success

GUEST BLOGGER: Tuning Visitors into Leads by Alex Szaki

November 29, 2019November 29, 2019 by Tammy Hudgin, posted in Marketing, Uncategorized

We all need a website for our business but is yours working for you or against you?

It’s one thing to get your website up and running, and to get people to visit your site, but there still remains one more question you need to ask yourself…

What happens when they arrive there?

These questions are very important and depending on how you answer, can make a huge difference to your bottom line.

As a local business owner you must think carefully about what you present to your website visitors when they first arrive. Remember the saying “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”?

Well this quote has never been more accurate and the reason is, our attention span is very low these days and dropping every year.

With this in mind. Here are few things to consider when looking at your website.

What do you want your website visitor to do?

Do you make it easy for them to do it and is it obvious?

You see, the objective of your website is to turn visitors into customers, right?

This is the first issue with most websites. They treat it as a brochure and not a tool to attract customers.

So, take a look at your website. I mean really look at it and not from your perspective but from the eyes of a new visitor who has never heard of your business.

Is your contact information clearly visible? One simple but very important detail that many businesses leave out is having their phone number at the top. This is key if you do nothing else.

Do you have a working contact form that people can easily access to get in touch with you?

Is your website front page confusing or is it easy to read and navigate?

Does your website talk about you and your business or does it explain the benefits of your products or services?

All of these questions need to be answered honestly because when done right, your visitor will become a fan of your business and have no reason to look any further.

Always remember, when people are searching the Internet they will not hang around on a website that is confusing, difficult to understand or read.

You want to make it simple and clear for people when they arrive at our site.

Think of the one thing, above everything else, that you want to present to your customer, and the one action that you would like them to take when they visit, and make it abundantly clear how to do that one thing.

One of the ways to achieve this is by setting up an e-mail capture form on your web site. You may even offer an incentive for visitors in exchange for their name and email.

There are several creative and very effective ways to accomplish this. It can be a free report, a quiz, questionnaire, free eBook, access to an informative video, a coupon or discount code.

The list is endless, but what is important is the fact that we offer something of value first. Think about it this way. Would you rather be offered something of value without being asked for anything in return when you first meet someone? Of course.

We are always being sold to so don’t you think your website visitor would be more likely to do business with you after you give them something of value? Absolutely!

Costco comes to mind as I write this post. If you’ve ever been to a Costco I’m sure you have noticed that they set up small sample tables, usually around the frozen food section.

You’ve probably also noticed how many people are waiting in line to get their free sample. Right?

What you might not have noticed but is very strategic is that they very rarely ask for the sale. They just smile and hand out samples.

When someone likes the offering, they ask where they can find it. The person working the sample table usually just points a few feet away and the sale is complete.

No advertising, no high pressure sales tactic and they let the product sell itself. Well, this is what you want to achieve with your website.

Think of your new website visitor experiencing a warm smile, feeling welcome, offered a sample of your product or service and knowing you’re available if they need more information or want to purchase.

The bonus for you that Costco doesn’t have is you are able to gather contact information which when done right, can now nurture your new prospect with more goodies and offers. Oh, and best of all, it can all run on autopilot!

The bottom line is, create a soft place to land and focus on the customer and not you or your business. I’m very sorry to say this but they don’t really care anyway. They just want information on how you can serve THEM.

Now that you have a better understanding of what your website should do and offer, you’re probably wondering what you should do next, right?

Here are a few options to consider. If you created your business website yourself then go ahead and add some type of optin box to start. Most hosting companies that have website builders will have the option of adding a landing page or optin box.

They can probably also create a pop up. You’ve seen them I’m sure. You get to a website and within a few seconds a box appears with an offer usually.

Some people hate them but if you offer value and don’t ask for a sale, people are usually ok with that. As a side note, they convert really well no matter how many people say they hate them.

If you need help, most hosting companies are also very good at helping you with these projects so don’t be afraid to ask.

If you had your website creating by someone else, reach out to them and ask if they can add some type of option box for you.

If both those options won’t work, I would really consider creating a new webpage (not a full website) as a sister site to your main website.

This would be a single landing page, with a headline and offer. It’s meant to be simple so don’t worry about it looking great. After they provide their information you can then send them automatically to your main page anyway.

In the meantime you will be emailing them the information they requested.

The best part of having more than one website or single page is you can direct traffic any way you want. If you want to offer something of value you send them to your single page and forward to your main site.

If you don’t have an offer or specific promotion, send them to your main website. Think of it as having a benefit packed brochure for each service or product you provide but only using it when needed.

In regards to your free offer, don’t over complicate this. For now just send them a discount offer of some sort but get that email list started.

If you really like the idea of offering a report or short ebook but don’t have the time to create it, use a service like Fiverr. You can find thousands of people who are more than happy to create something for you and make it look amazing for less than $100.

Finally, if you want to do it yourself, write down 10 questions you have been asked about your products or services and head over to Canva. There you can create a report using templates that look amazing and download it as a PDF file. All for free!

You really don’t need to overthink this project but remember, once it’s done, you will use it for years and it will attract many new customers for you while you do other things.

If you are stressed out just at the thought of doing any of this, help is available. Visit us at www.marketingforlocal.com and schedule your FREE 30 minute call so we can discuss your options.

We would love to help you set up a system that attracts new customers to your business and one that runs on autopilot so you can focus on taking care of your current customers.

At the end of the day the only thing we want as local business owners is to help others with our products or services and do it with the least amount of stress possible. Having a website that works for you is just one way to accomplish this.

I hope you found this post helpful and if it made you take a look at your website in a different light, I’ve done my job.

Cheers,

Alex

Alex Szaki

Alex Szaki helps people scale their businesses with predictability. He is an expert at helping people get clients using online methods and making things super simple to understand.

If you’re interested in scaling up and getting clients then definitely reach out and request a free strategy session today.

GUEST BLOGGER: 5 Facebook Marketing Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs

October 15, 2019October 20, 2019 by Tammy Hudgin, posted in Facebook, Marketing, Social Media, Technology, Uncategorized

Despite the popularity of Social Media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram, Facebook still remains to be the widely used Social Media tool among them all. Due to its wide reach, Facebook is always a good place for brands and businesses to promote themselves.

Recent studies have found that an average user in the US spends around 40 minutes on Facebook each day. So choosing Facebook for your marketing promotions is always a good thing. Whether you are targeting baby boomers, Gen X, millennials and Gen Y, you can reach almost all of them via Facebook!

However, it is best to remember that Facebook is also constantly changing and updating its algorithms. To remain relevant, you have to keep up with these tech changes and comply with their quality guidelines. To keep your business relevant on Facebook, you must avoid these mistakes at all costs!

Not using Facebook ads.

Many digital marketers would say that running Facebook ads is a costly campaign – and that is indeed true! However, if you know how to run Facebook ads efficiently, the money you spent will not go to waste. The wide reach and potential benefits of running a Facebook ad gives your business a higher chance of success than those who rely on organic likes and views.

However, if you are working on a very limited budget, you should know how to make the most out of it. First, make use of the Facebook Power Editor Tool so you can dictate where to put up your ads on the platform.

Certain placements will work better depending on your niche. If you are advertising a game or app for example, it would be best to place your ad on the Facebook mobile feed instead of putting it on the desktop sidebar.

Not engaging with your readers/audience.

Facebook is first and foremost, a social tool. People go there to like, comment, and talk to friends and family. And that is what your brand or business should do too! You have to humanize your brand and engage with the readers and audience of your page. Ignoring the social aspect of your marketing efforts will eventually isolate your customers, and the disconnect will result to lesser customer retention and brand awareness.

So what to do? Engage your audience with different types of content and respond to their comments, queries and concerns! Say thanks to positive feedback, and offer an apology for unsatisfied customers. Show that your business cares, and that you are easy to do business/deal with.

Posting the wrong type of content.

Posting content is a major way to initiate engagement among customers, but what kind of content is that? You have to be a bit versatile on this aspect. You have to strike a balance between talking about your brand/business, and talking about your customers and community. You have to prepare a variety of helpful topics so readers won’t get bored.

On Facebook, many entrepreneurs make the mistake of posting lengthy content and bland content. Remember, users are just browsing through their news feed all day – what makes you think that they will stop and read a very long post instead of sharing funny memes and looking at funny vine videos all day?

Unless you have already established a good following, posting lengthy content is best done on a blog. On Facebook, make your content shorter. Stick to 200 or 300 words. Don’t waste your reader’s time, and get to the point right away!

Another common mistake is posting bland content after bland content. Status updates are okay every now and then, but you have to accompany your posts with a relevant photo or video from time to time!

People are more attracted to visuals – especially on a platform like Facebook! If you have a lengthy content to post, you might want to try converting that into an infographic or photograph to make it more appealing to users.

Not going on Facebook Live.

Many entrepreneurs and businesses are hesitant to go on Facebook Live because of discomfort, but this is actually a very effective tool when it comes to marketing! You can start short and simple by going Live to showcase introductory videos about you or the business. As you gain more traction, you can then promote your products and services through a live demonstration or seminar!

Irregular posting and content updates.

This is very common, especially among businesses that established multiple business page. Pages that are not regularly updated with new content and engagements give the user an impression that the page is abandoned. It might also give the impression that certain business is already inoperational! To avoid this, just create one Facebook page for your business so you can easily manage it.

You don’t have to post something everyday, but you do have to come up with new content for at least once or twice a week. And even if you don’t have a new post, you have to attend to customer queries, concerns, comments, and messages! If you want your business to stay relevant, you must keep it updated.

Like any marketing plan, Facebook marketing entails a lot of planning and execution. However, the reward here is that your business can stay on top of its game! You get to meet a lot of your customers and create a small community that can help your business grow in sales and value.

Author Bio:

Sarah Jacobs is an experienced writer who loves creating articles that can benefit others. She has worked as a freelance writer in the past making informative articles and fascinating stories. She has extensive knowledge in a variety of fields such as technology, business, finance, marketing, personal development, and more. Check out her company here: https://digitoolreview.com

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.

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.

Facebook, is it over for businesses?

August 26, 2018 by Tammy Hudgin, posted in Facebook, Social Media, Uncategorized

Since Facebook announced the algorithm change for Business Pages, back in January, many business owners have either left the platform or have given up.

The reality is that as a small business owner we can still continue to grow on Facebook. There are many elements available through Facebook that allow us to keep building our businesses. You have your personal timeline, groups and YES, your Business Page.

What I have seen and heard, is that it was the larger companies, those who had larger followings, that got more affected by the change than us ‘little’ guys. Reason being is that they had huge amounts of engagement (like/comment/shares) than we had, so the decrease in numbers were much more noticeable.

I will tell you that I personally, did not see a difference in my “number of people reached” on each of my posts, I am still averaging 600 daily reach on my posts. Why?

I have been using Facebook for 10 years for business, with the last 6 focused on my Facebook business. During those 10 years, I spent more time building relationships through the different groups, than anything else. I realized the impact of this for my business, so I knew that I had to dedicate DAILY time to doing this. I knew that my Business Page was not the ONLY thing I needed to focus on. I also learned that my personal timeline could make a HUGE impact.

By working these 3 main elements of Facebook, it ultimately, will affect your following and your engagement on your Business Page. People will want to follow you because you have built a relationship and in turn, they will tell their friends and your following starts to grow. HOWEVER, this is not the only way, this is just a small fraction of what you can do.

Really think about what you are posting on your Business Page. Does it provide value? Is it something that will create engagement? Does it show you as an expert in your field? Does it show who you are/your personality? Is it ANOTHER business promotion?

What we post on our Business Page is the KEY to creating engagement, even against the algorithm. When people make sure that they are seeing your posts, then they are engaging, that will draw in more attention. Facebook loves engagement, so we need to do what we can to create it. P.S. Did you know that when you ‘share’ your Business Page posts onto your personal timeline and into groups, this is considered engagement?

As you are growing and learning which type of posts work best, DON’T get discouraged by your numbers if they are not all great, every day. Just keep moving forward and focus on improving what you are doing.

Here is a great article from Buffer talking more in-depth about the Facebook algorithms and some suggestions on what you can do. READ HERE