by Karen Petrauskas | May 7, 2020
“Should you be building a social media audience at this time?” This is the question that many businesses, both large and small are asking at the moment, through the global pandemic and crisis that we are experiencing -is now a good time to be doing online marketing? Our answer to these questions is a most definite ‘yes’!
via GIPHY
The people and businesses that show up online, are visible through this crisis, will be the ones who will have a business to hold on to at the end of it all. The businesses that are visible and showing up online are the ones who will be remembered, and will be the ones in the forefront of people’s mind as business and day to day life starts to go back to normal – in whatever form that may be in.
So how should you ensure that you’re doing the right thing when it comes to your online marketing plan? What steps can you take to know that your strategy is pointing in the right direction?
Here’s our six top tips:
Show up and be visible
Don’t go hiding away and making excuses not to be online. NOW is the time to be visible and to produce even more content if possible to let the world know that you still mean business. Keep doing what you’re good at, help your audience to know that you’re still available and let your followers know that you are still there in whatever capacity they need you in. Just the fact that you’re showing up will give customers reason remember you, even if business can’t be as normal, be honest and open with everything that is going on.
Engage
As with any social media strategy, the key to successful results is engagement. Talk to your audience, communicate with them at every opportunity, even if this means setting up new lines of communication – and keep going with it. You’ve probably got more time on your hands than normal, so use the time to engage with your followers. Jump on conversations, ask questions, create feedback, be in their circles. You can spend all the time in the world creating fantastic content but if you’re not being social and engaging your audience in conversations, it’s not going to produce the results you need.
Be supportive
At this time of lockdown and uncertainty, there are many people going through different emotions, hitting challenges and finding themselves in unknown territory. How can you help? Offer your support, be a listening and guiding ear, be the inspiration or motivation that they need to carry on. Show your support in any way that you can, through engaging and communicating with your audience.
Have you got experience that you can share with others?
Have you pain points that you’ve overcome which could help someone else?
Your support could be the bridge someone needs to discover your business and really get to know who you are.
Add value
At this time people don’t want to be bombarded with things that don’t matter. People are realising what’s important in life, what matters most and what things they need to get through in order to create a more fulfilling journey. How can you impact or play a part in that? How can you help or make a difference? It’s not always about giving things away for free or giving all of your time but it’s about creating a balance and line of communication that can open doors and provide value to those you’re trying to reach.
Get creative
As more and more people jump online and their feeds are filled an inundated with content, your business needs to stand out, so what better way than to get creative and showcase what your brand is really about, rather than ordinary content that will get missed and fall into the flow of unwanted traffic? How can you brighten, lighten, lift, portray your brand in a new and creative manner?
We totally recommend Canva for this task, and once you’ve discovered it, you’ll never look back! Hundreds of templates, colours, fonts, images for you to be creative with and to put your own stamp onto. If you’re not used to designing your own social media content, now’s the time to start! Go for eye-catching, positive, uplifting posts that will grab the attention of the reader. However remember to always stay on brand and to keep the true consistency of your values and business in all content that you create.
Be positive
There’s much to be said for a positive attitude and it’s contagious!
“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.” ~ Willie Nelson
Once you get into the positive mindset that you need in order to carry your business through in times like we’re in right now, you’ll discover the positive impact that your online marketing can have to those looking in. Be positive in all that you produce, all that you say, every conversation that you have – be the light, be the brand that encourages others to keep going and to provide a solution to the problem, whatever that may be.
As business owners there’s much we can be doing during the lockdown period, that can also be carried on until it’s all over and beyond. Your business deserves a marketing strategy that gets results, no matter what the current climate may be. Are you ready to make an impact? Are you ready to see successful results? Are you ready to be online, to stay online and to engage with your audience at every turn? Great! We’re with you on that one. And if you’re still not quite sure how to put a strategy together that will get you through these times, we’d love to chat – just get in touch and let’s talk.
In the meantime, if you’d like to know that you’re ticking off the basics when it comes to your social media marketing, why not download our FREE social media checklist – it’s our gift to you.
by Karen Petrauskas | Apr 24, 2020
There was a time when online marketing was seen as an extra and something to do if your business had the resource, however now, more than ever, your online presence is an important and essential part of your business strategy.
Even before the global lock down, businesses large and small were recognising the need for communicating online. The move between traditional and digital advertising is forever increasing and with the amount of people accessing the internet on a daily basis growing as well, it’s a sure sign that this is where your business should be showing up.
However what areas of digital and online marketing should you focus on in order to gain the best results and see the best possible outcomes of your efforts? You don’t need to be completely tech savvy but there are some things that will helps you along the way.
First off, what is online marketing?
Online marketing is a subset of the bigger picture of digital marketing and refers to any type of marketing that takes place online. This could relate to social media, blogs, email newsletters, websites etc. It’s main purpose or focus is to attract customers and to help build an online presence.
Why use online marketing?
Your customers and prospects are looking for you online! The people you are trying to reach are spending much of their time online, they’re already searching for your services / products or what you have to offer – and here’s your chance to be there for them.
The benefits of marketing online?
As a small business or start up company, the main focus is going to be getting the first set of customers through the door. In the past, people would send leaflets through letterboxes or leave business cards in shop windows but now there is a much easier and more effective way to achieve results. The benefits of using online marketing include:
- Being able to interact and engage with your audience in real-time, 24 hours a day, being there at their time of need and providing a flow of communication when they want to hear from you.
- The ability to reach a wider audience, a global market-place, targeting specific groups or demographics where necessary.
- The ability to get to know and understand your audience, understanding their pain points and what they are looking for the most and building a relationship and trust between you.
- A cheaper and more cost-effective way of advertising.
Your competition is online
If your competition is online and you’re not, you’ll be missing out on opportunities that could have come your way. Learn from your competitors and see what they are doing – and what is working – and formulate your own version of this into your strategy. How are your competitors communicating with your audience, what platforms and content are they using?
Give your customers a choice on who they go to, if you’re not online, they don’t know you’re there!
Improve your credibility
We know that customers buy through someone they trust, and that bond and credibility is just as important when thinking about businesses online. So, using online marketing to build up that trust and to show your knowledge and expertise is the perfect place to get your message across. You can use network groups to provide indepth advise and expertise.
You can write articles and blogs to provide solutions to your audience which can be shared across your channels. You can begin to build an engaged audience through your email list and provide regular meaningful and insightful information.
The more visible you can make yourself and be available for people when they need you, the better.
Drive more traffic to your website or services
One of the main hurdles small businesses find is the ability to find quality leads and getting people to discover them in order to make sales. That’s the beauty of online marketing and using it correctly to drive traffic to your website, where people can find you and learn more about what you have to offer. Through the different types of content you produce, you have the ability to drive traffic to your site, whether that be through a Facebook post, an email newsletter or a guest blog post, when you write or create a piece of work, it’s the ideal chance to highlight your business .
Be inspirational
One point to remember is not to oversell your services as people will get bored or annoyed with being directed to the same point from every piece of content you produce. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t produce content – just mix up what you create and one of the best things you can do is provide inspirational content for your audience.
Measure analytics real-time
Another great reason to use online marketing is that you can measure and visit your analytics at any time, ready to be see what’s working and what not be. It is so much easier to be able to make adaptations and amendments at the click of a button in order to see better results. You don’t need to wait for results to roll in or for a third party to produce analytics for you – they are ready there for you. Make the use of every piece of information you can and analyse the data in order to build your business, engaging with every person that comes into contact with your business.
Marketing trends to implement
- Influencer marketing
- Content marketing
- Social media marketing
- Video marketing
- Email marketing
If you’d like to know more about any of these, we’re happy to talk through each option – just give us a bell and let’s talk.
In the meantime, why not download our FREE social media checklist – don’t forget the basics, it’s our gift to you.
by Karen Petrauskas | Apr 10, 2020
Are you struggling to find momentum with your social media marketing during the coronavirus lockdown? You are not alone and there are many businesses who are facing difficulties when it comes to knowing what to post, how to post and when to post on their social channels.
However, there are some rules you can follow if you find yourself in this position, here’s our tips to help in your social media content:
Stay true to brand
No matter what happens, it’s important to stay true to your brand. Going off topic or trying to fill posting slots with irrelevant content will not only change the direction of your business but give people who have been loyal followers a chance to become bored or dismayed with your content. You can use this time to show behind the scenes posts or give inspiration to your audience, bearing in mind what your audience is used to and expects – just be honest and up front with everything.
You’ve built a brand that stands on its values – your beliefs and thought process haven’t changed, it’s just the way we do things that might change. So, use your core values to shine through, allow your values to be your strength, show your followers that you’re still providing the same value as ever and are there to help or aid in anyway they need you to.
If you’re struggling in any way with your business in these uncertain times, keep an account and tell your story of how it’s unfolding, what you’re doing and what your customers mean to your brand, through your social channels so your followers can stay up to date with everything.
Takeaway – stay on brand and tell your story along the journey
What to post on social media?
You may not be able to produce the same level of content or provide in-house photos and stories for your audience but that doesn’t mean you don’t have anything to say. If you’re a customer facing business, give them interactive content, ask them what they’re doing – show them what you’re doing, what would they like to hear from you, share behind the scenes stories from your own home. Get your community talking and engaging together.
There’s nothing stopping you getting a little creative in your content too – brighten things up or show a different side to your business. People like variety – what could you provide to make your audience smile, appreciate you, be motivated or simply something to think over?
If you’re been in a rut with social media in the past, here’s an opportunity to revitalise your content and provide something fresh and inspiring.
Take a look at other businesses similar to yours and see what people are engaging with – how can you adapt that for your business? We don’t suggest that you copy, but there’s no harm in finding ideas and inspiration from others.
And don’t forget to actually get social – it’s in the name and it’s an important part of keeping people engaged with everything you have to say. Try not to sell, sell, sell, but provide value and communication through your channels.
Takeaway – think ‘audience’ and give them content they will enjoy
How to post on social channels
Not being able to meet customers face to face is a struggle for many businesses at this time, but there are work arounds and people are more understanding than you may think, so just be honest. If you’re used to meeting a customer to discuss details, quotes, specifics, you have the options of emails, phone calls or video chats. Providing ‘video discovery calls’ instead of a normal phone call gives the customer the opportunity to still see you and break down the barriers that may appear if they were unable to see you. The video chat option is a positive step and can provide a better customer experience and introduction to your business.
If you’re used to holding meetings or functions, you have the option of online meetings and webinars. Zoom has become a popular use of online meetings as well as Google Hangouts and such apps. If you’re not ready to do a ‘live’ meeting, you have the option of recording a video and posting as a premier on either a Facebook Page or YouTube channel. This gives the option for people to watch and chat ‘live’ with the video.
Takeaway – use whatever function you feel comfortable with to reach your audience
When to post on social media
This shouldn’t change to the usual content schedule that you already have in place but maybe you might need to mix it up a little or adapt the times that you’re posting as people are online at different times of day at the moment.
Do you have a content plan / strategy document? If not, we’d love to help! But first things first, create a content plan that maps out what you want to say, and then when you want to say it. Do a little research into when you audience is most online an active on their social media channels. When are they interacting the most? That’s when you want to target your posts. And don’t forget that you can schedule your posts in advance so you’re not rushing trying to get all content done every day. There are great scheduling tools out there, and if you’re a small business and do not have the budget to pay for a paid for solution, there are still some great resources for you to use. Hootsuite allows you to have three profiles before you need to upgrade to a paid plan. This means that if you’re using Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram, you can schedule in advance for all three platforms without the hassle of daily posting or paying for the pleasure.
Other options include Buffer / Tailwind / TweetDeck / SocialOomph – and much are down to personal preference and what you’re looking for in a scheduling tool. The best thing to do is have a go with each and see which you prefer!
Takeaway – listen to your audience and work with them on their time schedules
Find inspiration
While we’re staying at home and are minimalising the times we go outside, inspiration has to come from somewhere – and often the best inspiration comes right when we’re not expecting it. Sit out in the garden and enjoy the spring weather, you’re surrounded by colours, birds, flowers – what can you gain from that? Can you use that inspiration in your social content?
Reading a book or watching a TV program; does it give you an idea to write a blog post or newsletter?
In these times we adapt to what’s around us and find new inspiration from these surroundings. It’s about finding new ideas, and things that our audience too would like. It doesn’t hurt to give new ideas a try – we learn by trial and error – and if your audience latches on, ever better – you’ve found yourself some new content areas.
Understand your audience and find out what they want to hear, what they want to know and how you can better serve and help them. We’re all in this together, everyone is in the same boat and as time goes on, your customers will appreciate the honesty and integrity that you show through this lockdown period.
However you approach your social media marketing at this time of uncertainty and crisis, we encourage you to seek out your audience, listen to their pain points, what they want to hear and see – and provide value in all that you give them. If you’re not sure how to work a marketing strategy or would like to dig deeper into reaching your audience, talk to us, we’d love to help.
Why not download our FREE social media checklist to ensure you don’t forget the basics and cross every tick box as you go – it’s our gift to you.
by Karen Petrauskas | Apr 3, 2020
It’s no surprise that many businesses are facing hard times during the Coronavirus pandemic which the world is currently going through, and this is made worse by not being able to physically see people face to face and to promote a business in the normal way. However, we want you to know that there is a light to all of this when it comes to keeping your business alive, and ensuring that your brand is still in the forefront of people’s mind when they are looking for your services or products.
The key to this light is communication. Each business that is facing hardship at this time needs to dig deeper into their communication channels and to find a way to still be there for their audience and to provide as much value as they can.
Everyone is looking for solutions, everyone is searching for answers and needs to feel that they can find what they are looking for somewhere out there, probably online. And that’s where your business can thrive. That’s where you can be the best of what you are capable of and showcase a range of solutions to reach your audience. All you need to do is understand your audience, stand in their shoes and get to grips with what they are feeling, their pain points and what they are seeking – and provide solutions for them.
It’s not a chance to ‘get rich quick’ or to make other’s out of pocket, it is a chance to provide value and stability in a time of uncertainty.
How can you communicate efficiently and effectively in times of panic?
Utilise your social media channels
As more and more people are communicating through their social media channels, connecting with friends and family, searching for online solutions and generally spending more time online, here is your opportunity to reach them right where they are.
Where is your audience hanging out? Is it Facebook / Instagram / LinkedIn? People settle into a place that’s comfortable and calming for them. Personal social media is down to the individual to find a platform that works for them and therefore it may not be where you are used to being, but if you want to speak directly to your audience, it’s where you need to be.
We say this so many times, but the more value you give, the better a) you will feel, and b) the more your audience will trust, respect and like you. It’s about building relationships and getting to know your audience. People buy from trusted sources; from people they can see and understand. People engage with people they like to hear from, where they can relate and resonate with.
Emotion plays a big part in social media, being able to reach someone’s emotions will go a long way in gaining engagement and interaction on the content that you share. Thinking about how your audience will react to your content, can you make them laugh, smile, feel inspired or motivated? Social media is about getting social and communicating at a level your audience appreciates and reacts to – every audience is different but how can you best touch their emotions and what types of content can you create that will fit the box?
Create a Facebook or LinkedIn Group
Do you have a specific group of people that you could provide even more value to in a more personal or interactive way – that’s not necessarily given to your wider audience? This is where a private group can come in. Facebook and LinkedIn groups are the perfect safe place for people to ask more direct questions, to gain clarity and insight and to have a deeper relationship with a brand or business. This is where your personality and skills can shine through. Many people are part of social networking groups, so why not set up one for your business where you can provide the same level of substance as others?
Setting up a Facebook group is easy, and once you’re set up and ready to go, it’s time to invite some people to join! You can use your social channels to ask your audience to come and check out what’s new, you can personally invite friends (if it is relevant) to join and from there it’s about creating content that will speak directly into their lives, whether that be personal or business related, depending on what your business is about. Ensure that what you produce is relevant to your brand and what they signed up for, there’s no point in creating content for the sake of it, put thought and effort into everything, and show that you care about what they are going through and who they are.
Here at KJP Creative, we have a Facebook group aimed at helping women business owners build their brand online. It’s a group for encouragement, inspiration and motivation along with advice and tips on how to use online marketing to grow a business. For us, it’s on topic and in line with our brand and core values, it’s helping a specific group of people and providing value where they need it the most. Try to think about how you too can offer something that’s of worth for your audience, what would they want to see or hear and how can you reach them in a much deeper and direct way?
Email marketing
You’ve probably heard it said “the money is in the list!”, well, we’re not focusing on the money aspect in this post, but there is much to be said for keeping the communication going through email, especially with many people using email rather than face to face meetings during the pandemic.
Email marketing, when performed correctly, can be an extra arm to your business, giving you yet another stream to be able to provide content and value to your audience. Not everyone will read your emails, but it’s a good place to start if you want to provide more than just the standard social media posts. An email can give you opportunity to utilise a number of different avenues, including asking people what they want to hear from you, what would help them and providing a private place for special offers, tips and advice.
Email marketing is a way to keep your customers informed – what a great place to add a personal video or image about what’s going on or happening behind the scenes!
It’s also a place where you can push your online sales and guide people through your sales funnel. With face to face interaction not happening and shops and services on hold, this is your chance to showcase your services to the people that are already interested in your brand. A ready-made audience.
If you’ve not yet set up a mailing list, it’s not a hard thing to accomplish (we can help if you need it!). But jump over to Mailchimp or one of the other free email marketing platforms and set start an account today. Just as a Facebook group, you can promote your email list to your current audience, you can create posts to let people know how and where they can join and then once you have people signed up, ensure that you send out regular content to them. It doesn’t how regular you send your emails, as long as you stick to the schedule you set yourself. If you say you’re emailing weekly, do it! If weekly is too much, go for a monthly newsletter – and stick to it. Once people get used to seeing your content, they will look forward to receiving your emails and knowing what’s going on.
At the end of the day, your online marketing is the face of your company at this time. In a world where people are turning to online communication and solutions, your business needs to be where the people are. Use your social media and online marketing channels to reach your audience in the best and most effective way possible. Be there for them when they need you, even if they don’t know they need you and be a shining light in a confused and momentous time.
If you’d like a guiding hand in your social media or marketing strategy, feel free to give us a bell and let’s talk.
In the meantime, to ensure you’re not missing the basics with your social media marketing, why not check out our ‘Social Media Checklist – Don’t Forget the Basics’ – it’s FREE to download and our gift to you…
by Karen Petrauskas | Mar 25, 2020
Social media should always be part of your marketing strategy as a business owner however with the country on lock down, now, more than ever, is the time to get your message out there and to be giving value to everyone you meet ‘online’.
Without the ability to mix in social gatherings, it can become a lonely place and people are finding ways to break the boredom, frustration and changes ahead. Being online will be the first point of call for many who are trying to stay up to date with the world, stay in touch with friends and family and continue as normal as possible.
So where and how does your business fit in to the mix?
Many people are asking the questions, “Should I pull back from social media?” / “I haven’t got the money to put into marketing at the moment” / “There’s no need to promote my business at this time”. All valid questions or thoughts but at the end of the day, you have a business you believe in, the world will go on and come through the Coronavirus at the other end and you want to be in the forefront of people’s minds when that time happens. By disappearing and being unseen through these times, it will make it harder to have an impact when things start to get back to normal.
The best thing your business can do is to keep an active social media presence but perhaps change the tone of what you do. For example, how can you help your audience? How could you provide value to your audience? Could you provide tutorials or how-to’s? Can you inspire or motivate your audience or be a listening ear to the questions or thoughts they have?
There are many ways that you can still communicate with your audience online, it doesn’t have to be about selling your product or getting them to use your services, the above ideas will help to build a relationship with the people around you and to build trust and credibility. You just need to be you – YOU are your brand and the people (eventually) will buy from you when they like and trust what they see and hear.
Tell your story
Relationship building and story telling is so important throughout your marketing ventures, whether that be online or offline, people want to trust who they connect with and love what they see. Tell your story, be honest in what’s happening around you at this time. People are happy to listen and engage when it’s something real – in the long term they will not appreciate you being something you’re not and giving them false hopes of what they will get from you.
Be passionate and positive
Be passionate in everything you do, be inspirational and lift people’s spirits. These are hard time for lots of people and many are seeing their businesses fall around them. How can you be their ray of light? Even if you don’t feel like it’s going great for you, you can still take the positive mindset and believe that if you push through and do all that you are able to do, it will be ok and your business will come through the other end. Mindset has so much to do with outcomes – do you agree? The more positive you are through a situation, the better the result. And that can be applied to your business in these times of lock down, isolation and worrying days. Make the decision to be positive, to be brave, and to try new things as we go through a different way of life for a while. You may try something completely new and it works! You’d never know unless you try.
Bring your audience with you in the journey
Step out of the boat, put your best face on and be there for your audience. Explain to them where you’re at, bring them along with you in your story, make them part of the journey. Allow your audience to help guide the direction of where your business heads, your customers are your lifeline, they are the people that are going to keep your business afloat, so give them what they want and allow their reactions and decision to influence yours.
There is room for everyone online
Social media marketing is a minefield as you may well know by now, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t play the game right and fairly. The internet is a big place and there is room for everyone, you just need to know how and where you fit in. And with many businesses pulling back in their online presence there will be more opportunity for you to be heard, if it’s done correctly and sensitively. Know your audience, know when and where to post, understand them and what their pain points are, get to love them and be in their shoes when writing your copy or creating your images, be that customer and create your content as if it were for you. What would you want to hear? What solutions would help you? What inspiration would help you or guide you?
Make a list of questions that your audience could be asking and write content around these, dig deeper into the mindset of your customers and provide as much value as you can for them and let them think that you are writing directly to them.
Each of us will be going through different struggles in these unprecedented times, the country, the nation, the world is all going through it together, so you are not alone. It’s just going to be a case of what can you do now to keep your business alive and help it to come out the other side?
It’s all in the marketing strategy
Plan your marketing well. Don’t live in the hope that it might work, be strategic in your approach and use your time wisely in creating a plan that will help you achieve all that you need to, while speaking to all those you need to and by providing all the value and solutions that you are able. Be consistent, be persistent and love your audience.
If you’re looking for guidance on how to get your business through these times and showcase what you have to give, we’d love to chat with you. Feel free to get in touch and let’s talk.
Download our FREE social media 2020 awareness days calendar and give your audience something to talk about! …
