Author: Tammy Hudgin

Tammy Hudgin spent the last nine years working her direct sales business (no longer involved with direct sales as the company closed their doors) on Facebook and embraced all the elements that were available to her. One of the most valuable tools that she learned was that you need to sell yourself before you can sell your business. She launched her Facebook Social Media business over five years ago and has trained over 500 business owners on how to work Facebook to build a presence and get their business out there. Tammy helps additional clients by managing their business pages and offering business page creation/revamp, along with consultations. Tammy has been a guest speaker for Rogers TV (4 shows have been pre-recorded), spoken at Annual Conferences, Networking Meetings, nominated for 6 business awards, and has been interviewed on 3 radio blogs. She embraces everything she learns from those she meets, she continues to be inspired by other business women and looks forward to building more relationships.

Visuals for Social Media

April 3, 2019 by Tammy Hudgin, posted in Facebook, Marketing, Social Media

Here is a little exercise you can do.

For the next week, I want you to write down everytime you stopped on a post in your news feed as to what made you stop to read the post. At the end of the week, review your list and find out what the common factors were. In most cases, it was the visual that stopped you.

So…….why aren’t you using more visuals in your posts?

I love when I see pictures of people I know and for me, I tend to get more traffic/visibility when I use a picture of myself. For this reason, I had an ‘Influencer” photoshoot done to capture my personality as well as certain ones to use when I am talking about a tip, something new that is happening, etc.

Think about the content that you are putting out in Social Media and put together a list of what type of pictures/animation you want to create and either hire a professional or get one of your friends to take the photos for you (our cameras do a pretty great job of taking photos).

Start selling YOU in your posts with your visuals!

What to post on your Facebook Personal Timeline

March 13, 2019March 13, 2019 by Tammy Hudgin, posted in Facebook, Marketing, Social Media, Uncategorized

Since Facebook states that we cannot use our Personal Timelines for commercial use, many people are unsure of what they should post to bring visibility to their business.

The goal here is to be talking about all the elements that make up your business, where you are going, what training you are taking, who you are working with, where you are speaking, what deliveries you receive; all elements that ultimately indirectly sell you and your business. This is a great way to showcase everything that you do to enhance your business, enhance what you offer your clients, the knowledge you have, what you are learning to improve on your business.

I have put together some examples to help you think about how you can showcase your business.

Excited to be one of the table speakers at the Rock Your Biz event. My focus will be finding out where business owners are stuck and give them some tips on how to get past it.

Another GREAT meeting with the ladies from FemCity Bradford!

Attending the WinterFresh Trivia Night to help raise funds for the York Region Food Network. I am thankful for these women, who are small business owners but also great friends, as they helped me survive my lack of trivia knowledge lol

Thanks to my girlfriend Darla for accompanying me to the CDC Lunch n Learn where I was one of the speakers, talking the world of Facebook.

Excited for another Zoom Facebook Training today, I love teaching!!

Look who I ran into at Rogers TV this morning!! We were all guest speakers on the show!

P.S. I would actually tag both of these ladies in the post which ultimately brings all of us more visibility.

Today was all about learning from Guest Speakers, building relationships and selling our businesses.

P.S. I would tag each of them as well

As you can see, I have inserted a variety of different elements that make up some of the things I do but also showcases some fun things, like the Trivia night as I was with other business owners. At no point, did I directly sell anything, I am just showcasing what “Tammy” is up to.

I also do two main posts, one on Mondays and one on Fridays.

Mondays I focus on outlining my week, what is going to keep Tammy busy.

Fridays, I look back over my week and I review all the different success elements and I pick one to talk about. I tell them why I feel that it was successful for me and also include some type of quote to support it.

Moving forward, I encourage you to sit down and make a list of all the activities that you do for building your business and determine what type of pictures you need to take (the more of you the better as people love seeing photos of us).

I hope this helps you to think a little differently about what you are posting on your personal timeline.

How do you use your Facebook Personal Timeline?

February 12, 2019 by Tammy Hudgin, posted in Facebook, Marketing, Social Media

Did you know that Facebook states that you cannot use your personal timeline for commercial use? That if you are going to conduct business, then you must have a Business Page?

Did you know that what you put on your personal timeline, in regards to your business, is not going to help you with SEO (search engine optimization)?

Did you know that you can ‘share’ from your Business Page onto your personal timeline and you are not breaking any rules?

Did you know that you get stats from you Business Page that can help with your marketing efforts? Our personal timelines do not offer this feature.

Moving forward, if you want to build a business on Facebook, it is important to have both a personal account and a Business Page and work these in conjunction with each other.

With your personal timeline, think about the type of posts/statuses you are writing. Are you directly selling your products/services or are you doing it strategically? I want you to think about what you are writing and change up your thinking to ‘indirectly’ sell to your audience.

Write a Monday morning status that is strategically selling your business
Do posts around success. When your team grows, talk about it. When you receive an award, talk about it. When you reach a milestone, talk about it. Pick one element of success from the past week and talk about it.
When you receive a shipment of products or business materials, take a picture and post about how excited you are for this delivery and what it means for your business.
When you are attending networking events/workshops, take pictures and post them. Show people where you were, who you were with (tag the others in the photos as well), what you learned or gained from the event.

Take advantage of the elements that Facebook provides us on our personal timeline, that can drive traffic to your business.

Think about how you are going to grow your friends’ list (max is 5000) and sell them strategically through your posts and ultimately drive them to want to find out what your business is.

How you work your personal timeline is a great lead into your business, so use it wisely, use it strategically and follow the rules so you don’t risk getting shut down.

Frustrated with your results on Facebook?

January 16, 2019 by Tammy Hudgin, posted in Facebook, Marketing, Social Media

As I talk to more and more business owners, I am hearing all the frustration with Facebook Business Pages. The algorithms are just not your friend.

As a small business owner and entrepreneur, it can be tough to get the visibility you are looking for because you just don’t have the money to invest in Ads, or to hire a Social Media Manager for your business. You work your Business Page but not seeing the results you were hoping for and you are ready to throw in the towel.

Don’t throw in the towel just yet!!

I have a friend, who I have known for quite a few years now, whom has tried to do a variety of direct sales businesses and never really had the success she was looking for. No matter how much training she took, she just never got her business to a level of success, in her eyes. One of the things that was very evident, was that she just didn’t have the passion, the love, for what she was trying to sell. Fast forward to today and this lady is on FIRE!! She decided that she wanted to love her body again and started on a weight loss and fitness journey. We all watched her on her personal timeline share the journey with us and we all encouraged her, as well as being inspired by her. During this journey, she participated in a program that would help her to continue losing weight BUT had a huge element of FUN involved. She then decided to launch her own program “Walk 15 with Antonietta” and WOW, she is ROCKING it!! Why?? She is sharing her journey, she is sharing her love for what she is doing, she is keeping us up to date on each step of the way, she is doing videos, she is doing visuals, she is selling HERSELF!!! She started with one person joining her in the class to a class of 130 people!!!! All people who have been inspired by her, NOT because of what she sells (a fitness style class that is all about FUN) but because she INSPIRES everyone! Do you know that she hasn’t even been doing this for a year?? This all happened within 6 months!! AND the 130 is just ONE class that she does (she has a few classes in different towns). Be sure to check out her Facebook group HERE!!

Why did I tell you this story?

This was not about someone working her Business Page to death (she really doesn’t even work it to be honest), she focused on selling herself and her journey!! By focusing on selling herself, it ultimately led to others selling her business for her!! Imagine that?? You don’t have to do posts around selling, when your network does the selling for you!!

Take a step back, review what you have been doing, and look at what you can be doing. Think about how you are going to use your personal timeline to grow (keep in mind, Facebook rules say that you can not use your personal timeline for commercial use, so you have to get creative), think about how you are going to take advantage of the different groups to sell yourself, think about what you are putting out on your Business Page to sell YOU!!

START focusing on SELLING you, I promise you will see a difference!!!

What happened and where do we go?

December 28, 2018December 28, 2018 by Tammy Hudgin, posted in Facebook, Marketing, Social Media, Uncategorized

2018 brought us LOTS of disappointment with Facebook as they continued to get hacked from a variety of stand points and had us dealing with leakage of our personal information (just as a side note, Facebook was NOT the only ones doing this). It also brought us many changes that as business owners, we had to figure out how to adjust. Numbers are just not the same anymore, and we all had to get creative on how to get more visibility without investing in Ads.

With the decline in visibility to our Business Pages, many started incorporating more layers to what they were already doing, like Blogging and Newsletters. We also saw many more groups get created that were managed by Business owners and their potential client base as it allowed us to get more personal and focus on building relationships to turn them into a hot client.

To move forward, we really don’t have a choice anymore….

we HAVE to get consistent
we HAVE to provide more education around our products/services
we HAVE to add more layers to what we are already doing
we HAVE to focus on building relationships through our personal timelines and groups
we HAVE to network
we HAVE to share our Business Page posts into the different groups to get more reach
we HAVE to stop selling all the time and focus on providing value

If you truly want to use Facebook to build a business, then you MUST commit to it. You MUST schedule time on your calendar to do what you need to accomplish and STICK to it. You can’t build if noone is seeing you.

Reflecting…..

December 12, 2018December 12, 2018 by Tammy Hudgin, posted in Uncategorized

Well, 2018 is coming to a close and it is always a great opportunity to reflect over the past year to understand your growth, what might have not worked, where you can make changes and figure out what is next.

➦ 2018 was a HUGE year for me for my business!! I started regrowing back in 2017 when I did a 10 month Mastermind Program and this continued into 2018. With my growth, I realized that I could not continue to move forward unless I hired helped, so I now have 2 people who help me daily with a variety of activities. I have also been outsourcing different tasks that ultimately are a benefit to my clients. This has allowed me to continue taking on more clients from Business Page Management and Coaching.

➦ I launched my Online Academy and had 9 business women jump on board with an opportunity to learn how to use Social Media, Blogging, Networking, Newsletters, Opt-Ins, monthly Zoom calls with me, and it has been great to watch the ladies grow and embrace what I have taught them.

➦ I launched the FemCity Bradford Collective and was ecstatic to fill the Collective with 25 Business Women BEFORE my official launch meeting!! This was a true testament to all the building of relationships I have been doing for the last 10 years.

➦ I started with a Direct Sales company, that was at ground floor, however the company has still not launched in Canada, so I made a decision to walk away and put the Direct Sales industry on the back burner as it is not something that will fit with me at this time.

➦ I learned how to ‘fire’ myself from Clients and when to say ‘no” (still working on this lol).

➦ I restructured my calendar to work with everything that I wanted/needed to accomplish BUT will move into 2019 developing a new calendar as more changes are coming for me. It is important that I manage my time effectively as I still want to take my weekends off.

➦ I took 3 vacations as travel has become one of my passions and I will continue to take a couple of trips a year. I am very fortunate to be able to work my Facebook Business from anywhere in the world.

➦ We, as a family, went through some personal journeys BUT I am excited to say that things have taken a turn towards success.

I have gone through many ups and downs, both through business and personal, but have no regrets. I have learned, I have embraced, I have resolved, I have become a better person. Moving forward, there will be more changes and I am excited for them. I have some new opportunities and will rework my calendar to be able to embrace them. I will continue taking on new clients and at some point, look at hiring a 3rd person, if and when I need it. I am not afraid anymore of having people help me as I know this is important for my own growth.

Embrace everything that comes your way and know that it is okay if sometimes things just don’t work out. The bonus is that there will always be something you can learn from every single thing that enters into your life.

Cheers to an EXCITING 2019!!

GUEST BLOGGER: 5 Ways to Increase Social Media Engagement

November 5, 2018November 5, 2018 by Tammy Hudgin, posted in Facebook, Marketing, Social Media, Uncategorized

Brands of all shapes and sizes are hung up on making waves in social media.

In such an overcrowded landscape, piercing through the noise and reaching your audience is a daunting task. Well, be that as it may, there are surefire strategies to make it happen. Instead of bombarding people with intrusive marketing and sale pitches, you need to foster meaningful relationships.

Furthermore, it is necessary to invest a great deal of time and effort in getting to know your audience, working out a marketing strategy, and implementing campaigns. But, do not fret. All your blood, sweat, and tears will be a drop in the bucket compared to amazing benefits that wait down the road.

Uncover your unique persona

To drive traffic and conversions, you need to flesh out a unique social media persona. It should be the genuine reflection of who you are (your brand) and what you stand for (your values and mission). Brands like Dollar Shave Club have proven that throwing fun and humor in the mix pays off big time.

The trick is to avoid sounding too promotional. People want to feel something and connect to your story. The best way to influence them is to evoke emotions and provide entertaining, educational and useful pieces of content. Just try to be unique rather than emulating more successful brands. Standing out is the most reliable tactic you can employ.

Embrace a consumer-centric interaction

Social media is the place of constant interaction between brands and customers. It is a far cry from traditional platforms for self-promotion. Alas, one common mistake businesses make is not listening to their audiences. You should know better. Conduct a thorough research to figure out people’s wants, needs, and online habits. Show that you care about what they think.

Take part in conversations on a regular basis and ask users what they would like to see in the future. Comments and reviews can provide you with invaluable insights for fine-tuning your social media strategy. You can also direct followers to your review pages and engage them in instant messaging. In any event, soak in as much feedback as you humanly can.

Host contests

People adore getting free stuff. You can take advantage of this fact and sponsor various giveaways. For instance, you can ask your followers to share and like your social media posts, comment and tag their friends or you can encourage them to submit their own pictures and videos in order to qualify for rewards. These tactics tend to increase the volume of social signals and engagement rates (and you can also end up with a lot of awesome user-generated content).

Moreover, an online contest does not only have to be a strategy for increasing social media engagement but it can also serve as an incentive for your customers to spend money. A great way to achieve this is to launch a loyalty program. For example, research done by ICLP shows that 41% of Hong Kong shoppers would spend more on brands with a loyalty program. So, something like a branded prepaid card in Hong Kong could be a perfect gift for your contest – it generates buzz on social media and also helps you boost sales.

Harness the power of the visual

Visual content is a social media super-weapon you have to incorporate in your strategy. Studies have shown that posts with quality, non-generic images and videos attract way more likes and shares than plain text. Many brands have managed to increase engagement with assets like behind-the-scenes photos and lighthearted videos.

Of course, there are also image-heavy networks like Pinterest and Instagram, where visuals are basically the name of the game. They provide filters and tools for visual enhancement as well. So, step up content production. It is time to craft killer posts, master the art of visual storytelling, and enthrall the audience.

Add relevant hashtags

Hashtags are essential tools for improving reach and amplifying the impact of your efforts. They enable you to make the most of keywords and keeping close tabs on the flow of discussion. What is more, hashtags can be used to center conversations on certain trending topics, effectively connecting with everyone who uses the same hashtags.

Try not to go overboard, though. Over-stuffing posts with hashtags can achieve the opposite effect and actually put people off. To tap into new audiences and delight existing customers, take lessons from the best of the best. Coca-Cola, for example, has worked wonders with the #ShareACoke on Instagram and other major networks. That is how you nail the campaign and flatten the competition.

Shape up or ship out

Social media can be a real game-changer. It generates buzz around your business and propels the whole organization towards set objectives. But, rest assured that arresting and retaining attention does not come easy. You first have to come up with a rock-solid game plan and do your homework. Capture consumer data and feedback to refine your approach.

The goal is to make sure your messages and content strike a chord with an audience of a particular social network. Following these steps, you should be able to witness the avalanche of shares and likes coming your way. Just bear in mind that social media engagement is an ongoing process that never really comes to a halt.

So, whatever you do, just do not rest on the laurels or take loyalty for granted.

Elaine Bennett

https://bizzmarkblog.com/

elaine.bennett@bizzmarkblog.com

Competition……

October 9, 2018 by Tammy Hudgin, posted in Social Media, Uncategorized

Competition, does it exist? Absolutely! BUT how you deal with competition will make a huge difference in your business.

The Social Media space has a TON of people who offer the same services as me, yet they are different. We all have our own unique qualities, our own thoughts on how things work, what is beneficial, what is not and of course, we are all different in how we deliver.

This means, that not everyone is going to be your client and when someone reaches out to you, you need to make sure you understand what makes up that business owner and their business, along with how you work/deliver. You need to make a decision as to whether they are the right fit and if not, then recommend one of your competitors.

I have 3 Social Media people that I refer business to and they do the same. We all know that we have something different to offer each business owner and sometimes, the other person could be the best fit for the client.

Embrace your competitors, find out who they are, their personalities, what they offer in regards to products/services and utilize this when someone reaches out to you.

What I love about competition is that it is not just about someone doing the same business as you. Competition comes in many forms and usually shows it’s ugly head when there is a jealousy component added in. When we work hard, when we build our businesses, when we show success, sometimes that will lead to others believing you are their competitor. When this competition arises, you have to remember that it is really not about you, it is the issue of the other person, and it has nothing to do with your business, it is a personal element.

I believe that when you reach this level of competition, that means that you have built success for yourself. So congratulate yourself on achieving success, because if there are other business owners who do not like you, it is most likely because of this reason.

Go out there and create competition……

GUEST BLOGGER: 5 Methods to Power-up your Business through Behavioral Marketing By Kimberly Maceda

September 21, 2018September 21, 2018 by Tammy Hudgin, posted in Marketing, Uncategorized

Imagine that you’re walking on the men’s section of a department store looking for a new suit to buy. Then, one attendant suddenly offers you a baby diaper on sale. How likely are you to grab that offer, very unlikely, right? You’ll most probably even be bewildered by the offer.

The situation above is comparative to digital ads that are not targeted correctly. But with behavioral marketing using email marketing automation software, you won’t be giving content which is out of place. Instead, you will be providing product suggestions, promotions, and contents that are appropriately based on the users’ behavior. As an example, with the situation above, a proper offer will be ‘tips on choosing a great fitting suit’ or a coupon code.

Behavioral marketing gathers information using surfing and searches data, IPs and cookies. This collection of data is used to create an exhaustive user profile, and then the marketing content is could be perfectly tailored.

If done right, behavior-targeting could boost email open rates by 56.68%, and it will ultimately lead to a boost in your sales. Amazon, for example, uses behavior data for their recommendation algorithm; which drives 35% of their revenue.

Here Are a Few Behavioral Marketing Strategies You Must Implement

Use transaction history to recommend products

As mentioned above, recommendation drives a lot of profit for the biggest e-commerce companies today by using upselling and cross-selling techniques.

Cross-selling is offering products that complement the original item. For example, you can cross-sell a tripod to a customer who bought a camera or socks for a user that ordered shoes. By showing what the consumer needs at the right time, you increase your chance to get higher revenue.

On the other hand, upselling is providing a better version of the item your client is currently interested in. Upsell examples can include a version upgrade, customization, and an extended service period.

Both upselling and cross-selling are great for increasing your profit. But you don’t have to choose between the two. Always use them simultaneously. Using behavioral data, your upsells and cross-sells will can be on point.

Monitor your visitor’s action using URL tracking

URL tracking is one way to assess and recalibrate your marketing techniques. If you know what visitors are exactly clicking on before making a sale, you can allocate your resources effectively. It also allows you to remove unnecessary links on your website.

Using this technique, you can arrange marketing campaigns to boost referrals. A unique link is spread across different platforms on the web; ads, social forums, blogs, emails, or socials media. The links are then tracked to see the quality and quantity of traffic from all sources.

Every time a visitor clicks on the link, he or she will be redirected to your destination page. Data about the source and location are then collected.

Use online behavior to provide personalized content

The competition for a viewer’s attention can be won through personalization. But you can’t possibly personalize if you do not know your audience. Aside from transaction history as mentioned in number one, there are other online behaviors you can monitor. For your email subscribers, you can track what content they are opening, when, and for how long.

Though conversion is the end goal of marketing, it isn’t all about sales. You need to establish trust and build relationships. To do this, you must provide valuable content in different forms. The content will resonate most with your users if you personalize them using online behavior data.

Implement retargeting to increase sales

Statistically, only 2% of users convert at their first visit. So are you going to let those 98% slip through your fingers? Fortunately, you don’t have to. You can use retargeting also known as remarketing to reach out to the viewers who have expressed interest in your product but they might not be ready yet.

This technique is a cookie-based technology which places a pixel on your site. Each time someone visits your website, the pixel leaves an unnamed browser cookie. When the user leaves your site, the retargeting provider will serve ads related to the content or product you have been browsing. Retargeting works effectively and efficiently because you will only spend on viewers who have already exhibited interest in your brand.

Send offers guided by demographic data

Demographic data is basic but it shouldn’t be overlooked. Demographic data is a crucial indicator of someone’s behavior, needs, and interests. This includes gender, location, age, ethnicity, and marital status.

With demographic targeting, you can reach a specific group with shared characteristics. It prevents wasted impressions. For example, if you have an e-commerce shop with assorted products, you will show products according to gender stereotypes and social conventions (man’s or woman’s wear). In today’s PC era, it might seem inappropriate but it does boost sales.

Conclusion

Behavioral marketing is a sophisticated way to market your business online. You can leverage behavioral marketing by using transaction history, URL tracking, providing personalized content, retargeting, and sending offers based on demographic data.

Stop wasting your marketing resources with generic ads and content. You have all the tools you need like email marketing automation software and other behavioral marketing tools to drive your business to the next level.

Author Bio:

Kimberly Maceda is a Content Writer for ActiveTrail. She writes for some top online marketing sites and blogging advice on email marketing and marketing automation. Activetrail is a leading provider of professional-grade email marketing and automation software for growing businesses.

GUEST BLOGGER: 4 Types of Speaking Engagements That Help You Grow Your Business

September 9, 2018 by Tammy Hudgin, posted in Speaking, Uncategorized

As an entrepreneur, you are continually looking for innovative ways to grow your business. Unfortunately, too many business owners overlook the power that public speaking has in establishing you as an expert in your industry and bringing greater awareness to your firm.

In addition to having the top local copywriter working on your content strategy, you also should be seeking out opportunities to speak with potential clients.

During these speaking engagements, you want to ensure that your words solve a problem and provide value to your audience, in addition to informing them of your services or products.

When potential customers hear you talk, they will start to consider you an expert far quicker than if they just stumbled upon your website, and they will feel more comfortable to take their relationship with your business a step further.

While fear often stops people from taking on public speaking opportunities, there are a variety of options for you to choose from that may work better with your experience and the type of company you are running.

To assist you in getting started, here are four types of speaking engagements that help you grow your business.

1. The traditional seminar

Generally, the traditional seminar is what most people think of when they hear “speaking engagement.” This is where you have complete control over the topic, the timing, and the location, which also means that you have to put in a lot of work to make it happen.

Your business is responsible for organizing all the logistics, as well as inviting people, promoting the event, ensuring you have a system for gathering attendee contact information, and then following up with each individual afterwards.

Just as with most things, the more work and energy you put into a traditional seminar, the more value you and your business will get out of the event.

If you already have clients, make sure to invite them and encourage them to bring a friend. This will help you to fill the room with people who have already heard something positive about your firm.

2. Industry-related conferences

Speaking at an industry-related conference is one of the most significant ways to get your presentation and business in front of those who are already working within or interested in the topic. This is immediately a considerable benefit of speaking at an industry-related conference, along with the fact that you aren’t responsible for having to supply the audience.

On the other hand, you have less control over the event than you would if you organize your own seminar, as someone else will have to approve the topic and set your time, and you may find it challenging to do a thorough follow-up.

3. Community-school classes

Depending on the industry that your business operates in, teaching a night-school class at your local community college or offering a course can be a fantastic way of attracting your target audience. For your business, the costs are minimal (although it will take time) and the payoffs can be significant, as long as you put together a class or course that provides value.

4. Virtual seminar

In 2018, you have the option of creating a speaking engagement from the comfort of your home or office. Virtual seminars allow you to speak with and present to potential clients all around the world. This in itself makes it easier for you to boost attendance.

The quickest way to set up an audience for a virtual seminar is by obtaining support from a professional group whose members have good client potential. Ask them to offer a sign-up to your virtual symposium to their members, and then you can perform a dial-in webinar with the appropriate slides and information.

Have you ever tried taking on speaking engagements to grow your business? Which types worked the best for you? Are you too scared of public speaking to give it a shot? Or are you ready to be the most engaging event presenter in your location?

Let us know your feelings about this topic in the comments below!

AUTHOR BIO

Hisham Wyne is an internationally recognised MC, broadcaster, presenter and moderator who helps the world’s best-known brands create memorable occasions. He regularly hosts conferences, panel sessions, gala dinners and award ceremonies for some of the world’s best brands. With 150+ events under his belt, Hisham is the professional speaker that brands and agencies turn to when wanting to interview, engage and entertain government VVIPs and Hollywood celebrities.