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Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Start 2014 with purpose! A social media purpose that is...



How often have you sat down at the computer to work on your social media presence, only to feel overwhelmed, distracted, and ultimately unsure of just what it is you are doing and if you are being effective? 



You are not alone! 


Everyone has found themselves there at one point or another. In fact, most businesses are unsure of how to make the most of social media to support their particular business.

If you are tired of losing valuable hours of your time on your social media networks, then this 2-hour training session is for you.

Come in with NO plan, but leave with a purpose
This training workshop was developed based on the theory that you learn 90% of what you actually DO versus 20% of what you read. 

Throughout the workshop, you immediately apply the techniques to your own business through the series of worksheets built into the training session. 


This means that not only are you learning, but in 2 hours you are also defining your business's social media purpose!

What you get: 

  • An actionable plan to take home with you, customized for YOUR business
  • Hands-on training workbook filled to the brim with worksheets and valuable information
  • Digital copy of the workshop
  • Free access to on-going support via my closed [insert name here] Facebook group
  • Discount code to "The 20 Minute Marketer" e-book/webinar series coming in 2014.

Information:

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013

11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

TD Canada Trust 
5679 Hazeldean Road (at Huntmar)
Stittsville, ON


Cost: $60.00 + HST



There are only 10 spots available!
Register today by emailing me: info@theroguepeamarketing.com


Don't wait until January to take a BIG step forward in you marketing strategy. By attending this 2-hour training-workshop, your business will be better positioned to maximize the results your social media efforts while reducing the time spent online - all by defining your social media purpose.


Want to see what we'll be covering? Here's a sneak peek at the training materials.


Translate purpose into success
The key to experiencing success in anything is determining what goal you are trying to achieve. This training workshop will do just that! I do away with the clutter and cut right to the chase -focusing in on what is the BEST way for you use social media that has the most impact on your customers.


Bring a friend, save $5: If you sign up with a friend*, you BOTH receive a $5 discount off the registration cost. *Must sign up at the same time, in advance only.

Additional incentive: sign up NOW for my email newsletter (at right) and you are automatically entered into a draw for FREE admission to the workshop. Deadline to qualify is 11:59 p.m. December 9, 2013.



Advance registrations only! 
Are you ready to start off the New Year with more focus and purpose driving your business online than ever? It's as easy as sending an email directly to me at info@theroguepeamarketing.com!

Looking forward to seeing you!

Nancy

Saturday, November 23, 2013

The customer, NOT CONTENT, is king!

Content is king
It's hard to go anywhere online lately without seeing the phrase 'content is king' thrown about in all kinds of business discussions. It's an expression that has permeated into all corners of the web, and for good reason: businesses are realizing that consumer engagement is key to their sustained growth and existence.

Social media has enabled what was once a primarily one-way street for marketing to consumers to become the epitome of two-way communication, and with that came a platform which enabled consumers to talk back to the businesses and corporations that have traditionally been speaking AT them rather than WITH them.


While I agree that content is absolutely necessary if you have any sort of online presence and wish to connect with your customers, looking at content like it is the most important piece of the puzzle takes the focus off what really should be the focal point: YOUR CUSTOMERS!

Don't get me wrong - having stellar content is where it's at. Content provides VALUE to you customers, and gives them a reason to remain connected with your business. But what you decide to share, post, write - the content itself - should be determined by examining what is important to your customers. The bottom line is...

Customers must be the key driver for your content strategy. 
It's the CUSTOMER, NOT CONTENT, THAT IS KING.


This goes right back to the central tenet of my marketing training mantra: VALUE MARKETING. 

VALUE MARKETING is the process of orienting your marketing strategy around what matters to your customers - using their needs, interests, concerns and attitudes to determine what VALUE you can provide to them. This creates a much stronger connection to your existing clients and potential customers, and in turn,  forms a much more loyal following. 

 If you'd like to learn more about VALUE MARKETING, and how to improve the quality of your interactions with your customers, contact me for a no-obligation 1-hour review of your current online strategy. 

Best of luck,

Nancy

PS - Remember to sign up at the right to receive great tips and a discount code for upcoming training sessions and downloads directly to you!

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Social media management: Win the fight for control once and for all!

Reading time: 4 minutes

Just because social media is on 24/7 doesn't mean you have to be. I've too, felt the need to always be connected in case something new comes up. While social media is  always 'on' and new things are always coming up, it usually isn't urgent.

The TRUTH: Social media doesn't have to be the insatiable beast we have come to know.


Follow these 3 tips to successfully manage your social media networks, maintain your sanity AND improve productivity in the process!

Tip #1: Know your purpose

Being on social networks is different than actually being productive with them. To be productive, as with any aspect of marketing your business, you need to have an identified purpose for what you are doing. This is otherwise called an objective. 

Setting objectives is a challenging process but it is essential. If you want to make the most out of ANY marketing activity, defining your purpose by setting objectives is a must. Social media is no different. 

Here are some sample objectives:
  • Reach new audiences (as measured by new likes)
  • Engage audience with brand (as measured by comments or shares, retweets, repins, etc.)
  • Encourage action (be specific - more sign ups for a newsletter? more downloads of a free tool?)
Identifying why you are on social media in the first place goes a LOOONG way to making it work for you, and not the other way around. Remember, the key is to make it measurable.


Tip #2: Set a time limit and stick to it 

Social media can often feel like the demanding child that is always begging for attention. It keeps calling you, drawing you in to it's vortex of time-sucking. Yes, I did just make that up. ;-) 

The point is, YOU have to take control over your time by setting a time limit and sticking to it. Sure, you will feel like there is so much more you could have done when that buzzer rings, but the reality is, while social media never turns off, neither the world nor your business will end after you log off. 

A very wise and web-savvy marketter named Lynn Terry taught me that you ABSOLUTELY can get what needs to be done in 15 minute blocks of time per social network. Do this as often as fits into your routine or lifestyle. Ready to give it a try? Go!

HINT: You know that purpose you defined earlier? This is where having a purpose comes in handy. Now you can make the most of your time online by focusing only on those activities which support your objectives. Which leads to the next point...


Tip #3: Make a list of your daily (or weekly) social media "to-do's" by network

Make a TO-DO list for each social network you are actively engaged with. This helps keep the distraction-clicking to a minimum, boosting your productivity. 

For example, make a list of keywords relevant to your business and purpose. Keep this list handy, and perform searches each time you go online. When you find interesting things, share and comment on them.

More examples of objective-oriented tasks for social networks:
  • Want to extend your audience and reach? Find 3 new people to follow each session. Comment on their content, say hi' and introduce yourself.
  • Look specifically for content that you can share on other networks (this is dual-use time because it fuels your need for content elsewhere, ie. find article links on Twitter and repost them as a status updates on your own Facebook page. Include the article link for your readers and voilĂ ! You have new content to engage your audience/followers)

POP QUIZ: Have you noticed that a lot of the activities are related to engaging via commenting and sharing? 

This is important because you want to provide VALUE to  your audience and also contribute VALUABLE comments to other ongoing conversations in established communities where your audience hangs out. This is important because it makes your business (BRAND) look good. By not only 'selling' yourself and your business, by offering more substance through engagement and content, you are creating a more personal and valuable connection to potential customers. And isn't that what we, as business owners want?

For more on the value of building relationships, what I call VALUE MARKETING, and why it is the KEY to establishing brand loyalty, check out my other blog post about why you should be building relationships, and NOT selling your business.

Best of luck, 
Nancy

PS: Want to receive more one-on-one help with marketing  your business? Join me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheRoguePeaMarketing