marketing

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October 14, 2024

Advanced Video Marketing Techniques for Your Business

Thanks to platforms like TikTok or Instagram Reels, videos have taken off online. Images and text can help communicate your company’s offerings, but videos are the way to truly connect with your audience. However, everyone is making videos nowadays, so how do you make yours stand out amongst the crowd?

Optimizing Video Content for SEO and Search Algorithms

To maximize your video’s SEO, start with keyword research using tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to find high-traffic keywords relevant to your industry. Embed these keywords strategically:

Title and Description: Your video title should be a click-worthy headline featuring the primary keyword. Write a robust description (250-300 words) with secondary keywords naturally woven in, providing a comprehensive overview of the video content. If your keyword is “remote employees” then you might create a video title such as “6 Tips on Hiring Remote Employees”. Your description should include the keyword “remote employees” as naturally as possible as well as other, secondary key words such as “small businesses hiring”. Algorithms are smart and know if you are just trying to stuff as many keywords as possible into the description so write it like you would for a human, not the algorithm!
Tags: Add a mix of broad and specific tags. YouTube’s algorithm in particular uses these to categorize content, so include high-traffic keywords and niche-specific terms. For example, a broad hashtag might be #hiring but a more specific hashtag might be #hiringremoteemployees
Thumbnail Optimization: Design custom thumbnails with compelling visuals and text overlays featuring main keywords. Use tools like Canva or Adobe Spark for A/B testing different thumbnails to find the highest CTR. Thumbnails should be bright and easy to read — remember, you only have a few seconds to catch someone’s eye, and thumbnails are very small previews.
Closed Captions and Transcripts: Upload SRT files for closed captions and provide full transcripts. These elements are crawled by search engines, boosting your SEO. Use software like Rev or Otter.ai to automate this process.
Video Sitemap: Generate a video sitemap and submit it to Google Search Console. This helps search engines index your video content more efficiently. Use Yoast SEO or All in One SEO plugins if you’re on WordPress. This is for those that have video libraries on their website, not just their social media pages.

Implementing Advanced Editing Techniques for Enhanced Viewer Experience

The editing process is crucial in shaping your video marketing narrative. Advanced editing techniques can significantly enhance viewer experience:

Color Grading: Enhance your videos’ visual appeal by adjusting colors, contrast, and saturation using tools like Adobe Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve. Remember, people like bright videos with vibrant colors!
Motion Graphics: Utilize motion graphics to emphasize key points or data. Tools like After Effects can create dynamic animations that captivate viewers and reinforce your message.
Cutting Techniques: Use jump cuts to condense content, while L-cuts and J-cuts can improve pacing and maintain narrative flow. Don’t be afraid to cut out pauses that aren’t necessary — even if the frame jumps a bit, keep in mind your audience has a short attention span.
Sound Design: Prioritize audio quality with balanced levels, incorporating royalty-free music, sound effects, and voiceovers to create an immersive experience. Try to use a microphone when filming — there are now great tiny mics that plug right into your phone!
Call to Action (CTA): Place CTAs strategically using on-screen text prompts or visual cues to guide viewers toward the next steps. This tells your viewers what you want them to do, whether you want them to subscribe to your channel or purchase a product.

Leveraging Social Media Platforms for Maximum Video Reach

To maximize the reach of your video marketing efforts, strategically utilize social media platforms tailored to their unique features and user bases:

Platform-Specific Formats: Adapt your content to suit the preferred formats of each platform. For example, Instagram Stories and TikTok thrive on vertical videos, whereas YouTube favors landscape orientations. Each platform also has different time requirements; YouTube Shorts can be a maximum of sixty seconds but TikTok videos can be up to ten minutes long.
Cross-Promotion: Distribute shorter video segments or teasers across different social media channels, redirecting viewers to your main video. Customize these snippets to align with each platform’s style and audience preferences.
Influencer Partnerships: Engage with industry influencers to expand your reach. Influencers can offer credibility and attract their followers to your content, boosting engagement and visibility.
Paid Advertising: Leverage the sophisticated targeting options available on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. By using demographic, interest, and behavioral targeting, you can ensure your videos reach the most relevant audiences.
Live Streaming: Integrate live video into your strategy. Live streams encourage real-time interaction, creating a sense of immediacy and fostering deeper engagement.
User-Generated Content (UGC): Encourage your audience to create and share their own videos related to your brand. UGC can enhance authenticity and organically expand your reach as followers share their experiences with their networks.

Utilizing Data Analytics to Measure Video Performance and Engagement

Data analytics is crucial for refining your video marketing strategies. Start by utilizing Google Analytics, YouTube Analytics, and social media insights to gather detailed performance data. Focus on advanced metrics such as View-Through Rate (VTR), which indicates the percentage of viewers watching your video in its entirety. Analyze Audience Retention to pinpoint where viewers drop off and adjust your content structure accordingly. Monitor Click-Through Rate (CTR) to assess the effectiveness of your thumbnails and calls to action, experimenting with different styles and placements to boost engagement. Dive into demographic data, examining age, gender, and location to tailor future content more precisely. Evaluate traffic sources to identify which platforms drive the most views. For videos hosted on your website, use heat maps to visualize viewer interactions, highlighting the most engaging segments. This granular approach will help you make data-driven decisions to optimize your video marketing efforts.

What is one thing you wish more people did in their video marketing? Share it with us so we can let our audience know!

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April 9, 2024

Unleashing the Power of Your Small Business with a Talented Content Creator

A content creator is someone with the skills and experience to create compelling content, including web pages, blogs, social media posts, videos, and more. This content can be used to engage customers, build trust, and increase brand awareness, which can ultimately lead to increased sales. With a talented content creator, you can unlock the power of your small business and reach new heights.

Defining the Role of a Content Creator

A content creator is a crucial addition to any small business team. They are the driving force behind creating engaging and valuable content across various platforms. Whether it’s crafting compelling web pages, writing informative blogs, or creating eye-catching videos, a content creator knows how to captivate an audience. They understand the importance of storytelling and have the skills to convey your brand’s message effectively. From developing a content strategy to implementing creative ideas, a content creator brings immense value to your small business.

The Benefits of Hiring a Content Creator for Your Small Business

First and foremost, a content creator can help you establish a strong online presence by consistently producing high-quality and engaging content. This can attract new customers, increase brand awareness, and ultimately boost sales. Additionally, they can save you time and effort by taking on the task of content creation, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business. They can also bring fresh ideas and creativity to your brand, helping you stay ahead of the competition.

Finding and Hiring the Right Content Creator for Your Small Business

Finding the right content creator for your small business is crucial to the success of your content marketing strategy. Start by clearly defining the qualifications and skills you are looking for in a content creator. Look for someone who has experience in your industry and understands your target audience. Consider reviewing portfolios and previous work samples to assess their creativity and ability to produce high-quality content. Don’t be afraid to ask for references and testimonials from previous clients to ensure they have a track record of delivering results. You can also work through a paid test with them where you assign the person a small project to see how they work with your team and what sort of quality their output is.

How to Work Effectively with a Content Creator for Optimal Results

Establish clear communication channels to ensure both parties are on the same page. Provide a detailed brief, and be open to feedback and collaboration. Encourage creativity and allow the content creator to express their ideas. Set realistic timelines and be mindful of the content creator’s workload to avoid burnout. Regularly review and analyze the performance of the content created, providing constructive feedback to help refine and improve future content. By fostering a collaborative and supportive working relationship, you can maximize the potential of your content creator and achieve exceptional results for your small business.

If you want to hire a content creator but need a little help, our Small Business Concierge Services can take the guesswork out of the hiring process. Work with our HR Experts to find your dream candidate!

Already been through the process and found an amazing content creator? Share your tips with us on how to improve the process!

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July 31, 2023

Maximize Your Marketing Potential with a Digital Marketing Specialist

It’s no secret that digital marketing is the way of the future, and businesses everywhere are beginning to recognize the need to stay ahead of the curve. If you want your business to be competitive, it’s crucial that you invest in a digital marketing specialist (DMS). With the right strategies and expertise, a DMS can help you maximize your marketing potential and give you the edge you need to succeed in the digital age.

What is a Digital Marketing Specialist

A Digital Marketing Specialist (DMS) is an individual who is well-versed in all the strategies, techniques, and tools necessary for marketing a business in the digital space. Digital Marketing Specialists have a diverse skill set and a deep understanding of the online world, including search engines, social media, email marketing, content creation, and advertising platforms. They are experts in identifying a business’s unique needs, developing comprehensive marketing plans, and executing campaigns that drive traffic, engagement, and revenue.

The Role of a Digital Marketing Specialist

A DMS is an expert in promoting businesses, products or services online. They use various digital channels to attract and retain customers and generate leads. They work in close collaboration with the sales team, content writers and designers to create a digital marketing plan that aligns with the business goals.

The core responsibilities of a DMS include:

Developing and executing digital marketing campaigns
Creating engaging content for website, social media and other online platforms
Analyzing website traffic and other metrics to measure campaign performance
Optimizing the website for search engines (SEO) to improve online visibility
Managing and monitoring social media accounts and ad campaigns
Designing and sending email marketing campaigns to potential and existing customers
Conducting market research and analyzing consumer behavior to inform digital marketing strategies
Collaborating with other departments to ensure a cohesive brand image and consistent messaging across all channels

A Digital Marketing Specialist must also stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in the digital marketing industry. They should have a good understanding of various digital tools and platforms like Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, SEO tools and more.

Benefits of Hiring a Digital Marketing Specialist

If you’re considering whether or not to hire a DMS, you might be wondering what benefits they can bring to your business. The truth is, a skilled Digital Marketing Specialist can bring a wealth of advantages to your company, from increasing brand awareness and driving more traffic to your website, to boosting your customer engagement and conversion rates:

Expertise: They have the skills and knowledge necessary to develop and execute a successful digital marketing campaign that meets your business goals and objectives.
Focus: They can take care of all your digital marketing needs, leaving you free to concentrate on other important areas of your company.
Cost-effective: Digital marketing can be a cost-effective way to reach a large audience, especially when compared to traditional marketing methods.
Increased reach: With the right digital marketing strategies in place, you can expand your customer base and drive more traffic to your website, leading to increased sales and revenue.
Data-driven insights: By analyzing data such as website traffic, engagement rates, and conversion rates, they can continually optimize your campaigns for maximum effectiveness.

Maximizing Your Business Potential with a Digital Marketing Specialist

A DMS will use analytics to identify your target audience and develop customized campaigns that reach the right people. This targeted approach will help ensure that your marketing dollars are spent effectively, and you’ll see a better return on investment. A specialist will help optimize your website and content to improve your search engine rankings. Higher rankings will drive more traffic to your site, resulting in more leads and conversions. Additionally, a Digital Marketing Specialist will manage your social media accounts to engage with your audience and increase brand awareness. They will develop content, track engagement, and monitor your online reputation.

Specialists will also have the expertise to create and manage digital advertising campaigns. They will ensure that your ads are optimized, targeted, and reach the right people. Finally, a Digital Marketing Specialist will monitor and measure your marketing campaigns to track results and make necessary adjustments. This data-driven approach will help you continually improve your marketing strategy and stay ahead of your competition.

If you need help hiring a Digital Marketing Specialist, check out our Small Business Concierge Services. Already hired someone? Share your tips for what to look for with our audience!

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January 23, 2023

Get noticed on LinkedIn: 5 Tips for Small Business Marketing Success

Are you looking for ways to market your small business on LinkedIn? If so, you’re in the right place. The professional networking site is an invaluable tool for small businesses, and is a great way to reach new customers, build relationships, and increase brand awareness. But it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to promoting your business on the platform. In this blog post, we’ll provide you with five tips to help you get noticed on LinkedIn and maximize your small business marketing success. Read on to learn more!

1) Use Keywords in Your Profile

Step one for marketing on LinkedIn is obviously to create a business page! Once you’ve done that, it’s time to fill in all the blanks on your profile using keywords! What are keywords? Well, they are words and phrases related to your industry and what people are searching for. By including them in your company description and job titles, you’ll be more likely to show up when potential customers search. Don’t be afraid to use common industry terms and phrases as well – this will help ensure that people who are looking for what you offer can easily find you.

There are third party services you can pay to find keywords for you, but if you don’t want to use one of those, you can do some manual searching on LinkedIn to see what’s trending. First, take a peek at trending articles in your industry. Second, use the search feature to lookup hashtags, and you can see how many posts are using the hashtag you think might be relevant.

2) Optimize Your Company Page

Having a strong presence on LinkedIn is important for any small business that wants to reach potential customers and build a network. One of the most effective ways to do this is to optimize your company page. A well-crafted company page can help you stand out from the competition, generate more engagement, and give you more exposure on the platform. Here are some tips to make sure your company page is optimized:

Make sure your page looks professional. Use high-quality photos and relevant copy that accurately reflects your business and services.
Link to other platforms. Make sure your page is linked to your website and other social media channels to increase visibility.
Leverage tags. Use relevant tags that describe your industry and target audience so people can find your page more easily.
Encourage followers. Invite existing customers, partners, and colleagues to follow your page and share it with their networks.
Monitor performance. Track how many visits, likes, and shares your page receives and adjust your strategy accordingly.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your company page looks professional, reaches the right people, and drives more engagement on LinkedIn.

3) Create Shareable Content

Creating content that your followers will want to share is essential to success in marketing your small business on LinkedIn. Start by creating content that provides value to your audience. This can include blog posts, videos, articles, or other forms of media that educate, inform, and entertain them. When it comes to content, quality should always be prioritized over quantity. Focus on producing high-quality content that resonates with your target audience.

It’s also important to consider the frequency of your content. Consider scheduling out posts in advance using a tool like Hootsuite. This will help you stay consistent in your posting schedule and ensure that you are actively engaging your followers with new content. Finally, make sure to promote your content across other social media channels as well. By leveraging different networks, you can extend the reach of your content and create more opportunities for engagement and sharing.

4) Engage with Others

Engagement is key to success on any social media platform, and LinkedIn is no exception. Interacting with other users can help you build your brand visibility and credibility, and it’s a great way to network. Here are some tips for engaging with other users on LinkedIn:

Comment on posts. Commenting on posts from people in your network is an effective way to show your support, start conversations, and build relationships.
Post interesting content. Sharing content from industry leaders or thought leaders is a great way to show that you’re knowledgeable and current on trends.
Ask questions. Posting questions related to your industry or niche can help spark conversations and engage people who have similar interests.
Connect with influencers. Connecting with influencers in your industry can help build your network and expose your brand to more people.
Join groups. Joining relevant groups can be a great way to connect with potential customers and prospects, as well as build relationships with other professionals in your industry.

5) Advertise on LinkedIn

LinkedIn Ads provide a great opportunity to promote your small business. You can create targeted campaigns that reach the right audience and measure the success of your campaigns with real-time analytics. With LinkedIn Ads, you can create lead generation forms to capture contact information, drive website traffic, and measure conversions. Start exploring today to find out how advertising on LinkedIn can help you achieve your business goals.

What marketing tips do you have for using LinkedIn? Share them with us today!

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January 23, 2022

Get noticed on LinkedIn: 5 Tips for Small Business Marketing Success

1) Use Keywords in Your Profile

2) Optimize Your Company Page

Make sure your page looks professional. Use high-quality photos and relevant copy that accurately reflects your business and services.
Link to other platforms. Make sure your page is linked to your website and other social media channels to increase visibility.
Leverage tags. Use relevant tags that describe your industry and target audience so people can find your page more easily.
Encourage followers. Invite existing customers, partners, and colleagues to follow your page and share it with their networks.
Monitor performance. Track how many visits, likes, and shares your page receives and adjust your strategy accordingly.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your company page looks professional, reaches the right people, and drives more engagement on LinkedIn.

3) Create Shareable Content

4) Engage with Others

Comment on posts. Commenting on posts from people in your network is an effective way to show your support, start conversations, and build relationships.
Post interesting content. Sharing content from industry leaders or thought leaders is a great way to show that you’re knowledgeable and current on trends.
Ask questions. Posting questions related to your industry or niche can help spark conversations and engage people who have similar interests.
Connect with influencers. Connecting with influencers in your industry can help build your network and expose your brand to more people.
Join groups. Joining relevant groups can be a great way to connect with potential customers and prospects, as well as build relationships with other professionals in your industry.

5) Advertise on LinkedIn

What marketing tips do you have for using LinkedIn? Share them with us today!

Written by Lesley Pyle

November 16, 2020

Business Promotions Made Easy with These 4 Simple Steps

Social media is an inescapable force. It appears on your phone, it can drive a news cycle, and it is the basis for many conversations between friends and neighbors. Love it or hate it, social media is an efficient, low-cost way to reach a broad audience to promote your business and grow your brand. More and more, small businesses are using social media to interact with customers and potential customers. (Check out our prior posts on creating a stand-out social media presence.) One of the key ways social media can grow your business is through promotions. Here’s a step-by-step guide for finding and running the right social media promotion for your business.

Determine the Goals for your Promotion

In addition to generating buzz about your business, promotions are great tools to achieve specific objectives. So, as you consider a promotion, think about your purpose. Because there’s a vast universe of promotions, there’s not a one-size-fits-all prescription for promotional goals. Some potential options include:

Gaining followers
Growing engagement
Finding referrals
Promoting loyalty
Sales of a particular item or over a specific time frame

Once you know your goal, it’s easier to choose the right promotion and create an offer meaningful to your followers.

Craft Your Offer

Crafting the offer’s specifics is often the most fun (and challenging) aspect of the process. In general, the offering should be unique to your business and feel special for your followers. Consider your overall value proposition and how your offering could drive engagement. Make sure the promotion offers something that your followers will find desirable.

Specific promotional options are endless. Here are some ideas to help get you started:

Contests, including scavenger hunts, talent or art competitions, kid writing or coloring contests, product raffles, or prize drawings, often generate a lot of participation.
Free items, like a gift with purchase or a small free item during certain hours/days, can drive business during slower times.
Discounts and coupons available to anyone who shares your promotion or earned with specific interactions, such as tagging friends or starting to follow your social media accounts, are popular options.
Swag giveaways of premium items, such as mugs, hats, pens, and branded water bottles, can really bring out your fans. Many business owners like to give away promotional items because it results in free advertising as customers use them.
Exclusive access opportunities are a great option to drive traffic to shops, restaurants, and events. Social media followers can gain exclusive access to your business/product based on the steps you outline in your promotion or by using your website or other online processes to make a reservation.

As you consider your offer, keep the potential prize proportional to the entrant’s investment to participate. For example, don’t give away a high-value item to everyone who shares your link. Likewise, if you ask your followers to make a significant investment in your promotion, such as creating a meme that shows why they love your product, the pay-off should be more exclusive. If you conduct a contest, you may need a panel of judges (such as employees or other superfans) to pick a winner for your prize. Discounts in exchange for link sharing are generally a good trade-off in this area.

You also want to make sure that the graphics that you have for this campaign shows your business logo, too. This helps familiarize your audience with your logo and improve your brand awareness. Designing a professional logo is easy with the use of logo makers such as BrandCrowd or working with graphic designers.

Next, develop a timeline for your promotion. Include plenty of time to do any pre-work and build in some time for follow up and assessment.

Draft a Communication Plan

With your offer and timeline in hand, it’s time to consider your communication plan. Communication is the key to a successful promotion. Look at any existing communication plans you maintain and see if opportunities exist to take an upcoming communication or advertisement and add information about your promotion. Depending on your goals, consider a mix of social media and traditional vehicles for reaching your audience.

Then, prepare your posts and other media well in advance of your start date. Be sure to:

Clearly outline how the promotion works, including any exclusions or deadlines.
Include plans to publicly share the name of your promotion winners, if appropriate.
Thank everyone who participates.
Share your appreciation for the enthusiasm your followers show around the promotion.

When the launch day arrives, deploy your communication materials and monitor the feedback you are getting on your posts. Posting comments and making updates based on questions or comments that appear will let your audience know that you are engaged in the promotion. To help keep your promotion top-of-mind, regularly share information about it with your followers.

Assess Your Results

When the promotion ends, take a look at how it went. Consider:

Did you meet your goals?
Did managing the promotion take the time you expected? Less time? More time? (If the answer is more time, you might want to hire a Virtual Assistant to help in the future.)
What feedback did you hear from those who participated? How about those that mentioned the promotion to you but didn’t participate?
What did you learn in the process?

Answers to these questions will help you craft even more successful promotions in the future.

What’s Working for You?

Promotions are a fun way to drive business. We’d love to hear about your experiences–the good, the bad, and the ugly. Drop me a line and let me know what promotions you’ve tried.

Written by Lesley Pyle

October 8, 2019

How Smart Entrepreneurs and Mompreneurs Use LinkedIn to Attract New Clients

With over 562 million members in 200 countries and across all industries, there is no denying LinkedIn is the top professional networking site. Facebook is where you have a strong circle of friends, Pinterest allows you to tap into evergreen marketing and boost your blog content but LinkedIn is where you can take your business to a whole new level.

LinkedIn is indexed by Google so when it comes to marketing your personal brand and your business, LinkedIn is definitely an important tool to leverage in your marketing efforts. LinkedIn also gives you the ability to search for and connect with your ideal client.

Here are some tips to help you fully leverage LinkedIn as a smart entrepreneur / mompreneur!

CREATE AND FULLY COMPLETE YOUR PROFILE

Your profile is the most important aspect of your LinkedIn account. It’s the first impression people have of your personal brand and business.

Ensure you have a high quality photo and make sure your face is 50% of the size of the circle.
Create a banner image that will be displayed at the top (Canva.com has lots of free templates to help you). Think of this a free highway billboard and use it wisely to promote you and your business.
Add your name and you can also add a title with it to let me know right off the bat what you do. For example “Amanda Jones | Digital Marketing Professional”
Add a short bio
Complete the ABOUT section. This is a great opportunity to highlight what you do and the ideal client you are looking to work with and use as many characters of the max 2,000 as you can. Think of LinkedIn like Google. Your goal is to create a profile that comes up in search results. And remember, most people will only see the first 3 lines so make them count.
Complete all sections to add your experiences, work history, education, volunteer work, skills and website
Add samples of your work or blog posts

It’s important to spend quality time on this and to fully complete this before moving on and connecting with other professionals. Feel free to hop over to my LinkedIn profile to see how I have set up my profile and I would love to connect with you too while you are there!

ENDORSEMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Once your profile is fully complete you can reach out and connect with people you know and have worked with on LinkedIn. People you already know is a great place to start because you can ask them to leave you an endorsement and recommendation. This helps to edify you to new people you want to connect with. Be sure to return the favor and leave a recommendation for others as well.

USING LINKEDIN

MAKE NEW CONNECTIONS

Now that you have created your profile, connected with people you know and received some recommendations and endorsements you are ready to start making other connections, especially with people who are your ideal client. Think of LinkedIn as an online network group and search engine. Let’s say for example you are a logo designer and you are wanting to network with website designers who can refer clients to you who will need a logo designed for their website.

You can go to the search bar in LinkedIn and type in “website designer” and have it filter for “people” and it will pull up search results for those that have “website designer” in their profiles. LinkedIn will filter the results by mutual connections you have with other people.

When you click on the “connect” button, you will have the opportunity to type out an invitation before sending. LinkedIn will have a generic one but it’s important that you personalize every invitation you send. Take the time to look at their profile and make the invitation all about them not about you.

“Hi Lori, I see that you are a website designer and as a graphic designer in the same industry I would love to connect and know how I can support you and send referrals your way. Look forward to connecting with you.”

People will be a lot more likely to accept your invitation to connect if they feel valued and not like you have an agenda.

POST UPDATES

Make LinkedIn part of your daily marketing routine. Use LinkedIn to share your blog content and other articles that would interest your network of connections, tips, resources and to highlight your work. Remember as with any social media platform, the goal is to tell instead of sell.

LinkedIn also has an app that can make posting and the time you spend networking easier too.

CREATE A SOCIAL VIBE ON LINKEDIN

Ensure you are engaging with your network through their status updates too. You can’t expect to post and not spend time supporting others on their posts. Social media doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Set a timer to spend 10 minutes to like and comment (5+ words on any social media platform shows the algorithm that your comment is a real genuine comment and not a bot).

THE POWER OF GROUPS

LinkedIn has a lot of great groups that you can join to connect with more like-minded people and share your expertise. You can use the search bar to search for groups in your niche. Be selective and only commit to joining groups that you feel you can actively participate in. You will need to send an invitation to the moderators for them to approve your request. Once they do, be sure to read the group rules and be a respectful member of the group and give value. It’s a great opportunity to find more people to connect with.

Take the time to implement these tips and you should see some great connections and future clients before too long!

ABOUT HIREMYMOM…

Over the past 12+ years, HireMyMom has helped thousands of small businesses find the perfect candidate for their projects while helping thousands of mom professionals find in their remote dream jobs. We do that by providing a platform that brings the best group of qualified and passionate women together with the best group of successful and growing small businesses who are looking for highly qualified virtual professionals with skills, experience and expertise.

How is HireMyMom different?

As more of a boutique site, candidates on HireMyMom do not have to compete with 100s or 1,000s of other applicants and our small businesses do not have to wade through 1,000s of applicants,
We do not take a percentage or commission of earnings from virtual professionals OR the small businesses,
HireMyMom is more than a job site; we are community offering personalized services, training, support and virtual high-fives,
- Moms, join our FB Community here.
- Small Businesses, we invite you to join us here.
Our site is primarily for those in North America and native English speakers familiar with U.S. Business culture and in or near the same time zones,
We offer our Small Business VIP Concierge program where our HR Specialists will hand select top candidate(s) for our Small Business clients.

Mom Professionals looking for legitimate, remote jobs and projects, start here.

Small Businesses looking find high-quality, independent candidates, start here.

Written by Lesley Pyle

August 5, 2019

10 Ways A Mompreneur Can Kickstart Her Business

Before we dive in, you may wonder why momentum matters in running a home-based business. As a mompreneur, momentum increases your belief, solidifies your confidence and assures that you are taking the right action steps to fulfill the mission and vision of your business.

Maintaining momentum in spite of your obstacles and setbacks is essential to keeping you motivated while allowing you to recover from those situations and circumstances easier and more quickly.

Here are my top 10 ways a mompreneur can kickstart her business:

1.RE-EVALUATE

To give your business a good kick in the pants, spend some time thinking about what has worked in your business the last 90-120 days and what hasn’t. You can’t expect to keep doing the same things that aren’t creating results you want. Yes, this will require some self reflection and honesty. If your goal is to make $5,000 per month in your business but you are spending 10-15 hours a week on actual revenue generating activities (sorry, scrolling social media every week may feel like you are working but it’s not exactly a revenue generating activity) then it’s time to admit those goals and actions steps don’t align with one another.

With that said, now is not the time to beat yourself up over it. It’s a fresh start to make a new plan and get moving in the right direction.

KNOW AND LIVE YOUR PRIORITIES

Life gets crazy especially for us moms. Add a business into the mix and things can quickly spiral out of control. You probably won’t be able to achieve perfect balance in your life and you don’t need to but you can stay grounded through it by knowing and living your priorities.

Instead of having a mile long to-do list every day that overwhelms you from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed, set your intentions for the day by what qualifies as a priority. By knowing and living by your priorities each day, you’ll improve your focus, keep your sanity and be more present for what matters most. The results will not only increase your productivity but decrease frustration and mom guilt.

GET FEEDBACK

As you work to kickstart your business, ask people you know and trust for feedback. A fresh set of eyes can help point out copy on your website, for example, that makes perfect sense to you because you wrote it but it’s not coming across well for someone who is not that familiar with what you do. Constructive feedback can be a great asset to you as you work to create new products, freshen up your social media and website before you start working on those areas so you know exactly where to focus your time and energy.

This can be a hard exercise to go through. It can feel scary to open yourself up to people’s opinions, I get that but it will also prove to be invaluable. The goal is to help you figure out what works in your business and areas that need improvement so you can reach your goals.

Some of the feedback will be good and some of it won’t be and why it’s important to have a plan on how to sort through and how to handle it. Here are some quick tips to make this process as positive as possible:

Start by thanking the person for their insight and honesty. Those who give you negative feedback probably won’t be expecting you to thank them but by doing so you will earn even more respect and appreciate their honesty even though it was probably uncomfortable for them to do so.
Don’t take it to heart. Just because someone criticizes an aspect of your business doesn’t mean they hate everything. You asked for their help so take it for what it is, something that you need to look into further and look at with a fresh perspective. Nothing more.
Ask questions. Is there something you could do better? Do they have suggestions for improvements? You never know what helpful solutions someone would share if you take the time to ask some simple questions.

CREATE A PLAN

It may sound cliche but “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail” is a very true statement. As a mompreneur, you have to know what generates leads, results and revenue for your business (and what doesn’t). Don’t put it off, create a plan today around those activities and commit to them every day without fail. Keep your plan on your desk, in your day planner, set a calendar alert each morning to help keep you from distractions, wake up an hour early if you need to before the house is filled with chaos so you can focus and feel accomplished going into your day. The point is to find what works for you and stay committed to it.

If you are struggling with this part of your business, check out our post 10 Strategies To Land Your First Client to help you create a plan around activities that will help kickstart your business.

TURN UP THE SOCIAL MEDIA

Have you been using social media the last few months to its full potential? Your ideal client is out there and they need what you have to offer but they have to be able to find you. You don’t need to master every platform either. Leverage your strengths and put them to work for you.

Love doing live video? Use Facebook live to give tips, a how-to that can solve a problem for your client (when they realize they don’t want to do it, they can reach out and hire you!), create a blog post with a tutorial and share it on your social media pages. Whatever route you choose, the goal is to be consistent. You can’t expect to show up on your social media pages once a month and have potential clients flooding your in-box.

Instagram is a great tool for networking, creating a community and collaborating. Be sure to check out these practical tips for leveraging Instagram.

CREATE A WEBSITE

If you aren’t generating enough leads in your business and don’t have a website, it’s probably time to start one. It doesn’t have to be complicated and you don’t have to spend thousands designing one. There are great platforms out there like Wix and Squarespace that are user friendly and can help get you started quickly to showcase your work, client testimonials, products and portfolio. Having a platform to market is important to your overall success.

If you have a website, maybe it’s time to take it up a notch by freshening it up, add a new blog post, client feedback, project examples and create a freebie that can help build an email list.

COLLABORATIONS

To kick start a business there is nothing like forming great partnerships and collaborations to help you do that. Reach out to fellow mompreneurs in your field and ask them if there are ways you can support them and feature them in exchange for the same courtesy. I believe in being blessed to be a blessing and when we support others, it comes back ten fold.

Make this a regular thing on social media. For example, every Monday you could do #MompreneurMonday where you feature another mompreneur to highlight in your Instagram stories or #FeatureFriday where you feature a mompreneur and a cool project she is working on. If you do logo design work, reach out to a website designer at the beginning of the week and let her know that you are working on a #FeatureFriday post and would love to highlight one of her projects. Ask if she would be willing to do the same for you and feature one of your logo designs. Be intentional and set a time for the two of you to post on Friday so you know there is a mutual commitment (morning posts seem to do better than afternoon or evening posts).

You will find collaborations like this can be a great way to support others and get exposure for your business too. As a bonus tip, on Fridays you can also use the #FridayIntroductions hashtag. Whatever you decide, be creative and have fun with it!

FEATURE YOUR PREVIOUS PROJECTS

Don’t be shy about showcasing your work. Once a week create a post on social media to share a project you worked on for a client. Share some fun facts about the project and give your client a shout out in the process by tagging their Facebook page and Instagram accounts.

SPECIAL PRICING

To give your business a kickstart, put together some quick products and services you can offer for a special price. The key is to create urgency by giving the special pricing an end date. “Now through the end of August, I am helping eCommerce clients get started or rebrand with a custom logo for $_____ but this special pricing is only good through _________ {end date}.”

You are probably not the only business owner out there who needs to give their business a jump start and special pricing with a limited time offer could be exactly what your potential client needs to take action.

HIREMYMOM

Did you know for the past 12 years HireMyMom has been helping freelancing women and moms just like you find quality, legitimate work from home jobs and clients? By joining our community, you can confidently share your skills and look for high quality positions and clients as well as have access to more training and resources to help you build your business. Click HERE to learn more about what we have to offer and become a member today.

Written by Lesley Pyle

July 25, 2019

10 Strategies To Land Your First Client As A Freelancer

Let me be one of the first ones to congratulate you on your decision to pursue your passions and share your God-given gifts with the world as a freelancer. While it’s not an easy journey, I can speak from over 20 years of experience that it’s a very rewarding one.

One of the biggest hurdles to get over in this industry isn’t how to create a website, brand yourself or master social media but in landing your first paying client in what feels like a very crowded and competitive marketplace. However, with a well planned strategy, an attitude of determination and believing in what God has called you to do, I think you will find landing your first client can be easier than you think.

Here are 10 strategies to help you land your first client as a freelancer.

REACH OUT TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY

While this strategy will not work for the long term because let’s be honest, while most of your friends and family will whole-heartedly support your business and cheer you on, the majority of them are not going to be your target market or ideal client but that doesn’t mean you can’t share with them what you are doing.

Maybe you just launched a graphic design business, for example. Let your friends and family know what you are doing and what kind of client you are looking to work with. You can shoot them a quick message on Facebook or an email.

Here is a sample script you can use to get you started:

“Hi Sally! Hope you and the kids are doing well. I have loved seeing your vacation photos on Facebook recently looks like a really fun time! I wanted to send you a quick message to let you know I just started my own graphic design business. I create logos for small women business owners (attached is an example design). I know you may not be in the immediate need for a graphic designer but if you hear of anyone looking for one I would greatly appreciate you referring them my way. I would also be grateful your prayers and support as I embark on this new journey as a freelancer and of course let me know if there is anything I can do to support you too!”

When reaching out to people, it’s important not to be pushy or demanding. Make your messages personable, don’t send out copy and paste messages as they can feel cold and pretty easy to spot. The goal is to help spread the word about what you do in a non-salesy way and through these messages you may find 1-2 people through your warm market who are actually in need of the services you provide or can quickly refer you to someone who does.

ETSY/CREATIVE MARKET

As a freelancer you can create an account, online shop and list your products and services on sites like Etsy and Creative Market. Staying with the same example as a graphic designer, you could list logo examples available for purchase. Ensure your listings are optimized by thinking about how your ideal client would be looking for your service or product. It’s important to research the fees associated with these websites as while they can help you land a new client quickly they do take a percentage of the sale.

CREATE A WEBSITE

As a freelancer, it’s important to start branding yourself as a professional and a website is crucial to that strategy. A website allows your first client to find you easier online through Google searches and showcase your experience, skills and expertise.

As you reach out to people to share your services you will find most will ask “What is your website?” because in the information driven age we live in, people want to see it and read it for themselves. It’s also not a good use of your time to keep explaining to people over and over what you do when you can direct them to a website where you have shared everything they need to know all in one place and can check out examples of your work through a portfolio.

Through blog posts you can give free value and solve problems to help you gain the trust of your next client who desperately needs what you have to offer. Create a blog board on Pinterest to showcase your blog posts in one place.

NETWORK LIKE CRAZY

There is no sugar coating that landing your first client will take some old fashioned hustle. Go to local networking meetings where you can build relationships faster face to face. Go prepared with a warm smile and a stack of well designed business cards and don’t make the business killing mistake of handing your business card to someone and not asking for theirs in return. Not only does this come across as self-serving but you need to go home with a stack of contacts that you can connect with on social media to keep building the relationship with.

You can find local networking groups through Meet Up, Facebook and by searching your local Chamber of Commerce for events such as luncheons and mixers happening in your area.

CREATE A FACEBOOK BUSINESS PAGE

You will find that social media will play a huge role in your business and landing your first client. There are many advantages to having a Facebook Business Page like having the content indexed by Google and having the ability to run Facebook ads to target your ideal client.

You can use your page to go live and give valuable tips to your audience that will help you stand out as an expert and build relationships with your audience while sharing calls to actions that direct your audience to what you offer.

UPDATE YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE

Just like a Facebook business page, LinkedIn is indexed by Google and can help your ideal client find you. Maybe your profile is old and outdated? Now is the perfect time to update your profile photo, cover photo, title, skills sets, work history, etc. You can even publish some of your blog posts to your profile to give value and showcase your expertise.

If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, definitely create one and start putting it to work for you as a freelancer.

DON’T WORK FOR FREE

As a new freelancer, you need experience and testimonials to keep new clients coming in. And while it may be tempting to offer your services for free in order to build a portfolio and client feedback, I can assure you this is not a route you want to take.

Doing free work can chip away at your confidence and self worth and believe me, not even the people closest to you will respect your time or talents if you offer to do them for free and by doing so you are just opening up a can of worms. Let’s say you create a free logo for your dear Aunt Sally who then tells another member of your family that you created a beautiful logo for her for free and “probably wouldn’t mind” doing it for them too.

Hear me on this, value what you do and don’t discount your worth. If you want to have a goal of getting 5 testimonials for your website or Etsy shop as quickly as possible because you know it will help you get even more clients, great but do not work for free.

You will find especially if you are a service-based business that people, usually under no ill intentions, will come to you and say “I just need you to do this one thing, take a look at this one website, I just need 15 minutes of your time” so it’s best if you learn early on how to deal with this. None of us get to the privilege to walk into a doctor’s office and say “I just need 15 minutes of the doctor’s time to look at this spot on my arm” so don’t allow anyone to steal time from you either.

Tell Aunt Sally that you are willing to create a simple logo for her this one time at a discounted rate in exchange for a testimonial and give her a one time coupon code with an expiration date to create urgency to use on your website or in your shop but decide now not to work for free.

COLLABORATION

There are lots of business owners out there who are working with clients using their skills sets but need to hand off work that they either are not qualified to do or don’t want to do. For example, a person that designs websites very often has clients that need a logo, branding advice, copywriting services, graphic design work for other elements, photography, etc. The web designer needs to be able to refer their clients to someone who can take care of these tasks. By collaborating with other business owners you can create an endless network of referrals.

Think about people in your field who would need to have you as a referral and reach out to them to let them know you would love to collaborate and also send client referrals their way too.

COLD CALLING / EMAILING

Okay, I know just the sound of that may have made you cringe but hear me out. As a freelancer, especially a starting out one you will need to break out of your comfort zone a bit but that doesn’t mean you have to be sleazy or obnoxious either.

The beauty of the online marketplace is the ability to generate leads while you sit at home in your yoga pants, coffee in hand and your laptop (I know all you introverts are saying “AMEN!” right now). There are millions of leads out there, you just have to be willing to go find them.

If you are a virtual assistant, you can research small online business owners through social media or googling a few keywords of your ideal client like “Christian coach” and find lots of websites. This allows you to seek out who you want to work with and sending them a message either through email, LinkedIn, Facebook fan page messenger, etc.

Yes, there will be people you never hear back from and yes there will be people who respond and say they aren’t looking for your services right now but so what. You never know when those seeds you planted in faith will come back to you.

Here is a sample script you can use when reaching out to potential clients you find online:

“Hey Becky, my name is _________ and I am a freelance virtual assistant who came across your website. I love the passion you have for your calling and have no doubt the clients who work with you are very blessed to have your guidance. I read one of your blog posts __________ and it was so moving and inspiring.

The reason I write to you today is to introduce myself and to inquire if you are in need of a virtual assistant at the moment? My skills sets include __________ and you can visit my website to see my portfolio and testimonials www.________.com

Whether you are in need of my services at the moment or not, I am grateful for the connection and appreciate you taking the time to read this email. I have also connected with you on your Facebook page and sent a connection request via LinkedIn so I can continue to support you in the work you are doing.

Thank you again for your time and consideration,”

The goal is to make a connection and build a relationship but can you imagine the leads you would generate if you sent just 5 emails per day to people you found online and wanted to work with!? Yes this takes work, time and a lot of consistency to keep showing up when your inbox goes empty, but I can promise you God will work to nurture these seeds if you will be brave enough to plant them in faith.

HIRE MY MOM COMMUNITY

Were these tips helpful? Connect with me on social media on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram! I would love to hear from you. I know with consistent action you will no doubt land your very first client very soon!

Written by Lesley Pyle

April 24, 2019

6 Ways to Boost Your Business and Your Revenue

As a small business owner, one thing we all have in common is looking for ways to grow our businesses. At some point, your growth may stall, and you may be looking for creative ways to boost your business to the next level. Well if that’s you, we’ve got 6 great tips to get you going!

Use Email to Stay Connected

Staying in contact with your current customers and prospects is one of the most effective ways to grow your business. If you don’t already have an email list, you need to start one asap. You can put a subscribe box on your website but even better if you can offer a free report, article, discount or some other “bait” to lure them to join your email list. This email list can become your sales funnel to turn prospects into customers as well as keep in regular contact with your customer base.

Expand Your Offerings

Take a look at your current business and the products or services you are currently offering. Now think about what complimentary products or services you could offer? Is there an add-on product or service you could add even if it means outsourcing that task? If you are a coach, are there resources you could offer such as books, workbooks, reports, etc as add-ons? If you own an online store, are their add-on products you could offer in the shopping cart to encourage sales of another products? Bottom line is to look for additional ways you can increase your offerings and therefore your revenue.

Do What You Do Best

As a small business owner, you have a gift or set of skills that are the basis of your business. You also have many other hats that you most likely wear throughout the day. Take some time to write down all of the daily, weekly or monthly tasks you have. Now which of those are taking up too much of your creative or revenue-generating time? Which of those tasks do you dread? Those are the tasks you should be hiring out for! Whether it be a virtual assistant, bookkeeper, email marketing, customer service or some other task. Take time to see where you can streamline your business.

Offer Exceptional Customer Service

If you live in an area where there’s a Chick-Fil-A then you know customer service is a top priority for them. From start to finish, they strive to do everything top notch and to let you know they want to serve you well. It should be the same with your customer service. Try to respond to customer’s needs quickly and to offer to make things right even if it’s not your fault. You’ll find when you go the extra mile, many of those customers rave about your business and tell others about it.

Take Care of your Current Customers

Have a weekly or monthly e-newsletter and a Facebook group to share relevant news and articles, your company blog posts, upcoming events or specials you’ll be offering. Make them feel special by giving them the insider’s view of your business and what new offerings are in the works.

Make Social Media Work for You

Used wisely, social media can set the tone for your business and your brand. You can use it to show your personality and to engage with customers and prospects. You can also host monthly giveaways to encourage engagement and attract new followers to your pages. This is an easy task to outsource when you find the right candidate who can portray the style and messages you want for your company.

For all of these tasks, you will find HireMyMom has great candidates to help you whether it’s to help with social media, handle your customer service, manage your email marketing, create an e-newsletter for you or take over your bookkeeping. You don’t have enough time in the day or perhaps all of the skills needed to do every job well, so outsource to a freelancer or hire a remote employee to help your business grow and thrive!

If you don’t have time or energy to find that perfect candidate? Consider HireMyMom’s VIP Concierge program to write job post, post job, review applicants, interview candidates, and make recommendations for the top 1 or 2 candidates. Contact us for details.

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