Saturday, April 30, 2022

Weekend Favs April 30

Weekend Favs April 30 written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing

My weekend blog post routine includes posting links to a handful of tools or great content I ran across during the week.

I don’t go into depth about the finds, but encourage you to check them out if they sound interesting. The photo in the post is a favorite for the week from an online source or one that I took out there on the road.

  • Aircam – is a real-time, AI-powered platform that provides professional business photos for multi-location businesses at an affordable price.
  • Ludwig.guru – is a linguistic search engine that helps you find the perfect word or sentence to express your ideas. Essentially, it helps you write better English in an easy and smart way.
  • Wizenguides – Essential strategy guides for the busy startup founder. These online guides were built to help entrepreneurs avoid common mistakes and take guessing out of their work. 

These are my weekend favs, I would love to hear about some of yours – Tweet me @ducttape

Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/weekend-favs-april-30/

The post Weekend Favs April 30 appeared first on connect social networks.



from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/weekend-favs-april-30/

Friday, April 29, 2022

Creating Value with Your Brand Identity

Creating Value with Your Brand Identity

There are many ways to demonstrate the importance of a company’s brand identity. According to entrepreneur Alexander Djerassi, a company can create value with its brand identity.

By becoming an embodiment of luxury, exclusivity, and modernism, the brand logo has the potential to become meaningful beyond business. In this case, it becomes more than just a commercial symbol of the organization’s existence. Companies should be able to invest in their branding and expect to see returns on that investment eventually.

Djerassi advises using favorable color combinations to create a positive brand identity.

It takes a lot of time, money, and effort to ensure that the brand name is uniquely attractive and attractive to potential customers. A good logo design can instantly recognize the brand name, whether printed on clothes, bags, or signs.

He also advises companies to go for natural and stylish designs as these tend to be more memorable than flamboyant ones, which can cause a decrease in the level of customer loyalty. The music industry has witnessed many record labels switching their logos after they realized how effective they could be in creating an attitude.

Color can be very effective in branding logos. It is common for companies to use color to highlight the link between their brand name and the product or service they are offering. Red, orange, and yellow are a few colors commonly used in branding logos.

There has been a recent trend in using bold typography instead of complicated symbols in creating a new logo design. Bold typography has allowed many companies to target a wider audience more effectively, even if they have used it before. It also allows companies to work with different fonts and styles to create unique and attractive options for their brand name that match their offerings.

Alexander Djerassi is a well-known venture capitalist, entrepreneur, and inventor. He serves as chair of the Asia Pacific Venture Summit and is the founder of an investment firm focused on emerging markets. In addition, he has created several successful companies sold for a considerable amount of money. He is the author of The Startup Game, a book aimed at entrepreneurs interested in creating new brands.

Djerassi admits that branding is an integral part of the modern business world. However, he believes that companies can benefit from branding in their marketing efforts. This is because people tend to remember positive experiences more than they do negative ones, so it can be very beneficial to use branding to create positive memories for customers and make them loyal to the brand.

Creating a solid branding image certainly helps a company stand out in its marketplace. This may have been the biggest challenge Djerassi faced when he started his first company. Hence, he acknowledges that he needed to focus on a compelling brand identity and position for his new ventures to succeed. If he had not done so, likely, he would not have had the same level of success when creating his current companies.

Djerassi advises the companies interested in creating and developing their brand identity to attract a large client base to their products, as doing this will make them have a much easier time coming up with new products that could be crafted using their logo.

The post Creating Value with Your Brand Identity appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/content-marketing-2/creating-value-with-your-brand-identity/

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from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/creating-value-with-your-brand-identity/

Thursday, April 28, 2022

Trump Pens First Truth Social Post In 2 Months—After Vowing To Stay Off Twitter

Topline

More than a year after he was banned from most mainstream social networks, former President Donald Trump posted a brief message Thursday to Truth Social, a Trump-founded “non-woke” Twitter alternative that has struggled to overcome glitches—shortly after Trump declared he would not return to Twitter even if given the opportunity following Elon Musk’s planned takeover.

Here are some key facts

“I’M BACK! “#COVFEFE”, the tweet read. It was accompanied with a photograph of Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

The post was Trump’s second on the platform since it launched more than two months ago, following a February post reading, “Get Ready! “Your favorite president will be seeing you soon!”

The post came three days after the former president told reporters he will not return to Twitter even if Musk—whose offer to buy Twitter was accepted by the company’s board Monday—rescinds Trump’s lifetime ban, and promised he would return to Truth Social within a week.

Tangent

The “COVFEFE” hashtag alludes to a now-infamous 2017 tweet in which Trump wrote, “Despite the constant negative press covfefe,” provoking much debate about Trump’s intended meaning. Many media outlets concluded that Trump intended to write the phrase “constant negative press coverage.” However, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer chafed at the notion that the garbled late-night tweet contained a typo: “I think the president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant,” he said.

The Key Background

Trump permanently bannedTwo days following the Capitol Riot of January 6, 2021 in Washington, Twitter announced that it had launched a Twitter account to address posts which Twitter claimed incited violence. Trump claimed that he was a victim to “wildly aggressivecensorship” and announced in October the creation of Trump Media and Technology Group. The company will merge with Digital World Acquisition Corp, a blank check company. Launching February 21, Trump’s Truth Social was initially billed as a censorship-free platform, but its launch was hampered by glitches, a profusion of fake accounts and a waitlist of almost 1.5 million. When Musk, who has also accused Twitter of censorship, made an unsolicited offer to buy Twitter, it sparked widespread speculation that Musk might reinstate Trump’s account. However, Trump told CNBC earlier this week that, though he liked Musk “a lot,” he would stick to Truth Social.

Chief Critic

Musk tweeted Wednesday that “Truth Social” was a terrible name, and that “Trumpet” would have been better, remarking that the platform only existed because of Twitter’s censorship. Musk has not commented on whether he will lift Trump’s ban.

Continue reading

“Truth Social Hits Top Of Free IPhone App Download Chart After Musk Strikes Twitter Deal” (SME)

The post Trump Pens First Truth Social Post In 2 Months—After Vowing To Stay Off Twitter appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/content-sections/news-and-noise/trump-pens-first-truth-social-post-in-2-months-after-vowing-to-stay-off-twitter/

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from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/trump-pens-first-truth-social-post-in-2-months-after-vowing-to-stay-off-twitter/

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Twitter’s First-Quarter Earnings: So…Just How Bad Are They?

Last week saw several events on Twitter that took place almost simultaneously. Each event overlapped. Elon Musk explained how he would fund his proposal for $54.20-per-share on Thursday. This eased any doubts about his sincerity. (He didn’t touch on this at all in announcing his offer, even though such unsolicited bids almost always do, an effort to ease investors’ nerves.) By the weekend, Twitter’s board was meeting to discuss Musk’s offer and quickly concluded they better take him up on it. Due to the $25 billion of Morgan Stanley debt and 11 other banks, Musk proved both serious as well-funded.

Here’s something else: The board was inevitably not just weighing the numbers around Musk’s bid and their own private calculations around the company’s valuation, they were also looking at the first-quarter figures that’ll be reported publicly on Thursday. (Generally speaking, if a company is reporting on, say, a Thursday, the board’s directors get to see the figures the previous Thursday or Friday in a presentation by the CEO; this typically follows a series of increasingly late nights in the Accounting and Financial Planning and Analysis departments and maybe some testy Slacks about who has what Excel sheet. It’s a rhythm as natural and recurring as fireflies in summer and bonus-check Rolexes in mid-winter.) Now, in this whole mix around Musk, we haven’t talked too much about these first-quarter numbers, and maybe we should.

Twitter’s board almost certainly had those first-quarter numbers last week, and while we’ll probably never get a clear-cut answer from the company about this, but it’s curious to think about how much those first-quarter numbers might’ve played into the board’s quick decision making. “I think in all likelihood, the lack of strength around these earnings probably played a big factor in Twitter feeling like it had to sell to Musk,” says Ygal Arounian, a managing director at Wedbush Securitites.

Quickly, let’s go over the numbers from Wall Street’s collective tea-leafing reading. Analysts predict Twitter will lose $162 million (19 cents per share) on $1.2 billion in sales—compared to $68 million in profit and $1.04 billion in revenue a year ago. The active user count is expected to rise to approximately 227 millions, compared with 217million in the prior quarter.

Here are some other numbers that you should keep an eye on: Twitter’s goals for next year, $7.5 Billion in sales, and 315 MILLION users. The last year saw a lot of investor sentiment around whether Twitter is on track to reach these goals. Wall Street’s pre-Musk estimates showed the company wasn’t entirely on course. They had 294 million users and $7.2 billion sales.

Why exactly would this quarterly earnings report have factored into the board’s thinking? It’s just from one quarter, you reasonably point out. One quarter! Well, if the figures are worse than expected—even if only “slightly” to “moderately worse”—they likely would’ve tanked Twitter’s stock price Thursday morning. These things happen, and they have occurred recently to Twitter. In November, shares fell 10% following a Twitter loss of $537million in the third quarter. The company’s disappointing user growth (up only 13% to 21 million) made its aim to grow to 100 million by 2023 look increasingly unlikely.

If the board hadn’t already approved the deal and the report did send the shares into a plummet on Thursday, maybe Musk sees the earnings and loses interest. Things have been done by Musk. Oder he might see them and reconsider his offer. Lower. He might do nothing. The Twitter board probably took a higher risk than they were willing to. If it lost Musk’s $54.20-a-share deal, it might be a good long time—possibly never?—before it could attract a similar figure. Twitter’s stock was down over 50% in the 12 months preceding Musk’s entrance, no higher than in 2018.

Twitter will end one tradition of the earnings season on Thursday. It’ll release the numbers, but it canceled the usual remarks from the CEO and senior executives typically following it (as well as the concluding Q&A with Wall Street analysts). It is rare that this happens. A management presentation almost always follows a report’s release by about 45 to 60 minutes. (Again, natural rhythms—fireflies, Rolexes, etc.)

The general vibe from Twitter’s decision not to have one: Enough has happened at the company this week without more happening on Thursday than strictly necessary.

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Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/content-sections/news-and-noise/twitters-first-quarter-earnings-sojust-how-bad-are-they/

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from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/twitters-first-quarter-earnings-sojust-how-bad-are-they/

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Twitter Is A Mess! Is Elon Musk The Only One Who Can Save It?

This episode of What’s Ahead focuses on the two main tasks facing Elon Musk with his acquisition of Twitter.

One is achieving his goal of making Twitter a true public square of free speech and open debate, something that’s lacking on all major social media platforms today.

In recent years, the Media Research Center has identified nearly 3,700 cases of censorship on major tech websites. Most of this was directed at conservatives. Nearly 2000 of these cases were related to Twitter. This groupthink is difficult to overcome.

Twitter is another undertaking. Twitter itself is badly in need of changes, such as getting rid of the trolls. Twitter’s stock has been a dud since it went public back in 2013.

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Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/content-sections/news-and-noise/twitter-is-a-mess-is-elon-musk-the-only-one-who-can-save-it/

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from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/twitter-is-a-mess-is-elon-musk-the-only-one-who-can-save-it/

Monday, April 25, 2022

Twitter employees raise questions about Musk takeover in all-hands meeting

Twitter employees asked questions at Monday’s all hands meeting, which was chaired by Bret Taylor and CEO Parag Agrwal. The call audio from the conference, obtained by SME, focuses on everything, including what the deal would mean in terms of their compensation as well how former US President Donald Trump will be allowed back onto the platform.

After Twitter’s board on Monday announced that they had made a deal with Musk to buy the company for $54.20 pershare, this call is being received. The deal caps off a stunning news cycle in which the Tesla and SpaceX CEO became one of Twitter’s largest shareholders, was offered and turned down a seat on its board and bid to buy the company — all in less than a month — and puts the world’s richest man in charge of one of the most influential social networks. The deal raises many questions as to how Musk’s changes, which include loosening content restrictions for the platform.

Agrawal has only been at Twitter for four months and told Twitter employees to not expect major changes until the deal closes. This is expected to occur before the year ends. Agrawal stated, “There are not plans for any layoffs currently” and said that Twitter’s remote working policies would continue until the deal closes.

“Between now closing,… we continue to make decisions as we’ve always made and guided by the principles that we’ve held,” he stated. Things have changed, but that doesn’t mean they won’t change. Positive change has been a goal of mine for some time. I intend to continue talking about it because it improves our company and makes us stronger. After the deal is closed, it’s possible to make other decisions.

Agrawal stated that Twitter’s leadership will seek to make time for employees asking questions to Musk directly. Agrawal said that he would like to meet Musk, and that he will inform him about the principles behind Twitter’s decision-making.

In response to the question about whether Trump’s account — which was removed from Twitter early last year for violating its policies on inciting violence following the Capitol Riot — would be restored on the platform, Agrawal told staff that is something they should ask Musk and said, “once the deal closes, we will know what direction the platform will go.”

Musk’s purchase of Twitter by an employee was questioned about the implications it might have for Twitter’s “commitment towards responsible, ethical” artificial intelligence and machine-learning. The worker said that they were industry leaders and had attracted many of the most talented minds. However, it appears that their values do not align with those of new owners.

Agrawal said that such work was “critical” for Twitter’s ability to provide customer service and added, “We need to keep doing this work.”

Some employees also wanted to know what Musk’s purchase could mean for attrition and retention. This deal is coming at a moment when the labour market has been experiencing increased competition, particularly in tech.

Agrawal explained that this is a time of uncertainty. There are many emotions and opinions about this news. A lot of people have concerns, and some are thrilled. However, there are many who are eager to find out how the situation unfolds and keep an open mind. We won’t lose the essence of Twitter’s power, which is everyone working in the best interests of customers each day, if we cooperate.

Agrawal stated that he is optimistic about the company’s future during the conference call.

Agrawal stated, “The way that I see it… he wants Twitter be a positive, powerful force in the world just as all of us.”

Musk, for his part, stated Monday in a statement that “free speech is the foundation of a functioning democracy” and said Twitter was the place where vital issues to humanity’s future are being debated. Musk stated that Twitter had tremendous potential. He said that it was a great platform and that he is looking forward to working alongside the company as well as the users in order to unleash its full potential.

The post Twitter employees raise questions about Musk takeover in all-hands meeting appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/content-sections/news-and-noise/twitter-employees-raise-questions-about-musk-takeover-in-all-hands-meeting/

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from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/twitter-employees-raise-questions-about-musk-takeover-in-all-hands-meeting/

Sunday, April 24, 2022

Social Media Groups That Freelancers Should Join to Grow

It is lonely being a freelancer. It’s just you and your computer system all day long working and working. After a time, loneliness can suck out all the creativity of a freelancer. 

Therefore, freelancers need to find a way to socialize with like-minded people to energize their minds. But unfortunately, freelancers have such an annoying schedule and demanding clientele that having an excellent social life might not be possible for every freelancer. 

However, freelancers can easily connect with the right people and share their thoughts and feelings by using social media platforms. Facebook and LinkedIn, like social media, allow you to join different groups. 

Freelancers can join various groups on social media that can help them socialize without impacting their work. There are so many different social media groups present these days that you can join based on your hobby or freelance needs.

Suppose you are new to social media and don’t know what type of social media groups can better help your freelance career. In that case, this guide will walk you through a few suggestions to join social media freelancer groups. So, let’s get started. 

Find Groups in Your Industry 

The best social media group that freelancers can join is in their industry. For example, suppose you are a freelance writer. In that case, you can enter some writing groups where you can interact with other writers.

Joining groups in your industry will help you connect with the right people. You can network with potential clients or people who might need your services at some point. 

In addition, people working in your industry better understand problems and challenges. This will give you a chance to talk about your work-related issues with people facing the same issues. Also, these groups can help you stay updated about all the new things happening in your work area.

Join Hobby Groups 

No play; only work can make you a dull and unproductive freelancer. Therefore, you should join social media groups related to your hobbies. Today, you can find several hobby groups on social media to help you stay creative. 

For instance, if you like to bake in your free time, you can join some baking groups. You can share your special baking recipes, check out recipes shared by other people, or discuss new recipes with other bakers. 

This will give you a chance to relax your mind and try new things in the area of your interest.

Find Potential Clients 

Freelancers are entrepreneurs. They have to find new clients to thrive in their freelancing careers constantly. So, you can join groups where you can interact with your potential clients and show them how you can help them achieve their business goals.

Social media groups allow you to communicate with your potential clients without barriers. You can use informative content and helpful guides to attract new clients via social media groups. In addition, you can send direct messages to group members who might be interested in your services.

Freelance Tips and Tricks

You can also join social media groups to get tips and tricks to become a better freelancer. Being a freelancer, you have to manage clients, work, and personal life balance on your own, which is not at all easy. Therefore, you can join some groups where people share tips to simplify your freelance journey. 

Suppose you want to retire from your freelance career in 10 years. In that case, you should join some financial and smart retirement planning groups that can help you easily plan your retirement. You can learn to save money, manage your freelance taxes, and other tips on social media groups.

Friend Groups

If you are simply feeling lonely being a freelancer, you can join some groups to make friends and have healthy communication with them. You can also meet with your group members virtually to make them your friends.

In addition, you can share your thoughts and opinions freely with your virtual friends as they won’t judge you based on your caste, creed, or other physical attributes. Also, if you are an introverted person, making friends on social media groups will be easier for you compared to making friends in person.

Parting Thoughts 

Social media is all about socializing and connecting with like-minded people. However, nowadays, people might have forgotten the real motive behind social media platforms and started looking at them as marketing opportunities. 

But, initially, social media is a place to socialize. Therefore, freelancers should use social media groups to fill the void in their lives. You have many options to join social media groups to nurture your freelance career and mental health. So, don’t think much and start joining good social media groups today.

The post Social Media Groups That Freelancers Should Join to Grow appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/social-media-marketing/social-media-groups-that-freelancers-should-join-to-grow/

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from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/social-media-groups-that-freelancers-should-join-to-grow/

Saturday, April 23, 2022

BeReal Asks Social Media Users To Share Glimpses Of Their Real Lives

In addition to being a platform where people can all too often engage in heated political discussions, Twitter is now filled with highly edited photos and memes – including no shortage of posts showing Ukrainian tractor drivers towing away Russian battleships, or a clip of Denzel Washington from a largely forgotten movie. Instagram is a place where influencers post highly-filtered photos of their ideal lives.

BeReal promises something new. This platform is designed for anyone who wants to view the true imperfect world.

Alexis Barreyat is the creator of BeReal, a social media platform that was made in anti-Instagram mode. Instead of perfectly timed – and often edited photos – BeReal has users share unpolished images of their lives from an ever-changing two-minute window each day. Although the posts remain in photo format, they contain snapshots from both the smartphone’s back-facing and front-facing cameras. These images are then shared with their friends in the user feeds.

This isn’t the place to voyeurize, however. Users who don’t post are not allowed to see other users’ posts.

Warts and All

The app is all about authenticity. It offers no edit buttons, and certainly no filters – and that apparently is part of its appeal. Apptopia has tracked the performance of BeReal and found that its active users increased by over 315 per cent this year. Additionally, 65 percent its lifetime downloads occurred in the current calendar year.

People might be excited to see what used to be mundane as they feel life is getting back on track. Another possibility is that people are tired of the “perfect” constant flow.

Scott Steinberg is a brand marketing expert who has been advising social media experts for over 15 years. “Social media has made a new reality. We can now see the best of our lives.”BeReal is one of the newer apps, which aims to give a truer view of the world that we live in.

BeReal’s recent success could lead you to believe that it is just a flash in a pan. Its appeal lies in its non-editing photos and an insight into life after the pandemic. Yet, it could have real staying power – even if it doesn’t become the next Instagram.

Steinberg stated that apps which try to be different are what we will see moving forward. We already have enough social media apps to fill many life-times with photo-perfect moments. BeReal is a platform that offers something different from other social media platforms. It is a different and unique way to send content to friends and followers.

The unglamorous life

Whereas Instagram is very much about providing views from the glamorous life – and often times feels like a 21st century “Lifestyles of Those Who Want to be Rich and Famous” – BeReal is about the unguarded moments of daily life. You can do this by sitting down at your computer, taking the subway, or even buying groceries.

Steinberg stated that “the audience includes younger generations of millennials and Gen Zers who are becoming increasingly turned off the fake, highly-curated posts which have long dominated social networks.” BeReal gives a slightly more grounded view of the globe.

Steinberg said that this could be an area of influence in social media. It is absolutely true. As we know from the successes of other platforms, users are drawn to people they feel connected with. Although it is great to have something to strive for, it is equally important to recognize that the influencers you admire are still human beings.

The post BeReal Asks Social Media Users To Share Glimpses Of Their Real Lives appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/content-sections/news-and-noise/bereal-asks-social-media-users-to-share-glimpses-of-their-real-lives/

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from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/bereal-asks-social-media-users-to-share-glimpses-of-their-real-lives/

Weekend Favs April 23

Weekend Favs April 23 written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing

My weekend blog post routine includes posting links to a handful of tools or great content I ran across during the week.

I don’t go into depth about the finds, but encourage you to check them out if they sound interesting. The photo in the post is a favorite for the week from an online source or one that I took out there on the road.

  • Robinize – This one is great for content writers. This tool will help you save a lot of time on keyword research by revealing the terms and phrases that bring the most traffic to your competition.
  • Close – Close is a CRM software that is offering a FREE lead generation course for small to medium-sized businesses. The course is six hours long and covers topics such as; prospecting, ideal customer profiles, referrals and more.
  • Reflect – This integrated note-taking software helps you access all your thoughts and ideas in one place. It can sync with multiple devices, your browser, calendar, and kindle.

These are my weekend favs, I would love to hear about some of yours – Tweet me @ducttape

Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/weekend-favs-april-23/

The post Weekend Favs April 23 appeared first on connect social networks.



from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/weekend-favs-april-23/

Friday, April 22, 2022

Rolling Out The Red Carpet For Your Employees

Rolling Out The Red Carpet For Your Employees written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing

Marketing Podcast with Donna Cutting

In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, I interview Donna Cutting. Donna is the Founder and CEO of Red-Carpet Learning Worldwide and works with mission-driven leaders to help them create cultures of happy, engaged people who deliver exceptional customer service. She’s the author of three books including: The Celebrity Experience: Insider Secrets to Delivering Red-Carpet Customer Service and her new book Employees First! Inspire, Engage, and Focus on the HEART of Your Organization.

Key Takeaway:

The world is changing and it’s time to take care of the people who take care of your customers. How do we get an hourly employee who has never received red carpet customer service, to give it? The answer is obvious, isn’t it? You roll out the red carpet for them, of course.

In this episode, Donna Cutting joins me as we talk about how giving your team members a voice in your company, supporting them with knowledge and training, giving them purpose and equitable pay, translates into higher productivity and happier customers. We dive into core concepts from her new book Employees First! and share strategies for honoring the very people who make your company what it is—your internal customers—your team.

Questions I ask Donna Cutting:

  • [1:18] Would you say that in a lot of ways you writing a book about inspiring and engaging with your employees is a derivative of customer service?
  • [6:11] How do you get people to think about this as a journey?
  • [9:54] Would you talk a little bit about the messaging that you’re seeing that really attracts the kind of employee that’s looking for something meaningful?
  • [13:06] Similarly to buyer’s remorse, sometimes people experience remorse after taking a new job — how can we keep that experience as high as everything that attracted them?
  • [15:54] What are you finding in that channel as a way to attract new employees?
  • [17:17] Do we need to change the way that we think about women and diversity in the workplace?
  • [19:50] Where can people find out more about the work that you do?

More About Donna Cutting:

  • Her new book — Employees First! Inspire, Engage, and Focus on the HEART of Your Organization
  • Red Carpet Learning

More About Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network:

  • Learn more here

Like this show? Click on over and give us a review on iTunes, please!

John Jantsch (00:00): This episode of the duct tape marketing podcast is brought to you by the salesman podcast, hosted by Will Barron and brought to you by the HubSpot podcast network. Look, if you work in sales, wanna learn how to sell, and frankly who doesn’t check out the salesman podcast, where hosts will Barron helps sales professionals learn how to find buyers and win big business ineffective and ethical ways. And if you wanna start someplace, I recommend the four step process to influencing buying decisions. Listen to the salesman podcast, wherever you get your podcast.

John Jantsch (00:43): Hello, and welcome to another episode of the duct tape marketing podcast. This is John Jantsch and my guest today is Donna Cutting. She is the founder and CEO of red carpet learning worldwide and works with mission driven leaders. To help them create cultures of happy, engaged people who deliver exceptional customer service. She’s the author of three books, including the celebrity experience. And one we’re gonna talk about today, a new one called employees first inspire, engage and focus on the heart of your organization. So welcome back, Donna.

Donna Cutting (01:15): Thanks, John. It’s good. Always good to be here with you.

John Jantsch (01:18): So, you know, in a lot of ways you writing a book about treating your employees or inspiring engaging is really just sort of derivative of customer service, right? I mean, because guess who’s delivering customer service.

Donna Cutting (01:32): Yeah, exactly. I actually love that. You put it that way because so many people will say, oh, you’re switching now, you’re going to a place I’m like, no, I’m not switching it all. We’re talking about your internal customers. And in many ways it’s the book I should have written first.

John Jantsch (01:49): Well, I mean, it’s all just positioning because I mean, a lot of, I know in your previous work, a lot of customer services is about, I mean, your people are probably treating their customers about as well as you’re treating your people. Right. So, I mean, there, there’s definitely, you’ve definitely written in red carpet really about the idea of getting engaged, you know, people involved in the purpose. I mean, so it’s really in a lot of ways, it’s not that different, is it?

Donna Cutting (02:15): No, it’s not. And there’s always been, uh, it it’s, it’s definitely not because it all works together, right. It’s how you treat your team member versus it is how they treat your, is how they treat your customers and all of that stems also from the culture that you’re creating. So, and there’s always been you’re right. There’s always been a chapter, a theme throughout both of my other books that focused, uh, perhaps more on traditional customers, but that you had to re really look at how you treat your employees as well. But this one is dedicated specifically to employees

John Jantsch (02:52): And we’re really not just talking about, uh, foosball tables and cappuccino machines. I mean, you know, as like, oh, give ’em lots of perks. I mean, really at the heart of this is the idea of giving them a, a purpose or something to believe in, isn’t it?

Donna Cutting (03:05): Yeah. It’s a lot of different things cuz we’re going through so many changes right now. And you can imagine John, it was such a daunting task to write a book in, in about the employee experience in a time when are going through, uh, such incredible chain, but yeah, really looking at what is it that people really want, you know, and one of those things that keeps coming up again and again is, and especially after, you know, having gone through what we’ve been through in the last couple of years, just really looking people are looking for meaning in their work and you know, what am I, what am I giving to that gives me a purpose that’s beyond a paycheck and the paycheck’s important. Don’t get me wrong. It, it’s probably more important than we’ve believed it to be in the past, but, but beyond the paycheck, what, what am I doing that is contributing to something that’s greater than myself, that’s making a difference in the world.

John Jantsch (04:05): Yeah. And that’s maybe that’s a bit of an attitude change. I, I, it certainly is something that’s associated say with millennials and the next generation, but I think it’s actually, as you said, we keep pointing to this, you know, with all the change we’ve gone through, I mean, a lot of feel 50 year olds are resigning from their possessions and looking for that, that meaning all of a sudden, I think that’s probably a bigger, uh, sea change maybe than just kind of a generational change.

Donna Cutting (04:32): Yeah. There’s a couple of things. Well I think all of us, right, or many of us I’ll say many of us because I got called out on LinkedIn, by somebody who said, you know, they’ve always held to their values and nothing about them has changed since the pandemic. So we’ll say many people, many people I think got really clear about what really matters, you know, in their life. And so that’s, what’s driving their choices. So if they choose to continue in you working work, life balance is going to be a huge part of the discussion, a part of their decision about where they want to work. But I think you’re right. That’s where we’re seeing a lot of people who, you know, in their fifties, early sixties retiring a little sooner than they anticipated. They would in many cases because they’ve decided no it’s time to, to move on, to really focus on what matters in my life. And this is a huge change because there are so many more people in that age bracket than even, you know, millennials and the generation Z. So that’s causing a lot of a little disruption in the workplace right now.

John Jantsch (05:48): So one of the things that I’ve been, um, preaching for years is this idea of an end to end customer journey that, you know, that attracts the right people that, you know, really has them see you as the logical choice that retains customers that turns them into evangelists. And really, I think in a lot of ways for hiring, we’re talking about the same kind of journey, right? I mean, there is an attraction component. There is a great experience, you know, component, there is a retention component. So, you know, how do you kind of view that end to end? Because a lot of people, oh, I need to run better ads on indeed, you know, as hiring. Right. So how do you get people to think about this as a journey?

Donna Cutting (06:23): Yeah. And you’re absolutely right. It all works together and I think what’s happened. You know, I think, I don’t think we’re talking about anything that people haven’t heard before, but I think what it, what happened in the workplace before was a lot of like short term bandaid thinking the I’ve got to run a better ad on a indeed, you know, and, and really, I think the organizations that are gonna come ahead that are going to attract the best people that are going to are the ones who are going to look at the whole journey and say, really look at their organizational culture and ask the questions. Like, are we really making people feel valued? Are we really, are they clear even what the expectations are and what, you know, going back to, to traditional customer service? Like what does that even look like? And are we giving them the tools that they need and you know, are we supporting them in the way that they’re excited and, and inspired and feel like they have some personal professional development that can happen in the organization and this takes time, it takes planning. It takes commitment. Yeah. But the organization know leaders that are willing to look at that journey and really commit to it are the ones five years, 10 years from now are gonna come out ahead.

John Jantsch (07:45): Yeah. And I think you, you missed a key. It also takes investment, you know, for a lot of organizations, but I use the word investment as opposed to cost because it, the theory is, uh, there’s going to be a return on that investment.

Donna Cutting (07:57): There’s gonna be a return. And also I think, you know, it’s amazing to me, even with my own customers, when I ask the question, you know, have you put dollars and cents to what it’s costing you to all this employee turnover that you have. And very few of them have, like, they know it’s costing them money, but they don’t know exactly how much. Sure. You know. Yeah. And I think if you people really looked at the numbers, the amount of money that they were spending because of this, you know what I’m calling bandaid thinking like quick fix thinking and not committing to that whole journey, they would find that the resources to be able to do it, or there is just shifting a focus from, you know, short term thinking to long term strategy.

John Jantsch (08:43): And now let’s hear from our sponsor, you know, as a business owner, you eventually realize you can’t do everything yourself, but hiring is complicated. And what if you only need part-time help your job is to be the visionary. But instead you spend countless hours on tasks that could be done easily and arguably better by someone else. And that’s where the powerful multiplying effects of delegation, our mission critical our friends at Belay can help. Belay is an incredible organiz revolutionizing productivity with their virtual assistance bookkeepers website specialists and social media managers for growing organizations to help you get started. Belay is offering their latest, e-book delegate to elevate for free to all of my listeners. Now in this e-book, you’ll learn how to re name time to focus on what you can do by delegating to download your free copy. Just text tape to 5, 5, 1, 2, 3, that’s TAPE to 5, 5, 1, 2, 3, accomplish more and juggle less with Belay.

John Jantsch (09:54): So let’s break down a couple of components. You know, one of the first one is, you know, messaging that attracts, we work with a lot of clients that now we’ve shifted to, you know, helping them attract folks in their marketing. Right. And you know, we were working with a contractor looking for skilled liper folks and you know, their ads are all about, here’s the benefits you get, you know, here’s what you can expect. You know, here’s why this good job. And we changed their message and they were getting nothing with, and we changed their messaging to be something around the idea of, are you getting the respect that you deserve in your current job? And all of a sudden it’s like, boom. You know, they got attention. And I think that’s a part that a lot of people are missing. People. People don’t necessarily change jobs for $2 an hour, you know, more it’s they leave a bad situation. So talk a little bit about, you know, the messaging that you’re seeing that really attracts that kind of player that’s looking for something meaningful.

Donna Cutting (10:47): Yeah. That’s so interesting. It’s funny. My friend, Steven Tweed who’s in the home care space, he did a, a study with caregivers in, in the home care space. And one of the things they found was that putting a number like putting a salary or a wage on the ad was actually beneficial in attracting people, but it doesn’t keep people. So what keeps people is exactly what I think you just said is, are people feeling, uh, respected? Are they, you honestly, John, this is, this is all of what I talk about. It’s really about whether you’re talking about traditional customers or employees or just people in general. We wanna be seen, we wanna be heard. We want to feel like we matter, right. That’s, that’s the bottom line of what we’re talking about. So when people feel like they’re not seeing, they’re not her, they’re not respected.

Donna Cutting (11:43): That is when they’re more likely to start looking around. And right now they have a lot of different options. And I think, you know, I’ve been doing a study with hourly workers on what makes them feel valued. And a lot of times, I think, again, what we do in organizations is the quick, like we’ll do employee appreciation day, right. Or the pizza party, or we’re just gonna thank everybody, you know, the hero side, all of those wonderful things. I’m not putting them down, but none of that is coming up in my conversations with hourly workers about what makes them feel valued. It’s more, you know, somebody individually noticed something that I did that I contributed, right. Or somebody saw something in the, my boss saw something in me that I didn’t even see in myself. And now I’ve grown professionally, you know, as a result of that. And then just people knowing them, knowing their names. Yeah, yeah. You know, knowing what’s going on in their life and then caring about their work life balance is really huge.

John Jantsch (12:52): So let’s go to the next phase. You know, a lot of people probably have stories, listeners, I’m sure where they, you know, got a new job. They’re all excited about, they showed up on day one and it’s like, nobody greeted them. Nobody really made ’em feel welcome. And I know you have your red carpet onboarding. So maybe talk a little bit about some of the ways, I mean, that’s the customer experience, right. Buyers remorse happened, you know, I took the job that’s of alert of buyers remorse. Right. And so, you know, how can we keep that experience as high as everything that’s attracted

Donna Cutting (13:19): From day one? And I think, I mean, this is so great for you too, because one of the things I think is that human resources and hiring managers could be working with people and marketing professionals. Right. Exactly. To really look at that experience. But one of the things that because of, uh, staffing shortages, yeah. You know, something that I’m seeing is people, you know, they bring ’em on board. They give ’em whatever education, they need to complete whatever compliance, you know, depending, especially in healthcare or financial services or whatever. They’re like these compliance ribbon training, you know, education they need to have. And then they get ’em out there as soon as possible because they need people out on the floor and they’re losing them within three days. You know, not sometime I’ve even heard. Some people say they ghost them in the middle of orientation.

Donna Cutting (14:10): Right. Like they start the day and then they leave at lunch. And so, so really being intentional about, yeah, what are you creating an orientation and an onboarding process that introduces them to your culture that connects them to coworkers that, um, communicates and clarifies all of those little things they need to know to really start the job effective. And yes, then those compliant activities. But then are you partnering up with someone who is well prepared to be able to mentor them through, you know, the first few weeks of their job? Are you looking at like, you know, how would you roll out the red carpet for a customer on their first day? And are you generating ideas around, around that as well? Like literally roll the red carpet. Sure. But are you sending note cards? Are you staying in touch? Are you checking back in with them? Is there a sign, you know, with their name on it, when they walk in the door, there could be any number of ways to do that. The focus is how in, and of course I share many of those ways in the book employees first, but it’s really about acting with intention instead of just like bringing people in as quickly as possible and then throwing them out there because you have a need.

John Jantsch (15:33): All right, let’s move on down the journey. One of the, probably most effective ways to get new employees is a happy employee, says, I’ve got a friend who ought to join us, but I hear time and time again from employees, they just can’t get ’em to do it. Uh, they can’t get, they don’t get the referrals. They think they should, they make offers, they give money, they give bonuses. What are you finding in that avenue or that channel as a way to attract new employees?

Donna Cutting (16:00): Yeah. I, I mean, I’d be questioning why that is. Yeah, yeah. Right. You know, that’s the thing because, and money and bonuses is one thing. Again, I see that a lot, like referral bonuses, I also, and on bonuses that it’s a, a short term strategy though. If you have a group of employees who are really thrilled to be working at your company, they’re, they’re going to tell their friends they’re going to recruit their friends. So one of the best things I think that employers can be doing right now is to really focus on ask what’s our, our listening strategy. Like how are we really listen, you know, asking the right questions and listening to our employees without getting defensive, without jumping in with solutions, but then collaborating with people at all levels of the organization to create whatever that employee experience is going to be. That’s gonna want, make them want to bring their friends to, to come and work with them.

John Jantsch (17:05): So couple things that are going on, you know, we already talked about the, how higher tough it was hiring, but one segment of the work force really dropped out during the pandemic. And that’s, what do we need to do? We need to change the way that we think about women in the workplace, given what went on. Do we need to think differently about diversity in the workplace in general, and, and particularly for companies that, that just hasn’t, I mean, right or wrong at just, hasn’t been their thing, you know, how do they now start thinking we have to change? Or how do they start changing?

Donna Cutting (17:40): Yeah. So the answer to all of that is, is yes, because people’s priorities are shifting. And I think people are less, less people in general are less likely to just accept the way it is. You know, they want something different. And so women, not just women, but families, right? Looking at mater maternity and paternity leave, looking at, you know, childcare, like all of those different things. And I’ll go back to what I said at the last question is if you want the answers to, what’s gonna be attractive to, to the women, you know, in your workplace. So the families in your workplace is to start asking them really, to sit down and say, you know, if this were an ideal workplace for women and families, you know, what would that include? And, and then start working towards bringing some of those elements in flexible scheduling, remote work, and some organizations, some positions remote work is not possible, but are you more flexible in your scheduling?

Donna Cutting (18:43): You know, all of those different things. And then going back to the second part of your question, which was about just diverse of the inclusion and equity in general. Absolutely. What I think needs to happen is much more, much deeper conversations around what that looks like in the workplace. What, what we’ve done again, that, that bandaid quick fix, like what we’ve done in the past is, oh, let’s have a session on diversity in the work place. And then check that box when it’s over. And I think, you know, this is gonna be something people are gonna be looking for, you know, how diverse are you, how inclusive is your organization? And that means taking a look at all of your language, who’s gotta seat at the table. What is your website look like? You know, what kind of respect you know, is happening between coworkers and that’s a much deeper conversation than, um, what many leaders have been willing to do in the past.

John Jantsch (19:42): Yeah. It’s kind of a compliance versus culture. Exactly. Conversation.

Donna Cutting (19:46): Yeah, exactly. That’s it.

John Jantsch (19:48): So Donna tell people, uh, where they can find out more about your work at the learning world or red carpet learning worldwide. And then obviously I pick up a copy of your new book.

Donna Cutting (19:58): Yes. Yes. So red carpet learning.com is the website. And always, you can connect with me on social, like all the social, LinkedIn, all of it. But employees first inspire, engage and focus on the heart of your organization by me, cutting available, amazon.com, Barnes and noble.com, Hudson book sellers, all those places where books are sold comes out April 1st. So depending on when you’re listening to this podcast, you can either pre-order or order it then. Awesome.

John Jantsch (20:27): Awesome. Well, Don, it was great catching up. You, I appreciate you taking the time to stop by the show and hopefully we’ll run into you. Uh, one of these days out there on the road again.

Donna Cutting (20:36): Thank you, John. I hope so, too. Always good to talk to you.

John Jantsch (20:39): All right. So that wraps up another episode. I wanna thank you so much for tuning in and you know, we love those reviews and comments. And just generally tell me what you think also did you know that you could offer the duct tape marketing system, our system to your clients, and build a complete marketing consulting coaching business, or maybe level up an agency with some additional services. That’s right. Check out the duct tape marketing consultant network. You can find it at ducttapemarketing.com and just scroll down a little and find that offer our system to your client’s tab.

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This episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network and BELAY.

HubSpot Podcast Network is the audio destination for business professionals who seek the best education and inspiration on how to grow a business.

BELAY is an incredible organization revolutionizing productivity with its virtual assistants, bookkeepers, website specialists, and social media managers for growing organizations. To help you get started, BELAY is offering its latest book, Delegate to Elevate, for free to all our listeners. In this ebook, learn how to reclaim time to focus on what only you can do by delegating. To download your free copy, click here to claim or text TAPE to 55123. Accomplish more and juggle less with BELAY.

Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/rolling-out-the-red-carpet-for-your-employees/

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Thursday, April 21, 2022

Local Marketing Strategies For Your Small Business

Local Marketing Strategies For Your Small Business written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing

Marketing Podcast with Laura Nelson

In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, I interview Laura Nelson. Laura has marketed, sold to, and collaborated with local businesses for over 10 years of her career as a marketer and business manager. She is currently VP of Marketing at Signpost, following roles with Broadly, Reputation.com, and Patch. Laura earned an MBA from the University of Michigan and a BFA at Carnegie Mellon University.

Key Takeaway:

Marketing has changed for all types of business in the last few years thanks to new platforms, channels, and technology. But for small businesses — the changes have been revolutionary, often leveling the playing field and providing a way to reach their customers and new audiences in a low-cost, targeted, and personalized way. In this episode, I talk with the VP of Marketing at Signpost, Laura Nelson, about the latest trends in local marketing and what strategies to focus on.

Questions I ask Laura Nelson:

  • [1:17] So what did you work on in your fine arts and what do you do with it now in your life?
  • [2:07] Let’s talk about the local versus national differences in marketing — are there any significant differences let’s say for a plumber versus say a software company when it comes to digital marketing?
  • [3:57] Does a business with 10 locations need to be optimized for all 10 locations?
  • [5:40] For a lot of businesses, the Google profile presence is one of the most important aspects of the business — what do you have to do to show up there?
  • [8:52] Consumer behavior has changed dramatically — how have referrals changed the game for local businesses?
  • [12:27] How do we get those reviews from customers that seem to be happy?
  • [15:16] How do you manage all of the various channels available today like online, live chat, SMS, appointment scheduling, etc.?
  • [18:02] What are some industries that you think are ahead of the curve in having automated and integrated communication?
  • [20:25] What benefits can Duct Tape listeners redeem from Signposts?

More About Laura Nelson:

  • Signpost.com

More About Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network:

  • Learn more here

Like this show? Click on over and give us a review on iTunes, please!

John Jantsch (00:00): This episode of the duct tape marketing podcast is brought to you by the salesman podcast, hosted by Will Barron and brought to you by the HubSpot podcast network. Look, if you work in sales, wanna learn how to sell, and frankly who doesn’t check out the salesman podcast, where host will Barron helps sales professionals learn how to find buyers and win big business ineffective and ethical ways. And if you wanna start someplace, I recommend the four step process to influencing buying decisions. Listen to the Salesman Podcast, wherever you get your podcast.

John Jantsch (00:44): Hello, and welcome to another episode of the duct tape marketing podcast. This is John Jantsch. My guest today is Laura Nelson. She’s marketed, sold to and collaborated with local businesses for over 10 years of her career. As a marketer and business manager, she’s currently the vice president of marketing@signpostfollowingroleswithbroadlyreputation.com and patch. She an MBA from the university of Michigan and a BFA at Carnegie Mellon university. So Laura, welcome to the show.

Laura Nelson (01:15): Hi Jen. Thanks for having me.

John Jantsch (01:17): So what did you work on in your, uh, fine arts?

Laura Nelson (01:20): I was a paint drawing, um, print making specialists. So mostly two, two dimensional works. However, through the program, we had to learn how to use every medium from the traditional media to, uh, computer based video, everything in between.

John Jantsch (01:42): So, so what do you do with that now in life Still paint or,

Laura Nelson (01:47): Yeah. Awesome. I do still practice my art. I, I draw quite a bit and make prints of it and give them the friends or sell them. The pandemic was a great opportunity to get back into it. Just given that I had more spare time as

John Jantsch (02:03): We, I picked up the, I picked up the mandolin. Oh, there you go. So yeah, I think a lot of people did that. Yeah. So, so let’s, you are at signpost for those that don’t know signpost specializes in, in a lot of, uh, local marketing, uh, tactics. So we’re gonna talk about local national differences in marketing. So let’s start there. Are there any significant differences, uh, say for a plumber versus say a software company when it comes to digital marketing?

Laura Nelson (02:33): Yeah, absolutely. Um, a plumber primarily is trying to attract homeowners, you know, to his or her business right

John Jantsch (02:42): In their community generally. Right?

Laura Nelson (02:45): So like, you know, they are restricted by geography. They have a certain budget in mind. Often there are trade offs when they’re budgeting for marketing versus other, you know, expenses and other staff, et cetera, company like ours signposts. We are a B2B or business to business company. So we sell all across the United States and we sell primarily to businesses rather than to homeowners plumbers are our customers. Right, right, right. Along with other contractors who are looking for ways to, uh, attract homeowners with looking for ways to build their brand and their communities and ultimately grow their businesses. Right.

John Jantsch (03:30): So that local business that works in a community, obviously they, they want people generally speaking in proximity for a lot of businesses to, to be able to go online and find them. I mean, that’s obviously the major difference. And in, in my experience, especially lately, if they’re not finding you in maps and things like that, it’s almost like you don’t exist because so many people are making or purchase decisions that way. What about that business that has 10 locations, they have a, a different problem, a different challenge. Do they need to be optimizing for all 10 locations? How does that kinda change their calculus when it comes to, to online local marketing?

Laura Nelson (04:13): Absolutely. And you know, we work with businesses that have one to 10 locations. It’s just an example. That would be our sweet spot. You know, the single location is going to be solving for slightly like different problems than someone operating a business at 10 locations. Sure. They’re thinking about scale and achieving economies of scale, right. Depending on how they’re set up, you know, across multiple communities or multiple states, you know, they may have different, um, needs in turn of their marketing strategies, the reach and the software that they invest in. However, they, you know, the things that they have in common are the basics, right? You mentioned showing up on Google maps, like if your business is not optimized for that, you’re not part of the conversation. A homeowner is not going to find you and, and pick your business.

John Jantsch (05:07): Yeah. The, so, so let’s jump right to what makes Google maps happen. The Google business profile for a lot of businesses is I, I mean, we work with businesses. It’s probably the most important aspect. I mean, it’s scary because it’s owned by somebody else, but it’s, it is, it’s probably the most important aspect having optimized, having the right signals there, having lots of good reviews, but obviously showing up. I mean, that, that, that, you know, for a lot of local marketers is maybe job one. I mean, so what advice, I, I know you work with business owners, helping them optimize that, uh, tool. So what, you know, what advice I, I’m sure people come to you all the time, say, I wanna show up in that thing of, of course you do. What do we have to do to show up in that thing?

Laura Nelson (05:49): You’re absolutely right. John, the Google business profile also formerly known as Google. My business is probably the most important thing you can do to establish your business’s presence online. And everyone wants to be in what we call that local repack, right? When someone searches for plumbers in your area or roofers cetera, you wanna be one of those businesses that’s in the top three that are most obvious to those homeowners looking to solve a problem. The real challenge as you alluded to is that, you know, that is somewhat out of our control. Right? Right. There are basics that we can do to invest in improving that profile. Like first claim it first. And for most, if a business hasn’t claimed their presence on Google, you know, they’re missing out on this free opportunity to be found and chosen. So that’s number one. But beyond that, there are optimizations to do right.

Laura Nelson (06:51): Link it to your website, link it to your scheduler, add photos of your team and the work that you do, make sure your phone number’s right. Yeah. I just went over to, uh, a granite countertop business over my lunch break a few minutes ago. And you know, I told him, Hey, I’ve tried to call you for two days and your number’s not ringing through. Right. So we’ll get into what happens next in terms of a homeowner making that next step. But getting all that critical information is, you know, absolutely essential to showing up online. And of course, I, I don’t want to leave out customer reviews. Right. We don’t know the perfect Google formula to, you know, what enables a business to rank in that three pack. But we do reviews are an important part of that. So having a lot of reviews, ensuring you’ve got a consistent, um, stream of them over time is really important.

John Jantsch (07:50): Yeah. And, and, and actually I think they are giving some pretty good clues these days, because if you do a local search, a lot of times what they surface will say, well, these words were in some of the reviews. I mean, and they’ll actually show you some of those reviews. So we obviously know that they are, that they are using those really almost like keywords in the past for optimization. One of the things that, of course over the last 10 years, let’s say has dramatically changed for local business is, is just the way people buy. You know, everybody wants to talk about how all the changes in these platforms and new, you know, new networks and things that show up, but it’s really the consumer behavior, you know, has really changed dramatically. And I would say that even comes to referrals. So referrals are for local businesses, word of mouth for local businesses, still a huge, uh, way that they generate business. But you used to be, if I went across the fence and asked my neighbor and they said, oh, you should call this for remodelling contractor. I just picked up the phone. I called, you know, today I go and I do a full review of them, you know, to, before I ever call. So how has that, how has that, what I just described kind of changed the game for local vis.

Laura Nelson (08:58): Yeah, it definitely has. And we perfectly described how homeowners have shifted their behavior. Right? We’ll still have those conversations with friends and neighbors and trust what they say, but then we’re gonna go online to what we learned. Right. So if my neighbor tells me, Hey, work with this contractor, he did a great job. I still need to go on Google to figure out how to get in touch with him. Right. Right. If I see something lower than a four and a half or four stars, I’m gonna start to question right. That recommendation, right? These are people who are coming into homes and, you know, doing an important job. And you know, if the quality of the reviews isn’t aligned with that recommendation, I’m gonna start doing my homework. I’m gonna start looking at other providers in my area. Yeah. That’s one way, I think also, you know, first and foremost, people are starting that search on Google, right.

Laura Nelson (10:00): That’s where the majority of people are starting, but there’s this other class of referral that I don’t want local business owners to miss out on. And, and that’s the conversations that are happening in Facebook groups. Sure. On nextdoor, you know, especially when it’s a tougher project. And for instance, I can refer back to the contracting project I’m working on right now. It’s a smaller job. It’s not a mansion, but I do have a renovation planned. And you know, I had a hard time connecting with the contractor through traditional means, right? Like filling out contact forms and calling people. Yeah. So I went on next door and posted, I went in faced groups to post and asked people, you know, who do you recommend? And I got a lot of responses that way. Yeah. So it’s another important thing to keep an eye on.

John Jantsch (10:52): And now let’s hear from our sponsor. Look, if you’re tired of slowing down your teams with clunky software processes and marketing that is difficult to scale, HubSpot is here to help you and your business grow better with collaboration tools and built in SEO optimizations. A HubSpot CRM platform is tailor made to help you scale your marketing with ease, integrated calendars, tasks, and commenting, help hybrid teams stay connected while automated SEO recommendations, intuitively optimize your webpage content for increased organic traffic ditch, the difficult and dial up your marketing with tools that are easy to use and easy to scale learn how your business can grow better@ hubspot.com SOS.

John Jantsch (11:38): So many of the home services industries right now are swamped in, I mean, getting somebody to even call you back right now, it’s gotten, uh, much more difficult than you would think it should be is hasn’t it?

John Jantsch (11:48): So, so let’s jump back to, uh, reviews. You mentioned that 4.5, uh, I’ve actually seen some interesting research on that, that, that says 4.6, 4.7 is actually the perfect score. And that’s because I think as consumers, we see 105 star reviews and we kind of go, uh nobody’s perfect. And so I think that’s interesting. You actually wanna few three star reviews that you can respond to in a public way. I think, because it, it, it feels more believable, but I know I work with a lot of businesses that have customers that love them, but they still can’t get reviews. So how do we get those reviews from customers that seem to be happy?

Laura Nelson (12:33): You’re absolutely right about, you know, these mid four star reviews are great. Yeah. Right. Real business is perfect and they’ll make mistakes and you’ll see the occasional irate customer that adds to the authenticity of the reviews that are there. Right. So it’s so painful and so personal. Right. Especially when a business gets a, a one star review it, the recommendation here is to bury it with positive reviews. Sure. So you asked how, right. It all comes down to putting a process in place and getting your team behind it and ensuring that you have the right tools. Yeah. So for example, I see team all the time who, you know, wrap up a job, they have a happy homeowner right there and, you know, fail to take the extra step and say like, you know, Hey, are you happy? And, and if so, would you mind writing a review for our business?

Laura Nelson (13:26): You know, these matter to us, they help us find more homeowners just like you. And you know, it’d be mean the world to us, if you did, that’s one, you know, making that ask personal, when you wrap up every job and number two is actually following up, right. Gotta make it easy for the homeowner. If they can’t find your Google listing, if they can’t find your Yelp listing, even if they have the best intentions they’re gonna move on with their day. Right. They’re gonna go somewhere else. Like they wanted to do it, but it wasn’t easy. And, and that’s where tools like signposts can really make a difference. Right? You shoot, ’em a text message. You shoot, ’em an email goes right to your listing link and takes several steps out of the process and ensures that it gets done.

John Jantsch (14:13): Yeah. And I, it, it’s funny that, uh, you know, QR codes are certainly high having a day again. Right. Um, because we all got used to ordering our hamburgers with them and

Laura Nelson (14:23): Yeah.

John Jantsch (14:23): So I’m seeing more and more people put those on business cards and things, you know, for reviews because it is actually, everybody knows how to do it now, you know, you you’re seeing them in ads on television and things. I mean, it, it’s kind of funny cuz they were hot 10 years ago and then it just kind of went away. But they really so, so to your point of making it easy, certainly a way to do it.

Laura Nelson (14:44): Yeah. QR codes are a great tool and, and you used to need a separate app to read them, but now we can read them through the cameras on our phones and you know, that’s a great DIY way to leave behind a card with a customer, no matter what business you’re in. Like they know how to use them. Now.

John Jantsch (15:05): It’s kinda like when it’s kinda like when podcasts first came out, it was very hard to listen to ’em and when apple put the app right on the iPhone, all of a sudden podcast took off as well.

Laura Nelson (15:15): Oh yeah.

John Jantsch (15:16): So what about all the, one of the things I know frustrates some business owners, but I think it’s, it’s like back in the day when it’s like you, you have to take credit cards and checks and cash, you know, now you have to be online and chat. You have to use SMS, have to have appointment scheduling because people are going to, people want to interact with you the way they want to interact with you. How do you manage all of those various channels?

Laura Nelson (15:41): Yeah. It’s incredibly difficult. And this is where technology and other services can make it super easy. I referenced that granite countertop store, my first breast for reference was not to call them, but they forced me into it.

John Jantsch (15:56): Right,

Laura Nelson (15:57): Right. So I will not always do that because I would like a path of lease resistance. Yeah. And that’s what homeowners and customers are really gravitating toward, but I send way more texts a day than make phone calls. And I think that’s common across the population. So if I can get a quick answer, you know, through text message or through chat, I’m gonna do that. I’m gonna take out the friction of a phone call, but that’s like, that’s very difficult for businesses to manage if they’re using like their traditional tools. Yeah. Like, you know, the owner’s cell phone and you know, a team member, cell phones and you know, a chat widget,

John Jantsch (16:37): Someone’s gonna be there’s yeah. Graded.

Laura Nelson (16:39): Yeah. If it’s not integrated. Yes. It becomes overwhelming. Right. Right. And you have to hire someone to manage all of that. That’s what signpost helps to make easy is to bring all of those messages into one place. So you don’t and have 50 tabs open of leads coming from different sources that can come into one dashboard. Yeah. Right. And you’ve got all your messages there where you can fire off quick replies or automated replies too. Yep. Is really important. You know, if you miss a customer’s call, for example, know, our system can send a text and ensure that customer was heard. Right. We got your message. We’ll get back to you. And that enables you to start a text conversation, right. With them.

John Jantsch (17:23): You can say, while you’re waiting, here’s the 27 projects we did last week, right? Yeah, exactly.

Laura Nelson (17:27): You can customize that reply. You can send your scheduling link, you can get them kind of moving down the funnel of making a decision of whether they’re going to hire you.

John Jantsch (17:37): Yeah. Yeah. It’s a very differentiator too. Cuz a lot of people may maybe called three people, you know, Sunday night, you know, waiting for them to all come call ’em back Monday morning. And uh, yeah. All of a sudden you’ve advanced the ball a little bit by having

Laura Nelson (17:50): And people are gonna hire the person who responds first simple

John Jantsch (17:55): Cases. That’s right. Especially the environment where we’re in now, its anybody responds. They’re probably gonna get hired. What are some industries where you think or ahead of the curve in this and, and then I guess maybe, well you don’t have to name some that aren’t doing it well other than to say, if you’re not doing it well, you can learn from these people.

Laura Nelson (18:15): Yeah. I think, you know, in the realm that we’re talking about, say online reviews and communications technologies. In my experience, I’ve seen dental and medical offices a little ahead of the curve there. That’s not to, to say all of them are because you know, the issue now that we’re seeing is that the software is pretty educated, so it doesn’t solve all of their needs, but there was a time when dental adoption of these products was quite sure

John Jantsch (18:43): The it’s probably true of anybody who lived by appointment, you know, scheduled all day long. You know, that, that, that those were probably some of the first adopters weren’t they?

Laura Nelson (18:54): Yeah. Because like they, you know, they want to fill every slot in their day and they know if, you know, if someone cancels, didn’t get a reminder as just an example and they’re losing revenue yeah. For that spot. And it’s very difficult for them to fill unless they’ve got a long waiting list and you know, people are available fill slots.

John Jantsch (19:11): Can I just complain about the people that send me an email, call me and send me a text as well. They really need to, it’s like when we first got into the AI bots, you know, it’s like, they’ve gotta be done well or they’re really not very helpful.

Laura Nelson (19:25): I totally agree. I think that, you know, businesses, you’ve gotta choose one and my recommendation is communicate in the way back that the person came in. Right? Yeah. With the exception, if you missed their call, you ha you give them that option of texting back. That’s just, you know, a common courtesy. Right. But yeah, aside from that, you know, people don’t need to be bombarded. Correct. That’s not a great experience and you know, that may turn them off. So it’s really risky.

John Jantsch (19:55): Yeah.

Laura Nelson (19:56): To add on the question that you asked previously, signpost really concentrates on contractors though, we serve dozens and dozens of industries. We focus on contractors because we saw real need, you know, there are companies across the spectrum when it comes to tech adoption and, and marketing savviness. So we saw that, you know, there was a need, we had the best product market bit. And so that’s why primarily we focus in that area.

John Jantsch (20:25): Yep. So we’ve mentioned the name signpost, it’s just signpost.com. Do you, do you wanna invite anybody for the 50% off, uh, special because they’re a duct tape listener.

Laura Nelson (20:36): Yes, absolutely. Um, visit, sign post. I can’t guarantee that you’ll get a 50% off rate, but you know, certainly if you are a listener, you are eligible for a promo rate. So visit signpost.com, visit the upper right corner and request a demo, check our product out, see if it’s a good fit for your company.

John Jantsch (20:59): Laura saying, thanks so much for stopping by the duct tape marketing podcast. And hopefully we’ll, uh, get to run into you one of these days out there on the road.

Laura Nelson (21:06): Thank you so much us John. Really appreciate it.

John Jantsch (21:09): All right. So that wraps up another episode. I wanna thank you so much for tuning in and you know, we love those reviews and comments. And just generally tell me what you think also did you know that you could offer the duct tape marketing system, our system to your clients and build a complete marketing consulting coaching business, or maybe level up an agency with some additional services. That’s right. Check out the duct tape marketing consultant network. You can find it at ducttapemarketing.com and just scroll down a little and find that offer our system to your client’s tab.

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Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/local-marketing-strategies/

The post Local Marketing Strategies For Your Small Business appeared first on connect social networks.



from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/local-marketing-strategies-for-your-small-business/

Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Dominating The News Feed With Ads For Less Than $10 Per Day

Dominating The News Feed With Ads For Less Than $10 Per Day written by Sara Nay read more at Duct Tape Marketing



About the show:

The Agency Spark Podcast, hosted by Sara Nay, is a collection of short-form interviews from thought leaders in the marketing consultancy and agency space. Each episode focuses on a single topic with actionable insights you can apply today. Check out the new Spark Lab Consulting website here!

About this episode:

In this episode of the Agency Spark Podcast, Sara talks with Jody Milward on how to dominate the news feed with ads for less than $10 per day.

Jody likes to call herself an “accidental entrepreneur”. Like many women, after having kids she didn’t want to return to a 9-5 office gig so she started her first business as a Private Investigator (obvious choice, right?). After 9 years, 7 figures in revenue and much government red tape, it was time to move on and she stumbled into the Social Media and paid traffic world. From her first client in 2014 making $12 per hour to generating over 7 figures in revenue 6 years later, she’s lived and breathed digital marketing as a freelancer, sub-contractor, in-house, agency owner, consultant, speaker, educator and mentor.

More from Jody Milward:

  • Get The Quick Start Guide To Becoming An In-Demand Ad Manager Here
  • Jody’s Website
  • Jody’s Facebook

 

 

This episode of the Agency Spark Podcast is brought to you by Podmatch, a platform that automatically matches ideal podcast hosts and guests for interviews. Imagine your favorite online dating app, but instead of using it for finding dates, you’re booking podcast interviews. I use Podmatch to find guests for Agency Spark and it’s made booking engaging and talented guests incredibly easy. Learn more here!

 

Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/dominate-the-news-feed/

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from Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/dominating-the-news-feed-with-ads-for-less-than-10-per-day/

How To Fix Loss of Productivity at Work

How To Fix Loss of Productivity At Work

The workplace environment is constantly evolving. Just as new tools and technologies enter the field, so does an increased demand for increased productivity. While it’s hard to pinpoint a single reason for the recent increase in losses of productivity, it may be due to the constantly changing and overly demanding nature of work. Dr. Jordan Sudberg argues that having a good system in place can prevent a loss of productivity by improving teamwork, creativity, motivation, and communication.

There is always the feeling that progress is being made at work, whether it’s winning a new client or completing an important project. For many people, this feeling is great. They feel comfortable and somewhat invincible in their jobs because they know that anything can be achieved with enough time and effort.

However, if you experience a loss of productivity amongst employees, you will know first-hand that it can lead to disaster.

What Causes Loss of Productivity

Loss of productivity can be caused by many factors. For example, it may be part of a company culture that people feel pressured to meet unrealistic deadlines; or it might be that staff are so focused on their job that they have no time for anything else.

Lost productivity is usually one of the following issues:

1. Overwork

Overworked people are those who work 12-hour weeks without a break, often because they have a lot of work to do.

2. Poor communication

Being able to communicate effectively with colleagues is crucial for productivity. Sometimes this is lost due to poor communication skills in other circumstances, such as when there is no trust between colleagues.

3. Lack of team spirit

Teamwork is a vital part of success in any organization. If people at work don’t work together, the chances for good teamwork will be significantly reduced.

4. Lack of motivation and creativity

People who are not motivated tend to work slower than those who are. That is why it is essential to motivate staff, both in terms of personal motivation and performance-related incentives.

5. Emotional problems

Studies have shown that those who have suffered a psychological illness typically lose productivity. Some people can take longer to recover than others, but even those who feel fine after a breakdown can suffer from a lack of productivity.

6. Problems in management and leadership

Having a good manager is vital for the success of any organization. This is why managers should encourage staff to work hard, reward those who work well, and punish those whose productivity is poor.

To improve overall worker motivation and creativity, it helps to have clear goals and self-management tools. For example, employees could be encouraged to set specific targets to bring them closer to their personal or team goals.

7. Lack of skills

If there is a lack of skills in any key area, you’ll find that productivity suffers as a result. To fix this problem, you must assess your employees’ performance and identify any areas where there are problems.

How To Fix Loss of Productivity at Work

Having a good system in place can help solve the problems caused by the loss of productivity. It is therefore important to structure the working environment. Dr. Jordan Sudberg recommends the following solutions to help tackle the loss of productivity at work.

1. Communication

Employee communication is vital for a successful team. If you want to improve communication, it is important to have open lines of communication so that everyone knows what’s going on and who is responsible for what. Communication can also be improved by meeting to discuss initiatives and goals, holding regular meetings and training sessions for employees, or holding a company newsletter.

2. Teamwork

Good teamwork is one of the keys to success in business. The first step to improving teamwork is to set goals and objectives for your team. For example, you could set a company-wide target of reducing the number of errors made by 10% in the next three months. The second step is designating each team member’s specific responsibilities so that it is clear what each person has to do. The third step is rewarding good teamwork; often, it’s only when there is some form of reward that people really work as a team.

3. Motivation

Motivating employees can be achieved through a number of methods. For example, you could give people training to help improve productivity, reward the best workers in some way, or thank those who go that extra mile. A more simple method of motivating employees is to praise them for good work or simply show them that you care about what they’re doing.

4. Team Building

Team building and creativity improve productivity through clear goals and objectives set by management or the team. Team building is also important because it strengthens personal relationships with colleagues.

5. Assessment

Assessment is an important part of preventing loss of productivity at work. You could use a number of methods to assess employees’ performance, such as personal development plans, a peer-to-peer evaluation, or having regular meetings with employees to discuss their progress and how they can improve in their roles.

6. Planning

The most efficient way to improve overall productivity is to have a clear plan for each project. The best plans include goals and objectives, deadlines, and a budget of time and money. It is also important to ensure that the team has all the resources it requires, such as equipment and spare parts, to progress their work.

7. Personal responsibility

Personal responsibility is vital in any organization as people tend to be more productive if they feel responsible for their actions. Everyone should be able to work to their own strengths and weaknesses without being afraid of being judged. Many people feel happier and more productive if they do not feel under pressure in their jobs.

8. Structure

It can be helpful to structure the working environment in a way that encourages good teamwork, motivation, and creativity. For example, you could move desks in the office so that groups of people share a space or make your office more colorful and exciting to improve motivation.

Conclusion

The key to keeping a productive workforce is to provide a positive working environment that encourages employees to work effectively and efficiently. This can be achieved through an above-average work environment and a policy of team building. A good working environment ensures that employees are motivated and take pride in their work. It also encourages collaboration between staff, which is vital for high productivity and creative thinking.

The post How To Fix Loss of Productivity at Work appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/business-innovation-2/how-to-fix-loss-of-productivity-at-work/

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