Getting your website in front of potential clients is essential for small business owners, and updating your web copy is the first step. Using search engine optimization (SEO) strategies is, in my experience, the quickest way to start getting more page views. SEO works on the algorithms that determine how to place a website in search result rankings. This means that the written content of your website, when properly optimized, brings in more potential clients! When a potential client searches for key terms related to the products and services your business offers, they are more likely to find your website…
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“A picture is worth a thousand words.” Boy, how about that old cliché, huh? It’s just one of those phrases that gets thrown around, without any real through as to what it means. Well, I am going to reclaim that phrase because it is a truly fantastic piece of advice for small business owners. When you are talking with a client, even if you are engaging, interesting, and are offering them something really special, there is a chance that they might not be fully listening. That’s the problem with words, it can be easy to get lost in them. If…
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Social media is an essential component of marketing for small businesses, but it can also put a huge strain on busy entrepreneurs. The “always on” nature of our modern, interconnected world may mean your clients expect to be able to reach you via any communication channel at any time. This is a recipe for overworking yourself and living under constant stress. As entrepreneurs, we need to be especially careful to take care of ourselves. Small business owners are more likely to try and do it all when it comes to running our companies! The current expectation to maintain active social…
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Have you paid much attention to Pinterest lately? It may not have the immediacy of Instagram, but it’s still a very important social media platform for small business owners! Pinterest combines visuals with powerful organizational and search capabilities. Content uploaded to it can still go “viral” like Instagram and Facebook posts, but also has more staying power and is easier to find months or years later. [Tweet “Pinterest is an incredible visual search engine that functions differently from other social media.”] I’ve personally used Pinterest to great effect for my businesses. I’ve gained followers on multiple social media platforms, and…
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Seminars are a staple in the business world. The problem is that seminars are expensive and somewhat inconvenient affairs that, although useful and informative, sometimes only attract limited audiences. But today, thanks to the power of technology, anyone can reach a much wider audience around the world! Using a real-time video conference, known as a webinar, small business owners can give a much more cost-effective talk. A webinar is basically an online seminar. It offers your clients a real-time connection to you; they actually hear you speak and can respond through chat. With the option for anyone in the world…
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Have you been meeting the goal or goals you set for your small business this year? Is something holding you back from making progress? Back in January, I talked about the importance of setting actionable goals and checking in on them regularly. Consider this your check-in if you’ve fallen off the wagon already! Even if you’re sticking to and completing your goals, I hope you’ll find this article useful for the goal revision strategies. Plus, at the end of this post, you can download my Goal Check-In Worksheet to help guide your check-in process. [Tweet “Hard data shows that business…
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Business to business (B2B) relationships can be valuable assets for a small business, especially when it comes to gaining exposure on social media. Cross promotion through social platforms is a great way to attract new followers and new clients. It’s an “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” deal, though. You won’t get exposure for nothing; whoever you’re working with will expect to be given similar exposure in return. This is great because it can strengthen a whole network of independent businesses and form long-lasting partnerships! [Tweet “Social media isn’t just for marketing to clients. Use it for connecting…
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For small businesses on a tight budget, it’s important to only run ads that successfully bring in new clients. Ubiquitous ad blocking software and general marketing oversaturation makes potential clients far less likely to see or click on your online ad. That’s why Facebook is currently one of the best places online for small businesses to do their advertising. Because ads show up in the newsfeeds of Facebook users just like any other post, and often get viewed on mobile devices where ad blocking is less commonly used, you can get far more eyeballs on your ad! An effective Facebook…
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Staying on top of all your business’ social media accounts can be extremely time consuming. Luckily, much of your social media presence can be automated for a “set it and forget it” experience. Automating various social media-related tasks eliminates the need for spending a sizeable part of each day on small, fiddly tasks that take up your valuable time. [Tweet “Your social media presence is only valuable if it is consistent. Automation helps with this!”] As a virtual assistant who specializes in social media marketing for small business, I have quite a few strategies for streamlining these tasks! Today I’d…
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