by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Oct 25, 2013 | Entrepreneur, Small Business, Social Media
Can you just imagine the explosion of growth of your online world since its inception? Even reading all of the facts and figures, it is probably much greater than we can even comprehend. Millions and millions of people are online every day, searching, communicating, connecting and networking.
Jeff Bullas recently published a post 46 Amazing Social Media Facts in 2013 stating:
- There are over 10 million Facebook “apps”
- Twitter’s fastest growing demographic is 55-64 year olds
- 60% of Twitter users access it from their mobile
- There are over 343 million active users on Google+
- The +1 button is served 5 billion times per day
- 67% of Google+ users are male
- There are over 3 million LinkedIn company pages
- More than 16 billion photos have been uploaded to Instagram
- Food is the top category discussed on Pinterest at 57%
- There are over 1 billion unique monthly visitors on YouTube
Just mindboggling numbers!!
Keeping all of this in mind, your social media efforts have the potential to reach your infinite target audience almost painlessly. Almost being the operative word.
Social media does require time, planning, tools and energy. You don’t become an overnight sensation just because you created a few accounts and maintain a website. Quality lead generation, customer acquisition, partnership development or your other social media goals are all attainable. You need to actively engage with your audience. Know where they hang out. What they want. What drives them.
Know what your customers want most and what your company does best. Focus on where those two meet. Kevin Stirtz
People devour news and content like it is their last meal. If you want to satiate their hunger pangs, then serve them remarkable content, authenticity, real connections and top quality service. The same that you expect from your network and vendors. There are no short cuts to creating long lasting relationships.
“Social Media is about the people! Not about your business. Provide for the people and the people will provide for you.” -Matt Goulart
Define your goals and strategy for your varied social media platforms. You will need to revisit and refine as time goes on, but your initial foundation is a starting point.
Stay current on trends, customer needs and pain points. Interests change and expand every day. Be informed. Give them what they want.
Be able to immediately address and troubleshoot any problems or issues that arise. Word travels fast in social media; don’t simply ignore or delete a negative comment. Step up and resolve it.
Investigate how you can expand your reach. If you are using only one or two platforms, consider where your audience may be spending more of their time. Are they on Pinterest, Instagram, Foursquare or YouTube? There are many options to choose from, however; if you are going to jump in, then you must play in the sandbox. Don’t just build a castle and walk away.
Be social, don’t just do social. Share valuable content and don’t spam. Keep it in the can. While self-promotion is acceptable, if you are doing it all of the time, it becomes obnoxious. Sorry, but yes. Share the content of other industry thought leaders, current topics of interest, news and some of your content.
Respond to comments, posts and RTs. Don’t ignore anyone. You chose to be out there and have a presence so engage. It is not only courteous, but it helps you to develop a rapport toward a long lasting relationship.
Create your community, your network of “real” people. They are invaluable in both personal and professional roles.
Whether you are B2B or B2C, social media is your prime opportunity to meet and greet. Open your arms, welcome your customer, your neighbor, your partner as this playground is here to stay and it will only continue to intensify your growth potential.
If you would like a little more insight, please click on the links below.
The Etiquette of Social Media
Should Your Business Blog
13 Tips to Humanize Your Brand
5 Sources for Social Media Content [list]
Content Marketing | Don’t Make it a Fatal Attraction
Free Social Media Tools | Analyze and Measure
Selling Value | 14 Common Sense Tips
Honest Communication | 30 Tips to Build Trust
Social media isn’t really that much of a mystery even though there are constant changes and updates to many of the perimeters. Simply put, be you. Genuine and authentic. Don’t be pushy and spammy. No one likes me me me. Post consistently. Listen, engage and respond. Yes, this is so basic but why over analyze and critique it down to a crazy science?
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Oct 23, 2013 | Goals, Life Thoughts
Success and innovation require a proactive approach with goals and action steps to clear your path toward accomplishment. On the road of life, you are bound to encounter obstacles and roadblocks, but these aren’t meant to stop you. They are presented as challenges to overcome.
Jumping the hurdles isn’t always easy and may seem like huge setbacks, but use each as an opportunity, as a learning tool for growth and changes for the next round. Don’t sit back and stagnate or simply wish things were different.
- MAKE an effort to evolve
- Brainstorm changes
- Visualize your goals
- Design a vision board
Mastering or overcoming these challenges is what creates a great sense of accomplishment and joy in your life. Sure, it may be easier just to give up or retreat at times, but what will you have to show for it? What opportunities or people will you have discounted?
You will have to begin once again. This time with a new plan. There is no need to continually start over. Refine your path. Your tools. Your knowledge, but don’t quit. Every time you walk away from a situation or a goal, you will be left with unfinished business and who knows how close you were to succeeding. Get to the finish line no matter how difficult you think it is.
Challenges can make life much more interesting and meaningful. Remember the road less traveled?
If you recoil at any small change or difficulty that does not fit into your scheme of things, take a step back and ask yourself why? What are you afraid of? What don’t you want to face? How will it affect you five years from now? Does it really matter?
If you are dealing with another individual or a group, seek to listen, understand and communicate WITH, not AT them. Don’t make assumptions based upon your perception of the situation as that can only exacerbate the issues.
Assess the concerns and disputes after everyone has had a fair and open opportunity to speak.
Keep an open mind.
Accept responsibility for your part in creating any problems or discrepancies.
Seek to make changes as well as plans to offset any future worries.
Life doesn’t have to be so difficult. It is what you make it. It is what you want it to be. It will be as you perceive it, but ensure accuracy.
Face your hurdles head on! Don’t retract – you are meant to achieve and master your life – your business.
“Don’t take the casual approach to life. Casualness leads to casualties.” — Jim Rohn
What a powerful quotation. Whether in your business or personal life, a blasé sense of indifference gets you nowhere. If you want something, you must go after it.
Benchwarmers do not get to score.
Now let’s get ready to cheer on the Red Sox in Game 1 of the World Series!! #fearthebeard
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Oct 16, 2013 | Social Media
Social media has given us the opportunity to connect and network on so many levels and at a deeper capacity. We no longer depend upon traditional mediums for advertising, collaborating, creating partnerships or interacting. Opening the doors to communication, social media and the Internet has widened our reach and sent us global connectedness.
Along with this comes the inherent changes or erosion to our privacy. How many times per week does Facebook change their policies and search options? What about Google? Your Face May Appear in a Google Ad Soon
“Bradley Shear, a lawyer who specializes in Internet privacy and social media, said it’s a bad move on Facebook’s part. “Facebook has over a billion users,” he told ABC News. “Even though only a small number of users used this privacy option, that can still mean millions of users.” Facebook did not specify what percentage of users opted to use this privacy option, but confirmed with ABC News that it was a small percentage, within the single digits.” ABC News
Most of us arduously attempt to keep some things are little more private or at least away from the lurkers and stalkers. It isn’t always easy to maintain or stay up to date with the most current changes. Upon setting up our social platforms, we carefully click here and there to designate our wishes, but unfortunately, we need to monitor the news and adjust our perimeters accordingly.
WARNING: Facebook’s Graph Search Changes the Meaning of a “Like”
The Always Up-to-Date Guide to Managing Your Facebook Privacy
Reminder: Finishing the Removal of an Old Search Setting
Job-hunting? Time to scrub your Facebook page
Facebook privacy: Users should check these settings as new changes roll out
The Most Fun You’ll Ever Have With Facebook Privacy Settings
We use our platforms for a variety of reasons and on the business level, most of the changes will not affect us, but it is still important to be prudent about our right to privacy.
Image credit: http://geeksongrand.com
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Oct 10, 2013 | Productivity, Small Business, Time Management
You have heard it before, being busy is NOT an indication of being productive. Sure, the time goes by, but what did you really accomplish? Did your tasks and projects get you closer to your goals or just help to pass the time.
Organization is one key component to your productivity and time management. You may be hearing: blah, blah, blah, but it is the truth. We read about it all of the time, but do you implement any measures to bring you back to focus?
What are your daily objectives? Trolling Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter updates don’t really count. They may be good distractions and provide entertainment, but how do they help you operate your business?
There are some simple straightforward, no brainer things you can do every day. They don’t cost anything, they will only help you invest more in yourself, your business and your time. Maximize your time to work smarter, not harder.
Productivity KISS
- Wake up early
- Establish morning rituals
- Determine your goals
- Create a To Do list
- Make action steps
- Plan your strategy and priorities: do the most important/most difficult task first.
- Engage or create your team
- Brainstorm and mindmap
- Don’t lose focus: maintain discipline and work ethic
- Figure out where you waste your time
- Time block to batch process your tasks and projects: for example, set aside 30 mins each morning to attack your email. Do this 2-3x per day
- Create an editorial and social media calendar
- Set aside time each week to write your blog posts and content curation
- Keep and sync a calendar with your mobile devices
- Use a timer or app to stay ON task
- Tune out distractions and notifications: every interruption adds more time to your task.
- Know and set time/space boundaries
- Never stop learning new tools or methods. Times change.
- Network with like-minded people
- Maintain a positive attitude about work and life
- Take timed breaks to refresh, but get back to work: no zombies allowed
- Keep everything in its place. An organized workspace is an organized mind with no wasted time.
- Think quality productivity
- Be aware of your core genius and outsource your low payoff activities
- Use project management tools that work for you! If you don’t like an online program, then at least use a basic spreadsheet. I love Teambox.
- Update and use your policies and procedural systems to maintain efficiency
- Do NOT multi-task: it is distracting, harmful to your brain and impedes productivity
- If you telecommute or work from home: change up your office environment: try a café or library
- Automate daily routine items: no need to continually recreate the same efforts every day. This also applies to SOME of your social media efforts. Notice I said some. Never automate personal engagement. That is not social at all
- Store things in the cloud so you can access them when you are away from your computer
- Learn some keyboard shortcuts
- Remembering passwords is a PITA: store them online and keep them safe with LastPass
- If you are working with a team, utilize Dropbox or Google docs to share content and easily review revisions
- Procrastination kills time!!
- Use news aggregators with keywords, favorite RSS feeds and topics to avoid hunting for your daily digital news. It is a time waster. Suggestions: Feedly, Prismatic, Tagboard
What tips can you add to this list?
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Oct 9, 2013 | Delegation, Small Business, Virtual Assistant
Operating your own business is a dream. You know all of the ins and outs; what is required; the nuances; your target markets; you have it down pat from sunrise to sunset. It is all second nature that you could run it in your sleep if you had to.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with this scenario, ask yourself is it productive? Is it efficient? Are you and your company operating at 100% in order to experience growth?
I would venture a guess that your responses are probably teetering more toward the “No, not exactly” versus “We are the best and on target to triple our revenues.”
Many of my clients have been in your position, realizing they are not poised for growth and they want to move from entrepreneur to more of a small business status. As I have stated before, being able to effectively delegate represents a readiness and growth mentality. You must relinquish much of the day to day tasks in order to be able to focus on your “real” business goals. “Entrepreneur, Fire Thyself.”
“The whole transition from working in the business to working on the business means letting go of what you’re comfortable doing. You always need to be thinking big and challenging yourself.” Mary Jo Gorman, member of the 2011 North American class of Entrepreneurial Winning Women.
There are several steps or processes to be able to arrive at this juncture and once you do, it is still a matter of understanding and learning how to work with a virtual assistant, when you have always done everything on your own.
I get that! I really do.
- It took me a few years before I was ready to delegate
- I had always done it
- No one could do anything better or faster
- Why should I write out all of my policies and procedures when it is quicker if I just manage it on the spot?
I am over that and value the freedom and ease of having a tremendous virtual assistant. I don’t need to do every single task or project. If I was so bogged down in each and every daily business operation and activity, I wouldn’t have the time to build my business, provide personalized service, work ON it rather than IN it and I wouldn’t have enough hours in the day to write a blog post. I would be a slave to the clock and the company. That is not the kind of business dream I have.
Clients have asked what should they outsource and what is the best way to work with a virtual assistant.
Outsource anything that
- Doesn’t directly generate revenue
- Isn’t your core genius
- Represents administrative tasks
- You don’t like to do
- You don’t want to do
- Is too tedious
- Takes up too much time
- Provides a low payoff
Here is an exercise that may shed some light on your time spent versus invested: for one week track every task and project that you work on.
Note the time spent. What wasn’t completed, what was overlooked, any appointments missed, activities half completed, which ones generated revenue. How many low payoff activities usurped your time?
At the end of the week, review it. What should you move off of your plate?? It should be very clear.
What every day operations are you involved in that also aren’t the best value of your time? Sure, they are necessary, but do YOU need to do them?
Working with a Virtual Assistant (Best idea ever!)
After you have chosen your vested virtual partner be ready to experience outstanding results.
- Understand your daily processes and business operations
- Be well aware of your core genius and high payoff activities
- Clearly outline your goals
- Know what you want to outsource: for example, content curation, proofing/editing/uploading of blogs, email and calendar management, social media and project management
- Outsource one offs, projects, administrative tasks and daily business operations
- Establish your workflow
- Define specifics, desired outcomes, expectations and deadlines
- Prepare documents to support the processes you use to complete tasks. You may also discover that your VA has some other efficient tools and ideas as well. Be open for discussions
- Accountability and communications are a must for success and satisfaction
- Provide valued, honest feedback
- Trust the VA you have chosen – avoid the need to micromanage
- Expect to participate in monthly strategy calls to brainstorm, share ideas and talk about your business
- If they are to interact with your clients or vendors, create an email address for them at your domain
- Recognize that you are part of a TEAM, investing in your partnership and business
- Every month, review what is working and what isn’t. Consider outsourcing additional operations management or projects while you may decide to pull back others
- Continue to foster and nurture your relationship just like you would with an in-house staff member
Thes
e suggested tips may seem a little overwhelming or daunting at first, but once you lay out the foundation or the architecture of your partnership, the coming months and years will prove to be very lucrative for you. It is worth the investment and time to set up your blueprint for success.
If you are ready to talk, let’s give it a shot. Call or send me an email to schedule your free consult.
