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Announce Your News Early & Often!

02.05.2020 by Elizabeth // Leave a Comment

This year instead of writing original content – I’m going to try something new. Updating content I’ve written over the past 9 years that I think still holds up and/or could maybe use a revisit. First up – one of my very first blog posts from February 2012…

How falling off the radar and coming back with a BANG can fill up your sales pipeline in a day

 

As you know, I recently launched Yellow Dog Consulting. I’ve had the idea since early 2011 and started the company in May 2011 but didn’t announce it to the world until October. After sending out my first email announcement mentioning an upcoming event, I had 75 emails by the end of the day. I also had coffee appointments, drinks, lunches and more by the end of the week filling up my month(s).

If you have a monthly newsletter you’re forgetting to use, or even if you’ve been off the radar, who in your network hasn’t realized they miss you until you reach out to them?

Try it. Make the commitment to send out a newsletter or just an announcement, open coffee, dog park meet up,  15 minute phone consultation, whatever it might be, just “reach out and touch someone,” (but don’t make it weird, OK?)

What’s Changed in the Past 8 Years?

I stand by this blog post whole heartedly. Just yesterday I met with someone who recently started their own business. I told them this exact story. Then, my FIRST piece of advice was to announce what they are up to. Build your list of colleagues and send out “What am I up to Now?” newsletter. Share some services you’re offering, ask what events people are attending, share events you’re attending.

The goal of this announcement is to make sure people know you’re alive and kicking and open for business. And then keep it going. Send a monthly newsletter with updates, client wins, additional services that you are now offering because you realized it’s what people want and need. Starting a business is scary. Take the time to share your GREAT news with the world, I promise they will welcome you with open arms!

Categories // Branding, Follow Up, Lessons Learned, Networking

3 Tips to Boost Your Brand Visibility

09.12.2018 by Elizabeth // Leave a Comment

Today’s blog is a guest post from one of my favorite small business experts – Maria Ross of Red Slice!

Maria Ross is a brand strategist, speaker and author who believes cash flow and creativity are not mutually exclusive. She is the creator of Red Slice, a brand consultancy for entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses and author of Branding Basics for Small Business: How to Create an Irresistible Brand on Any Budget, (2nd Edition) and a mini-eBook series, The Juicy Guides for Entrepreneurs, as well as her powerful personal memoir, Rebooting My Brain. Maria is a dynamic keynote speaker on both business and inspirational topics and has shared her insights in numerous media outlets, including MSNBC, ABC News, Forbes.com, and Entrepreneur Magazine. She currently writes for Entrepreneur.com Maria lives with her husband, preschool son and frisky Black Lab in the San Francisco Bay Area. Learn more at www.red-slice.com

Picture this:

  • You walk into a crowded networking event and as soon as you pin on your nametag, a smiling woman makes a beeline for you. “I thought I recognized you! I’ve been reading your blog and forwarding your articles to my clients for years!”
  • You pop into Pinterest to check your analytics. You discover that while you’ve been drinking your coffee on the patio and walking the dog, 247 people have pinned your most recent blog post.
  • You sit down for lunch with a potential client. As you wait for the entrees, he tells you “I’ve heard your name everywhere and I keep seeing your articles pop up in my LinkedIn feed. So I thought it was time to meet you and figure out how we could work together.”

Sounds amazing, right? Right.

Gaining visibility for your brand and your work isn’t nearly as complicated as you might think. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on advertising or learn to use a new social media platform.

You just need to take a few surprisingly easy steps on a consistent basis.

  1. Pitch yourself as a podcast guest

What if you could get your ideas and expertise in front of thousands of potential customers for zero dollars and about 60 minutes of effort?
Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? It’s not. This is exactly what happens when you’re a guest on a podcast!
How do you go about securing podcast spots? Start with some simple googling for podcasts in your niche: The Best Health And Fitness Podcasts, The 11 Best Self Improvement Podcasts To Supercharge Your Growth, 10 Podcasts That Will Make You Smarter With Your Money. You can also check out different categories on iTunes and Stitcher.

I also like to keep a running spreadsheet of the podcasts that interview my friends. You’ll often see your friends mention their guest spots on social media, so when you see that, take note!Pop that information into you spreadsheet and do a bit of research to determine if you’d be a good fit for that podcast. Of course, it’s much easier to get a guest spot if you can get an introduction from a friend and former guest. Here’s a helpful link for how to pitch yourself as a podcast guest.

  1. Post articles beyond your blog

Your blog is fantastic! And if you’ve been writing blog posts with SEO-friendly titles and updating it regularly, you’ve probably found some devoted readers.
But the internet is filled with potential customers who’ve never encountered you and your work. Increase your visibility by repurposing and reformatting your content and getting it in front of new people.

Publish your archived blog posts on Linkedin or Medium. Turn your best content into a podcast or create a series of Instagram Stories.

Pitch a contributed article to an online site in your niche; they’re always looking for good free content.

And while Elizabeth kindly approached me to write this guest blog here on her site, you can also pitch yourself to trusted colleagues to do the same thing. It’s more visibility for you and it gives them ready-made valuable content for their audience. Win Win.

Any of these are a great way for people to discover you and then go back to your site to check you out–and join your email list.

  1. Go ‘live’ on a consistent basis

Eeeep! I know live video can feel a little nerve-wracking. What if the dog barks? What if this is the moment your UPS package finally arrives and you need to sign for it?
I get it. And so do your viewers! At this point, we’ve all seen enough live video to know that stuff happens. Honestly, a little bit of ‘real life’ humanizes you and makes you more relatable to your viewers.

Not only does live video increase your visibility literally (because we can see your sweet face and hear your wonderful voice) it increases your brand’s visibility on social media.

The Facebook algorithm favors live video and if you have a big Instagram following, you can go live there, too. I even know people who film a Facebook Live from their computer and an Instagram Live from their phone simultaneously.

Struggling for live video ideas?

  • Create a live video version of one of your most popular blog posts or offer a “Tip of the Week” to showcase your expertise or something interesting related to your field.
  • Do a video that ties together something topical + timely and your area of expertise, like relating your work to a new study, news headline or relevant event. If you can tie your work into trending pop culture, such as new movies, music or celebrity happenings, try that to keep things entertaining.

If you’re a health coach and it’s summer, do a live video about healthy recipes that everyone at the neighborhood BBQ will love. If you’re an accountant and it’s April, do a live video about tax deductions people forget about. You get the idea!

  • Ask your followers what they’d like to learn about. But rather than asking an open-ended question, give them 3-5 options and let them vote. Otherwise you run the risk of having them all request a live video topic you’re not particularly interested in.
  • If you’re a brick and mortar business, give your viewers a behind-the-scenes tour. Show them the kitchen where you make your salads or the workshop where your products are assembled.

For even more tips on how to boost your visibility and create an irresistible brand, please sign up for your free brand guide, 7 Surprising Ways to Boost Your Visibility. And if you’re ready to end your marketing overwhelm and make all the right marketing moves that will get you more visibility, clients and sales, check out MOMENTUM Pro. This is my self-study digital version of my popular live coaching program, self-guided and stress-free just for you. Each lesson gives you one actionable step to take to do everything from grow your email list to write great sales page copy to network more effectively. Enjoy this special offer: $100 off the regular price.   Click here to learn more and see how it’s helped other savvy entrepreneurs supercharge their businesses!

Categories // Branding, Lessons Learned

Your Online Presence is Important (but Overwhelming)

01.17.2018 by Elizabeth // Leave a Comment

Your Online Presence Is Important - but overwhelmingThinking about your online presence is overwhelming and can be confusing. Where do you start? You want me to spend how much on what? What sites are reputable? How do you spot a scam versus legitimate help?

I know, it daunting. And, being found online is important! You started your business and spent a lot of money on a website and design – people should be able to find you! But where do you start? What do you need to do? And what if something changes?

Relax, I have you covered!

My recommendation is a handy tool from the fabulous SEO firm Moz. Their local search tool tells you exactly how great (or not) your online presence is.

Go do it right now.

I’ll wait…

So…what was your score?

8%? 42%? 78%? There’s almost always room for improvement. I like Moz because everything is all in one place. Their job is knowing SEO and where you need to be listed online. I don’t question if I need to be listed on City Search – Moz says I do, and they’ll handle it for me.

You know your score,

now what do you do?

I signed up for Moz Local – it’s not expensive and it’s  totally worth it. You input all your info and then check in every few days (for a couple of months, depending on how many edits and changes need to happen) and over time your ranking goes up and your online presence is in place and ready to go. Moz takes care of all the logistics with the key reputable search sites online. This way you don’t have to decipher what’s worth your time and what might be a scam.

Just like that. If your score is high enough that you don’t want to deal with it right now, that’s up to you. But, here are 3 times when it’s important that you consider confirming your online presence…

When You Have a Name Change

(Personally or for your Business)

I was talking with a client recently about their online presence. They went through a name change recently and it was time to get their name consistent online. Making sure that your website says what Google says and what Bing says (hey, it’s the Pacific Northwest, not everyone is allowed by their employer to use Google. If you get married or divorced you should make sure your online presence isn’t screwing things up. Likewise, if your business changes names. Maybe you become an LLC, or you incorporate, or add or slightly modify your business name. Time to check in and make the change.

When your address changes

True story – I know someone who only changed their address on Google when they moved and clients consistently went to their old addresses thanks to other GPS services that hadn’t been notified. If you move, don’t trust that everything everywhere is going to get updated. I’m working with a client right now who changed addresses and we’re still fighting with a couple of search sites to get the address fixed. It’s tedious, but worth while.

When you want to get serious about getting online reviews

If you want people to leave you reviews on Google, Yelp, Facebook, Bing, etc., you need to claim your profile on these channels. Last month someone called me because they had received a nasty Yelp review and needed help. They had gone through all the proper channels but Yelp was taking too long to respond. We discussed cleaning up and confirming their online presence so that they’re not undermined by someone out to get them. I don’t want to unnecessarily scare you, you make good choices in the clients you work with, but it IS possible that someone out to get you could claim your profile on your behalf and really mess with your brand. Just claim that profile so you can sleep at night.

Clients often ask me for help with their online presence because it’s a pretty tedious task. If it’s not on your list of fun things to do while running a business, we should talk.

Categories // Branding, Marketing

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Yellow Dog Consulting is a sales and marketing firm located in Hillsboro, Oregon with clients around the world. We work with small business owners who love what they do, but the sales and marketing part of their job sucks their will to live.

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