Success On .Social

Author: jonathan.howard

  • Customer Service: The Foundation of Business Success

    Customer Service is So Out of Your Lane, Why Are You Talking About It?

    I am sure you are all thinking right now, why is this guy talking about customer service? Why not write about branding or social media or stories?  Stick to what you are good at, right?

    So to those questions, I have three answers:

    1. If you think that social media and branding have absolutely nothing to do with customer service, you are sadly very much mistaken.
    2. If you think that client relations is not customer service, you are in for a rude awakening.
    3. I am good at customer service. I am freaking amazing at customer service. It is one of my strengths, and it is very much in my lane.

    So, Let’s Talk Customer Service?

    I am talking about customer service because without customers (or clients) your business will close. If you aren’t marketing with customers in mind, your business will fail. Not treating your customers like family, the family that you like, then you are going to have a significant issue on your hands. Remember, the marketplace is more crowded than ever. Customers have more choices than ever before, and if you are not treating them like they matter, they will be gone. No matter how large or small your business, you need to be adding value. You need to surprise and delight your customers every single chance you get. From the first time, they contact you on social media, right to the 750th cup of coffee they buy from you. Every experience needs to give them a reason to come back.

    The Customer Journey

    Is it the first time you are coming in contact with the customer? What stage of the customer journey are thin? What have they heard about your business? From reviews to social media, to experts and peers impressions of your brand. A customer may have heard of your business name 30 times and gotten 15 good stories and 15 negative ones before they even contact you. As a business, you never know. Every single time I see an oversimplified version of the customer journey, I want to scream. Don’t get me wrong; the stages are valid. Their thoughts and experiences at specific stages in the buying process are essential to know so you can deliver the right message, content, and so that you understand the process. My problem is, no customer journey looks like this:

    If the customer journey were that simple, all businesses would be able to control the variables, eliminate the guesswork, and get customers from awareness to retention in 5.2 seconds flat. Seriously, these customer journey charts make it look like a walk in the park. But in the real world, the customer journey is littered with land mines, lobbed grenades, and all other sorts of marketing shrapnel. Because realistically the customer journey could look like this.

    Why Does It Matter

    The second diagram is more representative of the modern-day customer journey. Not as easy to map, not as easy to react to and about 100 opportunities for customer service to impact whether or not they decide to buy. If you look at the journey in the way that is represented in the second diagram, you realize how important it is for everyone in your organization to be on the same page. From customer service to social media, to call centers. If one hand isn’t telling the other one what it is doing, you are destined to have customer service issues that will cost you sales.

    If the overall customer experience is not a positive one, they are less likely to begin doing business with you. People like to feel good, make them feel good every step of the way.

    Customer Service and Profit

    Do you believe that this statement is true? To be profitable, you must compromise on the service you provide.

    Many companies operate in this manner, compromise the customer experience to save some money. Not everyone believes that the customer is always right. Many companies don’t see the value in making sure that the customer is delighted. This is a detrimental flaw in their culture and will lead to their demise. An American Express survey found that 78% of consumers have backed out of a transaction or failed to make an intended purchase because of sub-par customer service. Customers have options; if they are not satisfied with you they will move on

    Show Your Customers You Care By Adding Value

    Companies that value the overall customer experience are those that are successful. The only sure-fire strategy to maintain your market share is to build your policies and procedures with your customers’ interests at heart. Provide value to every customer. It doesn’t matter if they stop on your social media page, enter your store, or visit your website. Everyone should leave feeling like their experience with your company added value to their day. Be proactive, anticipate problems, provide solutions, and meet them where they are. It is your customer’s world, and you are just living in it.

    More to the Foundation

    Yes, what I have already mentioned represents a strong argument for making customer service the most critical thing in your business, but I have more for you. There are integral parts of this foundation like customer service is representative of the culture in your industry. Issues caused by poor service may be a symptom of more significant problems in your organization. Or the fact that lousy service leads to bad reputations which lead to customers choosing other businesses to meet their needs. Failure to keep the customer service foundation stable will lead to significant issues within the organization.

    Bad Service Is What People Remember

    Customers will remember and talk about the negative customer service experiences much more than the positive ones. Every negative customer service experience can potentially lose you as many as ten customers. Every negative experience can hurt your reputation, and a lousy reputation can destroy your business. You need to get it right every time to avoid a damaged reputation. Training your employees and hiring people who believe that the customer experience is the most important task at hand will help make this part of your culture. Anticipating issues and proactively solving them as well as educating and informing your customer base can go a long way in preventing negative customer interactions.

    Excellent Service Strengthens Your Brand

    Hey, look who is back in his lane! How you treat your customers is directly related to your brand. Poor service and a customer may choose another brand over you. Conversely, if you are well known for delivering a fantastic customer experience throughout a customer’s journey that may be what causes people to choose you over your competition. When everything else is equal,  customers and clients are much more likely to choose a business that delivers a great experience.

    How You Do One Thing, Is How You Do Everything

    Sloppy? Poor communication? When somebody sees the way you do something, they assume you do everything in that manner. Therefore, allowing for poor customer service in your business tells customers that you may not have the highest standards. It leads them to assume that maybe your products aren’t the best, or perhaps the food you serve in the cafe is not prepared under the proper conditions. Sure, one negative situation, maybe a crisis averted, but that same crisis will arise again if you do not address the root of the issue.

    Customer Service Issues Can Signal A Larger Problem in the Organization

    Many times customer service issues arise as a symptom of other problems in an organization. I still believe that people are inherently good, and when given the tools necessary, and under proper conditions, they want to make other people happy. Poor service many times is a sign of inadequate training and poor communication in a business. Other times it is a result of employees not being empowered to make decisions. Or a management team that is reluctant to participate in the daily operations of a business.

    Make Informed Decisions By Talking To Your Team

    If things have been going great, and then suddenly you see a rise in complaints look at the changes in your organization. What roles are different? Were associates not trained on specific procedures? Are there open lines of communication? Or are people unaware of policy changes? Engage your staff and ask for input. Listen to what they have to say. Many times employees will tell you what they perceive to be the problem, and they may be 100% right. Even if your employees don’t see the issue in the same way, they will appreciate being consulted. No matter what, don’t just ignore the problems.

    When Service is Great Things Are Just Better

    When you treat your customers like family, they will return the favor. You will be less likely to have angry customer issues, complaints about the operations of your business, and fewer lawsuits. Because when you treat your customers right, you are opening the lines of communication and allowing for the flow of ideas. Your clients and customers are much more likely to approach you to discuss issues rather than resorting to other alternatives. Treat your customers poorly, and you can almost be sure that you’ll run into problems at one point or another. They don’t have a connection with you, they don’t know your story, and they don’t care if you succeed or fail.

    Delighted Customers Leads to Advocacy, and Social Proof Money Can’t Buy

    When you provide a delightful customer experience, from start to finish, Across all avenues for every customer, client, and audience members. You will begin to see people pinballing through the customer journey into the advocacy phase. With some people arrive at the advocacy stage quicker than others. It may take more time to earn the trust of other customers. But continue to deliver the same positive experience, and they will reach the advocacy phase as well.

    What is magical about the advocacy phase is your clients and customers are doing some of the marketing for you. In our blog and webinar on social proof, we highlighted the power of a brand advocate. Someone who writes reviews or recommends your business to peers is proof that you are practicing what you preach and delivering value to your clients. It is a big win for your business so keep up the excellent work. And don’t forget, to keep the trend of positive proof going by using the great reviews and testimonials in your marketing.

    Keeping Customers Is Cheaper than Attracting New Ones

    Remember those profits you were protecting by settling for mediocre service; you can say goodbye to those right about now! Another reason customer service needs to be the foundation of your business is that keeping a customer is cheaper than attracting a new one. Once a customer purchases with you, they are more likely to continue to use your services if you continue to meet their needs. Keep in mind that those needs include being treated with respect and continuing to see value in the relationship.

    Attracting new clients requires a business to attract leads. Engage those leads and provide them more value than the competition. Hopefully, a high percentage of those leads are converted to replace the customers you lost due to poor customer service experiences. And if the cause of the negative experiences is unresolved, you will continue to lose customers you acquire. Keep your clients when you delight them with a fantastic customer experience. Then build your business when you receive new clients not just maintain the status quo.

    Customer-Centric Businesses FTW

    When your business is customer-centric, it will make sure that the experience every customer has is a positive one. Your people will go above and beyond to deliver the service that your clients expect. You will anticipate and resolve potential problems making the lives of your customers better. And you will see growth as you retain clients, move customers into the advocacy phase and continue to add value. The only path to business success is having a customer-centric business, and doing all that you can to make every decision with the customer experience in mind.

  • The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media

    Season 1 of The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media, Jonathan Howard provides his own special tips, tricks and rants. Jonathan would much rather spend an evening home with his pups than out in a group of people, so he certainly sees the irony in the fact that he is a social media expert! He lightheartedly name his social media 101/201 series The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media. In this series he breaks down social media concepts into bite size morsels. His goal is to help everyone understand them and start applying them to their business today.

    New episodes of this video series are generally released on Fridays. Full versions of the videos will be available here and on the JRH Graphics YouTube Page.

    If you have suggestions, or want The Anti-Social Guy to answer your question please submit it here!

    To subscribe and get updates every time a new episode is posted, click here!JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGaDlCWDZpRHJOVE0lMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 20

    I watched the webinars, reviewed the reports, sorted through the numbers, white papers, and weighed the predictions from social media heavy hitters. I took all this shook it up in a bag, dumped it on my desk and looked for those things that rose to the top! Ok, I was more scientific and focused as I selected items. I picked the newest, strongest, and best-supported ideas that aligned with what I believe social media is best used for and deliver my favorite 10 Predictions for 2020!
    December 23, 2019

    JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGTVExZFFGYm5qR1klMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 19

    This week we take a look at ways to connect with your audience like telling your story, utilizing video, and adding value that matters AKA adding value that your audience is asking for because you do not determine what has value, they do!
    December 21, 2019

    JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGS1lJTkV6T3U3R1klMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 18

    Not connecting with your audience? Look at these reasons and make sure you aren’t making these costly mistakes.
    December 2, 2019

    JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGblBuYWRRUnhwaUUlMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 17

    Have you ever been stuck in a social media rut? The Anti-Social Guy provides you some ways to get out of the social media rut you are stuck in. Break out of the rut and begin engaging again!
    November 23, 2019

    JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGcE1IakFIZlZ0bDglMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 16 LIVE

    I was going to title this Episode B!tch Please but I instead opted for the friendlier, Too Much Value? Is there a danger that you may give away too much information on social media that you may now no longer have value? I respond to this ludicrous claim and give you some safeguards and examples of people providing content up the wazoo and still being valuable!
    November 16, 2019

    JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGeGZLd3cyMHNrOUklMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 15

    The Anti-Social Guy reviews three key components of your brand story in episode 15! He also highlights how to weave these components together to build a winning brand story that will engage on social media.
    November 9, 2019

    JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGcGNja2Z1Rjk5akElMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 14

    Why should you post educational content on social media if folks use social media to escape? Because people are escaping from lives, work, something that they do not like. You are providing them something they do like. Educational content does not have to be heavy lectures either! Think bite size easily digestable tips.

    November 5, 2019JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGdERrYVBFNS1fb2MlMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 13

    The Ho Ho Ho-lidays Are Here! The Anti-Social Guy may be anti-social, he still loves the Holidays!  In this video he reviews some things you should be posting on social media this year to engage your followers this holiday season!

    October 30, 2019JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGRjZqczcyTUpfOUElMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 12

    In this episode, The Anti-Social Guy explains why it is important to create custom content for your social media pages. Content that is true to your story, and supports your brand.

    October 20, 2019JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGTjB5NG43MjZfdW8lMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 11

    The Anti-Social Guy reveals if he thinks it is important for businesses to share a little bit of their personal story on social media. Based on the concept that people do business with people we think the answer here will be yes!

    October 11, 2019JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGTUdqaGYzX2Z5cDglMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 10

    Success on Social Media can be boiled down to 3 Elements, CCE. The Anti-Social Guy explains CCE which stands for Content, Consistency, and Engagement. When you are able to add great content to social media, consistently while engaging your audience you will be winning.

    October 4, 2019JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGYXJoR2dmZ2g2djAlMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 9

    Who You Callin an Expert? If you are a business and you use social media for marketing purposes, then chances are you are attempting to establish yourself as an expert, except… NOBODY IS GOING TO BELIEVE YOU IF YOU DON’T EVEN BELIEVE IT YOURSELF! You must believe you are an #expert. Write your #content from the viewpoint of an expert. Let your confidence shine!

    September 29, 2019JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGcG1FZlFzUnhYY1klMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 8

    Want better social media photos? Use these 5 tips the next time you take photos! Just a few little tweaks can take your photos from meh to marvelous! Yes, we said meh to marvelous and you know you want marvelous photos. Because marvelous photos on social media because that means better engagement!

    September 13, 2019JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGb2gtTnd6UFNpTTQlMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 7

    The Anti-Social Guy give you 4 Things that will help you make the most of your time on Social Media starting with his 9 Essential Posts for Businesses on Social Media. You can download this essential framework here: HTTPS://BIT.LY/2KLGFQ

    September 6, 2019JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGYlUwV1ZZWVRwem8lMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 6

    Passion is Engaging. What does passion have to do with social media? Everything! If you post what you are passionate about in your busines you will be creating more engaging content. Your passion will shine through, and those who share that passion will engage.

    August 30, 2019JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGSzgydW9vd1FnN2clMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 5

    Break Me Down and Save Me. This week we provide you with a content creation hack. This hack can help you create 10-20 social media posts all using one well-written blog. Even better news, this hack could get your ranking up on Instagram. Simply because you are creating content that is more likely to get saved as it is longer-form content. See also, this blog post on breaking down your blog.

    August 23, 2019JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGaXd5MjdLYWVHOHMlMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 4

    I Hate Social Media. You are not alone, a lot of people hate the idea of social media. Simply needing to do it to promote their business is frustrating. The Anti-Social Guy provides some tips to make the whole social media process a bit easier. Allowing them to focus on the aspects of the business that they love.

    August 16, 2019JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGcnY2OWxfNGd0OEElMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 3

    The Dreaded Engagement. As a business on Social Media you must engage with your followers in order for your efforts to mean anything. Respond to all comments, acknowledge all likes, and engage with other profiles. The Anti-Social Guy provides an example of a strategy that will keep you organized and engaging with profiles that what will help you succeed.

    August 12, 2019JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGS0pteU9GbmNyUkUlMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 2

    Learn the Platforms and Use Them Correctly. One of The Anti-Social Guy’s pet peeves are people who use social media platforms all wrong. He starts off episode 2 warning us of an upcoming rant! Before you begin using the platforms make sure you understand the basics. Knowing the rules allows you to make the most out of your efforts.

    August 2 , 2019JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGWFZOZEJvVWVNMWMlMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

    The Anti-Social Guy’s Guide to Social Media E. 1

    You Can’t Be Everything to Everyone, So Don’t Even Try! If you have not found this out already then I tell you. You will never please everyone, so stop trying to eengage and please those that will never like you. Instead focus on those that will and screw the rest. Seriously.

    July 26, 2019

  • Your Story On Social: 7 Ways to Maximize Impact

    Maximize the Impact of Your Story On Social Media

    Your brand story is a powerful and versatile marketing asset. Here at JRH Graphics we believe that your brand story should come first. When told correctly, it can connect with your audience at an emotional level and build relationships that can lead to loyal customers, brand advocates, and eventually, customers for life. There are many things you can do to maximize the impact of your story, including the 7 Strategies we outline below. Using the 7 strategies on social media will result in an audience that is more engaged with your brand as well as fiercely loyal to your business.

    story strategy get visualVisual Storytelling

    Using videos and images to tell your story on social media because after all, a picture is worth 1000 words, or more!

    Today, people have an attention span of approximately 8 seconds. As a result, images are more important than ever, especially on social media. Our brains can process images much more quickly (about 60,000 times) than words, and it only takes a few milliseconds to recognize a familiar object. Also, humans can recall images better than text. So by using images to tell your story, you will be able to get your point across quickly. Plus the audience will be able to recall your message better than if you used words. 

    Similiar to photos, video content boasts similar numbers because our brains are hardwired to understand visual cues. Video also has the power to ignite emotion and personal connections, and it entices viewers to seek more information. Social media is seeing a huge increase in video content because it’s ROI is the highest of any form of media. Check out these incredible video stats, and then if you have any questions about why you should use video, you can let me know!

    Visual Storytelling Should Be Standard

    If you aren’t utilizing visual storytelling techniques, you are missing out on an excellent opportunity to engage more customers. Make sure your visuals are unique, powerful, and contribute to your story. Keep this in mind to get the most benefit from visual storytelling. Create videos that speak to your brand and entertaining to get the most engagement. Include your videos on your site, on YouTube, and share them on social media. If you are concerned about spending too much money or time creating video content, start by creating videos for the content you consider to be evergreen. AKA the everyday stuff that ain’t changing!

    story strategies users helpEnroll Users Help Telling Your Story

    Encourage the creation of user-generated content. Repost and credit users for any user-generated content that you receive. In last month’s Social Proof Webinar, I reviewed the value of social proof in the form of User-Generated Content. But as a reminder, the most significant value of user-generated content is that it is someone else supporting your story. A consumer recommending a product or sharing how they utilize a product will always have more power than a brand or business talking about a product or service.

    More Powerful Story with Bias Removed

    As a business or marketer, you are inherently biased. A customer is relatable and not biases in favor of your business. Therefore, the audience trusts what they have to say. People listen to their peers. Some of the most potent recommendations are peer recommendations. Peers share the same experiences, struggle through similar issues, and take suggestions from one another. After all, who do you go to if you need a dentist, plumber, new massage therapist, or recommendation on where to go for yoga? Your friends, family, loved ones, and other peers. 92% of consumers trust recommendations made by their peers. User-generated content is an indirect recommendation for a service or product.

    When you get user content that supports your brand story, you should use it but make sure to use it properly. Get permission from the person who posted it. Schedule it to run in support of a campaign or at a time when the visibility will be highest.Tag the content-creator when you repost. For more info on the proper use of user-generated content, see this post.

    story strategies social proofDo More Than Talk the Talk

    The next way to maximize the impact of your story on social media is to verify your story with social proof. Positive reviews show your audience that you are doing more than just talking the talk. You are actually, walking the walk. Your customers have noticed and provided positive reviews that prove that you do what you say. This is incredibly important for a new business that is attempting to establish themselves and build a new audience. It is also vital that existing companies don’t lose sight of the importance of reviews and verifying their story with social proof.

    I Got the Reviews; I Am Good Now!

    Your first year in business, you were great at encouraging customers and clients to leave reviews. You even had an email campaign and links in your email signature that led right to Google and Yelp. In 2016, when you opened you got 44 reviews that were 4-Stars or higher. You also recieved eight 3-Star Reviews! In 2017 the reviews stopped pouring in as your regular customers had already written reviews. Your campaign to push for testimonials grew tedious, and you had other things to worry about. In 2017 you received ten reviews that were 4-Stars or higher, ten 3-Star Reviews and two 1-Star reviews. For 2018 you got three 3 Star Reviews, and in 2019 you have three 2-Star reviews.

    In total you have:

    1. Fifty-four 4-Star or higher reviews
    2. Twenty-one 3-Star Reviews
    3. Three 2-Star Reviews
    4. Two 1-Star Reviews

    The problem is the customer is going to value the most recent reviews more than the older ones. Older ratings are more likely to be discounted because time has passed, and things change. A potential customer may see you as a business that is now less focused on the customer. A place that used to get great reviews but is in a state of decline.

    Every Day Opportunities

    As you build relationships with clients and customers, you have plenty of opportunities to surprise and delight them. So you have a similar number of chances to ask them to write a review/recommendation/testimonial. Make it easy for them; some retail establishments even provide them with a computer on-site to write the review. Remember, don’t offer sales and promotions in exchange for good reviews. And always frame the discussion as a way to help other customers.

    story strategies create arcCreating an Arc

    Maximize the impact of your story on social media by merely telling more of it. When you create a story arc, you can feature more of your story. This increases engagement and builds a deeper connection with your audience. Plus with the possible elimination of “likes” on Instagram, saves will be the most influential metric for Instagram to measure the value of a post. It is likely we will see a shift towards longer-form captions that make creating a story arc easier. Creating a story arc also helps you plan and deliver content that is EDUTAINING (educational, useful, and entertaining).

    Planning is an essential step for creating a story arc. Make sure that all the posts that you weave together highlight varying viewpoints and aspects of the story. They all must also contribute to the main idea in the story arc. Where possible, attempt to weave in user-generated content, and social proof to help “prove” your story.

    Practical Uses and Notes on Story Arcs

    Not only can you utilize the concept of story arcs to tell your brand story. You can also use story arcs for a more practical purpose. Many times we see great content we wish to share like a post highlighting the 6 Skyscrapers You Must See Before They Topple, or 4 Amazing Sharks That Look Like Celebrities. However, 6 Skyscrapers is a lot to feature in a single post. Utilize the story arc in these situations and deliver these cool but poorly constructed buildings in a 4-6 post arc.

    Providing content in this way also creates a bit of anticipation and excitement. It keeps your audience wanting more! If you do utilize the concept of story arcs and don’t post the posts consecutively, make sure you let people know when to expect the next post.

    story strategy expand on blogExpand The Story On Your Business Blog

    As a small business owner, you want to establish yourself as a leader in your niche. A blog allows you to go deep on topics, flesh out concepts more fully, and create usable tools that will engage your followers. In previous posts, we provided statistics and other great reasons to start blogging, take a look at them if you have not yet begun to blog.

    A blog does fantastic things like allowing you to engage your audience, on your own platform, on your terms. Blogging also expands your footprint on this little thing known as the Internet. Every time you blog, you add a page to your website, a page that can be indexed. What is so great about that? Every time you pop up in a search, you have the potential of reaching a new client or customer.

    Powerful Blogs

    Having a blog drives more people to your website. A blog helps you engages more people. It’s a powerful tool that converts your audience into clients. Your blog positions you as an expert in your field and helps foster a deeper relationship with current customers. Your business blog functions as a lead generation tool. Having a blog allows you to create in-depth content that will add a great deal of value to your clients and audience. Your blog is a searchable place to dump all that incredibly useful information in your head and share it with others. Expanding your story on your blog will lead to greater sales and higher conversion rates. It will help you build a loyal audience that will turn to you when they need your product or service.

    story magnify with influencersMagnify Your Reach With Influencers

    Want to know something that has the potential to be better than a celebrity endorsement? Working with an influencer to help maximize the reach of your brand story could help you make a mark for your business. Influencers are influencers within a specific sphere, a particular audience that is interested in let us say fashion. The influencer is a peer of this audience, but they are the super cool peer that everybody wants to be. They are the ones that throw the best parties, get invited to all the events you want to go to and use all the same product, and wear all the same designers as you. They also discover all the freshest new products first, but once they discover them, you and all your friends must have them. Man, if only you could be the super cool peer!

    Okay, Let Me Tell You A Secret

    The influencers don’t discover all the coolest new products. The products are found for them by a savvy marketing guy who knows what audience they want to target. A marketer that has researched who has pull with that specific audience. Then he narrows it down from there by weeding out those who work with a competing brand, or have an aesthetic or overall brand doesn’t match the product. Finally, they meet with the remaining folks and decide who is best for the campaign, and pitch it to the influencer they choose. Most likely they don’t let the other finalists know they are out until the preferred one agrees to the campaign.

    Now, maybe it is a little less dramatic than the scene I painted rbut you get the idea. eIn order for influencer marketing to work, you need to select the right influencer, that has access to the market you are looking to access. Your brands must complement one another sand they must actually, currently use, or want to use your product. You don’t want it to look forced or fake. If that is a possibility, it could hurt or even destroy the reputation of the influencer and your brand. Look at it this way, what fashion influencer who has long been photographed in the most elegant red souled shoes would suddenly start wearing the Crocs out in public. Not any influencer that cared about their credibility with their audience. (let the hate mail from Croc lovers commence)!

    build connectionsCreate Connections and Build Up An Engaged Following

    Easier said than done? Maybe! But when it comes down to it, the best tool to magnify the impact of your story on social media is to create connections with your followers. Listen to what they have to say. Deliver content that is engaging to your specific audience. Respond to those who take the time to reach. Yes, every single one. Why? Because you are building an authentic brand that wants to fulfill the desires of your audience to connect with them. Build these connections, both online and in-person.

    Connections That Matter

    In my past life, I had a Professor walk up to me in the local convenience store and ask if I was in a rush because he needed to grab something for me. Sure, I was off the clock, but I waited, and he came back from his car with his textbook order and handed it to me. He knew the deadline was today and was so sorry he missed it, but he wanted to get it to me as soon as possible.

    Build those connections, and your story will go farther than you could ever imagine.

    Maximizing the Impact of Your Story On Social Media

    As you can see, there are many different ways you can maximize the impact of your story on social media. Some of these will work better for your brand. Try them all and try mixing them up. Make sure you are delivering quality content and that your story is the right story for your target audience. If you want to continue to explore the ways to maximize the impact of your brand story consider joining me on Monday, October 7 at 6:30 PM for the 7 Strategies to POWER UP Your Brand Story Webinar on Zoom! Snag your free tickets below.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

  • You Need A Business Blog + 20 Free Blog Topics

    Why You Need A Business Blog

    We recently posted a blog about the benefits of blogging. This post included great stats and information about why you should start a business blog, right away! We were then planning on launching the September Content Challenge but we didn’t have anyone sign up. Which said to us that you are all still not ready to blog, so we are taking a step back. We are reviewing the reasons to blog. And giving you 20 Blog Post Ideas you could start writing tomorrow. Also, we will be hosting a free Zoom Question and Answer Session mid-month for anyone who has questions about starting a blog.

    There are countless benefits to having a business blog that is regularly updated, but in the video below we present what we believe to be the most powerful.

    Among them you have heavyweight hitters like a blog helps establish you as an expert in your industry.

    Do you want to be an industry leader? Yes! Ok, lets get to blogging.

    Not enough of a reason?

    How about that blogging helps increase your visibility and drive potential clients interested in the services you offer directly to your website?

    That is a big one! Afterall, who doesn’t want more business?

    Getting closer to agreeing to starting that blog we see! Well, hopefully the following video will get you to see that the value of a blog will outweigh the downsides. If it does we have a special treat for you after the video!

    Click Here to subscribe to the JRH Graphics YouTube Channel

    20 Free Blog Topics

    ]If you would like additional blog topics set up a free Social Media Consultation Call with JRH Graphics.

  • Webinar: How Small Businesses Can Utilize Social Proof

    How Small Businesses Can Utilize Social Proof

    We followed up the blog post on Social Proof with our Social Proof Webinar!

    In our Social Proof Webinar, we focused on how small businesses can utilize social proof. Including using it on social media as well as in their general marketing campaigns. We started with a simple definition, but then we dug a bit deeper. The three major areas we focused on for this webinar were customer reviews, user-generated content, and micro-influencer marketing. We believe that these three areas can have the highest ROI for small businesses when executed properly. During the webinar, we providing the best practices, things to stay away from, and offered some examples from our experiences. All participants also had the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the webinar.

    Is This The Right Lesson For Me?

    If you are interested in social media marketing or have your own business, then this Social Proof Webinar is aimed at you. It should help you incorporate some of the primary forms of social proof into your strategy. If you are a professional marketer but want to be able to provide small business owners with advice on areas to focus, this could be the right webinar for you.

    Still have questions after the webinar? Please feel free to sign up for a Free 30 Social Media Consultation Call.

    Ok, I am Ready to Conquer Social Proof!

    The webinar is approximately 45 minutes long. So grab a pen and paper and, maybe a drink of water. Enjoy!JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGVDdCVHhSaWJScW8lMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==

  • Social Proof Defined and Explored

    Social Proof Defined and Explored

    What Exactly is Social Proof?

    If you hear the term social proof, and you are a bit unsure of what exactly it is, you are not alone. Wikipedia defines social proof as a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behavior for a given situation. Below are several forms of social proof.

    Types of Social Proof: Recommendations and Endorsements

    • Experts Stamp of Approval: This is when a leader, thought leader, who is well respected supports the product in some way. Social proof in this form can be done on social media via posts and stories. It can also be done on the influencers’ blog. Being quoted on the product or in advertisements for the product is considered another form of expert stamps of approval.
    • Celebrity endorsement: This is a particular form of social proof, based on the popularity, reach, and influence of the celebrity. Unpaid celebrity endorsement holds more value.
    • User Recommendations: Recommendations from users provide a significant vote of confidence in the product’s value. All recommendations can have the same positive impact. From a customer review on your website, a Google or Yelp review, or a simple rating, or a full-blown case study, it all provides feedback from actual users and hold a great deal of value.

    Unpaid Marketing

    • Earned (not paid) Media: Has your product or service been talked about in the news? A news report or newspaper write up are both forms of social proof that will support the value of your product. Earned media is a great way to build brand awareness and increase the backlinks to your website. It is social proof that your business has earned a spot at the table.
    • Social Media Exposure: DO NOT undervalue the impact social media posts and shares can have on a customers decision to choose you. Enough positive shares of your content on social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram can be all the proof one needs.

    Peer to Peer Power

    • Peer Use and Reviews: Social media exposure and peer usage and reviews are tied closely together as a great deal of peer interaction occurs on social media every day. Peer recommendations of products result in a consumer being over 80% more likely to purchase the recommended product. This word of mouth social proof is one of the most potent and common forms of social proof.

    Small Businesses and Social Proof

    While I do not like to rule out the possibility of a fantastic opportunity for a small business to rise to the top of its game while garnering celebrity and expert endorsements. I also realize that those Cinderella stories are not easy to come by. Since anything is possible, you can keep your eyes out for potential expert or celeb endorsements, but let’s focus our efforts on the more attainable items.

    Encourage Customers to Write Reviews

    You want reviews! Encourage people to write reviews of your business. Yes, a testimonial could potentially be less than stellar. That is only providing your business with an opportunity to improve; it is not an excuse for removing a customer’s ability to write reviews on your business. Reviews allow for user reviews and can increase your peer-to-peer social proof. Not having the ability to review the business or even the products the company offers sends a negative message. It says that you are not confident in your products and services which can be more damning than a bad review or even two in a sea of great ones. Some companies also offer people incentives for a review. However, before providing incentives, make sure you are aware of the rules of each platform. You don’t want a platform to throw out any review of your business based on a technicality.

    Notes on Reviews

    Most review platforms allow the business to respond to reviews. You should always respond within 36 hours. It does not matter if the recommendation is amazing or horrifying. Respond to every single review.

    Did you get a less-than-stellar mention? Ask for specifics and what they would have hoped for as a resolution. If the customer ignores your request for additional information, you can request to have the review removed. When you get the details, you can see what you can do to improve the situation.

    Share Reviews

    Mix some reviews into your posting schedule. Maybe one a month, and don’t do it to brag. Thank the customer for using your product. Try expressing joy that they solved a problem. Highlight the aspects of your brand story the review supports etc. These are all great ways to utilize social proof in your social media, and it encourages other members of your audience to share.

    Experiment with Micro-Influencers and Influencers

    Influencers marketing can be a cost-efficient way of getting celebrity social proof. This tactic is prevalent on Instagram. What usually occurs is a brand would sponsor an influencer or micro-influencers, a person with a strong social media influence in their niche area, to post about their products. Because of their social media influence, these people are celebrities to their audience. When others see them with a particular product, they will transfer the positive attributes they see in these “celebrities” to the product. Boom, celebrity endorsement!

    My friend Dani Sauter, @blonde_inthedistrict, is an influencer in the beauty, fashion and lifestyle areas and was recently named best fashion blogger by Northern Virginia Magazine. She is one of the sweetest, hardest working and, smartest bloggers (and people) I have met. With over 82K followers, she is an icon to many  DC women. She is regularly recognized on the streets (no joke) by followers who want to tell her about the product she recommended. Other times they let her know they bought the dress she wore in last week’s post, or want to take a picture with her. No joke influencer marketing works.

    Brand Ambassador Programs

    In my previous life, I worked as a retail manager at a campus bookstore. One of the most effective and impactful ways to reach our audience was by engaging our employees (many of them students) as brand ambassadors. It created a peer to peer social proof, and as we know, people value the opinion of their peers. At several of the stores, we were able to take this type of peer to peer social proof to the next level. When a student employee, became an orientation leader, we gained access to a larger group of students we could train and engage as ambassadors. All of these ambassadors had peer to peer contact with the new students. Win Win WIn!

    How Does This Apply to My Business?

    Yes, this was a peer to peer rich location. Peer to peer social proof may be slightly more difficult for some businesses. However, when you take into account the power of social media, your employees have a much deeper network than you may know. Engaging them as ambassadors could help you reach new audiences, niches, and explore alternative business channels you may not have known existed.

    Content Created by Your Audience

    User-generated content (UGC) is enormous; people love it when you share their photo. It has benefits for both parties, including increased exposure to a new audience. Plus consumers are looking for brands to feature more UGC. According to Sprout Social Index, 24% of consumers want to see more User Generated Content. UGC is a great way to build your following and generate some user social proof. We recommend encouraging your followers to use a branded hashtag or reposting user content. Don’t forget to encourage users to share this content not only on your social media but on your website, and brick and mortar location as well.

    Share and Respond to Social Media Shout Outs

    I can tell you that when you receive a shout-out from a customer, you feel like a rock star. A rock star that at least one person likes, and that is a start! So you can try to make it the start of something great by responding with a “thanks man” or more to the user giving you a shout out. Then try sharing that shout out with your audience. It is a great way to show others the love people have for your product or service.

    Humble Brags

    Do you work with clients like New York University, Georgetown, Kimpton, Wegmans, Zillow, Great American Restaurant Group, and others? Mention your clients in your bio on social media, don’t gloat highlight a couple of key clients. How is this social proof? If the top brands you listed are using you, then you must be good enough for the masses! Similarly, use critical metrics for your business in your profile, for example, the number of customers served, the number of houses sold under 60 days.

    Ok, Now I Understand Social Proof

    See, it’s not that hard of a concept to understand. Now not only do you see the value, but you also know how you can highlight these forms social proof you have for your business. Social proof is compelling. A successful business must consistently work to make sure that they are engaging customers and regularly building up their social proof. Especially since three-year-old reviews hold much less power than reviews over the past couple months. It may be hard work, but it is rewarding, and you love it!

  • What’s Your Story? Unleash Your Business Superpower

    Surrounded by Darkness

    It is 2:45 am on August 24, 2008, and blackness surrounded me. I am laying face down and unconscious in the middle of Columbus Ave in Boston. The man who had moments before been stomping on my head, yelling for me to die was gone. This vicious and unprovoked attack left two friends in the hospital and two others afraid to leave their apartments.

    To this day, I have no recollection of what happened; it was all very cloudy and grey in my mind. What I do remember is waking up in the hospital. Confused. Distraught. And in pain. But there was also something else that felt different, but at that moment I could not pinpoint what this different feeling was.

    The Darkness Returns

    Months later, my attacker pled guilty to 9 counts. But justice was not served as he walked out of the courtroom with his freedom and instructions to attend anger management classes. Once again, I was surrounded by only darkness.

    Where was the justice in that sentence?

    What message is this sentence sending to people?

    Before this moment in my life, I never had any desire to share my Story. My experiences were unique to me and had no way of impacting others. In my mind, those who said they were going to change the world were merely tilting at windmills.

    My Own Story Transformed My Thoughts and Beliefs

    I left the courtroom, angry and upset, and I walked to calm my nerves. My voice cracked as I answered the first call from a reporter following up on the case. But that small crack in my voice was the last I ever saw of the person who didn’t share his Story.  I delivered an emotional but rational response that highlighted the critical points to the argument I had laid out in my head. Ending the conversation with a simple but powerful, imagine if you were the one lying face down on the pavement, how would it feel to know that the man who did this to you walked free.

    And I continued to tell my story.  Zeroing in on all the emotions that someone experiences when they are violently attacked and continued to ask them to imagine if it was them. Just a short while had passed, and something extraordinary and entirely unexpected started to happen. People began to listen. But not only listen, these listeners then started to re-tell my Story, to rally around it, and to take actions to try to prevent things like this from happening again.

    The world around me began to lighten.

    My Story Was Now Bigger Than Me

    Then one morning, my phone rings and the voice on the other end says, “Please hold for Senator Kennedy’s Office.” The Senator wanted to use my Story as part of his floor speech in support of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill. A bill he fought tirelessly for. Legislation that this country desperately needed if we had any chance of preventing attacks like the one that happened to me and so many others.

    That Bill was Senator Kennedy’s windmill and his legacy. I can only imagine what he felt the day the bill became law.

    Darkness is Lifted

    The passage of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill marked the moment when color began flooding back into my life . The darkness had finally lifted.  I took a deep breath and walked back into my technicolor world a different person than when I was ripped from it the year before. That period of darkness taught me many lessons that will stay with me for a lifetime. But I was happy to return to my technicolor world and continue to use the new found superpower of storytelling to brighten the world just a bit more.

    Laying The Groundwork for JRH Graphics

    I was still many years away from establishing JRH Graphics, but I was unknowingly laying the groundwork for my future business. As the head of GLAAD’s DC Leadership Council, I worked with a team to help amplify the local stories that needed to be heard by a larger audience. And the fight for marriage equality came to DC, and GLAAD DC LC told lots of amazing and compelling stories of love.

    Then there was a wedding contest that was supposed to be for fun. It was a 3 month full fledged storytelling, marketing, and social medi blitz that landed a gay couple in second place in a NATIONAL wedding contest. That would be me and my ex-husband of course. And a small New York Times photo, of minor importance. Or we were on the cover above the fold on the day marriage was legalized in  DC. Plus a wide array of rallies, and speeches and so much more. Through this, I was honing my craft. I was learning to trust my gut. And most of all, I was repeatedly being amazed by the power of stories.

    Understanding the Importance of Stories

    I learned so many lessons running these campaigns, but none was more important than how powerful stories can be. Stories are like no other medium. They empower, inform, and encourage action. Stories are transformational. Stories capture hearts and minds. A good storyteller can simplify even the most difficult issues and create greater understanding with a story. Stories create powerful connections between seemingly unrelated things, and stories bring people together. Something we need now more than ever.

    This is My Story

    Jonathan Howard The Power of Stories So this is my Story; it is my authentic and emotional Story about how I learned of the power that stories possess. This is also a happy story for me, it is an awful thing that should never happen to anybody else. But it happened to me for a reason, and it allowed me to uncover my passion, and build a business around something I love. This story is a portion of my overall brand and a part of what makes JRH Graphics different.

    When you boil all of what I told you down to its essential elements, it is about transforming hate into love. Hate and love are universal emotions. Everybody knows love in some way, and everybody knows hate. These universal emotions are the secret sauce, they are what allows the Story to connect with an audience.

    So, What’s Your Story?

    Want to know a secret? The words you use to answer this question don’t matter at first. The first time I ask it I am listening to how you provide the answer, then I am watching your body language, and looking for something that will clue me in to the fact that there is a bit more. And then I push.

    Why do I push…

    Because each time I ask the question “What’s Your Story,” I am trying to get down to the “why.” When you finally reach the real reason behind why you do what you do, the rest falls into place. Your Story becomes your roadmap for everything you do. It provides clarity and purpose for your business as well as great content for me to post on social media.

    An authentic story that connects to your why and engages your target audience makes everything easier. Content creation is more straightforward; engagement is more organic, scaling your business is natural and creating measurable goals that move you towards where you want to be in 5/10/15 years is a piece of cake because all the key factors are aligned.

    A T-shirt is More Than Just A T-shirt

    I want to give you an example. I had a business I was working with to build a brand that they could use that felt authentic. The problem was I could not get down to the “Why” with them for weeks.

    Why is it that you make these T-shirts?  I would ask

    Because they are nice, aren’t they!

    Why not cotton socks?

    Because we make nice t-shirts.

    After a few weeks of beating my head against the wall, I finally saw a glimpse of something and pushed to eventually discover that the family made the t-shirts because after their father passed away, they could not find one of his favorite ones. They found the fabric of the original shirt and now use it for all of their t-shirts. And instead of their marketing just relying on the fact that they make nice t-shirts a fairly low threshold, we were able to create a niche for them and a new need for consumers.

    Because that t-shirt is not what they are selling, they now sell memories. And a simple story overlooked by the business owner made all the difference.

    We All Have Powerful Stories, Use Them

    I hope this highlights what a well crafted and authentic story can bring to your brand. I also hope that this gives you a bit of insight into my business and,  it inspires you to tell your Story. We all have stories they are powerful, don’t be afraid to use them.

  • The 8 Benefits of Blogging for Your Business

    Before Discussing the Benefits, What Is A Business Blog?

    Before we discuss all the benefits of blogging, let’s talk what a business blog is, and how it can be used to generate leads. Leads that hopefully convert to customers for your company. A business blog is a regularly updated collection of short-form content that resides on your website, neatly organized on the “blog” page. This content discusses topics that are important to your business. It also answers common questions asked by followers.

    These blog posts make up your “business blog.” Blogging is a marketing strategy that is used to increase your online visibility and support business growth. However, in addition to these goals, blogging also provides a plethora of other benefits, both large and small. However, many new companies that are looking to increase market share are not utilizing this multidimensional tool.

    The Benefits of Blogging

    1. Helps drive traffic to your website and increases online visibility for your company
    2. Helps turn your web traffic into leads and your leads into customers
    3. Adds Value for Your Customers
    4. Establishes You as an Expert in Your Field
    5. Builds Relationships and Trust with Current and Future Followers
    6. Connects People with Your Brand
    7. Serves as a Content Source for Your Social Media
    8. Boosts Your SEO

    1. Increase Traffic and Boost Visibility

    Your blog increases your online visibility and traffic for your website, which is the primary intention of the blog. Remember, I said before that your blog is a marketing tool! Ok, great! Blogging provides your audience with interesting or useful information that will keep your current clients coming back and increase your exposure to new clients. It should answer the essential questions your audience might have about your field. Your blog is all your knowledge written down in an “edutaining” style. And most importantly, your blog is published consistently, and Google loves that! If your blog is all of these things, your visibility will undoubtedly increase as will your traffic. Writing content based on keyword research will help magnify the increase.

    2. Traffic to Leads and Leads to Buyers

    I am sure you have all heard about the three stages of a customers journey. The first stage is awareness, the next is the consideration, and the final is the purchase or decision stage. (While I believe there are two other vital stages in the journey post-purchase, that is another blog entirely).

    The awareness stage generally begins with a pain-point, something that the customer is struggling with, once they are aware of the pain point, they start looking for a solution to the problem. The research is known as the consideration stage. The “final” phase of the journey is the purchase stage; many times, this is where a company that offers a solution is first made aware of that potential client. Wouldn’t it be great if you could have a stake in the customers’ journey before the decision stage? Ah-hah, you can, and blogging is your point of entry.

    Blogging Throughout The Customer Journey

    If you want to capture the customer in the awareness stage, you can post simple solutions to the common problems your potential clients face. You can do this in the form of checklists, or tips and tricks blog posts. These are great ways to get people interested in the solutions you offer in your products and services without even directly mentioning them. You can also utilize your blog to write a long-form post about the features your product or service offers and the benefits those features will deliver. Pair it with a video demo and post it on your blog and you may have just moved a few potential clients to the next phase. The best part, you were not sales-pitchy you just talked about your product, right!

    How would you capture a customer in the decision phase? Post a customer testimonial about the product or service. Provide dome background on the problem you solved for the customer, highlight the critical points of that journey, and then include the “social proof” aka testimonial that the customer provided. That is how you win the decision phase without even selling!

    3. Adds Value for the Consumer

    If you are blogging, you are creating an additional “value” for your customers. Blogging without thinking about adding value to the customer experience is downright stupid, and can potentially harm your business. After all, you want to provide a better customer experience than your competitors. When you blog, you should be providing your customer with something of value for free. A checklist, a useful tool, or a detailed answer to an important question are all great examples of free stuff. Ideally, this leads to them choosing to purchase with someone they now have a relationship with.

    The more your potential customers can get from you for free, the more loyal they will be when they become customers. Think of this as an education first policy! Teaching before selling is always a good tactic, which brings us to the next blogging benefit.

    4. Establishes You As The Expert

    Who doesn’t want to be the expert? If you are the person that people go to for answers, then you have won so keep up the excellent work. Blogging is a unique way for businesses to share knowledge with their customers about their industry. It is a great place to answer customer questions. A blog is a perfect place to build a loyal following. Successful companies consistently publish blog articles to highlight their knowledge and to position themselves as a thought leader and subject matter expert.

    Regularly posting about your industry is all about building trust with your customers and confidence in your brand. When you get users to read your blog and engage with your brand, you are more likely to be the “first call” when they discover a need for the product.

    5. Blogging Builds Relationships

    You have now established yourself as an expert in your field. People follow your blog and look for the regular updates. You are now building relationships. These people may already be customers and clients, or they may be future customers, but they are now expecting to hear from you. They are people that respect what you have to say, look to you as a source of guidance and trust you. Your followers now trust you, and you are entering the customer for life/advocate portion of the customer journey.

    6. Blogging Forms Connections to Your Brand

    Everything you do as a business can impact the customers’ perception of you. That perception, aka the emotional response that your followers have to your business, is your brand. Your brand personality seeps out of your writing and into the minds of those who read your blog regularly. Loyal followers can hear the tone of your words and know how you would deliver them without ever hearing you speak. Your audience has a certain level of comfort with you as you come to them at regular intervals as a guide of sorts. You have created an emotional connection with your followers. Without even necessarily trying to you have begun to build a community around your brand. And if creating a community around your brand was not one of your goals this year, it will be next year so congrats on the headstart!

    7. Blogging Feeds the Social Media Beast

    Let’s all work smarter and not harder; are you creating social media posts for your business every week? Wouldn’t it be nice if you already had content that could contribute to those posts? Write a blog! Let’s take this blog as an example, how many social media posts do you think a content creator could get out of this blog? I certainly see at least 10 in my head complete with images and copy already written, and with some thought, I am certain 15-20. Yes, this is a content-rich blog post, but even getting 8 to 10 pieces of content per blog post is incredible. Spread those posts out over a few months, so it doesn’t feel like you are beating a dead horse and you suddenly have more time on your hands. Want more details on how it feeds the social media beast, check out this blog.

    8. Last But Not Least, Blogging Helps with Your SEO

    Blogging creates value for your customers because you are providing them useful information about what you do that solves a problem they are having. If these blog articles are valuable enough to answer a customer problem, they might get picked up by other websites or blogs too. Just take a few moments to build relationships with other bloggers in your field. When other sites link to your information, it creates a backlink, which looks like a strong recommendation to Google. The more someone recommends it, the more you want to use it. These digital recommendations increase your website authority. Increased authority means additional traffic, and we are back at the top!

    Every time you create a blog post, you are adding a web page to your site. This page is indexed by the search engines making your website “bigger” and more valuable. You are also utilizing more keywords and discussing topics within your industry, thus increasing your authority and helping your page rank higher.

    It Doesn’t Stop There, But This Blog Post Does

    Phew, I am exhausted! That is a lot of benefits for blogging. And that doesn’t even include benefits like blogging helps you organize your thoughts and align them with your goals and values. Or the fact that writing about your business forces you to continue to learn about your business. Blogging even helps you refine your brand story, and it improves your ability to talk about your business. Blogging is a multi-dimensional tool that can help you reach numerous marketing objectives. When paired with the power of social media, you have a powerful one-two punch few will be able to touch. So if you are not blogging, start now by clicking the link below and getting your first five killer blog topics. If you are blogging, keep up the good work! You too can click the link below and pick up five killer blog topics and feel free to write about them!

    Resources: LyfeMarketing.com and hubspot.com

  • Small Business & Social Media Takeaways from The Index

    Small Business and Social Media

    Sprout Social Social Media Index Cover
    Download Your Copy Today

    A majority of the clients I work with own and run small businesses. Small business has many opportunities to capitalize on the power of social media but they arent sure how. When the Sprout Social Index Edition XV came out this year I knew it was the right report to break down to help these small businesses see the value of social media.

    Social Media is in a constant state of change. Everybody has their theories on what will happen next. These reports provide you with stats that support some opinions and actual trends that paint a picture of what is happening in the world of social media. As a content creator and social media manager, it is my job to take all of the information and see how it applies to what I am seeing with my clients. I generally walk away from one of these reports with at least a few takeaways, this time I was directing those takeaways towards small businesses.

    The Nuts and Bolts of the Index

    Nobody can deny the power and value of social media. As I mentioned earlier this year, social media touches almost every single aspect of a business. It is too big to ignore. It supports virtually any marketing objective, and moreover provides useful insights to teams outside of marketing. The team at Sprout Social surveyed over 1,000 social marketers and asked about their social goals, challenges, and expectations. They also surveyed 1,000 consumers to understand what people want from a brand on social media. The Index XV explores how social media and marketing teams can better use social data to drive success for bigger picture business goals. It also explores how to use customer insights and trends to improve social performance.

    Breaking It Down

    For this blog, I focused on a few of the findings that are relevant to the small businesses I tend to work with. When you view the report through that lens some different items stick out.  However, all the results are exciting and relevant. If you are interested in knowing more, I recommend getting your copy of the Index and digging in. And speaking of digging in, here we go!

    Marketers and Businesses Need to Dig Deeper to Understand the Audience

    Forty-three percent of all social marketers say a significant challenge is identifying and understanding their target audience. To address this concern, marketers turn to social data. Sprout Social explored what your audience wants, and I comment on some of the findings below.

    What Your Audience Wants

    Why do people follow your business on social media? What do they want to see from your company? To answer these questions, you need to understand how and why people use social media in the first place. While 50% of people follow a brand to find out about new products and services, almost as many (48%) follow a brand to be entertained. Other key reasons that a consumer follows a brand is to get up to date news, connect with others, to be educated, and to communicate with the brand.

    What Your Audience Does Not Want

    Equally crucial for businesses is to understand is what consumers do not want to see on social media. In business today, the customer experience is of the utmost importance. Delivering poor customer service, including being late to reply to a customer concern can be considered poor service. Poor service can result in an unfollow (read like a lost customer) for 56% of those asked. Your audience wants you to respond quickly, knowledgeably, and provide them with entertaining and informational content daily.

    Content Misfires

    Poor customer service is the number one reason to unfollow. However, posting irrelevant content, too many ads or too much promotional content can all result in a consumer unfollowing your brand. The importance of having a well-planned posting schedule is evident, and it must be robust with entertaining, useful, and educational content. A plan that does not merely focus on your products and services but adds value to the consumer. A social media calendar like with the aforementioned items is a great way to make sure what you are posting is not pushing customers away.

    Social Media Essential Post Framework

    Our framework for businesses on social media has addressed this since the beginning. The 9 Essential Posts for Businesses helps you create relevant content in 9 categories. It also serves as a reminder of the 80/20 Golden Rule of Social Media, 80% of your content should be informational and 20% of your content can be promotional. When used with a content calendar, a business can plan content and ensure that it is varied, tells a larger story, and engages the audience. Download your free copy of the 9 Essential Posts here to jumpstart your audience engagement.

    Social Media Accountability

    This report also made it clear that social media is a massive and essential job. Small businesses need to look at who is manning their social media daily. Are they equipped to answer customer questions? Are questions being responded to within an hour on your social media platforms? Have the correct answers been available? It is my opinion that businesses need to embrace new technology and dedicate capital to the task of engaging customers on social media. Look at chatbot options to serve as the front line and invest in a dedicated “position(s)” to manage social media every day. Social media is no longer a part-time job for the business owner. It is crucial for building an audience and growing your business.

    Potential Solutions 

    If your business can not afford to hire someone internally to manage your social media look at hiring an outside company to handle it. Make sure that the company you hire will be posting custom content that speaks to your brand. JRH Graphics specializes in delivering customized content to our clients. Another option for minimizing expenses and maximizing return is to look for interns at a local college to help you post and manage your daily social media presence. No matter what you do, we recommend upping the attention you pay to your social media. It will continue to be an integral part of your business.

    What Content Do Your Followers Like

    We know that your followers want to be inspired, entertained, educated and informed. The pattern is the same with the types of posts that a consumer will take action on. Sprout Social asked consumers what types of posts they are most likely to leave comments on or share, the answer was posts that entertained them. This is in line with what most social marketers consider to be effective; 50% of social marketers say entertaining and inspirational posts are the most efective in helping them reach their goals according to the Sprout Social findings.

    Consumers Want to Be Engaged and Entertained- Edutained As We Say at JRH Graphics 

    As you saw in the above chart above, posts that inspire, entertain, teach, and have a story are the most likely to create engagement. What is interesting is that consumers are engaging less and less with offers and coupons promising savings. While sales can attract consumer interest, entertaining, and inspiring posts get the most engagement. Both marketers and consumers supported this finding.

    People Want to Learn

    Creating posts that are engaging and entertaining and speak to your brand can be slightly overwhelming. But here are a few key things to keep in mind. Remember that you are the expert, share what you know in an engaging way. Use what you have around you when thinking about things to post, your company is unique highlight it. Look at what your competition is posting to get ideas, don’t flat out copy it, but research is ethical. Use your brand story and differentiators as guidance on what to post. Finally, use your team to deliver the message.

    Employee Advocacy to Shorten the Long Game

    Social media is part of the long game. You are building a loyal customer base that likes, knows, and trusts your business. One way to get your audience to like, know, and trust you sooner is if your employees like know and trust you. According to the Sprout Social report, almost three quarters (72%) of all social marketers use their employees as social media advocates. The report also revealed that forty-five percent of consumers say they are more likely to research a product or service when someone relatable, like an employee, posts about it. Using your employees as advocates helps you keep the content varied on your social. It also helps shorten the time it may take for a follower to become a faithful customer.

    Converting Followers to Customers

    Not every consumer is going to click the checkout button on the first go-round, and that’s okay. It is vital that you still invest in your followers online. Strengthening the connection you have with your followers can lead to more authentic interactions, more word of mouth referrals, and a loyal customer base. Merely looking at the actions consumers take when they follow a brand highlights some of the value they are bringing to the brand.

    Actions Followers Take with Your Brand

    Eighty-seven percent of consumers who follows a brand on social media will visit the brands’ website.  Seventy-eight percent of consumers visit the brands’ physical store, talk about the brand, or recommend the brand to friends and family. Finally, 77% of consumers will buy that brand over another. These are all substantial numbers that indicate a relationship that is worth nurturing. When it’s time to convert people into active buyers, social marketers should use a combination of discounts, product demonstrations, and educational content, Once again, it is the educational and informational content that is driving consumers forward in the customer journey.

    Brands Are Only Scratching the Surface of What Social Can Do

    Social media has so much unforeseen power, and you are in a position to experiment and see what else it can do. While sizeable social marketing firms are working to break down silos, you have the freedom to break down existing social barriers and see what lies on the other side. You have the benefit of seeing an opportunity on one day, and the next day be capitalizing on that opportunity. It is not necessary to chase after every wild idea that passes, but it does mean you have the chance to try new things. Based on what has worked in the past or what trends you are currently seeing.

    What Trends Could You Capitalize On

    From creating video content to building a community around your brand, the opportunities to get more out of social media are out there. An excellent place to start experimenting would be with those things your followers have requested. The end of the Sprout Social report provides you with some trends to watch out for in the future. How could you do more with live video, user-generated content, Instagram Stories, and creating a community around your brand?

    In Conclusion

    Social media is not going to disappear tomorrow. It will continue to expand before it disappears if it disappears. If you are a small business and you have not been investing in social media, the time is now. Get on the bus because it is about to pull out of the station. And for those of you who say, “I am good right now, I will start doing it if I see my sales slipping,” at that point, it is too late. The long game of social media will have passed you by then.

    I am not saying that you need to come by my office and sign up for a social media management or content creation package immediately. Although we do things differently and would have a package that fits your needs. What I am advocating is that you do more to increase your reach. It is time to tap into the power of social media for your business.

    Sprout Social Social Media Index Cover
    Download Your Copy Today

    All Stats and some inspiration provided by the team at SproutSocial Download Your Copy of the Sprout Social Index Today!

  • A Different Approach to Social Media and More

    Combining Our Experience with Our Passion and Helping Other Businesses Succeed

    Social Media has incredible power and reach. However, businesses can not capitalize on that if they don’t have a great story to tell and content that helps followers understand that story. When we founded JRH Graphics, we knew that our suite of services had to make it easier for businesses to tell their story. Our services needed to offer customizable social media plans for posting on their profiles. As well as provide our clients with content that spoke to their unique brand.

    So, we combined our twenty years of business experience with our passion for storytelling and set out to help small and middle-sized businesses get the most out of social media. Our services are all customizable. This allows us to build social media plans that meet our clients’ unique needs. Each piece of content created is made for the sole purpose of telling our clients’ unique story. No generic content, no one size fits all solutions and no pick one from column A and one from column B brand stories.

    A Different Approach: Story First

    At JRH Graphics, we do things differently. We believe that spending a little extra time building your brand story provides value to the brand in the long run. A company without a story has no chance to survive in today’s marketplace. Your story is the foundation of all that we do. If we want to help you to be successful, we must first build a solid foundation.

    Building A Solid Foundation: Discovering Your Winning Story

    What’s Your Story? If you have ever had a meeting with Jonathan Howard, then the chances are he has asked you this question. For us to be able to support your business, we need to know your story. Everyone’s story is unique, so the first thing we do is listen to you talk about your business and watch how you engage with your audience. Your answers to questions like, What does your business means to you, provide us insight as we help you explore your “why.” We ask about your reasons for doing things. What are the values of your company? We want to know what you want to be known for after all is said and done. What problems are you solving for people? All of these questions help us understand your business and allow us to build a brand story.

    The Foundation is Solid

    Now that we have explored your brand story, we can use what we have learned to move forward. This allows us to make more informed decisons about how we promote your brand, what audience would engage with your brand and so much more. A well developed brand story provides us with a solid foundation we can build upon. This foundation allows us to do the following items an so much more.

    1. Use your voice and values in our posts on social media
    2. Target an audience that makes sense for your business
    3. Create custom content that speaks to your values
    4. Engage others that share your values
    5. Represent your business properly on your social media platforms

    We Have The Story, Now What?

    People do business with people in today’s marketplace. The days of businesses operating behind a veil of secrecy is long gone. Your story provides your business with a human face. A human face gives it the power to connect with your audience. Once we are at this stage, JRH Graphics works with you to build a social media plan that allows you to tell your story to an audience that shares your values.

    We work with you to create a package that works for your business. Self-run packages are available where we meet either monthly or weekly to review your calendar and posting plan. We also provide fully managed packages across multiple platforms. With these plans JRH Graphics will create and post custom content that supports your story. And if you fall somewhere in between these two options, we build a custom social media plan that will work for you.

    Social Media Management Plans to Support Your Business

    A Self Run Approach to Social Media

    You decide that you can continue managing the daily duties of your social media. All you need is some assistance planning your content and posts. The drab and generic content that past providers have given you as “custom” does not speak to your unique brand, so creating some custom content to post on your profiles is essential.

    You are not alone, many of our clients fall into this category. They choose JRH Graphics because we offer them a better solution. We schedule regular meetings to help them plan their content. We provide them with a framework for content creation we call the 9 Essential Posts for Every Business on Social Media. During our regular meetings, we help schedule monthly posts and ensure that they are providing their followers with “edutaining” content that adds value. Our goal is to make sure that your social media profiles start working toward the success of the business and no longer feel like a burden.

    A Fully Managed Social Media Plan

    Your business has grown, and the stress of managing your business and promoting your business is overwhelming. You decide that you want to focus on running your business because that is your wheelhouse. But, you need to be able to trust someone to help you promote it. JRH Graphics offers plans that can help you here too.

    It is nearly impossible to run and promote your business at the same time. We take on the task of managing your social media so you can focus on what you do best. A review of your current platforms is performed and make a recommendation on a social media management plan that works for you. We will help you build a strategy that puts you on the path towards engaging followers and creating customers for life.

    The next step is to create content that supports your brand, your story, and reflects your values. We share these customized posts with you every week and ask for your approval. We will never share anything on behalf of your brand without your approval. This strategy allows you to engage your audience, provide them with “edutaining” content that speaks to your brand daily. It is your brand, your messaging, and your custom content; we are just the ones posting it for you.

    A Plan for Custom Content Creation

    Some businesses have a person in the marketing department that is in charge of monitoring the social media for the company. In some cases, they are responsible for creating content. In other instances, a business may need content created by an outside source. Whether you need photos or additional promotional pieces we can help you out.

    Content is king!

    The content you put on your social media can determine who chooses to follow you . Your content influences how your audience feel sabout your brand. From photos to articles, to free tools you provide to your followers, it all says something about who you are. We believe that the content you put out should look and feel like you. While we love stock photos for some things, they don’t belong on your social media profiles.

    At JRH Graphics we literally, loathe content that pretends to be custom. You hava all seen the cringe-worthy off-brand quote somebody posted to their Instagram feed. This is not what JRH Graphics provides. When you hire JRH Graphics to create custom content for you, we will create actual custom content. Content that is based on your brand and your story, not just your brand colors and taglines.

    You Have Choices, We Hope We Made That Clear

    You can select to have photos taken that represent your brand, or have posts created based on the content you have already curated. Whether you need us to develop a single campaign or want us to work with you in an ongoing capacity we can help you out.  We can create content that is representative of your brand each month or once a year. Our content creation plans are just as customizable as our social media plans.

    The Biggest Difference at JRH Graphics

    Jonathan Howard is what makes JRH Graphics different. He is driven, passionate and creative. His hand on style and unique way he approaches problems will help your business rise to the next level. Jonathan has over 20 years of business management experience. The knowledge gained from his experience is what he brings to every one of the clients. Jonathan and the entire JRH Graphics team is committed to helping you be successful. We will roll up our sleeves and work along side our clients to ensure their success.Are you ready to be heard on social media? Do you want the JRH Graphics team to help you tell your winning story? Ready to engage an audience that has the potential to be customers for life?Get Noticed