Archive for the ‘Engage’ Category

19 Jul 2016
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The Pokémon GO Phenomena

Have you been bit by the Pokémon GO bug yet? Maybe you never will, but I decided to download the app this past weekend. I don’t see myself becoming obsessed with it, but I do see the interest and think it is fun!

Let’s get some perspective for anyone that “doesn’t get it” or is condemning it. Video game playing is a hobby or pastime. It’s not much different than other hobbies like golf, gardening, reading, Fantasy Football, etc. This video game is encouraging people to get outside and involve themselves in a more physical way than just sitting with a controller.

One of the things I like about this app is the community and relationships that it is building. For me, it provided an opportunity to learn something from my son. He has had to tutor me on how to play. Families are getting out and playing together. (Sometimes it’s hard to tell who is more excited, the kids or the parents!)

For gosh sakes, it’s getting people outside! It’s all good in my book when you see groups of people out and about with their phones, laughing and having a good time and helping each other. By the way, you may see a bunch of people with their heads in their phones camped out in a spot. This is a “Gym” where Pokémon GO battles occur.

When Pokémon GO first arrived on the scene, I was not paying too much attention to it. A “game” is not something I spend a lot of time with. Pokémon is certainly not on my list of interests. However, I was intrigued by the stories that started appearing in Reddit, on TV and through various news sources. The overall theme has been the remarkable interactions this game has allowed. People are exploring areas of their city they may not have even thought to go to before.

Pokémon GO Stories: 

  • One of the stories that caught my attention was found on Reddit about an autistic child and how it got him out of rigid routine and communicating with others. I can only imagine the joy for his Mom in seeing her child interacting so openly.
  • Another story that caught my eye this weekend was a police cruiser in San Diego that cranked up the ‘Pokémon GO’ theme song for players while it rolled through Balboa Park. You can hear the laughter of the crowd.  I think this helps build trust in the community.
  • This story is also on Reddit from a police officer. He shares that he noticed a group of kids that were hanging out in a park at night. I like that he pointed out that the kids were doing something right rather than wrong.
  • In Kansas City, the public library has a sign on the door that welcomes Pokémon GO players and encourages them to come inside to play and to let the players know that there is free Wi-Fi. Makes me wonder how many of the players had been inside that library before?
  • I just read that Children’s Hospitals are using the game to engage with the patients. In fact, if you have any spare Lures, drop them by your nearest Children’s Hospital so these sick kiddos can forget about being sick for a while and have some fun.

There are so many great stories and if you have one, I would love for you to share it with me!

So, what can we learn from Pokémon GO?

  • I see Pokémon GO as a great lesson in marketing. Mark Schaefer wrote a blog about this new craze and what we can learn from it. He pointed out that many businesses and marketers are concentrating on building traffic when trust is what we need to be building. ‘We need to build an emotional bond between our company, our content, and our customers.’ Which Nintendo has done so well with this game.
  • We can all learn to be more open to something new. Instead of approaching with condemnation, why not approach with curiosity? Learn more about something and even if it isn’t for you, don’t be judgmental about the people that find it fun or interesting. Who knows, maybe you will find something to like about it too.
  • In the Kansas City Metro area where I live, the animal shelters were encouraging people to volunteer to walk the dogs and play Pokémon GO while out on the walk. A win-win for everyone! How can you turn something that is trending into something that is relevant for your business or organization?

These are just a few of my takeaways I see with Pokémon GO. How about you?

I will end with this, in the current environment we are living in, there seems to be so much separatedness. If a mobile game is what brings us together, I am all for it.

Until next time…

 

 

12 Jul 2016
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Do You Have a Social Media Action Plan?

What if I told you that Social Media Action Planyou don’t need to be on social media 24/7 for it to work for your business? It’s true! In fact, with a social media action plan, you can have impact in as little as a few hours each week.

Keep reading…it IS possible!

When entrepreneurs and small business owners are frustrated and/or overwhelmed by social media, many times it is because they haven’t created a social media action plan. They think that posting something every day or once a week or whenever they have time is a plan.

I am here to tell you, that is NOT a plan. That is a wish and a prayer that someone will connect with you.

plan = focus

Focus provides you the direction so you aren’t wasting a bunch of time.

Let’s talk about what goes into a social media action plan. In a previous blog, I talked about social media mindset. In a nutshell, who is your audience and what matters to them? You can read the blog post here. Once you have answered these questions, you can move onto the ones that go into a social media action plan. Here are a few:

  • Which social media platforms do my peeps (ideal client) use?
  • What content is relevant to my audience?
  • When should I post this content?

How often should I post on each platform?

Each of these questions is really an entire blog, but I will give you at least some direction to get you started.

It has been my experience that too many times business owners think they need to be on every platform. This tends to overwhelm them and then they don’t actually end up “doing” any social media. My philosophy is that you should choose one or two social media platforms that are best for connecting with your ideal client, do them really, really well and then see if you want to add another platform. When it comes to which platforms, I found this blog and infographic from Social Media Today very helpful. As you study it, you should be able to identify where your ideal client likes to hang out on line.

When I work with my coaching clients on creating their social media action plan, one of the exercises involves deciding what kind of content you could post for each day.

This is a simplified version, but for example:

  • Monday could be the day you share a #MotivationMonday post
  • Tuesday can be your blog
  • Wednesday…

Each client is a bit different and we brainstorm over the kind of content that works for them and their audience. Keep in mind that you always want to be adding value. (Value can be encouragement, laughter, tips, education…)

Frequency of posting and the best time to post really depend on you and your audience. In order to stay current with most of the social media algorithms, a daily post is typically the minimum. The time of day depends on when your audience is most likely to be online. To start, try early morning or after 6pm during the week and then adjust from there.

If you just started to panic because you don’t think you can post every day… TIME OUT! Take a pause and breathe.

I am all about making things simpler for you. If you haven’t been posting consistently now, look at posting three times per week. Then work up to four times per week, etc. It’s not an all-or-nothing deal. Stop running around like a crazy person or being overwhelmed by social media; create a social media action plan that works for you and your business.

Vicki’s Social Media Action Plan Process:

  • Each week I set aside time to plan what I am going to post on each day and to each platform.
  • I then schedule my posts.
  • Each day, I check-in to my platforms and engage with the people that make comments etc. and then I go about my day. (This can be a 5 to 10 minute deal a few times a day.)
  • If I find something relevant that I want to post immediately, I then add it to my mix.

You may find it easier to schedule your posts the night before or for several days in a row instead of a week in advance. It doesn’t matter how you do it, it just matters that you do it. The biggest part is setting aside time each week to plan out your content.

Here is something to think about. You fuel your body everyday with food and water. You need to fuel your business with marketing. You must take the time (schedule it every week as an appointment you cannot miss) and then use your social media action plan to create and schedule your posts.

In social media, consistency wins. Get consistent with your updating. As mentioned before, if everyday seems daunting, start with three times per week and then work your way up to daily. Once you are consistent and things are working for you, decide if you want/need more content or another platform to share with your ideal client. By putting a social media action plan into place, you will find that keeping your social media platforms current and connecting with your ideal client isn’t that difficult.

Hey – before I sign-off, I have a gift for you. Here is a training that may help you with your time management. I have a recorded webinar that you can watch for FREE (it’s a $47 value). All you need to do is sign-up with this link: Time Management and Social Media Webinar.

Until next time…

PS: We went from social media mindset last week to social media action plan this week. The first step in my coaching program, Social Media MAP – Mindset and Action Plan™ is Clarify. If you would like to delve much deeper into creating a personalized social media plan that will work for you, contact me for more information & availability.

 

05 Jul 2016
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Social Media Mindset

Social Media MindsetWhat is your social media mindset? If you Google “mindset”  you receive this definition – “the established set of attitudes held by someone”. So, what is your mindset when it comes to social media?

For many, their social media mindset is, “I’ve got to do this because everyone else is” or “I have to be on Twitter (or Shapchat or Instagram, etc.) because my friend’s- second-cousin’s-boyfriend has thousands of people following them”.

Maybe your social media mindset is about ignoring social media. You hate it on a personal level, it seems like a big time-suck, you don’t want to learn it and no one is going to make you. Besides, eventually it won’t be relevant anymore and everyone will go back to do things the old-fashioned way.

There are so many different ways that we think about social media, but one thing I see with my clients, self-employed professionals and small business owners, social media is mainly misunderstood. When it’s not understood from the start, how can you have a healthy social media mindset?

Social media is first and foremost about being social. If you are attacking social media as solely an advertising platform to get your message out over and over again, then you are missing the beauty of this connective tool.

Here are some of the social media mindset questions you need to be asking:

  • Who are your peeps? (Or if peeps is too girly for you, who is your ideal client?)
  • What do they like to learn about?
  • What interests them?
  • What makes them tick?
  • What makes them laugh?
  • What encourages them?
  • How can you be of service to them?
  • What are their biggest worries?
  • What can you do to make their life or business easier and/or better?
  • How do you not add to the noise of social media, but provide something of value?
  • What trips-them-up in their day-to-day life?
  • What will make them want to have a conversation, like and/or share your content or recommend you to everyone else?

These are just some of the new social media mindset questions you should be considering.

You see, you need to make it about THEM. When you understand your audience and learn to serve them, social media becomes so much easier and has a much bigger purpose. Yes, I know you have a widget or service you are providing, but until you understand your audience, learn to talk with them and earn their trust, what you have to sell is of little relevance.

This is very simplified for a much deeper conversation I typically have with my coaching clients but, starting down the path of understanding your ideal audience and what their needs are, will give you more success in all of your marketing. You can then amplify your message on social media and make the use of your time more successful.

New Mindset =  New Results

What is YOUR social media mindset? Has it changed (even a bit) since you read this article? I welcome your insights and thoughts.

Until next time….

Hey, friend! I have a FREE download for improving your LinkedIn Profile. You can grab it here. If you accept the link to go into my newsletter, I promise to not spam you! I have some exciting things to share and hope you will be part of my community. You may also follow me on Facebook or Twitter. Stop by and say “hello”!

31 Mar 2015
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7 Reasons to Update Your Online Profile Picture Now

When was the last time you had a new picture taken for your social media platforms and/or website? If you are sitting there thinking “I don’t know, let me think” it has been too long.  Why update your pictures? Why worry about whether or not your social pictures are professional? Because your audience and prospects are already trying to figure out if they trust you. Not having a professional photo can hamper your interactions and impact on social media.

A good profile image is a vital piece of your branding and identity in the online world. Think of it as your visual signature. It is THE icon that signifies who you are. At a glance people should be able to quickly identify that image with your interactions elsewhere on any social network, on the web and also in person.

Here is a list of the reasons you should have a picture taken NOW:

  1. Gained weight? It’s ok. YOU are what is important, not the number on the scale!

  2. Lost weight? Even if not at your goal, go get them done! See #1.

  3. Changed your hair? This goes for color and/or length & style as well as beards or no beards, etc.

  4. New glasses? There are many wonderful and fun new frames out there, show off your new peeps.

  5. Lasik surgery or contacts? If people are used to seeing you in glasses, but you no longer are wearing them, be sure your photo reflects this.

  6. Aged a few years? Embrace your wisdom! Besides, you don’t want someone going into shock because you don’t appear as the 20 or 30 year old they see on your site right now.

  7. Changed businesses? If your business has changed from a button down to more casual or visa versa, it is important that your current images reflect the right industry. A banker/financial person will likely be dressed more professionally than someone in a landscaping business. If you picture does not reflect the type of business you are in, get it changed. I hate seeing men in ties and suit jackets that don’t normally wear one when meeting clients. They typically look very uncomfortable and that reflects out to the world.

Do you get the picture (no pun intended!) now? The key thing is that your image has to be recognizably you in the here and now.

You don’t need to be perfect! You just need to be YOU. 100%, wonderful, powerful YOU!! To recap, if you hair or glasses have changed, your current picture is more than 2 or 3 years old or you are now 15 pounds (over or under) since your last pictures, it is time for an update!

I know we all have our reasons why we don’t want to do it, but it all boils down to this: People are going to meet you in person. If who they meet is drastically different than who they think they were meeting from your online pictures, there is an instant disconnect and mistrust. It is much harder to come back from this than you can imagine. Don’t make me wonder about what else you are misrepresenting. Besides, embracing who you are is sexier and more powerful than you can imagine (and it inspires trust!).

Now go schedule that photography session!

Until next time…spread kindness wherever you go.

 

24 Mar 2015
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Stop Cluttering My Email In-Box

One of my biggest pet peeves is being added without permission to an email list. Just the other day it happened again. I was at a networking event, someone asked for my card and then next thing you know, I am receiving their newsletter. Why do people think it is ok to add me to their list without my permission?!?! Have businesses become so desperate that they add everyone they know to their list? In my book, this is spamming. Who’s with me?

This tactic has got to stop. It’s like buying likes for a Facebook Page or followers for Twitter; how effective is it if the person isn’t the ideal audience? Yes, it gives you “numbers”, but numbers don’t mean anything if the audience isn’t right. You aren’t likely to sell very much to someone that hasn’t identified that your product/service is right for them. Rather than annoying and interrupting perspective customers with unsolicited and pushy messages, ask for permission first. I think this is the most important rule of proper marketing etiquette.  Besides, why would someone who is looking to build a successful business want a bunch of people on a list that may not be interested?

I have to admit, it lowers my opinion of the business/person a bit when I am automatically added to a list. It seems lazy to me. If your hope is that the person you add to your list is going to be so enamored by what you have to say in your email marketing, that they are going to purchase from you or turn into your ambassador, what would it hurt for you to ask permission? This way you know that they are interested. Otherwise, now you could need to earn back trust which is harder to do.

My email address is currency and must be earned. I will give you my email address (currency) and in turn, I expect to receive something of value (it can be a great blog full of information, a discount, white paper, download, etc.), but I am not going to fill my in-box with a bunch of noise about things I am not interested in.

I have a little secret…I don’t use my business email for anything other than correspondence for business. I know immediately if someone just added me to their list. Sneaky, huh?!? You may be me curious as to why I don’t use this email for newsletters and ads? The first or foremost reason is that it helps me to concentrate on what is important. In my mind, having lots of other info coming into my main inbox is like clutter. It can be very distracting. In fact, too much email can be stressful, unproductive, overwhelming and can cause you to miss important things because there is too much to wade through.

Secondly, it does help me to be aware of what lists I have been added to without my permission. This also helps to remove unwanted clutter. How many of you have opened your email and wondered how you got onto so many lists? Even the lists I thought I wanted to be on at one time can become overwhelming. Then I know it is necessary to clean house there too.

My friend, Robyn of Robyn Stevens Feng Shui would agree. Here is what she has to share with you:

“Clutter, all forms of clutter, is so debilitating. Depending on what and where; it can clog the flow of abundance; keep ‘Ms/Mr Right’ from coming into your life, hold you back career-wise, etc., etc., etc.!  Clutter is not just limited to physical stuff; your computer content is absolutely part of the equation.  In most cases, our computer/emails are directly related to our careers.  When that area of our life is full of clutter life itself can feel like an uphill battle.  You probably feel like you are in a rut and aren’t happy with what you are doing.  Step 1?  Clear that email clutter and keep it cleared.  Clarity of computer will give you clarity of mind and will help lead you in the right direction career-wise!”

My advice, don’t add me to any email lists without my permission! Ha! And, the CANnon Do for today’s message is: set-up a separate email address for all of your purchasing and newsletters, but only keep the things that are important to you. It will help to clear your mind and make your life more productive and abundant.

Ok, I am stepping off my soapbox for now. Until next time, remember to Spread Kindness.

23 Jan 2013
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Your Voicemail is an Extension of You & Your Business

How do you feel about voicemail greetings?  Lately these have become a pet peeve of mine.  You know what I’m talking about – the message you receive when you call someone and their voicemail kicks in.  If you are running a business – don’t you want to have everything that you do (the touches you make with your clients & prospects) come across as professional as possible?  Recently, I was sent to a voicemail that said this:  “at my earliest convenience I will call you back.”  How do you feel about that? It makes me feel like:  “when/if I deem it important enough to call you back, I will.”  I am assuming that what this person was really saying was: “as soon as I can, I’ll call you back”, but that wasn’t how it came across.

Ok, how about the one that sounds like the person is distracted or recording the message from a tunnel or while driving? It sounds something like (background noise) and “um, you have um, reached, um, ….” With lots of pauses and noise in between.  This also conveys a message about your professionalism and the message isn’t favorable.

Here is my voicemail greeting:  “You have reached, Vicki S. Cannon of Cannon Social Media Solutions.   I am unable to take your call at this time, so please leave your name, phone number & a brief message after the tone and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.  You may also email me at: (insert email address) or contact me via my website: www.cannonsocialmedia.com.  Thank you for calling.”

It only takes a few minutes to write something out and to record and re-record until the right message is given. This is still an extension of you and your business.  What kind of impression are you leaving? Does the impression match your business?

Physician offices are usually pretty good at leaving a detailed greeting that includes when you should expect a call back and the type of information you should leave on the message (for instance, date of birth).  I appreciate these greetings because I am not left in the dark about what they need and when I should hear back.

Have you recently started a business? Don’t forget this important extension of your brand.  Many people are quick to start a Facebook Page and/or Twitter Account, but forget what may be an important piece of communication.  Starting with: “Hi, this is Vicki. Leave me a message.” may not be professional enough.  Also, please smile when you record and have a little bit of energy. There is nothing worse than listening to Eeyore give you a greeting (even if you are a Winnie the Pooh fan).

One last thing, take the time to record your own message.  The pre-recorded: “you have reached the Mobile Carrier Mailbox for 555-555-5555…” is not good either.  It looks like you aren’t keeping up with the little details.

You may be asking: “what does this have to do with social media”?  Well, I believe that everything you do in-person or online is an extension of your personal and professional identity.  You never know if this is the first real contact someone is making with you.  Do you want to put any doubt in the mind of a potential or even current client about your professionalism?   Take a moment and listen to your voicemail greeting. Is it the right message? How would you feel after hearing the greeting? If you aren’t sure, ask someone else to listen to it. What is their impression?  The same is true with your Social Media sites. What kind of impression are you leaving every time you post? People are watching and listening all the time.

Ok, I’m off of my soapbox now.  Do you have any pet peeves on professionalism?

19 Dec 2012
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The Ripple Effects of Random Acts of Kindness

Dear Friends –

As I sat to write my blog post last Friday afternoon for this week, I couldn’t find the words to say. I was riveted to the TV and all of the news going on in Newtown, Connecticut.  I am still so saddened that so many innocent lives were lost.  I hope and pray that there will be comfort and peace on some level at some time for these families and the community.

Today I debated about talking about what I have been feeling over the past few days especially with all of the media coverage, but decided that this is a good forum to extend, engage & explore with all of you how we feel now and how we can show up differently in the days, weeks, months & years to follow. Read more

12 Dec 2012
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Excuse Me – Where Are Your Social Media Manners?

We’ve all had the social media friend or Facebook Page that has made us want to turn them off, right? You know the one where every post is about what they are trying to sell you. “BUY FROM ME, BUY FROM ME, BUY FROM ME!” If that is you, knock-it-off!

Social media is about being social. You wouldn’t sit down to a meal with someone and immediately ask them to buy from you, would you? The answer better be no!  We need to remember that when we are on social media sites, we are engaging in conversation. It is about building the know, like and trust so eventually the person may buy from you or at least be a good referral source.

In my training class this week I am sharing 12 tips on social media etiquette. I could probably make the list 3 times larger, but since it’s a busy month I will keep it short.

12 Tips on Social Media Etiquette:

1. Use your real name. People like to engage with real people.

2. Use a current headshot of YOU (not your child, husband, dog, niece, etc.).  As author & blogger Chris Brogan says in his 2011 blog: An Insider’s Guide to Social Media Etiquette, “It feels creepy friending a four year old kid (avatar).”

Also, on another note about having a picture: I don’t follow anyone that doesn’t have a picture. I don’t trust that the person is real &/or question if it is a spammer/phisher trying to gain access to me, my computer and my network. Remember, people like to connect with people, so put a good quality headshot of you on your profile.

3. Set your privacy settings to control who can tag you. Facebook offers the opportunity for you to review any post that you are tagged in before it appearing on your timeline.

4. You are not obligated to friend or connect with anyone. In fact, it is a great idea to use some discernment here. If you keep your personal and professional life separate, send a message to the person asking for the connection and tell them that you prefer to connect with clients in a different way on LinkedIn and/or your Facebook Page.

5. When asking to make a connection, don’t use the default settings (for instance on LinkedIn). Include a personal note with the request that may include where you met the person, who you are, and why you wish to connect with them.

6. Be authentic.

7. Listen first and then join the conversation. Be sure you are always adding value.

8. Never spam. Ever.

9. Don’t repeat the same post on ever network within a 10-minute span. Change it up a bit and spread it out.

10.  Instead of selling, why not share with your followers why they should buy from you; what other followers got from buying from you; or some other relational fact.

11. Promote others.

12. Modesty is a beautiful thing. Don’t retweet and share every nice thing someone says about you and/or your company. Thank the person for the testimonial and leave it at that.

Your CANnon Do® for this week is to find a way to unselfishly promote someone else.

What other social media etiquette tips do you have?

28 Nov 2012
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Trying to Out-Wit Facebook’s EdgeRank

Do you have a Facebook Page for your business?  How are you feeling about your “number of people who saw this post” count?  It seems like everyday we are needing to find new and different ways to outwit Facebook’s EdgeRank.  (For those of you not familiar with Edgerank – it is the algorithm that Facebook uses to determine who gets to see your Facebook post.)

For a while, the visual-media aspect of loading an image was given more exposure, but more and more studies over the past few months have indicated that text-only posts (no images or links) are gaining more views.  The question becomes, what do I post to get the most exposure without having to pay for it?

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14 Nov 2012
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You Never Get a Second Chance to Make A First Impression

Remember that phrase by Will Rogers? What first impression are you giving with your profile picture on your social media sites? In my opinion it is wise to use a professional photo (the same one) across all of your profiles.  For many business owners, we are our brand. Many people know my name better than they know the name of my business, Cannon Social Media Solutions.  If someone was going to look me up via social media, if they put in Vicki Cannon or Vicki S. Cannon, they will know that they got the right person if they have met me before, because my photo looks like me.  If the person has not met me, but is going to meet me in a public place, they would be able to see my profile picture and know who to be looking for.

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