Social Media as a Marketing Tool

Social Media – An Important Marketing Tool

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We all accept that social media is essential for a business, but not necessarily understand why. Business owners who hire someone to help with their social media see the money going out and not always see the money coming back, in direct relation to their social media activity.

That is because the return on investment can be low on social media, especially if you choose to avoid using the ads. If you do choose to use ads you find yourself forking out a fortune on them. People get stuck in a rut of feeding money in to the ads, while actual interactions and sales on social media are low.

This is why I feel there is a misconception of how social media can be used as a marketing tool.

How to use social media as a marketing tool – for free!

It is very rare to find anyone over the age 13 who doesn’t have some form of a social media account. It is estimated that by 2020 there will be 2.9 billion social media users worldwide (according to Statista). Just think of all those people scrolling down their screens who could see your business!

And that is just it…

Social media is not necessarily about selling – because to be honest who checks their Facebook or Instagram to go shopping? Social media is about being seen. It is about sharing your brand with the world, so they get to know you, learn about the people behind the brand and for you to build a relationship with them.

Don’t get me wrong, you do still need to post about your product/service. How else will people know what you do? But if all you do is post selling posts, well you can wave good bye to the number of interactions on your page.

When social media first started, it was all about the numbers. The more followers the better, using systems such as like ladders to build a huge following bigger than your competitors. Now though social media is more about the interaction numbers – the impressions, the reach, the number of actions on your page/posts. To obtain these numbers your posts must give people a reason to interact and share with their friends.

Examples of ways to make free social media work

Are you an Author? Then do a leading quote from your book, or even your favourite book, with an eye catching graphic as the background. Are you a Make up artist? Then share a picture collage of your most favourite looks – on you – with one or two tips to make it possible. These types of post are related closely to your business, give a sneak peak in to your services and an insight into you as the owner. It is these types of posts I have seen get some of the highest interaction rates than any other post types.

For example, I recently did a post on procrastination. I was struggling to come up with a plan for a website and was easily getting distracted by personal chores that needed doing. So, I cleaned under my stairs, and took a break. Suddenly the idea I had been struggling to grasp hit me like a 2 by 4 and I was able to sit and complete the website. The aim of the post was to show that even as a business owner I struggle with productivity at times, but it also dropped in a touch of one of my services.

Now this post didn’t get me a rush of people wanting a website, but it did get me a few comments from people, who then mentioned it to their friends. Helping me expand my reach and spreading my business name.

And that was the aim, to interact with those that currently follow me, and have them naturally share my name to others through their interactions with others. All while giving an insight to me as a business owner.

All it takes is just 15 minutes a day to put up a post and interact a little in groups where your audience can be found. Or you can schedule your posts upfront on a weekly/monthly basis then spend 5-10 minutes just interacting a day. While your waiting for the kettle to boil, or the kids to come out of school, there are plenty of easy short times to interact on social media without allowing yourself to get absorbed in it – which I know I can be guilty of!

Social media is about being social, not about selling – its even in the name!

So do not worry if the selling post you put up last week did not result in any sales, as long as your reach/impressions are at least 20% of your followers that post worked to get your name in front of someone, and next month when they are shopping, your name will come to mind!

Social Media Summary 2017, Marketing, Social Media

Social Media Changes 2017 Summary

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Can you believe it is nearing the end of 2017??

The last few months have flown by and by now a lot of business owners are making their marketing strategy for 2018, have you got started?

One big aspect of the marketing strategy will be social media, and how best to use it for your business. Over 2017 we have seen some changes within social media that have, or will shortly have, an impact on the way we use it for business.

Here are some of the top changes of 2017.

Paid Social Media

Yep, unfortunately it seems Social Media for business is starting to get costly. Whereas previously your reach would be high just by posting daily, now a lot of the platforms are reducing that reach unless your willing to purchase ads.

Facebook is the biggest one to tighten the reach belt, and coming up before the end of 2017 its going to get event worse – Facebook admitted their new plans will reduce reach up to 60% for businesses. They recently introduced a new layout for news feed, 2 news feeds – 1 for business, 1 for personal. Business posts will no longer be shown in the every day newsfeed and individuals need to make the conscience decision to switch to the business newsfeed to see what is happening on the pages they follow. The only way to be seen in the normal feed is through advertising.

Live Video Streaming

YouTube has always been the favoured platform for video but now nearly every platform offers a live streaming facility, with many favouring it to the traditional text updates. The facilities have been there on various social media platforms previously, yet in 2017 the use of video marketing has sky rocketed – with use around 4 times higher than 2016. With live streaming posts and video stories, businesses have been able to get in front of a larger audience in way TV ads never could. Even LinkedIn has jumped on the video band wagon.

Examples of successful videos are how-to videos for make up, resulting in the viewers wanting to know where they can buy. Mini coaching sessions, followed up with the offer of more in depth coaching if individuals pay for the service. The building of communities around services and products thanks to the use of mini videos dropping tips and just video journaling their business journey.

Facebook are now introducing Collaborative Stories for Group and Event Pages. This update allows multiple group members and event attendees to contribute their own view/opinion on a story. The admins will be able to moderate this, manage privacy settings and encourage others to join in.

 Messaging Apps

Apps such as WhatsApp are popular messaging apps for personal use. However it was recently announced by WhatsApp that they will also now be used for businesses to communicate with their customers. Whether it is as a marketing tool or a customer service tool.

Facebook messenger has previously been a popular messaging app to communicate with customers through business pages. But the new plans will be to allow businesses to communicate with the customers and inform them of up coming bookings, travel times etc. Previously web developers have been able to add a click to call button on websites, using either Skype, or a phone’s dialling screen to make the call, coming soon there will also be the chance to add a click to chat link via Whatsapp.

Social Media E-commerce

This is something I have had experience of this year, and was an interesting learning curve. Social media platforms are adding their own shopping platform. Facebook took the initiative and have introduced a shop element to business pages, where sellers can add their items in a catalogue format. Buyers can then either buy on Facebook or are sent through to the seller’s website to complete the purchase. From uploading the products, organising the catalogue to marketing products and managing orders, Facebook allows it all.

However, Twitter has removed their buy it now button and replaced with additional features to encourage more website conversions than previously.

Pinterest however are embracing this new element. They are now allowing Pinners to search for ideas – for example an night out outfit using their Lens Your Look tool. Upload an image of something in your wardrobe and Pinterest will find matching items to finish the outfit off. For the upcoming season, you can connect with Friends and Family and Pinterest’s API will create a gift board based on what they have been engaging with during the year.

ChatBots

Not something new but something that is definitely growing, with more and more businesses finding a use for them. Whether it is just sharing a little bit of information to individuals visiting your social media accounts, or as a 24/7 customer service option. Just interacting with a post on social media can now activate a chatbot to send a message with more information, and ways to get in touch.

I have seen this in use with a lot of start up businesses and small businesses, as it is becoming more popular and easier to implement than ever before. To learn more about Bots visit Business Insider UK who have done an excellent article on them.

These are just a few of the updates Social Media has seen, and there are plenty more that I am sure you have experienced. This is why it is important to keep updating your strategy every quarter to avoid using out of date practises and your business suffering.

Good Luck for 2018!

Time Management, Virtual Assistant, RedRite, Leeds

Time – The one thing your business needs!

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The top tip you can learn for your business comes from a single drop of water!

Have you ever been caving? I have and get totally transfixed every time too think that something as gentle as water can create such large caverns under the ground. Our tour guide when we went to Ingleborough Cave, Skipton explained to us (me and my eldest daughter) how it can take thousands of years for the water to slowly but persistently work its way through the cracks in the rock levels before the pressure causes the layers to break up enough to create the caverns people explore through today. It also takes thousands of years for the drops of water and calcium to create the stalactites and stalagmites formations that add to the views inside these caverns. The beauty left behind can be breath taking and humbling at the same time, to see something so basic yet beautifully made by nature. We were lucky enough to be in a cave with so much documented history and could see exactly how the cave had changed in just 100 years, which was not much even though water still flows through and occasionally floods.

You are probably wondering why I am talking about caving and what it has to do with business but you will see. When the guide explained the time it takes for a small drop of water to wiggle its way down in order for more water to follow and great this amazing caverns it got me thinking. Many people are trying to make millions in weeks and expect it all to just happen instantly when they click the start button, however it is not true.

Just like that little drop of water it takes time for small actions in your business to build in to bigger and better things. Those minutes you sit putting together posts for social media and blogs, those graphics you created and stressed over just to advertise a new product, even all those emails you sent time after time with no replies. They are those drops of water slowly edging their way in to the cracks of the business world. Right now they seem small and insignificant to your business, mostly when they seem to bring very little return for the time and effort put in. Nevertheless, each tiny step you take in your business is pushing your business one small drop at a time to the biggest cavern of success you could ever imagine.

‘Many businesses are known to fail within the first 3 years’ and not always because they are not a viable business but because the owners suffer burnout over the small steps. So do not let those small steps burn out your passion for your business. Do not give up those little steps, take even more of them and celebrate each time you come across a large crack in the ‘limestone’ that is the fight to success. Celebrating each small step makes the step even more significant and therefore can increase your motivation to continue taking those small steps.

Things will take time but they will happen.

Facebook Etiquette, RedRite, Leeds, Virtual Assistant

Top tips of Facebook Etiquette of Business

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Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms with 1.71 billion active users as of the second quarter of 2016. That is 1.71 billion people who have logged in within the past 30 days and who could potentially see your business. But how do you use Facebook correctly for business and avoid Facebook jail?

Let’s first look at how to get your business on Facebook. The best, and safest way, to place your business on Facebook is either through a Page or a Group.

Pages

Facebook dislikes people using their personal profiles to advertise business, so creating a Page linked to your personal profile is specifically created for that reason. On a Page you can choose a category as well as up to 3 sub-categories in which to advertise your Page, the sub categories are determined by the main category so make sure you choose the most relevant to your business. If you add your business address you can also place a map in the sidebar so that others can locate you as well as if there is any parking available on site, perfect for location based businesses. Other details such as opening hours, price range and contact details are also added so consumers know all they need to about you.

A Page can then be used just like a personal profile, the difference being the Page is public and used for business posts rather than what you had for dinner. The occasional personal post can allow consumers to see the person they are buying, just make sure you use details you are willing to go public.

Groups

If you want to limit what the audience sees or maybe want to create a small community around your business, then Groups could be for you. Groups can be publicly available to all, closed – public can only see members or secret – were public cannot see anything but the Group name and type. Members can be free to add other members, however if you want to limit your audience you can control who is actually allowed to join once members refer a friend. Choosing the relevant type of group – such as Club, Support, Study group, Team or travel to name just a few – can help identify to potential audiences what your Group is about. There is also a Buy and Sell type which adds the option to list things for sale within the Group, many local communities start up Groups like this for locals to sell second hand items. If you wish for only certain posts to be allowed, or limit the days in which certain posts can be posted, such as Promo Thursdays, then you can adjust settings to require post approval required.

I have found some of the best groups are those that offer support and networking, with numerous members posting issues they are having with their business and other members offering their support and advice.

What are some etiquette points for interacting on Facebook for business

People buy from people and if they see you being rude, offensive, even just plain ignorant to those posting on your wall or commenting in your Group then it can put them off actually purchasing from you. Although many users are not on Facebook to buy, through the correct and polite methods you can slowly build up a relationship with your audience. This relationship can encourage people to return to your business for their purchasing needs, either a product or a service you may offer.

The biggest NO NO of all time is spamming. Posting adverts for your business within groups is perfectly fine (as long as it doesn’t break the Group rules) as long as it is done tastefully. Respect that there is not just you in the Group and spread your posts out over a period of time. Some groups, such as my networking group, only allow business advertising posts once every 48 hours. While others only allow promotional posts on specific days and posts such as a Promo Thursday post. Abiding by these rules put you in people’s good graces, ignoring the rules and you will find yourself blocked from the Group as well as seen in bad light by others within the Group. Be polite, friendly, chatty and respectful of other group members or those on your Page.

The same goes for replying to comments and messages, sometimes even just a simple thank you can make the difference for your business. Facebook places a little icon on your Page for those that are fast to respond to messages including the length of time it can take you to reply to messages. Ignoring messages altogether can have you coming across rude and consumers will go look elsewhere for their purchasing needs.

Keep your content fresh, if you use a Page for your business it is necessary to post regularly to a degree. If you post once every few weeks, make sure the content is valuable! Consumers like to see what a business is up to and the more you post, the more you will be seen in their newsfeed. If you do not post, you do not get seen.

Sticking to these basic rules of Facebook for business and you will avoid ending up in Facebook Jail and can successfully grow your business.

Business Networking, Leeds, RedRite, Virtual Assistant

Business Networking and the Benefits

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I previously wrote about the benefits of networking using the social platform, Twitter. However, this time I want to expand on that and discuss the benefit of networking as a whole.

What is networking?

Wikipedia classes business networking as – “Networking is a socioeconomic business activity by which business people and entrepreneurs meet to form business relationships and to recognize, create, or act upon business opportunities, share information and seek potential partners for ventures.”

Many think of business network marketing as Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) companies, such as Juice plus, Forever Living and Arbonne, however network marketing works for everyone. It is the process in which you use networking situations to market your business and can be beneficial particularly to business to business (B2B) companies who are looking for other business owners to market to.

What is the benefit of networking for a business?

Being a business owner can sometimes be a lonely experience. Yes, you have staff and yes you family but to the staff you are the boss and not all family are interested in talking about business. So who do you turn to when you want to chat about business without being formal? That is where the benefit of networking comes in to play, whether it is face to face networking or even just a member of a Facebook/LinkedIn group. Having access to people in similar position as you to talk to when needed eases the responsibilities of being a business owner as well as open avenues of business you might not have considered.

Through networking you can create a close knit network of individuals that you can go to for advice, do skill swaps with in order to complete projects on a budget or to attend conferences with. The connections made through networking can also provide collaboration possibilities. Regularly meeting and communicating with other owners about your business it can effortlessly spread the word about what you have to offer, without the expense of a marketing campaign or keeping track of what posts went in to which Facebook group. In this way it is one of the cheapest ways of building your audience, keeping people aware of your business and, when giving advice, it is also a way to show your expertise in your industry.

Top Tip: Always carry business cards with you to networking meets, every person you come in contact with is a potential new customer and providing them with a business card means they can find you again after the meeting.

My experience with Networking.

I personally am a member of several groups and run two of my own face to face networking groups. Through these groups I have met so many new people and even obtained several new clients, clients I would not have met any other way. A plus to these groups is when I want to vent about a situation, or dying for advice I can turn to them, provide a little detail and receive feedback that clears up the situation for me.

These networking groups and those on Facebook also offer me an audience to provide market research and it’s a guarantee they are the correct market to help me. I have offered to complete market research for other individuals as well as provide advice in regards to what actions a person should take, particularly in a situation they may not have experienced before. Answering questions put to the groups has helped my show that I do know what I am talking about, I can do what I advertise and in turn has built my client list. I have created a level of authority in my industry by a simple comment on a post.

Is Networking suitable for my business?

Yes! Networking is perfect for any business, whether you sell a physical product or provide virtual services. Finding a group of individuals that can offer you support and open more avenues for sales is one of the easiest and most effective techniques to running a business.

How do I find a local face to face group?

Local business networking groups are everywhere, some of the best ways to find a local group is to post in local Facebook groups or search on local ad pages such as Craigslist or Gumtree. Websites such as Meetups.com or Eventbrite.co.uk are specific sites created to advertise networking events, simply enter in your postcode and choose a search area. If you know another local business owner why not attend together if you are nervous about attending.

If you are local to North Leeds and want to know more about networking groups pop us an email across and I can share my local groups. I also have a list of some networking groups in the West Yorkshire area, just send me a message and I will share a copy.

Posting Content Top Tips, RedRite, Leeds, Virtual Assistant

Top tips about when to post your content

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Posting content right in order to attract your target audience is vital, follow these basic tips to get started.

The way people interact with marketing is changing, attention spans are getting shorter and more consumers are using dual screens – a mobile and a laptop – at the same time in order to multitask. So being seen by your target market is getting harder and harder. Getting the content right and when to post it out is vital. I recently listened to a video by Gary Vaynerchuk called Stop Storytelling Like it’s 2007.

Gary discusses how the content itself needs to be modified to each platform used. One story, one visual is not enough to advertise on all platforms the content needs to be adaptable. Examples are such as those who visit Pinterest – this is usually for aspirational and inspirational content rather than a business advertising their services. LinkedIn is a professional network, where content needs to be kept in a professional tone and appeal to those primarily looking for business to business content.

On top of this it is necessary to understand where exactly your audience is looking, understand who they are, what platforms they interact on more and even at what times. Knowing the answers to these questions can help you adapt your content to been seen better by the right people. There is no point posting hand knitted accessories on LinkedIn when your customers are going to be found on Pinterest or Etsy. The same can be said about timing your posts correctly, business individuals who work a 9 to 5 job won’t be online at 10m in the morning and parents are less likely to be online between 6-8pm when its kids bed times.

Finding the answers to the above questions can be a case of trial and error, sometimes what seems to work may suddenly stop working and the strategy needs to be re-evaluated. This can be true for all platforms and businesses, especially around school holidays and special events throughout the year such as Christmas and Easter where people’s habits change. There is no set perfect time and dates or even the perfect type of content in which to use, it all depends on the individuals you are appealing to. Many suggested timetables can be found online but there is no guarantee they will work, it purely is all about trial and error. Keep your brand the same but adapt your posts till you can obtain your optimum interaction level with your audience.

Another thing is to consider the correct use of hashtags in your content, I have written an article on the use of hashtags and this can be found HERE.

If you want some help understanding the analytics and insights of your posts get in touch and I will happily help.

 

Email Marketing, Leeds, RedRite, Virtual Assistant

Email Marketing – Top tips to be successful

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Email marketing can be an attention grabbing marketing tool – but only when done right!

There are so many different avenues in which to engage with your consumers and potential consumers, with the changing times however things such as newspaper ads and billboards are not as effective as receiving an email directly in to their inbox, setting of a notification alert on their mobile phone.

First step is to collect your email lists. Be careful though, many countries have laws on how you obtain your email lists, so only add those that have given you permission to add them – some email marketing companies actually ban you from emailing if these rules are broken. Current or past customer who have provided their details previously are ok to add. A sign up form on your social media profile and website can help you gather new subscribers and detailed information from them such as their business name or their gender (for gender related products). Once you have your lists in place you can start creating your email templates.

Something eye catching yet readable on desktop screens, mobiles and tablet will get more opens than those that are only readable on desktops. Basic, clean layouts make it easier for the content to be read, and keeping the content to a minimum is something to consider. You can link to an article or your website for them to read further. Many people do not spend too long reading emails unless work related and necessary, therefore the point of the content needs to be direct and contain a strong call to action. The use of bold writing and design to highlight important information or links. Short paragraphs no more than 3-4 sentences and focused on one idea while persuasive and using the right tone of voice for your customers.

By law all marketing emails must contain in the footer a contact address for yourself, an unsubscribe or change of subscription settings or update their contact information.

Set out a regular schedule for the emails to go out, with flexibility for special events, commercial events and to adapt the schedule for the most popular opening times – this can be found using the statistics provided by your email marketing provider. Too many emails can annoy the receiver and end up with them unsubscribing, the wrong

So now you have an idea how to get started, why not give it a try! If you struggle or run out of time to dedicate to designing email templates and creating content to fill them then give RedRite a shout. We can assist you with getting your name out there and your customers engaged.

Buy Yorkshire, Jessica Zeun, RedRite, Leeds, Virtual Assistant

Jessica Zeun – Digital Marketing at #BuyYorkshire

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Jessica Zeun – Vodafone – Digital Marketing for Small Business

My first seminar of the day at the #BuyYorkshire Conference was looking at digital marketing and the impacts it has on small businesses in particular hosted by Jessica Zeun on behalf of Vodafone. Jessica Zeun is the managing director of Zeun Digital Ltd, she has worked with digital marketing and computers, even teaching as a lecturer for Sheffield Hallam University, since 2006. I was lucky enough to partake in her talk at #BuyYorkshire and took away some interesting facts I had not considered or were aware of beforehand.

Firstly Jessica introduced us to some very interesting facts about the access methods for the internet and the volume of usage within the UK including the following information (sourced from SocialFresh.com/Future)

There are currently:

  • 57.3 Million Active internet users.
  • 38 Million active social media accounts
  • 74.8 Million mobile connections
  • 32 Million Active mobile social media accounts – social media accounts that are accessed on our mobiles.

She also showed us the below image which highlights the percentage of users currently Social Media Marketing

Jessica Zeun spoke passionately about the developing 4th revolution known as the Digital age where Millennials will be the driving force for social media and digital marketing. Millennials are those individuals born between early 1980s to around 2000, many the freshest faces in the workforce and just entering in to the workforce. Millennials have grown up with the developments of the internet and therefore far more comfortable with the uses than those in previous generations are.

What is the 4th Revolution?

The 4th revolution is the generation of data and customer service where marketers need to be asking questions such as Who are the customers? What do those customers like? And more importantly what problems need solving? What could your competitors do that could ruin you – could they offer a more advanced service to even just a more reliable service than yourself? Asking these kind of questions and adapting a company’s product or service to fit offers a more substantial chance at success. For example companies such as Blockbuster who ended up going bust in the early 2000’s due to their lack of interest to develop with the times and stay stuck offering physical rentals while everyone else was moving to download rentals.

Other questions that can be asked is whether your current social media and web presence could be improved for better customer experience and functionality, even making it mobile accessible – 50% – 80% of traffic for mobiles and websites are through mobile applications. Those accessing social media and websites through their mobiles are accessing up to 150 times a day with 68% of people checking within 15 minutes of waking up. An astonishing 82% of buyers consult their phones while out purchasing items to look for better priced items elsewhere, or may even find a company with a better reputation in which to purchase it from. More astonishing is that 91% of mobile users access their phones mid-task for just a few minutes at a time. Therefore it is essential to be Be There – Be Useful – Be Quick.

So should I change my current marketing strategy?

Adapting your marketing to get in front of this audience would benefit your business significantly. Having a relevant and useful website, or even an app, can result in 1 in 3 people choosing your brand over their original intended store. 40% of those shoppers however will leave a website within 3 seconds if it is not clear or easily navigational, the action in which you want them to take must be easily understood. Jessica mentioned the Zero Moment of Truth, (More about ZMOT can be found on google – https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/collections/zero-moment-truth.html) which looked at the introduction of online research to fulfil a need or a desire where in previous generations people would automatically go to associated businesses for a product – I.E. B&Q for garden and building materials or Mothercare for Baby goods. So get your website tested by friends and family, or even random people from social media to assure it is both clear and navigational.

ZMOT Model - Digital Marketing

Figure 1 – Zero Moment of Truth model.

If you have a functional and clear to understand website/social media presence then you need to get advertised, Jessica highlighted several different types of advertising including:

Paid Content

  • Pay Per Clicks
  • Banner Ads
  • Affiliate programs

Owned Content

  • Website and Social Media content
  • Videos
  • Blogs

Earned Content

  • Editorials
  • Bloggers talking about you
  • Word of Mouth
  • Social Shares
  • Advertorial – One of the best ways to advertise and be seen

On top of these there are also paid guest blog posts, boosted posts and apps. It is vital though that once you have a marketing strategy in place you measure it and are aware of what is and is not working. All while making sure your website is core to your strategy as it is your own platform and you control all content, functions and the way it looks unlike on social media platforms. Always monitor regularly and respond to every interaction. Collect information and learn more about your audience so you can target marketing far easier and finally generate active content – do not just sell but interact, provide sharable content and appear approachable within your posts.

For more information on Marketing why not follow Jessica on LinkedIn – Zeun Digital

And also follow us – www.LinkedIn.com/in/RedRite-uk

Bizmums Conference 2015, RedRite, Leeds

BizMums Conference and Awards 2015

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BizMums Conference and Awards – What an amazing day!! I do not know where to begin.

Saturday (17/10/2015) I went to my first BizMums Conference and Awards ceremony and I can honestly say the warmth, support and overall welcoming you feel as part of their group is amazing, some beautiful women were selected for awards and it is such a pity they all couldn’t be given awards for their contributions not only to the business world but to one another on a support basis. I truly cannot wait to get more involved with these women and help spread their love.

Speaking of love, must I say that if you ever need a boost in confidence running your business or worrying about fitting in then you need to speak to the lovely Mrs Emma Sutton, Queen of Diamonds. Many business owners like those seen at the conference want to stand out from the grey corporate world, have taken the steps to start their own business built on what they enjoy, so why then should you continue to conform to the ‘dude rules’? Live it up like a diva and let your personality shine in your business. There are 3 things Emma believes every business owner should love.

Love your business – If you are not totally in love with your branding and graphics that you would frame it on your wall, then change it to something you could completely love! You lose passion in your business if you are not in love with it and what you do, let your business be an expression of who you are and do not be afraid to stand out.

Love your clients – What client is going to rave about your business and spread knowledge of it to their friends if they feel like another blank face to you? A quick 2 minute phone call or email to say ‘Hi how are you?’ can make all the difference. Emma owes this lesson to a lovely butcher she once knew, whenever she would go in for something he would ask nicely what she was making, upon learning he would provide her with a secondary ingredient without asking anything in return. For Emma this created the first of many ‘You will never believe what just happened to me…’ moments. This happened around 12 years ago yet Emma has never forgotten his kindness.

Love yourself – Do you really know who you are, or have you spent so long being a business ninja? No not a smooth secret fighting machine but so hidden amongst the crowd too afraid to be yourself and take the risk. Then you need to fully embrace who you are and let her loose!! Proud to be true to yourself, even if it means some do not like you so what brush it off and carry one. You cannot truly be yourself and have everyone love you, there will always be those that you do not get along with.

This then led to Emma explain to us her diva statement. The definition is as follows:

D – Dare to be different (Express yourself and uniqueness)

Emma highlighted that not everything needs to be the same as everyone else, if you want to wear your heart on your sleeve then do so.

I – Use your Intuition (follow that niggle, think with the heart a little more)

Ignore that niggling voice of doubt listing all the reasons not to do something and just do it! If you are worried someone might be too busy to answer the phone but unsure when to call then just call and take the chance you might be surprised.

V – Be vivacious (Be seen for who you are and shine!)

IF you have a naturally bouncy and outgoing personality then do not hide it when it comes to business. One thing I fully took away was Emma’s statement about knowing your worth. Do not worry if you are possibly over pricing, you are worth every penny you charge. She mentioned a quote regarding a Ferrari sales man who worried about the prices he was charging but he realised the price reflected the worth of the cars. Do not let yourself get in the way of achieving all that you can.

A – Create and adventure (Take a risk and explore the unknown)

Do not be afraid to ruffle some feathers and stand out. Try once a week to do something you were unsure about doing. Emma considered that other business owners where doing as she was, stuffing business cards in a drawer till it got full then tipping it in the bin. So she changed it up and took a risk to offer people a small glass diamond instead.

Emma, in her gorgeous purple polka dress completely non-corporate uniform, emphasised the point that to be seen you need to be yourself, SHINE BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND. So take a risk, jump off the ledge and be yourself, no matter how crazy 🙂

emma Sutton

Following Emma’s lovely presentation we were then lucky enough to also have the esteemed Amanda Dodd help us understand how to deal with overwhelming marketing. Amanda owns the award winning Koogar Marketing Company, supporting businesses in any way they can through web design and marketing strategies designed to optimise the best of a business. Amanda started by asking what overwhelmed us in marketing, some of the answer where:

‘Too Much To do’     ‘Pressure to keep up’       ‘Being seen amongst the crowd’      ‘No time to do it’    ‘How to do it and create an effective plan’                 ‘Knowing where to start’

Amanda helped us break things down and see no matter what time we have, especially since we all have the same time as Richard Branson!, we can create effective plans with very little stress involved. The main point is managing your time effectively, sit down work out where your time goes and if you are spending hours browsing Twitter then why not use it to market instead? If you do not know how to do the marketing tricks needed then get trained, or even better hire someone who can (a Virtual Assistant or Marketing company).

Many people see new technology and methods evolve and feel they should be taking part, Periscope being one of them, yet not every method works for every company. What might work for your competitor may not necessarily work for you, if you do not know how to use Twitter do not stress about it use another platform that you can use. Ever attend a seminar and take a TON of notes yet stuff them in a file to type up and go over later and haven’t done? It is because there is too many distractions and very action taken!

Amanda gave us 5 tips in which to follow and help us get over the overwhelming marketing.

  • Take a Knee

A major film buff, Amanda used the film After Earth to high light this point. When things start to overwhelm you and you cannot see the end, take a knee (literally if it helps) and consider the following

  1. What is working?
  2. What is not working?
  3. What are you currently doing right?
  4. What do you need to stop doing?
  5. What have you always wanted to do?
  6. What is stopping you?
  7. What resources do you need?
  8. How can you move forward?

Taking a few minutes to answer this questions will help you get started on your journey to effective marketing.

  • GET FOCUSED!!

There is no point spending time and money on a million projects trying to build awareness of your company if you do not actually have a goal in place to achieve, whether it be at the end of the month or the end of the year. So do you know your current goals?

  • Make 2 ½ Lists

This one had a few of us looking extremely confused as to the half a list??? Really?? Yet once Amanda explain it we fully understand the reasoning. Take that knee for 30 minutes (Time yourself so you do not over think things) and brain dump! Absolutely everything that is spinning in your head, work, personal, projects anything. Even the old question of ‘what shall I cook for dinner tonight?’ – dump it!

Then look at all the projects/goals you have listed on the dump page and pick one, just one. This will then be your focus for the month, if you finish it earlier than the end of the month then go ahead and pick another one but focus on one at a time. This is where the half list comes in. Break the project down in to steps – What supplies and resources do you need? If you haven’t got them make a shopping list and go shopping one day. Take it a step a day and watch as that long overdue project is completed or that far away goal is suddenly achieved!

  • UNDERSTAND YOUR WHY

If you do not even understand the reason for doing what is you do then why are you doing it? Where is your passion and drive if you have no reason for it? If you have lost sight of that reason then take a knee and rediscover it. Write it down, frame it, whatever it takes to remind you why you are doing what you are doing when you start losing sight. Amanda used the film Machine Gun Preacher to highlight this point.

  • KNOW YOUR GOALS

What is you want to achieve? Know exactly what it is you want to achieve and what you need to do to get there. For Amanda this was rowing, she wanted to start rowing and now practises approximately 4 times a week as part of a team. This is because she knew her goal and went for it.

Amanda Dodd

Very similar to Emma, Amanda highlighted that no matter how much you believe in your business there is always room for doubt, but the knowing who you truly are and why you are doing what you do comes from deep within your core, there is no room for doubt. You are not always destined to be everyone’s favourite, statistically within the first 3 seconds someone will make up their mind not only about you but your business, however it’s using your knowledge of your business and what is currently important in the world around you that will help you build awareness of yourself and your brand. Once awareness is earned follow up will bring in the business. Marketing is consistent, not when the flow of work stops, so email previous and current clients every month to say Hi, or reminding potential clients you are still there ready to help them can make the difference between effective marketing and just building vague awareness.

Both ladies provided some excellent advice and I cannot thank them enough for their speeches. I intend to take away things I have learnt and use them not only in my own business but in that of my clients. Hope I did their speeches justice from the numerous notes I wrote down 🙂 If anyone would like to know more about either the ladies or of BizMums itself then please do get in touch I will gladly provide the information.

Hashtag guide, RedRite, Leeds

Hashtags… What not to do

by with One Comment Articles

Hashtags… a useful aspect of language, but can also have disastrous effects when done wrong

What started out as an identifier for address mode in computer language back in 1970 has now become one of the most used symbols in international languages on Social Media platforms. The hash-tag (#) was once just a basic symbol very rarely used by those outside of the computer programming network but back in 2007 when Chris Messina proposed to use hash-tags to identify groups on twitter it changed the use of hash tag completely. Although it had been used in Internet Relay Chat (IRC) networks previously to label groups and topics it wasn’t until it was introduced on Twitter that it fully developed in to everyday use. Hash-tags have become especially useful for business owners on Twitter to get their business notice, using trending hashtags to make people more aware of their business and in turn lead to new customers.

However there is a downside to the hashtag phenomenon and that is picking the wrong hashtag. There are documented incidents where companies have not researched the use of a hashtag correctly and tweeted very damaging messages to their followers. For example the #McDStories, where Macdonald’s had hopes of people sharing their good stories about Macdonald’s and was connected to their #meetthefarmer campaign of tracking the story behind the supply chain of their products. The McDStories however was shut down 2 hours after release when people used it to relate stories on how they had been disappointed in the service or had become ill because of the food. This is a fail that is still seen today. Another example is the numerous Q&A hashtags that have popped up and very quickly disappeared again, from figures such as J P Morgan and Dr Mehmet OZ, who when opening themselves up to Q&As ended up with ridiculous questions unrelated to their business or related yet complete jokes.

When planning on using a hashtag for your company it is best to research first, keep an eye on international news as sometimes if disaster has struck and you hashtag that area your tweet can become an offensive remark. Like the Celeb Boutique who mistook the hashtag #Aurora trending to be regarding their new Kim K inspired Aurora dress. The truth was that the hashtag was in relation to the mass shooting in a movie theatre in Aurora, this came off as very insensitive and upsetting.

So when looking for a hashtag don’t just pick a random one hoping it will be effective, or pick one that’s trending without knowing why. Something as simple as a hashtag can cause great problems for a company no matter how big and impact how your customers see you. If you are not sure if it will be beneficial to your company then get a second opinion or just do not use it at all. If you use a scheduling software to schedule your tweets remember what it is you have picked as well so you do not automatically tweet something that has become insensitive or is no longer relevant.