Your 2015 Business Plan – Stop Dabbling, Delaying, & Dilly-Dallying!

You KNOW it is time to move your marketing plan forward for your business. Something is always holding you back. A slow season, a health issue, family problems, or a vacation coming up. The problem with this kind of limiting thinking is that your business may NEVER reach its potential. How do you move forward to make your business and 2015 the best year ever? Create a NEW Social Media habit!

Start your new habit the SAME way for the first 10 days.

We cannot sustain motivation through willpower, alone, as much as we WANT to or reward ourselves. So, if you want 2105 to be your biggest and best year, yet, you are not going to will it into existence. If you keep doing the SAME thing but really WANT something else, you are going to get the same result. So, if rewards and desire are not enough, what IS the secret to change? It is super simple, really, and it does take some willpower. It is called The New Habit!

1. Do the new thing or the new procedure, in the same way, for a minimum of 31 days. (some say 10 days, some say that 21 is the  magic number – I am going to round it up to make SURE it is a habit). Do this NEW procedure for a full 31 days – a full month!
2. You need to make the habit have the least resistance. (Example: get rid of all the junk food in the house and have ONLY fresh fruit and high quality snacks in the house).
3. Have a HUGE amount of energy when you first begin the new habit (the first 10 days of the habit). This is the time when the OLD habits are trying really hard to pull you back into the comfort zone of the way that it has always been. Be rested. Be excited. Reward yourself, often.
4. Start the SAME way every day. Don’t deviate from the start procedure. You end up getting into a groove that puts you on automatic pilot fairly quickly.
5. START NOW. Don’t delay, anymore. Because January has only just started, the more productive you become, NOW, the more empowered you are to manifest the best year of your life!

Real-Life Example: Let’s walk through your Social Media Habit, for 2015:

• Grab your bottle of cold water and put it on your desk.
• Turn on the same song.
• Sit down at your computer (don’t open your email or your personal profiles in Facebook).
• Look at your list that you have created (highest priority tasks, first), put a pen next to it.
• Log into Pinterest and Repin two Pins. Take a sip of water and check off task.
• Log into Constant Contact. View results of last campaign. Write and schedule next newsletter. Copy text of newsletter placing on clipboard. Take a sip of water and check off task.
• Log into blog. Paste text from clipboard. Add photos, tags, and appropriate categories. Check SEO. Spell check. Schedule. Reply to any comments of older blogs. Delete any spam. Take a sip of water and check off task.
• Share blog with Google +
• Share blog with LinkedIn
• Log into Facebook. Like any comments, posts to page, or reviews. Answer all of your business page’s messages, and schedule 2 posts (NOTE: Do not go into personal profile). Take a sip of water and check off task.
• Log into Twitter. Retweet 2 tweets. Thank any new Followers. Take a sip of water and check off task.
• Log into TripAdvisor. Answer reviews. Take a sip of water and check off task.
• Log into Yelp. Answer reviews. Take a sip of water and check off task.
• CONGRATULATE yourself – you are on your way to your BEST year ever!

If this list is too much for you to handle, start small and just do ONE Social Media channel. If you need help and want to outsource, we hope you’ll consider SMSimplifier!

Welcome Sommer Chavez to the Social Media Simplifier family!

Social Media Simplifier is now a team! 

SMSimplifier is done-for-you marketing services, created by one stay-at-home mom (Wendy Wenck Craighill), for the entrepreneur that just doesn’t have time to manage profiles, daily updates, or sending out newsletters. Three years later, it has over 20 clients and just took on a partner! Sommer Chavez!

Sommer Chavez, mom of two and visual genius, adds another dimension to the services offered, at SMSimplifier. Not only will SMSimplifier manage your Twitter and Facebook updates, write and publish blogs, articles, and newsletters, we will now offer website development and graphic’s creation for the social-media world. Only enhanced, nothing has changed: SMSimplifier will continue to touch the heart with stories and photos.

Sommer’s professional career began managing her family business. There she realized the benefits of social-media and internet marketing, long before Facebook was even around. Sommer has worked in emergency services, as a Medic, then Marketing Manager for a large non-emergency transport company. She shifted to social media management of multiple small businesses and accounts, in 2014. She’s developed graphic-design skills through independent study and creative exploration. She specializes in creating visually enticing graphics which promote viral sharing. Sommer lives in Yorktown, VA, with her two little boys and husband, a local Firefighter / Medic and service member of the Army National Guard.

What is Social Media Marketing?

Internet marketing, public relations, customer service, advertising, and sales, in a human, personal way, encouraging interactive conversation with customers & prospects. We help create an online, two-way presence by promoting premium content and humanizing the delivery (meaning the content will interest customers enough to discuss and review, repost, share and increase unique traffic to website, therefore converting anonymous traffic into your customers).   We firmly believe that social-media marketing is not advertising – we believe in developing a relationship with your customers! Advertising is advertising. Social-Media marketing is bonding with your customers and prospects so that they want to spend money with you rather than with another organization. That is what we do. Call us, today: (757) 328-8884

Promote your blog for FREE!

You’ve probably already figured out that writing a blog post is really only half the battle. It takes some additional effort (and creativity!) to actually get people to your blog so they can enjoy your content. I have to admit that it used to be a bit disheartening checking my analytics and seeing how few people actually read my posts. Here are some FREE tips, from Kim Garst to get your blog actually READ

1. Tell people about it in an email

2. Share it on your Facebook page

3. Comment on other blogs in your niche. Become a fixture at the blogs of other well-known people in your niche. Leave intelligent comments, and contribute meaningfully to ongoing discussions. Remember: quality over quantity.

 

4. Guest post. Offer to contribute a post to popular blogs in your niche. Remember to include a link back to your blog in your author bio, preferably along with the offer of a free guide, e-book or info-product!

5. Participate in forums in your niche. Let me be clear: do NOT join other forums simply for the sake of promoting your blog. Participate in niche forums with the goal of helping others, sharing ideas, and people will naturally want to find out more about you.

 

6. Optimize for the search engines. While SEO has changed as of late, it’s definitely not dead! Make sure your posts contain keywords that people may be looking for. Pay particular importance to including your keywords (and variations of your keywords) in your title, headings, as well as in your content.

7. Exchange posts with another blogger. Propose a post exchange with another blogger in your niche. Try to choose someone with a similar audience size and demographic, and both of you will benefit from the cross promotion.

 

8. Write a magazine article. Trust me when I say that trade publications are always looking for contributors! Submit a query to magazines in your industry and be sure to include your url in your author bio.

9. Pin to your own Pinterest board. Create a board on Pinterest specifically for your blog posts. Make sure you use great images that add value and interest to your posts.

10. Pin to a Pinterest contributor board. See if there’s a popular Pinterest board you can pin to as a contributor. This can help drive traffic to your blog as well as to your Pinterest boards.

11. Include a link on all your social media profiles. I know, obvious, right? Make sure you include a live link on each and every social media profile you have, even on those sites you may not use regularly.

12. Share on Google+ for added SEO benefits. If you’re not already using Google+, I’d encourage you to get started! Sharing your blog posts in your Google+ circles is not only great for driving referral traffic, but is also becoming increasingly important for SEO.

 

13. Submit your link to Reddit. 

As one of the largest social bookmarking sites out there, submitting your posts to Reddit is definitely worth your while. Who knows when one of your posts will rise to the top of the approximately 70K links that are submitted each day!

14. Created a Slideshare based on a post. Expand your audience by re-organizing your blog posts and making them into Slideshare presentations.

 

15. Try social ads. Try your hand at Facebook ads, promoted posts, or sponsored tweets. This can not only drive traffic to your blog, but can increase your social media following.

 

16. Have obvious social share buttons. How hard is it for your blog readers to share your content with their friends? Make sure your social share buttons are in a prominent location, and that you’re including all the major players: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and LinkedIn (at the least).

 

17. Create a top 10 list with badges. This is an easy one that often yields great results. Write a post that lists a ‘top ten’ in your niche: it could be top ten bloggers, top ten businesses, etc. Have a simple badge or seal designed and award them to the winners (who often post the badge on their blog with a link back to your post).

 

18. Buy cheap banner ads on niche sites. Oftentimes taking out a banner ad on a niche site will result in more relevant targeting and a greater ROI than buying expensive ads on larger, more generic sites.

 

19. Target the long tail. When optimizing your blog posts for the search engines, be sure to pepper your content with longer, more specific phrases that people may be searching for. With Google’s move towards more natural-language search, blogs that rank well for long tail search queries will be miles ahead of the competition.

 

20. Hold a contest. Hosting a contest on your blog is always a great way to not only generate some buzz, but to drive traffic to your site. Promote the contest to your email list, social media followers, and be sure to submit your contest to contest directories.

 

21. Become a contributor at a popular website. If you’re already quite well known in your niche, apply to become a regular contributor to a well-known news or business magazine. This can be a great way to establish your reputation as a thought leader as well as to drive traffic to your blog.

 

22. Recycle old blog posts. Don’t be afraid to re-promote older blog posts from time to time. Many of your subscribers or followers won’t remember your older content, or if they do, will appreciate the reminder.

 

23. Mention an influential person in a post. If it’s relevant to a post you’re writing, include a reference to an influential person in your niche. Then be sure to @ mention them in a tweet or tag them in a Facebook post. Who knows: they may just share it with their followers too.

 

24. Create and submit regular press releases. When you write a newsworthy blog post, or have something ‘newsy’ happening in your business, write a press release that links back to your blog.

 

25. Put your blog url on all your marketing materials. Don’t forget about offline marketing! Make sure to include your blog url on all your marketing materials, both offline and online: your brochures, product pamphlets, business card, banners, etc.

I’d encourage you to set aside a few minutes each time you write a blog post to implement at least a couple of the strategies above. You’ll be amazed to see what you accomplish in a short amount of time when you’re intentional about promoting your blog!

Do-It-Yourself Social Media Marketing – Free!

Most of my Social Media Marketing clients come to me through a referral, word of mouth or a personal conversation. Occasionally I will get someone that contacted me off the website for a quote and they usually balk at my prices, because they think that they can Do It Myself. What I always think is I only want quality customers that appreciate my value. What I say is:

Do it yourself social media is free-but is it profitable? Does it find you new customers? Does it work?

I can help get you up and running – do a few months of posts and set up your page so it WORKS and can be FOUND (the real goal of inbound marketing of Facebook). Then, when you take over the reigns – you know what to do and you can see how I have been doing it for you and you have learned. If you are going to Do It Yourself – make sure you know how to do it!

DIY Social Media Workshop – Williamsburg, Sat., 9/20/14 at 9am

Social media marketing can be quite overwhelming and time‐consuming. After all, it is public relations, customer service, advertising, sales AND marketing all rolled into one. And social media isn’t just posting to Facebook:

• questions must be answered
• private messages addressed
• conversations continued
• If customer‐service questions come up, they require a prompt response

If all of this overwhelms you and you want to learn more, sign up for the Williamsburg Workshop for Do It Yourself Social Media. Learn concrete steps for executing your social media program

• How to write your company’s blog
• How to photograph your candid shoots
• How to build your Keyword List
• How to organically grow SEO (how to get “found” on Google)
• How to write and create the content for posts about your firm
• How to manage your subscriber list and write and send your newsletter out

Where: Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance Bldg, 421 N. Boundary St, Williamsburg VA 23185

When:   Saturday, September 20, 9:00—11:00 AM

Cost: $24.00 in Advance  or $29.00 cash at the door

Contact SCORE, directly: 757‐229‐6511 info.williamsburg@SCOREvolunteer.org

Download the SCORE flyer: SCORE-Workshop flyer

Sunset Beach Inn & Grille – a sunset-lover’s haven on Eastern Shore of Virginia

Let me introduce you to another love of mine: Sunset Beach Resort – now known as Sunset Beach Inn & Grille. It is the first hotel on the left, when you cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, on 13N. We have been spending a night or two there, each summer, for about 10 years now. They have amazing sunsets and are dog friendly – so we always take our mutt with us – and it feels more like a vacation when you can take your whole family with – doesn’t it?

There is a little pub down by the bay – used to be called Pelican Pub, now it is just called the Sunset Grille – I suppose the name is easier to remember for newbies – I kind of miss the old name, myself. That pub has a great menu of fried and grilled seafood and you can hear live music most weekends, all summer long. During the day, the entire Bay can be seen with many boats anchored for the whole day to enjoy the sound, the food and a bit of Corn Hole.

 

There is a Recreational Vehicle park that has almost 80 spaces – most of them are rented for the season so everyone knows each other and enjoys the days and evenings, together. The amenities of a $50 per night site, if you are just traveling through, include water and sewer hookups, cable television, electricity, internet, and a seasonal pool. The best part of the RV park are the sunsets and friends you make along the way! (there are no tent spaces, by the way)

The tourists love this hotel and restaurant combo – because they never have to leave the premises to have a great summer vacation. There are kayak rentals (through Southeast Expeditions, a great sandy beach, free continental breakfast and a great pub to enjoy lunch and dinner. Come in from the beach, a bit early and grab a table on the edge – these sought-after tables are not easy to get  – because the sunsets are to DIE for. They will take your breath away.

The locals love this place because it has live music, great sunsets, and a sandy beach!  And they don’t have to go all the way to Virginia Beach, pay for a toll on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, or drop $20 on parking – they can just hang with their friends, here at the best-kept secret in Cape Charles. The regulars enjoy the setting sun each weekend night, as they dance in their bathing suits in flip flops. This place truly feels like a summer hang out.

In August 2014 they are having a special on stays over 3 days and a super special on THIS Sunday night, Aug. 17th. Visit their Facebook page to learn more!

Introducing The Inn at Corolla Light – my latest client – and new home-away-from-home!

I am literally thrilled with the prospect of HAVING to visit the Currituck Sound to take photos, go on a Wild Horse Tour, walk along silky-soft beaches, and eat at the Tomato Patch, every night. This place is heaven – and now a client of mine. I love how my freelance business keeps leading me to new and exciting adventures. This opportunity came from working with Belinda Willis, of Focusing on  Solutions and her husband Don Willis of Village Events. They gave me the gift of a weekend in the lovely Corolla Inn and we just fell in love. The room we stayed in was on the top floor looking out over an incredible sunset on the Currituck Sound. We had access to 5 pools, the beach, and several activities through the Corolla Light Resort.

Finding lovely sunsets, in photographs, is easy for this client. People enjoy taking photos of the gazebo, at sunset – this photo credit is: Sabrina Watkins‎

There was a lot of traffic coming in (only one roadway in) to our retreat – and the ocean-to-sound area reduced our heart rates and calmed our soul – just with the drive into the nationally acclaimed Corolla Light Resort Village. The Corolla Inn was the perfect setting for us – very romantic (even with the kids), family-friendly, dog-friendly, and breathtaking sunsets. Our suite was 3rd floor with a fireplace and a separate sitting area at the window looking over the sound. We tossed our car keys, grabbed our flip flops and took off on our adventure – we used the trolley to ride back and forth to the renowned Corolla Light Resort and swam in every pool, in the 3 days that we were there – my little one put his toes in the ocean for the first time – and then dug in the sand and avoided the water, after that. We saw a bridal party getting ready for a fancy-dancy wedding and saw several wedding photo shoots, while visiting the beach – apparently the Corolla Light Resort has conference facilities and is a premiere destination wedding resort. – but all-in-all – it was a fabulous weekend.

Now, I get to tell their story – in pictures, on Facebook. I am thrilled with this responsibility – it seems that the family and I are going to be seeing a lot more of the wild horses, the sound, the sea, and the all-you-can-eat breakfasts (our family loves complimentary breakfasts – yeah!)

Most of the tours guarantee seeing wild horses – and every once in a while, tourists will see a foal. Magical!

We didn’t have time for a tour to see the Wild Horses of North Carolina. Next month, when we visit, we’re going to make a Wild Horse Tour reservation (discounted for Guests of the Corolla Inn). All of us are looking forward to this once-in-a-lifetime chance to see nature as it is meant to be – 100% wild!

Is Advertising on the Internet Social Media Marketing?

No. Social media is two way, engaged conversation. Advertising is typically ONE way, on the internet they would be such things as Pop-Up ads or Social Media campaigns. So, why not just use them? You can target your audience and get it in front of millions of potential customers. Well, consumers are savvy and very blind to ads, at this point, because of 1) General lack of interest 2) Poor timing vs search engine optimization and 3) Lack of trust – number three because of questionable content accessed once.

So, if your goal is to create or edit an existing presence, what now? Social Media Management can streamline your strategy. For instance, the main goal of your internet presence should be to convince visitors to become customers, engage with your business, or recommend your organization. As marketing specialists, we “listen” to your fans, to your competitor’s fans, to the replies and comments, and watch what makes them TICK. And by tick, we mean SHARE, and Re-Tweet, and create a buzz about you. Sure, you’ll want to keep fans in the loop about news, events, gather insight into customer needs and desires, or inform prospects about an upcoming sale or offer and obviously, you won’t stay in business long if your goal isn’t to SELL, but Social Media Marketing isn’t for selling, it is for warming up the prospect, creating community, and building trust. Those are our goals for your internet strategy. Give us a chance to show you how all that works for you and your bottom line, at Social Media Simplifier

Can Social Media REALLY Make a Difference to your Business?

Contrary to popular assumption, the economic downturn is actually good for the internet… and your business. More people are shopping online to find better deals and looking to thier “friends” to show them the way. More merchants are moving their advertising dollars from offline media to online venues.

Just imagine….

Gym One has a great website, beautiful facility, some great aerobic teachers, and some really great Zumba dance classes. They have a Facebook fan page, and even a Youtube Channel, but nothing is updated with current schedules and they’re not actively doing social media.

Then there’s you…

Gym Two (YOU!) also has a great website, with links to your Facebook fan page, Twitter, flickr, and Youtube accounts. You have a really great welcome/video commercial on your website’s home page. Plus, you have a blog where you offer great tips, and post helpful articles for kids, parents, families, etc. You update your Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube accounts on a regular basis, and as a result, you seem relevant, knowledgeable, and approachable.  Any opportunity that you have to highlight your level of knowledge and expertise, will help you to distinguish your gym from your competitors. You have to get people in the door to see that you have a great facility – and social media sharing is really one of the best ways to do that.

 

Sole Proprietor Social Media – Waste of Time?

If you are in business, as a sole proprietor, you spend most of your time satisfying customer needs, fulfilling contracts and finding new clients. With that being said, Social Media may seem a luxury, as an expense on your time and effort; do you invest in this passing fad that you don’t quite understand?

Well, obviously, you don’t want to be spending more than necessary on marketing, therefore investing time on building relationships with people is far preferable to spending money on one-way advertising. With any Social Media Campaign, the more you give, the more you get. And as you increase your following, traffic back to your website (the “mother ship”) will grow. Some of this traffic will turn into clients. You can’t expect overnight success, but if you keep going you will see your results improve month-over-month. Your site will be put in front of a much wider audience, so that if they weren’t searching specifically for what you had to offer at that time, they have still been introduced to your site and as a result know what you do for in the future when they do want that service.

One of my favorite reasons to dabble in Social Media, is that once your content is shared via Social Media, those links are there to stay. Even better, if people do visit your site and share that information with their friends, you’ll then have more links coming back into your site. Search Engines love those shared links, and he higher up the Search Rankings you go. Social Media users are vocal about what they like, and what they don’t like. As you build more of a presence and post more content, you’ll get to know what content people like and what produces the best reaction so you can do more of that kind of content. Monitoring your brand and reputation should be easy, if your are watching, responding, and re-posting.

Social Media won’t be going away any time soon. Formats may change, but commenting, reviewing, and sharing opinions is here to stay. Jump aboard this very fun ride and call us, today!