|
Thanks for watching, here are some of the links referenced in this edition of Small Business-by-the Bay:
Presented by
Where Businesses Start, Grow & Prosper
3 TIPS TO SUCCEED IN A SUPER COMPETITIVE MARKET
(Tap/Click YouTube Icon To Subscribe)
PODCAST
On the go?
Find your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and get our blog in audio form, which includes our take on all the details!
HOW TO SPY ON YOUR COMPETITORS' FACEBOOK + INSTAGRAM ADS
Are you curious if your competition might be using Facebook and Instagram ads to drive their success? Here's an article with great screen shots from Andrea Vahl about how to gather this telling intel...if you want to learn more about Instagram swipe up ads, check our recent video here.
WEEKLY BLOG RELEASE EMAIL IN YOUR INBOX
INSTAGRAM UPDATE: PRODUCT LAUNCH STICKERS
From SociaMediaToday.com: Instagram recently released a beta test of a new product launch sticker in Instagram Stories, and a product launch tag option in the main feed. The two options will enable users to set reminders for the item launch date, preview the product details in-stream, and then make a subsequent purchase as soon as a product becomes available - all without leaving Instagram.
SUBSCRIBE TO BRYCE'S "ROOT OF THE MATTER" VLOG
(Tap/Click YouTube Icon To Subscribe)
CRISIS MANAGEMENT: ARE YOU PREPARED?
When you think of crisis management, you likely think of airlines and politicians, but this is a topic that business owners need to be prepared for. A recent health department closure of a hyper-popular San Francisco bakery that has lines down the block, likely came as a surprise to many. But something like this can impact your bottom line for months to come once consumers have that cringing visual in their mind. As a kid, I remember a popular theater being closed for rats, so sitting there for two hours in the dark while rats scurried over my feet was a big reason I went to another theater and never went back once they opened. The point is, the unexpected can destroy your business so it's best to be prepared and this isn't just for food-based businesses...this can include homeless issues, crime, yelp, social media posts and more.
Our tip is to always be monitoring your brand via online tools like setting up Google Alerts, searching Facebook and Instagram for your business, turning on Yelp alerts, having a PR + marketing expert as well as an attorney researched and ready to call.
EVENT + BUSINESS CALENDAR
MONTEREY BAY AREA EVENT PICK
January 11, 2020 START THE YEAR OFF RIGHT: CREATING A BUSINESS PLAN If you're just getting started with your business OR you're ready to expand OR you just want to have a road map for 2020, this workshop is for you. Hosted by the Santa Cruz SBDC's award-winning business advisor, Keith Holtaway, you'll be in the best of hands as you prepare to go BIG in 2020. SF BAY AREA EVENT PICK January 8, 2020 E-COMMERCE 101 It's 2020 and if you want your business to be competitive with the online behemoths, e-commerce is a FANTASTIC way to do it, but customers don't start buying once you go live...there's work involved. This workshop will give you a diverse set of skill sets that will pay dividends.
READY TO JUMP INTO VIDEO: VIDEO GEAR YOU'LL NEED
Ok, so you're ready to film your first video, that's FANTASTIC! Believe it or not, I use my iphone 7 for most of my videos so the gear listed below is phone-based. But before you get started, here's my video on what to think about before you tap record, so watch this first.
Now it's time to get the right gear...don't worry, it's not super expensive. The first section includes the essentials, while the second section includes some superb, but very affordable options if you're in noisy situations or interviewing people.
VIDEO GEAR ESSENTIALS (USING PHONE AS CAMERA)
1. Tripod mount with remote control 2. Tripod that can attach to almost anything while on the go 3. Gimbal that holds your phone and eliminates shakiness as you walk plus it has an app that includes a face follow feature so it looks like you have a camera person working with you. 4. Shotgun mic that plugs into an iPhone for when ambient noise is surrounding you OR the android version 5. Compact and portable tripod with built in phone holder 6. Lenses (wide-angle is helpful when in selfie mode on your phone) 7. Phone lens protector shield AUDIO GEAR (IF AMBIANT SOUND IS OVERPOWERING OR YOU'RE JUST NEEDING HIGH QUALITY AUDIO + YOU'RE USING iPHONE) 1. Wireless microphone (1 per person) 2. Frame to hold phone + microphones 3. iPhone splitter to accommodate two wireless microphones if you're interviewing someone 4. Special chord to allow phone to capture sound from each wireless microphone
DAILY MARKETING TIPS
Presented by
Where Businesses Start, Grow & Prosper
HOW TO GROW YOUR EMAIL LIST IN 2 EASY STEPS
(Tap/Click YouTube Icon to Subscribe)
PODCAST
On the go? Find your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and get our blog in audio form, which includes even more detail!
TRENDING: SCRIPTED vs. AUTHENTIC REALITY
For the last 6 months, I've observed unequivocally that there's a growing backlash from consumers who are fed up with scripted, picture-perfect marketing. They want to see your true, transparent brand, operation, personalities and reasons why you're different. If you can showcase why you're differentiation via authentically real #behindthescenes-style marketing, your target customers will appreciate that and will most likely give you some foot or web-traffic love via their wallet.
WEEKLY BLOG RELEASE EMAIL IN YOUR INBOX
Haven't Tried IGTV Yet, IG Keeps Making Improvements
We really like IGTV, which debuted close to a year ago it seems and IG continues to make improvements to help businesses host videos that are longer than the 60 second maximum their posts give you. If your followers are addicted to IG and don't want to leave the platform, you should check it out including their latest improvement of enabling you to create a "series" of episodes that are similar to a YouTube or Facebook playlist. Here's the article from Later.com.
SUBSCRIBE TO BRYCE'S "ROOT OF THE MATTER" VLOG
AMAZON WATCH: In-Store Pick Expands to More Brands
GNC, Rite Aid, and others are locations where consumers can have their packages sent for in-store pick up when not choosing home-delivery, here's the latest from USA Today. We'll be conducting interviews in the next couple weeks with successful book and toy stores who continue their winning battle with this retail giant so stay tuned.
EVENT + BUSINESS CALENDAR
11/30/19 Small Business Saturday This is your time to shine while everyone is in buying mode, go BIG because people like to wait it out until the week before Christmas. This year, there are only really 3 weeks so that means 2 weeks of slower business that you need to battle to continue that foot traffic...especially if holiday makes up 30-40% of your annual sales.
SOCIAL MEDIA: Why Stories Are HOT!
Here's an article that profiles the top brands that use Facebook/Instagram stories to spur engagement, call-to-action follow through and overall captivation by their followers. I'm a big fan and you should be too as consumers' attention spans shrink, this is an easy way to pack a whole lot of brand education into just seconds of animated exposure. Warning, this article is published by Facebook, but it's still a great intro into why you should try Stories next time you open your FB or Insta app.
DAILY MARKETING TIPS
PRODUCTIVITY: How To Wake Up Earlier
Take it from a Navy Seal (not me, button below to watch a video), you can get a whole lot more done by waking up early. Want to launch a new program or service, but need to somehow find more time to create that web page or research best practices? I actually wake up early, to read and watch all the things I need to, to stay on top of the latest marketing news...just start and you'll see how easy it is to become more productive every day. |
WHY A BLOG?I'm always reading, watching and testing the latest in marketing. While the podcast is the audio version, this is the place where links and details are spelled out for you. Archives
February 2020
Categories |
RSS Feed