Instagram & Vine for your business

As we all know Instagram and Vine are social media sites that are geared towards pictures and short short video's. Instagram is owned by facebook and Vine is owned by twitter. Visual imagery is great for sharing your business using sight only. We have asked several people that we help with their businesses to create an Instagram account. They did and they have received positive reviews and new clients from sharing their work. Before and after pictures are great for this site. So if you have a business where what you do can be seen this is a great opportunity to showcase your work and generate new leads. 

So you own a lawn business and you need to spread the word about your business. You have your vehicle wrapped and you put your business cards everywhere including putting a yard sign in the person's yard. Go a little further and take before and after pictures of the work that you are doing and post them to Instagram or Vine. This two apps are your portfolio to generate new leads and new interest in your business. It's not that hard. If you are a nail technician this is perfect for you as well because the nails that you share are just like a fantastical work of art. And everyone loves looking forward to seeing your next art piece. 

Well Beth I never thought that I would be able to showcase my business like this. Well, wait it gets a little more interesting because there are still people out there that don't see how important it is to visualize their business in a creative way. There are people out there that sell make up or do photography. For those selling Avon or even Younique you can have tons of before and after photo's. For Photography these are great for showcasing your work.

For creating those eye catching video's of how your product works the before and after and you don't have a video editing software. I highly recommend the Gimp program. It's 100% free and there even tons of tutorials showing you step by step how to create video's also known as gif's. Gif's are video's that have no sound and using this program depending on the camera you use won't come out all blurry. Gimp is a program that you can use to also edit images or your pictures with ease.

Now you have no excuse for not being able to get your visual message across. 

Meeting people interested in your business

In the book Success Secrets of the Social Media Marketing Superstars by Mitch Meyerson; chapter 5 has a tidbit that I never would have realized could have been used as finding prospective clients. Hashtags are all the craze, but did you know that you can spy on conversations using hashtags? Yes, you read that correctly, spy. Using certain hashtags can get you into conversations without people knowing that you are there, reading everything that they are discussing. Even if their page on facebook is locked up tighter then Fort Knox thanks to the hashtag you have easy open access to their conversation.

Using this technique you can find people that are interested in your products or services. Now is the time to add them to your circle of your social media site if they allow you. Don't jump right into, I've got something that can help you. See our Blog post on Using social media for business. Grow that trust, grow that friendship. Become the expert not the freak. Remember that if people trust you they will continue to come back for more of your products or services.

Using Social Media for Business

The first rule of thumb for using social media to increase your business is to get to know your "friends" first. Look at it this way: You're invited to a party. You don't just walk in and start selling your product. You walk around and to meet and know new people. Well that's the same way that social media works. You have to get to know people first before you start offering advice or your services. Most of your friends will be able to use your services the other half might not be able to use those services. And you want people that will refer your business to others. You want to build a solid trust with people where they can feel they can trust you. To feel as if you are the expert in your field. That's what your seeking. Not a way to have people turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to you.

If you turn people off to you and your business can't grow. Another example is you're at the party and someone comes up to you reeking of the party they started way before they got there. But they see you as a wall. Someone that will hold them up and listen to them. You don't like people like this being all over you so please use common courtesy on your social media site and don't throw yourself all over people. You don't want to be looked upon as the "lush at the party that ralph's on the hostess' shoes."

Remember if you feel people are too pushy with the way they try to sell their products or business don't be like them. Get to know others, your opportunity to share your business will come but you have to get to know your clients and friends first.

Business apps

Well, last season we discussed apps that would possibly help you with your business. As a radio show  that needs just as much attention as a business I figured this would be a great opportunity to try it out. This time around I'm condensing as much work together to split the correct amount of time between the radio show marketing and my own business. I have a lot of things on my plate with having a child with autism and running my own business along with marketing for Something Building. Doctors appointments, iep's, carpool, publishing, and all the things that go along with having a family, especially a special needs child, there's a lot to do. And honestly very little time to do it. This week I downloaded a few apps to help with this other wise tricky schedule. If you only do facebook and twitter hootsuite is your best option. We do facebook, twitter, our blog and now google+. With just one message I can post to all but the blog.

Easypost as the app is called is fantastic. We have no reason to do Instagram or tumblr. Instagram is not an option with easypost but tumbler is. If you need an app to keep up with all you media marketing this is the app to go with. You will have a little trouble with google+ plus but in the FAQ section gives you some help with that. www.google.com/accounts/DisplayUnlockCaptcha is where you need to go to make the changes to allow google+ on this app. I can not stress enough how wonderful this app is. And the best part for us is it is free. 100% free! Another little problem you might run into is fb for pages don't freak when it wants to add your personal account. Accept that because you can pick after this to the fan page you work under.

Another draw back is that you will not have a clue if anyone likes or comments. I suggest that you personally got into your social media accounts and check them 30 minutes after you make a post using this app. I have apps for each of our social media sites for Something Building and can go straight into them from my ipad. Notifications are usually sent to my ipad on the app of the social media site that I'm on. So if you don't want to check on them, just down load the regular apps and you'll get messages letting you know, "Hey someone comments or used your @.

Teamwork in business

The best part of doing a radio show is that Jason and I work together as a team. We both have businesses and both have lives outside of business. I do all the creative parts of Something Building and Jason does all the rest. I get to do the blog because its writing and that falls into my area. The photo's and ads I get to create them because, well that falls into my area as well. While I work on one area of what we need he's busy fixing the website, twitter, the blog or google+ tying up the loose ends.

He does half and I do half. It's teamwork and that's the best type of work to do. Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life. And it's true. I could not image doing the business of the radio show if I had to do it myself. Sometimes you have to have a partner, someone to have teamwork with. Reading through EntreLeadership book by Dave Ramsey, the people that you work with always consider them your team members. And let the golden rule shine. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It's no secret, Jason is my best friend and so I will always treat him as such. We bounce ideas off it other. We are team members as friends and team members as co-hosts of the show. Keep it real but most importantly keep it as team work.

Becoming an Entrepreneur

Checking through our emails today I received one that I had to share. And with special permission Jamie allowed me to share it and even sent in a picture. Here it is:

Dear Jason and Beth,

I was a stay at home mom of two children one being a special needs child. My husband is deployed with the Army and I wanted something that I could do to help keep me sane since I speak to my husband once a day if I'm lucky. I saw your video on youtube and decided what would it hurt to listen to the show. I was surprised to hear that Beth was a mother of a child with Autism and she had her own business. Having a child with special needs is tough and I never thought I would be able to have my own business and still be able to give full attention to my child. You even gave businesses that real people on a tight budget could do with little money invested. Now whenever I'm out and about or at doctors appointments for my child I give everyone my business card and a little bit of information about my business. No longer am I on a tight budget thanks to all the medical bills. I'm able to be the mom I always dreamed of being and it's because of the great advice that I got from your show!

Thank you again!

Jamie O.

Business for you!

There have been plenty of times I've been out and about and met people that I speak with and one thing they almost always say is I want to start a business but I don't know what type business to do, so I want to start this blog off by letting you know the businesses that you too can have. It's confusing I will admit that. Let's get the confusing out of the way. If you have ever questioned what type of business you can start then question no more!

1.

I would like to introduce an AMAZING new ALL NATURAL Cosmetics line, Younique Products by Christy! Younique is a newer Direct Sales Company just over a year old and is booming with their Top Selling 3D Green Tea Fiber Mascara. In addition to the 3D Mascara there is a wonderful full line of other make-up including the BEST Mineral Pigments I have ever used! I hope if you are considering adding an extra income to your life with a Home Based Business that you will contact me! All sales are done online so there is no inventory you have to stock and you get paid DAILY! Message me for more details www.youniqueproducts.com/christyreed

2.

http://www.jjplexus.com/

3.

https://kristis.jewelkade.com

4.

http://robersonowl0618.origamiowl.com/

5.

https://sethbreding.kyani.net/r/usa-can/en/core/main

6.

https://www.youniqueproducts.com/kerryprybil

7.

 http://kerryprybil.makeuperaser.com/


8.

http://lashes.makeuperaser.com/

9.

https://www.youniqueproducts.com/saradeutsch

10.

And when you join our team by the end of May, you will receive $500 in FREE clothing! Anything you want, any size, any color!!!

http://www.myjockeyp2p.com/web/michellewilder/home/overview.do

11.

https://tmacs.myrandf.com/Home

12.

http://www.ameeker.arealbreakthrough.com

13.

 http://tmac.makeuperaser.com/

14.

http://tmacshairstudio.com/