How To Manage Your Time on Social Media

How To Manage Your Time on Social Media

As a business owner, social media marketing is an important element of your business. It’s a way to generate conversations that may attract more people to your business, and it’s an easy way to let people know what’s going on with your business in a social setting. Yet there are many activities you need to do to run a successful business, and social media is only one of them. How do you put in the time that is required to maintain an effective social media presence, while still running your business? Here are some tips:

Start From the Results You Want: Instead of just jumping online, spend a few minutes thinking about what you want social media to do for your business. For example, if you are hoping to introduce new customers to your business, you’ll want to spend time planning posts that encourage existing customers to tell their friends about your business. As a result, you might decide to run a contest that rewards people for sharing. If you would like to encourage existing customers to purchase again, then you might focus on offering Facebook-only specials on your Facebook Page, and creating lots of conversation with people who already know what you have to offer. Knowing what you want can help you decide what to do online.
Plan Ahead: Nothing is a bigger time waster than sitting at your computer wondering what you’ll post that day. Create an editorial calendar for your online business presence, writing out your main posts at least a month in advance. By writing them all at once, you’ll get the creative juices flowing so that the posts come easier, and you will also be able to get a sense of the overall flow of your content. Are you too salesy? Not enough? Looking at an entire month’s worth of posts will not only help you be more efficient, but will also make your content better. (Also spend some time looking back at previous months’ posts. Did a particular type of post generate results? Then create more posts like it!)
Go Mobile: Don’t limit your time on social media to the minutes you can steal away to sit down at a computer. Use your mobile device to check in on your sites regularly, and jump in on conversations often. Instead of one block of time, you might spend a few minutes several times a day. Your customers will feel like you’re more responsive this way.
Avoid Spreading Yourself too Thin: Ask your customers where they spend their time online, and then set up one or two social media presences on the sites they use the most. One of these places is probably Facebook, but should you also be on Pinterest, Instagram or Twitter? By understanding how your customers want to connect with you, and where, you’ll use your time most efficiently instead of doing more than you need to.
Stay Focused: It can be very easy to get distracted on social media sites and waste time. Keep a list of the activities you want to accomplish that will help you reach your goals online, and when you’re using social media for your business, stick to the list. This will help you avoid distractions that take you away from your primary purpose.

By being strategic about your use of social media, you can use these highly effective tools in a way that helps you build your business and reach your customers.

How do you manage your time on social media? We would love to read your thoughts in the comments below!

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How to Handle Daily Stress

How to Handle Daily Stress

Everyday stress is a normal and inevitable part of modern life. If not handled appropriately, however, it can hinder your achievement of personal and professional goals. In order to avoid this, take a look at the following list with ideas about how you can better react to daily stress and even use it to improve.

Be prepared by anticipating what can go wrong. Almost worse than an actual setback is the feeling of being blindsided. Prepare yourself for such obstacles by anticipating what could go wrong, and then putting into place plans to overcome those challenges. This could mean having a “rainy day fund” set up for financial security or possibly a new marketing idea you’ve been sitting on because you haven’t seemed to need it. Think of the “what-if’s” in your business and have simple backup plans to quickly recover from setbacks as painlessly as possible.
Take small breaks throughout your day. Stretch, breathe deeply, go outside for some fresh air, or simply think of something fun. Your brain needs a little down time, and you’ll be more productive overall by giving yourself those much-needed breaks. Furthermore, you’ll increase your “work stamina” by pacing yourself and prevent midday burnout. Find a way to spend five or ten minutes a few times each day that refreshes your body and mind in an enjoyable way.
Visualize a great day where you handle everything well and accomplish your goals. Use your mind’s eye to give yourself the confidence that you can stay on top of your responsibilities, handle them with grace, and best of all, complete your daily to-do list. Visualization is a very effective tool you should be using to improve yourself in any area of life. If you see yourself accomplishing something, you are more likely to make it happen.
Learn from close calls and past mistakes. Think back to when you first learned how to drive. Most likely, you had some close calls when you accidentally cut someone off while changing lanes or perhaps nearly rear-ended someone while not paying close enough attention to the road. Now that you have been driving for many years, you don’t make those types of mistakes anymore, and you’ve become a safer, more capable driver. The same goes for your business. What close calls and mistakes have happened in the past and how can you learn from them? Answering such questions can ease your mind and reduce stress because remembering mistakes can actually help us grow.
Focus on how good things are right now. An important part of handling stress is not to make it the center of your day. Focus on the good things in your life: you are your own boss, you love what you do, you’ve already accomplished a great deal, and you provide a product/service that helps others make their lives better. Remind yourself of what is positive in your life right now to more easily handle daily stress that arises.

Coping with daily stress effectively is a skill that can be practiced and improved. Recognize the significance of handling stress well and make the effort to work on it. Your attitude and overall well-being will benefit from your efforts.

How do you handle daily stress? Please share your comments below!

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Developing Business Support Groups and Masterminds to Help You Succeed

Developing Business Support Groups and Masterminds to Help You Succeed

In your quest to meet and even surpass your professional goals, you will no doubt need and want some help along the way. A business support or mastermind group can serve as a valuable tool to help you generate innovative ideas and deal with the challenges you may face as a small business owner.

When forming such a group, it is important to find the right kind of people to maximize the effectiveness of the group as a whole. Look for like-minded people whose ambitions and goals are similar to yours.

Find people who:

Share your level of passion and goals. People in business support groups don’t have to all be in the same industry or come from the same field of experience. However, they should all have a strong passion for their business and an equally strong commitment to achieving their goals. This ensures that each person will contribute value to the group rather than holding it back by being the weak link. Create a list of questions to ask a potential group member that he or she can answer to give you a good idea of what drives this person to success. Ask about what the person hopes to get out of the group, what the person can contribute, and where the person sees him/herself in five years. If you can relate to most of the answers, then this person could be the right fit for your group.
Can get together in person. Conference calls and Skype sessions are very useful and efficient when in-person meetings are not possible or practical, but don’t overlook the benefits of meeting as a group in person. Non-verbal communication is just as powerful as words, and it’s imperative that the people in the group have a certain level of trust among each other. Meeting in person also allows you to more easily share materials in a tactile way. Holding something in your hand is always more effective than seeing it on a screen. If at all possible, form a group who can commit to regular meetings in person, or at the very least commit to in-person retreats annually or semi-annually.
Will motivate each other. Business support groups are not just about exchanging ideas and feedback. Be each other’s cheerleaders. If someone in the group is experiencing a difficult time such as an unforeseen financial setback, be encouraging, attentive, and empathetic. Point out to the person what his or her strengths are, especially because during times of personal failure, we seem to forget those. You can also be objective, and point out steps the group member can take to move forward, that he or she may not see because the failure has clouded his or her view. Motivate each other in good times and bad and develop a rapport that allows group members to count on each other as allies. A good morale will increase the effectiveness of what a support group can offer.
Complement your strengths and weaknesses. Find people who support your strengths and fill voids of your weaknesses. For instance, if you are an idea person, but have trouble mapping out a plan of action, look for someone who is detail-oriented and can help you execute your ideas. Or if you are a creative mind when it comes to advertising but don’t have a head for numbers, look for a person who can help you maximize the limits of your budget. A group whose members have a variety of strengths and weaknesses will be able to offer the most support and assistance to each person involved.

Although forming and participating in a business support group or mastermind can be time-consuming, it is an important investment of time. Such a group can help you meet your goals, grow your business, and achieve success.

What else should you look for in a business support group? Share your ideas below!

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How to Overcome Failures

How to Overcome Failures

Those that succeed often deal with their share of failure along the way. It is a good idea to actually expect and prepare for setbacks so that you can quickly overcome them and move on toward your ultimate goals. If you use failures and mistakes to your advantage, you can more easily bounce back and from them, and even find success that much faster.

Here are some tips for overcoming setbacks, and using them as stepping stones towards success.

Take responsibility for your failure. Your initial reaction might be to play the blame game. “This person didn’t give me a fair chance,” “The economic climate is holding me back,” or “My staff didn’t work hard enough,” are all common ways to avoid taking responsibility for your mistakes. Take some time for self-reflection, figure out where you went wrong, and identify what you need to do differently next time. The empowerment you create by holding yourself accountable for failures will strengthen your resolve and allow you to move ahead.
Surround yourself with the right people. Look around at those in your inner circle; if you’re the most hard-working and successful person, then you’re probably in the wrong circle. It is crucial to position yourself with likeminded people who will motivate you through their hard work and ambition. Avoid the temptation to commiserate with others about your failure because it will only slow you down and hinder your efforts to move past your mistake.
Take action now. No matter what it is, don’t stop until it is done. Procrastination will wear down your motivation and determination to overcome your failure. For example, if your goal was to partner up with another local business for an upcoming event, and the owner declined your proposal, your first instinct might be to pack it in for the day and deal with it another time. Do yourself a favor and take immediate action instead. Rework your proposal for a few other local businesses and make appointments to meet with them as soon as possible. By taking immediate action, you can rest easy with the knowledge that you’ve already moved beyond your failure and are working towards your goals.
Live up to what’s expected. People may have a lot of expectations of you, and this can create a fair amount of pressure to live up to that expectation. No one can predict the future, but you can live up to expectations by adhering to a few business basics: Treat others fairly, conduct business ethically, build meaningful relationships, and use your success to pay it forward by giving back to the community. No matter how many rough patches your business may experience, you can be proud that you will have already lived up to your potential by conducting yourself appropriately.
Volunteer to create opportunities. After any failure, you learn something about yourself or the business. Why not use your newfound knowledge to help others who may be dealing with the same kinds of obstacles? Volunteer within your community to help others avoid the same kind of mistake. Teaching a workshop at the local library, or hosting an event for young people interested in entrepreneurship are ways that you can pass on your experiences to others.

Overcoming failure requires a certain mindset. You need to be able to analyze your mistakes, move on quickly, and plow ahead using what you’ve learned. How do you overcome failure? Please share your ideas in the comments section!

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How To Be Better in Business

How To Be Better in Business

The conscious choice to improve the way you do business is necessary to grow your business and move it forward. It is always a good idea to focus on one small area at a time so as not to spread yourself too thin. Consider the following suggestions for improving the way you do business.

Always look for new and better ways to do things. Sometimes we just get stuck in our old habits without thinking of better ways to do things that might be more efficient. For instance, even though you have been paying your bills online for years, you still find yourself with paper statements and an overflowing filing cabinet that needs to be cleaned out at the end of every calendar year. An easy solution would be to sign up for e-bills through your bank’s online bill paying system and/or paperless statements through your vendors themselves. Create an online filing system that works for you, and back everything up on an external hard drive or via cloud storage such as Norton or Carbonite. New and better ways of doing simple things are becoming available all the time, so take advantage of accessible resources.
Think of “no” as “not yet.” Perhaps one of the hardest things about owning a business is hearing the word, “no.” It may be from a potential customer, a recruit, or an existing client. Instead of taking “no” as the final word, think of it as, “I’m not ready for this yet,” or “I need more information about why I need this.” Adjusting your mindset when wearing your salesperson hat will prevent you from giving up too easily or shrugging off the follow-up questions you should be asking. Even if you only acquire one additional sale out of 5 or 10 by adopting this approach, it will be worth it to your confidence and to your bottom line.
Build lasting relationships to grow your business. Relationships with everyone you work with from colleagues to clients are the heartbeat of your business. Build new ones, nurture existing ones, and always demonstrate sincerity. Make an effort to learn something personal about your customers, especially something to which you can also relate like hobbies and family life. Find out from your staff what you can do to enrich their experience working for you or help them with something they’d like to improve. When others know you truly care, lasting relationships can be built.
Continue taking calculated risks. When considering taking a risk, make sure you are fully informed about the pros and cons and have a backup plan ready for the worst case scenario. Don’t fear risks so much that you never take them, as that can cause your business to remain static. Use your existing knowledge and skill set, research necessary information, and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of your decision.
Develop a reputation for excellence. It is better to do one thing extremely well than to do several things at a mediocre level. Focus on one aspect of your business, and strive to be the best at that one thing. For example, your bakery offers everything from freshly baked breads to custom made cakes. Your real strength, however, is that crumb cake that everyone raves about. Promote that particular product and consider creating new ways to use it, such as in bite-sized packages for gift baskets or kids’ parties. Your customers will always be able to count on your excellent crumb cake and because of your consistently high quality, they’ll branch out to your other offerings as well.

Don’t be overwhelmed by all the things you want to improve about your business. Just a few simple changes here and there can make a significant difference. What else should be added to our list? Please share your ideas below!

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Making Facebook Work For Your Business

Making Facebook Work For Your Business

Do you use Facebook for your business? With nearly a billion people using the social network internationally, it’s a great tool to connect with existing customers and prospects, while also finding new ones. But you can’t just advertise your business indiscriminately on the service. Keep these points in mind when using Facebook for your business:

Start with a Plan. Before you begin using Facebook for your business, be sure you know what you want to gain as a result. Are you trying to encourage repeat business? Find new prospects for your business opportunity? Get customer feedback? By starting with an end in mind, you’ll ensure that the actions you take on Facebook are focused and results-oriented.
Engage Regularly. Facebook is a SOCIAL network. You can’t be social if you don’t show up. So be sure to set aside time daily, even if it’s just 10-20 minutes, to engage with people on Facebook. Ask and answer questions, comment on photos and status updates, listen to what others have to say, share interesting content that the people you’re connected with may enjoy. The point is to be social, and not just post an update and move on to the next thing.
Set Up a Business Page. Facebook Terms of Service is very clear about where businesses are allowed to promote themselves, and it’s NOT within a personal Profile. (SEE: What is the Difference Between a Facebook Profile and a Facebook Page?) If you are planning to ask people to do anything on Facebook from which you will make money, you MUST do those posts within the context of a Facebook Page. (Don’t know how to set up a Facebook Page? SEE: How to Create a Business Facebook Page)
Run Contests Within Facebook Guidelines. Contests are a fabulous way to build momentum for your business, and create addtional awareness. But you must follow the rules. Rules??? Yes, Virginia, Facebook does have requirements when it comes to contests. You may NOT use any Facebook feature (liking, commenting, etc.) as an entry for a contest. Instead, you must use a 3rd party application to administer your contest. (SEE: How to Run a Great Contest on Facebook.)
Consider Facebook Advertising. Facebook advertising can be a great way to generate additional awareness of your business. Be sure you’re advertising in a giving spirit, however. Give away something free (such as an ebook or a coupon) to encourage people to click and learn more. (SEE: 8 Tips for Effective Facebook Advertising.)
Have Patience. Rome was not built in a day, and neither will your Facebook community. It takes time and nurturing to build an engaged community. Focus on providing great content, listening to and connecting with others, and making relevant offers that are interesting to your community. And ask your community to share your Page with their friends! If they find you valuable, they’re more likely to do so.

How do you use Facebook to build your business? What additional tips would you give? We would love to read your thoughts in the comments below.

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Effective Ways to Learn Something New

Effective Ways to Learn Something New

Don’t be fooled by the old saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” If you want to learn something new, you CAN do it. Perhaps your industry has adopted new technology, created a groundbreaking product, or maybe you just want to improve yourself personally. By taking your learning seriously and committing your time and effort to the task, you can accomplish your goal. Use the following suggestions to help you along the way.

Write down what you want to learn. Don’t underestimate the power of this one simple step. Writing down a goal mentally prepares you for all that its completion may require. Additionally, you can sort out what details are involved in tackling this endeavor. When writing down what you want to learn, include an objective, map out a plan of action, and give yourself benchmarks and deadlines. It’s also a good idea to write a few sentences about why you want to do this…what are the benefits you’ll enjoy as a result? Any time you get frustrated or encounter an obstacle, reread those sentences to regain your motivation.
Commit to a lot of studying and practicing. When Theodore Roosevelt said, “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty,” he really was on to something. Think of anyone who has achieved greatness in any area of sports, entertainment, business, etc. When you take on something new, there will be a great deal of research, studying, and practicing. It is crucial that you incorporate time for this into your day in order to make progress towards your goal.
Embrace your mistakes and adjust them to improve. Although making mistakes is frustrating, instead of letting them get you down, embrace them as learning experiences. Use those mistakes to modify your approach and improve. Almost nothing is done right on the first try. Mistakes are part of the process, and using them to your advantage will bring you closer to your objective.
Visualize yourself doing it. Mental preparation is a significant part of any kind of performance-based task. The next time you are out for your morning jog, sitting in a doctor’s waiting room, or lying in bed at night waiting to fall asleep, use your mind’s eye to picture yourself doing or using whatever you are setting out to learn. Doing this regularly helps boost your motivation and confidence.
Personalize it and make it a part of who you are. In order to truly incorporate something new into your life, it has to become a habit. Think about how you can personalize your new knowledge so that it gets worked into who you already are. For example, if you want to learn about photography and need to practice how/when to use different shutter speeds, incorporate that task into your existing routine. Do you regularly take your children to the park, attend sporting events, or just relax with your family at home on a Sunday? Use those opportunities, things you normally do, to practice using your camera correctly and experiment with different lighting situations. If you personalize your task, you are much more likely to stick with it and see it through to completion.

Taking on something new to learn is a brave and exciting journey. Prepare yourself mentally and commit to hard work.

What strategies have you used to learn new thing? Please share your ideas below!

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Ways to Change a Failing Business

Ways to Change a Failing Business

When you started your business, you were planning to be successful. However, it takes more than a good attitude to maintain a successful small business. If you find yourself facing adversity and your business is beginning to take a downturn, here are some things you can do to turn your business around, and help it thrive.

Truly care and cater to customers’ wants and needs. Most people who choose to patronize small businesses are deliberately doing so because of the level of customer service they experience. Make sure you are delivering on this expectation. Demonstrate to your customers that you sincerely care about meeting their needs and satisfying their wants. For example, a local spa owner has been slowly but surely losing clients to the nearby franchise that constantly runs promotions for new and existing customers. Although she can’t compete with their rates, she can offer each customer a more individualized experience. When a customer makes an appointment for a service, such as an upper body massage, she asks specific questions about their preferences (what type of music to play if any, if they’d like the masseuse to converse with them, any desired fragrances, etc.) and tailors the experience to that person. Customers will recognize and appreciate your extra effort and attention and spread the good word about your business.
Listen to your existing customer base about ways to improve. There are various ways you can reach out to your customers and ask for their feedback. Face-to-face conversations, email surveys, and incentivized reviews can all give you a good idea of what their impressions are of your business. Really listen to the feedback and make any necessary changes. If your customers are consistently telling you that they find it difficult to make the time to call you when they need something, perhaps you should consider adding online ordering or a Facebook Page for your business, or create an auto-ship program. It’s not always pleasant to hear what you may be doing wrong, but it is a valuable tool that can help you maintain your existing customer base, and build a new one.
Personalize and improve your relationships with customers. The small business model is all about building relationships. Your customers are the backbone of the business, so make an effort to get to know a little bit about them. When a woman comes in with her baby, ask her how old he is, mention that your son is around the same age, and share a funny story about your child. Encourage her to do the same, and make sure you introduce yourself. The next time she stops in, you can greet her by name and ask about her family. Don’t hesitate to make notes on your customers as well to help you remember details they might share; the act of recording such particulars can improve your memory. The bottom line is that you should always make your customers feel welcome, special, appreciated and known.
Try something new. Perhaps your competitors have begun to offer a new service and have therefore lured away some of your customers. Breathe some new life into your business by trying something new. For example, the owner of a camera shop might offer monthly workshops on various topics such as getting started in photography and how to choose the right camera for your needs. He gets to share his love of photography and the equipment with others while bringing in new traffic each month. Tapping into your passions is a great way to start when searching for something new to implement into your business.

You can save a failing business by committing to make a few changes. What else should be added to our list? Share your ideas below!

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Six Ways to Build Momentum

Six Ways to Build Momentum

Have you ever taken on a project that seems so complicated you don’t even know where to begin? Once you do get into it, though, you often find yourself “in the zone” where you’ve built up so much productive momentum that you feel unstoppable. The creative juices are flowing and you’re accomplishing tasks left and right. This is a great feeling, but getting there can sometimes prove to be extremely difficult. Here are some suggestions to help you get to that point with built-up momentum and maximum productive potential.

Put first things first. You may have several things to do, but tackling the most challenging task first can help you accomplish what you need to when you are freshest, starting your day. So make a list of what needs to be done, and then prioritize the list so that the most important tasks are the ones you do first. This can help you avoid distractions and help you get things done.
Remember that you are in control. You are your own boss. Although that fact does come with its fair share of stress and responsibility, it also comes with the freedom to schedule your workday to accomplish your most important tasks. Maximize the benefits of being in control by delegating tasks to team members when possible. Ask for help when you need it, and take breaks when you are feeling too overwhelmed. Sometimes, just the thought of being in the driver’s seat of your business is enough to get you through a difficult project.
Mute the negative thoughts and stay positive. You’ve no doubt heard about the power of positive self-talk. Not surprisingly, negative self-talk is just as powerful, so it’s important that you tune it out. Anytime you catch yourself having a negative thought, remember that it is only hindering your productivity, not helping it. Replace it with a positive thought or motivational message. Positivity goes a long way in building the momentum you need to accomplish your goals.
Stay focused and avoid distractions. What types of things distract you from working on the task at hand? Is it the Facebook and Pinterest buttons on your toolbar that lure you away from the task at hand? Maybe you should hide the toolbar when working. Reward yourself with some “fun” time on your social networks when you’re done with your project. Distractions come in all shapes and sizes, so identify what distracts you and put yourself in a situation where they don’t get in your way. Remain focused on your desired endgame to maintain your momentum.
Avoid negative people. Some people just default to negative behavior: constantly complaining, persistently blaming others, and always having a reason they don’t succeed. These people should not be in your immediate circle, and they certainly shouldn’t work for you, as they may bring down not only you but your team as well. Surround yourself with people who will be your cheerleaders and who are as goal-oriented as you are. You will be much better equipped to build your momentum with positive people around you.
Keep a daily/weekly accomplishment tally. The busier our lives become, the harder it gets to remember what we actually accomplished by the end of the day or week. Keep some sort of tally or list to remind you what you completed and motivate you to continue. Such a record will also serve show you how much you are really accomplishing on a regular basis.

Building momentum is crucial to continuous goal accomplishment in your business. Have you used these strategies in the past? How have they helped you? What else should be added to our list? Please share your ideas in the comments section below!

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Leadership that Motivates

Leadership that Motivates

For small business owners, leadership skills are often a required part of the job. You may have to lead a group of employees new to your business, become active in civic organizations and help with new projects, or even train other entrepreneurs in professional development situations. Whatever the situation, people will look to you for advice and motivation. Keep the following characteristics in mind when deciding what type of leader you want to be.

Effective leaders…

focus on making others successful. Instead of emphasizing the importance of your role, concentrate on how you can help make others successful. What tools can you offer? What past experiences can you pass on? For example, one of your newest sales reps has continually failed to meet his monthly goals. After a discussion with him, you find out that he meets with plenty of prospects, is an expert in the product and its benefits, and has great communication skills. However, he lacks the confidence he needs to actually close the deal and make the sale. Give him some tips on closing, offer to role-play with him as the customer, and prepare him for potential objections. Giving people what they need to succeed will demonstrate your competence as a leader and motivate them to do their best.
are deeply grateful. It’s important to show others how appreciative you are for their hard work and contributions to your business. Doing so not only helps you connect with your team/staff, but also motivates them to work harder because they know it will not go unnoticed by you. Always strive to maintain positive staff morale. The happier people are in their jobs, the more successful they will become.
have strong convictions. It is not necessary for you to preach about your philosophy on business to your employees, but everything you say and do should demonstrate your strong convictions. If you are someone who is committed to excellent customer service above all else, then you should lead by example. Train your staff to provide the level of service you deem essential, let them see you doing the same, and demonstrate how your high standards allow your business to succeed. Anyone who works with you should be able to identify what is important to you.
are very positive. People generally respond better to positivity than they do to negativity. Adopt and maintain a positive attitude, and strive to see the best in yourself, your staff, and your customers. Don’t hesitate to give someone a deserved pat on the back. Positive actions yield positive results, so don’t underestimate the power of optimism.
truly care about others. Sincerity is essential to effective leadership. Most people can sense and are turned off by false niceties or empty compliments. Recognize the value of others’ hard work and ask yourself how you can enrich their lives through your leadership. It can even be as simple as asking an employee what you can do to help when you notice she is having a rough day. When you show others that you truly care about them, they begin to truly care about you in return, and therefore are more motivated to achieve.

Leadership styles vary greatly from person to person, but adopting these qualities will maximize your ability to motivate others. What else do you think should be added to this list? Share your ideas in the comments section below!