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Since launching our Social Media Membership, we’ve had numerous requests for a workbook, and I’m thrilled to finally release this pretty little thing. It’s a 29-page workbook covering our marketing strategy. We even made sure to include 10 ready-to-go captions so you can jump right in and put this strategy to use!
Social media marketing has proven to be an effective means of boosting traffic and brand awareness for businesses of all sizes, which means that more and more companies are looking to get in on the action. The only problem? Creating a social media marketing strategy can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’re not sure where to start. But by following these three steps and using the Social Media Marketing Workbook, you’ll be able to create a great social media marketing strategy that works for your business.
The best social media marketing strategy is all about connecting with people—specifically, it’s about identifying who you want to reach and then how you want to reach them. Defining your target audience will help inform what content you should share (and when), how you interact with your followers, and which networks are right for your business. So start by defining who exactly you’re trying to reach before getting started with this social media marketing workbook.
29 Social Media Guide
Social Media Strategy
10 Curated Captions
Social Stats Page
Goal Plan Page
Here’s a quick look at some of the pages;
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Yesterday’s flood of responses to my post was a wake-up call: people are feeling exhausted. Exhausted from relying on social media to keep their business running. Exhausted from the relentless content creation treadmill they are running on. Exhausted from feeling invisible and unheard in all the noise online. Exhausted from pouring their time into a platform that no longer values them.
But beneath the exhaustion lies fear—the fear of not knowing any other way to connect with clients and drive sales andkeep their business going.
I spent the better part of yesterday reading the heartfelt replies from fellow entrepreneurs echoing the samesentiment that landed in their inboxes. And let me tell you, it got me fired up.
There’s no doubt in my mind that change is not only possible but long overdue for a lot of us.
Because, while we’re talking about social media for business, let me tell you, from firsthand experience, just how deeply entrenched social media had become in my life—and how liberating it felt to finally break free from it all.
So today, I want to peel back the curtain a bit more, sharing what I’ve done and the steps I’m taking, and maybe it willinspire you to make similar shifts.
First up….
Deleting Social Media Apps.
If you’re ready to step away from the social media frenzy for your business, it doesn’t necessarily mean wiping your accounts off the face of the internet. Start by kicking those apps off your phone.
Why? Let me break it down:
ONE: Sure, you can still access your business accounts from your computer. But removing those apps from your phone disrupts that mindless scrolling cycle.
Those apps are designed to keep you hooked, and by eliminating them from your phone, you reclaim control without having to pull the plug on all your accounts at once.
TWO: Think of your social media presence more as a placeholder for your business in the digital realm. I don’t plan on returning to regular posting, but I know potential clients are still stumbling upon me there and can easily be redirected to my website.
This shift is a powerful step toward reclaiming your time and your focus. You’d be amazed at how much lighter you’ll feel with these changes in place.
Plus, if you’re not 100% ready to remove it completely, this can allow you to continue posting without needing to have any of the apps on your phone.
Now, onto the most crucial step: Imagining a Social Media-Free Marketing Strategy.
Take a moment today to envision what your marketing strategy would look like without social media in the picture.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll feel a rush of freedom as you realize just how much time you’ve reclaimed. You might also realize just how time consuming social media was to begin with.
Bid farewell to the never-ending content creation cycle and say hello to the work that truly lights you up, and the reason you started your business in the first place!
That alone should have you jumping with excitement.
This shift means MORE TIME to pursue what lights you up. More time to cherish the everyday moments with your loved ones, uninterrupted by social media’s noise.
And lastly, consider alternative marketing avenues. For me, my email list is at the top of that list. Having a direct line to my audience is invaluable for my business.
The fact that you’re reading this email right now speaks volumes. I didn’t need to dance to the algorithm’s tune to reach you today—all I had to do was hit send and land in your inbox.
Of course, there are countless other ways to market your business.
Remember, businesses thrived long before social media came into the picture. It’s time to get creative and explore what that might look like for you.
So take some time today to ponder where you want to direct your marketing efforts if your social media is taking a backseat.
I’ve been on this journey for a while now, and let me tell you, it’s not only possible—it’s incredibly fulfilling.
If you’re sitting there thinking it’s impossible to run a successful business without being shackled to social media, I’m here to show you otherwise.
As always, if you have any questions for me just hit that reply button. I read and respond to every single email I get and absolutely love and welcome continuing this conversation.
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I’ve been thinking a lot about goals lately. You know, those big, bold dreams we scribble in our journals at the start of the year, promising ourselves we’ll make them happen.
So, let me ask you – what’s on your goal list for this year? If any of those aspirations are tied to growing your business (and I have a hunch they might be), then I’m super excited for you to keep reading this newsletter.
Now, let me tell you, I’ve walked down that road of trying to do it all alone, and let’s just say, it’s no walk in the park. That’s why I’m a firm believer in the power of partnership. It’s about keeping each other motivated, accountable, and on the path to smashing those goals.
So, here’s a little nudge from me: How about we team up and make magic happen together?
Through my journey, I’ve learned something vital – going solo is tough. But with a partner, it’s a whole different ball game. It’s about staying on track, being consistent, and truly achieving those goals for the year.
And oh, do I have something exciting for you! We’re shaking things up in the Wordsmith Membership in a BIG way, and trust me, you’ll want to be part of this.
NEW YEAR SALE ALERT!
Wordsmith is usually $39, but let’s face it, so many entrepreneurs yearn to ace social media but struggle with consistency and content. For a limited time, I’m slashing the price to just $9.99! Lock in this rate and embrace a social media content strategy that provides you with captions for the entire year.
MARKETING STRATEGY BUNDLE
You’ll also gain access to my personal marketing strategy. This gem helps you connect with your dream clients without over-relying on social media. We’re all about outsmarting algorithms and empowering small business owners. Sign up, and you’ll find some helpful videos waiting to guide you through it all.
CONTENT GALORE
No more waiting for monthly content drops. We’re unlocking the entire Wordsmith library! Now you can plan your content way ahead. Plus, my team of writers and I will keep adding fresh, engaging captions monthly. Think of it as an ever-expanding content universe!
YOUR PERSONAL WRITING ASSISTANT
And here’s the cherry on top! We’ve been working tirelessly on a custom AI writing assistant. Imagine prompting Wordsmith with a simple idea, like “balancing work and family life,” and voila, you get a beautifully crafted caption in seconds.
These aren’t your run-of-the-mill, easily recognizable AI captions you can spot from a mile away. We’re talking about heartfelt, genuine captions that will resonate deeply with you and your audience.
And to make it just perfect, I’ve dedicated countless hours to studying AI and writing styles, ensuring that every piece of content it generates is nothing short of spectacular. This isn’t just technology; it’s a blend of art and science, fine-tuned to capture the essence of your unique voice.
Our goal is to help you create personalized content swiftly and effortlessly.
IMPORTANT: spots are limited as we launch these new features, so if this sounds like something you’d love to try out then sign up for the free trial today!
CUSTOM WRITING STYLES
Along with the traditional writing style, we’ve created a super fun writing style quiz. This will help you develop a unique tone for your content. I’ve poured my heart into it to make it sound authentic and real, and I can’t wait for you to try it out.
So, what do you say? Ready to dive into the world of instant, personalized captions, nail your unique writing style, and access a treasure trove of Wordsmith content? And all this for just $9.99! Let’s make this year count. Let’s do this together!
IMPORTANT: This price will only be here for a very short time!
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Have you ever felt the tug between the joy of the holiday season and the demands of your entrepreneurial journey, pulling at the strings of your heart as you navigate the balance between personal joy and business growth?
The sparkle of twinkling lights, the sweet scent of homemade cookies filling the cozy corners of our homes, and the laughter that echoes through the chilly air as families gather… the holiday season has a magical way of sweeping us off our feet.
Yet, in the whirlwind of this beautiful time, there’s a storm that brews for many of us entrepreneurs—the storm of sales, discounts, and the never-ending quest for the Black Friday bonanza.
It’s a season where the clatter of keyboards preparing for the next sale often drowns the heartwarming family time with our loved ones. It’s a paradox, really. A time meant for togetherness often pulls us in a tug-of-war between business gains and heartstring moments.
Having worn the entrepreneur hat for over a decade, I too, was caught in this storm for years.
Each year as the holiday season approached, no matter how much I tried to plan ahead, it brought along a flurry of to-dos. Prepping for sales, strategizing for the maximum reach, and tailoring the perfect pitch. The days leading to Thanksgiving all the way through the New Year became a marathon of managing business campaigns while trying to steal keepsake moments with my family. If you have a business, you know exactly how much time goes into your business this time of year.
As the holiday season rolls around, most of us think about a few special days scattered between October and December. But for small business owners, it’s a whole different experience. It’s not just about a few days; it’s about weeks, even months of prep work, sticking to timelines, and rolling out launches.
The holiday season practically morphs into a busy season.
Every day counts as we gear up for those key dates. It’s all about tapping into the holiday cheer to keep our business engines running smoothly, making the most of the holiday rush.
The allure of ringing cash registers (or should I say, the ‘ka-ching’ of the online cart) with each sale was exhilarating. Yet, amidst the chaos of sale signs and discount codes, my heart yearned for the simple joy of baking pies with my kids, crafting salt dough ornaments, and the laughter that filled the room as we’d all decorate the Christmas tree together without needing to also check my phone and make sure all the things for my business were running according to plan.
The businesswoman in me reveled in the success of thousand-dollar sale days, yet the mom in me craved the warmth of calm evenings spent as a family.
Over the years, the question that echoed through the silence of the night was;
“Is it truly worth it?”
The scale seemed to tip in favor of heartfelt moments over fleeting financial gains. And so, I decided to unwrap a different gift—the gift of presence.
My holidays have since taken a serene turn. The frenzy of sales has faded, making way for cherished moments that are priceless. Yes, the entrepreneur in me still nudges towards making a quaint offer or a modest discount, but without the clamor and clash of the big sale days.
And guess what?
This newfound calm has brought a clarity that resonated with my clientele too.
Amidst the deafening noise of sales pitches that flood inboxes during the holidays, a gentle, heartfelt message stood out, creating a bond beyond just a seasonal sale.
As you gear up for the holiday hustle, maybe you’ve found yourself asking the same questions.
Perhaps you’re looking for a better way to spend the holidays. Reflecting on what the spirit of the season truly means to you.
Ask yourself, does the temporary triumph of a sale outweigh the timeless treasure of togetherness?
Are the discounts you offer a true reflection of the value you provide?
Remember, your worth is not determined by a seasonal sale, and the relationships you build with your clients will outlast any fleeting discount.
Lastly, I’ll leave you with some ideas on better navigating this upcoming holiday season. To those who choose to slow down, and those getting ready to dive in the hustle of holiday sales, I hope you can do it in a way that allows you to enjoy both those simple moments in your personal life, and the exciting ones in your business.
As you gear up for the holiday hustle, I invite you to pause and ponder. Reflect on what the spirit of the season truly means to you. Ask yourself, does the temporary triumph of a sale outweigh the timeless treasure of togetherness?
Do the discounts you provide accurately represent the value you deliver? Keep in mind, a seasonal sale doesn’t define your worth, and the bonds you form with your clients are more enduring than any temporary discount. While big sale days are exhilarating, many business owners are on a quest for consistent, long-term growth.
In the midst of the hustle, take time each day for mindfulness. Whether it’s a quiet morning coffee before the day begins, a short walk, or a moment of gratitude— these small practices can help keep you grounded and remind you of the bigger picture beyond the sales and revenue.
If you decide to partake in the sales season, ensure you plan ahead. Schedule all your posts, newsletters, and marketing materials well in advance. This foresight allows you to be truly present in cherished holiday moments without the worry of business tasks awaiting you. In the years when I hosted large (and very successful) sales, my preparation ahead of time was key. By pre-planning and pre-scheduling every detail, I could step into the holiday spirit wholeheartedly. It still requires a lot of time and dedication, but getting it done before the holidays did make it a little easier for me to enjoy family time without being pulled away.
You don’t have to carry the business burden alone. Delegate tasks to your team or consider outsourcing certain activities. Trusting others to handle aspects of your business not only eases your load but also empowers your team. It allows you to free up some time to enjoy the holiday season while ensuring your business continues to operate smoothly.
The Wordsmith Membership comes with pre-written captions ready at your disposal, including hundreds of promotional and sales captions tailored for various holidays; a chunk of your marketing efforts is already sorted. The best part? You can use these captions for social media or use them in your email marketing. This not only alleviates the pressure but ensures that your business messaging stays sharp and engaging even amidst the holiday rush. My hope is that the content we create for you allows you to breathe a little easier and savor the holiday spirit while keeping the business wheels turning smoothly.
As I now soak in the joy of simply being — being a mom, a wife, a daughter, and a friend during the holidays, I leave you with this – How can you unwrap the gift of presence this holiday season in a way that honors both your personal happiness and your entrepreneurial goals?
As you think about this, remember the best gift you can give to your loved ones and to yourself is the essence of your undivided presence. And trust me, the magic that unfolds in those moments is the kind that no sale can ever match.
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When I first started setting up my email marketing strategy, I spent some time looking at the different options and then eventually decided to go with Mailchimp. It was one of the most popular platforms (at the time). And being completely new to email marketing, I wanted something easy to use and affordable for my small business. Mailchimp was free to use up to 2,500 subscribers, which made it the perfect option. Or so I thought… In this article, I’ll cover Mailchimp vs. Flodesk, and why I made the decision to make the switch over to Flodesk.
Starting from ZERO, I knew I was able to use their platform for free for up to 2,500 subscribers. Not knowing anything about email marketing, I remember that number felt HUGE to me. 2500 on my list? That would be amazing. I figured that if that were to happen, I’d be totally ok with paying for their service and continuing to grow my list. (or so I thought…)
Over the years, I continued to build my list. Eventually grew past the 2500 subscribers on the free plan and hopped onto a paid plan. I continued using Mailchimp for a long time. I grew my list to 5,000…then 10,000.
It was long until I reached 20,000 and 30,000 subscribers. At this point, I realized that with every new subscriber, my bill was growing too. Each month I’d go through my list and clean it to make sure I was only growing my list with people that were actively opening my emails. (However, I didn’t want to pay more for those that didn’t open my emails as much).
I spent more time minimizing my growing list to avoid the constantly rising cost than actually enjoying email marketing, as I had earlier. Then, I hit 70,000 subscribers, and my MONTHLY bill in Mailchimp was over $700. I spent every single month asking myself…is this worth it?!
To be honest, I also wasn’t a big fan of Mailchimp. It always felt clunky and glitchy. And spent who knows how many hours frustrated with how complicated it was to create a simple opt-in and segment people into the right audience list and start workflows. Everything was a constant headache, and I had to pay the heavy price tag of $700 monthly for it.
I stumbled across Flodesk and INSTANTLY signed up after seeing their famous tag line “Unlimited emails and subscribers, forever.” Followed by;
You’ll never be penalized for successfully growing your business again.
-FLODESK
You know when you find your dream product and feel like the company instantly get’s what you need? That’s 100% what Flodesk did. They understood what I really wanted and needed for my business and NAILED the execution.
The simple fact that I could have an email marketing provider that would no longer penalize me for growing my list was huge. And that reason alone was enough for me to jump over from Mailchimp to Flodesk.
If you’re hoping to try Flodesk and need a 50% off link, you’re welcome to use my referral link, which will automatically give you the 50% off as well. Enjoy a 30-day FREE trial. No credit card is needed. CLICK HERE TO GET 50% OFF FLODESK
When you’re first getting started with growing your list. You might not think much about how much a list that’s 70,000 or 100,000+ subscribers is going to cost you per month. It’s easy to forget the big picture. But, the right email marketing platform should serve you in the most positive way, not just as you get started but as you scale your business and list. Mailchimp vs Flodesk (I’m willing to say that Flodesk will come out on top for you as well).
I’ll say it again when I started my list at ZERO, I didn’t even bother to check to see how much a 70,000 list would cost me. So if you’re getting started, take it from someone who’s been there. Make sure to look into the future and partner with a company that won’t penalize you for growing your list. That is the last thing you want.
I love using Flodesk so much and saw such great success with building my list that I launched a service to help other business owners to do the same.
Maybe building an email list and getting everything set up and automated has been on your to-do list forever. But you have no idea where to start. And what you really need is someone that can set it up for you the *right way* and actually start seeing your list grow with subscribers who are excited to see you land in their inbox.
With the Email marketing service, you’ll get a fully set up Flodesk account. Including a strategy with opt-ins to grow your list and an automated welcome sequence to make your new subscribers excited about being on your list.
EMAIL MARKETING SETUP SERVICE INCLUDES:
If that sounds like something you’d love to do, send me a message to get on the list! I only take a limited amount of new clients for this service and would love to chat more.
P.S. This service is also perfect for anyone that has read the Mailchimp vs Flodesk article and has decided they would like to switch but feel overwhelmed with the idea of migrating everything over.
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Imagine this: you try to log in to your Instagram account, and you see this error message “INSTAGRAM: ACCOUNT NOT FOUND”. Instagram is NOT working. What do you do?
In 2021…that was the reality facing 70% of businesses that rely on social media to stay in touch with their customers. Millions of users logged into Instagram that morning only to see the message “page not found”. I’m sure you remember when Facebook crashed and took Instagram, Messenger, and Whatsapp down with it.
Between 11:40 AM and 6:30 PM, social media was simply…gone. No explanation, no way for us to access our own accounts.
In those 7 hours, Facebook lost tens of millions of dollars, but it was a huge wake-up call for us small business owners. Because it’s not a matter of “if” that will happen again. It’s when. And that’s why it’s crucial to the survival of your business in this “new internet age” that you move your customer list to a platform you 100% control, such as email.
Social media is an amazing tool, but as small business owners, we need to protect ourselves so that we don’t go from having a thriving business to being closed overnight. Now, I know that may sound terrifying, and unfortunately, it is the reality when you build your business dependent on social media with no real way to get that audience on a list you own.
You probably already feel the hardship of using social media for your business when you find yourself struggling to reach your audience organically. The simple fact that you’re not 100% in control there should be reason enough for you to create a marketing strategy for your business that works with (or without) social media.
I’ve created a simple and completely FREE training so that you can easily get started today. The same strategy I’ve used to build a list of 70,000+ loyal subscribers.
Are you ready?
Give me 15 minutes, and I’ll give you a marketing strategy that works. I’m willing to bet that after you watch it, you’ll realize just how powerful it can be for your business too!
Most importantly you’ll learn how to create a marketing strategy that doesn’t only depend on using social media. You’ll never have to fear seeing that dreaded INSTAGRAM: ACCOUNT NOT FOUND message without a real plan in place to reach your audience.
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There’s no question that social media can be a big help to your business, whether you’re trying to reach current customers or target new ones. There are also many people who say that social media takes up too much of their time, and they don’t feel like they get enough out of the time they spend on it to make it worthwhile. Here are five tips for spending less time on social media without missing out on all the great benefits as a business. These are the same tips I follow when it comes to all my businesses; Modern Market, Wordsmith & The Essential Studio Manager.
We live in a digital world. Most people use social media, so if you’re trying to grow your business, you have to be where your customers are: on social media. But there’s more to it than that. It’s no longer enough to just have a Facebook page and hope for people to like it and engage with it—you actually need content and strategies, or you risk losing valuable leads. Take some time out of your day and design a plan that will allow you to maximize your presence without wasting all of your time (or missing out on opportunities).
There are plenty of reasons why businesses (and individuals) create social media accounts. It’s a way to share content with your audience and spread your business’s name, establish yourself as an expert in your field, network with other businesses or people in your niche, even find a new employee. However, if you’re struggling to keep up with social media while running a business (particularly if you work solo), then it might be time to evaluate how much time you spend on these platforms and how you can still get all the benefits of using social media, without having to spend so much time on social media.
Content pillars are a core component of every successful social media strategy because they take the guesswork out of what to post, making it easy for you to stay on target and have fun with your content. Pillars are relevant topics and themes that keep your audience engaged. The content pillars I’ve always built my content around is:
1. Personal
2. Educational
3. Promotional
4. Engaging
5. Passion
Depending on what kind of business you have, you could adjust these content pillars, or change them to something more specific that your audience enjoys.
Write out a schedule for content creation and stick to it. Schedule your social media posts several days or weeks in advance. Utilize tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, or Later to plan content in advance and save yourself time. These apps allows you to create a queue of pre-written posts, which you can then schedule at different times over an extended period of time. This way you’re not having to do all the work on the go and can dedicate one day to plan and schedule all your content.
TIP: Just because you automate your posts doesn’t mean you can get away with not showing up online. I try to schedule my posts but then push the notification to my phone so I can post it manually and engage during the best time. Which is typically shortly after posting.
Let’s not forget one of the most important ways to participate in social media is to simply show up. Engaging with your audience requires you to use social media as a place for interaction and presence, even if it doesn’t directly lead to sales or customers. Using it only for promotion means you’re missing out on half of its value. Let’s not forget what makes social media great. It’s a place you can connect. Although I’m all for planning ahead and scheduling my posts in advance, one thing I won’t ever miss (or outsource) is the opportunity to show up and connect with real people.
Promoting your business or brand on social media is important, but it’s just one use of a diverse and valuable tool. You’ll get more out of it by showing up and connecting with people in your industry on a regular basis. Even if you’re not being asked for advice or solutions, being there to support and encourage others can help build relationships that lead to collaboration later. Sometimes all you need to start is an introduction, so never be afraid to say hi!
It’s obvious—email marketing is one of, if not THE, most effective ways to reach customers. If you’re hoping to spend less time on social media, then getting your email list started might also be a really great idea. I learned a valuable lesson after spending years building up my Facebook fan page (back when we could still reach our followers organically) and overnight losing that connection when Facebook pushed new changes on who saw our content. I promised myself I wouldn’t make the same mistake with Instagram or any other social media platform. Instead, I used social media but focused more on building my list. A direct connection to my customer and clients. Thanks to my list, I was also able to spend less time on social media, but still reach my audience directly anytime I sent an email. Email marketing is also just one piece of the marketing puzzle, but a piece that I truly enjoy utilizing.
Many entrepreneurs say that social media is addictive, and believe it’s holding them back from focusing on what really matters. By spending less time on Facebook and Instagram, you’ll be able to invest more time in other areas of your business—and get much more done in your day-to-day operations. Start by determining how much time you currently spend on social media each day, then figure out if that is the best way forward. Figure out how much time you really need to spend on social media, and then make that your goal. Often enough, when it comes to social media it’s easy to let those quick 5 minutes turn into two hours. By being more aware of how we spend our time on social media, we become more productive with how we spend our overall time.
Being on social media is important because it provides another way for people to engage with your brand and business. But just because social media plays a big role in how we market our business these days, doesn’t mean we should feel obligated to spend all our time on it. I’ve actually had more success with marketing by being less on social media because it’s allowed me to focus my time on other parts of my marketing strategy that so often got pushed to the side. Remember: Social media marketing is just one tiny piece of the marketing game. There are many other ways you can go about marketing your business. What’s most important is that you find a way to market your business in a way that you enjoy. If social media isn’t at the top of your list, then stop making it such a huge priority and instead focus on marketing you enjoy.
Thankfully, I specialize in creating social media captions that can easily be customized to who you are and what you do. They are perfect for any kind of business owner ready to start showing up online consistently.
I haven’t introduced myself on here for a while so I thought I’d do that again. A big warm hello to all of you My name is [name] and I’m the [girl, woman, man driving force, dreamer] behind [your business name].
When I was [age or time in your time] I fell in love with [what you do] after [an experience that helped you find your passion] and in [year you started your business] I decided to go for it and [your business name] was born.
I spend most of my days [what you typically do for your job] and love every minute of it. For me, what I do is so much more than just a job, it’s something I picture myself doing for years to come because it allows me to [your favorite part of what you do], and I honestly couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
I’m also a [something else you are, parent, mom, occupation] and obsessed with [something you love to do, like spending time with your family, drawing, reading, etc.] in my free time.
I’d love to get to know you a little better, comment below and come say hello and tell me where you’re from, it’s always so much fun to see where everyone is!
What’s the number one thing you look for when you’re searching for the perfect [enter your job title]? Is it [list a few things like price, style, location, personality, etc]? If you’ve been looking for a [your job title] you’ve probably realized that it can be a little overwhelming at times and I’m here to help you in your search with my 5 best tips on finding the perfect [your job title]!
[offer tips to help them in their search. ex; if you’re a photographer you might mention that they should view their portfolio to see if they have the right style, or that cheaper prices can sometimes be a red flag]
1. [Tip number one]
2. [Tip number two]
3. [Tip number three]
4. [Tip number four]
5. [Tip number five]
I hope these little tips help you with your search. If you’d love to talk more about hiring me as your [job title] then shoot me a message! I have a few [available appointments, spots, sessions, etc] in the next [week, month, year] and would love to send you some more information to see if we’d be a great fit!
I’d love to know; where are you from? There are so many new faces, and it’s always fun to see where everyone is located! Most of you probably know, but I live in [your current location] and have been calling this beautiful place home for [how many years you’ve lived there].
Near or far, comment and below and let me know where you’re from!
You can get a whole month’s worth of social media captions when you sign up for the free trial for Wordsmith. A platform dedicated to helping business owners create great content. I publish new content for you to use every single month!
If you’re a business owner, spend less time on social media without missing out on any of its benefits and be more productive with how you use social media to grow your business. This will in turn help build your brand and give you back valuable time. Start by creating daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly goals for yourself on social media so that you can track your results over time. You don’t need to spend hours each day managing your social media pages. Sometimes it comes down to using these marketing tools more efficiently to get the most out of them.
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It’s no surprise that social media is one of the best tools to grow your business by connecting with more clients or customers. Although social media has changed a lot over the years, one thing stands true; People will seek to connect with people and brands that they love. In this post, I’ll share with you 5 secrets to growing your social media following quickly.
But as business owners, it’s easy to feel like we’re just not finding the right people online. Scaling a following is a lot of work, and often enough, it’s tied to not having a solid social media strategy. So in this article, I figured it would be fun to list five tips that have helped me the most when it comes to growing a social media following.
Social media continues to grow as the primary method of connecting with ideal clients and customers, so knowing how to use it effectively can be your key to success in business. Although it can be tricky to master, it’s also an essential marketing channel that you should absolutely be using if you haven’t already. While your friends and family members will always be your first fans, you can go beyond this by creating a social media following of people who are truly interested in your brand and what you have to offer them. Here are five steps to grow your social media following and connect with more ideal clients and customers through social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.
To connect with your ideal client and build a loyal following, you must be yourself. Social media is all about sharing information and connections; it’s not about contrived sales pitches. The more authentic you are on social media and across all your marketing efforts, the better clients will respond to you and your business. And if they don’t respond well? Then they probably aren’t your ideal client anyway—and you needn’t waste time trying to win them over.
A content pillar is a structure or framework for your brand. Most successful brands have more than one: HubSpot has six, and Zappos has five. Content pillars are there to help you develop specific types of content. So start brainstorming what kind of pillars and strategies might work best for your own business. Remember: It’s not an exact science! If it were, we’d all be doing exactly what everyone else was doing (which would make us interchangeable with our competitors). Just make sure your pillars and strategies give you room to be creative and differentiate yourself from others in your industry over time. This tip alone should help you so much when it comes to growing your social media account.
After testing many different types of content pillars, I’ve found that the following five have done the best for small business owners.
By covering these five content pillars, you’ll have enough range in the content you share. Instead of having a page that only posts sales pitches and promotional material, or one that only shares personal posts, you’ll have a perfect balance in the type of content you share and content your audience will be excited to see.
These are the same content pillars I use when I create captions for our Curated Captions members. This way, my clients have a whole month of content ready to go and have the perfect mix of captions.
If you’d like to see what that looks like, sign up for free and get instant access to a whole month of social media captions that are ready for you to customize and post!
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FREE CAPTIONS
If you have a business, chances are you spend a lot of time using social media in hopes of connecting with your ideal customer or client. The key with social media is realizing that not everyone will be part of your online community—focusing on ideal clients and customers will help your business grow more effectively. When building your following, find ways to connect with people who need what you offer. For example, if you own a personal training business, share tips for putting healthy habits in place or useful tips for eating clean and cutting out processed foods. You’ll not only engage new potential customers but also show off your expertise.
This is a key component of any social media marketing strategy. You can create many connections without necessarily developing relationships (or scaling your business), but these connections will be few and far between. In order to grow your social media following, you need to build a strong connection with the right kind of people. Don’t just post content, and disappear but make sure to take time to engage with others, especially those who are taking the time to engage with your content.
Consistency is key in everything you do. It’s easy to get stuck in a routine, but if you want your social media following to grow, it’s essential that you post consistently. You never know where new clients might come from and showing up consistently will pay off quickly when it comes to anything you do in life and business.
Although social media continues to grow and provide a wide range of ways for you to promote your brand, there are a few things you should always remember: make it personal, use images that represent your brand, build an audience over time, and don’t just push out content. Post with a purpose and make real connections with the right people. All of these will help ensure that your efforts pay off in a big way. I hope these 5 secrets to growing your social media following tips help you connect to more customers and clients online!
It’s up to you as an entrepreneur to decide what works best for your business—but following these five tips should be part of every strategy.
Don’t forget; Behind every brand, there’s a passion and a story.
Start sharing yours today. Grab that free month of captions to get started!
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When it comes to the world of marketing and advertising, we’re lucky to live in a time where we don’t just have to depend on word of mouth. We can use modern tools like social media to reach thousands of people from around the world. All with just a click of a button.
If you run a business, you probably spend a great deal of time coming up with content to share and know the struggle of content creation. Sometimes it can be hard to know what to say to place yourself as an expert in your industry, so potential clients and customers are eager to hire and buy from you.
So let me let you in on a little secret…
When it comes to social media, it’s not about constantly selling and promoting what you have to offer.
Instead, it’s a place to build a connection.
A place where people get to know you more, learn from you, see what you do and what you have to offer. It’s so much more than a platform to sell. When you start using it as a tool to connect, you’ll see the sales and booking begin to come naturally.
You might wonder why that is…
When you can build a personal connection and create trust, you no longer have to “sell” yourself to potential clients and customers in order to grow your business. Instead, you can use tools like social media to connect with the right people. By having an open conversation, they will naturally learn more about what you do.
The best thing you can do for your business is offer value to those who need it the most. The truth is, I’ve never liked the idea of ‘selling’ to clients and customers. Instead, I love to see it as me educating them about a problem I can help solve and showing them how to do that.
Here’s a quick example.
Wordsmith is a membership of professionally written social media captions for entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs can sign up for free and get the first month’s worth of captions for free to see if it’s the right fit. If they choose to stay, they automatically get new captions, delivered every single month.
Our software helps photographers and entrepreneurs with clients manage all aspects of their business. And our beautiful presets help others edit their photos. These presets help create their dream style with just a click of a button.
For me, it’s never about selling, it’s about offering a solution.
If you haven’t already, take time to think about the problems your business solves for others. How you can change the conversation from selling to having the perfect solution to someone’s problem. When it comes to getting more sales, more clients, or more customers, it comes down to building more connections with people. People who need exactly what you have to offer.
That leads to more traffic to your business.
The #1 traffic referrer for my business is direct traffic. And there’s not a great deal someone can do to alter those numbers. The second leading referrer has always been social media. With over six figures made directly from clients and customers finding me via social media alone, it plays a vital role in my business marketing strategy. Lucky for us, the amount of traffic we get from social media IS something we can alter significantly with the right strategy.
Using social media to book more clients, get more customers, or sell more products is 100% possible. But you have to build your foundation on connection instead of selling. A great way to do exactly that is by using the 5-point strategy, which covers not just promoting your business but other important topics you can use to connect with ideal customers and clients. I’ve used this exact strategy for years, and it’s worked incredibly well.
If you’re ready for more, I recently created a guide going over my entire Social Media Marketing Strategy. I even included some of the social media captions from our Curated Captions membership. You can jump right in and see for yourself how easy it is to use the power of social media to scale your business!
You can download the complete guide for free HERE.
It’s loaded with helpful tips and tricks, and absolutely perfect for anyone who’s ready to start using a social media strategy that will actually help them grow their business.
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An open community that’s built around your brand is the hub for ALL, and I hope that more business owners realize just how powerful communities can be. Maybe by the time you’re done reading this, you’ll be inspired to start your own community too. Here’s how to grow your community online.
If you have a business, you might be wondering how to start, and I’m excited to share some of my favorite tips on doing exactly that. This way, just like me, you’ll have amazing people who are delighted to be part of what you’re doing.
I’m talking about loyal people who value what you do, are excited about the things you are working on, and are the first in line to sign up or purchase your service or product. You are there for them, and they are there for you. I believe all business owners deserve to have that because let me tell you; it makes the world of working for yourself a whole lot more fun!
Ready? Let’s dive in!
Let’s define community first; a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.
I have this sense of community woven into my business. On my website, social media, the newsletter, you can find it everywhere. Truth be told, I actually love the fact that I have a business that’s not all about ‘me’. It’s about the resources I share to help others. Creating a community feel around my business has always come very natural, because I personally want to include others in what I do. Over the years, I’ve used social media to connect to people, but quickly realized that the conversation can sometimes feel a little one sided.
The whole concept of speaking at people, rather than with people. If you have a business, with social media you probably know exactly what I’m talking about.
Now, don’t get me wrong. ALL these are forms of communities and a chance to connect with people, and that’s what makes them great. They are platforms built for you to share what you are most passionate about.
BUT…if we’re all being honest, it often feels like we’re standing on a stage speaking AT people rather than WITH people.
When I think of the word community, I think of like-minded people being together. Chatting about the things we care about and sharing things we love. It’s a busy, welcoming place to be and feels like our favorite place to hang out with people who simply get it because we have things in common.
For the sake of keeping things focused, I want to teach you how to build a community. A place for your ideal customers/clients to hang out and spend time. Where you can share the things you’re passionate about with people who care and connect with them on a personal level. Where you can have open conversations with people rather than being the sole speaker.
Maybe you’ve thought about starting one. Perhaps you already have one but are struggling to get it to grow with the right people. If that’s the case, I’m excited you’re here because I’m about to tell you everything you need to know to build your very own Facebook group community.
You’re probably wondering; How the heck do you build an online community around what you do, and have it grow into a space for you, your business, and those who will become some of your loyalist supporters?
I’m here to tell you, and it’s actually a lot easier than you might think!
The first thing you need to do is figure out the focus of your group. If you have a business or a passion, you probably already know what you’d like the focus on. Ideally, you want to create a space where you can connect with people who care about what you do, the service you offer, or the products you sell.
What kind of community do you envision?
If you had to choose three topics as the focus, what would they be?
How will the focus benefit those in the group? How will it benefit you and your business?
For a moment, I want you to imagine that you had 10,000 members in your group. What kind of guidelines would you want in place? This will be your group, and you’ll be in charge of making sure that this space is the kind of space people want to spend time. Think about the groups you’re currently in. What kind of posts do you enjoy, and which ones make you want to leave?
Some of my guidelines are (and you’re totally welcome to copy paste these for your own group guidelines!)
You probably noticed, but it’s VERY important for me to build a community that is a welcoming space for everyone. I want people to be able to learn, grow, and share what they love. I’m proud to say I get raves about it being exactly that all the time, and I couldn’t be prouder.
When someone joins the group and is quick to judge, bash, or be negative towards other members, they quickly end up leaving because they learn that my group isn’t the space for that. Even with a group with over 16,000 members, this happens maybe once a year…if that. I’m telling ya…it’s a whole lot of sweet people in my group.
Think about guidelines/rules as a way to ensure that the people in your group will remain happy there in the long run. Focus on what guidelines you feel are most important, and you’ll see how over time, those core values of a group just become stronger and stronger.
You’re going to want to come up with a game plan for content because let me tell you, being a group, where no one is active is not very much fun. The more active your group is, the faster it will grow. People enjoy spending time with other like-minded creatives, and a community group is a perfect place for that.
The best advice I have for your group is to come up with your content posts ahead of time. Post them in the group, even when there aren’t a lot of people. It might feel funny at first with a smaller group, but I promise, if you continue posting, others will as well.
Make a list of 7 types of posts, then use this as your weekly guide.
This could look something like
Of course, you can alter these to match your services and products and create an environment for your community to engage and connect with topics that align with what you and your business are all about.
Once you’ve started a group, you’ll need to start telling people about it. You can post about your group and invite people using your current social accounts or newsletters. Since groups have a much higher organic reach, they work better than Facebook pages and Instagram pages so it’s not a bad idea to try and get your followers/customers/clients into your group.
Now, this is often the tricky part of groups. Getting the engagement up. The truth is this; you’re group MIGHT be slow to start, and that’s ok. Consider it more like a very private hang out for your favorite people. I promise if you stick with it, it will grow, and engagement will go up as well. In no time, you’ll have a group filled with people who love what you have to offer.
Now, as time goes by, don’t be afraid to revisit your focus. It’s normal and perfectly ok for you, your business, your vision, and your group to adjust as time passes by. Take notice of what people are posting in the group. What are the hot topics, and how have you been able to help those in your community the most? Try to incorporate these into your focus moving forward.
Continue to grow your group and make sure to invite those that find you elsewhere to join you there. When it comes to social media, I put the most effort into growing my Facebook group. Even though it has fewer people than my Instagram and Facebook, it outperforms organic reach by a long shot.
The backbone of my business marketing all comes down to my email list. Of course, I love my Facebook group, and social media pages, but since it’s not something I can control (Dear Mark could literally change the rules on all of us tomorrow), I always make sure to maximize the way I grow my email list. An easy way to do this is to include a freebie in the questions they have to answer so you can welcome your new members with a nice freebie, while at the same time growing your email list as your community grows!
So if you’re ready to start building your community with people who genuinely care about what you do, then start your community group today! You’ll be so happy that you did. Interested in learning more about Facebook group?
Then hop on over to my newsletter list and Facebook Group so you’ll be the first to get my upcoming tips on building and scaling your business!
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The reason it’s so difficult to talk about because I take it so personal and have poured 10 years of hard work into my business.
To have something like this happen…has been so incredibly hard.
SOMEONE STOLE MY DIGITAL PRODUCTS
I had someone steal my products, upload them for the world to download for free, and had to deal with the fall-out behind the scenes because of it for months. To say it was hard would be an understatement. For a long time, I had no idea this had even happened. It wasn’t until I suddenly saw a drop in sales that made me wonder what had happened.
I had a solid business, great products, and a killer marketing strategy in place. I built my dream business. Months went by until I decided to take a closer look at what happened and discovered the problem.
My best selling products, stolen by a stranger, uploaded for free, for the world to download.
This wasn’t the first time someone had stolen my products. Sadly, I see it happen all the time. It was just the first time this had happened and really affected how my business was doing financially.
HOW IT FELT
First, I was angry, so angry. Angry at this person for taking what I had worked so hard to build. Then the sadness kicked in. Then doubt. Then some more anger. I questioned what the point was of building a business when someone could come in and just take what they wanted without any consequences.
THE TRUTH: THERE’S VERY LITTLE YOU CAN DO
There’s very little you can do when digital products are stolen, and the damage that occurs because of it happens so incredibly fast.
In the 10 years of being in business, it has been the HARDEST thing I’ve had to deal with, and I’ve never had something made me question what I was doing creatively as much as this.
After a lot of hard work and trying many different things, I managed to get my stolen products taken down. The sad part is that they were up for months without me being aware. Regardless, the damage from having this happened can’t be undone. The only thing I can do now is move forward.
The really sad part about it is that this site is still up, and this person if earning money by stealing other people’s products and letting the world download them for free.
As a creative business, it sickens me to know that there are people that think it’s OK to do this.
It also makes me sad knowing that there are photographers and other creative people that go to these sites to download products for free, knowing they are stolen instead of purchasing them from the actual creator who put so much time into making them.
THIS IS THEFT AND IT’S NOT OK
People might think it’s an innocent thing to do, that it’s just them doing it, but here’s the truth; I am a small business, and pour my heart into what I do because it’s what I love. My family of 5 depending on my business financially. This is not a side hobby, this is what we count on and I know so many other small businesses that are in the same boat. So when someone downloads something for free online…I hope they realize it will affect that creator in a negative way.
It’s not innocent.
It’s not OK.
And as someone who works in the photography industry as a photographer AND creator, I know how common it is for photographers to share digital products. To split costs and do a group buy. To trade preset packs and digital products. I’ve seen threads on Reddit from photographers, specifically asking for my preset collections and listing what all they would be willing to trade for.
I see it happen all the time and know that it’s not just happening to me and my business, but is a massive problem in the digital product world.
What bothers me most about it is because I know the people that are doing it, are photographers. Photographers who are also trying to make a living doing what they love. Photographers who want to be booked by clients who value them, their time, and hard work. I know how much it would hurt them to have clients who just took screenshots of the gallery instead of purchasing prints or digitals from them. They are no different than me. They want to be valued.
Sometimes I wonder how a photographer, in the same creative industry as me, would be OK with stealing from someone online.
THIS WASN’T THE FIRST TIME MY PRODUCTS STOLEN
The first time I found one of my digital items stolen and posted for free I remember reaching out to the other creators whose products were next to mine. I explained what had happened, how upsetting it was, I knew they would be just as upset as me and that if we all stood up together, we could make a change. maybe even put an end to it.
Sadly this is what she said;
“Don’t bother…There’s nothing you can do and talking about it will only make it worse so don’t bring it up anywhere”.
I left that conversation with my head hanging low because I knew they were right. There was so little I could do, and bringing it up could potentially make the problem even worse by drawing more attention to it.
But after having this happen, at such a large scale, I knew I was done being quiet about it because it’s a problem that affects so many small businesses, and I want people to realize it’s not ok.
I WANTED TO QUIT
I had days of wanting to quit because when you spend 10 years building something from the ground up and then have something like this happen, you feel so knocked down from it.
Then, after all the sadness and plenty of support from my husband, who I don’t know how many times had to lift me up over the last few months and remind me that I had it in me to do bigger and better things, I decided that he was right.
Just because something like this happened doesn’t mean that I couldn’t take what I had learned over the 10 years and apply it in a new way.
TIME FOR CHANGE
I took some time to take a look at my business and how I want to move forward and know in my heart that I want to make some changes. To focus not just on one aspect of what I am good at, but the many things I enjoy doing.
The truth is; there’s still plenty of sad days and a little anger towards this stranger, but more so, there’s a drive-in me to do something even more amazing. To use this to push me past my self made limits of what is possible and try something new.
Sometimes bad things in life happen, and they are out of our control. But deciding how to move forward will always be up to us.
CHOOSING TO SEE OPPORTUNITIES
We can choose to see the opportunities rather than feel defeated. We can see hard times as things that strengthen us in the long run.
I’ll continue working hard, just in a new way. I’m putting the days of sadness, anger, doubt behind.
CHANGE IS UNCOMFORTABLE BUT NECESSARY
Here’s what I know for sure; Change is uncomfortable but necessary.
My biggest wish is for you to be here for it all. I’m turning a new page, with a new dream and, most importantly, hope.
The last few months were incredibly hard, but I’m more than ever excited about what’s to come. To each of you who have shown support to me and my business; thank you for always being there. You have no idea how much that means.
This wasn’t easy to share, it wouldn’t have been easier to just keep it all to myself, but I felt it was important to share what happened so I can truly put it behind me and move forward.
I spent the last week re-vamping my homepage and re-organizing the blog and want to put more effort into adding new content here to help all of you.
HERE’S WHAT I’LL BE DOING NEXT
After 10 years of being in business, I’ve built a striving photography business, a million-dollar e-commerce site, and The Essential Studio Manager, which is a software used by thousands of photographers around the world to manage their photography business.
Simply put; I bring a lot of knowledge to the table when it comes to building businesses, managing, and scaling. I love taking ideas, making a plan, and making it happen. It’s what I love to do, and it ties perfectly into what I love to do. Helping other business owners build and scale their own business.
There are big things ahead, I can feel it.
I can’t wait to share everything I know with you, so you can use these same methods with making your dreams a reality too.
Here’s to bigger and better things.
And to the person who stole from me; You’ll never personally know me. You’ll never know the pain you put me through or the struggle I had to face because of your action. Stealing my digital products seemed so innocent to you. You probably had no idea that my family was financially dependent on my business and that your actions would push us to have to move from a home we loved and start over again.
As hard as this was for me, I also know that I have I am strong enough to push past this and continue doing great things with my life and business.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I'm Elena, your
new
CEO friend.
Multi-passionate, CEO of multiple companies, mama of four, obsessed with all things business and marketing, ready to help you attract your ideal client and customer. My goal is to give you the strategies and tools to grow your business so you can save time, get real results and focus on what matters most.
Want to know more about me and how I got here?
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