Strategy
30-Day Blogging Masterclass
The internet has an insatiable appetite for information. Billions of searches are conducted every single day looking for everything from how to bake an apple pie to why zebras have stripes. For anyone who conducts business online, these searches represent a steady flow of potential customers who are looking for what you have to offer. You just need to be very clear on what you offer, in order to be able to provide that value.
What you need to know:
Your Ideal Reader
Who is your ideal reader? What does she want? What are her questions? What does she find entertaining? What could help her right now?
Your Position
Your blog should position you as an expert and industry leader. Are you using your voice and personality to establish yourself as an expert?
Define your goals
What will separate your blog from the rest will be your ability to visualize a direct and coherent vision, with long term aims and strategies. So, be sure to establish your goals and have them tie into your blog’s brand and values.
Download the FREE Excercise Worksheet
Remember: Blogging is not a fast business-growth strategy but it is excellent for long-term sustainability. Those posts you write this month will continue to work for you many years from now, bringing in more and more traffic and potential clients.
Also, if you haven’t already, be sure to read 52 Blog Ideas for your business, who couldn’t use 52 blog ideas?
[Tweet “Quick Tip: Listen before you blog. It’s not about how smart you are, it’s about how well you serve.”]
P.S. Do you know someone that would benefit from this 30 Day Blogging Masterclass? Send them over to the TVS Classroom to sign up.
Blogging Masterclasslogging Challenge
Advantages of Face-to-Face Networking
With the internet making the world a smaller place, it’s easy to think that networking can be done through social media and social media alone.
However, even with those you meet on social media, you still need to find a way to have face-to-face meetings, when possible. Here are 5 reasons why there are advantages to face to face networking.
Gives that personal touch.
Having face-to-face meetings is more personal and will give you a better way to show who your true self. It’s hard to see what someone’s personality is when you can’t see or hear them. If you want your personality to shine, then you need to have those face-to-face meetings.
Builds stronger relationships
We all crave human connection and when we get it, it builds stronger relationships. You can think a person is great when you meet them online, but to see them in action and be a part of their energy creates a better and more inviting experience.
It is hard to build a strong relationship with someone if you’ve never shared physical space. In person, you get to see how they connect with other people and truly know how strong your connection is with them.
Provides Immediate feedback
If all of your meetings are done through email or on social media, then you don’t get that immediate and direct feedback that you do when you’re face to face. You also can’t tell someone’s tone or demeanour if everything is done through typing. This makes it very easy to misconstrue someone’s intent or what they were saying.
When you are discussing something in person, then the exchange you have will go differently. There’s more give and take, so to speak. It’s just faster this way.
Ability to Read Body Language
There’s a way that we communicate in person that just cannot be expressed on the internet. You can read someone’s body language; you can pick up on sarcasm better when you can hear the tone of someone’s voice or see their face. You just learn so much about a person by seeing their mannerisms.
Avoid misunderstandings
You might think you are being very clear when you communicate on the internet, but how someone else interprets can be entirely different. This is why emotions fly and things get so heated on the internet. A simple misunderstanding escalates into something out of your control.
Using social media to network is great but it is still important to get out there and make personal connections. Whether it be at local business events or you find ways to meet up with your online connections, it’s crucial to create face-to-face meetings to strengthen those connections and build your business.
Now, I want to hear from you! How often do you get out to a local networking event or see your customers face-to-face? Share below in the comment section or join the conversation in the Facebook group.
What kind of content tends to go viral?
If you’re trying to get your content to “spark” and go viral, it really helps to have a strong understanding of what kind of content tends to go viral. Of course, nobody can predict what will go viral, nor can they make something go viral 100% of the time. But by understanding what kind of content tends to go viral, you stand a much better chance of creating something viral yourself.
Here are a few of the main attributes of things that tend to go viral.
It’s Human
It’s rare that a factual, statistical or economical video goes viral. Instead, it’s usually the most human videos that go viral.
The singing homeless man on the street. The baby laughing at something senseless. An incredible display of guitar prowess.
Strong Emotional Content
The more emotions you can arouse in your audience, the better.
Let’s take one of the world’s most viewed videos, the “Charlie Bit My Finger” video. The video features a baby whose brother bit his finger; he sits there laughing and complaining at the same time.
This video has an astounding 863 million views at the time of this writing. That is crazy, I have to admit, I have seen it more than once…
One of the main reasons this video took off so strongly is because of how clear the emotions were in the video. The watcher can almost “follow along” with the baby’s emotions and also experience the joy of playing with your baby brother, not to mention the pain of being bitten by a baby with a fresh set of pearly whites.
Videos That Provide Unique Information
Another type of content that does really well are videos that are informational. The key here is that the videos really have to provide content that can’t be found anywhere else.
My point is, informational videos work in many different industries, but the most important thing is that there’s something truly unique to them.
Content That Appeals to Specific Groups of People
Content that tends to appeal to specific groups of people tends to do very well if they have strong emotional or informational content.
A video that recently went viral was M.J Hegar’s campaign video to become a Democratic candidate for the Congress in a Texas district. The video racked up 4.7 million views on Youtube and Facebook combined as of June 28, 2018. At the time she was challenging 15-year Republican incumbent, John Carter.
Hegar’s video racked up 4.7 million views on Youtube and Facebook combined as of June 28, 2018. I am pretty sure, she did not need half that many votes to win. Which did happen by the way, with 62.2 percent of the vote!
Consider your business niche, something can go viral within the community. Like, new food laws, something which may be seen as boring, could be very interesting to vegans if it affects the foods they’ll be able to purchase. A video about the new laws could really take off among that specific community.
These are some of the factors that go into determining whether or not a video goes viral. At the end of the day, a video going viral really means that a lot of people want to pass on your content. The key, as with many other things in business, is to just create something so amazing that people want to share it.
Create Your Social Strategy
Create Your Social Strategy
The power of social media is that it is easy communication, a collaborative community builder and it has a high entertainment factor. In short, it’s simple, relatively easy, and fun. Because of this people gravitate towards it. When in business, whether large or small, social networking is your online connection to your customers and potential customers. Plan to have a social media presence, make it an enjoyable experience for you and your audience.
“If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one.”
Russian proverb
Russian proverb
With all the social media options out there, it is very important you chose the right path, or paths, in order to be successful with your business. Is Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, Instagram, or YouTube the best place to invest your time and money? All of these are amazing platforms to promote your business but are they the right platform? In order to determine the best path; you are going to have to take a hard look at your business.
I am an advocate of knowing who your ideal customer is for everything business-related. With choosing your social media platform I am going to reiterate the importance of this. If you do not have a complete profile of who you want to work with for potential clients and customers, create one. This will help you locate them. If you know where they are, then you will know where your business needs to be. You don’t need to be where the world is, only where your clients and customers are.
I am an advocate of knowing who your ideal customer is for everything business-related. With choosing your social media platform I am going to reiterate the importance of this. If you do not have a complete profile of who you want to work with for potential clients and customers, create one. This will help you locate them. If you know where they are, then you will know where your business needs to be. You don’t need to be where the world is, only where your clients and customers are.
You want to ensure your social media efforts have a big impact on your business. To do this; your social media goals need to be aligned with your business goals. Your mission is clear, it needs to be apparent when you are engaging with others online. When you are setting your social media goals, keep in mind to look at the big picture. What are the top goals for your business and how will social media help you accomplish them?
There is a lot of value in social media so it is worth the time and effort into setting them up properly. Or, if you already have accounts set up, go and optimize them.
- Ensure your bio or description is up to date and has your contact information and website clearly stated.
- When you are filling out your bio or business description be sure to use keywords that relate to your business and industry. Using words or phrases that your potential clients and customers may use in a search to find your type of business.
- Strive to have images that fall in line with your brand and represent your business accordingly. Also, with any platform, be sure that photos are sized to the correct dimensions for that social network.
Having an amazing content plan and an editorial calendar is essential to succeeding at social media. Your content plan should have what type of content you intend to post on what platform, how often you will post, who will create the content and how you will promote the content. While your editorial calendar lists the dates, topics, and platforms you intend to publish the content.
Having this all planned out ahead of time, instead of updating constantly, will give you the opportunity to work hard on other aspects of your business.
An engaged audience is an audience who know, like and trust you and your business. When it comes down to it, you are going to need to be social with your audience. Being engaged will help you build a community of people who know and love your business and what you have to offer.
Social media an opportunity to turn your fans, followers, readers, and subscribers into voices for your brand and ultimately, your sales force. Be sure to use it with purpose. Align your social strategy with your business goals and branding, be prepared and be engaged!
It is time to go out and get visible! Decide which social media network is right for your business and create or optimize your profiles.
If you are unsure what platform is the best fit for you and your business, set up a free 30-minute Support Session with me and we can figure it out together!
It really is a free personal support session, so there’s no pitch or pressure to commit.
This is a Premium Article, more like this are available only inside the Entrepreneur Essential library! If you are not a member, don’t fret! You still can be AND it is totally FREE!
Sign up below, if that isn’t your thing, I still want to help you the best way I can! So be sure to check out other available resources I have that will help you grow your business!
Hostess Coaching Tips For A Successful Direct Sales Party!
If you have a direct sales or network marketing business, chances are parties are the lifeblood of your business. One of the most important aspects of to having a successful party is to work with your Hostess. Setting your Hostess up for success is just as important to your business as your sales. Effective hostess coaching is how you are able to do this.
It all starts with a plan, who knew “party planner’ was part of the job description of Entrepreneur Goddess?
Basically, when it comes to having a successful party, it will come down to a strong strategic plan, communication and truly partnering with your host or Hostess. You will be able to increase your party sales, and bookings, by working with them on several different levels. Here are a few things to remember when working with your host or Hostess.
Remember, if they have a successful party – you will have a successful party!
1. Appreciate your Hostess!
• Send your Hostess a handwritten thank you and let her know she’s appreciated. Build a solid foundation of trust and confidence by sharing that you’ll be there to guide her along the way. Include a link or email her a “save the date” graphic (easy to create in Canva) that she can easily send to her guests.
• Mail a Hostess packet with a cover letter, catalogue and order forms. Be sure to place post-it tabs in the catalogue on the Hostess program page and special products. Also, put a few extra post-it tabs in the package, so the Hostess can tab her favourite pages and products.
2. Be A Good Listener:
• Call your Hostess and set up a “Wish List, time it so you call soon after her packet arrives. Write down everything on her list and create an action plan to help her get it all. The plan should include pre-party orders and a pre-arranged booking.
• Discuss any concerns that your Hostess might have. Brainstorm ideas on how to get outside orders, create e-vite reminders for friends and family, not on Facebook, and possibly teaming up with a friend to double-host.
3. Set High Expectations:
• We’ve all heard, “Aim for the moon and you’ll fall among the stars.” So, aim high. Add a Hostess tip and tricks checklist in your hostess packet.
• Don’t settle. Challenge your Hostess to beat your highest or last party. Be sure to recognize her efforts on the event page, using fun graphics, emojis and stickers to build her confidence.
4. Create a strategy:
• If it is an online Facebook event, advise your Hostess to only invite FB friends that she knows well enough that she’d invite them to a home party. That will help keep both you and her in a spam-free zone.
• Encourage rules of engagement: Personal phone calls or send hand-written invitations to the party. Encourage social media engagement by having your Hostess comment on all posts on the event page put up by you and to post some herself. She could tag friends who shop and share her own pics of her fave products.
• Make sure your Hostess builds excitement for her own party: review your “day of party” game plan prior to the event, which should include personal reminders to everyone who is attending, a “party crashers welcome” post on her personal page and an “I’m so excited” post on the event page a few hours before party time.
5. Use your phone:
• Remember that your phone was created to be used as a… phone. Personal phone calls with your Hostess could be the most innovative risk you take and encourage her to do the same with her guests.
[mailerlite_form form_id=13]