Tis the season… to be ridiculously stressed out! The holidays can come at you fast, sometimes too fast for you to get everything done in time. Your usual workload is often augmented by extra holiday-related tasks, and not just at your small business. There is decorating, cooking, gift shopping… That kind of stress can build up! If you have limited staff at work, or if it is just you, getting a little extra holiday help can be useful. But it can cost too much to hire and train new employees just for the holiday season. Enter an experienced virtual assistant!…
Read MoreWith the advent of social media, the world of advertising has been blown wide open. It used to be that small businesses would have to pay through the nose to get print ads in major publications. I mean, how else could they get the attention of new customers? But social media and the internet changed all that. Now, small businesses can run specifically targeted ads on social media platforms, and best of all, they can do it at a price point that is WAY cheaper than it used to be. One of the best advertising platforms today is an app…
Read MoreAs an entrepreneur, you know that the overall goal is to reach a steady flow of business. Amazing marketing techniques can help you have a steady stream of high-paying clients. There are quite a few marketing mistakes that many small business owners and entrepreneurs make, even if they are in-the-know. Here are a few of the most common marketing mistakes small businesses can make. Along with tips on how a Virtual Assistant can help you correct them: #1: Not Updating Your Weekly Blog There are so many reasons to have a blog post on your website on a weekly basis.…
Read MoreAutomation is the way of the future. Large businesses and corporations around the world have been taking advantage of automation for decades now. If they can do it, why can’t you? The advent of affordable online automation is now in the hands of small business owners and entrepreneurs. #1: Social Media Social media can eat up your entire day. Do you know why so many teenagers are great at social media? They sit there for hours, interacting with their friends and engaging in online conversations. Unfortunately, as a small business owner, you just don’t have the time to do this.…
Read MoreIf you’ve been building a successful email list for your business, you’re probably wondering what is the best way to use it. If you have all of these people who want to hear about your business or product, how do you capitalize on it? Simple! You do it with a high-performing email campaign! A well-designed email campaign can be one of the most effective marketing tools in your arsenal, allowing you to reach your entire email list with a targeted message, informing your customers about a great sale or new product you’re offering. The trick is to get the email…
Read MoreWriting can be daunting for many small business owners; you’re an expert in your field, but that doesn’t mean you’re also an incredible wordsmith! Even savvy entrepreneurs don’t always stop to consider just how much writing work is involved in running their own business. Aside from emails (and any other documents you send to clients), you also have to worry about website copy, advertisements, and branding collateral like brochures. That doesn’t even begin to cover all the regular blogging and social media posts a small business needs to appear active in this digital age! [Tweet “The quality of your copy…
Read More“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…
Read MoreSocial 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…
Read MoreHave 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…
Read MoreProduct launches are exciting for small business owners, whether they’re for a new webinar, e-book, online course, or physical product. Seeing the results of your labor being used and appreciated by dozens, if not hundreds or thousands of people, is extremely satisfying! However, it’s also a lot of work to get to the point of launch, especially if you’re doing everything on your own. [Tweet “Make a big deal about your launch! Think Facebook ads and online promotions to mark the occasion.”] Have you ever looked at other entrepreneurs and wondered how they get new products ready to launch so quickly?…
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