Web Savvy Marketers

Social Media of the Future Is Here

social media of the futureSocial media of the future is going to be more exceptional and carry bigger impact. It will be a more prominent go-to tool for self-expression. What does this mean for small businesses in 2016? How do brands prioritize the increased engagement that’s required to establish and maintain customer loyalty?

Every brand should have social media as part of their marketing strategy. Consumers want to have relationships with companies, and they want companies to participate in the narratives and systems that are being built to accommodate these relationships.

Here are three areas to focus your attention on in social media for 2016:

1. People Power Rules the Social Planet

Personalization is more important than ever. In the relationship between brands and customers, social media is a valuable asset in creating personal connections. There are three elements that are growing in the social arena to pay attention to:

  • User-generated content is a growing trend that gives companies a great way to engage with customers. Since Doritos began its Crash the Super Bowl contest, the user-generated concept has moved into other platforms, such as Instagram and Vine.

Lately, user-generated content is making waves in “unboxing” as brands jump in on the resurgence in popularity. While unboxing has been around as long as video-sharing software, the format is experiencing a rejuvenated appeal due to the rise in video sharing platforms and smartphone video technology.

Wikipedia defines unboxing as the “unpacking of new products, especially high tech consumer products. The product’s owner captures the process on video and later uploads it to the web.” It’s expanding to include cosmetics, fashion, cars, and toys, and brands are getting involved by sponsoring the unboxing stars.

 

  • Employee advocacy needs to be encouraged in companies for its positive effect on generating a wider reach and more personal appeal. Link Humans defines employee advocacy as” the exposure that employees generate for brands using their own online assets.” Your employees are your biggest advocates, and they will help build a more authentic trust for your company.

 

Instead of advancing more of your own marketing content, recruit your employees to talk about your company on social media, including forums and discussion boards. Create brand ambassadors to share a human perspective to your brand that customers will gravitate to. Most of your employees’ lives are already intertwined with social media. Enlisting their help to maintain and nurture company relationships as brand ambassadors is also a way to empower them.

  • Influencer marketing is a way to reach the audience of an influencer in your market. By establishing a long-term relationship with a key influencer, you establish trust with your customers while promoting your brand. Because audiences are so fragmented on social media, influencer marketing can help build your presence on multiple platforms.

2. Social Video Takes Over the World

Video is flourishing on social media. Facebook surpassed YouTube with daily video views, Twitter launched its own native video, and Snapchat reports it’s getting 6 billion views of video daily. U.S. adults watch an average of  5.5 hours of video every day.

Video shoots of the past are morphing into new formats. No longer does the prospect of costly professional video prevent you from creating and sharing video content. Today’s video, live photo, livestream apps like Periscope and Meerkat, GIFs, 8-second Vines, 15-second Instagram videos, and Snapchat video messaging are all easily adaptable to the novice videographer.

70% of companies now say video is the most effective tool in their online marketing belts, with video content dominating social media, thanks to the growing number of platforms and features.  Video is set to become one of the most powerful communication tools of 2016. Be sure to engage with social video using your most creative content. Try out livestreaming services such as Periscope, Blab, Snapchat, and Meerkat. Video offers an immersive experience for your customers, giving you an opportunity to communicate in the moment.

3. The Moment Is Now With Messaging

Companies are gradually entering into social messaging as the number of active users grows, with 75 percent of internet users worldwide accessing messaging apps on their mobile devices.  Business Insider reports that messaging apps are now bigger than social networks. Their growth will continue to accelerate as the apps change and more features are added.

Messaging gives internet users what they have come to expect, instantaneous responses and answers. Google’s high quality and fast delivery, and social media’s constant updating and auto-loading are conditioning people to expect consistently fast results.  

While social messaging for brands might be in an undefined grey realm, it’s only a matter of time before businesses are courted by new data for marketing purposes. Already, one-on-one customer support and direct service has moved into the messaging channels. The major social platforms all have a messaging component, making 2016 the year for companies to tap into the social messaging potential.

For 2016, you can expect new challenges and opportunities in digital — how will you use them to grow your business? Get your story out using the rising power of people, video, and messaging on social media.

What Does Your Online Presence Look Like?

OnlinepresenceDo you have a solid footing for your online presence for 2016? As another year begins to unfold with all its possibilities, once again we are confronted with goals, predictions, trends, expectations, and best-laid plans.

In order to have the competitive advantage, you need to create a strong identity online. To help you succeed in the year ahead, consider these three areas when establishing your online presence.

1. Make a Good First Impression With Your Website

An established business needs a professional website if you want to promote growth. Your site should reflect your current success as well as set you up for further advancement with a strategy that matches your business model. Your first impression is critical in attracting new clients and retaining current ones.

Your main internet tool is your website. Your customers aren’t looking you up in a phone book or the Thomas Register. A continually updated website helps with your SEO, so when people search for you online, they find you.

Does your home page address your customer needs? The immediate message should describe how your customer will benefit from your product or service. This is far more meaningful than an explanation of what the company does, what products and services are offered, and the who and when of the company’s background.

Frame your content around your customers rather than making claims about how great your company is. You’re more likely to elicit skepticism and indifference with self-promotion. Impress your customers with testimonials instead of giving them unsubstantiated claims that falsely inflate your business.

Don’t forget to keep your website updated. A good first impression will be lost if your site gets hacked through plugins that weren’t updated or you’re operating under the misconception that your small business site won’t be targeted.

2. Other Ways to Build Your Online Presence

There are many opportunities to grow your online presence once you’ve established a professional website. Does your business write white papers? Would short videos of your processes or service be of interest to your audience? Do you have a blog for sharing information with your customers? What else will help with your website activity?

When you create compelling content, you’re opening wide the doors to your website. The more you offer, the more your online presence grows. The more good content you share, the more your SEO will improve.

Remember, there’s no such thing as digital writing. Writing for SEO is dead, but writing for the reader is what’s going to help the search engines — and your readers — find you. So give your customers something to search for in addition to a well designed website.

3. Building Relationships on LinkedIn and Social Media

People want to do business with companies that share useful and relevant information. Today’s social media is a giant indicator of how important relationship building is in the business world. And for professionals, the social network is LinkedIn.

With over 380 million members, LinkedIn is growing in its B2B transactions. It’s the place to be for businesses, no matter what your expertise is. Connecting with your contacts just got a lot easier with the updated Voyager app, helping you stay informed about the conversations and content that matter the most.

Search also improved, and is 300% faster for your jobs, people, and group searches.

LinkedIn has also acquired Lynda.com, an online education company that features thousands of online video courses on a wide variety of topics. Employers can see what courses prospective employees have taken, and members can grow their skill sets.

Your online presence is incomplete without social media. Get involved in the online networking community and give your website more internet exposure.

Know Your Audience

Each of these three online areas has an important ingredient in common. To better understand your customers and their needs, all of your online strategies have to include audience awareness. Getting to know your audience’s demographics involves doing some market research. Entrepreneur defines market research as:

The process of gathering, analyzing and interpreting information about a market, about a product or service to be offered for sale in that market, and about the past, present and potential customers for the product or service; research into the characteristics, spending habits, location and needs of your business’s target market, the industry as a whole, and the particular competitors you face.

The ideas you get from your market research will inform your content ideas, helping you to target your audience’s needs. With the right information you’ll be a better online communicator whose online presence will reflect your concern to meet your customer’s needs.

A Curious Collection of Motivational Quotes for Your New Year

New year quotesIf you’re looking for run-of-the-mill motivational quotes, you’ve come to the wrong place. Handpicked to help you begin your new year right, this is a curious collection that I hope will spur you into action. And unless you’re my clone, or you write for a living, I doubt you’re familiar with every last one of these words of wisdom.

Don’t let 2016 be a hamster wheel of sameness or inaction. Help stop your unproductive days from spiraling into endless lethargy. Instead, focus on creating a steadfast and resolute mindset despite being surrounded by a never-ending to-do list, energy-sucking news, and mindless chatter.

Ring in the new year with some solid motivational and edifying quotes on work and life. Bookmark them, pin them, post them, share them, or just read them out loud. Give yourself the chance to kvell over how well you’ll do in 2016 with a fresh start and a new perspective.

“When you think you can’t go anymore, when your brain says you’re done, you’re only 40% done. You can push yourself much farther.”

~US Navy SEAL David Goggins

What a concept! Build your confidence with this mantra, and give yourself a dose of what you need to tackle whatever else comes your way. Goggins idea is to pursue excellence by challenging yourself to go to the next level, to get uncomfortable and face whatever it is that’s stopping you.

Why use the 40% rule? Because “No one ever drowned in sweat.” ~USMC Officer.

“We got to stop thinking we have a secret sauce when in reality, it’s nothing but thousand island dressing.”  

~Marcus Sheridan of the Sales Lion

Sheridan is talking about his secret to success. It’s what he calls the golden rule of content marketing, and it’s simple. “They Ask, You Answer” is also the title of his book.

He took the leap and began answering his customer’s questions, even the ones that competitors were unwilling to, because transparency is the key to earning trust.

When I first read about this amazing businessman, I was encouraged to learn that you can be  yourself, you can begin at something and be really bad at it, and it’s okay. Because making honest progress is the only thing that matters.

“Our story is never written in isolation. We do not act in a one-man play. We can do nothing that does not affect other people, no matter how loudly we say, ‘It’s my own business.’”  

~Madeleine L’Engle, Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art

Think of it this way. Nothing you do will be insignificant. Your every decision, every move, and every word has potential to make an impact.

L’Engle wrote many books, but she waited ten years before her first book was published. You might have heard of it. If you haven’t read A Wrinkle In Time, read it. Better yet, make an impact and read it to a young person.

“Your life is your story. Write well. Edit often.”

~Susan Statham

Another day is another opportunity to live the way you know you must. You can edit your life. You can scratch out the parts and characters you don’t want in it. What are you waiting for?

“I missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times. I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

~Michael Jordan

If you haven’t heard it by now, you haven’t been reading much motivational writing. Failure only happens to those who don’t try. I found this quote on social media, and I like the visual of shooting for the basket as a metaphor for shooting for success.

It doesn’t matter how many times you miss. What matters is that you keep trying, if that’s what really matters to you. Do you love what you’re doing? Do you want to improve your game? Then keep on giving it your best shot.

“You have to take care of yourself in order to have the alignment and the power in order to take care of others at the capacity that we do.”  

~Jada Pinkett Smith

She was talking about finding a balance in life for mothers – but it applies to everyone. Neglecting to take care of yourself leads to looking to others for your happiness instead of taking responsibility for it yourself.

Find the balance between personal, family, and work. It’s a three-legged stool and without a solid seating using all three legs, you’re going to struggle to stay upright.

“Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.”

~Charles Swindoll

There’s so much more to this than meets the eye. Everyone is tempted to play the blame game, but it’s when you own your life and work to make it what you want, using your unique gifts, that you’ll rise above all the bad stuff that is bound to happen.

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

~Viktor Frankl

Frankl has inspired many in his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, where he begins with an account of his experiences in Auschwitz and other concentration camps, and then turns these realities into remarkable insights. This book might alter your outlook on every manner of thing you’ve held dear.

In the end, it’s your choices that matter. Ask yourself daily, “Who is in control of my life?” Don’t ever forget who’s in the driver’s seat of your life.

“It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.”

~William Ernest Henley

“Invictus” is a short Victorian poem written in 1875, one you might recall from the film of the same name with Morgan Freeman playing Nelson Mandela. Invictus means “undefeated” or “unconquered” in Latin.

Will your 2016 be a year of undefeated conviction in working toward your success?

“The way we see things is the source of the way we think and the way we act.”

~Stephen Covey

In The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey demonstrates how your perceptions, or your paradigms of thinking, determine the way you behave. He uses the analogy of maps to convey how people view the world. Each person has their own map or paradigm.

How are you going to view your year? Will you assume that your map is the only way to see things? Will your attitudes and behaviors be based solely on your built-in map, or will you consider how other people see things differently?

“Sometimes, through our own doing, we make little problems big by taking them way too seriously.”

~Nick Vujicic

In Life Without Limits, Vujicic takes us through the challenges of growing up without arms or legs. His perception of what constitutes limitations will make anyone rethink their paradigm of what defines wholeness in a human being.

Several years ago I met this amazing man. Already overwhelmed by tears as I approached him, his hug — he’s known as the hugging machine — spoke volumes to me about true inner strength and courage.

“.. Fear is often described as False Evidence Appearing Real,” he writes. Let go of your aggravations and annoyances. Change your paradigm and change your life!

“No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good.”

~C.S. Lewis

But don’t let that discourage you from trying. You’ve probably figured out by now that without a healthy dose of reality and sincere effort, you won’t get too far or stay there too long. Besides, being genuinely good will return rewards tenfold — when you do it for no reason but to be good.

As Lewis also wrote, “Do not waste time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him.”

Your new year is waiting. Go out there and live it well, be good, and don’t worry when you mess up. That’s called making progress.

Are You Making These 5 Social Media Mistakes?

small businessSocial media feels like a gift from the internet gods whether you’re on a tight budget or not. As a small company, you want to maximize creative and low-cost (or free) methods for promoting your business, but social media has you feeling overwhelmed.

Using social media to build your brand involves many options, and in order to optimize the various platforms, you have to dig deeper to discover what will work for you. Here are a few social media mistakes I found when digging that reflect small business needs.

1. Not using Google Analytics to measure and track your efforts

If you want data on your website’s visitors, Google Analytics gives you a ton of information. It also gives you eight reports created specifically for measuring your social media activity.

Here’s the basics for keeping track of your social media ROI, but check out Hootsuite’s article for the in-depth how-to.

  • Overview report at a glance for conversion value.
  • Network referral report for traffic from various social networks.
  • Data Hub activity report for details on your site’s engagement, what URLs are shared and how, and what was said.
  • Landing pages report shows you the engagement metrics for each URL.
  • Trackbacks tell you which sites are linking to you.
  • Conversions reports the number of conversions and their monetary value from your referrals.
  • Plugins is a report for your site’s social share buttons, telling you which have been clicked on and for what content.
  • Users Flow shows you what paths your social media visitors took on your site.

2. Not removing the URL from a Facebook post

How many times have you seen this done? When you want to post an update with a link in Facebook, you have to paste the link to share it and to create a clickable image. Leaving the URL at the top of your post just looks like you don’t know what you’re doing.

It’s a tiny mistake that carries a glaring message. Make sure you delete that extra bit of unnecessary information and keep your newsfeed looking professional.

3. Posting without images

Guy Kawasaki, one-time chief evangelist for Apple who now works for Canva, an online graphic design and editing tool, figured out a way to double his engagement on Twitter. For his tweets, Kawasaki says, “There’s no doubt in my mind that every post needs a graphic—and not a tiny thumbnail, but one that’s optimized for each service.”

Canva is his go-to graphic tool, allowing him to create images quick and easy. Try it, it’s free, and it’s designed to work with your social media posts.

Tweets with images take up more space in the twitter feed, grab more attention, and drive engagement up 200 percent. What’s not to like about that?

Facebook is another image-loving platform. Since 40 percent of users respond better to visuals than plain text, according to Zabisco, this is a no-brainer. While you’re busy uploading images onto Facebook, be sure you’re using the right sizes. Follow what Facebook recommends for pixels to give your photos their best quality.

4. Not taking advantage of hashtags

Both Twitter and Instagram are hashtag-loving social media platforms, making it a great way for your business to get involved in the conversation. There are many to choose from that are widely used and recognized.

To find popular hashtags, check out your Twitter home page under trends in the left column, or try a free version of Trendsmap to see localized trends and get ideas. You can search on Twitter using topic keywords and hashtags on anything relevant to your company, or use current events that you’re interested in.

On Instagram, hashtags are unlimited and therefore prone to overuse. Twitter doesn’t suffer from this issue due to its 140 character limit, but Instagram knows no such restrictions.

Just be sure to use hashtags that directly apply to your business when you attempt to get involved in the conversation. Spam is not something users want to see when they filter through their posts.

5. Talking too much and listening too little

Social media is all about giving your followers a forum for feedback and sharing. It’s a place where users can benefit from social relationships — both individuals and companies. But instead what we are seeing is the same thing that happens in real-time interactions.

Ted Rubin, social marketing strategist and keynote speaker, has had enough. In his new book How To Look People In the Eye Digitally, Rubin discusses how we can fix this problem by applying people skills to the digital world. In an interview for his book, he says the first and foremost skill is to be “‘present’ when you’re talking to someone.”

In face-to-face situations, this isn’t happening when you’re constantly distracted with checking your phone or other people in the room. Online it involves different signals, but the same disconnect happens when you don’t treat your social media followers with the gift of being present.

Social media works best for building your brand, not for directly making new customers. But done right, you can build relationships that can develop into new clients.

 

4 Things Not To Do When Writing for Your Website

mistakes not to do
“Cat on a Mac” by Wendy Seltzer, used under CC BY / Modified from original

Are you a writer? Of course you are. You write emails, texts, possibly even a short note to a friend or family member. Should someone ask you if you’re a talker, you wouldn’t say, “Well, no, I don’t talk.” You have conversations, you’re a talker. Same with writing.

Except it’s not the same. Because instead of sitting down and writing, we become worried about the rules and the spelling and the various techniques for different mediums. There is validity in these concerns, but don’t let that stop you from writing.

And don’t let these five things not to do when writing for your website stop you. Just don’t do them. And don’t let anything stop you from writing.

1. Scream As Loud As You Can 

(a.k.a. Be precise and clear)

When you wish to be heard over all the noise, you tend to raise your voice. When you scream as loud as you can, someone is bound to hear you, right?

In writing, this method of getting attention could be compared to stretching the truth, or writing just for SEO. Instead of writing titles and headlines using precise and correct information, the tendency is to claim the impossible and grab attention with clickbait words.

Writing “welcome to the funniest YouTube channel ever” is hyperbole that’s more accurately described with descriptive details such as “get your video-addiction fed here with side-splitting and off-the-wall humor.” The more you make extravagant claims, the more likely no one will listen.

2. Save Your Wittiness for Just the Good Stuff

(a.k.a. Bad news requires it too)

The same thing goes for your tone. Don’t stop at being precise and honest in your writing. Try being upbeat and friendly. Develop a tone that is inviting and unique to your brand. Take every opportunity to use your voice to stand out from the crowd.

Method soap, the “people against dirty,” take their honest and playful tone everywhere in their writing. On their foaming hand soap refill packaging, they describe getting the “foam party started” as “easy-peasy,” with “juuuuuust about enough to refill your bottle 3x.”

The party doesn’t end with the fun stuff. Method keeps the same tone for the not-so-fun-stuff, when it’s easy to slip into boring, more formal language. When a refill is no longer available, they write, “it’s a bummer when you want something, but can’t have it. like this product, which is no longer available. sorry.”

No need to go all dry and lifeless just because the news isn’t so good. Keep up with your charm and appeal and write like you’re offering to help no matter the situation.

3. Use Your Smarty Pants Side

(a.k.a. Be less technical/write like you speak)

Being smart is obviously a good thing, and sharing the things you know makes for great content. This is a reason your readers come back to your website, and a reason they could eventually choose your business when they decide to buy.

But they won’t keep coming back if they can’t understand you. And if they can’t figure out what you’re trying to sell, they won’t want to buy from you either.

The solution is to stop writing like you’re a walking textbook, or worse, a soulless automaton. If you’re writing like you speak and they still can’t understand you, then you’ve had your head in institutional sand for too long.

Remember who you’re writing for, and don’t use dry, formal language. If you’re concerned you will sound too informal or unprofessional, then you’re forgetting how spoken language has evolved to express our thoughts and feelings, and is as near to perfect that a form of communication can be. It involves natural emphasis, cadence, and rhythm. When we speak we sound angry, upset, happy, or worried. Speaking is much more direct and intuitive. When we write, we must try to communicate these nuances in order to be effective.

Michelle Schaeffer, known as the Girl Blogger Next Door, said one of the Three Big Blogging Mistakes You Can Avoid is to write like you were taught in English class. She said she forgot the all-important rule:  “I didn’t understand that I was writing for readers, I had the wrong perspective on it.”

4. Use Your Best Digital Writing

(a.k.a. SEO is dead)

Writing for the internet is still writing for the reader. There are no shortcuts or freebies you can take to improve your site’s searchability. Your best digital writing is not about sticking in keywords and inserting links wherever you can to optimize your site.

Because there is no such thing as digital writing.

It’s true that there was a time when black hat sites figured out how to trick search engines into looking for their keyword-laden content. This created an atmosphere of SEO or sink, where site optimization with keyword stuffing was key.

Now Google hides the search words you type if you’re logged in, giving fewer keyword clues. Search engines today look for good content that best fulfills what people will like to read, not a labyrinth of poor navigation, design, and text.

In their Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide, Google says that “you should base your optimization decisions first and foremost on what’s best for the visitors of your site. They’re the main consumers of your content and are using search engines to find your work.”

Sure, you’re writing for the web so you want to do your homework and pay attention to certain search engine requirements. But you’re writing for people first, and people want to read well-written, helpful content.

Write in a way that’s best for your site’s visitors. They’re the ones who are ultimately searching for and reading your content, not the search engines. Give them something they can consume with ease.

Let your inner writer go free. The worst thing that can happen is it won’t want to return.

Small Businesses Make Big Targets for Hackers

cybercrime
“Out” by bradhoc, used under CC BY / Modified from original

If you’re a small business, don’t be under the illusion that you’re too small for singling out by hackers. You could be one of the growing number of small businesses who have moved into the cyber crime spotlight.

According to Symantec Security Response, 50% of all targeted cyber attacks are on businesses with fewer than 2,500 employees. In 2012, businesses with fewer than 250 employees saw an increase in attacks from 18% to 31% in just one year.

The top businesses and occupations targeted are:

  • Manufacturing –  received the greatest number of attacks in 2012; at 24% of the attacks, they got twice the number as government organizations.
  • Finance, Real Estate, and Insurance – hit with 19% of the attacks.
  • Research and Development – highest target for job occupations at 27%.
  • Sales Representatives – 24% of targeted job occupations.

So what are cyber criminals looking for? When you look at the use of the stolen data, the information tells us they want trade secrets, products plans, and customer and employee data. All your proprietary information that can be used to help competitors gain an advantage or be sold to unscrupulous organizations. Your social security and driver’s license numbers, addresses, credit card numbers, health and financial history, purchase information, and other private details are up for grabs.

The news is continually warning us about data breaches that occur at all levels and includes major retailers, hotel chains, government organizations, and other businesses. In July the headlines were about the breach on government systems affecting 21.5 million people and is related to the previous month’s government breach compromising an additional 4 million with stolen sensitive information.

This government incident is “not without precedent,” and “cybersecurity in both the private sector and the public sector” must be raised, said Michael Daniel, the White House cybersecurity coordinator.

Cybersecurity has been a documented issue going back to 1997. In a cover letter to the President on the Report of the President’s Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection, it reads, “We did find widespread capability to exploit infrastructure vulnerabilities. The capability to do harm—particularly through information networks—is real; it is growing at an alarming rate; and we have little defense against it.”

So what are we doing about it? What measures should you be taking to protect confidential business data and private personal information?

INTERPOL, the world’s largest international police organization with 190 member countries, is committed to becoming a global coordination body on the detection and prevention of digital crimes. They advise that we do two things to protect our business and personal data.

Update your OpenSSL.

For website owners, it’s important that you have an updated OpenSSL. The Heartbleed vulnerability in encryption software which is used by the majority of online web servers is leaving nearly everyone open to one of the biggest cyberattacks in the internet’s history.

Heartbleed lets its attacker anonymously download a random chunk of memory from the server, including secret keys, passwords, and other personal information. The secret keys are the most problematic because this opens the door for even more secret information to be revealed.

The bug went undiscovered for two years until being uncovered in April of 2014, and it’s predicted that the ripple effects could continue for years. Vulnerable versions are still being used on websites, most likely small e-commerce sites that don’t have the administrative support to patch things up.

If you’re concerned about a website, you can use this handy Heartbleed checking tool to check if it’s vulnerable.

Speaking of updating, keep all your software programs and websites up to date and backed up for added security.

Change your passwords.

INTERPOL says to use unique passwords for each of your online accounts and to change them often. While this may be wise in theory, in reality it’s difficult to carry out. Start by changing important accounts, ones that have financial information on them, for example.

Create strong passwords that are at least eight characters long and use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Don’t use words from the dictionary (the use of symbols comes in handy here) and don’t use personal information that is readily available, such as your name, birth date, or apartment number.

What else can you do? Here are a few more preventative measures to use in protecting yourself from cybercrime.

Get two-factor authentication.

When a site offers this step, use it. If you are a site owner, enable it for your customers and subscribers. One of the largest attacks on banks occurred in 2014 when failure to enact two-factor authentication at one of the bank’s servers caused a weak point in the bank’s security, allowing the hackers to access 90 other servers in their network.

Be careful what you click on.

One of the ways hackers manage to steal information is through infecting your computer. Malware such as remote-control Trojan programs, worms, viruses, and botnets can affect computers using sophisticated techniques.

Spam email, infected files on downloads, and malicious pop-ups and links can all infect your computer, which in turn can be used by hackers to launch DoS attacks or send spam with even more malware.

Always think twice before going to a website that’s unknown to you, and if you do, type a legitimate address in a new browser tab instead of clicking on a suspicious link. Never trust an email from an unknown source.

Put barriers in place.

Utilize the best tech barriers you can afford, like this cloud-based security app for mobile phones. Anyone operating their computer without some serious security software is taking a huge risk. Install and regularly update virus protection and adware/spyware removal software programs to keep malicious applications from invading your privacy.

Good luck — it’s a digital wild west out there.

3 Secrets To Getting Your Customers To Trust You

customers to trust youTrust is a hard-won commodity. Gaining your customer’s trust is a process that takes a business at least two years, according to a global study by SDL. Strengthening your relationships with your customers is an investment that requires good communication, but just how else do you build trust over time?

With these three secrets, help your business grow as you practice building trust. 

  1. Be Imperfect

Today’s social media makes your business far more visual and public. Your business communications on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and other social media platforms reflect your ability to be accessible and transparent.

The key to conveying accessibility and authenticity to your audience is by sharing content that reveals you’re imperfect. Authentic storytelling involves a willingness to admit your faults and mistakes, as well as your accomplishments and successes. The more you engage with your followers in a familiar and realistic manner, the more effective you’ll be in persuading them to accept and trust you.

Gone is the perfect brand image with impeccable stock photos to tell your brand’s story. The trend in images on social media echoes the user-generated content taken by the smartphone in your back pocket. The natural technical errors and the added filters help create imagery that’s familiar and relatable.

There’s a right balance between professional, polished content and authentic storytelling that depends on your audience and business. Just remember, the more transparent and realistic you are, the more your audience will gravitate to you.  

  1. The Law of Diminishing Returns

The law of diminishing returns is the theory that the more you do something, the less value and effect it has. It applies to things you enjoy doing, like eating your favorite food or riding your favorite amusement park ride, and to performance-based efforts, like studying for an exam or practicing for a competition. The more you experience it or work at it, the more you grow tired of it or feel burned out from it.

This theory is similar to a diminishing law of credibility. The bigger your claims are, the less likely anyone will believe you. The rule here is to “never tell them more than you think they’ll believe.”

You might have the most powerful vacuum cleaner ever made, thanks to its high-tech filter. So how do you get your audience to believe you? Instead of rattling on about how and why it’s the best, start by telling the disadvantages first. Tell them the filter is the most expensive on the market. Then eventually get to that’s why it’s also the most effective.

This doesn’t mean you don’t get to sound excited about your product or service. It means you aren’t afraid to be upfront about some of the limitations in order to establish credibility and trust. This is a tool you probably use in your everyday life without realizing it.

For example, when talking to a friend about your exercise regime, you are more likely to tell another avid runner all about your struggle with 12-mile daily runs than you would discuss it with someone who never runs. You would be more effective in encouraging this friend by talking about the hard-won benefits of walking.

Telling people the truth, but only as much as they can accept and want to believe, will not only resonate with your audience, it will make you easier to trust.

  1. Start With the Why of the Golden Circle

Why should people choose your product or service over your competitor’s? Is it better quality? Less expensive? Will it last longer? Most businesses sell themselves with similar claims, offering no unique point of reference.

According to Simon Sinek, the way to stand out from the competition is to use what he calls “The Golden Circle.” The circle consists of a bull’s-eye in the center of the circle and two concentric layers. In the center is the why, in the middle is the how, and in the outermost circle is the what.

To communicate with your customers, Sinek says to begin in the center with the why. He says that few organizations can explain the why to their existence, so to be unique and meaningful, you must start from the inside of the circle and work outwards. The why of your business is how you will build trust and loyalty, Sinek says.

Don’t let these three secrets stay a secret. Share this post with your colleagues and help to spread valuable trust in your corner of the world.

Social Helping Enters the Social Selling Scene

social media
Photo by Roger H. Goun, modified under CC BY.

There is a new buzzword in social media marketing: “social helping.” Its definition appears to be no different than the original “social selling.” So why the need for new jargon?

Maybe it’s because the term “selling” couldn’t absolve itself of pushy, used-car salesman undertones. Maybe it’s because salespeople simply can’t resist hard-core selling. Or maybe it’s because we’re hard-headed minions who refuse to listen.  Whatever the cause, social helping has arrived to differentiate itself from old-school social selling.

Are You Misusing Your Social Media?

Your online social media presence is a great tool for connecting with customers. There are successful salespeople who are developing relationships that generate leads and convert into sales. But they didn’t do it with an aggressive sales approach.

The social selling agenda didn’t develop so you could use hard-selling tactics. I found this misguided advice online to describe social selling: “Ultimately, you need to obtain sales any way you can.”

Social helping has morphed out of social selling from necessity. Internet users have grown apathetic to sales messages and the constant bombardment of banner ads, click-through buttons, and sponsored content. The social aspect was lost, and social selling isn’t doing what it’s intended.

The Keys to Social Helping

  • Be a listener.

As a business, you’re on social media for one reason, to become familiar with your followers. All your communication is driven with the intent to understand how you can help them. What problems do they have? How can you assist with solving them?

  • Ask questions.

All followers are potential customers, but instead of forcing them to learn about your company, you’re concerned with learning more about them by asking the right questions. Find out what motivates them, what concerns they’re struggling with, and what their preferences are. Leave your “about me” self-indulgent pitches at the door.

  • Share great content.

Keep your followers educated and entertained. Give them targeted content that helps them make informed decisions, such as how-to and DIY videos, blog posts, and relevant content from other valuable sources. Be the company they look for who shares interesting and fun posts. Don’t be the brand who’s always sharing promotional gimmicks.

  • Be an expert.

When your followers have a question, be the authority they turn to for answers. Keep your social media profile filled with a steady stream of useful information. Based on their questions and needs, contribute relevant content that solves their problems and builds your credibility. 

Meet your followers where they are. Social media is the place to go to reach your audience and be a social helper. Almost two-thirds of social media users use social media sites at least once a day on their computers and almost half of smartphone owners visit social networks every day on their phones, according to Neilsen’s “The Digital Consumer” 2014 report.

Make it easy to connect by adding links to your website on your social media profiles. You can also incorporate links to a landing page or other pages with sales information. When your follower is ready to be a customer, they can easily find out more about you.

Are You Keeping Up With Facebook’s Latest Features?

Facebook featuresFacebook is continually adding new features to enhance the experience of all users, including businesses. Using Facebook’s latest features for your marketing will help you gain more visibility. Learn how to promote your business, increase your post’s views from fans, and boost communication with your fans.

See First

With See First, users can give priority to the pages and friends they want to make sure they “see first.” Help your fans to manage their news feed and explain how this works.

Ask them, “Want to stay tuned to the latest at (insert your business name)? Let us show you how!”

It’s easy. All you need to do is have them go to your Facebook page and click the Like button. The drop down will give a See First option to choose. That’s it!

The other more customized way involves several steps. For desktop users, go to your personal News Feed and select the down arrow in the top far right to access News Feed Preferences. From there, click Prioritize and select the pages and friends you want to See First.

Keep giving your fans outstandig content so they will want to select your business to see first in their news feed.

Facebook Beacon

As a local business, you can choose to place a Facebook Beacon on your page. Just like a physical beacon, the Facebook Beacon sends information out to people who are nearby. If your fans have their bluetooth turned on and they are near your place of business, you can send messages to them.

Send your fans a photo with a welcome message, alerting them to your location, share a recommendation from friends, or request a check-in. All you need to do is request this free feature from Facebook and you’re on your way to getting more attention and airtime from your fans who are in your location.

Messenger for Business

Want a new way to connect with your customers? Now it’s easier than ever with Facebook’s Messenger app. Through Messenger, you can send private messages to not only friends, but also with your customers who respond to your ad.

Thanks to Facebook, selling your services and products just got more customer-friendly. When your customers go through checkout in response to your ad, they can choose to sign up for this feature and get information sent to them such as order confirmation and shipping updates. They can click on “Send Message” button with your ad, and the Messenger window will open for them. Once a customer sends you a message, you are then able to respond.

Facebook says businesses will soon be able to respond to not only customer’s private messages, but to their comments as well. Instead of email, you can use Messenger to quickly help customers with their questions and problems. You can use images in your communication, unlike texting. This is an excellent way to give your customers the support they want in a more personalized way. If you want to jump on the Messenger for businesses bandwagon, just sign up with Facebook.

Saved Replies

Save time with saved replies by reusing a standard message that you send over and over. You can tweak each one to be more personalized before you hit send, but the bulk of the message is the same and easy to save for reuse.

First navigate to Messages. Click on a particular message to see Saved Replies. The message shows up in a pop-up box with the Saved Replies on the left side. Select Manage Replies to see all your replies or to write a new reply. Write generic replies for all your FAQs for future use. Don’t forget to customize each one before sending out, such as with a personal greeting to the recipient.

360-Degree Video

Give your viewers a totally immersive viewing experience with this latest of video features. Web and Android users (with iOS coming soon) can view a scene from all angles by tilting your device or dragging your cursor.

How do you do this? You need to use cameras that will capture all 360 degrees of your scene at once. Think of the possibilities. GoPro is using it for a motocross ride across the Idaho desert. LeBron James, the basketball legend, is giving his viewers a behind-the-scene look at a his workout. Walt Disney is taking viewers to its fictional planet Jakku for a preview of what’s to come in the next installment of Star Wars.

You can start uploading now, although no ads are allowed at this time.

Send and Receive Money

Now you can send and receive money on Facebook. There’s no service charge for this like there is with Paypal, for example, but it does come with a few caveats. You must be friends with the person, so if you’re friends are clients, they can pay you by using the Messenger app. It is currently only good for the U.S. and when using a debit card.

All you have to do is click on the dollar sign in the Message box to get started. The dollar sign is there for a reason, so be patient while this feature continues to roll out.

Have fun trying these new Facebook features out for your business, and for the ones still in the works, keep an eye out. By then there’ll probably be a few more new features available.

Why Marketing Is Essential To Your Recruitment

Manufacturing workforceThe key component to advancing your capabilities and capacity is successful recruitment. While this pertains to all industries, it is especially true for manufacturers. How do manufacturers succeed when fighting against the raging tide of a generational skills gap that is only going to get wider as the manufacturing workforce shortage continues to increase?

It is predicted that the impact of the shortage will be felt up to 2025 and beyond. The manufacturing industry is creating new jobs from a natural expansion following the recession. Data indicates there could be 400,000 new jobs by 2020, and up to 700,000 by 2025.

The challenges that manufacturers face are:

  • Baby Boomers are retiring, with nearly three million workers expected to retire between 2015 and 2025.
  • Millennials, who are expected to assume 75% of the manufacturing workforce by 2025, aren’t interested in manufacturing work.
  • The incoming workers are deficient in technology, as well as basic technical and problem-solving skills.

Marketing To Millennials

Successful manufacturing recruitment involves targeting today’s Millennials (aged 19 to 33 years). Three things are important to this generation of workers:

  1. Social Consciousness

This generation wants to see their career prospects concerned with making the world a better place. By highlighting your community service, environmental awareness, and sustainability development, you add value by increasing your firm’s attractiveness.

Your website, company branding, and social media presence are all important in your recruitment process. An outdated site, unattractive branding, and missing the mark on social media will work against you.

  1. Advanced and Innovative Technology

Marketing to millenialsDispel the old image of manufacturing as “dirty, dumb, dangerous, and disappearing.” Show how work environments and skills have changed to incorporate highly advanced machines and processes requiring computer-savvy workers with multiple talents.

Develop your firm’s image by posting new product lines on your blog or publishing articles in trade magazines on new processes. Ramp up your marketing to reveal how manufacturing has evolved into a “cool” place to be.

  1. Part of a Team Environment

Enhance your desirability in this area by marketing your organization’s need for multi-taskers with advanced skill sets. Clearly display career path information on your website and write blog posts that feature employees’ development or production breakthroughs and accomplishments.

Help your prospective employees to understand the impact and value of their work. Share the culture of your open and collaborative work environment through social media and benchmarking publications.

There are currently six out of ten skilled production positions unfilled, and by the end of 2015, there will be 9,300 manufacturing job openings statewide in fourteen job categories. In order to compete for the available workforce, demonstrate your desirability as a company to work for through marketing that reaches out to a generation in a manner that is socially conscious and technologically up to date.

The principals of Web Savvy Marketers have been assisting CT manufacturers with their business development and marketing needs for more than 25 years. Give us a call at 860-432-8756 to see if we can help you with your on-line and off-line presence.

 

 

 

 

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