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Do you need to livestream?

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The short answer is no.

Unless your business is broadcasting, you probably don’t need to lose sleep tonight worrying about your “Periscope strategy.”

Periscope is the live streaming app that was acquired by Twitter a few weeks ago. Around the same time, another live streaming app called Meerkat was making waves at SXSW. Both apps use Twitter as the delivery mechanism, and both focus on live video (although Periscope allows you to save your streams selectively).

Another app? Another tool for me to learn? I can hear your groaning from here.

But fear not, I have a roadmap for you.

Why You Might Need to Add Periscope or MeerKat to Your Marketing Mix

  • If you are camera-ready and articulate on the fly, and have useful information to communicate.
  • If your audience is predominantly on Twitter.
  • If your content marketing is already very video-centric.
  • If your business involves live events, where a live stream could give valuable insider status to your audience.
  • If you’ve mapped out live-streaming content that fits into your marketing plan for the next few months at least. Don’t go in without a plan.

If you don’t answer “heck yeah” to any of the above criteria, then by all means enjoy watching other folks’ live streams, but save your valuable marketing time for things that will add value to your bottom line.

Have you checked out either of these apps? What’s your opinion?

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

 

Does Your Business Profile Get Enough Love?

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Digital marketing revolves around building an online presence, at the core of which is your online business profile.

When you first brought your business profile online, you probably set up a few social media accounts, posted a few pictures on your Facebook page and maybe even Tweeted an announcement that you were open for business.

But without continual maintenance, your business profile will collect cobwebs faster than a tavern during the prohibition.

What Have You Done for Me Lately?

Your followers are always looking for the latest and greatest offerings from your social media accounts.

It’s not enough that you announce your grand opening or a 20% off sale three months ago. You have to keep the offers flowing.

Whether you’re offering up fashion tips from your online clothing store blog, or posting pictures of your company employee outing on Pinterest, the posts have to keep coming.

Assume your followers have short-term memory loss. They don’t remember today what you did for them yesterday, so you have to keep reminding them why they follow you.

You Never Know Where Gold Will Turn up

If you think that simply having a website and a stagnant online business profile is sufficient, think again.

Business networking is still the key to drumming up leads, referrals and long-term business relationships. Just like in the old days when you handed your business card to everyone from the plumber to the guy sitting next to you on the subway, you should network everywhere.

You never know where the gold will turn up.

Don’t assume that certain social media sites are only for one specific demographic. Pinterest started out with women posting pretty pictures of hairstyles and tea sets.

As the following article looks at, now savvy business people post their business profile on Pinterest, like the Bob Pratt profile, because they recognize that people from all walks of life visit a variety of social media sites. Market your business profile everywhere you can.

Give People What They Want

To really make your business profile stand out, make it about the people, not about you. In other words, your posts and tweets should have value to the people, helping you increase and improve your brand profile along the way.

Of course, it’s fine to toot your own horn just a little. For example, if you’ve made a sizable donation to a charity, you can certainly announce it.

But most of your posts should be about giving the people what they want. In order to do that, you have to find out what they want. This is where business marketing surveys really come in handy.

A short survey with a few simple questions should be able to tell you if your followers are interested in receiving things like information, coupons, infographics, or investor tips from you. Whatever it is, make sure you comply.

Try to put your own agenda in the background, and your followers’ wants in the foreground of your online business profile campaign.

Make sure your business profile is getting enough love.

Post often and everywhere with information that your followers want.

Photo credit: Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

About the Author: Kate Supino writes extensively about best business practices.

Manage better by knowing the “why” behind your favorites

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By Lindsey Tolino

Have you heard you shouldn’t play favorites with your employees? Do you try to be fair, but try as you might, there are still some employees you can’t help but favor?

‘Playing favorites’ has always been condemned as poor conduct. I’m not here to tell you that you shouldn’t play favorites. I’m more interested in why your favorites are your favorites and how that can help you manage your business.

We are logical beings and even if it’s not immediately evident why someone is your favorite, on some level you have a reason for it. It’s important to get down to why someone is your favorite because the more you know why, the better you can manage your business.

Let’s look at an example

Say you have three employees – Bob, Julie and Sam. Bob and Julie are your favorites. Sam isn’t. When you think about it, you discover Bob is your favorite because he is fun to be around, easy-going and is always smiling. You realize Julie is your favorite because she does a significant amount of excellent work to keep the business going. You’ve remarked before that you wish you had ‘three more just like her.’

But Sam isn’t your favorite. You realize it’s because Sam is always cautious, weighing pros and cons and discussing the difficult practical steps that your vision will require. This rubs you the wrong way because you feel like Sam is always trying to shut down your dreams. But when you think about it further, you realize that some of Sam’s cautious actions, like getting that extra insurance, have protected your company from what could have been a disaster.

The way to crack the code

In this example, you can see the value of examining why your favorites are your favorites. When you discover the “why” behind your favorites, you may recognize the value that some employees offer that you hadn’t noticed before. This may cause you to respect their opinion and value their contributions, which is far better than just going with how you felt about them previously.

It’s easy to say ‘don’t play favorites.’ It’s much harder to actually not do it. The way to crack the code and actually not play favorites is to dig down into why certain people are (and aren’t) your favorites. When you discover the “why”, you may not have to worry about ‘playing’ favorites because you value everyone for their unique contributions.

The dark side

Let’s go back to the example and talk more about Bob. Bob is fun to be around, so you don’t want to lose him as an employee. But when you really think about it, you realize that Bob hasn’t really done his job. Furthermore, the work he does do isn’t that good. You’ve justified keeping him on payroll because he’s good for morale. After examining why he was your favorite, you realize that he may not be the best fit for your business.

Digging into why your favorites are your favorites may not always come up roses. You may realize that you need to make changes and that can be hard. But examining the ‘why’ will lead you to discover what is best for your business. I recently watched this video where Barbara Corcoran explained how firing the bottom 25% of her sales staff was best for the business and actually what was best for them. Just because it may lead to hard decisions doesn’t mean you should abandon digging into the “why.”

Dig in, it’s best

Your business runs on your management. If you know why your favorites are your favorites, it will enable you to better manage your business. Dig in to your ‘why’ today and change your management accordingly. It’s what’s best for your business.

Author’s Bio:Lindsey Tolino is small business management consultant that uses her intentional creativity to make businesses better. She serves business owners with her words at ToBusinessOwners.com. Follow her on Twitter @LindseyTolino or connect with her on Google+.

How Are Guest Articles Different From Guest Posts?

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By Mickie Kennedy

So you heard that one terrific way to attract new traffic to your site can be to drop a few well-written articles on other popular websites or blogs. Seems pretty straightforward, right? You write an article full of useful advice, a potential new client or fan reads it, surfs over to your webpage, lands in your funnel and — boom! — your follower base expands.

At first glance, guest articles on online websites seem very similar to guest blog posts. However, while similar in quality content, they differ in how they are written, the editing process, and their place on the website.

So before you go sending off a dozen emails to leading blogs in your space, check out these rules and tips.

Guest Articles

Guest articles are usually more formally written for an online publication like a magazine. They also have a more formal review process. Most likely, you will be working with an editor who may have significant changes for your submitted work. In addition, a guest article may have a permanent place on the website or a link from the main page to your content.

Guest Blog Posts

A blog post is slightly different in that it is more informal. You are still presenting quality information, however, the review process is usually, but not always less stringent. The blog creator or their staff may have a few changes or might want to write an introduction for your post. In addition on a blog post, as new posts are added, your post will fall down on the page. Your work will still be incorporated on the website, but it will not have a permanent position. So for example, you couldn’t just send someone to the main blog URL and expect it to be there.

Best Practices for Guest Writing of Any Kind

To write for both of these, however, you will still be following quality writing guidelines. Things to keep in mind while writing either a guest article or a guest blog post:

  • The headline needs to reel people in. You want to keep it short, interesting and factual. It should be between 60-80 characters ideally, so that it’s easily readable in search engine listings.
  • Know your audience. Do they respond to anecdotes or do they like ‘just the facts.’ Don’t be afraid to ask the blogger or editor for any guidelines or to give feedback on the piece.
  • Another important feature of guest blog posts is the call to action. This is especially important if you are trying to get your product in front of a different audience. You want them to be able to go to your website and either by your product or sign up with your service, so make sure they know who you are and what you want from them.

Remember that in either situation, you want to send quality work to these websites. Refrain from using too many links or veering off topic in your posts.

Have questions about writing guest posts? Ask us in the comments.

Author’s Bio: Mickie Kennedy is author of the PR Fuel blog and President of eReleases Press Release Distribution.

Are you Villanova Piccolo Girl passionate about your business?

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last week or so, you’ve probably seen “Villanova Piccolo Girl,” a heartbroken Villanova basketball fan who persevered with her bandmates even though she was overcome with emotion.

We can all draw some lessons from this young lady.

  • Keep going in the face of disappointment. Keep your eyes on your mission. As a business owner, you will encounter lots of setbacks. If you can stay focused on your unique contribution, and “why” you’re doing it, you’ll always come out ahead, and you won’t let your bandmates down.
  • It’s ok to cry if you’re sad. Everyone is always trying hard to look cool. That’s one reason this clip has resonated; she is being completely authentic in that moment. I’m not recommending bursting into tears in the middle of a business meeting, but keep the fire in your belly. Showing a little bit of emotion is ok when it’s real.
  • It’s ok to laugh at yourself. The girl in the video, Roxanne Chalifoux, has taken her sudden fame in stride, and it only makes her more endearing. We all want to be 100% confident and unflappable, especially running a business, but showing your humanity when you slip up is important.
  • There’s always a silver lining. Roxanne’s moment of raw honesty has now led to opportunities, including an appearance on Jimmy Fallon, where she played with The Roots. Even in your darkest moments, there might be an opportunity lurking. Keep your eyes open in those moments!

When your face hits the JumboTron, how will you react?

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

 

Do Your Employees Successfully Communicate?

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As an employer, what do you look at as some of your greatest challenges?

Many will point to keeping their revenue in the black or at least break-even all the time. Meantime, others will note the difficulties of retaining some of their top employees, employees who may decide the pasture is greener in another job. Still others will single out the task of keeping customers happy.

No matter what you find to be your greatest challenge running a company, having employees who can properly communicate amongst themselves and with customers is oftentimes more difficult than it should be.

For one reason or another, communications break down.

When that happens, customers can be left holding, meaning some of them will choose not to remain with you and go elsewhere.

Review Communication Procedures Regularly

So that you can avoid issues concerning employee communication, put aside these reminders:

  1. Technology – First and foremost, do you have the right technology in place for your employees to succeed with? Simply having a few phones, computers, a fax machine or two and a printer here and there in the office are not enough. You should do a technology review of your office at least a couple of times a year, checking to see that you have all your needs being met. If you have a busy call center, make sure your employees are staffed with the right technology so they can deal with customers quickly and efficiently, not leaving them on hold for extended periods of time or dropping calls routinely;
  2. Usage – Even if you have the latest in technology, is it being put to proper use? Start by looking at your office phone system. Whether you work on the West Coast, East Coast, Midwest or in the Sunshine State and have Florida home phone or another such setup in your office or home office (for those who telecommute or run companies out of their residences), make sure you and your employees are getting your money’s worth. The same holds true if you have office cell phones, especially for employees who are on the road conducting sales, meeting with clients, attending trade shows etc. The phones should have necessities such as texting, the ability to take photos, folders for holding important dates such as meetings and more;
  3. Pricing – If you are a savvy business owner, you undoubtedly are good at budgeting and saving money for a rainy day. Check the pricing plans for your phone and Internet connections, making sure you are clearly getting the best deal possible. In many cases, you can get a bundled deal, meaning your phone and Internet needs are all tied up in one, coming at a discounted rate. Also track the amount of time you and your employees spend on the phone with customer service matters versus email. Many companies have gotten away from the one-on-one phone conversation as the primary source to interact with customers, instead opting for emails and SMS text messaging.

No matter what technology devices your company uses, it is a good idea to make sure you have the best devices around, not to mention the best employees to use them.

Sound communication with your customers is not an option; it is a necessity that should never be overlooked.

Photo credit: Image courtesy of photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

About the Author: Dave Thomas writes for a variety of websites on topics such as social media and marketing.