of concern and find the right time to ask the instructors if the topic permits.
2. Have your elevator pitch ready! There’s no denying that you will meet new contacts at the event. You may even be asked to introduce yourself in front of everyone and what better way to get the biggest bang for your buck than to leave knowing you were memorable? Keep your elevator pitch to a minimum. Memorize two versions of your pitch – a 15 second pitch and a 30 second pitch. Anything longer is a drag when it comes to introductions.
The best elevator pitch is one that establishes your credibility and clearly positions your brand or services to the minds of your audience. In a room full of entrepreneurs who are looking to improve their marketing and social media strategy, my typical elevator pitch is:
“Hi my name is Sweeney Mae. I have been in the marketing industry for almost 15 years and have won several awards for marketing excellence and creativity. I am passionate about helping business owners improve their sales by at least 10% in the first month with creative social media and content marketing solutions. Your time is valuable and I can help you navigate through what you need to learn and cut the trial and error phase to a minimum. I am available for social media training sessions, brand message clarity or marketing mastermind sessions. I offer free discovery consultations to see if we are a good fit for each other. You can contact me directly at sweeneymae.com.
If I have to make it shorter, I use:
“Hi my name is Sweeney Mae and I am an award winning Marketing Director who’s been in the industry for almost 15 years. I am results driven and passionate about serving business owners the branding clarity and marketing strategy that best fit their lifestyles. I’m known for my creative tactics and I offer free discovery consultations to see if we are a good fit for each other. You can contact me directly at http://www.sweeneymae.com.”
3. Learn as much as you can about the coaches featured at the event. The more you know about the coaches prior to the event, the more prepared you are for thoughtful questions and connections. Visit their web pages and social media pages. Do your due diligence in vetting them so you have a better idea of who you possibly want to work with. Connect with them and sign up for the free information they offer. Most coaches have email subscriptions, blogs, or Facebook groups you can join where they share free advice. I personally run a marketing group called “Everything Branding & Marketing”. Feel free to join our conversations!
4. Open your mind to possible collaborations with other entrepreneurs or professionals in attendance. I cannot stress this advice enough! I have been to so many networking events and I somehow always leave knowing that I have a pending project or event that I will have to follow up on after the workshop. Collaborations are the biggest key to success in this genre. Imagine how much more customers you can attract if two complimentary brands work together? There is enough room for everyone and through collaborations, we reach a bigger audience and we create a bigger impact. Make it your goal to initiate a collaborative project with at least one person from the seminar.
5. Take notes and commit to at least three actionable items you can implement within 24 – 48 hours. Write down every nugget that gave you “aha moments” because our minds can play tricks with us when it comes to memory. You’re going to have multiple moments of clarity and you must write it down. Furthermore, you should write what actionable items you can implement next to those aha moments and review them as soon as you get home and add more notes. You will be fired up within the next 24 hours of a mind-blowing business workshop and you do not want to lose momentum. Commit to taking actions right away!
The point of attending a workshop is to disturb your norm. So, in addition to the 5 tips I’ve carefully laid out above, you must allot 6-12 hours after the event to sort through your notes, follow up with any coaches or contact, and draw up a plan of implementation for the adjustments you need to make with your daily routines, business strategy, social media strategy and etc…
I wish you luck on your next business workshop venture and I hope that this article has inspired you to improve your post-workshop routine. If you are in or near Los Angeles, I urge you to reserve your seat at the upcoming THE LIST TOUR.
Mae Day Marketing 