Category Archives: Blab

What You Need to Know About the Changes in Business Live Streaming - 315

What You Need to Know About the Changes in Business Live Streaming [BLAB]

What You Need to Know About the Changes in Business Live Streaming - 315

As marketers have rushed to embrace the nuances of social media marketing, along comes another opportunity. Live-streaming is recognized as the newest chance to grab a viewer’s attention and hold it. In the past, live video broadcasting was only available to multimillion dollar television networks. Now you only need a smartphone and an app.

Today anyone can “broadcast” live from anywhere using a variety of platforms. Embracing streaming video now can put you ahead of the trend and give you an early adopters advantage.

Which Platforms Support Live Streaming?

After Meerkat introduced live streaming in 2015, Blab.im and Periscope (owned by Twitter now) hastily boarded the bandwagon. Facebook and YouTube have also launched live video streaming to offer greater marketing exposure.

And, for a fee, Huzza.io provides a subscription service that allows you to stream your content through several platforms at once, thus broadening your potential reach. Huzza has analytic capabilities that provide metrics to evaluate your broadcast reaction as well.

According to the Practical Ecommerce website, companies are already experimenting with live streaming as part of their marketing program. Companies include GE, Nestle, Wendy’s, Doritos, 7UP, Dunkin Donuts, Adidas, and Spotify. Someone in those corporate HQs is leaping on the potential of getting started early!

How Does Live Streaming Work?

With only your smartphone and app you can broadcast live content. By “going live” with content, stories, information or product demonstrations, you’ll explore the untapped potential for capturing audiences that you’ve never approached before. To be effective, though, your presentation must be interesting enough to hold viewers’ attention.

Interactivity can be the essential ingredient. Viewers and potential buyers can get answers to their questions instantly.

As for applying the Marketing’s 4-Es, educate, entertain, engage and providing expertise, live streaming with interactivity covers every base!

How Do You Choose the Platform?

To choose the best avenue for your message… identify your audience. As with any marketing effort, targeting is the key to effective message penetration.

While Twitter attracts mostly 20-30-year-olds, Facebook is populated by every age group from grandmothers to preteens. With Facebook, you can use live streaming on your business page, with “close friends” or in Facebook private groups.  Use the platform where your target audience spends significant time.

Live Streaming Possibilities

Once your following is interested, live streaming provides real-time interaction between you and the audience. No typed messages via social messaging, live streaming offers Q&A, interviews, announcements, and commentary.

Live streaming also opens up a range of internal opportunities as well. In short notice, a sales manager in Omaha might stream a new product demonstration or sales technique seminar to sales reps around the world.

The possibilities of timely communication with Q&A sessions are virtually limitless.
The best way to learn?  Simply try it!  Livestreaming doesn’t have to be a polished production. It’s about going live and telling fans what’s going on.

Remember, you can join Jessika and me live on Blab every Tuesday afternoon at 4pm for Magnet Marketer Blab videocast online.

Here’s the full blab with Jessika and me. Enjoy!

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Facebook Pages vs. Groups_ Do You Need Both_ - 315

Facebook Pages vs. Groups: Do You Need Both?

Facebook Pages vs. Groups_ Do You Need Both_ - 315

Facebook is an essential ingredient in any social media plan. It lets you promote your business, interact with clients and potential customers while presenting you as an important resource to anyone looking for your products or services.

There are two main ways to promote your business on Facebook.

Facebook Business Page
Facebook Group

What are the differences in a page and group and how do you use each of these features?

Facebook Business Page

With a Facebook Business Page, you’ll have an ongoing online presence. Think of it as an extension to your website. It’s a way to connect with your customers. Your Facebook posts will show in their newsfeed.

Make sure that your posts are engaging and interesting to your fans. Do not overwhelm them with only business related posts. Give advice; post links to your website and links to other sites that are helpful to your fans. Run contests and competitions. The main use of a Facebook Business Page is to encourage fans to interact with your business and ultimately turn your fans into leads.

Facebook Group

A Facebook Group is a place for like-minded people to meet. Group members can post pictures, comments, ask questions, etc. and respond to posts from other members.

Facebook groups have different levels of privacy. Some are ‘public’ and open to anyone. Others are ‘private’ meaning anyone can find the group, but only members can see the posts and interact with them. Some are ‘secret’. No one can find these; you have to be invited to join.

Do you need both a Facebook Business Page and a Facebook Group?

This depends on your type of business and what you’re trying to achieve. Most businesses could benefit from having a Facebook Business Page. You can add a ‘click-to-call’ link, promote events, and message your fans. A business page is similar to your personal profile but used to promote your business.

Business pages also have detailed analytics that shows the demographics of your audience by gender, age, region, etc. and your most successful posts. This allows you to improve your social media campaigns.  If you are thinking of adding apps to your business page, take a look at TabSite.

Not all businesses need a Facebook Group. A group is useful for discussions, troubleshooting, sharing ideas, asking and offering advice, etc. You can also promote events. An administrator can remove members who do not comply with the rules.

Both Facebook Business Pages and Facebook Groups offer a way to communicate with your audience. Decide what your goals are and incorporate one or both features into your social media plan.

Remember, you can join Jessika and me live on Blab every Tuesday afternoon at 4pm for Magnet Marketer Blab videocast online.

Here’s the full blab with Jessika and me. Enjoy!

 

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Successfully Outsourcing Your Social Media - 315

Successfully Outsourcing Your Social Media [Blab]

Successfully Outsourcing Your Social Media - 315

To increase your business customer base and spread the word about products and services, savvy businesses are using social media. From snail mail and emails to tweeting and posting on Facebook, there are many ways for business owners to market their business and reach both potential customers, and those who have been loyal customers. Social media comes easy to some people, but for others, it can be painful, so outsourcing can be a good option.

If you’re outsourcing your social media, here are a few things to consider …

What are other people saying?

It only takes a couple clicks of the mouse to discover what type of company you’re considering to help you with your social media. Do they have a website, is it professional?  Who else have they worked with?  What are people saying about them and their work?

Check out their OWN social media networks.  If they say they “do” social but have few fans and poor posts, don’t count on yours being handled any better!  Are they using images, video, and creativity in their posts?  You may be able to answer most of these questions with internet searches.

What’s the plan?

Once you’ve narrowed your search to the 2 or 3 most qualified to help your business, look at your goal and how the company can help you achieve this goal? To make sure goals are continually being met, everyone needs to know their role, what their duties involve and how success will be measured. How frequently will they post?  Will they schedule ahead?  Do you want to review posts?  What will be the times of day and the type of posts? Map out a plan!  A bit of work ahead of time can help big time later on!

Who will be the communicator?

The person you hire to post on social media needs to be informed about what’s going on in your company, your company “voice” and “style”, and be kept abreast of any news worth sharing. Pick someone from your team to update this person so they’ll always be in the know. You need a specific contact liaison to your social media person. Ideally someone comfortable with quick, mobile communication.

What mistakes do people make when outsourcing?

Along with not asking good questions, people often hire too fast or hire someone based on cost. It’s rare that the first person or company you hire on lowest price provides the results you want and need! You get what you pay for. You want quality and professionalism. You can’t hire a teenager to manage your business social the majority of the time!

Business relationships can be stressful, but the connection should be natural, not forced. The goal is to be successful at outsourcing your social media. It will require someone who can engage your audience, bring in business and highlight your company’s best qualities. Even if you have to search awhile, it’ll be worth it when you find the perfect fit.

Here’s the full blab with Jessika and me where we dive into more details. Enjoy!

Remember, you can join Jessika and me live on Blab every Tuesday afternoon at 4pm for Magnet Marketer Blab videocast online.

How to Grow Your Audience with Podcasting 315

How to Grow Your Audience with Podcasting

How to Grow Your Audience with Podcasting 315

In our recent #MagnetMarketers live Blab session, Jessika Phillips and I discussed getting started with a podcast and how to use a podcast to connect with a broader audience. We talked about the questions I most frequently get asked to help a business understand how podcasting may be a great option for getting the word out about their product or service.

Why create a podcast?

It can deliver value to the business that creates it and the customer who listens. For a business, a podcast is another form of getting valuable content out to the public. It’s another way to show your expertise in your field or industry. It’s also a great way to show your personality and connect with potential and current customers. With a podcast, you’re delivering free content that helps your clients and potential clients. It’s “top of the funnel” resource-rich content (see my digital marketing funnel). It helps you be heard, seen and understood. A podcast can highlight your brand in a clear and concise way.

What all of this means is that a podcast is an incredible way to create intimacy with an audience. It will help you land speaking gigs–both in-person seminars and workshops and online webinar teaching opportunities. It positions you as an expert in your field and can be a way for you to answer many questions efficiently, a one-to-many approach.  As well, you’ll create another outlet to connect with customers and learn more about their questions and needs.

Who is the podcast audience?

There’s a huge audience for podcasts. Some podcast listeners are tech savvy, and while they do make up a significant portion of the podcast demographic, there’s also a growing number of fitness junkies and commuting employees who like to have a hands-free and eyes-free way of getting valuable content. Also, there’s an increasing number of older people who’ve transitioned from talk radio to podcasts because they are not forced to “tune-in” at a particular time. This broad audience makes an excellent marketing tool for businesses, small and large.

How do you podcast?

Making a podcast takes a few ingredients. You need to make it accessible, and so you need to have your podcast available on more platforms than iTunes. iTunes is the first place to put your podcast, but don’t stop there. Put it on your website. Put it in the Google Play Store, Stitcher; anywhere people can subscribe to your podcasts. Different people use different ways to get their communication. Be flexible and they’ll appreciate it.

There are other “how’s” you’ll need to answer if you’re creating a podcast. How often will you release an episode? How long will the episode be? What is your podcast style? A really great place to go and dig deep into how to start a podcast is Podcast Answer Man.

But the real question to ask is how can podcasting help your business? Once you have the purpose of your podcast, you can create a show which achieves your goals, provides value to listeners and furthers your brand’s image.

Branding your Business_ Critical Tips for Being Seen-315

Branding your Business: Critical Tips for Being Seen [Blab]

Branding your Business_ Critical Tips for Being Seen-315

Over the last few years, branding has become one of the top buzzwords. So much so that many in the industry have deemed it a waste of time and money. Branding at its core is simply relationship building and awareness of your company. And when done right, it can endear customers to you and your brand.

branding expert Phil Pallen
This Blab show was a great interview of branding expert Phil Pallen, www.philpallen.co.  Phil is doing branding for businesses and most recently for TV Shows and personalities like Shark Tank, Dancing with the Stars, American Idol and more!  Skip to the bottom to see the interview!

Branding your Business Takeaways

There’s an old adage: people don’t do business with brands – they do business with people. Building a consistent brand messaging can increase your profits, and exponentially grow your business. 60% of the sales cycle is over before someone speaks with a sales rep, proving that your online presence speaks for you.  The key is what it is speaking about you!
Don’t wait to build your company’s persona. Building your brand from the start will make it natural and organic, and allow it to grow with your business. Follow these 3 steps for creating a brand your customers can get behind.

  • Start With Something You Love

    When starting your business, pick something that you love. An obvious statement, maybe. But your customers see and feel it when you fill your business with love. Pair that with a consumer need and your brand will emerge naturally.

  • Build It From the Ground Up

    When building your brand nothing is more important than time. Putting the necessary infrastructure in place to serve your customers will do more than a fancy logo ever will. Invest in a website that’s professional and user-friendly. Sending people to a dated and confusing website is pointless, and often a waste of money.

  • Promote! Promote! Promote!

    Once your systems are in place, it’s time to promote your brand. Build your social media presence, use quality visuals, and develop a strong and consistent brand voice across all platforms. It’s important to consider your brand whenever you reach out to customers.

Don’t rush the process. These 3 steps create the foundation for your business, and can determine your success. Whether selling an experience, your time, or product, your values drive your business. Make sure your customers see that.

Here’s the full blab with Jessica, Phil and me. Phil’s a load of energy and fun…..Enjoy!
Remember to join Jessica and me live on Blab every Tuesday afternoon at 4pm for Magnet Marketer Blab live online.

What We Learned From Social Media Marketing World 2016

What We Learned From Social Media Marketing World 2016

What We Learned From Social Media Marketing World 2016

Social Media Marketing World is the world’s largest social media conference and hosts the top speakers on each platform.  It’s a great venue for learning and networking!  While there were many great speakers this year – Guy Kawasaki, Mari Smith, and Brian Solis, just to name a few – the true impact of Social Media Marketing World 2016 was more about how you used your time outside of the conference.

With networking events, meet and greets, and even morning power walks; there was plenty of opportunities to make great connections. We hope to continue learning as we make our way through the digital replay sessions and pick up on anything we missed while networking!

Here are just a few of our key takeaways from SMMW 2016.

No, Facebook Isn’t Going Anywhere…But Up!

Facebook is alive and well and expanding. This theme made it’s way into many sessions, with many speakers emphasizing this point. It’s still the most influential social media platform, and increasingly the most influential mobile app. One of the key takeaways was that 8 out of every 10 minutes spent on any app is spent on Facebook. With 80% mobile penetration, it’s clear why brands should continue to invest their time and money into the social media giant.

Quality is Still More Important Than Quantity

Marketers continue to saturate the web with content, and many struggle to get noticed. Many speakers focused their time on tips to find your audience and get the most out of each piece of content. It’s never been more important to identify where your audience is and invest in that platform. While newer platforms like Snapchat and Periscope may seem appealing, if you’re targeting women in their mid-to-late-thirties you’ll want to look elsewhere. Be authentic to your brand and your customers.

People Connect With People

Bringing personal connections to social media marketing was a hot topic at Social Media Marketing World. People will connect with you easier than they connect with your brand. It’s important brands loosen up on social media and show their personalities, flaws included. People want to know that there’s a person behind the keyboard, so show them!

Tips For Next Year

Yes, it’s a recommended place to go!

  • Decide early on what you want out of the week. With so many sessions and so many events, it’s easy to get lost in the commotion. Pick your must-see speakers and events, and then leave some time open for any last minute invites.
  • Put together a wish list of who you’d like to meet and make it happen! But don’t be so strict to your plans that you aren’t flexible. You never know if you’re talking to the next social media guru.
  • Host your own networking events! We found that the people we connected with early on in the week continued to seek us out. Stand out in the crowd by hosting your own event, and invite all those people on your list.

This year was all about meeting new people and making connections. We’re so glad to have met everyone we did, and look forward to next year!

Everything You Know About Marketing Has Changed Part 2

Everything You Know About Marketing Has Changed Part 2

Everything You Know About Marketing Has Changed Part 2

Marketing used to be simple. You’d craft advertisements for print, billboards or television hoping that customers would respond. You could be a bullhorn and just shout out your information. Now, however, with the dawning of social media and the web, many consumers expect a two-way conversation; consumers are asking questions and expect a response from you!

What’s driven this trend?

The way people spend their time has changed. They’re spending more time on social media, which is a two-way communication. In fact, 1 out of every 5 minutes spent on a mobile phone is spent on Facebook.

Mobile is another huge trend.

There are now more mobile phones than humans on earth. As of the end of 2014, the amount of internet traffic on mobile phones surpassed desktop use. Your potential customers are carrying your advertising delivery system in their pockets at all times. The average Facebook user checks their account an astounding 150 times per day. Consumers are craving instant gratification more than ever; if you make them wait to hear from you, you’ll lose them.

Search engines are taking note of this, too. Because everyone is on mobile, search engines expect your website to be viewable on the devices that people are using. If your website is not mobile-friendly, then you’ll be dinged by the search engines. Make sure your website is mobile responsive so your site can be viewed on all size screens.

Your website is your primary source of contact with your customers.

It’s how people find you. With this in mind, the experience users have on your website is crucial. No matter what device they are using, they expect an easy, readable experience.

You must have a presence where your audience is.

For many of your customers, social media is the place to meet them.

Here are 3 things to consider for modern, two-way marketing:

  • Speed – Today’s consumers demand immediate gratification.
  • Communication – Your consumers want a two-way conversation.
  • Interact on Their Own Terms – Consumers want to interact on their schedule, not yours.

Don’t limit yourself.

Use multiple channels based on where your customers are. Always be aware of opportunities to build a relationship with your audience. Don’t just be on social media, spend time reading posts and comments, then offer conversation that has real value.

Marketing has changed, and if you hope to be successful in marketing, you must adapt.

Simply broadcasting your message to the world is not enough. If you want to bring the right people to your business and convert them into long-term customers, you have to offer more than just a message.

The challenge is clear; will you rise to the occasion?

Everything You Know About Marketing Has Changed Part 1

Everything You Know About Marketing Has Changed Part 1

Everything You Know About Marketing Has Changed Part 1
There was a time when marketing consisted of having a good product, shoveling out consistent advertising to get in front of people via print, news, and billboards, and then letting leads call in. Nowadays if you do that – you run the risk of not selling anything at all; learning the new rules of the marketing paradigm shift is essential for a successful business.

Personalize, Personalize, Personalize!

From reading your blog to asking questions in the comments, your audience wants to feel as though they have your attention. The easiest way to make sure you’re on the right track is to ask yourself: “Am I speaking to a particular person or a vague group of people at every stage of my pitch?”

Make sure you’re talking as if they are real people; because, guess what – they are<! Don’t send out generic form emails; inboxes are littered with spam, and your email won’t get a second look. Make sure your email is personalized, calls them by name, and guides them through the sales process in a helpful way where you are answering their questions.

Your Customer is Your Friend

To be successful in the current and future climate, you’ve got to give up the business to human approach and treat your prospective clients as friends, the human to human approach. After all, you’re building a relationship that you hope will last for years. This approach is successful, take a look at the phenomenon of mommy bloggers. Moms gravitated in droves to these bloggers and has made them wealthy beyond measure! Referral purchases are very successful because moms trust the products that other moms use and recommend.

What the Numbers Say

The numbers support the human to human approach. Forbes reports that 92% of consumers ask their friends or acquaintances about the products and services they use before making a decision to purchase. This clearly beats out every other source of referrals and helps point your business in the right direction for that human to human approach you should be adopting. Find influencers to try your product and pitch it to their social networks; this can result in a whopping increase in conversion rates – anywhere from triple to 10 times whatever you were making!

Additionally, the numbers also strongly hint at the importance of women as influencers. Women are big consumers. Up to 20% of women buy based on what an influencer says, with 77% of consumers more likely to purchase from the same producer the influencers buy from.

Final Thoughts

Change your marketing tactics to reflect the present climate – it doesn’t matter what type of business you’re in. Authenticity is priceless; be unscripted when marketing online and using video via Facebook or social media. It never hurts to peek at what other successful brands are doing – they’re almost always ahead of the curve.

What to Look for in a Social Media Management Tool

What to Look for in a Social Media Management Tool

What to Look for in a Social Media Management Tool

A social media management tool is an important marketing tool for many small businesses. It can help businesses become more efficient and successful in marketing through the rapidly changing world of social media. Many tools and platforms exist, so the challenge is finding one that will work best for your business.

Let’s take a look at what you should be looking for when choosing a management tool for your social media marketing strategy.Social Media Pro Styler Liz Azyan shared some of her tips for choosing social media management tools.

Why use third-party platforms over apps?

Social media management works like a business. If all of the business’ departments are working separately, the business won’t be able to reach its goals. Using separate social media platforms for management will have the same result. You won’t be able to reach your marketing goals or even know if you are progressing toward those goals. The first step for social media management is to know your goals and find a management platform that will work toward those goals.

Strategic thinking becomes simpler with one tool and allows you to quickly find what works and what doesn’t. These tools can bring together data and give you the numbers in one place, so you’re empowered to reach the goals you set.

Are there disadvantages to using management tools?

Using Facebook or other platforms for yourself is different than using a management tool. It’s like the difference between seeing Sweden on TV and visiting the country yourself. When you visit Sweden, you experience the country and feel the snow for yourself.

There’s a similar difference with management tools. Social media tools can help, but they don’t give you a firsthand social media experience in the way a native app can.

What should people look for in management tools?

A challenge that many people face is consistently providing high-quality content. You can easily fall into the trap of just sharing things without even thinking. But sharing without strategic thinking can be harmful in the long run.

Tools that help you find quality content based on your strategy can be very helpful. Tools can also help you stay up to date on trends, breaking news and popular hashtags, which can be very helpful for your marketing strategy.

Other things to look for:

  • Data Reports
  • Photo Integration
  • Strategy Implementation
  • Multiple accounts and platform capability
  • Engagement
  • Balanced access tools
  • Update social media

Some of the most popular tools:

  • Agorapulse
  • Buffer
  • Digital Matchbox Pro
  • HootSuite
  • Sendible
  • SproutSocial
  • Tweet Deck

The most important thing to remember about management tools is to find the tool that works for you. Others may say a tool is the best, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is best for you.Find the features that are most important to you, and find a tool that matches your needs.

Here’s the full blab with Jessika and I. Enjoy!

Remember, you can join Jessika and I live on Blab every Tuesday afternoon at 4pm for Magnet Marketer Blab videocast online.

8 Things you Need to Know About Snapchat for Business (1)

8 Things You Need to Know About Snapchat for Business

8 Things you Need to Know About Snapchat for Business (1)

With over 100 million users, who “snap” 400 million times a day, Snapchat should be incorporated into your marketing strategy. We talked with Snapchat expert Saba Sedighi about the 8 things you need to know about Snapchat for business.

1. Snapchat’s high engagement benefits business.

While Snapchat has less users than Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, its users are very active. Via Snapchat, you’ll engage with a higher percentage of users than on other networks, which means a higher ROI. In other words, Snapchat is a very efficient marketing platform.

2. Snapchat is great for targeting millennials.

Millennials – People between ages 18 through 25 – have enormous buying power and make up a large portion of Snapchat users. In the US, 71% of users are between 18 and 35. If you want to target this demographic, Snapchat is a necessity.

As we saw with Facebook, people between 40 and 50 – will join the network eventually. Using Snapchat to target older audiences right now allows you to establish a foothold for when they arrive and puts you ahead of the curve.

3. Snapchat is creative and versatile and can be used with other networks.

Snapchat lets you take risks you wouldn’t take on other platforms because snippets last only a few seconds. The app includes geofilters drawing and text tools which allow you to get even more creative.

The same things that make Snapchat so dynamic also make it difficult to use as your only social media marketing channel. But Snapchat can be combined with Facebook, Twitter, and others for a cohesive cross-promotional campaign.

4. You can connect with your audience in a new way.

Blab, for instance, is good for creating long-form video content with other people. Snaps, on the other hand, are bits of “microcontent” that form a new type of blog – one with creative layers.

5. You can create storylines.

With Snapchat, you can mash up pieces of your day into a vlog that users can see all at once, and which you can add to as you go. You can speed videos up, slow them down, and play them backwards. You cannot go back and edit.

You can also send a personal snap, which will disappear after the recipient sees it.

6. Measuring engagement is simple.

Measure engagement to see how many people view your content. If your views go down throughout the day, you need to restrategize, but if your views increase, you’re doing a good job of retention.

Whenever you send a personal snap, you can see if it was opened.

7. Geofilters are a unique marketing tool.

With geofilters, you can tag a place, time, temperature, and date, and you can create brand campaigns. The newest feature allows you to create custom geofilters for your brand or business. Other users can use your geofilter for their content too. You can monitor how many people saw or used your filter.

8. Start today.

Use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to tell your followers you are on Snapchat. Take advantage of the creative tools available. Engage with users, request feedback, and ask them to Snap you back, send a message or Tweet to you.

Here’s the full blab with Jessika and I. Enjoy!

Remember, you can join Jessika and I live on Blab every Tuesday afternoon at 4pm for Magnet Marketer Blab videocast online.