Get More Out of Twitter

 

  • Understand the Algorithm: It is very important that you are extremely present and active on Twitter. It is in live time, which means as soon as you tweet, it begins to scroll to the bottom of your followers feed. Twitter’s algorithm is not as advanced as Facebook’s; a major downfall regarding this platform. A way to help combat this algorithm is by liking, retweeting, and responding to your tweets and mentions. Many businesses are lenient when creating a Twitter as this is a platform where celebrities hang out and tweet. Even though this is true, Twitter is still a beneficial platform to grow and connect to more potential customers.

 

  • Condensed Content: Twitter only gives their users 280 characters for each tweet. Using fewer words to get your point across is most beneficial. This allows your content to be read and retweeted quickly. We recommend posting at least six times a day to help ensure that you will reach your followers.

 

  • Use Videos to Your Advantage: When posting on Twitter, videos are the best in terms of performance. You can also go live, which allows your followers the ability to connect to you on a more personal level.

 

  • Hashtags and Trends: It is very important to stay relevant. This can be done by researching hashtags and trends. Topics that are trending now are seen by millions of people. You can retweet and respond to comments to help grow your following and outreach. This shows that are you are a part of the conversation!

 

  • Follow the Right People: When thinking about social media, you always want to grow your following as fast as possible. It is important to gain followers, but you want them to be individuals that are interested in your offer or goal. If you have 100,000 followers but none of them meet your demographic of an ideal client, this is not beneficial to you. It is important to follow people who share your values and interests, along with industry leaders.

 

Even though Twitter is filled with influencers and celebrities, you still have a voice on this platform! It is important that you show up and stay engaged with your followers.

 

7 Tips and Tricks to Make Your LinkedIn Profile Stand Out!

1. Professional Profile Pictures: It is extremely important that you are putting your best foot forward. This means you should have a professional photo of yourself as your profile picture. Also, try to pick a photo that you are smiling in, profiles that capture someone smiling are nine times more likely to convert, and twenty-one times more likely to be viewed! Lastly, dress for success, first impressions mean everything especially within the virtual world!

 

2. Headlines That Catch Your Eye: By default, LinkedIn uses your last job as your headline. You are able to change this within settings to reflect what job is most beneficial for your goal. You only have 120 characters so make it something catchy that reflects you as a person and employee.

 

3. Create a Well-Written Summary: LinkedIn gives you the ability to describe who you are in the workplace. It is important that you list your areas of expertise along with your accomplishments. It is also important to add in your contact information so that potential employers will be able to contact you about opportunities. This also helps you grow your network and expand your community of business professionals.

 

4. Make Sure Your Work and Volunteer Experience is Up to Date: You should add all past work and volunteer experience. This shows that you are a well-rounded individual and that you are capable of handling a variety of situations. It is also important to write in first person, as this is a story about your work and volunteer experience.

 

5. Add Your Educational Background: Not only will this show everyone where you earned your degree, you will also be able to connect with fellow alumni to grow your network.

 

6. Create Keyword Specific Skills: When people search on LinkedIn, they can search by key phrases. This will allow your profile to be viewed more often and will increase your likelihood of finding mutual connections.

 

7. Communicate With Connections. Do not stop at simply adding the people to your network. Send them a message to see what they are doing and how you may learn from them. This allows you to create a deeper connection and network to help you grow within the workforce and as an individual.

Facebook: Behind the Curtain

In recent weeks Facebook has drawn back the curtains regarding their business platform. Facebook is known as the world’s top social media platform, many of us are guilty of spending countless hours scrolling through our feed, but Facebook has progressed into something greater than just that. No longer is Facebook only known as a place to share with friends; it has become a place of transparency and community between businesses and customers!

It comes as no surprise that Facebook has a vast amount of powerful tools for businesses to expand and advance by reaching more potential customers. Businesses do this by running paid ads, creating groups, going live, engaging their audience, and much more. Before this update, businesses could run paid advertisement without the potential customer seeing the “behind the scenes” web of ads that coax them into buying. This means that companies must develop a greater relationship with their customer, and establish deeper trust. Why? Because it’s harder to sell to someone who knows they are being sold.

Businesses aren’t only exposed to the eyes of their potential customers, but their competition as well. Now, the secret ingredients of a business’ marketing are “on the label” for all to see. Though this will no doubt increase competition, it will also create a better user experience on facebook. Facebook advertising has always been about causing the least amount of disruption to the user. Hopefully, when everyone can see what works, ads on the platform will become more seamless and easier to interact with.

When reflecting on the controversy of whether this is helping or hurting businesses here are some things to consider…

Pro

  • Facebook is becoming more transparent and proactive. Therefore, people feel more comfortable to use this platform.
  • Human nature is to find flaws, this is one less hole within Facebook’s story.
  • Facebook encourages connection and being open continues to shows that they want to build community.
  • You can see what is working for others by doing research, because of this less personal resources are spent with experimenting.  

Con

  • People that market on Facebook with paid advertisement may look more vulnerable.
  • Everyone can see what your sequence is to success and failure so others can use your tools for their own benefit.
  • Unable to leverage ones business to competitors.

No matter where you stand within this debate, Facebook has changed people’s lives and they will continue to merge the gap between business and personal life.

By: Sophia LaMore

Why Honesty is the Most Important Intangible in Your Success


Honesty and integrity are by far the most important assets of an entrepreneur. – Zig Ziglar

Have you ever noticed that being honest to others seems like a no-brainer, but we can justify being dishonest with ourselves without hesitation?  Honest about your knowledge of a certain subject, realistic about your competency with a particular job, or transparent enough to admit your mistakes.

Being honest exposes ourselves to the reality of what is going on around us.  It’s where the phrase “calling it like it is” comes from, and those who can be real with themselves and their business on a daily basis are bound for success. 

Here are some examples of why transparency is so valuable:

Develop Accountability

First and foremost, being honest with yourself and your business will develop personal accountability.  Personal accountability is the intangible you need to build your business from the inside out: if you pull all the strings of your business, then you have all the power to make it succeed. 

Zig Ziglar said, “You must manage yourself before you can lead someone else.” 

It strikes at the heart of what transparency brings to the table for your business.  Once you develop accountability within yourself you can begin encouraging the same standard in others.  Soon enough, your team will be full of honest and hard-working employees who call it like it is. 

You Learn About Yourself

Another great attribute of transparency is that you can learn how you react in stressful situations, when the chips are down and someone needs to take accountability.  Is it going to be you?  Maybe it should be in certain situations, but it could also be someone else who needs to step forward. 

Being open and honest makes it easier for you to see where things went wrong, and furthermore, what you can do to prevent it from happening again.  It also helps you get an idea of how much actual work it takes to execute a given project.

What about when things are going well? 

Success should be greeted with the same kind of ruthless honesty at play when times are tough.  A successful sales campaign deserves plenty of a rewards, congratulations, and analysis.  Part of being transparent is acknowledging the success of others, giving them the plaudits they deserve, and learning from others. 

All too often businesses see accountability as a way to explain away their mistakes.  It should be the other way around.  A culture of accountability within your business will strengthen teamwork, and teams need to stick together in the good times and the bad.

Gives You a Chance to Improve

Nothing helps you with personal self-development as much as making mistakes.  Everyone makes them, but it’s those who can learn from them that flourish in the world of business.  When you are honest about what you did (or did not) do, you have just taught yourself how to avoid making the same mistake in the future. 

It might be hiring someone without calling all of their references, or giving someone more responsibility because you don’t have the time.  If these decisions lead to problems down the road, at least you can rectify them and strengthen your operating procedure going forward.

Psychological Growth Will Produce Business Success

A lot of people start out in the business world with some naivety.  They may think they have what it takes to make a million in the first year of their business – but does it happen?  Usually not.

A vast majority of success stories come from people that have failed over and over again before finding a niche that works for them and succeeding.  Do these success stories look back in anger on their failed business ventures?  Absolutely not. 

Ask anyone in business about the trials and tribulations they faced in the early days and they will say it was the adversity they needed to learn about themselves and develop the character required to make a business that succeeds in the long-term.

What Makes A Great Leader?

When talking about business leadership, many different characteristics come to mind.  A leader can be silent and put the focus on doing rather than showing.  A leader can also be assertive and full of excitement and gusto, relaying their energy and enthusiasm to their team to push them forward.  These are the two poles of leadership characteristics, and in most cases, business leaders display a little bit of both depending on the situation or context.

Then you have leadership styles. Wisetoast has put together a list of 12 common leadership styles among business leaders today.  These styles each take a different focus, whether it’s:

  • Autocratic
  • Democratic
  • Strategic
  • Transformational
  • Team-Oriented
  • Cross-Cultural
  • Facilitative
  • Laissez-faire
  • Transactional
  • Coaching
  • Charismatic
  • Visionary

That’s a lot of style jammed into a single list.  Do you resonate with a few of the types above?

The truth is, humans are fluid.  We do not just fit into a specific box or “type”.  Someone can be an autocratic leader one week and a democratic leader the next.  We each have distinct personality traits from our character as adults.  In order to harness great leadership then, the focus should be less on style and more on personal attributes. 

Here are 5 attributes of great leadership that you can nurture no matter what personality type you are: 

  • Flexibility.  Being able to adjust plans and schedules without getting flustered is an important skill.  It takes composure and a realization that you can only control a small fraction of things in your vicinity – the rest is up to others, whom you have to trust.
  • Strong Communication.  Always being clear and remaining in touch with your team is important.  It can be a simple “hi, how are you?” or a detailed email about a new project.  Whatever the content, the motive remains the same, and that’s the key.
  • Courage.  Being able to overcome obstacles and remain confident is a requirement of great leadership.
  • Humility.  Appreciating the fragility of life and your place within it will help you make choices for the group, rather than for yourself.  A humble person is also able to admit mistakes. 
  • Organized and Responsible.  A leader must be on top of all responsibilities and organize people throughout all stages of a project. 

Contrary to what some people say, leadership is not something a few people are born with and the rest of us are out to lunch.  Hard work and vision are the key to becoming a great leader. 

Find a way to center your business culture around models of great leadership, and cultivate and environment that induces employees to take on more responsibility.  With responsibility comes accountability, and learning how to be accountable is step 1 on the road to great leadership. 


Zig Ziglar said, “You don’t build a business – you build people – and then people build the business.”

It all starts at the top.  As a leader within your business, it’s on your shoulders to set the tone and be a great leader for the team by focusing on these attributes and how you can educate, equip, and empower your team to build your business. 

Understanding ‘Big Data’ and How it Can Help Your Business

If you’re like me, the term ‘big data’ sounds like a catch-all phrase.

To help explain it better, I found a great piece by IBM (an industry leader in analytics) describing the four dimensions their data scientists use to interpret big data.

Volume. There is more data being produced now than ever before. One of the most fascinating stats
brought up by IBM is that “40 zettabytes of data will be created by 2020, an increase of 300 times from
2015.”

Variety. The kinds of data being retrieved is also expanding exponentially. Social content, video
content, engagement data – business operations in all industries have become more focused since
digital analytics has taken hold, and big data will make it easier to collect and synthesize more different
kinds of data.

Velocity. The analysis of streaming data is where it gets really interesting. Big data operates through a
network of nodes and sensors within a large framework, all connected to a central hub. These nodes
and sensors can be designed to track any kind of information you want. For example, cars are now
made with nearly 100 sensors that maintenance issues in the vehicle (fuel level, tire pressure, etc.).

Veracity. This refers to the uncertainty of data. A lot of business leaders are still lacking trust in the
legitimacy of the data generated by big data analytics. There is no easy solution here, and two things
need to happen: Real improvements to the functionality of big data software need to be made, and
business leaders need to put some of the data they generate to work and see how it fares.

So, let’s say you are a mid-sized business and are not sure how, or even if, big data can be of use.

As Barbara Weltman puts it, small businesses already have the data sets required to make use of big
data – they just need to know how.

Here are some ways it can help, no matter the size of your business:
1. Customer Insights. The volume of data is certainly there when it comes to customer social
media content and search history.

2. Predict Trends. Looking at the macro-level searches and trends will help your business stay one
step ahead of the pack.

3. Efficiency. There are a lot of software programs available to synthesis all internal
communications and operations (including supply chain issues).

Are numbers important?
In short, yes. Like Zig Ziglar said, “The first step in solving a problem is to recognize that it does
exist.” In order to fix an issue, it is helpful to know where the problem is stemming from. Measuring
your business metrics and data are very useful tools.

How to Use Solitude to Your Advantage

The world of business moves much faster than the world of farming (to give just one example).  Mergers, acquisitions, quarterly reports, conferences, meetings, and tight accounting practices are just some of the monthly responsibilities you may have on your plate if you engage in business. 

It’s exhilarating to be such a mover and shaker, and the excitement of a new development keeps us going. 

However, in such a frenetic environment it is difficult to take a moment of pause.  It’s challenging to disconnect every week and find some solitude for you and your thoughts.

But is solitude worth it?

Yes.  Much like the oft-overlooked benefits of sleep, the scientific community is in practically universal agreement on the benefits of solitude.

One study by the University of London found our IQ drops 15 points when we multitask. 

This is backed up in the research conducted by Clifford Nass, who has concluded that distractions prevent the brain from adequately filtering out irrelevant information.

So clearly there is enough evidence to back up the claim that distractions harm productivity. 

You probably already knew that, but it helps to have numbers to back it up.  The funny thing about distractions is that they can emerge just as often from internal sources (fatigue, stress) as external (social media messaging, texting while talking, etc.).  Harnessing the value of solitude is a great reliever of distraction no matter it’s source. 

What Is a Good Way to Integrate Solitude into My Schedule?

It all revolves around effective time management.  You can start by taking 15 minutes at the beginning of each day to close your eyes and reflect.  This simple practice will help dispel anxieties about the upcoming day that would otherwise build up.  It might sound cheesy – but it works. 

Another great tactic is to schedule a half an hour block every day in which you do some activity on your own.  It might be a walk around the blog, a trip to a local gallery or museum … anything that will take your mind of work for a short time.  Personally, I take Jiu Jitsu classes. That time is on my calendar several times per week.

How Can Solitude Help My Business?

There are tons of ways solitude has material benefits to your business.  However, to get to the material benefits you need to first improve your own mental and physical health. 

Solitude Improves Mental Health

Tips for ensuring strong mental health are not shared enough amongst the business community.  Why is it that we cannot support each other in taking breaks and slowly down for a minute? Symptoms of weak mental health include: feeling overwhelmed, stressed, general uncertainty, lacking hunger, not sleeping very well.  The best cure is taking some time out for yourself.  You will become a happier and more productive worker if you do!

Solitude Can Make You a Stronger Leader

Taking time for solitude will make you a better leader because it will help you form a stronger understanding of your own identity.  What does that mean, exactly?  It means that you have taken the time to reflect deeply on issues affecting you and your team, and in those moments developed potential solutions.  That’s what leaders do: they tackle the big issues with originality and think through problems affecting everyone. 

Gives You Time for Brainstorming

Creativity in business is of vital importance, but it notoriously difficult to harness.  When you are overworked and stressed there is no time for finding creative solutions to your business.  Taking 30 minutes a day to let your mind wander will provide an opportunity for creative solutions to just pop into your head.

Do your best to integrate solitude into your weekly schedule, and if you’re like me, it will become self-evident that taking time away for yourself will make your business life more enjoyable and productive. 

The Rise of Influencer Marketing and how it can help your business

Does that athlete or supermodel REALLY use the product they’re promoting?
Probably not.
Most celeb-endorsements are done because of Influencer Marketing. 

Everyone understands the power of connectivity social media provides.  It’s a fantastic revolution in human communication that allows us to stay connected with people across the world, in real time. 

And, those of us who are entrepreneurial-minded, also know something about social media that most users do not: in every communication platform there is an opportunity for profit.  The source of profit comes from interpreting and leveraging this inter-connectivity to a brand’s advantage, and one of the best ways to do this is via influencer marketing.    

What is Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is basically collaborating with individuals and business leaders who are active and interested in what you offer, and daily interactions can make your brand stand out with sought-after trusted sources in your niche.

It’s basically the practice of finding key industry players that have influence in your niche and approaching them with a proposal to try your product, guest blog on your site, or cultivate some other form of professional relationship that can be seen online. 


Cross-promotions can create win-wins in the right environment.

Though it might sound simple, there is actually a very specific process involved in generating an influencer relationship… 

Step 1: Engagement

You should never approach an influencer out of the blue with a proposal to review your new product.  Without a personal bond of any sort, the influencer is almost certainly going to ignore you. 

The solution?  Engage with their social profiles.  Read their posts, comment on them in an informed way, and generally make it clear that you respect their opinion. 

Step 2: Discussion

After a bit of engagement, which can take weeks or even months, you may begin to discuss the potential of a guest blog post or a featured article.  You will want to keep it informal to gather information about how the influencer prefers to work – because they may do it for free if they find value in the relationship you’ve created – or, when they know, like, and trust you.

Step 3: Proposal

Make a proposal to the influencer once you have a strong working relationship.  The proposal can be as simple as mentioning a new product and asking what they think of it, or it could be more direct such as offering a paid placement campaign of your brand on their channels. 

Will Influencer Marketing Help My Business?

There is no question that influencer marketing will help your business.  To go back to the question of leveraging: you want to get as much positive press as possible, always, while spending as little money as possible.  You can leverage your industry connections and expand your market simply through a recommendation from an influential voice. 

Here are a few interesting stats, taken from digital media studies, to highlight the effectiveness of influencer marketing on your bottom line:

  • 74% of people believe that social media is a trusted source in guiding them to buy a product
  • 49% of people rely on influencers to make buying decisions
  • 47% of people use ad-blocking technology (and I wager this is actually higher across the board)

What Does the Rise of Influencer Marketing Illustrate About Digital Marketing?

It shows that in addition to conventional ad channels, consumers will always place higher value on recommendations from those that they know, like, and trust.

It shows that small business owners can save tons of money in marketing spend by forming strategic relationships with key industry voices. 

It shows that consumers see through major advertising initiatives to the core of the product on offer.  If the product does not appear to have “social proof”, then it’s a much harder sell.

How to Scale Your Business Effectively

As a small business owner, you probably know by now that growth is the defining metric to watch.  Year in and year out, if the growth ticker does not nudge upwards then it’s quite possible your business is in jeopardy.  

So, what is the most important factor in determining growth?  An ability to scale up operations.  If you cannot scale up your business, you are confining yourself to limited growth, consistently.  If the revenue from expansion is less than overall cost, after a limited period of time, something must change in your business model.  

What we know for sure is that the old model of growth does not work in the digital economy.  The old growth model went something like this: a firm gains a few new clients, so they hire a few more staff, thus adding cost at the same rate as they add revenue.  

This model no longer works in the digital economy for two main reasons…  

  • Changing Nature of Hiring.  Business owners need to take a long hard look at their costs and figure out how to maximize skill while minimizing expense.  Businesses without a brick and mortar location have far less to worry about here, although a similar comparison could be made between marketing cost and revenue.  Do they match up in your favor? If not, then it’s time to hire a different marketing team.    

  • Changing Nature of Costs.  Small business owners must spend far more money on digital marketing than ever before.  But digital marketing can be done strategically in ways that save money and ensure the same results: scaling up operations.  

What Does a Growth Strategy Look Like in 2017?

The new model of growth is all about adaptation, efficiency, and long-term vision.  A growth strategy in 2017 should be defined not in terms of cost but in terms of use-value.  

Focus on Training, Not New Hires

For example, let’s say your business is ready to scale up, but projected labor costs are just too high.  From the perspective of use-value, a more effective solution would be to train and compensate existing staff to be more competent and capable (and thus more efficient).  Sure, there will be a cost involved there as well, but you will have made it possible to scale your business up and keep the accompanying rise in labor cost to a minimum.  

If you do make some new hires, make sure you have a strong leadership structure in place beforehand so that employees are held accountable and remain strong contributors week in and week out.

Refine Your System, Don’t Expand It

Another misconception about scaling up is that you will need to change your whole operation.  Not the case.  

However, you will need to refine your internal communication channels so that the entire team functions better.  Do you have a ‘system’?  It will be very hard to scale up without one.


Take advantage of the many programs available for internal business communications, and formalize a structure that has space for growth.  These systems are great because they allow for clearly defined roles and the potential for large team projects.  

Formalizing a structure will mean everyone is on the same page as you grow, so that you are not playing catch-up as growth starts to materialize.  It means you have planned for it and your team can take it all in stride – and that’s one of the most important keys to scaling up in a seamless fashion. 

The Tips You Need to Use Infusionsoft Effectively

Converting cold leads into sales takes more than a killer social media presence and an all-encompassing digital marketing ad campaign.  While these are influential tools for gathering interest, the hard work of actually converting users/views into customers has not been accomplished yet. 

All too often, business owners think that traffic and engagement should organically translate into sales.  Unfortunately, it’s simply not that easy. 

Enter email marketing, the next phase in your sales channel that provides users with valuable and actionable content about your brand. 

Email Marketing is a Key Business Strategy

Email marketing is successful because it cuts through a lot of the barriers between your business and your audience.  It’s not just a little Facebook ‘like’ here and a click to the homepage there – it’s a personalized email that keeps users up to speed with your brand. 

And it works wonders.  Consider these stats:

  • Research from VentureBeat found that every $1 spent on email campaigns generates $38 in ROI
  • According to McKinsey data, email marketing is still approximately 40% more effective than Facebook or Twitter in gaining new customers

The email marketing platform we recommend to our clients is Infusionsoft – it is an intuitive and scalable email marketing tool that provides the tools you need to make impactful email campaigns. 

However, there are some tips to consider that will help you create better newsletters and drive page open rates. 

  • Make the Most of Segmentation 

Segmentation allows you to curate email newsletters only to those people that have expressed interest in the content itself.  Not just the newsletter – the content of the newsletter itself.

So take advantage of Infusionsoft’s segmentation tool and make lists based on specific interests, otherwise your audience will ignore it. 

  • Produce More Dynamic Content

Once you have made lists of customers based on interests, it’s time to develop templates optimized for each list.   

  • A/B Testing

Infusionsoft offers exceptional A/B testing research. It’s a great way to see what is working in your approach.  Is it the image? The text? The time it is sent?  These are all important intangibles that you should be testing. 

Rounding It Up

As your business grows it will collect more data.  It can be a daunting task trying to organize it all and make use of it in your marketing endeavors.  The process is made much easier by analytical tools like Infusionsoft, as long as you know how to harness its full potential. 

Contact us at Support@EZMetrics.com to get the latest deals / discounts on Infusionsoft and other programs to make your business run even smoother so that you can generate more leads and close more sales.