Instagram marketing is an essential piece of most small business marketing plans. Used by one billion users each month, Instagram is not just for teenagers and selfies. According to a user survey, 60 percent of Instagram users say they discover new products on...
One of my favorite tools for social media images is Canva. Although I’m a regular user of the Adobe Creative Suite, Canva is my go-to for quick and easy social media images. You can use Canva free of charge, although they do offer a Pro plan that offers some great...
Online Reviews Can Make or Break You Online reviews are a fact of business life. Like it or not, your customers are free to express themselves where it concerns your product or service. There’s little you can do to prevent negative reviews other than provide a...
If you spend time with a search engine optimization (SEO) expert, they’ll tell you to come up with 10 – 15 marketing keywords that you want to be found for online. FYI, I know very little about SEO and I value my clients enough to refer them to a real...
If you’d like to increase sales, I have an exercise for you. I want you to begin to define your avatar(s). You may have more than one, in fact, you probably will. Wait – what’s an avatar? You may also have heard them referred to as personas. Same thing....
Do You Manage Social Media for Small Business? If you manage social media for small business, you know that social media and the Web continue to be important for small organizations, freelancers, and entrepreneurs; in fact, more so than ever. Your website and online...
An effective social media presence is wholly dependent on content. For most of us, it’s a mix of original and shared content. The articles you share should be well written and helpful to others. But how do you find shareable, quality content? Enter Feedly. All...
I’m no Steve Jobs, but I’ve spoken at quite a few conferences and events, so I thought I’d share a few tips that help me avoid making a fool of myself. Here are 20 things I’ve learned about the art of public speaking. Organize your research....
I admit I’m particularly freaky about thunderstorms, and when the tornado sirens go off, my blood pressure tends to rise precipitously as the barometric pressure falls. I was raised in Jonesboro, Arkansas in the 1960s and `70s. That was during the time that CB...
Marketing is a lot like attending a rock concert. Who’s your favorite musician or band? Simon and Garfunkel get first place with me, but Billy Joel is definitely a close second. I first saw him in concert in the late 70s, when I was in college. He played at...
I hate asparagus. I know it’s a delicacy, it’s pretty and it’s expensive, but I just can’t stand it. I also hate duck. I’ve had it prepared both by a gourmet cook with a delicious sauce and in a spicy gumbo. Still, duck = yuck. Finally, at the risk of losing my...