Monthly Archives: March 2017
Why You Need a Social Media Marketing Strategy
If you’re a business owner and thinking of now putting your business on a social media platform or if you have already done so, but are not getting the results you had hoped for. You need to read this post.
Social media is not a place where you constantly want to post advertisements about your business, its a place to share ideas, business achievements, and most importantly learn to engage with others.
Social Media isn’t just a fad.
Honestly, a few years ago I often wondered if all the popular social media sites would come to an end or lose their popularity. It is now becoming apparent that surely is not the case. In fact, many social media sites like Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and most recently Snapchat (Snap Inc.) are now publicly traded on The NYSE and Nasdaq.
Your Social Media Strategy in The Beginning
It’s actually very simple, you are either going to promote YOU, your Business, or both. Whatever you decide — the most important thing you can do is not overwhelm yourself with too many sites. You need to pick one or two of your favorite social platforms and simply get active. How do you get active? Just post 1 or 2 times per day and connect with others. Engage in conversations and spend a few minutes per day liking and commenting on others posts. By doing this strategy you will slowly but surely begin to build up a presence and a following. Once you get to where you have over a few hundred followers on any platform you will begin to see more and more likes and engagement on your posts.
Your Social Media Strategy Later on (Automate)
Once your following grows and you are on more than a few platforms you will want to consider using tools to automate your posts. A few that I like to use on a regular basis are Hootsuite, Socialoomph, Klout, and Facebook App & Facebook Page Manager (for smartphone). By using some of these tools you will save yourself time and money. As your goal with social media isn’t just to connect with others, but to be smart with your time, so you don’t waste hours online moving yourself further away from your business objectives.
Be Real and Pay Attention
Make sure that you promote your business only around 20% of the time or if you need to do more that its more informative marketing. People on social media like to see things and share things that inform them. I can promise you that if you constantly market your business and don’t offer creative innovative content that you will lose your audience. You wouldn’t run a TV Station and constantly air commercials. If you plan on using social media to get customers for your business — really pay attention and don’t over do it. Make sure to track leads and updates (especially the ones that you are paying for) so you know which types of posts are getting the most engagement. If you find that your posts are getting little or no engagement than simply change it up. Just like anything learn and become more effective with your messaging and this should help you get more of the results that you are looking for.
If you like this post be sure to sign up for my free ebook “Social Media Tips & Tricks” on this page.
This article was retrieved on 3/27/17 from another article I wrote at http://www.medium.com
Read and Grow Rich
Years ago when I was first learning about becoming an entrepreneur and leaving my corporate job back in 2007 for a one year adventure overseas, I heard the term, “leaders are readers.” I wasn’t sure what to make of that, but I noticed that as I started to read more self-help books mainly from authors like Jim Rohn, Wayne Dyer, and Napolean Hill I noticed over time that I started to look at things differently. In fact, I think the first time I read the book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki I thought differently about working, money, and just about everything to do with business. I went from working for the past 10 years of my life to being self-employed again. As for the past 10 years I have only been employed for 4 of them. Before I started reading these books I had come to the conclusion that I had little control over my destiny and I pretty much had to give up on my dreams even though as a child and young adult I had many dreams.
Everyone is born a genius, but the process of living de-geniuses them. – Buckminster Fuller 1927, a
Luckily, in my mid-thirties I didn’t buy into the idea of settling for a life of mediocrity. In fact, I felt like I was beginning to live again after reading those books. I began to think differently and realized that my thoughts and actions were in correlation to my future.
I remember around the same time that I read Rich Dad, Poor Dad. I had also watched the movie The Secret and shortly thereafter purchased the book. The Secret was a best seller and based on the idea of The Law of Attraction. The Law of Attraction was basically and idea that our thoughts become things, so if we are going to think we might as well think positive. I kind of compared it to what the bible had to say over a thousand years ago, “As a man thinks so is he.” Proverbs 23:7
So my challenge to you over the next 30 days until it becomes a habit is to pick up an inspirational or educational book and challenge yourself to read 10 pages per day. Do this for a period of 30 days and I will do it with you and lets see if our thoughts begin to change.
Below I have listed some of my favorite books to help get you started.
- The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz
- Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
- The Richest Man in Babylon by Jim Rohn
- As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
- Harmonic Wealth by James Arthur Ray
- The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
- Multiple Streams of Income by Robert G. Allen
- The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles
- Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill
- The Bible the inspired word of God
I have read all of the above and recommend any of them to you and guarantee that if you start reading any of them on a daily basis that your thoughts will begin to change for the better.
This article was retrieved from another article I wrote on 3/22/17 at medium.com
Top 10 Social Media Marketing Tips!
Top 10 Social Media Marketing Tips!
If you are on Social Media and are either promoting a business or thinking about it, you will want to be consistent in your activities. In this post I have posted 10 of my top 10 Social Media Marketing Tips to help promote your business on the different social media platforms.
- Don’t overwhelm yourself (pick 2 or 3 of your favorite Social Media Platforms)
- Be consistent (post daily or at least 2 to 3 times per week on each platform)
- 80/20 rule (80% of the time post personal or non-business related posts and 20% of the time post about your business)
- Connect often and engage (don’t just post — engage with your audience).
- Be creative (don’t post the same thing over and over. Try to come up with interesting content — pictures, quotes, things you enjoy)
- Be authentic — don’t be something you’re not. (If you don’t own a private jet — don’t pretend like you do, people need to relate to the real you.)
- Time management (don’t spend too much time on one platform. Get in and get out and engage with those that like and comment on your posts.)
- Know what you want to get in return for your efforts. (Figure out why you want to be on Social Media for Biz — is it for brand awareness, to get more followers, more customers, figure out why you are doing it. Don’t just being doing it because everyone else is.)
- Use 3rd party tools (important that you use 3rd party tools to streamline your social media marketing. A few to mention are http://socialoomph for twitter, http://hootsuite.com, and http://klout.com
- Have Fun! You wouldn’t go to a party and not have fun. Social Media is all about being at a party online — so make sure you have fun with it.
There are a few tips to get you going on social media. If you’d like to get more tips on Social Media Marketing make sure to pick up a free copy of my ebook on this site today.
This article was retrieved from another article I wrote on http://www.medium.com on 3/17/2017
Video Marketing on YouTube
Can you use YouTube to market your business online? Yes, you can. In fact, I’ve got a few videos running right now that are getting me a steady flow of leads every day for my home based business. The thing I love about YouTube is that you can create a video once, put in a few search terms that people might use to find your video and then get up and walk away and never even touch the video ever again. I’ve done this time and time again and that is why out of all the popular ways there are to promote your business online this has to be my all-time favorite.
Unlike Google AdWords or Social Media you constantly have to stay on top of it and monitor it regularly until you get it right. It can take awhile to get it all on auto drive. Not so with YouTube, in fact if you make a handful of videos in your first few months on Youtube you should have a few that do well right away.
It’s pretty simple to get going, you just need a camera and a mic (most smart phones and computers already have). Make a short video 5 t0 10 minutes in length if possible. I find that videos over 15 minutes don’t get near the hits are engagement as the shorter ones. Don’t ask me why just what I have found the case to be.
Once you record your video and upload it add a good description and make sure to put your website in your description so people can get back to you. I get lots of comments and likes on my video’s but my goal is to get people to get on my email list, so I can build a long term relationship with them, but many will probably just subscribe to your video channel.
Not every video will be a hit, but I can promise you that if you stay consistent with it, you will make money from it.
If you’d like to learn more about how to benefit from using YouTube for your business make sure to pick up a copy of my new book “The Social Media Puzzle & How To Profit From It” on Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com
This blog was retrieved from an article I posted on http://medium.com on 3/13/17
Valentus Review
Valentus Review
A few years ago I came across a start-up company within the direct selling industry called Valentus. They appeared to be selling healthy 
beverages online or through word of mouth marketing and they had a very interesting product that caught my attention “Slim Roast” Weight Loss Coffee. I had seen another company called Javita marketing the same thing years ago, but was intrigued enough to try the product. Not that I needed to lose weight, but a friend had offered to send me a free sample and I thought – why not. As a marketer who’s been a part of the health & wellness industry for many years I’ve always been fascinated with the different products that companies come out with. I guess the ones that really grab my attention are the ones that people would understand without a long science report with a cherry on top. Heck, 70% of all people drink coffee on a daily basis and many people I know over 30 are trying to lose weight. This was like Jenny Craig meets Starbucks – I was intrigued to say the least.
I didn’t join Valentus after that first sample, not because I didn’t like the taste, but because I didn’t want to put my time and energy into a start-up company knowing that most fail within the first few years (been there done that).
Fast forward a few years later (7 months ago). The same friend who shared Valentus with me a few years prior contacted me again. My first thought was wow – they are still in business. My second thought was I might have to do some due-diligence on this company and find out what they are all about. Below I made a list of what I found out and why you may want to consider Valentus if you are looking for a product/service to market for a home based business or another way to create income or wealth in your spare-time.
My Top 10 Reasons for Why Valentus is a Great Company for Network Marketing.
- 3 years old and debt free (past the point of collapse and entering momentum).
- Went from 10 million in gross sales in 2015 to 30 million in 2016.
- Consumable products that most people already consume (coffee & energy drinks).
- Company owner who has been a distributor in the past (very important).
- International opportunity (available in over 100 countries).
- Plans to expand internationally
- Outstanding training provided by leaders who have earned millions within the industry. (many already earning 6 & 7 figures or more annually).
- Exceptional compensation plan that pays weekly & monthly.
- Free Online Marketing System for everyone (most companies charge a fee for that).
- Free Training (The team that I joined has free training on how to become a marketing pro). The company also provides daily and weekly training.
Well there are my top reasons for why Valentus is one of the best opportunities within the network marketing – direct selling industry today. If you’d like to get more information on Valentus please visit Valentus today and check it out for yourself.
Top Success Tips for Pinterest
Pinterest is a catalog social media site of pictures and ideas from travel to business to the latest & greatest recipes to stir up your belly or even your love life.
Pinterest has been around since 2012 and currently has around 150 million active monthly users (mostly women). I’ve been on Pinterest for a few years now and find it to be one of the most interesting social media sites. Not unlike Instagram as you just post pictures (pin it). In the
I’ve been on Pinterest for a few years now and find it to be one of the most interesting social media sites and most fun too. Not unlike Instagram as you just post pictures (pin it), but more informative. In the pictures (you upload or share) you must describe your picture so it shows up in The Pinterest Searches. I’ve personally used Pinterest for recipes when cooking, making travel plans, and I personally love all the funny pictures, jokes, and quotes (great way to start your day with a big smile). Here are some tips I have found useful for using Pinterest as a valuable tool to promote my businesses, blog, and brand over the past few years.
- Pin Often (at least 1 time per day) Post your own pics or find pics that are relevant to your brand or business.
- Create Boards that grab people’s interests (a few of mine are: Cool Photos, The Truth Shall Set You Free, Places I’d Like To See, Social Media Tips & Tricks, Funny, and Get Healthy)
- #Hashtags don’t matter on PInterest, but you must describe your picture in detail or know one will ever find it.
- Boards & lots of them – pin to your boards regularly or they will get lost in SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
- Set Up a Business Page on Pinterest (not personal) especially if you’re going to be using Pinterest for Brand Awareness.
- Once you’re using Pinterest on a regular basis you’ll want to use Pinterest Analytics to see how you’re doing.
- Engage with Others. If someone reaches out to you or makes a comment don’t ignore. You never know who your next customer might be.
If you’d like to get up to speed on Social Media Marketing make sure to download a free copy of my ebook on this website “Social Media Tips & Tricks for Business” and absolutely make sure to follow me on Pinterest.
How To Get More Twitter Followers
How To Get More Twitter Followers
Having been pretty active on Twitter since 2008 and now up to over 150,000 followers, I think I know a thing or two about how to get more followers on Twitter. Here are some of my top tips on how you can get alot more followers on Twitter.
• Share news articles or blog posts that capture your attention.
• Tweet about something that is funny or makes you laugh.
• Share your feedback on a movie or TV show you just watched.
• Tweet about a sporting event.
• Tweet about something funny (love to tweet jokes).
• Ask for feedback before you make a major purchase (also do the same on your Facebook Personal Page)
• Ask questions.
• Definitely participate in Follow Friday #FF and recommend your favorite people to follow.
• Tweet about a company milestone.
• Recognize an employee who has done a good job.
• Tweet about a good book you’ve just read.
• Tweet about a Youtube video you like.
• Always Retweet others and share the love.
• Thank someone for following you.
• Thank someone for mentioning you or Retweeting you.
• Tweet about something you just learned.
• Tweet your favorite quotesUse #Hashtags whenever possible
• Use #Hashtags whenever possible
If you’d like to learn more about Social Media Marketing and how to monetize it for profitable financial gain, please pick up my latest book The Social Media Puzzle & How To Profit From It on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
How Much Time Should I Devote To Social Media Daily?
How much time should I devote to social media daily?
It all depends on what your goals are and what you want to accomplish. I know professionals who work from home who spend hours on Social Media for business and people like myself who spend maybe an hour or less per day on average. But here is what I do know.
If you are not consistently posting on any of the major social media sites – you will not have a lot of success on Social Media if you are trying to promote yourself or your business.
Having made quite a bit of money in the past by using Social Media for my business endeavors here are a few things I recommend to get the biggest bang for your buck.
- Don’t waste time too much time looking around. Just like shopping know what you’re going in for and get out as quickly as possible.
- Post at least 1 to 2 times daily on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest and up to 6 times daily on Twitter.
- Like and retweet what others have to say (don’t just promote you).
- If you’re on a tight schedule – set a timer for 15 or 30 minutes (repeat daily)
- Have applications on your smart phone that allow you to post or engage at slow times throughout the day (standing in line at the grocery store, post office, on work break, etc.)
- Just like anything else to be successful, you must put some time and energy into it to get anything in return.
I think the 3 most important questions to ask yourself as it pertains to Social Media for your business is – What do I want to accomplish from it? How much time am I willing to put into it? How much am I willing to spend?
If you’d like to get more information on how to be successful on Social Media. You can pick up my new book “The Social Media Puzzle & How To Profit From it” on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.