Let’s face it, there are tasks that we undertake in our lives and in our businesses that we truly love and there are tasks that we dislike so much that we will procrastinate on them until all we are faced with are those tasks which sap our energy and our productivity.
As business owners, we need to know what our core competencies are and embrace those. We also need to admit there are tasks for which we are simply not suited (social media, marketing, bookkeeping, etc.) and we need to find a trusted partner with whom we can trust those activities so that we can focus on our core skills.
You likely got into business for yourself because you have a skill to offer, a problem that you can fix for your clients, and a need that your skills or products can fill, right? Savvy business owners know that they shouldn’t let the tasks that they simply don’t enjoy or at which they don’t excel get in the way of running the business that they love. To effect that, they have learned to outsource.
Outsourcing simply makes sense, especially if you look at the time and money you will be losing by struggling to complete payroll tasks or write press releases. Your expertise is what makes your business valued by your clients. Relying on the expertise of others to complete other tasks will enhance your productivity and your business’s bottom line.
Yes, there will be upfront costs to pay for outsourcing, but the benefits you reap will more than make up for that. Are you focusing on your core competencies or being bogged down by tasks for which you’re not suited?
Google, it sometimes seems, is the be all and end all for business owners looking to be found on the Internet. While the rules change, sometimes before you’ve even implemented them, there are ways to remain relevant, be found and up your Google rankings when you write a blog post.
Here are my top tips for gaining Google love:
Always write original content. Don’t be redundant – even if you write and post on more than one website in the same niche market. While you don’t have to recreate the wheel with your posts, you do want to make certain the content has been rewritten even though the ideas may be the same.
Create value for your readers by offering practical advice and relevant information. Readers love how-tos, tips and topic articles. Incorporate original research into your posts by embedding your experience as an expert on that subject matter.
Are your posts spell and grammar checked? Are your facts correct? If your readers are faced with inaccuracies in your facts and spelling errors (which can be easily avoided) they may doubt your expertise in the information you’re presenting.
Write about interesting topics with SEO as a secondary idea. Writing a post with only SEO (search engine optimization) as your driving force will make your posts read like something from a content mill. Sprinkle your keywords into the posts but don’t make them so keyword heavy that your message is lost.
Are you positioning yourself as an expert? If so, what’s on your “resume” that will point to that expertise? If you’re positioning your site as a clearinghouse for other experts, make that clear up front. Make certain your site reflects who you are and what you do and what sets you apart from the competition.
What do you have to say that is different from the other bloggers that are saying the same thing? It’s true there are no new ideas so you need to take your blog posts and find a way to set them apart from the thousands of others that are out there. Make certain your unique voice and perspective come through in your writing.
Is your blog post all about calls to action? Is the post or site cluttered with ads and “buy me” promotions? Don’t let your blog posts and your ideas be lost in the noise of ads and promotions. While you certainly want to have clients buy from you or sign up to work with you, you need to do direct them to a different part of your website – don’t bury the message of your blog posts in ads.
High quality, relevant content is your best way to be found by Google and your best way to communicate with your clients and potential clients. Let content be your guiding force in your blog posts.
Today, business owners can’t ignore social media. Even though there are times you may feel you’re screaming into a crowded room when it comes to either being heard or listening effectively, the power of social media cannot be ignored.
Here are three quick steps to jump into the social media market and make the most advantage of the conversations:
Understand the need for social media. If you don’t believe your company or business needs social media, you won’t be able to fully embrace, or commit to, it. Whether you own a product or a service business you can harness the power of social media to start conversations, grow loyalty and get to know your customers. Keep in mind that potential clients want to do business with people they know, like and trust. Do your clients know, like and trust you?
Sign up for LinkedIn. If you already have LinkedIn, update your profile, use correct keywords, endorse others and ask satisfied clients for endorsements and recommendations. If you’re in business, having a LinkedIn account is a must. It’s likely more important than a Facebook or Google+ account, but those other two social media platforms cannot be discounted if you want to remain relevant.
Claim your Facebook business name, capture your Facebook Places site. Create your Facebook business profile — again with relevant keywords — then start the conversation.
Remember though, social media is a conversation, it is not a place to constantly put forth a “buy me, buy me” message. Your status updates and the products and services you provide will speak for themselves.
It’s hard to concentrate on doing your best and taking care of your clients if you’re losing sleep at night worrying about money. While money is crucial to daily living and while it’s likely you do have bills to pay, there are some simple steps you can take to alleviate the worry and allow your mind to relax and free itself to focus on taking care of clients.
Here are my three rules for alleviating money worries:
Make certain you have a true grasp on how much money you need on a weekly or monthly basis. Additionally, you need to know exactly how much money you are bringing in. Having these figures will help you get a true picture of your finances.
Be consistent in marketing your business. Be consistent in serving your clients. Be consistent in following up and following through with clients. Don’t take current clients for granted — they are your bread and butter. Check in with them consistently, even if it’s just to say “hello.”
Plan your marketing three to six months (or more) in advance. Marketing takes time and effort and you likely can’t put together a marketing plan on Monday and hope to see results on Friday.
What are your best tips and advice on taking money worries out of your daily business equation?
Regardless of the type of business endeavor you’re involved in, you need to harness the power of social media whether it’s Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ or industry specific social media sites. Simply building the page isn’t enough; you need to gather quality followers, but how do you do that?
We offer these tips to help you grow your social media following:
Include links to your social media sites in your email signature. This simple action could garner you more followers.
Include your social media “handles” on all of your collateral materials. Include words such as: Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter, etc./
Make a video. You’ve likely heard the term “going viral” and what this means is that you make a video that captures enough attention to your social media sites.
You only have to ask! It doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re doing, you will need to simply ask people to like and/or follow you. Harness the power of suggestion and return the favor.
Grab a QR code for your business, put it on your business cards, advertisements and your collateral materials. This may garner you more likes and follows.
Make it easy for people to like you! Put a box on your website that is easy to find and extremely visible. Don’t make people search around for Like buttons.
Make certain you produce quality content. Your followers and friends won’t want to read constant advertising pitches. Offer news they can use and relate to.
What tips do you have to grow your social media followers?
As an entrepreneur there is no doubt that you have heard about Facebook and if you’re technically savvy, chances are you are already involved in your Facebook page and are working to build your company’s presence.
Here, though, are seven tips to make the best use of your time on Facebook:
Eighty percent of your posts should be informational and fun for your readers. Spend only 20% of your Facebook time in the process of selling
Include an image of your company, a profile picture of yourself and the company principles. Use video to capture the interest of your followers
Don’t know what to write about? Check out Twitter for trending topics
Let your personality shine through. Regardless of the business you’re in, potential clients want to work with “real” people not just a company facade
Work on Facebook follower interaction. Ask a question that doesn’t take too much time or effort on the part of your followers. Ask questions such as: What’s your favorite hamburger topping? Where was your favorite vacation? What was your first vehicle?
Promote your fans. Share their information on your page. Spread the social media love
Don’t forget calls to action. As a way to get them invested in your business or service, ask a question that raises a question in their minds and then offer a free report or a free consultation to address that pain point
