Why Can’t I Boost My Reels On Instagram? Troubleshoot Common Reels Ads Issues
Find out what you can do if your ads are getting disapproved on Instagram and how to prevent them from being rejected in the future.
Reels is the future of video storytelling on Instagram. It already makes up 20% of the time spent on the platform. That means that if you’re not using Reels to tell your brand story, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity.
Are Reels good for business account?
Absolutely yes. There are a few key reasons:
1- Reels are highly engaging, and users are much more likely to watch a Reel than any other type of content on Instagram.
2- They’re also fun and creative, which gives brands a chance to show off their personality. Plus, Reels are easy to make and don’t require a lot of time or resources.
3- When you share content using Reels, the algorithm pushes your content to users who are not following you, giving you the chance to gain followers.
4- Users engage more with Reels content because they are entertaining, digestible, and relatable.
Why Are Reels A Great Way To Grow Your Followers?
Reels are a great way to grow followers because they’re highly engaging and the algorithm pushes your content to users who are not following you. When you use Reels the right way, you can increase your reach and get more people interested in your brand.
How To Gain Followers Using Reels?
Pull your audience in and entertain them with content that appeals to their ears, eyes and hearts.
1. Design for sound on
Over 80% of Reels are viewed with sound.1 Music can be an effective audio strategy for captivating attention and creating connection, particularly when it complements the mood of your story (i.e. relaxing, inspiring, energizing, chill, dreamy).
2. Dazzle with visual effects
Adding effects are a great way to inject a little fun in your Reels and enhance the story — in fact, over 40% of Reels use effects.1 Try effects like green screen to help you layer first-person video commentary onto content.
3. Inspire an emotional response
Entertaining ads tend to elicit emotions like happiness, interest and curiousity. Consider sparking intrigue by taking an edutainment approach and teaching your audience something new or helping them learn more about something they already love.
Boost Your Reels to Reach New Audiences
Can you boost Reels on Instagram?
Yes! You can now boost your Reels on Instagram to reach more people.
Here’s how:
1. Go to your business profile and click on the Reels tab.
2. Find the Reel you want to boost and click the “Promote” button.
3. Choose your objective (reach, website clicks or conversions) and target audience.
4. Set your budget and duration, then click “Confirm.”
5. Your Reel will start promoting as an ad once it’s been reviewed and approved.
Keep in mind that you can’t boost Reels with:
– Camera filters
– Shared to Facebook
– Gifs
– Tappable elements
– Copyrighted music
If you’re having trouble boosting your Reel, keep reading! We have some solutions that can help you get approved.
Which reels can be boosted?
Businesses can now boost their reels within the Instagram app to turn them into ads for the opportunity to reach new audiences and drive more engagement. Boosted Reels, summarized in the reel below, will appear in feed, Stories, the Reels tab and the explore page to help new customers find your brand.
To be eligible for boosting within the Instagram app, reels must be less than 60 seconds and have a 9:16 aspect ratio, which means they’re filmed vertically and have a full-screen format. At this time, Reels that use third party IP—such as copyrighted music, GIFs, interactive stickers or camera filters in a Reel—are ineligible for boosting, as well as reels shared to Facebook.
If you’re looking to boost your reach on Instagram, Reels Ads is a great way to do it. However, at this time, not every Reel can be boosted. Here’s a look at some of the most common problems and how to solve them.
Problem 1: Video Resolution
If you’re getting this error, most likely, your video has a filter effect.
How to fix this problem? Assuming that you want to keep using the filter, you can download the Reel using a website like Snapinsta.app and upload it again. You can also edit your Reel before posting it using a video editing app like CapCut.
Problem 2: Shared to Facebook
Reels are typically shared to Facebook, by default. If you are getting this error, you’ll need to publish your Reel again and remove the permission to share Reels to Facebook.
Provided that you are not violating any of the other prohibitions, your ad should be approved.
Problem 3: Contains Gifs
Gifs are not currently supported by Reels Ads. This means that if your Reel contains a Gif, it will not be able to be boosted.
To solve this problem, post your Reel without any Gifs or Stickers.
Problem 4: Tappable Elements
Tappable elements are not currently supported by Reels Ads. This means that if your Reel contains any tappable elements, such as links or call-to-actions, they will not be clickable when viewed on a boosted Reel.
If you have an original version of your video, simply upload it again but without any tappable element. Note that if you filmed your video directly on the app, you won’t be able to remove the element. So in this case, filming a new one will be the solution.
Problem 5: Copyrighted Music
Copyrighted music is not currently supported by Reels Ads. This means that if your Reel contains any copyrighted music, it will not be able to be boosted.
To solve this problem, create a new video using original sound instead of a song.
In Conclusion
By following these solutions, you should be able to boost your Reels without any issues. Remember to always check the requirements for Reels Ads before posting to make sure your content is eligible.
Boosting your Reels is a great way to increase your reach and get more eyes on your brand. So take advantage of this feature and start promoting your business today!
The Case Of Why You Should Create An Online Course (One That Sells)
If you follow these tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating a profitable online course.
No matter where you are in your life or career, you have something to teach the world. Perhaps you don’t have all the details today, but the idea of not having to sell your time to make money is getting you curious.
And, you’re not alone. A recent study showed that nearly 60% of Americans would take an online course if it fits their schedule and interests, but only 10% have actually done so.
Assuming you have the time and interest in creating an online course, let’s explore the case for why this is a great
The pros of creating an online course
1 – The barriers to entry are low.
In the past, creating an online course required expensive software and hosting platforms. But now, there are platforms like Teachable that make it easy and affordable to get started. You can create and host your course on their platform without any upfront costs.
2 – You can reach a global audience.
With an online course, you can reach people all over the world. You’re not limited by geographic location like you are with in-person courses or events.
3 – There are existing ecosystems that will help you reach the audience and sell your course.
Platforms like Teachable have built-in audiences of people who are looking to learn. And, they also handle all of the marketing and payment processing for you. This means that you can focus on creating great content for your course.
4 – The upcoming generations are very receptive to learning online.
If you’re thinking that online courses are a fad, think again. The latest data shows that e-learning is here to stay. In fact, the global e-learning market is expected to reach $325 billion by 2025.
Who learns online?
Data shows that people of all ages are learning online. In fact, according to the latest data from the US Department of Education, over 6 million students took at least one online course in 2016.
The breakdown by age group is as follows:
– Under 18: 2.6 million students (17%)
– 18-24: 3.1 million students (20%)
– 25-34: 1.6 million students (10%)
– 35-44: 1.2 million students (8%)
– 45-54: 0.9 million students (6%)
– 55 and older: 1.0 million students (7%)
All of the above reasons should be getting you excited about creating an online course, but there’s one more important factor to consider…
5 – It’s highly profitable.
While the average American worker makes $44,564 per year, the top 1% of course creators are making over $200,000 per year. In fact, some of the top online course creators are making millions of dollars per year.
How much can you charge for your course?
It depends on the length and depth of your course, but the average price of an online course is between $97 and $997.
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. And you will see lots of courses for FREE. They are great for lead generation.
The bottom line is that creating an online course is a great way to make money and allow you to work remotely – indefinitely. You are the creator of your own economy.
So the next question is: how do you actually build a real business from your courses?
A course business is part of the CAAS Industry (Content As A Service).
SAAS vs CAAS? What’s the difference?
What is SAAS?
The software-as-a-service (SaaS) model has become a popular way for companies to consume and pay for business software. SaaS represents a new category of software that delivers applications over the web. Rather than purchasing, installing, and maintaining complex on-premises software, organizations can now subscribe to simple, easy-to-use applications that are always up to date and accessible from any device with an internet connection.
What is CAAS?
Content as a service (CaaS) is a cloud-based content management system (CMS) that provides users with on-demand access to a library of digital content, including articles, videos, images, and more.
CaaS platforms are similar to other types of SaaS applications in that they are delivered over the internet and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. However, CaaS platforms differ from other types of SaaS applications in that they focus exclusively on content management.
While there are many different CaaS platforms available, they all share a common goal: to make it easy for users to create, manage, and deliver digital content.
The benefits of using a CaaS platform include:
– On-demand access to a library of digital content
– Ability to create, manage, and deliver digital content
– Ability to customize the look and feel of your content
– Increased efficiency and productivity
If you’re looking for a way to create, manage, and deliver digital content, then a CaaS platform is a great option.
There are many different CaaS platforms available, but not all of them are created equal. When choosing a CaaS platform, it’s important to consider your specific needs and requirements.
Some of the things you should look for in a CaaS platform include:
– Ease of use: The platform should be easy to use, even if you’re not a tech-savvy person.
– Content Library: The platform should have a library of digital content that you can access on demand.
– Ability to customize: The platform should allow you to customize the look and feel of your content.
– Increased efficiency: The platform should help you increase your efficiency and productivity.
– Marketplace features: The platform should have marketplace features that allow you to sell your courses.
The bottom line is that if you’re looking for a way to create, manage, and deliver digital content, then a CaaS platform is a great option. When we were exploring all the CaaS in the market: Kajabi, ClickFunnels, Teachable, Simplero, Thunkific, WordPress Plugins, and Kartra, we decided to go with Kartra. Kartra has offers the best SEO features and is great for technical SEO. If you’re in the market for a CaaS platform, try Kartra for free.
Tips To A Profitable Online Course
1 – Find an audience that is eager to learn. There’s no reason for you to convince people about why they should learn something.
2 – Before creating the course, find similar courses and do some ethical “cyberstalking”. Pay attention to their teaching style, platform, and most importantly, how they engage with their students.
3 – Use an evergreen model to ensure long-term profitability. You certainly don’t want to create a course that becomes obsolete within months.
4 – Create content marketing that helps you gain brand authority. This will make people want to buy your courses because they trust you.
5 – The key to selling courses is not to be too salesy. Instead, focus on providing value and helping people reach their goals.
6 – Use an email list to increase course sales. This way, you can stay in touch with your students and promote new courses to them.
7 – Offer a money-back guarantee to increase course sales. This will help you build trust with your audience and make them feel more comfortable buying your courses.
8 – Provide bonuses and other incentives to people who buy your courses. This will help you increase course sales and keep your students happy.
9 – Focus on giving your users a stellar customer experience. This will help you increase course sales and reduce refunds.
10 – Don’t create a course until you have students who are ready to learn from you. Offer mini sessions for free so you can test your content with a real audience. Then you create paid content to expand from your free mini sessions. By doing this, you will be creating content for an audience that is ready to learn from YOU. This is the key to building profitable online courses.
Creating and selling a course can be a great way to make money online. However, it’s important to keep in mind that not all courses are created equal. In order to create a successful and profitable course, you need to focus on providing value, engaging with your students, and using marketing strategies that will help you sell your courses. And sometimes, a profitable course is one that you give away for free, as part as your customer acquisition costs. Long term, this can be a profitable activity.
If you follow these tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating a profitable online course. Just remember that it takes time, effort, and dedication to succeed. So don’t give up and keep moving forward!
Done for you course creation services:
Hiring a team that can offer a done-for-you course creation services can save you time and energy; and most importantly, will cut your learning curve.
Why did we pick Kartra to build our courses?
Kartra offers what most teaching platforms do: all-in-one content building, marketing, and sales. But there’s one area where they stand out from their competitors like ClickFunnels, Kajabi, Teachable, and others: you are able to create inside Kartra and take it to your WordPress. This is a big deal, especially for technical SEO.
Learn how to do a website audit yourself and find ways to make your site more effective at generating leads – even in a recession!
If you’re like most businesses, your website is likely one of your biggest missed opportunities. In today’s day and age, people are increasingly turning to the internet to find products and services. As a result, a well-designed website can be a powerful tool for attracting new customers. Furthermore, a website provides you with a platform to showcase your products or services in the best light possible. In other words, a website is an essential tool for any business that is looking to grow.
So, what makes a good website?
There are a few key elements that you should keep in mind. First and foremost, your website should be easy to navigate and user-friendly. Secondly, it should be visually appealing and informative. Finally, your website should be optimized for search engines so that potential customers can easily find you online. By keeping these elements in mind, you can ensure that your website is an effective tool for attracting new business.
In this article, we will go over a website audit – DIY so you can explore potential missed opportunities.
Questions to consider when auditing your website
Before you can start thinking about auditing your website, you need to be clear on what problem your business solves. That might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s amazing how many businesses don’t have a clear answer to that question. Once you know what problem you solve, you can start thinking about how your website communicates that to visitors.
Is it clear and concise?
Do you use language that your target audience will understand?
Do you provide enough information to help people make a decision?
These are all important questions to consider when auditing your website. Because at the end of the day, a brand is what people think about your business. And you want them to think highly of you.
Keep your target audience in mind
If you’re in a situation where you have a strong brand but you’re not targeting the right audience, making some changes to your branding messaging can have a big impact. Along with a clear call to action, revamping your branding can help you reach your target market more effectively. Keep in mind, however, that it’s important to remain true to your brand identity. Don’t make any radical changes that could confuse or alienate your existing customer base. Instead, focus on making subtle adjustments that will help you reach your target market without compromising your brand identity.
Pro tip: Rebrand when there is no other option. Making subtle changes in a few website pages might be what your business needs today.
Your website goals
A website is no longer a static business card. In order to compete in today’s market, your website must be updated regularly with exclusive offers and a user-friendly interface. If your goal is to increase revenue, your website must be designed with this goal in mind.
Home page DIY audit
Some of the questions that will help you audit your website:
Is the home page eye-catching?
Can your visitors read about the problem you solve for them, within the first 5 seconds of landing?
Is the menu easy to navigate?
Do you have excessive text?
Do you have calls to action so that users know how they can do business with you?
Pro tip: The home page is not always your top-visited page. Be sure to check your Google Analytics so you can see how are people coming to your website and prioritize your top pages.
How do I generate leads from my website?
One of the main goals of having a website is to generate business. But before you can generate business, you need to generate leads. And when you’re auditing your website, one of the key areas to explore is how you’re generating leads. If you’ve never generated leads online before, this should be your starting point.
There are a number of ways to generate leads on your website, and which methods you choose will depend on your business and your audience.
Common ways to generate more leads on your website:
Some common methods include using forms to collect contact information, providing gated content that requires an email address to access, and running ads that target people who are interested in your products or services.
Pro tip: Combine your lead capture with a strong email marketing strategy so you can nurture your audience and add value consistently.
Free Website Audit Tools
Before you start making changes to your website, it’s important to do a comprehensive assessment of how it’s performing currently, from the technical point of view. Know that when a site has technical errors, Google won’t rank it. And this is crucial in order for you to determine where your focus should truly be.
This is what’s known as a technical website audit or a “website health check”. By taking a close look at your page views, bounce rate, average time on page, and other key metrics, you can get a sense of where your website needs improvement.
There are a number of tools that can help you with this process, including Google Analytics, Moz’s SEO Explorer, SEM Rush, and AHREFS, just to name a few.
By taking the time to do a thorough audit of your website, you can ensure that any changes you make will be based on data and will have a positive impact on your website’s performance.
What Should You Do Now?
Chances are, your DIY website audit reflects that it’s time to make some changes. But the most important part of taking the time to do this audit is to understand which changes matter the most.
If you found no traffic, or a very high bounce rate, and your Google Search Console has errors, this means it’s a technical SEO problem. This should be your highest priority. Hiring a senior-level SEO will take care of all your needs in one: from technical SEO, to optimizing for brand awareness, traffic, or conversion rates optimizations.
A good SEO strategy will also improve your website’s usability and design. They’ll make sure your website is easy to navigate and looks good on all devices. This will help improve your website’s user experience, which is another ranking factor for Google. Finally, a good SEO will also help you create high-quality content that is engaging and relevant to your audience. content that is engaging and relevant to your audience. And this is how you’ll turn your website into possibly replacing a sales team!
Join our Free Marketing Resource Center
You’re always hustling, trying new things, and looking for an edge on the competition. We get it. And we’re here to help. Our Marketing Resource Center is full of tips, tricks, and tactics that can help you market smarter and more effectively. Plus, it’s a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest industry news and trends. So if you’re serious about marketing your business for success, join our Resource Center today. It’s free, and you’ll be glad you did.
Inflation is a serious challenge for businesses – find out how to stay afloat and protect your company in this tough economy.
After relying primarily on price increases, business owners and executives are looking for creative ways to maintain profit margins and survive during inflation.
Here are a few fast facts based on the latest Consumer Price Index as of March 2022:
Food prices rose 8.8%, and the largest increase was in the “food at home” category (i.e., groceries).
Energy prices rose 32%, and the largest increases were in the “fuel oil and gasoline” categories.
Prices for items outside of food and energy rose 6.5% and the largest increase was in the “shelter” category.
So, how do you fight inflation, without increasing your prices?
According to a recent MFG survey of local business owners in Austin, Texas, the majority of business owners are fighting inflation by increasing their marketing efforts to increase their overall sales volume, followed by pricing strategies, and outsourcing.
Those are all great ideas, but there are a million strategies out there to improve your bottom line even as everything gets pricier.
Here are a few ways that businesses can adjust to inflation:
1) Increase marketing efforts to generate more sales volume. If your product is selling at the same price but you’re able to sell more units, your business will still come out ahead. Develop a strategic plan to nurture existing consumers and reach new audiences at the same time.
2) Know your numbers. Keep a close eye on your budget and know where every penny is going. The same goes for your revenue. Get granular data about your top-selling products. Knowing where you can make cuts will help save your business money.
3) Be creative with pricing. If you must increase prices, look for ways to do it in a way that won’t cause too much of a shock to your customers. For example, you could institute a small price increase for all customers or offer discounts for bulk purchases or preorders.
4) Consider outsourcing. In some cases, it may be more cost-effective to outsource certain aspects of your business rather than try to do everything in-house.
5) Keep your employees and customers happy. Inflation can be tough on everyone, but it’s important to try to maintain a positive attitude and keep your employees and customers happy. After all, they are the backbone of your business. Loyalty programs are a great way to keep customers coming back, and happy employees are more productive employees. A loyalty program is a system where customers can earn rewards for their purchases. For example, a business might offer a loyalty card that gives customers 1 point for every $1 they spend. Once the customer reaches a certain number of points, they can redeem them for discounts or freebies.
6) Implement better processes and systems. Review your current processes and see where you can make improvements that will help increase efficiency and decrease costs, especially in the following areas of your business:
Productivity
Customer service
Business development
Digitalization
Automation
7) Reduce advertising costs by utilizing digital marketing methods which are often more cost-effective. This means:
Focusing on SEO to make sure your website appears as the top result in search engine results pages.
Utilizing social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, to reach potential customers.
Creating email marketing campaigns to promote your products or services.
Using content marketing to attract potential customers to your website.
By utilizing these digital marketing methods, you can reduce your advertising costs and still reach a large audience.
How does inflation affect your marketing strategy?
If you’re not sure how to adjust your marketing strategy for inflation, here are a few tips:
1) Review your target audience. Make sure you understand who your target audience is and what their needs are. This will help you determine how to best reach them with your marketing message.
2) Focus on value. When consumers are feeling the pinch of inflation, they’re going to be more focused on getting the most bang for their buck. Make sure your marketing messages emphasize the value of your product or service.
3) Get creative with your messaging. If you can find a way to stand out from the competition and grab attention, you’ll be in a better position to succeed during periods of inflation.
4) Be flexible. Inflation can be unpredictable, so it’s important to be flexible with your marketing strategy. If you’re able to adapt quickly to changes in the market, you’ll be in a better position to succeed. If you are working with a marketing agency or lead a marketing team, be sure that you can implement new initiatives and pivot quickly.
5) Market to existing customers. During periods of inflation, it can be more difficult to attract new customers. Instead, focus on marketing to your existing customer base and try to increase loyalty and repeat business.
How can businesses benefit from inflation?
Your business can benefit from inflation, in the long run. By staying proactive, your path to leading your market would be much easier. Also, as time goes by and people get used to the idea of inflation, they will start to think about it less and carry on with their lives. In turn, this would lead to more customers for your business and help you maintain a good market share.
How can a fractional CMO help your business thrive during inflation?
A fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) is a senior-level marketing executive who can be hired on a part-time or project basis to provide expert marketing guidance and leadership to businesses.
Why hire a fractional CMO?
There are several reasons why you might consider hiring a fractional CMO:
1 ) You’re not ready to commit to a full-time CMO. A full-time CMO salary is typically out of reach for many small businesses. But by hiring a fractional CMO, you can get the same level of expertise and experience without breaking the bank.
2) You need help with a specific marketing project. If you have a specific marketing project that needs to be completed, such as rebranding or launching a new product, a fractional CMO can help you get it done.
3) You need an experienced marketing leader. If you’re a small business without a lot of marketing experience on your team, hiring a fractional CMO can give you the expertise and leadership you need to take your marketing to the next level.
4) You need help with marketing strategy. One of the most important roles of a CMO is to develop and execute a marketing strategy that aligns with the business’s overall goals. If you need help developing or fine-tuning your marketing strategy, a fractional CMO can be a great resource.
5) You want to reduce your marketing costs by outsourcing but don’t have the capacity to lead a marketing team. By hiring a fractional CMO, you can outsource your marketing functions and still have someone in-house to provide leadership and strategic direction.
If you’re facing inflation and aren’t sure how to adjust your marketing strategy, a fractional CMO can help. A fractional CMO can provide the expert guidance you need to navigate the challenges of inflation and keep your business thriving.
MFG offers fractional CMO services in Austin, Texas
Learn more about our digital marketing services and how we can help you drive more business by visiting our website or contacting us today.
Let’s cover some important questions that you want to ask yourself when you’re in the process of hiring your business coach.
What Do You Want From A Business Coach?
Before we dive in, let me tell you about a conversation I had with a very successful business owner with over 20 years of experience and great friend.
She asked me if I thought that a business coach could help her.
“What would you like from a business coach?” I asked.
Her answer: I don’t really know.
A completely normal answer.
There’s no definitive guide on how to hire a business coach. Business coaching is a relatively new practice and has little to no regulations.
So, I asked her if she could tell me the story of how she started her business and how she currently felt about her business.
That question worked!
She told me all about her business idea, how she started, and all the work she put into building it up. Her eyes were shining. You could tell she was reliving those great moments in her head from when her business was a dream and she saw the possibilities.
I was patiently listening to her story as the suspense built. As expected, the romance period ended, business is taking more effort than what she thought, and she is questioning if there’s something more fulfilling that she could be doing.
She said …“I feel like I am in a different place. I no longer see my business as this amazing money-making machine.”
As a business matures, the romance period ends and growing a business, on top of working with clients, becomes a heavy lifting job. This creates friction, since the original reason for starting a business was to not have a job.
The challenge for entrepreneurs is to figure out ways to feel passionate about their business, even when things are not looking great.
Hiring a coach makes total sense at this point (ideally you don’t want to wait until you feel like quitting).
I asked her more questions about her routine, the things she likes about her business. And I found out that she had been working on other projects related to helping foster care centers and would like to find a way to incorporate those into her business.
You might not know what do you want from your business coach, but you will know what do you want from your business. The kind of routine you want to have.
Having clarity about the kind of lifestyle you want to live will certainly help you in the process of hiring a business coach. If you can find a business coach that has achieved what you want to achieve and is willing to share everything with you, even better!
A Business Coach For Entrepreneurs Will Be A Great Fit
My friend’s story reminded me exactly how I felt, back in 2008, when I lost my law firm income. I had found an opportunity to work from home and was very confused. I wanted to know if that opportunity could truly replace my law firm income and wanted clear steps to make it work.
I was willing to put the effort, but I couldn’t afford to waste time.
So I met an attorney with experience in direct sales, who was living it! He gave me some pointers, but after a few calls, I was ready to start on his coaching program.
How Did I Work With My First Business Coach?
My first business coach had a very personalized model. He built a curriculum – just for me. And I think this gave me a huge advantage.
During my first year of working with my first business coach:
I had a clear vision of the kind of business I wanted to build.
I learned about personal branding and how to position my story, instead of selling products online.
He crafted our marketing and sales systems and became the #1 hispanic ambassador for Beachbody.
I started a new distribution agreement with an international company.
I discovered a new world of MINDSET tools.
I signed up a 3-months contract and by the time I was in month 2, I already knew I wanted to work with him for a full year. And we did. Best decision ever!
Keep in mind, this is back in 2012. This experience inspired me so much that I decided to be a marketing coach. So I signed up in a full year program with a marketing academy lead by Fabienne Fredrickson.
I’m a product of coaching and truly believe that if you find a good coach, your life will transform.
Business Mentor vs Business Coach
Another question that might come up when you’re doing your research is about the difference between a mentor and a coach.
How is a business mentor different from a business coach?
A business mentor has first-hand experience of the mentee’s line of work. A business coach, however, does not need to have hands-on experience of the kind of work the coachee is engaged in.
You’re getting someone who’s already walked in your shoes. They are experienced in your field and can help fast-track you along your growth path. They can offer guidance, friendship and support; there is usually a level of personal connection as they serve as a role model to help an individual reach their potential.
My first business coach was a mentor more than a coach. Since my experience was so impactful, I am biased towards this coaching approach.
You should ask your future coach if their work is more mentoring than coaching and see how they explain it to you.
When I coach entrepreneurs, I mentor them. I’m an open book. My clients have access to every move we make, behind the scenes. They have seen wins and failures too.
Your business mentor should own a successful business
Your business mentor should be successful. Something that seems very obvious, but it’s not always the case.
If you aspire to become a full time entrepreneur, your business mentor should have experience as a full time entrepreneur, building businesses.
There are “business mentors” who have never built a business successfully and sell programs teaching people how to grow a business. This brings a huge red flag.
Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs (Coaching Packages)
If you’re looking for small business coaching services or small business coaching packages, a business coaching & mentoring program offers the best of both worlds.
Most coaches are creating packages. A package combines training and coaching with a customized mentoring experience. In this way, you could be getting pre-recorded modules, in addition to private coaching sessions.
In my coaching program, for example, we offer pre-recorded modules, personalized curriculum that covers sales and marketing training, and mastermind calls for accountability and implementation.
Finding a business coaching program near you will be recommended. Proximity will be key, as the program typically offers live events that can impact your business tremendously.
Business Coaching & Mentoring in Austin, Texas
If you’re in the Austin, Texas zone, my business coaching & mentoring program could be a great fit.
I combine personalized mentoring with coaching via private sessions, mastermind calls, and retreats. Members get access to a private community with exclusive opportunities to grow their business.
This is a great fit for business owners who are looking for a good mentor so they can thrive in life while growing a successful business. Take our coaching survey to get to know you more.
The holiday season can impact small business owners tremendously. In fact, experts predict that holiday spending this year to accumulate $1.147 billion to $1.152 billion in sales.
If you’re starting to prepare your business for the holiday season, you will love this opportunity that Spectrum Reach is bringing to support small business owners to maximize holiday sales!
And yes, it’s FREE!
Rebuild My Town Texas: Join Spectrum’s Support Local Campaign
This is a BIG OPPORTUNITY for you, and FREE! Yep, we love FREE!
Spectrum Reach will be running over $1,000,000 in advertising (across tv, digital, social media) in each individual market to drive consumers to the local mosaic landing page and to promote shopping local this holiday season. Each individual market landing page will include the interactive mosaic and messaging supporting the benefits and importance of shopping local businesses.
All participating businesses will receive:
A link to the finished mosaic to post on their website or social media page.
A free ‘mosaic image & top reasons to shop local this holiday season’ window cling/poster for their locations.
Select participating current key clients will also be tagged on our free “support local business” taggable commercial.
Business name listing and website link on our local mosaic landing page.
A free finished mosaic jigsaw puzzle.
Why You Should Join Spectrum’s Support Local Campaign
You’ll get a listing for your business on your town’s Support Local directory.
You’ll get visibility in front of your potential clients- consumers who are looking to support local business owners.
You have nothing to lose!
How To Enter?
Go to the link in BIO, click the “Support Local” tap.
Complete the form.
Add your business photo to the mosaic and choose to be featured in our Support Local directory.
Listing must be completed before 11/8, but enter now before you forget!
If you’re an industry leader, entrepreneur, marketer, or a professional looking to build relationships more than anything else, this virtual conference is where you want to be.
Jessica Campos – Marketing for Greatness has been hosting business networking events in Austin for the last three years, connecting professionals and entrepreneurs who want to expand their professional network. Networking events have been the heart of this community that now is known as ATXPEN – Austin Professionals & Entrepreneurs Network, with 5,300 members and counting.
Since we haven’t been able to host happy hours, which have brought thousands of people together, we decided to bring something different to our community so we could make it up for the plenty of events missed. That’s how Connections 2020 was born.
A Virtual Conference Designed For Small Business Owners
With Connections 2020, you’ll have access to practical advice, tools, and be able to initiate discussions about the following 9 categories:
What Makes Connections 2020 Different Than Any Other Marketing Conference
Number One: Strategic Networking
Connections 2020 is all about generating strategic conversations that allow you to grow your network. You will make lasting connections through peer learning and mentorship opportunities with some of the brightest minds in marketing, sales, and entrepreneurship.
It’s not the kind of conference where you just attend and listen to the gurus, take notes, and leave. Our talks will give you the opportunity to network with like-minded individuals.
Number Two: You’ll Get Exposure
During this 2-day conference, you’ll have opportunities to get the spotlight and share what your business is about.
It’s not just about you coming as a student. This conference has been designed for leaders.
Number Three: Get Connected With Global Brands
Our number one goal at Connections 2020 is to help you expand your professional network. Our Expert Speakers are seasoned trainers with amazing wisdom who come from a place of giving and serving.
We have over 20 talks for you. We understand that 2 days won’t be enough time for you to go through all the content and that’s why you’ll have unlimited access to the content until December 31, 2020.
Number Four: Get Access To Paid Content
Your CEO pass will give you access to content that will be delivered live and on-demand. After the conference ends, you will have unlimited access for the rest of 2020.
We are talking about a wealth of information! And it’s $37.
Results-Driven Topics
Our topics at Connections 2020 were picked thinking about the current challenges that business owners are encountering and practical solutions.
Spectrum Reach is one of our Elite Sponsors and will bring us OTT (Over-The-Top) Advertising, by Eastan Croson, Advanced Advertising Sales Manager with Spectrum Reach.
Check out Eastan Croson Career Highlights:
✔ Directed sales teams in multiple markets resulting in 20% revenue growth YOY
✔ Developed and employed email marketing strategy that generated more than $1 million in revenue in less than a year
✔ Directed online content and digital advertising strategy, increasing website page views by 153%
This talk alone can transform your business! But we have 20 more!
Digital Tools Needed For Increasing Efficiency And Growing Your Bottom Line by Rachel Schapiro with Vcita.
How to Build an Online Audience Through Powerful, Consistent Search Optimized Content Creation by Julia McCoy.
I wish someone had explained to me, in layman’s terms, what does SEO mean? How is SEO done? And how do you hire for SEO?
So that’s what I am doing today. Demystifying the most important considerations that a small business owner needs to have before hiring for SEO or Search Engine Marketing Services. And also, I’m covering a list of must-haves for those savvy entrepreneurs who are confident about developing websites and managing keywords, but don’t have a computer science degree and have no desire to go back to school to learn how to develop Java Codes, data warehousing, data mining, and other advanced digital marketing skills.
… Why? Because … what you don’t know is costing you money. Not everything is DIY! Especially in the SEO world.
Search Engine Marketing SEO vs Social Media Marketing – Which One Has More Impact?
A small business marketing budget tends to be limited — but that’s a good thing! When you don’t have endless cash flow, you need to be more assertive. You’re forced to learn to spend your money where it’s really going to count.
If you’re considering hiring marketing services, or starting to market for your own business, perhaps you are debating between social media marketing or search engine optimization (SEO) services.
A Real-Life Example of How Do We Use Both, Social Media and SEO
Imagine you’re planning a trip to California. You’re not sure about which city to travel to just yet. How would you go about making that decision?
You might search on Google and get some ideas. But you might also check out some pictures, hashtags, locations in particular, etc. And … you might just post in social media the typical post “I’m planning a trip to California and not sure which city is best, San Francisco or San Diego?”
What you just did- searching in different places and seeking advice in different ways- is called “the future buyer’s journey”.
The reality is that you need both SMM and SEO, but the good news is that social media marketing is easier than SEO and you could learn how to do it and save some marketing budget. As long as you have a social media strategy and the time to implement, the skills needed are not as technical as the SEO skills.
So… if you will do social media marketing, why would you still need to hire someone for SEO? Can your SEO wait until you get more budget? The short answer: yes you need to hire someone for SEO and that should not wait.
Prioritizing SMM vs SEO (Which One Goes First?)
Google and social media are both needed, but they will serve a very specific purpose that varies by where they are in their journey, which is why you want to have a big-picture strategy- the overarching approach to reach your goals.
When we develop a visibility strategy for the companies we consult for, social media becomes their main source of referrals and word of mouth marketing.
In general, social media marketing will mostly generate you sales if, and only if, you’re using direct sales tactics. This means:
You post very frequently
You stay in front of your audience
You inspire them
You educate them
You message them
You follow up with them
That’s great, but … it depends on YOU. If you have time to do all the process of social media marketing: planning the content, writing the content, preparing the visuals, scheduling the posts, on top of doing the social selling work, that’s good. But this doesn’t mean that it’s a scalable model.
You might want to leverage someone else’s time. Someone who actually enjoys doing that work so you can do the tasks that a CEO does. If you have time, you might want to learn social media strategies and digital marketing skills that can help you do that work in less time.
Search engine marketing, on the other hand, it’s not all about you directly sending messages to users. While many SEO gurus will say that you need to blog frequently and stay on top of your people, in reality, if your digital assets are in order, your business should be getting traffic and qualified leads as you’re reading this article.
If you’re overwhelmed, tired of running all bases of your business, and you’re looking for help with acquiring customers, SEO is your very next move. This can be even better than hiring a sales rep.
The One Thing That Matters When Hiring For Marketing
At some point, your brand will be in the minds of many people and you’ll get business coming to you. But … until you reach that point, strategic marketing is needed so you can execute a plan that takes you from where you are today to where you want to be, in the shortest time.
If you’re like most of my clients, you prefer visuals! One of my favorite tools to strategize is overarching models. It’s when you take the big-picture approach and see where everything is and visualize where you want it to be.
Overarching Strategies provide a general framework for the plan’s goal-specific strategies and define the scope of what the department must undertake and implement to achieve the plan’s goals. As the term overarching suggests, these strategies impact everything the department undertakes and expects to achieve.
If you don’t have a strategic marketing plan to grow your business, you’ll be at risk of losing money in the long term. This is why… what truly matters is that your marketing resources are strategically connected to your business vision. If not, you might find yourself growing a business on a treadmill. Next year will come and you’ll still be in the same place.
How To Hire For Search Engine Marketing (SEO)
Just like you won’t give yourself a fancy haircut, you’ll take your SEO needs to an SEO expert.
Generally speaking, you should expect a personalized service.
There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all SEO plan. And if there is, from the agency you’re about to hire, please step back.
Number One: Do They Know Your Needs?
Your SEO strategy starts by understanding your current online visibility. If you’re not even on the radar, you’ll need the heavy lifting work so you can get on the map as quickly as possible.
Here’s the tricky part. How can you pick the right talent if you have no idea about what SEO is? Perhaps you’ll search in Upwork or Fiverr for “best SEO” and there’s a good chance you won’t understand what they say they do.
The mandatory question here is: what is your goal? What do you need?
Your brain will play you! You will say “I want sales” which is normal. But the problem is… you can’t go to an SEO guru and tell them “I want sales”. They can’t give you sales and neither can social media marketers. Marketing and sales are two separate departments. This is why even the best e-commerce sites convert at 3%. It’s truly a numbers game.
Your SEO needs will vary, based on your business status and goals.
Your SEO strategy starts by understanding your current online visibility. If you’re not even on the radar, you’ll need the heavy lifting work so you can get on the map as quickly as possible.
Make sure to discuss your needs with your SEO specialist beforehand so you can be on the same page and have the right expectations.
Number Two: Ask For Conversions
Remember that search engine optimization (SEO) can be described as strategies and tactics used to ensure that future clients can find you when they are searching online for solutions that you offer. I call SEO “hacking Google love”.
In theory, the higher a website naturally ranks in organic results of a search, the greater the chance that that site will be visited by a user. In practice, ranks alone won’t pay your bills.
Your website can have 100,000 monthly users that have no intention to buy from you.
Believe it or not, there are many SEO specialists that only focus in ranks. I hear very often stories where business owners have paid several thousand dollars and can’t see results from the SEO marketing.
Not too many SEO specialists are equipped to be specialized in conversions.
Number Three: Hire A Senior-Level SEO
Hiring a senior-level SEO consultant will bring you higher ROI.
Personally, I prefer to hire experienced professionals who have 1) at least 10 years of experience and 2) industry knowledge. It takes them less time to find the answers I need and I get to execute faster.
Clarify with your SEO specialist what’s their experience and make sure they are experienced in technical SEO. A good question to filter their expertise is: how will you optimize my pages for qualified traffic? And for conversions? Can you show me?
Number Four: Request A Strategy Session
When it comes to SEO, just like social media, you have the marketing – execution and the strategy. Not every SEO specialist is a strategist. They can learn … but you might not want them to learn with your business!
Number Five: Clarify If You’re Getting Local or National SEO
If you’re a local business owner, your SEO needs will be different than if you’re, for example, a national company looking to sell on e-commerce. You’ll need Local Search Engine Marketing.
If you’re a franchise owner, e-commerce business owner, service-based professional, your needs will be different.
You see how this is turning more complex and why, if you don’t know what you truly need, you’ll hire the wrong people? If you can relate, my suggestion is to take 3 steps back and consult with a strategist.
Number Six: Take A Holistic Approach To SEO
Optimizing your brand so that it gets picked when people are searching for the services or products that you offer takes more than just typing keywords.
Factors that impact your SEO success:
Creating and publishing excellent content.
Using keywords and keyword analysis.
Link building to improve the website authority.
Using social media links on sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Improving your site’s navigation to provide an excellent user experience.
Using marketing and sales copy that converts.
Your brand’s baseline and brand reputation.
Number Seven: Start With Technical SEO
Ask your SEO specialist which tools will they use. Tools like SEMRush, Screaming Frog, and Google Search Console can help analyze technical SEO, but they won’t fix the technical problems.
I always love sharing my story of how I discovered the truth of SEO a few years ago. I genuinely thought that just writing content and sharing on social media, consistently, was going to help my SEO. While our agency website got from 0 to 15,000 users per month, traffic would go back and forth. After a while, following the plan of “type or die” got me anxious. I took my website for a checkup with a technical SEO expert and this was my reaction:
There’s a good chance you have some of them and you just don’t know. And most tasks will require intermediate or advanced webmaster skills.
Fixing your technical SEO problems can be a rabbit hole. This is why I recommend discussing your brand with a senior-level expert to get certainty of what you truly need.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire SEO Strategy?
Consulting fees for a senior level SEO will go from $150- $350 per hour. But not all your needs will require a senior-level expert which is the beauty of this!
You can get a great robust SEO project done with about $2,500- $5,000.
Why do some SEO agencies offer SEO packages for $300 per month?
There are SEo agencies that offer plans where they monitor your brand for $300 a month and might work in some backlinking. But that’s not what you need the most!
What you need today is a healthy website, full of strategic content, positioned in platforms where people can find you.
Growing a business with unlimited capital is certainly easier than growing a business without it. During times when cash and resources are running their course, reaching your business goals comes down to making assertive decisions.
If this is your mindset today, you’ve reached a place where you can put your fears to rest and activate your strategic brain to focus on what your business needs today in order to secure a win.
Let’s roll.
The Fascinating Origin Of The Word Strategy
The word “strategy” is derived from the Greek word “stratçgos”; stratus (meaning army) and “ago” (meaning leading/moving).
A strategy is a general plan to achieve one or more long-term or overall goals under conditions of uncertainty.
The term came into use in the 6th century C.E. in East Roman terminology, and was translated into Western vernacular languages only in the 18th century.
From then until the 20th century, the word “strategy” came to denote “a comprehensive way to try to pursue political ends, including the threat or actual use of force, in a dialectic of wills” in a military conflict, in which both adversaries interact.
Not every decision means going to war. However, in business (and in life too), when we face a critical season, we can’t just close our eyes and go with the flow.
Critical times call for precision. Each move can be a deal-breaker. This is when a strategic plan is needed.
The Initial Assessment: What Are Your Goals?
Taking emotions out of this equation, navigate the moment when you sat down to write down your goals.
I used to tell my paralegals, back in my other life when I was a litigation attorney, that they should always set up realistic and worst-case scenario goals but to calculate the plan to achieve the best-case scenario.
Our clients had access to the worst-case, but internally we had the best-case.
This helped us tremendously to have conversations about expectations from day 1.
According to the best research, less than 3 percent of Americans have written goals, and less than 1 percent review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.
Do you have your 2020 goals written? Don’t feel bad if you don’t.
One of my favorite mentors, real estate expert, and international speaker with Rich Dad and Poor Dad and CEO of The Real Estate Business School in Texas, Wayne Morgan, says that there are three groups of people in the world.
Those who make things happen
Those who watch things happen
And those who ask “what happened?”
When it comes to goal setting AND achievement, there are 3 types of people in the world.
Those who set goals and achieve them. This is the group that MAKES THINGS HAPPEN.
Those who set goals and NEVER achieve them. This is the group that WATCHES THINGS HAPPEN.
Those who never set goals and wander around aimlessly, rudderless and acting randomly, never achieving much at all. This is the group that asks “WHAT HAPPENED?”
GOAL #1 is to stay out of group #3!
Now that you’re in need of a tight and strategic plan, you’ll write down your goals. And if you are thinking about it from a positive perspective, even if you wrote them down before, you would have still needed to do this again!
These questions can help you examine your goals.
What was your revenue goal for 2020?
Which projects did you want to complete in 2020?
How many clients did you forecast for 2020?
What was your marketing budget?
Did you have partnerships lined up for 2020?
Did you have a plan to reach your 2020 revenue goal?
As you look back, did you set up unrealistic goals?
The Dig Deeper Phase: Is This Worth The Fight?
I’m assuming that you’re a leader. You certainly have a vision of how to make things right. You’re not a quitter.
Let’s dig deeper, which means, let’s put the critical thinking into action.
The greatest military leaders in ancient times, including Julius Caesar, Sun Tzu, Hannibal, Scipio Africanus, Attila the Hun, Gaius Marius, and others, had one important thing in common: they were all superior critical thinkers.
They applied their critical thinking skills of analysis, interpretation, inference, and evaluation to strategic, operational, and tactical problems of all kinds.
The same can be said about the great military minds today.
Effective leadership at every level is as much about thinking as it is about motivating and following through. Plans must be devised and tested, adaptions made as conditions change, assumptions tested, and contingencies accounted for. To lead anything well is to solve complex ill-structured, real-time, problems and to make sound, informed decisions.
10 Key Questions Leaders Use To Trigger Critical Thinking In The Groups They Lead
How is this situation like prior situations?
How is this situation NOT like prior situations?
What happens if we take this element out of the equation?
What happens if we insert this factor into the equation?
How is the problem changing over time?
How can I adjust and adapt to those changes?
Why are standard approaches consistently failing?
How can I drive the chances to achieve advantage?
Why are my people not seeing the complexity?
Am I missing anything that other leaders are seeing?
If the military theme doesn’t resonate with you, I suggest you take a more soul-based approach. That’s totally fine. Connect with your inner voice to then activate your critical thinking. And of course, you can tune into your intuition as well.
The unmissable question you’ll need to ask is: what is the price that will make this fight worth it for you?
We’re not here to end this battle with you losing. We just need to rewrite your expectations and set up the goals so we can win.
The Shift: Setting Up Business Goals To Win
I can tell you from experience, calling the shots, when you’re the only one facing consequences if things go wrong is very easy. What’s not easy is when you are the one calling the shots and many lives are depending on your abilities to lead.
You wish you didn’t have to be that person. But… you are.
I will never forget the day when I announced to my employees that our law firm was going to shut down. This moment still brings me to tears. It was hard. Not only seeing my personal dreams melting, but it felt very heavy on my shoulders.
What did I do wrong? Where did I fail? Did I betray their trust? What did I miss? …
Challenging times put your leadership skills into the test.
Leaders lead.
What Is A Strategic Goal?
Strategic goals are visions for your business that have quantifiable or qualitative results.
You can’t grow what you can’t measure.
Strategic Goals Examples
Revenue stream goals
Depending on your business, you might have different products or services. It’s time to find out which ones are doing very well and which ones are not.
You can analyze your revenue stream by the amount of revenue that they each bring, profit they render, or the number of resources they demand from your business.
For example, if you’re limited to selling a product because you don’t have the cost to produce them, you could say “I need more money”, launching a new revenue stream using the resources that you have could be a strategic goal.
Experts say “your network is your net worth” and that’s for a reason.
Note: your brand name might have accumulated equity. It’s worth exploring the possibility of leveraging your brand in certain segments.
Technology has accelerated networking, reduced the degree of separation between contacts, amplified our global playing field, and redefined the job prospecting process.
Think about who do you know today, who could help you share your mission?
Another area worth exploring is customer segments. If you’ve been selling to consumers, perhaps it’s time to consider if selling to other businesses will benefit more.
Financial strategy goals
Revenue is not profit. Profit does not equal good cash flow. Cash flow is king.
You can’t just look at your profit and loss statement (P&L) and get a grip on your cash flow. Many other financial figures feed into factoring your cash flow, including accounts receivable, inventory, accounts payable, capital expenditures, and taxation.
Effective cash-flow management requires a laser focus on each of these drivers of cash, in addition to your profit or loss.
I recommend business owners get very granular on their cash flow and track their revenue and expenses daily.
If you are running an e-commerce business, your system will give you a report on daily sales and will also compare it with the prior year. This should be a document that you see at least 3 times a day.
Strategic marketing goals
When it comes to crafting a marketing plan, what will turn your marketing plan into a strategic one will be the ability to translate each activity into revenue.
Marketers get very uncomfortable when they are put in this position. But as a business owner, you must demand strategic moves from your marketing team.
Your marketing campaigns will be strategic, meaning:
You’re targeting a market after doing research and identifying the opportunity. Less testing, please!
You’ll reduce the number of marketing channels to focus based on what performs best.
You’ll have access to marketing and sales key performance indicators (KPIs) with clear benchmarks to meet daily.
As a leader, anticipation is key.
Be prepared to deal with updates in your IT infrastructure, since most of your sales transactions will require digital tools.
Tips for setting up strategic goals:
Define what the reality is today.
Know your numbers.
Call a group of trusted advisors to brainstorm.
Pick the path of less resistance (where can I get the most opportunity, using the least amount of resources).
Get very granular with your marketing plan. You can’t grow what you can’t measure. Each goal should have its own KPIs (key performance indicators)
Define benchmarks.
Identify how to measure success.
The W.W.W.: What, Who, and When
So you’re calling the shots. You know what you have, what you don’t have, and you’re determined to win.
You have your worst-case and best-case.
It’s time to activate your army (the who) and bring one thing to your business: CASH. The when? ASAP! That’s the WWW!
The what
The who
The when
Business strategists are like first responders. I know that when my clients call is because they have urgency. Especially during unexpected times.
Online Sales Strategy
Ever wonder how many people use the internet? Almost 4.57 billion people were active internet users as of July 2020, encompassing 59 percent of the global population.
I don’t think I need to convince you about how your potential users are searching online as part of their everyday life.
No one could have predicted the environment we’re currently living and working in as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Digital channels, including social media channels, are critical to boosting your sales online. The key is to track and measure in order to modify or amplify. If you can’t do it with a digital channel, then that activity won’t be considered strategic.
Examples of strategic digital marketing activities:
Activating paid social channels using custom audience features and retargeting features. During times when resources are limited, we don’t recommend doing too much testing in paid digital outlets. Mistakes can be costly. I’ve campaigned at $1,500 PER CLICK. You certainly want to stay away from “gambling with paid traffic”.
Focus on lead generation. Leads are the heart of sales. Your website should be optimized for leads, not for traffic, at this point. If you’ve been doing SEO marketing, it’s time to add CRO tactics (conversion rates optimization).
If you want to drive sales online, your website must pass the Google test. How can people buy from you if they can’t find you?
Build a niche audience. Now more than ever you want a core group of people. A circle of trust that can share your products or services with their friends.
Direct sales strategies, online. Direct selling is also known as direct response marketing. Direct response requires little or no time waiting to see measurable results.
There are countless digital marketing strategies available. You will be surprised by how quickly they can impact your bottom line.
Checklist of Marketing Strategies That Can Help Generate Both, Awareness and Conversions
Reverse Engineer Your Profit Goal
Since you want to generate sales, your focus should be on generating leads first.
Try to come up with as much data about your customers as possible. Again, knowing your numbers is a big part of working, not just smarter, but strategically.
Where do most of your best clients come from? Can you simply find more like them?
I follow this model to reverse engineer the revenue and profit goal.
If you don’t have enough leads, there are two possible reasons:
Reason 1: you have a visibility problem
Digital visibility is very easy to calculate. Check your website traffic, the number of monthly users, and you’ll know how many people are interested in your products or services.
If your business is new, then digital visibility relies on the size of your network. Your email list, your warm connections, as well as their network.
Reason 2: you have a conversion problem
If you have enough people looking at your website but sales are not happening, you have a conversion problem. Very often there is a crack in your website or a plugin that is making Google block your website and that’s why people can’t find you.
Make sure that your website is in good health before you decide to go out there to generate leads.
Don’t Forget Existing Customers
Don’t forget to consider your customer base. They can provide your best word of mouth marketing.
At times when cash is coming to the end, having an unpaid salesforce is GOLD.
What can you do to get your existing customers putting a good word for you? The best companies in the world have the best loyalty programs and there’s a reason for it.
Become a Great Negotiator
As an attorney, I tell my clients to watch out for the fine print. There’s a good chance that now that you’re reviewing your business from a 30 feet distance, you will find commitments that no longer serve your business.
Seek for relief. If you can’t pay, don’t stress out.
You can always negotiate with the parties involved and find creative ways to meet your obligations.
Also, in case you are the business obligated to fulfill products or services and you need to restructure your commitment, just know that you can.
In Closing
No business template has ever been written in stone. Things can happen. As long as you stay true to your vision, you’ll find a way to get your business off the ground.
My office is open to help business owners put their fears to rest. Let us take a look at your landscape to see what strategies we are able to propose. It costs you nothing.
At Marketing For Greatness, I lead the strategy sessions with clients in order to help them both launch and pivot. Having a strategy-minded consultant on your team is worth the investment.
At this point, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Let’s chat.
The coronavirus pandemic is emerging as an existential threat to the nation’s small business owners. This is NOT normal. Even when people try to sugarcoat it. We joke and say “the new normal”, but … the banking account is feeling quite the opposite.
Businesses need 2 C’s:
1) Clients 2) Cash
The way you get clients is through getting exposed in front of potential buyers, period.
Success is mathematical, not psychological.
If you don’t go to events, don’t attend conventions, don’t have professional interactions, sooner than later, your pipeline will simply get dry.
This is a real problem.
The solution to get more leads? Virtual prospecting.
The sooner you can learn how to master the process of prospecting online, the better it will be. But wait… prospecting online?
How to prospect for new clients online or how to prospect virtually?
In person events are out of your lead generation equation. This means that you now have to hustle online. Well… welcome to my world.
I realized that my decade of experience in internet marketing, developing new markets using social media marketing and personal brand marketing could add value to many professionals and entrepreneurs.
What are the best prospecting techniques?
Social media marketing, especially Facebook, is at the top of the digital marketing strategies to find new clients online.
I host networking events for our community of Austin Networking for Professional & Entrepreneurs. We are now over 5,000+ local business owners and counting. As a social media educator, I decided to host online events to provide connections and discuss resources for those who wanted to accelerate their online networking skills. Those events were the inspiration for my book.
How do you reach prospects online?
Finding, reaching, and discovering sales opportunities online can be intimidating. Add to that the urgency and anxiety from a pandemic and you have the perfect storm!
The key to reach out to prospects online is in your personal brand. Without it, you are at risk to be considered a spammer. … You can’t risk your first impression … especially online!
Personal Brand Marketing
Personal branding refers to the practice of marketing and packaging yourself, your career, and your experience as a brand.
What’s your personal brand about? It’s about YOU! People buy YOU before they get interested in your products or services.
My Book on Personal Brand Marketing
My book reached #1 best-seller in 2 categories: Web Marketing and Internet Marketing and I’m just amazed!
What’s in the book?
Part 1: The Essentials of Social Media- Solopreneurs spend many hours of the day, working on marketing tasks, that come randomly, and most of the time, as a distraction. Learning the fundamentals of building a social media marketing strategy is the key to growing a business, along with strategies followed by amazing brands like Amazon, Starbucks, Apple, and Kendra Scott. You will be inspired to build a community of loyal customers, to stop competing based solely on price, and to grow your business.
Part 2: A Guide to Personal Branding- Here’s where you’ll get the- A 1-page blueprint to building a personal brand that builds a long-lasting first impression and ignites revenue. This is what thriving brands are doing in the digital economy. What if you are a brick and mortar business? Do you need to follow personal branding strategies? Absolutely! Humanizing your brand is the ultimate secret to survive the retail apocalypse.
Part 3: How to Write So They Listen- You will learn the psychology behind crafting content that moves your audience to action and learn why writing is not just about sharing pretty words.
Part 4: A Full Year of Copy For Social Media Marketing- You’ll have everything you need to simply plug n’ play your profitable content marketing plan. These are not just ideas to post. You will get detailed campaigns with strategies and templates.
Part 5: Social Visibility- You’ll get the Social Visibility Blueprint to turn your social media marketing into your salesforce. My promise with Your Visibility Blueprint is to eliminate the overwhelm from social media marketing. I want to provide you with a blueprint to ignite visibility, so you can build the business you love, and have the life you deserve. Most likely, you’re a purpose-driven business owner like me; I take my mission to activate your greatness very seriously!
BONUS: Along with this book, you will unlock access to amazing resources, such as:
* A complimentary Forensic Marketing Audit (Value $500+)
* Editable Visibility Workbook to plan your content like a pro (Value $47)
* Special price in our Marketing For Greatness Courses (save up to 80%)
* The Marketing For Greatness Network. Connect with other solopreneurs and participate in life-changing conversations.
If there were a clear, actionable way to boost your personal brand using social media WITHOUT turning yourself into the embarrassing “I am the influencer” style… Or even better … BENCHMARKING your growth so you see where your revenue is at. … Would you feel motivated to market your amazing products or services? You see: you’re willing to put in the work. If you read my book you’ll find a lot of practical advice to implement personal brand marketing the right way!
Gyms small and large are closing across the country in order to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.
Health officials, politicians and business leaders throughout the world are encouraging “social distancing” in order to slow the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
If you’re in the fitness industry and your business can’t open but you’re afraid to lose your members, keep reading!
Gyms Closing To Slow Coronavirus Spread
Just like every responsible business owner, you’ve been monitoring closely the development of the COVID-19 since it reached a pandemic level. Since being active keeps us healthy and helps us fight off infection, opening your facilities to your clients is a noble service.
However, due to the recent evolution of the pandemic, social distance is pretty much mandatory. Your clients have no choice, but to stay at home and wait and your location is no longer open to the public.
Forced To Adapt
During these unforeseen circumstances, you are forced to adapt. The sooner you can make the move and pivot, the better it is for your members.
Your members see you as a leader. They call you coach, for a reason. You might want to take 3 steps back and think about the relationship you have with your “members”.
Do you have a bond with them? Do you feel connected?
Members have a sense of belonging. Do you think that your members truly feel like they belong?
If the physical location can’t be open, how can your members feel like they are part of your business beyond your location?
These are some of the questions that will ignite a new realm of possibilities. You will soon realize that your members want YOU. Sure, they want your location or your studio, but they want access to YOU. It’s time to think about how they can have more of YOU. If you’re a team, the YOU is your support from the team all together and each of the members.
Is Your Subscription Model Virus-Proof?
Your members are, indeed, paying for a subscription, which is a great business model for the purpose of bringing predictable cash flows. Now that your facilities are not open, you might need to adjust their subscription.
Life Time active, club-accessing memberships will receive a prorated dues credit for the number of days the club is closed. But what if you can’t afford giving credit to your members?
What about your employees? Will they get paid if your business is closed?
The good news! You can pivot! Having open communication with each of your members it’s crucial at this point. The key is to replace the value that they see from your subscription. Remember, they buy YOU.
A New Approach To Marketing
Coronavirus could not have picked a more inconvenient season. For the health and wellness industry, Q1 of the year is the strongest one. You probably had planned your spring promotions, discount codes, along with the social media strategies to get new members to sign up. Now that your facilities can’t open and we still don’t have a clear picture of the situation, your marketing needs a new approach.
We have interviewed some amazing fitness leaders and have created 5 powerful marketing strategies that can help you get through this Coronacalypse.
Number One: Market The Value Of Your Community
Just because your members can’t step into your location doesn’t mean that they can’t be connected and pay to have access.
April Hill, owner of Yoglates 2 South in Baton Rouge, LA. pivoted by launching a 30-day virtual subscription.
Well… I began planning last week to utilize our Facebook Private group page in the event this blew up and we were forced to close / quarantine.
To best care for our members we are bringing a routine everyday. This gives those members that automatically renew their memberships what they are paying for. My hope is our members seeing us in the studio or from home will give them a sense of normalcy and bring them peace. It’s so much more than a workout. We are a community. We are a family.
This platform also allows us to offer our unique workout to others as well. People may now buy a virtual 30 day subscription by the link we are sharing. Once they make their purchase they ask to be part of the Yoglates 2 South Members Page and we accept them into the group.
Following the Live video, I post to the page and it remains available for all members in the FB group to view till the next day. This has been well received thus far.
Cycle Bar Cedar Park is embracing social distancing with its members, by doing workouts outdoors. This is a great initiative!
If you were posting on social media 2-4 times a week and mostly promotions, you will have a challenge these days. Consider adopting a new content marketing plan where you add at least 50% of inspirational content. Be sensitive to what people are going through. Use polls and see how your members are doing. Engage more with them.
Avoid:
Sharing news from non-official pages
Sharing content that can enhance anxiety
Political at ALL TIMES
This is a great time to try new channels, such as Facebook Live and IGTV to find ways to connect with your audience. Even TikTok!
While social media might be where everyone is, don’t take that for granted. Your goal is to connect with your members to nurture your relationship. Go beyond the copy/paste messages. Sending personalized emails and text messages will help you maintain your members.
Jennifer Sweet, owner of Pure Barre Lakeway says: We have been in constant communication with our members, beyond social media. We have shared emails and text messages with updates, always adding a personal touch. We could use templates but we rather take the extra time to make each member feel supported and appreciated.
Number Four: Leverage Stories
If you had never used stories before, you might feel confused about what kind of messages should be shared via stories. Generally speaking, stories are essentially messages that are meant to be shared in episodes.
Here’s a good format for your stories:
Episode 1: hello members, I’m here at ___ and want to share with you 3 things.
Episode 2: Thing 1.
Episode 3: Thing 2.
Episode 4: Thing 3.
If you use a video, it will be broken down in segments of 15 seconds and cut after 4 episodes. Since you can combine text, images, videos, stickers, and GIFs, you can share a message without having to use long-form videos or long-form posts.
If there’s something that small businesses have is VISION. On that note, I love this quote from Steve Jobs:
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
-Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple
If you’re in Austin and want to connect with our community of professionals & entrepreneurs, join our Facebook Community.
Number Five: Embrace Positivity
Rebecca Remus, founder of Grand Mesa Crossfit is focusing on adding more positivity to her members. Besides from sharing workouts online and via email to her members, they are going beyond the norm to recognize their members. It’s a great way to let the members know “we are thinking about you”.
Still trying to find ideas to take advantage of Small Business Saturday? You still have time to win clients from this big holiday.
Let’s get to a quick 10 Small Business Saturday ideas to join the shop small movement. With some help, this could be a good Saturday for your business!
First Of All, What Is The Shop Small Business Saturday?
Small Business Saturday is a corporate responsibility initiative by American Express that rallies people to “shop small” on the Saturday following Black Friday. This Saturday is always the last one in November so if you were late this year, mark your calendar for next year!
American Express has created a partnership program to give small business owners more visibility. This program isn’t just for brick and mortar. Professionals and online businesses can also join.
You can achieve your championship status and get recognized in American Express’ website by application.
If you didn’t apply, no worries. You can still champion the cause and promote the cause with your neighbors and your online fans and followers.
To find a Small Business Saturday event near you, click here.
In Austin, for example, P Terrys is one of the listed venues featured on the map. Only qualifying American Express Card accepting merchants will be featured on American Express Maps.
American Express has created Small Business Saturday materials to make your marketing very easy. You can create custom marketing materials with the Shop Small® Studio.
Add Your Business’ Information.
Get prepared to answer questions about your uniqueness and how have you helped your community.
Include All The Information Where You Can Receive Your Small Business Saturday Marketing Materials.
Prepare To Download Your Custom Marketing Materials
A zip file will download and you will be able to open several folders with promotion ideas, email templates, posters, and social media assets with the Small Business Saturday 2019 logo on it.
If you noticed from your Small Business Saturday kit, you were asked what makes your business special. People want to do business with people. Create a compelling story that reminds your users why they should do business with you.
Here’s a Small Business Saturday quote you can use:
We _____________ (describe what you do) so that ____________ (describe how do you help your clients).
#2 Partner With Brands That Are Celebrating Small Business Saturday
If you see a small business owner with the Small Business Saturday logo, share their message. The more you share, the more shares you will receive.
Do your research! Find opportunities to collaborate with brands that are listed on the American Express’ map.
#3 Leverage The Power Of Hashtags
Here are the top Small Business Saturday hashtags for 2019.
Remember that every hashtag has its own “gallery”. People sometimes browse these galleries to see photos they are interested in. This is why you want to mix and match those hashtags to get more visibility, instead of using the same all the time.
Each hashtag gallery has a “Top” section and a “Recent” section. The posts in “Top” are determined by a combination of how recent the post is, and how many likes/comments it is receiving.
The more hashtags you use, the more galleries your work appears in. The maximum allowed per post is 30 hashtags.
Take some time to search the # “gallery” and explore the “Recent” section. There’s a good chance you can find similar small business owners who will be glad to connect with you and share your content.
#4 Don’t Compete In Price. Do Things You Know Your Customers Will Love.
You might be tempted to launch Small Business Saturday deals. That’s totally recommended. However, instead of just launching a discount in price, create a pricing strategy that fits your business model and your current goals.
As shoe designer Christian Louboutin says, “Luxury is the possibility to stay close to your customers, and do things that you know they will love.”
#5 Build A Small Business Saturday Form For Your Email Marketing
American Express has done all the work for you! So, if you build a form, for instance, free on Mail Chimp, you can just send this simple email to your subscribers letting them know about your Small Business Saturday campaign.
Here’s the email template from American Express (customized).
Hi [CUSTOMER NAME OR SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORTER],
This Nov 30 is the 10th Small Business Saturday®, which means it’s almost time to celebrate with your favorite small businesses — like (hint, hint) the one sending you this email.
Save the date to Shop Small® with us because when you do, you make a big difference for our business and our community. Join us in making this Small Business Saturday one to remember!
As always, thank you for your continued support — we can’t wait to celebrate with you!
MARKETING FOR GREATNESS
#6 Instagram Stories
In case you haven’t jumped in, this Small Business Saturday campaign should motive you to use IG Stories!
Here are the main stats showing how big the Instagram story format is:
One third (1/3) of the most viewed Instagram Stories are from businesses
50% of businesses on Instagram worldwide created at least one story during a typical month
96% of US marketers surveyed plan to continue using Stories ads in the next 6 months
Your marketing kit will have 3 stories format and you can use them all!
Remember that you can always add your personal touch, with videos, music, stickers. Be creative! Don’t forget to use hashtags to give your stories more visibility.
A pro tip: geotag your story. This will turn your story visible on the location you tagged yourself at.
#7 Support A Local Charity
One of the great things about this Small Business Saturday event is that people are open to giving. This is a great opportunity to support a cause and make your business stand out.
Not sure where to start? Facebook’s Giving Tuesday program supporting charities is a great place to search!
GivingTuesday 2019
Facebook’s match for GivingTuesday 2019 begins at 8:00 AM Eastern Time (5:00 AM Pacific Time) on Tuesday, December 3, 2019.
Donations are matched dollar for dollar on a first-come, first-served basis until $7,000,000 USD in eligible donations are made on Facebook.
Any US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit eligible to receive donations on Facebook can be matched.
Facebook will match up to a total of $100,000 per nonprofit organization.
Each donor can have up to $20,000 in eligible donations matched on GivingTuesday.
We cover processing fees so that when you donate using Facebook’s payments platform to a nonprofit organization, 100% of your donation goes to support the cause you care about.
#8 Create An Exclusive Small Business Saturday Gift
Remember that your main goal is to create experiences for your clients, not just about money.
If you don’t have too much time to think about a gift for your customers who purchase on Small Business Saturday, Blue Board is a great alternative to outsource your gifts.
#9 Feature Your Small Business Saturday Promotion On Your Facebook Page
Facebook has an option to turn your business page into a shop. Even if you don’t like to be promotional, just know that you can switch to your regular page template at any time.
Go to Page Settings -> Templates and Tabs -> Shopping
#10 Don’t Forget Twitter And Pinterest
Sometimes we think about social media and it’s mostly Facebook and Instagram. Well… don’t forget Twitter and Pinterest!
Twitter has created a checklist for small business owners! We already downloaded for you! Just remember to use #ShopSmall. Just like on Instagram, you can search who is sharing content under the #shopsmall gallery. Don’t hesitate to ignite conversations with those small business owners.
On Pinterest, create a board with your Small Business Saturday promotions and marketing materials. You can create Small Business Saturday images or even just upload your marketing kit. Don’t forget to add your business information.
What Happens After Small Business Saturday?
If you run this campaign following most of these tips, chances are you got at least many new connections. Since these ideas can be used at any time, beyond just the holidays, make sure you have ways to measure and track them!
Not every small business is positioned for success. In fact, only about two-thirds of businesses with employees survive at least two years, and about half survive five years. So you may be in for a real challenge when you decide to take the plunge, ditch your day job, and become a business owner. The stage is often set in the beginning, so making sure you follow all of the necessary steps when starting your business can set the foundation for success.
I’m a marketing strategist, recovered business attorney, and Shark Tank addict! I’ve been helping business owners for over a decade now. Every week at my agency, we get to consult business owners who want strategies to get more clients.
I also host VIP Retreats with entrepreneurs and small business owners. The last one was our Q3 planning day, which is why I got inspired to write these 4 steps to success for entrepreneurs who need to get more clients by yesterday.
Simplification is crucial for every entrepreneur. I believe we have a tendency to just think 🤔 too much.
The Moment When You Realize You’re Running Out Of Time
What if we just FOCUS on simple but effective activities that will generate revenue, and end with the overwhelm status? Do you promise me you will read this quick lesson and will put all the efforts to simplify your calendar and get to work on what truly matters? If so, let’s dive into this lesson!
Since you want to learn how to start a business and found me, I have a feeling that you can relate with one of these 2 scenarios:
Scenario ONE.You’re clear about your business idea, business structure, and have taken action. You have tried every hack, seminar, workshop, coach, and mastermind out there, but still haven’t seen the results you set to achieve. You know something is missing but don’t know what that is.
Or …
Scenario TWO. You are considering starting a business. Don’t know what service or product you could market. You’re completely overwhelmed by all the information and resources out there and can’t take action.
Both cases are completely normal for the early stage of a business owner. So let’s put your fears into rest and get you to find some wisdom so you can get motivated to grow your business!
In What Stage Of Business Are You?
If you ask 10 entrepreneurs what are the stages of a business, you will have 10 different answers. In my opinion, your revenue will be a great indicator of the stage where you are. It will dictate the challenges you should expect, and the resources that are needed to succeed.
Every time you hit a new revenue benchmark you will experience a new set of challenges and will need a new set of resources to keep climbing. This infographic from Infusionsoft has a great recap of the stages, annual sales, and key factors to success.
I help clients who are in Stages 1-5. That’s where my passion and expertise is. If there’s something that generates an almost instant transformation for a business owner, is VISION.
Take a moment to study this infographic below and see where you are as of today. If you haven’t hit the $300,000 in sales yet, this means you are in the early stage (regardless of how many years you’ve been in business).
4 Success Factors To Make Your First $100,000 (And Generate Profit)
Success Factor Number 1: Branding
An estimated 12,000 shops could close by the end of 2019. The retail apocalypse isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, USA Today reports.
Which stores are surviving?
Those who are capable of drive customer loyalty. And how is that possible? Well… you know the answer very well… Let’s see… Do you support Starbucks? Apple? Wholefoods? Why? It’s about their brand and branding.
Starbucks brand philosophy
Since its founding days in the early 1990s, Starbucks has strived to build its brand identity by offering customers a relaxing and enjoyable experience. From the very beginning, the experiential aspect of the brand has been consistently and effectively implemented in all its stores across the world. In addition, Starbucks has also built its brand on things that tend to be out of the box, by consistently defying conventional wisdom.
Regardless of whether you’re in business or not, we all have a “brand identity.” We’re all known for specific traits and characteristics. At work, at home, with your immediate family, your friends, and especially on social media. All the groups that you are a part of you see you in a certain light. The same goes for when you start your business. In my Visibility Method, I emphasize that the foundation of your business or personal brand is to follow a clear set of brand guidelines.
Most entrepreneurs focus only on what their products or services do. Instead, we recommend marketing your personality, your identity, proven success record, your values, so you can earn trust from your audience.
If coming up with this list is difficult for you, then ask yourself, “What challenges have I had to overcome to start my business?” The point here is to see that no matter what kind of products and services you offer, people want to connect with real people.
I call this marketing statement a Manifesto. Let people know about your values and beliefs.
Success Factor Number Two: Lead Generation System
Once you’ve branded yourself, and really dissected what problem you solve for your target audience, you need to now go find your clients!
There are many to generate leads, from offline to online methods and the best part of creating your lead gen is that you have options! So pick what works for you and make it into a well-oiled machine for your business.
In my free download, 100 Ways to Generate Leads, I discuss all the different ways you can create a pipeline that consists of qualified leads. Here are a few simple ways to generate leads to get you started:
✔️Host a webinar
✔️Set up a joint venture campaign
✔️Lead capture on the homepage of your website so you can activate email marketing
✔️Landing page to collect contact information
✔️Facebook cover page description
The list is long, so take a moment and download my entire 100 Ways to Generate Leads.
Not having a lead generation strategy in place is where most businesses fall short. You can have a pretty website, with beautiful photos, and perfectly printed business cards. However, if you don’t have a system in place to bring qualified leads through proverbial door, your business won’t grow. Be sure to check out my free download on the 100 ways you can generate leads.
Success Factor Number Three: Optimize Your Offer (SEO)
If you want to get inside your customer’s minds, you must use the right SEO tools so you can know exactly how to describe your solution, so that your potential clients can find you.
This is why, if you hired a web developer to do your website or you did it yourself, you were asked for your list of keywords.
List of keywords? How exactly do you know what’s a great list of keywords?
Let’s be honest. SEO is complex. You might read the definition and might think you understand it, but it’s a very complex world, for a reason.
It’s impossible to conduct keyword research, analyze your competitors, track search results, track traffic and conversion trends, troubleshoot technical problems, and execute effective content marketing without the right tools.
Most entrepreneurs don’t really understand why and how SEO can help you in growing their business. They make the mistake of ignoring it, thinking that they will work on this task “later”.
Listen up! If you want to generate those $300,000 in sales per year, Google is your best friend!
Describing your products and services using optimization tools is critical at this stage.
People won’t buy from you if they can’t find you (even if you’re a local business owner and just want word of mouth)
There are over 2 trillion Google searches per day in 2019, but Internet Live Stats, an excellent source for making assumptions, claims around 5.5 billion searches done on Google per day or over 63,000 search queries done per second.
Luckily, there are many free SEO tools to help you get started. I’ve written about my 10 favorite SEO tools!
There are many moving parts when you’re starting your business. I get it.
Getting crystal clear on the exact solution you are providing your customer will save you a lot of time, energy and money down the road.
When you think about it, it’s very simple. If you know what your customers are searching for and it’s in your expertise and wheelhouse, you can then market directly to them and provide them the solution that they need. You’ll be up and running in your business in no time!
Success Factor Number Four: A Solid Plan to Stay Motivated
Let’s face it. As an entrepreneur, you’re going to come up against long, grueling days. There will be days that you want to give up, lose all desire to muster up the motivation, or worse, shut down your business.
It’s impossible to be positive at all times. However, it is possible for you to design your daily life in a way that you are surrounded by people, places, and habits that increase your motivation levels. Here are a few ways that I can assure will help motivate you to keep moving forward, even when you want to give up. These may sound simple, but the point is that they are simple, and they work,
Set a goal and plan of action
If you’re already in the habit of setting goals, great! Time to set a new one, and one that is slightly more challenging. Either way, make a detailed plan as to how you’re going to achieve your goal, step by step. When you have a plan, you have a vision, and when you have a vision you have something to be motivated for.
Celebrate daily achievements
As entrepreneurs we can steamroll through our tasks without stopping once to acknowledge how far we have come. Be sure to track the progress of your clients, project goals, and revenue goals. You’re motivation will be enhanced just by you recognizing that you are achieving things that you may have found difficult or impossible.
Exercise, eat well, and sleep
This may sound like a no-brainer but exercise, nutritious meals and adequate sleep is essential for your concentration and mood. Lack of sleep has a direct correlation with depression and anxiety. What seems so simple is actually crucial for your motivation and success as an entrepreneur.
Take imperfect action
You may be feeling stuck because you don’t have everything “perfect” in order to move forward. It’s ok. Entrepreneurs are overachievers. But, if you allow your perfectionism to get in the way of you taking action, it’ll make you feel worse in the long run. Taking imperfect action is about gathering the information you already have and take a leap of faith. Doing this will allow you to not only increase your confidence, but will also strengthen your ability to deal with uncertainty.
Find a mentor
You don’t necessarily need to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a coach. There are plenty of successful entrepreneurs willing to provide mentorship. Mentors have walked similar paths and can help layout the steps ahead for you. Their personal experience and guidance can help provide an immense amount of clarity and courage– to keep you motivated and succeed as an entrepreneur.
Looking for a mentor?
Let’s chat! I am looking to mentor an entrepreneur who is driven, heart-centered, with great work ethic, who wants to generate $1M in business. Book our virtual coffee today!
Jessica Campos, founder of Marketing For Greatness
Jessica Campos, JD, BBA is an educator, author, forensic digital marketing expert & strategist. She traded in her law career in order to pursue her passion: helping entrepreneurs build wealth by taking advantage of the thriving content economy.
Jessica‘s 15+ years of experience in entrepreneurship, background in law and business, tracked online sales record, and her network, represent a wealth of resources for professionals and entrepreneurs that want to attain success.
Get instant access to her latest book, The 6 Golden Rules of Social Media at www.marketingforgreatness.com. And while you’re there, make sure to check The Greatness Blog and The Greatness Marketing Podcast.
Google+ was a great component of local SEO strategy. When a Google+ user used their account to share pictures and links, Google would post those links and they would come up in search results within the next hour. This was important to promote business locations.
Marketers who use Google SEO for local business are now looking for other ways to spark those local SEO numbers.
When you sign up as a GLG user, you are immediately at Level 1, even if you have no points. At this level, you will receive a monthly newsletter, can join workshops and hangouts, and have the chance to enter exclusive competitions.
Once you have gained five points, you move up to Level 2. This gives you the additional benefits of early access to new Google products and features, and the ability to promote meet-ups on the Local Guides calendar. Google also provides event organizers with resources, including name badges, stickers, and bingo cards.
To reach Level 3, you need 50 points. You will receive an official Local Guides badge, which will appear on the Google Maps app, and you will be able to connect to other Local Guides in Google+. You also have the chance to moderate Local Guides community channels, and may receive invites to events hosted by Google (depending on your city).
With 200 points, you arrive at Level 4. This gives you 1 terabyte of free storage for your Google Drive, and eligibility to be featured on the Local Guides online channels, including Google+, Facebook, and Twitter.
The final level is Level 5, for which you need 500 points. This is a new level — it did not exist when Local Guides was released. Users at Level 5 have the chance to test Google products before they are released to the public and receive invites to exclusive events. Last year, Level 5 members could attend the Google summit.
Local Business Owners Can Get Google Reviews
Research shows that 91 percent of people regularly or occasionally read online reviews, and 84 percent trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. And they make that decision quickly: 68 percent form an opinion after reading between one and six online reviews.
GLGs is integrated with users’ Google account, so it’s easy for users to leave reviews, contrary to other reviews platforms like Yelp.
Google Maps Play A Key Role On Local SEO
Google Maps is a useful tool for business owners and consumers alike. It not only helps users find businesses near them but also offers greater visibility for business owners.
Although Google Maps does feature ratings and reviews, traditionally most users would turn to Yelp for a better indication of the quality of a business. This is now beginning to change with GLG.
Can you boost your business with GLG?
If you are starting your business or you want to get more visibility, Google Local Guides will help.
1) Become a user of GLG and make sure your business is visible, listing your products and services clearly.
2) Add your business! Maybe a business just moved in down the street or switched addresses and haven’t gotten to updating their information online. Go ahead and help them by adding their address on Google Maps so it’s easier for people to find them. They’ll be notified and glad that you helped them!
3) Include your Google reviews link and as your customers to leave a review.
4) Don’t forget to update your Google My Business listing (GMB), especially with pictures and opening hours.
5) Put yourself in the users’ shoes!
When you want to find a new restaurant or a reputable auto mechanic, where do you turn to? For most people, that’s Google. Google Search and Maps have become so ingrained in our way of life that to do anything else feels unnatural.
You are not the only one who search Google your service providers. Your potential customers do it too.
6) Review other businesses, especially those who can be referral partners
When you review other businesses around you, it increases your own online visibility. Each business you recommend will be notified of the review. Then when they go online to search for a local contractor to repair their roof, replace their windows or a host of other home improvement projects they need to tackle on their own home, they’ll recognize your name.
7) Answer questions. You can share helpful information about places you’ve visited by answering easy questions that people are asking online. Go ahead and search for your own business and answer any questions that people have asked.
The best part about Google’s Local Guides program is that Google won’t publish any edit suggestions without your knowledge. As a business, you’re able to verify information that people have submitted about your GMB listing prior to it being published on Google Maps.
8) Users normally search for “best ____ near me”. Some SEO experts recommend adding “near me” on your URL, for more visibility.
