Tuesday Tip #15: How To Create A Social Media Calendar

Raise your hand if you’re fed up with social media! Just when you think you’ve figured out the secret to success in growing your fan base and increasing engagement … BAM! … another algorithm change is announced. Not to mention, it’s one that will turn your current strategy completely upside-down. Ugggghhhh.

Ok, don’t throw in the towel yet. Instead, first read our post on How To Grow Your Social Media (which outlines ways to work with the latest algorithm updates). Then, get yourself organized. It’s hard enough to try and stay current with the constantly changing rules of engagement on social media. Combine that with the energy it takes to create interesting posts on a daily basis … we’re talking lots of EFFORT, folks! That’s why putting together a social media calendar is so critical.

A social media calendar will help you stay on point. Yes, it will take some work on the front end but that work will pay dividends later on. By strategizing and outlining your posts in advance, you’ll drastically reduce the daily stress that comes with managing social media accounts. Staying organized and consistently posting great content will put you at a major advantage. Try it for a month and you’ll see exactly what we mean!

So where to begin? Well, right here, actually. We’ve developed some simple guidelines to help you create your first editorial calendar for social media!

Determine what kind of content has performed best for you in the past. 

With Facebook’s new algorithm change, content that doesn’t spark reactions/comments/shares has no chance of reaching a larger audience. That said, you’ll need to rely upon analytics to see what has worked for you in the past. On Facebook and Instagram, you should take a deep dive into your Insights and make note of the posts that outperformed the rest. This will be a great starting place for building your calendar.   

Figure out your optimal posting times.

To get the biggest bang for your buck, you'll want to publish content during the times your audience is actually using social media. On Facebook, you can go to Insights and look in the Post Engagements section. This is where you’ll be able to see what days and times your audience engages the most.

Build your editorial calendar.

Now that you know what content resonates most with your audience and when to post, you’re ready to start building your social media calendar. First, let’s highlight some of the tools you can use to do this:

• HubSpot

• Sprout Social

• Hootsuite

• Trello

• Google Calendar

After you pick the tool that will work best for plotting out your posts, you can fill in your calendar with content, links, images, infographics, and more.

“These social messages will ensure you’re providing your audience with smart, useful content and give them a reason to follow you. Additionally, you can find relevant holidays or events–from Thanksgiving to National Ice Cream Day–that you can tie in with your business.” (Sprout Social)

Prioritizing content should also be a part of your process. Sprout Social makes some great recommendations for doing this:

“Think through your must-haves, whether it is a product release or scheduled company announcement, and develop content to promote those initiatives. Additionally, make sure you’re planning out how much promotion each initiative warrants; some large releases should have multiple social posts while others only warrant one. Lastly, pump up the personality of your editorial calendar by planning out posts that highlight company culture or showcase who you are as a brand.”

Organize your hashtags.

Adding hashtags to your social media posts will increase their chances of getting discovered. Do some research to determine which hashtags are trending in your industry. Jot them down in a Google doc along with any other hashtags that are specific to your brand or simply ones that you see a benefit in using. Organizing your hashtag library in one place will save you from trying to remember what to use with each post. 

Master the art of repurposing great content.

If you published a case study or blog post that your audience loved, come up with fun ways to continue promoting this high performing content on social media! For example, you can design an infographic to highlight takeaways from a longer piece of content. Or how about creating a short little video that ties in with the topic as well? There are endless ways to draw more attention to the great content you already own. 

Yes, managing social media can be stressful … but when you plan ahead, the process is so much easier to handle!

If this post persuaded you to try making your first social media calendar, comment down below! 

Every Tuesday we share easy and actionable advice you can take to refresh your current marketing plan. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see more!  

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Tuesday Tip #14: 5 Tips To Balance Your Work And Life

Work and life. A constant struggle and balancing act that most professionals contend with daily. Are you the one at the office when your family is at the beach? Or maybe you’re always saying no to happy hour with friends because you just have to finish editing. Whatever the case might be, if you’re dedicated to your work, it’s sometimes tough to feel balanced in both aspects of your overall existence. 

We know it’s hard and we’re totally guilty of overworking and underplaying. However, we truly believe in the value of relationships and family ... and know how precious our time really is. We’ve restructured our way of life to ensure we have a work-life balance.

Here are five super easy tips that anyone can incorporate into their daily routine starting today! 

1. Stop and smell the roses. 

Dedicate distraction-free time for meal or coffee breaks. Walk away from your computer. Engage with other humans. Take a walk outside. Try to stay off your phone as it has a way of sucking you in. Truly unplug for at least 20 minutes. Clear your head. 

2. Punch out.

Take at least one day off per week that allows you to spend time with friends and family. At the very least, if you can’t take an entire day off, schedule any work for first thing in the morning so you’re done by noon and can enjoy the rest of the day without work hanging over your head. 

3. Take care of yourself.

Remember the saying, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” Whether it’s a yoga session, massage, pedicure … whatever makes you unplug and rejuvenate … it will be a well-deserved gift to yourself. 

4. Seriously, think about it.

Meditate on WHY you're working as much as you are. Are you trying to create a better life for your children? Do you have a financial goal in mind for yourself? Whatever the case may be, remember that you’re living your life right now. Time is ticking by whether you’re working or not. Don’t live to work. Work to live. Enjoy today and enjoy the precious moments that are right in front of you. Goals are so important but don’t lose sight of your true priorities in life. 

5. Do nothing.

Per Winnie the Pooh, “Sometimes nothing leads to a whole lot of something.” If you’re job involves creativity, you can’t force yourself to come up with fresh and interesting ideas. It’s something that either comes to you or it doesn’t. In fact, if you’re tired or just simply tapped out, that creative block just gets worse and worse. Free your brain. Do absolutely nothing for a bit. Nothing can be remarkably rewarding, believe it or not. 

Bottom line: you weren’t put on this Earth to work yourself to death. You have value and life is worth enjoying. Don’t lose sight of that. Don’t compromise your goals. Don’t compromise your quality of life and relationships. 

Every Tuesday we share easy and actionable advice you can take to refresh your current marketing plan. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see more!  

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Tuesday Tip #13: 3 Ways To Come Up With Blog Post Topics

You stare at that little blinking cursor against a blank white document and the frustration builds. Writer’s block. The minutes gradually pass and, before you know it, an hour or two goes by. Still nothing. Now you’re really getting pissed off. 

Does this situation sound familiar? Yup. We’ve been there, too. However, we have a few techniques that help us break through writer’s block. For today’s Tuesday Tip, we’re going to share three different ways we come up with topics for the LMG blog. Bookmark this page and never suffer through the creative process ever again.

Get Our Free Guide To Blogging

1. Create a list of commonly asked questions from your clients or customers.

Your website should be a useful resource for visitors. And developing a blog is the perfect way to address the topics that your customers and clients are interested in learning more about! One thing that we do at LMG is keep track of the marketing questions we get asked. If the same question ends up on our list multiple times, guess what that means? We’re creating a blog post about it! 

Building content from frequently asked questions can help drive more traffic to your website. How? Think of it this way … if multiple clients are asking you a similar question, just think of how many prospective clients are Googling answers to that very same question. 

Tracking your FAQs not only unveils blog topics for months to come but also increases your chances of getting found in search results. Win, win!

2. Review insights from your website.

Your website analytics represents a host of powerful information just waiting to be unleashed! We regularly review our LMG website traffic to learn what pages and content are outperforming the rest. Using this information, we create blog posts centered around the hot topics. 

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Pro tip: If you discover a broad topic that has gained popularity on your website, create a blog series! The topics you choose for the posts within the series should be specific yet directly related to the higher level topic. A series presents a great way to keep your audience engaged for an extended period of time. And while it’s running, be sure to continually promote it on your social media channels! 

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3. Use the HubSpot Blog Idea Generator.

When all else fails, use the HubSpot Blog Idea Generator to get your creative juices flowing! Simply fill in a few fields with words you think you might want to write about and, within seconds, you’ll have a week’s worth of blog post titles.

Coming up with blog content should not be painful. Utilize these three tips and you’ll be publishing like a pro! Need more help getting your blog up and going? Be sure to grab a free copy of Jamie & Katie’s Guide To Blogging!

Get Jamie & Katie's Guide To Blogging

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Tuesday Tip #12: How To Get Found In Google Searches

It’s the dream of every website owner to rank on the first page of Google search results. The truth is, however, achieving Page 1 Status requires work. This statistic alone sums up why the work will be well worth it:

89% of U.S. internet users search online before they make a purchase, even when the purchase is ultimately made at a local business. (HubSpot)

Owning a domain and a website are simply not enough. Your website needs to be optimized for search. Before we dig in and explain how to do this, let’s first take a look at the definition of search engine optimization:

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic search engine results. (Moz)

The quality of your website is defined by the visitors it’s attracting. Are they genuinely interested in the product or service you’re offering? A quality website should draw quality visitors, which leads to quantity. The more traffic the better.  

Needless to say, there’s a lot to know when it comes to SEO. For today’s Tuesday Tip, we’re going to unpack four things you can do to help your small business website get found on Google.

1. Implement a keyword strategy.

In order for your website to rank in Google search results, you’ll need to optimize it for the keywords people are using when they perform a search. However, this will require you to do some research first. 

We recommend beginning your keyword research with a brainstorming session. Open a blank Google Doc and fill it with every keyword or phrase pertaining to your business that you can think of. You’ll want a good mix of both short-tail keywords (one or two words) and long-tail keywords (more than three words). 

Note, the broader the keyword, the more challenging it will be to rank for. For example, “inbound marketing” is a very popular search term, making it difficult to rank for. “Inbound marketing agency in Middletown, CT” might have far less searches but this long-tail keyword would be easier to try and rank for. 

HubSpot Hint: Narrow the competition and relevance of broad keywords to include local elements and more specific services.

After you’ve written down all of the keywords you’d like to rank for, go to Google and type each of your short-tail keywords into the search box. Scroll to the bottom of the page and you’ll see other searches that are related to the search you entered. Make sure you add all relevant, related searches to your list as well.

Once you’ve put together your comprehensive list, you’ll want to use an analytics tool such as Moz’s Keyword Explorer to decide on the most sensible keywords to try and rank for.

Ok, so now it’s time to optimize your website for those keywords you decided on. According to HubSpot, “every page on your website needs to include the critical optimization elements that help Google understand what each page is about. Each website page needs to have the following elements addressed with a single focus keyword.”

• Page Title (under 70 characters)

• Meta Description (under 155 characters)

• H1 & H2 Title Text (break up main content by describing it)

• Alt Text (every image needs a title)

• Keyword in Content (at least once, bolded)

2. Implement a content strategy.

Your marketing needs to resonate with your audience and offer more than just touting your brand. It needs to tell your story and effectively explain the WHY behind what you do. If you’ve been following us on social media, we’ve been talking a lot about content these days. So what exactly is content marketing?

“Content marketing is a strategic marketing and business process focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience, and ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.” (Content Marketing Institute)

Like the exercise of keyword research, implementing a content strategy takes time and planning. What types of resources will your target audience find most helpful or beneficial? After you make that determination, you’ll then have to create the content! 

“The most common components of a content marketing program are social media networks, blogs, visual content, and premium content assets -- like tools, ebooks, or webinars.” (HubSpot)

For many small business owners, the task of content creation can seem quite overwhelming … maybe even impossible. Don’t freak out! LMG offers content planning and development solutions so you don’t have to worry about writing or designing graphics and guides. To learn more about our content marketing services services, contact us.

The key takeaway here is to never let your website get stale. Implementing an ongoing content strategy will ensure fresh content is always being added. 

3. Implement a blogging strategy.

Blogging is a great way to get your small business found on Google. Each time you publish a new blog post, you’re adding a new page to your website that will eventually be indexed. This equates to more opportunities for you to show up in search results!

Now let’s tie in that content strategy we just discussed. A blog gives you the opportunity to capture and convert leads who visit your site. By including an enticing call-to-action (CTA) in every blog post, you can acquire pertinent information on new prospects. Having intel on where a future customer is in the buying process (as well as their needs, pain points, and desires) will tremendously improve your ability to effectively market to them.

Lastly, a blog is the perfect way to showcase and share your industry knowledge with others! When you develop interesting and informative content based on your own experiences it not only positions you as a thought leader, but also creates a fantastic opportunity to share something with your social networks.

Get Our Free Guide To Blogging

Still not convinced? Then absorb this fun fact …

“Companies that blog get 55% more web traffic and 70% more leads than those that don’t.” (HubSpot)

 

4. Implement a link strategy.

In February 2018 we published a blog post on backlinks. If you missed it, here’s the definition of what a backlink is: 

A backlink is a link one website gets from another website.

You’ll notice that throughout this post, we’ve linked to sources such as HubSpot and Moz. Your goal as a website owner is to try and get other websites to link to yours. But not just any websites. You should strive for placement on quality sites that are relevant to your industry. And if those sites are ranking well on Google, it will help your cause even more. 

“Guest blog articles are a fantastic application. The idea behind guest posts is that everyone wins. The host site gets a good piece of quality content, it's readers get yet another piece of information relevant to their interests, and you get to expose yourself to a completely new audience by posting to their blog instead of your own.” (HubSpot)

While we’re on the topic of links, let’s not fail to mention the importance of linking to your social media channels. Be sure to include social sharing buttons on your website (especially in areas where you’re promoting content). And when you publish new content to your website or blog, be sure to share the link on social media, too! 

Ok, so this was a lot to absorb. We understand! If you want to improve your small business website rankings on Google, we’d love to brainstorm and help you generate some fresh new ideas! You know how to find us :)
 

Every Tuesday we share easy and actionable advice you can take to refresh your current marketing plan. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see more!  

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Tuesday Tip #11: How To Use The Customer Value Journey To Grow Your Small Business

Plotting out and understanding the Customer Value Journey can lead to big wins for your small business. For today’s Tuesday Tip, I’ll explain what the journey is all about and then provide you with some direction on putting it to work for your business.

First thing’s first. What exactly is the Customer Value Journey? Well, the idea behind it is actually common sense. I love the way our friends at IMPACT put it so I’ll share a quote from their blog:

“Just like it would be highly inappropriate to say hello to new acquaintances by touching their hair, you can’t assault your prospects with heavy sales pitches right off the bat. That’s why you need to make people feel comfortable around you (or your brand) before they’re ready to move to the next stage (in this case, making a purchase.)”

The goal of the value journey is to “build a universal framework for transforming strangers not just into customers, but into rabid buyers and raving super-fans.” (IMPACT)

Sounds great, right? So now let’s dive into the different stages of this journey and how you can be optimizing each one.

1. Aware

This is when a prospect realizes their need for something you can provide them with and discovers, or becomes aware of, your brand. They might have found you by means of a referral, on social media, or an online search. 

I’m going to illustrate with a real-life example.

When I moved out to the country in 2017, I experienced a bit of a culture shock (that’s putting it very mildly). I had been previously accustomed to driving very short distances to get to the places I needed to go. The mall being one of these places. Fear immediately set in over how this move would impact my wardrobe.

One day, I was hanging out with my sister-in-law (who just so happens to also live in the country) and complimented her on the top she was wearing. I then immediately began to express my concerns over living so far from White House Black Market. It was at this moment that she made me aware of a lovely little company called Stitch Fix. 

Marketing Ideas For This Phase:

• According to DigitalMarketer.com, you need freely available content at the top of the funnel (TOFU) that 1. Entertains 2. Educates or 3. Inspires. Curate a collection of little videos, photos or infographics to utilize during the Aware stage.
  

• Help make prospects aware of your brand by optimizing your website and running paid campaigns to drive traffic.

2. Engagement

Moving along to Engagement. This is the part of the journey when a prospect starts interacting with your content. Maybe they read a blog post on Fall Fashion that you’ve published. Maybe they visit your Facebook page and watch a how-to video you’ve posted. Either way, you’ve piqued their interest and got them to engage! Nicely played!

Going back to my own story, I immediately checked out Stitch Fix’s website and Facebook page after I got home from my sister-in-law’s house that night. I read through a couple of their recent blog posts on fashion trends and I was intrigued, to say the least. 

Marketing Ideas For This Phase:

• Take advantage of middle-of-the-funnel (MOFU) content to help educate your prospects (quizzes/surveys, case studies, white papers).
  

• Set up a Facebook retargeting campaign based on page views on your website.

3. Subscribe

Now you’re getting warmer! During the Subscribe phase, the prospect actually shows a vested interest in your content. They are willing to provide some basic information (i.e. their email address, first name, location) in order to access it.

If a prospect subscribes to your blog or completes a form to download your recently published case study on personal shopping, they’ve entered the Subscribe phase of the value journey. 

Marketing Idea For This Phase:

• Create a library of gated content in order to better define exactly which products or services might be of interest to your prospects. In order to access this content, a prospect would be required to supply some basic contact information via a form on a landing page.

4. Convert

In the Convert phase, the prospect is getting even closer to becoming a customer. They’ve made a small investment (in either time or money) to learn more about your product or service. For example, they might have purchased a trial membership or watched a 30-minute webinar that explains the process of subscription-based online shopping. 

In my journey with Stitch Fix, I claimed an offer that saved me the $20 styling fee for trying out the service. 

Marketing Idea For This Phase:

• Offer a 30-minute webinar that’s related to the products or services you sell.

5. Excite

Put your game face on because things are getting serious! If you provided the prospect with a high-quality offer during the Convert phase, there’s an excellent chance they’re beginning to feel excitement about your brand. To ensure they’ve consumed the content offer and enjoyed their experience, set up a nurturing campaign to check-in with the prospect.

Staying in front of someone who is already excited about your brand is the key to turning them into a customer.

Marketing Ideas For This Phase:

• Utilize bottom-of-the-funnel (BOFU) content and offers to help persuade your prospect why they should do business with you. This could be in the form of a free trial, for example.
  

• Set up a nurturing email campaign to check in with the prospect to make sure they’ve enjoyed their first experience with your brand.

6. Ascend

I like to think of this stage as the perfect opportunity to cross-sell other relevant products or services you have to offer. You already have an enthusiastic buyer. Be sure to offer the right kind of add-ons so they can get the most value out of doing business with you.  

Marketing Idea For This Phase:

• Develop a plan for cross-selling other products and services you offer.

7. Advocate

At this stage of the value journey, the happy customer has been talking up your brand. So why not take advantage of this opportunity while their positive experience is still fresh in their mind? Don’t be shy. This is the moment when you ask them for a testimonial! 

Btw ... Stitch Fix didn’t ask me for a testimonial but, being the marketer I am, I gave them a 5-star Facebook review along with an amazing write-up detailing my first Fix. 

Marketing Idea For This Phase:

• Create an email marketing or social media campaign to acquire glowing testimonials.

8. Promote

Finally! You can kick your feet up and relax! When a customer reaches the Promote stage, they’ll actively promote your brand unsolicited. However, setting up a referral program is a fabulous idea if you don’t already have one. This will allow your happy promoters any easy way to entice their friends and family into checking you out. 

My Stitch Fix story is pure validation of the Promote phase. Since joining, I have recruited five more of my friends and family to the service!

Marketing Idea For This Phase:

Have a referral program in place.

Hope you enjoyed this week's tip! If you need help creating a marketing plan around your specific Customer Value Journey, you know who to call! ;-)

Every Tuesday we share easy and actionable advice you can take to refresh your current marketing plan. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see more!  

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Tuesday Tip #10: How To Grow Your Social Media

You have so much to say and share with the world. You have incredible content full of relevant and captivating information. You need zero validation. You’ve got this. You post your content on Instagram and then grab the popcorn, anxiously awaiting to see your notifications light up like a Christmas tree … but then, nothing.

So, of course, the next logical move is to pay for ads and boosted content. You’ll see a spike in activity, assuming you’ve created an appropriate audience and have allotted a reasonable budget. However, is that spike in activity doing anything for you in the long run?

Let’s talk good old organic growth. This brings me back to the saying, “If you give a man a fish, he will eat for a night but if you teach him how to fish he will eat for years to come.” I know we’re not talking about fish but hear me out. If you pay for ads as a quick way to grab attention, that’s great ... but are you grabbing those likes as new followers? Or was it a single like on a single post and that was the end of that?

Now, if you take the time to build a foundation and grow your base of followers through consistency, engagement, and mutual interest, you will have invested followers who will continuously see your content and potentially share it and/or engage with it. And your growth will continue.

Alright, so how does one accomplish this? There are so many ways, as Hubspot outlines in this article but one of the key tools is social media growth. Think of your Instagram account, for example, as a tiny sapling. I like magnolia trees so I’m going to use that for my vision. Ok, so you plant your brand new baby tree. You nurture it and feed it. If you continuously and consistently care for it, your little tree will grow, digging its roots deeper and blossoming into a beautiful, flowering adult.

Now let me translate. I’m going to provide you with three keys to social media growth, which involves nurturing your followers like a tiny sapling. And it’s so simple that you won’t believe it. However, being simple doesn’t mean effortless. Remember, watering your baby tree is easy but constant care and attention is what really matters. 

1. Follow other accounts.

The more people you follow, the higher the likelihood of them following you back. Take advantage of Instagram’s super handy list of recommendations on accounts to follow. Trying to obtain followers without following them first can be challenging. Think of it as a give and take relationship. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.

2. Show interest. 

We have all fallen victim of the random bot comments under our posts. Example: You post a photo of a magnolia tree that you recently planted and you get the random comment of, “Wow, you look great.” Or possibly a one word comment like, “Cool.” For the most part, those are either comments from bots or they’re people being paid to grow an audience (and doing a crappy job at it). Generic irrelevant responses typically stick out like a sore thumb. Don’t be that account posting them. Like posts. Engage by commenting. And be sure your comments are specific and relevant!

3. Respond to comments left under your content. 

Show an interest in your followers and give gratitude for them showing interest in you! Again, the more your audience sees real-life engagement happening within your account, the more likely they’ll become invested in what you have to say. Comments, likes, and shares lead to GROWTH.

Remember, for as enormous as the world of social media is, it strangely is a small world at the same time. Take the time to nurture your audience and you'll reap the benefits of a healthy and steadily blooming magnolia tree for all to enjoy and aspire to have. 

Need a little help growing your small business social media accounts? Learn more about our Social Growth package! 
 

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Tuesday Tip #9: Establish Branding Guidelines

Brand style guide:

“A reference tool that helps maintain consistency by demonstrating what a brand looks, feels and sounds like.”

(99Designs.com)

Your brand represents the personality of your small business. In order for people to easily make the connection between your company and your marketing, there needs to be consistency. Just think about how the big brands do it. Take Starbucks for example. 

Starbucks’ mission:

“To inspire and nurture the human spirit - one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.”

If you’re a Starbucks fan like me, then you know they’re pros at delivering on this mission statement. No matter which Starbucks coffee shop you visit, the brand is expertly tied into the overall experience. You know what to expect. Funky music. Overpriced beverages that taste oh so good. Spots to plug in your electronic devices. Baristas who speak your lingo (Venti Iced Skinny Decaf Hazelnut Macchiato). Some may call it obnoxious. Others refer to it as pure bliss. Regardless, Starbucks has mastered the art of marrying their mission statement to their marketing and branding. 

“From the atmosphere in their stores, to their digital content, to their advertising, everything looks, sounds, and feels like Starbucks. Even the cups and tumblers you can buy in the store have a clean, modern design to them. The result? The experience you have with Starbucks always feels consistent, whether you’re reading a social post, waiting in line, watching a TV ad, or interacting with their brand in any way, anywhere.” (CoSchedule Blog)

So now let’s bring this back to YOU. How can you translate the Starbucks branding strategy to your own small business? It all begins with branding guidelines.

“Think of your brand identity as your company’s personality. It’s how the world recognizes you and begins to trust you. If you see someone change how they look and act all the time, you won’t feel like you know who they are, and you certainly wouldn’t trust them.” (99Designs.com)

Creating a branding guidelines document is really quite simple. Like Starbucks, you’ll want to build it around your mission statement. If you’re solid on the promise you’re making to your audience, the colors, messaging, and style will all flow from there. 

There are seven key components that you’ll want to consider including in your branding guidelines:

1. Your Story

Here’s where you can put your mission statement in writing. Have a vision? Include that as well. Your brand guidelines document should begin with a short story about who you are as a small business and what you represent. 

2. Target Audience

In the world of Inbound Marketing, we like to call these personas. Who are the audience members that you’re trying to reach in your marketing? Think about it and describe them in detail. (For help with this exercise, check out this blog post by HubSpot: How to Create Detailed Buyer Personas for Your Business)

3. Logo

Your branding guidelines document should include a visual of your logo and every acceptable variation of it. For example, the Little Marketing Genius logo is black and pink. However, if we were printing it on a black tote bag, well, the black parts of the logo wouldn’t work so well. So in cases like this, we convert the text and pineapple leaves to white. All of this type of information needs to be outlined in the logo section of your branding guidelines document. 

4. Colors

What colors define your brand? Going back to our Starbucks example, green is a prominent color that’s used in pretty much all of their branding.

List out the colors that are not only used in your logo, but the colors you would use in general marketing and advertising as well. The Little Marketing Genius uses soft pastels. (You can check out our website to see how the palette gets incorporated throughout.)

When creating the Colors section of your brand guidelines, include swatches of each color along with their respective codes:

• Color match: PANTONE name and number

• Print color: CMYK

• Digital color: RGB and HEX codes

This will make referencing them much easier in the future. 

5. Fonts

Again, you’ll want to define the fonts used in your logo as well as the different fonts that are used in your marketing and advertising. Specify how and when fonts are to be used. For example, what’s the size and spacing standards for headlines and subheads? How about body copy? 

6. Imagery

Examples. Examples. Examples. Curate imagery in the form of a mood board! “Collect images that convey the feeling that you want people to get when they interact with your brand.” They will represent the appropriate styles of imagery that should be used in both printed and online marketing. (99Designs.com)

7. Voice

What tone does your messaging have? Witty? Casual? Extremely serious? By deeply understanding your target audience, you’ll know exactly what tone is appropriate to use. The next step will be to describe it within the Voice section of your branding guidelines. Provide examples of different words that you might use as well as some examples of words you would never use. Establishing your voice is key to creating consistency within your messaging and branding. 

Now to unveil an awesome surprise!

HubSpot has a free kit that you can download to help you create your branding guidelines. It has everything you need to go from same-old business to must-have brand! Click here to get the kit! 
 

We hope you found today’s Tuesday Tip helpful! For more marketing advice like this, be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page and subscribe to our blog! 

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Tuesday Tip #8: Let Your Personality Shine

Photo courtesy of Audra Nicole Photography

One of my favorite things about the LMG website is that it fully embodies who me and Katie are as people. Colorful, fun, witty, and real. I browse the Internet often and have stumbled across many websites that completely lack personality. Copy-heavy, overloaded with stock photography, and boastful … yet lacking true substance. Missing the kind of stuff that would make me want to do business with you because I already feel like I know you. 

Today’s Tuesday Tip: Let Your Personality Shine

Incorporating your personality into your website and other marketing materials is actually a fairly easy thing to do. And trust us when we say, it will pay dividends. People want to deal with real people. Not robots or those people depicted in stock photos who appear to be overly excited to be at work. If you’re selling products or services online, this is especially important. Personalizing your website will help visitors get to know and trust you. (For more tips on how to earn trust on your website, click here.)

Take a good look at your current website, social media platforms, and other marketing collateral. Do they speak to who you are? Do they give a prospective customer or client an accurate glimpse into what it will be like to do business with you? If not, here are four quick and easy ways to incorporate your personality into your marketing:

1. Utilize professional photos of you and your team.

Professional photography will make your marketing burst with personality. Candid pictures of you and your team at work. Light and bright head shots. Rich and vibrant close-ups of your top-selling products. Professional photos will make a dramatic impact on your marketing and truly help to tell the real story about your small business. Making an investment in creative photography will launch your marketing from the realm of mediocre into magnificent! 

Photo courtesy of Audra Nicole Photography

2. Blog.

If you follow LMG, then you know that me and Katie are big fans of blogging. And we practice what we preach! A blog not only benefits your website from an SEO perspective but it also provides you with a platform to speak to your customers in your own voice. We’ve had numerous clients express fears over blogging. “I’m not a writer!” “What do I talk about?” “I’m clueless when it comes to this stuff.” Let us reassure you: 1. You CAN write. You KNOW what to talk about. You’re NOT clueless. (Read our Small Business Resolutions For 2018 for more on getting your blog started. You can do this! We promise.)

Get Our Free Guide To Blogging

3. Don’t be afraid to record videos.

I’ll be quite frank. Facebook Live used to scare the shit out of me. The thought of pressing that record button and then completely freezing, not knowing what to say or do. However, when I realized how important videos were becoming in the world of social media, I knew I had to get over these fears. The success of our Instagram and Facebook accounts depended on it! However, I learned something else about videos. They allowed us to put a voice and personality with all of those photos we had been posting! Our website visitors and social media followers could now see us and hear us … making our connection even stronger!

The bottom line is, video is crucial these days. Get over your fears and start connecting with your audience on a much more personal level! (Need more evidence? Review Social Media Today’s infographic on The State Of Video Marketing In 2018. It’s incredibly compelling.) 

4. Feature a bio on your website.

About Us pages are not overrated. When I’m exploring a website, I always look for the About Us page to gain further insights on the company. How did they get started? What’s their backstory? Why are they in this line of business? For me, knowing more about the business owner gives me a level of comfort.

Featuring a bio on your website allows your visitors to connect with you. Tie that in with your professional photos and blog, well, that’s personalization at it’s finest! To get an idea of how to draft a bio, check out how me and Katie did ours! 

We hope you found today’s Tuesday Tip helpful! For more marketing advice like this, be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page and subscribe to our blog! 

Every Tuesday we share easy and actionable advice you can take to refresh your current marketing plan. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see more!  

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Tuesday Tip #7: Be Authentic

Over the weekend, my husband and I went out for Mexican food. I couldn’t help but laugh that the restaurant claimed to be serving authentic Mexican food. Being a frequent traveler to Mexico, this food was anything but authentic. This got me thinking about marketing, of course, and the importance of keeping it real.

Be authentic. B-E Authentic. (I dare ya to shake that little tune out of your head. #SorryNotSorry)

According to statistics highlighted at Vision Critical, authenticity is absolutely crucial if you want to see continued success. Of course, authenticity means different things to different people. However, a pretty solid relationship amongst all consumers is that they want to trust you and your brand. They will most definitely choose you over another company based on how you have presented yourself and how authentic you are. 

FUN FACT! Millennials officially make up the majority of the voting age population and the workforce and they’re close to making up the majority of entrepreneurs. (Pew Research Center)

Research has identified that Millennials (who will rule the world before you know it) simply don’t trust advertisements. By nature, they’re skeptical. (HuffPost Blog) They gravitate toward a company that offers a likable, relatable, and real presence over a company with an abrasive or sketchy approach. 

So what does that mean? It means you need to be real and offer a relatable product or service. You need to be active on social networks and build a relationship with your audience. Then you shall see that they’ll come to you, just like that. (I’m picturing the scene from Ace Ventura, “Come to me jungle friends!”)

I’m not a Millennial (or am I?) and I find myself shying away from companies that I find to be disingenuous. I prefer to support a local, small business with personality and flavor over a larger operation that has lost touch with its mission or morals. 

Going back to my Mexican restaurant experience over the weekend … Was it tasty? Yes. Authentic? No. (BTW ... Click here for a fun read if you're a foodie.) In this case, no harm was done as I am an eater of all tacos but I think you catch my drift. Don’t try to be something you’re not.

Every Tuesday we share easy and actionable advice you can take to refresh your current marketing plan. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see more!  

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Tuesday Tip #6: Responding To Reviews

Some things never change. People will always have an opinion. What has changed are the pedestals and platforms that have been provided for everyone to voice said opinion. The Internet and social media have completely transformed how we obtain information about different businesses. In a land before time, you would choose the restaurant, cleaning service, or retail shop based on the referrals of other people in your circle of friends. Now, you can look up a business with a few strokes of your keyboard and scour the reviews left by strangers to base your decision on where you are going to bring your business.

As a business owner, this can be amazing, devastating, or sometimes even a mix of both, for your business. One “off” experience can lead to scathing comments and warnings to potential customers or clients. It can be a very tough pill to swallow. Here are two key pointers on how to respond to reviews.

1. Respond to positive reviews!

Say 'thank you' and let the reviewer know that you appreciate them taking the time to write such kind words. If they offer a suggestion, thank them for their feedback and implement the improvements if they seem suitable. 

2. If you are going to respond to a negative review, do so carefully and with class.

Do not engage in a battle of keyboard warriors. Sometimes saying nothing is appropriate. Depending on the situation, you can certainly respond but do so in a professional manner. Do not take this opportunity to degrade the customer because you are simply painting an ugly picture of yourself. Sometimes even a simple “We are sorry you didn’t enjoy your experience. We hope you give us a second chance in the near future ... ” If you feel further information is needed in order to rectify a bad situation, be sure to attempt to take the conversation offline. 

For more sound advice on professionally handling negative online reviews, click here! 

Why does this matter? It matters because people are absolutely reading reviews and watching to see how you respond. Bad reviews are like a train wreck that people can’t help but watch. Good reviews give potential customers/clients a glimpse into the positive experience they, too, can enjoy by doing business with you someday. Reviews help people determine what type of business owner you are and if they want to do business with you. Always put your best foot … or keystroke ... forward. 

Every Tuesday we share easy and actionable advice you can take to refresh your current marketing plan. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see more!  

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