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Social Media Trends to Grow Your Brand by @luckifit

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by LaKisha Greenwade | Featured Contributor

Is social media here to stay? Absolutely! Actually, it is an understatement.  Social media will continue to expand reach by integrating with non traditional platforms in the next few years.

When building a brand, please know that you are ‘tardy to the party’ if there is no online presence outside of a webpage.  A fan page on a popular platform is not enough today and considered Pre-K in the school of Business Building.

What does this mean?

It is no longer optional to curate regular fresh content for your audience and interact with your followers.

I have heard many moans and groans from business owners who just want to work on their business versus in it. I understand. However, that is not an excuse to allow your business to suffer due to discomfort with the ever changing social media landscape. To prevent overwhelm, create a content calendar or contract out social media management duties and ads services to:

1) achieve an online presence in platforms where your customers reside,

2) grow your customer base and mailing lists, and

3) prepare yourself for new social media launches and trends that impact the way your customers research brands.

Do you still need convincing?

Well, 4 in 10 internet users say they follow their favorite brands on social media. Over one-third of online shoppers use social        media to “find inspiration” for a purchase and 59% of Americans with social media accounts think that customer service through social media has made it easier to get questions answered and issues resolved.

It is imperative to establish and grow your presence on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Google Plus.

Facebook is the most widely used platform with 79% of the American population.   LinkedIn is a platform growing in importance for the Business to Business community, especially with use of video. It is critical for those seeking to build their personal brands to create some focus here. Twitter recently launched a service to help brands reach target audiences payable directly to the platform.

This is just the beginning.

Social integrations are guaranteed to dominate in the near future. Once you have established consistent online presence, consider how one of the upcoming trends will aid in your brand building efforts.

  • Artificial Intelligence and Voice programs such as Alexa;
  • Chat bots;
  • Video; and
  • Social Influencers.

It is possible for you to:

1) create micro content for voice focused platforms,

2) improve customer service interactions with chat bots,

3) improve brand knowledge with video on all platforms (especially YouTube), and lastly,

4) integrate the use of social influencers to build brand awareness.

These featured trends of today will become mainstays of tomorrow. Do not delay auditing your brand presence on social media and invest in resources to enhance it for growth. It’s a move you won’t regret.

Tips to Hire the BEST Interns and Contractors for Business Growth. by @luckifit

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by LaKisha Greenwade | Featured Contributor  

Although solopreneurs rely heavily on technology to automate tasks and maintain a lean organization during the forming and growth phase, it’s inevitable that human help will be needed to add value to your business. It’s projected that employment will be highest from 2014-2024 amongst jobs that require higher social and analytical skills: 83 and 77% respectively.

Prevent overwhelm and enhance your productivity by hiring qualified contractors or interns to not only get the job done, but done well. Where do you start? Consider the role or job that if filled, would make your life much easier. Write a description of the duties then consider the qualifications and type of person you want to fill it.

When picturing your ideal candidate, consider soft skillsets that are hard to teach such as emotional intelligence, curiosity, adaptability, and critical thinking. Also, determine if you desire a team player or one who likes to win alone.

Keep in mind the following ten tips and helpful questions that lead towards a successful hire:

  1. Use behavioral interviewing techniques.
  2. Avoid bias- but listen to your gut, otherwise known as your intuition. Don’t dismiss facts presented by the employee during the interviewing process.
  3. Determine if the employee is a fit with your company brand- DO they uphold the same values and work ethic? Does their personality and energy ALIGN (not MATCH) your organization or the one you are trying to create?
  4. Are they self-aware? Do they consider the impact of their actions and words?
  5. Do they DO MORE than what is asked?
  6. Do they embody an entrepreneurial spirit? Do they enjoy partnering, learning, and experimenting?
  7. How well do they communicate? Assess this from the time they apply for a position with their resume or inquiry, ongoing email and phone communication pre and post interview, as well as how they treat all people (if you’re able to assess this in a public space).
  8. Determine YOUR management and communication style- Are you collaborative? A Micromanager? One who trusts employees to get the job done? Determine if your management and communication style is a fit for the respective candidate to achieve success for the project or mission.
  9. In many cases, interns will have limited working experience. Instead assess, their drive, passion, attention to detail, flexibility, and willingness to learn. These characteristics go a long way and will be essential foundational qualities that aid in the perfect employee molding process. Don’t be afraid to hire for a trial basis such as 30-90 days.
  10. Compensation matters when attracting the perfect candidate and managing your business cash flow. Research compensation norms and determine the level of supervision required for the task at hand. This will impact your offer.

Start small. Hire for a specific project and assess if the candidate is a good fit assume other roles in your business. For instance, hire for help with a PowerPoint project, small social media campaign, or event management assistance.  If you still feel uncomfortable with the hiring process, utilize resources and tools form SCORE.

To determine market rate, post a project on LinkedIn where contractors can submit bids for your job. Be mindful of how minimum wage impacts the position you are hiring for as well as the identification of a 1099. Peruse sites such Indeed, Internship posting sites, Craigslist, and local universities with internship opportunities to determine market rate.

Ultimately, the process of on-boarding the right help will enhance your business productivity and allow you to MANAGE your business versus WORKING IN your business. Your confidence as a leader will grow and hopefully you will be on a path to crush financial goals.

Rev Up Your Revenue: Plan in August to Close 2018 Strong by @luckifit

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by LaKisha Greenwade | Featured Contributor  

Summer time is often time to catch up with friends, and relax a little bit. However, you are doing Summer and your business a huge injustice if the month of August is not used to strategize and properly prepare to 4thquarter sales. Sure it’s a popular vacation month and families find themselves preparing for back to school. Don’t let your business get lost during this period of fun in the sun.

While everyone else is distracted, you should be focused on fine tuning or creating a new business strategy to crush your goals. No one said you have to leave the beach to make this happen. However, there should be dedicated time scheduled for business strategy and profit review, check-in meetings with team members, and review for potential risks that may impact fourth quarter sales. Conduct a SWOT analysis to determine if your goals are realistic and achievable. Invite key personnel to join you at the beach or for a seasonal lunch to check in. It is possible to mix business with pleasure (otherwise known as networking).

Half of the year has passed, meaning you still have time to catch up or continue to thrive. It’s possible to take some down time and enjoy the festive season while being intentional about private moments to strategize. The early bird gets the worm.

Think of it this way:

July- Reflect. Create a reflection period to determine went well, what didn’t and what you’d like to do different in your business.

August- Create.  Design a strategic plan to reach or increase your sales. Consider marketing efforts to test and evaluate in September and October. Revamp your social media strategy and clean up both your personal and business brands on Linkedin.

Sept- Implement. Test. Repeat. Create a pre-holiday sales strategy with a defined end period. Invest in a weekend to replenish your energy to prepare for 4thquarter sales. Train staff and engage in crucial conversations with vendors or supply chain reps to ensure you can achieve year end goals.

Oct- Rev up. You’re way ahead of the game so all you have to do is determine how to implement offers for loyal and new customers. If you’re smart, you’ll create something that keeps them buying through year end with incentives to share with others.

Nov- Check Inventory. Review products and staff availability. Make sure you can supply all of your offers. Get out of the house and office to meet and mingle with folks.  Be sure to take one day for yourself to just think and recover from all of your hard work.

Dec- Hopefully you’ve met your sales goals and this period is icing on the cake. If you still have room to grow, it’s ok! Review your strategy and determine what you can do without giving products or services away for free.  It’s possible to be profitable.

You’ll reap tremendous benefits while focusing on your business during the closeout of the summer. You’ll be more relaxed moving into the 9thmonth and exude confidence in your strategy.  Key decisions and contacts made on the beach may ensure your priority placement on great deals for your customers. Lastly, you’ll be in position to adapt easily because you would have thought out possible scenarios that would affect your business and customers.

It’s best to think with a clear mind where the only competition is yourself. Rev up and exceed those goals to close out the year strong. I’m rooting for you.