by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | May 13, 2014 | Content Marketing, Marketing
Switching to a new online newsletter vendor can seem like a daunting and frustrating task, but with a little organization, planning and insight, the transition will progress smoothly. Carefully investigate the options, keeping in mind your budget, long and short term goals, how you intend to reach out to your database, format, templates, frequency of touch points, autoresponders, opt-ins and analytics.
One of our recent projects was to assist a client in moving from her two current platforms to just one. My team and I met via SKYPE to brainstorm options, the client’s current business operations, target markets and overall marketing needs. We did a lot of research to compare several options to determine the best fit for her organization.
This in-depth discovery process as well as our ongoing conversations ensured greater success in choosing the best tool and an effortless conversion for all stakeholders involved.
Using Redbooth, formally Teambox, I was able to create task lists for each of the three platforms to clearly define every step that was required. Because there were sign up boxes for e-commerce products in addition to the newsletter opt-ins on two websites, it was paramount that we created a set system of steps so as not to lose or confuse her audience while we built the new templates, moved the coding and rebuilt her list building funnel. It was an ongoing process of approximately 2 months, involving conference calls, revisiting goals and refining some of the methods. The outline below has been somewhat simplified but hopefully provides you with the required steps to change or even set up a new e-newsletter platform.
Steps to Switch E-Newsletter Platforms
| Platform 1 (current) |
Platform 2 (current) |
Platform 3 (final) |
| Write intro content to move current subscribers to P3 |
Write intro content to move current subscribers to P3 |
Design 2 branded newsletter templates for client’s 2 companies. |
| Clarify current lists, ensure all should remain as recipients |
Review all subscriber lists, delete bounces, download all lists for review, tagging and new categories |
Set up branded welcome and thank you pages |
| Review coding, opt-ins and page pop-ups for current e-book |
Send to each of the 2 company market segments from P1 and P2 subscriber lists: A/B split testing days and times (2 for each segment) |
Create subscriber categories and segments for new sign-ups |
| Remove P1 and input new P3 code on website |
Review initial mailing metrics, download email address of non-opens, resend with new subject line and A/B split testing |
Design 2 branded touch point emails |
| Close out account |
Review results |
Design autoresponder content and discuss delivery based upon opt-ins and e-newsletter schedule |
|
Download any old desired templates |
Add opt-in coding on 2 websites |
|
Consider repurposing content |
Review new sign-up metrics from P1 and P2, as well as brand new subscribers |
|
Close out account |
Brainstorm content and delivery schedule for kick-off emails |
Other miscellaneous items for discussion:
- Adding the sign-up to company email signatures and a Facebook tab
- Sharing the opt-ins in social channels
- Creating white papers and other valuable content for signing up
- Coordinating the content to be consistent with company mission, goals and other monthly posted content
- Formalizing the editorial calendar
This was a great team project, requiring a lot of thought and planning. We look forward to the final deliverables and continued marketing success.
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | May 8, 2014 | Content Marketing
Content marketing should not be thought of as merely advertising but a long-term commitment to solving the problems and pain points of your audience. Through continuous engagement and relevant content you have the opportunity to trigger a response, further creating credibility and trust for your brand. CM is here to stay and only keeps getting deeper entrenched within your digital community. It is important to gain a clear head and focus in order to produce desired outcomes. The B2B Content Marketing Statistics for 2014 clearly demonstrates not only the importance but some of the issues involved around content strategy, tactics, budgets, metrics, platforms, and time requirements.
“Content marketing is a marketing technique of creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and acquire a clearly defined audience – with the objective of driving profitable customer action.” Content Marketing Institute
Cultivating and nurturing these relationships is part of the lead conversion in your marketing funnel. Consider where your audience lives and what they want and need. How can you make their lives easier, more simplified or answer their most pressing questions?
Think more in terms of solutions, benefits and features. Remember, it’s a two-way conversation, not a soapbox.
Content can be in a variety of forms: website, blog post, video, image, podcast, e-book, white paper, newsletter, social media post or an email. Whatever platform or venue you choose, direct it toward your readers and what they crave.
It isn’t a mass blast.
Quality over quantity because if you are simply pushing words to fill spaces, you probably aren’t being all that remarkable. You don’t want to be scratchy noise, but someone who is “follow-worthy,” shareable, intelligent, educational and helpful.
Brands and their agencies believe deeply that content is the future, and anyone who doesn’t get onboard will be left behind. Shane Snow
Creating a strategy AND tactics needs to be a part of your plan. What do you want to achieve with your content marketing? Who do you want to reach? Just because you read about the value and importance of CM, doesn’t translate to crazed writing and pushing of paragraphs. You need a method to your madness. Jason DeMers suggests 5 essential goals to consider as part of your content marketing plan:
- Help & educate
- Build a community
- Demonstrate your expertise
- Help the search engines help you
- Keep in touch with your customers
When writing your content, these five components will help you to deliver rich and relevant content that interests your audience, creates deeper relationships, builds your online brand reputation and ensures greater results for your efforts and expertise.
Content Marketing Review
- Goals
- Strategy
- Editorial calendar
- Content
- An understanding of your buyer personas
- Where does your audience hang out
- What are their greatest pain points?
- What drives them to purchase?
- What are they searching for?
- Appeal to their logical mind as well as their emotions
- Write for them. To them….. not the search engines.
- Find the best distribution channels
- Cross promote or vary content
- Track and measure engagement, conversation and results
In your quest to write something fresh and exciting, you may hit a few stumbling blocks, like we all do. It can be so frustrating. You have a few ideas or no ideas and you need a little more inspiration. Check out some of the links below to tweak your brain power and start tapping those keys.
50+ Tools for Content Curation and Content Marketing
Content Curation & Content Marketing – Curata Blog
Use Visual Content to Engage Your Audience: 9 Tips and 25 Examples
How to Go “All-In” with Content Marketing: 8 Experts Weigh In
Competing With Content Marketing: 7 Steps to Success [Infographic]
50 Content Marketing Ideas For Your Website Or Blog
The Cheat Sheet on Content Marketing
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | May 6, 2014 | Delegation, Entrepreneur, Virtual Assistant
What IF you could free up as much as 20% of your time for responsibilities and core business needs that truly matter? Would you do it? Would you make the investment?
“What tasks do you have to do yourself and what could you have others do? Tasks that have low value for your customers and are time-consuming — such as bookkeeping or administrative tasks — are ideal tasks to outsource.” Jordan Cohen
For some entrepreneurs partnering with a virtual assistant is unfamiliar territory and you may not fully comprehend the wide scope of work that can be efficiently outsourced to help free up your time. You may create mental roadblocks or perceived hurdles to prevent yourself from seeking assistance with your business. These alleged barriers can be easily overcome with a little in depth thought and evaluation to conquer your objections. Delegating is a key management strategy that will benefit you and your company.
1. I need control: It may also difficult to give up control of something you have always done and believe only you can do and do it best. This self-limiting thought process does not allow you the time or full productivity to dedicate to the core of your business. You may be buried and merely just busy doing more menial activities that are NOT the best value of your time. Delegating to a virtual assistant is a learning process for some but I have found that once you begin delegating, it becomes more second nature and such a stress relief to hand off projects. It is certainly more cost efficient as there are no taxes, health benefits, office space, insurances, office supplies or equipment. Your costs are only project based and that is it!! Delegating is a move to expansion, increased productivity, better time management, enhanced work life balance and a little more time in your day to focus on what is important, rather than on what needs to be done.
2. I can do it faster: This may be initially true, but after clear instructions, detailed outcomes, a few tips, your virtual assistant will become proficient at your task or project. They may even have more efficient tools and systems to manage your request. If this is an ongoing task, think about how much time you will free up by outsourcing it. It is the job of the virtual assistant to be expedient, efficient and provide quality work. We do this every day, for ourselves and our clients.
3. I can only rely on myself for the best results: Unfortunately, this does not represent a growth mentality. Your virtual assistant is an established business owner who understands delegating and accountability. Our goal is 100% satisfaction – our business and reputation depends on it. Every task or project is meticulously managed, double checked and triple checked to ensure you are happy with the output. We encourage your feedback and suggestions for our mutual success. As you know, we are only human and errors to do happen, but they are rectified.
4. I don’t know what to delegate: Examine your core competencies, what are you best at or what represents your fundamental business acumen. These are your high payoff activities that only you can do. Anything that is low value or does not generate revenue can be successfully delegated. A simple exercise would be to track all of your daily tasks and projects for one week. Note the time spent, any interruptions, what was accomplished, which items generated revenue and how many things on your To Do list still remain. Upon review, you will be able to more clearly define what you should do, delegate or dump.
5. Remote business operations can’t possible work: Oh but they do. For many of the day to day business tasks, a virtual assistant is your savvy, technological partner to help drive your organizational success. VAs must be able to utilize a variety of cloud based tools, computer software and applications to communicate and manage each and every task that is delegated. We are constantly reading and educating ourselves on a daily basis. We must remain current and ready to tackle any business objective. If we don’t have the skillset, someone on our team or within our industry is will to help. Virtual Assistants are your vested partner.
“Investments pay off over time – and that is what delegation does.” Kevin Eikenberry
A greater fear to consider is how much are you holding on to that is stopping you from focusing on the core of your business? What isn’t getting done? How many hours do you put in on a weekly basis?
Embrace delegation, don’t run from it. It is a low cost high payoff tool to help you scale your company and focus on the core of your business – what ONLY YOU can do.
In a recent article Harvard Business Review article: “The Skills Most Entrepreneurs Lack” by Bill Bonnstetter, he discussed a study which showed that entrepreneurs are lacking in self-management and planning and organization.
“Entrepreneurial-minded people are not proficient in managing themselves and their time. Often they need assistance managing everyday tasks and should hire or delegate them to someone who has mastered this skill. Similar to self-management, if entrepreneurs spent time planning and organizing every task or meeting, they would never get anything else done. Once again, hiring someone to keep their calendar, organize meetings and events, keep the office de-cluttered, and help keep them on schedule can put them at an advantage.“
Think long and hard about the value of your time and your daily To Do list. What should you begin delegating today?
The best way to figure out how to utilize a VA in your life, however, is to take 3 days of your life and for every task that you do, stop for a moment and ask yourself, “Can someone else do this for me and if so, can it be done online?”. You’ll find there are a tremendous amount of tasks that can be accomplished by a VA in this manner. An extremely valuable added bonus with this exercises is that once you start thinking in this manner, you’ll also gain a stronger appreciation for your time and value it more. This may be the most important lesson that you can learn! Stefan Pylarinos
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Apr 29, 2014 | Communication, Content Marketing, Guest Blogger
Let’s Rebel Against Boring
“I fell asleep reading a dull book and dreamed I kept on reading, so I awoke from sheer boredom.”
I’d like to start this post by sharing one of my greatest fears in my role as a video producer and content developer. Are you ready?
To have my content be boring…
You Know…
Dull, uninteresting, flat, humdrum, dull, stale, uninspiring, or just plain…
BLAH!!!!!
I’m hoping that’s not you.
However, the fact is that the web is full of an ample supply of boring crap interrupting our lives on a daily basis.
Plenty of it comes from businesses in the form of advertising or other repetitious marketing humdrum.
I hope you agree that it’s time to write a new script when it comes to business communications. Our customers want more. They expect it.
Therefore…
The single most daunting challenge of every content creator, be it a video producer, web developer, blog author, newsletter designer, social media manager or for that matter any business, is to be memorable, to create a memorable event.
…So memorable in fact that your content actually makes a difference to another person. You help solve a problem, fill a need, or inspire change.
You rock someone’s world!
Joe Pine and Jim Gilmore, authors of the best selling book, The Experience Economy, call memorable events that ENGAGE people in an inherently personal way, EXPERIENCES.
In this article I’ll share some thinking on how to use some principles of experiences and experience design to create more engaging digital communications.
Let’s begin.
Recently I was attracted to a communications effort that was the opposite of boring- one that I would define as engaging and memorable.
Here are some background details.
I began pursuing this new business-learning program a couple of months ago. The media in the program includes 8 podcast (audio recording) and a corresponding transcript.
The business series is about transforming a business into a media company as a component of a new type of marketing strategy. The theme is ‘Media not Marketing.’
How engaging is this new content?
I look forward to new weekly episodes and at times have even been excited when announcements arrived in my Inbox. OK … You might be thinking…Bill needs to get a life. After all, podcast and webinars are a dime a dozen. Snooooze City… Right?
But really… when’s the last time you were looking forward to an e-mail announcing another episode of business content, that seemed to talk directly to you and your needs.
There’s a lesson here. Let’s explore in greater detail.
But first, it might be helpful if I put this experience thing into some context for you.
Another words, why the heck is a video producer writing a blog post connecting experiences to business communication.
My Big Find
My journey into the world of experiences began 10 years ago after re-defining the work I do as a video storyteller, as creating experiences.
My interest in the concept peaked after discovering and reading a book called ‘The Experience Economy-Work is Theatre & Every Business a Stage’, and a trip into the Mountains of Colorado for the annual 3-day gathering (conference) of ‘Experience Economy’ practitioners and evangelist.
The journey has been on going since that first book and conference ten years ago. I’ve practically lived and breathed experiences and business experience design.
My big find is the discovery that EXPERIENCES have become the center of the new business landscape and the critical component needed for business differentiation.
Applying an experience perspective to the development of your digital content can be a game changer for your communications initiatives. It will energize the creation process and help create memorable digital experiences, not more boring and meaningless noise.
Let’s get back to that engaging new program that has me captivated.
Drum roll please…
The name of the program is “New Rainmaker” from Copyblogger Media, LLC.
I’ll apply a few experience design principles to it, that hopefully will help you start re-thinking the process content creation.
Concept One: Language is Important-An Experience vs. Content
The language you use in defining goals and their specific business outcomes can have a dramatic impact on a project’s success. My mind goes to a very different place when I think about designing a compelling experience versus writing a newsletter, producing a video or writing a blog post.
The word experience suggests, for me anyway, something more significant, memorable and worth sharing. It moves the bar in terms of imagining what’s possible.
New Rainmaker is an engaging experience because the program’s producers Brian Clark (The show’s star) and Robert Bruce (co-star) explore new ways, and challenge each other, to be different. In one their ‘behind the scenes’ episodes, they openly discuss a strategy of using storytelling, theatre, and drama to make their show distinct.
Have you ever thought of your work as theatre or drama – your business as a stage?
Concept Two: Great Experiences are Intentionally Designed
Robert and Bruce revealed in their episodes that they devoted 6 months planning the design and release of New Rainmaker. One of their activities during the planning phase included research on current business models and mediums being used by others in the same space. (Competition)
Concept Three: Distinctive Experiences Include Elements from 4 Experiential Realms
The most engaging experiences draw from these four realms.
1. Educational – to learn
2. Entertainiment – to have fun…. to enjoy
3. Escapist – to do…to draw in further… to transport guest emotionally
4. Esthetic- to be… to make your guest want to come in and just hang out…an inviting environment
New Rainmaker emphasizes the educational realm but is more engaging because of the entertainment value that is delivered by the production value designed into the learning experience. Each episode is scripted and background music edited into the production evoking an emotion of suspense to each learning episode. Productions are sprinkled with humor, which helps make the learning more enjoyable.
The overall experience is enhanced as it draws from the Escapist Realm.
Brian Clark accomplishes this through the effective use of storytelling. Most notably, he shares some personal stories that help build trust with his audience.
Often during the 8 episodes, you lose the sense and feeling that you’re listening to a business presentation in front of a computer, to a feeling that you’re in the front row of a theatre. Great storytelling transports people emotionally.
Finally, there is a touch of the Esthetic Realm mixed into New Rainmaker. Clark and Bruce deliver a radio like performance in a conversational and personal manner. Their down to earth style and transparency is inviting and makes you want to hang out and listen awhile longer.
Let me leave you with a final thought and question.
Maybe, business super thinker Tom Peters sums up the importance of business experiences best, in one of his ‘Essentials Book Series called Design.
“We must understand that experience is a very big word, with far reaching implications, but it is nothing short of the basis for a totally re-imagined organizational life form.”
Are your digital communications defined, fresh, immersive, accessible, significant and transformative?
Let’s rebel against boring communications !
Guest Author:
William Gibeault of Story Mavericks
Rock your customers- Grow your business
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by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Apr 24, 2014 | Organization, Productivity, Time Management
How many times have you thought that you need more hours in your day or an extra pair of hands? You know the feeling, looking at your desk, your calendar, your Smartphone, your inbox…. Ugh, it is overflowing with things that need your attention. You can’t torch it. You can’t ignore it, but you can implement a few systems and processes to help you better manage the overwhelm and chaos, moving you to increase your productivity.
For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned. – Anonymous
The Notorious To Do list
The first step toward success is to be cognizant of the level of disturbances which you allow into your day. It could revolve around the daily notifications you receive regarding text messages, emails, news alerts, phone calls or any other immediate interruption that diverts your focus from the task at hand.
- Are you able to turn off or lower the volume of the notifications?
- Can you schedule 3-4 times throughout the day to review/respond to emails?
- Do you need to respond immediately to each byte of data that crosses your desk or your Smartphone?
Tips
- Prioritize and set deadlines.
- Know which projects require the most time and your undivided attention.
- Create your boundaries for working hours and “publicize” them.
- Tune out distractions.
- Stay on task.
Is Your Inbox Abundant with Clutter?
In 2011, it is estimated that there were 3.146 billion email accounts and 2.8 million emails sent and received every day. Wow!
Email has become the most predominant mode of office communications whether it is a quick hello or dissemination of corporate materials, contracts, projects and data. It is a necessity that we cannot live without.
Some inboxes can look like a nightmare of messages and To Dos if not properly maintained or left unchecked for an extended period of time. We are all busy working and managing the flow of information and business operations that it can just become an inconvenience to take the time to delete, file, schedule or otherwise take some form of action with each email. If you continually shy away from inbox management, it not only becomes unruly like a bad hair day, but it fosters a lack of productivity and organization. Who can afford that?
Have you ever spent wasted minutes or hours feverishly searching for an email that contains an important document? It becomes a frustrating unproductive endeavor that is a gross misuse of your valuable time AND time is money.
PING!! A new email is awaiting your attention.
- Schedule time to check your email at various intervals
- Make sure you have appropriate folders and filters for filing.
- Is it urgent?
- Can it be completed in 2-3 mins?
- Can you flag it to read later?
- Have you set up rules/alerts
- Delete it if it isn’t necessary and won’t add any value.
- If there is an attachment, download it and save it in the appropriate document folder
- Forward it with instructions to your virtual assistant
- If it is an appointment, drag it to your calendar
- Have separate email addresses for personal and business use
My Documents
You are inundated with digital paper that requires action and filing. Creating folders is a simple task to ensure your documents are organized and easily found. It can prove very time consuming if you have to scroll through one larger receptacle looking for a needed document. Sure, you can do a broad search but when proper file management is established, you can save a great deal of time and aggravation. Let your digital filing system mirror a physical filing system.
Tips:
- Create folders and sub-folders
- Use short names
- Be diligent about filing
- Separate current and completed works
- Archive older, unneeded documents – store in a separate folder, USB or cloud storage
- Create shortcuts or links to documents you use more consistently. Maintaining a single copy ensures you are always using the most current version.
- Delete unnecessary files
- Create shortcuts of your most used documents and save them on your desktop.
- If you routinely share documents with a group, consider using Google Docs, Teambox, Dropbox or another online sharing tool for collaborating.
- Save your data and make sure you always back up your computer
Taking the time to organize and streamline your office operations, even if it is just your email and documents, will help to increase your efficiency and productivity – which saves you time and money. The less time you must spend rummaging through folders and emails, the more time you have to devote to the your vital business operations and daily procedures.
Have a time and place for everything, and do everything in its time and place, and you will not only accomplish more, but have far more leisure than those who are always hurrying. – Tryon Edwards
Make organization a habit, not a one hit wonder. Get into a rhythm everyday and stick with it, just like you would with any lifestyle habit.
