Category: Grow a Home Business

    5 Reasons to have a Blog in your Business

    Marketing – the action of promoting and selling your products or service. 

    5 Reasons why you should  blog in your business?

    1. It is a free marketing tool to use on your website and in social media.
    2. It brings awareness to your Brand as other businesses learn about your company who may want to connect or partner with your business.
    3. It is good to showcase your authority and knowledge about your product or service.
    4. Visitors find a way to connect and enjoy reading about company activities or events.
    5. Most importantly, visitors get to know, like and trust your business as a company they could do business with and they are more likely to find that your business has the solution to their problem.

    Click Here to Get “Blogging for Business Made Easy!”
    You may say you don’t have time to blog on your website about your business but you are letting a free opportunity for you to market to your customers slip away if you don’t! Blogging has become a way to market yourself and your products or services to website visitors and out on social media. People do want to hear what you are all about when they are looking for a solution to their problem. If you are out there blogging and doing social media posts, whether you are a small home business or a large corporation, your words will speak for your business.

    The more insight and peeks behind the scenes you get, the more that people will see you have authority in your field and line of work/service. Why You Need to Stop Waiting and Start Blogging (like TODAY) – SoulScripts
    Click Here to Get “Blogging for Business Made Easy!”
    Even if your business is a large one, and you’re setting out to create a blog that speaks to your customer base, there are always ways to make it personal. Show that you understand the issues they’re facing and the problems they’re looking to solve. Use your blog posts to demonstrate to your audience that you’re the best solution to those issues and problems.

    Having a voice doesn’t just mean the act of talking or writing. It means having a point of view, being distinctive, and maybe even a little opinionated or controversial. There is a lot of noise on the Internet, and one of the biggest challenges that people face is sifting through all of that noise in order to find the content that’s interesting.

    How are you going to create all the content for your blog?

    According to Neil Patel, if you write 10 ideas per day then by the end of the year, you will have 3650 ideas!

    The great thing about writing down 10 ideas a day is that you’ll become, as James Altucher says, an idea machine. by Neil Patel’s Guide to Blogging Consistently

    Then if you save an hour before day just to focus on your blog content; it may take you a few days to write 300 -500, words and then a couple of days to add images, proofread and add a call to action then you will have new blog post every week only from one hour a day!

    If you aren’t into writing content but find it easier to do audio then collect your thoughts and jot down the important points you want to make and then get out your microphone and record! Your audience may also be busy and they would enjoy listening to you and your personal thoughts then reading. Who has time!?

    The voice of your blog should be a good fit for the product or service you’re selling. For example, if you are an affiliate marketer for natural health care products, then a writing voice that’s positive and nurturing is almost certain to be more appropriate than a voice that’s “in your face” or that uses risqué humor.

    For more on blogging for your business check out

    Click Here to Get “Blogging for Business Made Easy!”

     

    Categories: blogging Tags: Tags: , , , ,

    You Need to Know your Brand Voice

    Social media was all a buzz about the faux pas that was the newly released Pepsi commercial that was quickly removed after the backlash.

    What were they thinking?

    “Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize,” the brand said in a statement. “We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are removing the content and halting any further rollout. We also apologize for putting Kendall Jenner in this position.” by Pepsi Is Pulling Its Widely Mocked Kendall Jenner Ad

    Why did the commercial fail?

    According to Julian Gamboa an instructor at Digital Marketing Today and founder of Digiviewpoint, a millenial publishing account

    A prime example of brands using celebrities is Nike’s #Equality campaign. The celebrities do not serve as the spotlight, but instead help deliver the message. .

    Another fine example would be Twitter’s collaboration with various celebrities to tweet out Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech.

    by Pepsi’s failed commercial: why your marketing team should be listening

    Your Voice is Your Brand

    When brand voice is consistent across all communications, it creates a kind of personality for your organization. As a result, your audience knows what to expect and learns to trust you. It is an essential feature of branding which allows you to successfully position yourself in the market.

    With the advent of social media and Facebook LIve, Instagram and Periscope, there are people with thousands of followers who are seen as influencers. Even Amazon is understanding the power of the social media influencer as they are pushing for “non-celebrities” to sell their stuff if they have influence.

    Similar to the Amazon Affiliate program, the new program will offer influencers commission on products sold, but is not open to the public by Amazon quietly launches its own social media influencer program into beta

    Your Business Needs to be a Storyteller

    People love hearing stories and they help people create an emotional bond with the brands they like. If you can tell stories and engage your audience, you will get them to know you on a personal level.

    Your Brand is your Story, your Words and your Images

    While we’re primarily focusing on words and phrases when talking about brand voice, you don’t only communicate your brand voice through text or the spoken word. Everything your brand does uses its voice, and this includes visuals. Your content should have strong visuals and graphics that consistently convey your brand voice.

    Learn more
    Get 5 Steps to a Brand Voice!

    Categories: Brand Tags: Tags: , , ,

    Using Social Media to Build Your Online Presence

    Your online presence is one of the most important ways to market your business to the world. It honestly doesn’t matter whether you have a strictly online business or a bricks and mortar business; using social media is a great way to get the word out about your business and to establish your identity online.

    Ensure that Your Brand Matches Throughout

    While each social media network has its own personally, your brand is always your brand. You should keep your brand the same, but adjust it slightly to fit in with the personality of the platform. But don’t change it too much because you want your audience to recognize you and interact with you.

    Keep Your Profile Updated and Complete

    Social media networks are always changing so a complete profile today will be incomplete tomorrow. Keep it up-to-date by checking it often, updating the things you have changed, and adding in information as the platform creates new ways for you to share.

    Be Consistent with Your Posts

    One of the keys to making social media work for you to build your online presence, is putting up regular posts and updates. You want to do it more than once a day on social media such as LinkedIn or Twitter. For example, if you have a blog post you want to share, set it up to share twice in the day instead of only once.

    Become an Expert on One or Two Platforms

    You can’t be everyplace and do it well, so choose one or two platforms where your audience likes to hang out, and become an expert at those systems. You’ll do yourself a huge favor. If you can afford to outsource to every social network, it will be fine, but if it’s just you, take it easy and become an expert of one or two.

    Develop Content Specific for Each Platform

    You don’t want to rehash the exact same content in the exact same words on each social media network. For example, when you share a blog post you wrote promoting your widget, you want to share it with a special blurb for each different network.

    Engage with Others

    Don’t forget to talk to people on each network. Answer questions, share your knowledge, and interact and engage with them. Social media is supposed to be social. Automation is fine, but you do need to answer people and talk to people in real time, too.

    Share Other People’s Updates

    When someone shares something important that your audience will find interesting, share it. The people you share and congratulate and interact with will do the same for you. Plus, it’s another form of content that can help establish expertise.

    Join Groups

    Most social media networks right now have some forms of groups that you can join. Even Pinterest has group pin boards that you can join. Joining these, then interacting with the people, is a great way to network and get known better.

    Social media is an excellent way to build your online presence along with your website and blog. Use the social media to promote what you put on your website, as well as to stimulate sales of your products and services.

    Categories: social media Tags: Tags:

    Ten Steps to Improving Your Online Reputation

    Today, managing and improving your online reputation has become essential. This is due to the advent of Google Search and the ability of anyone to look for you online and find out information about your company and your personal life. Even if there is something out there that you don’t want people to dwell on, you can make it better. It takes a little bit of work but it can be done. In fact, everyone who wants to be known online should be doing these things.

    1. Monitor the Buzz – People are talking about you. You can use Google Alerts and other online apps to monitor your business name, personal name, product names and more to know what is being said about you online.

    2. Listen to Your Customers – So many business owners conduct surveys, read their online buzz, check out rating sites and so forth but never really listen. It’s important to show your audience by your actions that you’re listening.

    3. Respond Quickly – When a customer has an issue or complains about you online, always respond quickly to the complaint. Even on social media, if you don’t answer a complaint they’ll see you as providing poor customer service regardless of whether you planned to provide customer service there or not.

    4. Remain Positive – No matter what a customer, client, or review says, it’s imperative that you never allow negativity to take over. Stay positive and try to read between the vitriol. A good tip is to copy and paste their complaint or reviews into a word document, then delete anything that takes away from the complaint. Then only answer to the complaint.

    5. Apologize – Even though business owners know that sometimes customers are wrong, in public they are right. You must apologize to them in public and offer to make it better. It’s the only way that you can regain the confidence and trust of the public. Better yet, ask the customer what you can do to make it better and you might be surprised at how little it takes.

    6. Be Everywhere – You need accounts on YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and whatever else happens to come up where your audience likes to discuss anything to do with your business. Then interact and engage with them.

    7. Solicit Reviews – When you send information to your buyers in a follow up, always ask for positive reviews and give them the link of the place you want the review to be posted. This will help increase the positive and counteract any negative reviews that might exist.

    8. Publish New Content Regularly – Blog on a regular basis, posting new content as often as you can: at least three to five times a week if you’re new at it, and once a week if you already have over 300 pages of content. Consider guest blogging on high-ranking authoritative websites too.

    9. Avoid Making Social Media Mistakes – Sounds easier than done, but all this means is you need to think twice about anything you put on social media, positive or negative. Even innocent jokes can get you into trouble if you don’t know your audience well enough.

    10. Don’t Neglect Your Accounts – Once you have a social media account, do not allow it to remain dormant. Keep it updated on a regular basis – at least once a week personally, and if you enact some smart automation it will appear that you’re more active.

    Regardless if anyone has said anything bad about you, it’s important to build up your online reputation in order to protect it – even if it doesn’t need improving. By building out every aspect of your online presence, you’ll soon have an excellent online reputation that cannot be torn down or paralleled.

    Categories: Reputation Management Tags: Tags:

    What Is a JV Partnership?

    A joint venture partnership is made between two or more individuals or business owners to work together on a particular project, product, or event. The companies do not become one; instead they maintain their separate individual entities while working on a particular goal together. The purpose of a joint venture is to combine resources to maximize efficiencies of each entity for the particular project.

    Limited Time Span

    While some JVs do last a long time, most of them are temporary until the completion of the project. Many businesses find themselves entering into several consecutive JVs due to the success of others.

    Clearly Defined Objective

    Another thing that denotes a JV partnership is that they usually have a very clearly defined objective or reason for being put into place. Each entity involved knows their place and what is expected, as well as the goal.

    Degree of Involvement Is Obviously Defined

    Each part of the JV alliance has a particular thing that they are supposed to do, and this is clearly spelled out in an obvious manner. Each partner knows what is expected, what to do and when to do their part.

    Spelled-Out Financial Contributions

    Since the business entity isn’t going to be formed in a JV, the financial responsibilities of each member must be expressed. Sometimes one person is responsible for the finances, will deduct expenses from income and then distribute the profits as spelled out in the contract.

    Plans Spelled Out for Problems or Disputes

    In a JV that is temporary in nature, there can still be issues and disputes that arise. The contract usually spells out what to do and who will be the final say in any dispute – typically an unbiased arbitrator or in some cases the person with the main financial input gets the final say.

    Termination of JV Arrangement Detailed

    Since a JV agreement is not permanent, usually the contract spells out exactly when and how the arrangement will end and what will happen to the intellectual property when the arrangement is complete.

    Non-Disclosure Information

    Most of the time both parties require some sort of non-disclosure information to keep trade secrets, contact lists, financial and other information private, since some of them will necessarily be revealed during the JV partnership.

    Other Legal Information

    It’s important to check with your state and country about various terms and issues that should be covered in your JV agreement. Together with your JV partners, you may want to determine which of your locations will have the final say on any legal issues that should arise.

    A joint venture partnership is a great way to expand your reach because you get to use each other’s contacts, resources, and skill set. But, it’s important to understand what a JV is and what it’s not. It’s not combining two businesses permanently and it’s usually a temporary joining of forces.

    Categories: Joint Ventures Tags: Tags:

    Membership Software That Works

    When you are deciding on technology for your membership site, it’s important to consider not only technology that works, but also technology that works for you in the way that you want it to work. What features do you want the membership software to have? What is your skill level with troubleshooting technology? Who will you hire if you don’t have the skills? There is a lot to think about when choosing membership software.

    1. NewRainmaker – This software is software as service (SAS), meaning it’s running from the cloud. You don’t do anything but set it up, kind of like you would WordPress. All the plugins and functionality that works best with membership sites are included, such as affiliate management, drip technology, and forums. This software includes a monthly fee for hosting, tech support and use of the software.

    Link – http://newrainmaker.com/

    2. aMember – This is an add-on to your current website. If you use WordPress it works very well with it. It also works with other types of website builders. It includes affiliate management, drip technology and more. You will need to purchase separate software to have a forum. They will install it for you for a fee and provide great support. It’s a one-time fee and upgrade fees yearly. You’ll have to pay extra for tech support if things go wrong.

    Link – http://www.amember.com/

    3. iGrOOps – This is another hosted solution where you pay a monthly fee for using the system. They provide all the upgrades, updates, and hosting. You simply use their template system to create your membership site. It has all the bells and whistles but it cannot be made to look like your current site.

    Link – http://www.igroops.com/

    4. EasyMemberPRO – They promise anyone can set up a membership site, and connect it with your current software quickly and easily. It also has a lot of what you need with a profitable membership site, including affiliate management. There’s a one-time fee with one year of free upgrades.

    Link – http://www.easymemberpro.com/

    5. WishList Member – This is a plugin that works with self-hosted WordPress websites, turning your current site into a membership site with all the bells and whistles except that if you want a forum you have to purchase software for the forum.

    Link – http://member.wishlistproducts.com/

    6. MemberGate – Another hosted solution with a monthly fee but one that offers every bell and whistle you can imagine from forums, to video hosting, to drip technology and more. The look is slightly dated for the choices of templates, but you can use your own coder working with them to change that if you want to spend the time and money.

    Link – http://www.membergate.com/

    7. ONTRAPORT – This is a very high-end solution (with a high-end price). But, if you plan to run a six-figure business, this is a great solution that offers managed membership without having to ever worry about technology. It will also work with your current WordPress website.

    Link – https://ontraport.com/features/

    8. SiteManPro – This is a great solution if you want to sell digital items and run a membership solution. You can use this to automate the entire thing. It can work with your current WordPress site. You will need to get separate forum software if you feel you need one. It integrates easily and works as it states.

    Link – http://www.sitemanpro.com/

    9. Smember

    Remember to write down the features you want your membership site to offer, as well as to take into consideration your level of technological skill as you pick a membership software solution. It might cost a few dollars, but you can’t make any money if you don’t make a choice and get started.

    Categories: Membership Tags: Tags:

    Twitter Engagement

    Twitter – who wants to bother? who has the time?

    The Twitter may scroll quickly through your life but it is worth participating in Twitter to get engagement and potential awareness for your brand.  Also, you can connect with others who you might want to partner with when you converse on Twitter.

    According to this Twitter study in 2014 by Stone Temple Consulting, you can get engagement!

    If you are a well-known authority in your field, it will be easier for you to get followers.

    It is true that image attached to a tweet will increase re-tweets and “favorited.”

    Increasing hashtags in a tweet doesn’t make a significant difference.

    Most interesting is that the time of day didn’t affect how much engagement was given.

    As you can see, Twitter is worth sending out your messages in and there is training in The Business of At Home Business membership. 

     

     

    Please include attribution to www.stonetemple.com with this graphic.

     

    Study

     

     

    Categories: Twitter Tags: Tags: , ,

    Facebook Organic Reach

    Facebook Organic Reach

    Facebook organic reach has declined recently for businesses ( since April 2015) so businesses have to develop new strategies to reach their customers and get their engagement for their product or service. 

    At www.quicksprout.com, they do many studies on how to increase customer engagement and they developed this Infographic to explain some of the ways you can reach out to your customer without having to do direct adverting. It is a great infographic so I had to embed ( they gave the embed code) on my website.  

    How to Improve Your Facebook’s Organic Reach
    Courtesy of: Quick Sprout
    Categories: Facebook Tags: Tags: , ,

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