Preparing for 2016: 3 Digital Marketing Trends

Over the next four weeks, I will be sharing topics that will help you prep your business for the New Year! To kick things off I wanted to touch on one of the most important topics that I will be covering: social media and digital marketing trends.

1 | Instant Updates

On-the-go and in-the-moment updates will rule the roost for 2016. When it comes to this ideology, think about real time applications (SnapChat and Periscope) and platform features (Facebook's Instant Articles) that will create the fastest visual marketing for your company. In addition, wow more than ever, consumers want to be able to put a face to your company's brand and that need will increase even more into the New Year. 

2 | Regulated Social Media Advertising 

Let's be honest - we all knew the day would come when the Federal Trade Commission would regulate social media advertising. In June, the FTC updated its social media marketing guidelines, but prepare yourself because they plan on cracking down in 2016. What does this mean for you? Fingers crossed that all your favorite platforms will create a tough monitoring system and you can advertise worry-free. However, err on the side of caution and read-up on the FTC's regulations here. 

3 | Hold the Phone

...At least that is what consumers will be doing even more in 2016. (I know - hard to believe we could be glued to our phones more than we already are!) As mobile friendly website and e-commerce sites are the new norm, social media platforms like Facebook and Pinterest are adding buy buttons for consumers to easily purchase products and services. Again, it is all about visual marketing for 2016!

If you are ready to make waves with your digital marketing strategy for the New Year, contact me today and let's get started! 


Top 3 Personal Assistant Tools

Ever feel like your to-do list is never ending? When my to-do list takes on a life of its own, I find myself needing a little push of motivation to get those tasks completed. Truly, I need something extra to help me stay organized! While I am a big advocate for a beautiful, bound planner to hand-write many of my appointments, to-dos and notes, I, like many modern business owners, have succumb to digital means to keep track!

Today, I am sharing my three favorite personal assistant tools that have been a life-saver to help me keep focused on my tasks and goals at hand. Hopefully by including a short description for each tool, you'll find the ideal app or software program that is perfect for you and your business. 

1 | EasilyDo

From flight itineraries and car reservations to organizing receipts and monitoring my social media, EasilyDo has quickly become one of my favorite, interactive management apps. Of course, this app keeps up with all of the standard organizing such as creating calendars and reminders; however, it goes above and beyond in the level of organization. Also, I just love the aesthetic aspect of EasilyDo as it makes everything more fun to compete! The best part? EasilyDo is free!

2 | Quip

If it's good enough Mark Zuckerberg, it is definitely good enough for me! Quip is the perfect collaboration tool that makes teamwork fun. Professionally, this app that has helped me check-in with my clients and keep the both of us focused on important and time sensitive matters. Like Easily Do, Quip is a free app for both Android and iOS! 

3 | 17Hats

I am saving the best for last with this personal assistant tool! To be honest, 17hats grabbed by attention because they sponsored so many Facebook posts that appeared on my newsfeed. For fun, I used their free trail feature and to say that I was pleased does not even cover my excitement over how 17hats streamlined my projects!! All of the multiple documents and software that I use for my business are placed in one easy-access area that is 17hats. I am in love with this program, but since it is not a free software it is not for everyone!

5 Hacks to Build Business in the Off-Season

If you own a seasonal business then today's blog post is just for you! Running a company that thrives one season and comes to a halt the next is not an easy task. Yes, checking out (mentally and/or physically) when things slow down would be the easy solution during the off season, but that would not benefit your business! Enjoy my five ways to build your business during the off season that will help you enter the peak season with confidence! 

1 | Perform Maintenance 

Whether you need to revamp the look of your storefront or contract a designer to create a much needed website update, performing maintenance to your business where it needs it the most is always best during the slower business months. It takes a lot of time and energy to devote to either of the above, and you will need to give that time and energy to make certain your business stands out above the competition in every shape and form. 

2 | Educate Yourself.

Update your certification, take a new photography class, research the newest marketing trends, sign-up for a workshop - all of these are great ways to educate yourself and ultimately benefit your business. Clients are more likely to seek your service if you can showcase your talents by continuing your education and expertise by staying on top of trends as it relates to your industry! In addition, this will give you an ego boost and credence that will carry into the busy season. 

3 | Build Your Online Presence.

Having an online presence has become just as important as owning a telephone. From this point forward, consider your blog, website and social media accounts as another form of your portfolio. Not only are you able to showcase your work, services and products but also you are able to become a storyteller by sharing daily and weekly updates! 

4 | Attend a Trade Show or Expo.

Going to a trade show or expo as a vendor or attendee is another great way to build your business during the off season. Once you sign-up to be a vendor at an expo, you are taking on a marketing strategy that is tried and true. However, make sure that you are prepared to meet and greet expo attendees with a look that will draw them to your booth! By going to industry specific trade shows, you'll be able to learn where your industry's future is headed, receive discounts on products from participating vendors and even network! 

5 | Collaborate Other Professionals!

Now that you are a networking feen after reading my last networking blog post, you are ready to collaborate with other professionals in your industry or near your storefront. Create a styled shoot to submit for publication or host a meeting with business owners near your company to plan for the upcoming season. Either way, by collaborating with others shows that you are a team player and ready to further your business by working with your fellow peers. 

4 Instagram Branding Tips

Did you know that Instagram has beaten Twitter in the number of active users? Media outlets, like CNBC, reported Instagram surpassed the 140-character platform by recently hitting 400 million users. In this visual world, it is no surprise that we are seeing social networking take a turn toward this new, popular medium.

If you are a new Instagram user it could be easy to get overwhelmed by other brands who have had a long-time presence, which is why I am giving four marketing practices that will help you stay focused and promote your brand! 

1 | Build a Community.

There's a reason I keep mentioning this throughout blog posts on social media marketing. By building a community on social media you are creating brand ambassadors for you company. The easiest way to do this is by creating a unique hashtag your target audience can follow. Do your research to find a hashtag that relates to your company, has not been used before and add it to every Instagram post you use. Not only will potential clients use this to learn more about your company, but there is a big chance they will join in and use the hashtag too! 

2 | Promote Your Instagram Everywhere. 

Promoting your Instagram on your Twitter, Facebook, blog, etc. will drive more traffic to the account. Do this by sharing posts directly from your Instagram account to other accounts, post a direct link to your Instagram page (www.instagram.com/[insert your username]) on Facebook and add the Instagram icon to your blog and website.  

TIP: Sharing posts directly from your Instagram to your Facebook is great to promote your new account; however, do this sparingly. Your followers will become bored with your accounts if you consistently do this and you could lose them! Always publish different, fresh content on each platform as much as possible!

3 | Keep Your Feed Beautiful. 

Keeping your Instagram feed beautiful means that the editing style (i.e. filters) and sizing of your photos are consistent. Whether you decide on warmer tones or a luminous look, choose one style and stick with it! In addition, finding the perfect dimension will also keep your feed beautiful. While there are resizing apps, Instagram newest sizing feature makes it easier for everyone to size photos that will perfectly fit the regulated dimensions. 

4 | Use Diverse Content. 

By using diverse content for your Instagram feed you are not only keeping your feed beautiful, but also keeping your audience from getting bored from your content. My suggestion is to post  as much creative content as possible, but sharing is great too (don't forget to credit the original publisher!). Whether you show images of a typical work day, use quotes or tips, diverse content that aligns with your brand will keep your audience invested and interested! 

Want to learn more bout social media marketing? Contact me today!